Title: Expressing support for the designation of June as Portuguese National Heritage Month.
Policy area: Arts, Culture, Religion

Summary:
This resolution expresses support for the designation of Portuguese National Heritage Month.
The bill also 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.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 459 Introduced in House (IH)]

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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. McNerney, 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 advancement of early 
        American society from manning whaling ships in New England to the 
        introduction of grape cultivation in Georgia;
Whereas Portuguese Americans have been leaders in elected governmental 
        positions;
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 Energy, Ernest Moniz;
Whereas Portuguese Americans are leaders in the agricultural 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 Portuguese at Harvard University, where he chaired 
        the Department 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 contributions to American culture 
        in various ways, such as introducing 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 cooperation and innovation that have 
        strengthened transatlantic relations through local and international 
        Portuguese-American associations such as the Luso-American Development 
        Foundation and the Portuguese American 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 observe a 
        Portuguese National Heritage Month with appropriate programs 
        and activities that celebrate the contributions of the 
        Portuguese community to the United States.
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