IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 131 
Recognizing and honoring the lifetime contributions of Rafael Jose Diaz- 
Balart on the dedication of the Rafael Diaz-Balart Hall at the Florida 
International University College of Law. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 6, 2007 
Mr. MEEK of Florida (for himself, Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida, Mr. 
MARIO
DIAZ-BALART
of Florida, Ms. WASSERMAN
SCHULTZ, Mr. 
FEENEY, Mr. CRENSHAW, Mr. MACK, Mr. MILLER of Florida, Mr. 
WEXLER, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. MICA, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. PUT-
NAM, Mr. KELLER of Florida, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. STEARNS, Mr. 
KLEIN of Florida, Mr. BUCHANAN, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Mr. 
MAHONEY of Florida, Mr. BOYD of Florida, Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE 
of Florida, and Ms. CASTOR) submitted the following resolution; which 
was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing and honoring the lifetime contributions of Rafael 
Jose Diaz-Balart on the dedication of the Rafael Diaz- 
Balart Hall at the Florida International University Col-
lege of Law. 
Whereas a native of Santiago de Cuba, Rafael Jose´ Diaz- 
Balart completed his studies at the University of Havana 
with a law degree in 1919; 
Whereas soon after joining the Bar, he became a municipal 
judge in the city of Palma Soriano, where he served with 
distinction for four years until, by civil service examina-
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•HRES 131 IH 
tion, he obtained the post of civil law notary in the town 
of Banes in eastern Cuba; 
Whereas, while maintaining his law practice, Rafael Jose´ 
Diaz-Balart was elected City Council President and 
Mayor of Banes; 
Whereas he was later elected Congressman and transferred 
his law practice to the city of Holguı´n and subsequently 
to Havana, where he founded the law firm of Diaz- 
Balart, Diaz-Balart and Amador, with his son, Rafael 
Lincoln, and Rolando Amador; 
Whereas, years later, also by examination, Rafael Jose´ Diaz- 
Balart assumed the post of Land Registrar, a prominent 
achievement for lawyers in many civil law countries, in-
cluding Cuba; 
Whereas Rafael Jose´ Diaz-Balart lived in exile after 1959, 
and became a proud citizen of the United States; 
Whereas along with his son, Rafael Lincoln Diaz-Balart, 
Rafael Jose´ Diaz-Balart commenced law school at the 
University of Madrid, Spain, and in 1965, at age 66, 
earned a second Law Degree; 
Whereas Rafael Jose´ Diaz-Balart died in Miami, Florida in 
1985; 
Whereas Rafael Jose´ Diaz-Balart instilled not only in his son, 
but in his four grandsons a sense of honor and service, 
which led them to become prominent members of Amer-
ican society; 
Whereas his son, Rafael Lincoln, was a prominent member 
of the Cuban House of Representatives, and his 
grandsons, Lincoln Diaz-Balart and Mario Diaz-Balart 
were elected to the United States House of Representa-
tives in 1992 and 2002, respectively, Jose Diaz Balart 
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•HRES 131 IH 
became a prominent journalist as the Washington bureau 
chief for Telemundo Network and was the first United 
States journalist to host daily Spanish and English lan-
guage newscasts, and Rafael Diaz-Balart became a 
prominent Miami investment banker; 
Whereas, on February 10, 2007, Florida International Uni-
versity will dedicate the Rafael Diaz-Balart Hall as the 
new home of the College of Law; 
Whereas Rafael Diaz-Balart Hall will provide a state-of-the- 
art facility for teaching, research, and study, as well as 
scholarly and social interaction; and 
Whereas the Rafael Diaz-Balart Hall was designed by the 
internationally renowned architect Robert A. M. Stern, 
Dean of the School of Architecture at Yale University: 
Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives honors 
the lifetime accomplishments and legacy of Rafael Jose´ 
Diaz-Balart for his numerous contributions to democracy, 
and recognizes the Florida International University dedi-
cation of the Rafael Diaz-Balart Hall at the College of 
Law as an appropriate tribute in his memory. 
Æ 
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