IV 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 459 
Expressing support for the designation of June as Portuguese National 
Heritage Month. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 4, 2021 
Mr. COSTA (for himself, Mr. VALADAO, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. KEATING, Mr. 
VARGAS, Mrs. TRAHAN, Mr. AUCHINCLOSS, Mr. KHANNA, Mr. MCNER-
NEY, Mr. KAHELE, and Mr. NUNES) submitted the following resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing support for the designation of June as 
Portuguese National Heritage Month. 
Whereas Portugal was the first neutral nation to establish 
diplomatic ties with the United States; 
Whereas Portuguese Americans harbor a deep commitment to 
family and community, an enduring work ethic, and a 
perseverance to succeed and contribute to society; 
Whereas Portuguese Americans have contributed to the ad-
vancement of early American society from manning whal-
ing ships in New England to the introduction of grape 
cultivation in Georgia; 
Whereas Portuguese Americans have been leaders in elected 
governmental positions; 
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•HRES 459 IH 
Whereas Portuguese-American political influence began early 
in Hawaii, and in 1894, 3 of the 18 elected delegates to 
the Constitutional Convention were Portuguese; 
Whereas, in 1979, Peter ‘‘Tony’’ Coelho of California was 
elected to the House of Representatives, becoming the 
first Portuguese American to serve in Congress; 
Whereas Portuguese Americans have served in the highest 
positions of the National Government, the most notable 
of whom is nuclear physicist and former Secretary of En-
ergy, Ernest Moniz; 
Whereas Portuguese Americans are leaders in the agricul-
tural industry in California and throughout the Nation, 
most notably in the dairy industry; 
Whereas Portuguese Americans have served in the highest 
levels of the educational community, the most notable 
being Francis Mile Rogers, who was a professor of Por-
tuguese at Harvard University, where he chaired the De-
partment of Romance Languages and Literatures and 
served as the dean of the School of Arts and Sciences; 
Whereas Portuguese Americans have served with distinction 
and proudly in the United States military; 
Whereas Portuguese Americans have made lasting contribu-
tions to American culture in various ways, such as intro-
ducing the ukulele to American music and John Philip 
Sousa, the ‘‘March King’’, composing the ‘‘Stars and 
Stripes Forever’’ march for the United States Navy; 
Whereas Portuguese Americans, and particularly emigrants 
from the Azores Archipelago, have built bridges of co-
operation and innovation that have strengthened trans-
atlantic relations through local and international Por-
tuguese-American associations such as the Luso-Amer-
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•HRES 459 IH 
ican Development Foundation and the Portuguese Amer-
ican Leadership Council: and 
Whereas Dia de Portugal is annually celebrated on June 10: 
Now, therefore, be 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) expresses support for the designation of 
Portuguese National Heritage Month; 
(2) esteems the integral role of the Portuguese- 
American community and the manifold heritage of 
Portugal in the economy, culture, and identity of the 
United States; and 
(3) urges the people of the United States to ob-
serve a Portuguese National Heritage Month with 
appropriate programs and activities that celebrate 
the contributions of the Portuguese community to 
the United States. 
Æ 
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