Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Azorean Refugee Act of 1958 and celebrating the extensive contributions of Portuguese-American communities to the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1438) commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Azorean Refugee Act of 1958 and celebrating the extensive contributions of Portuguese-American communities to the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 1438 is sponsored by our colleagues from California, Representatives Nunes and Costa.

H. Res. 1438 commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Azorean Refugee Act of 1958, and celebrates the extensive contributions of Portuguese- American communities to the United States.

From September 27, 1957, until October 24, 1958, a series of violent disruptions and earthquakes destroyed the infrastructure of Faial Island, in Portgual's Azores archipelago, and impacted the other eight islands in the Azores as well.

The majority of the Faial Island's 25,000 people lost their livelihoods in the midst of fumes, smoke, lava and constant earthquakes, and had no choice but to escape to other islands in the Azores.

The United States, as we so often have in crises of these magnitudes, offered a helping hand to the distressed people of the region through the Azorean Refugee Act. This was spearheaded by Senators John Pastore of Rhode Island and John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts.

The Azorean Refugee Act made 1,500 special non-quota immigrant visas available to the destitute victims of the Capelinhos Volcano in the Azores. It was later extended to allow entry of an even greater number of refugees.

As a result, more than 175,000 Azoreans came to the United States between 1960 and 1980. The 2000 census placed the total number of Portuguese Americans at 1,176,615. The vast majority of these are of Azorean descent.

The communities founded by those immigrants can be found in southeastern New England, the areas around San Francisco, San Diego, and San Joaquin Valley, California, Hawaii, and the New Jersey/New York metropolitan area.

In a very short period of time, these immigrants have built on the accomplishments of earlier arrivals. Through their remarkable work ethic, they have distinguished themselves in innumerable fields of endeavor, especially in farming and fishing. By the 1970s, roughly half of all of the dairy farms in the San Joaquin Valley were owned and operated by Portuguese Americans, helping to make California the number one dairy-producing State in the Nation.

On the East Coast, Portuguese-Americans have played a prominent role in the fishing industry, and contributed to making New Bedford, Massachusetts one of our Nation's greatest seaports.

Portuguese immigrants and their descendants have contributed substantially to this Nation. They are leaders in business, culture and many other professions. They are found in every level of government and in our military, proudly serve the Nation that offered them a helping hand when they needed it most.

This Nation has been repaid many times over during the last half century by these immigrants from the Azores and their descendents. Their success story is a demonstration of just what makes our country so great and so strong. By welcoming people with talent and initiative from around the world, we have become a better nation. The Azoreans are a prime example of just how important this has been to the United States over the generations.

I am pleased to stand with my colleagues to mark the 50th anniversary of the Azorean Refugee Act of 1958. It is fitting that we honor this group of Americans and recall how well they have repaid our generosity and our openness. It is a lesson for our generation and for future generations.

I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, at this time it is my honor to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Costa).

May I inquire how many more speakers the gentleman from North Carolina has?

I thank my friend from North Carolina, not only for his work in support of this resolution, but for all the things that we're able to work together on in the Judiciary Committee.

Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 1438 is an important bill to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Azorean Refugee Act and celebrate the extensive contributions of Portuguese-American communities to our Nation.

I commend the distinguished gentleman, Mr. Costa, for his leadership on this issue. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by taking us back 50 years ago, to the islands of the Azores, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. At that time, the peaceful communities of these islands relied on each other to maintain their livelihood, and the mainly agrarian lifestyles of its peoples were sustained by this interconnectedness. Then, in 1957, a tragic and unexpected turn of events, brought about by a natural disaster, severely destabilized the lives of these proud and hardworking people.

It was September 27, 1957, when the island of Faial experienced a series of volcanic eruptions that lasted for over a year and immediately shattered its economic infrastructure. In its aftermath, the Capelinhos volcano left behind overwhelming material, physical and psychological damage.

The cohesive Portuguese communities already present in the United States at the time rallied behind the victims of this volcano, and unified into a great movement that called for special quotas to allow these victims into the United States. In 1958, in great part resulting from these efforts, Senator John Pastore from Rhode Island introduced S. 3942, the Azorean Refugee Act. This bill proposed the issuance of 1,500 non-quota visas to the Faial victims, providing relief in face of such devastating tragedy. Senator John Fitzgerald Kennedy cosponsored this bill, and along with Senator Pastore, became one of the leading proponents of this legislation. Their efforts finally materialized on August 18, 1958, when the Azorean Refugee Act was finally signed into law, becoming Public Law 85-892.

By November of 1959, the 1,500 special quota visas allowed by the Azorean Refugee Act had already been issued, with more than 3,000 persons from Faial having already immigrated to United States. With the rippling effects of the Capelinhos volcano still being felt in the Azores, the number of visas was elevated to 2,000 in 1960, and then in 1961, a new law permitted the entrance for 2,500 additional Azorean refugees. In total, more then 5,000 visas were issued, effectively shifting the formerly restrictive immigration laws of our country.

The Portuguese community's push to liberalize our immigration policies transformed this Act into one of the most important special laws in our history. In this sense, it was the most important contribution of the Portuguese-American community to the eventual reform of American immigration policy in 1965. As a direct result of the Azorean Refugee Act, the United States Government began to liberalize its immigration laws, and around 25,000 Portuguese citizens eventually immigrated to this country. This law revitalized the long history of Portuguese immigration to the United States, and once again, allowed our great Nation to benefit from the many qualities these people had to offer.

The immigrants arriving from the Azores reached the shores of the United States as manual laborers, and without much proper education they relied solely on the fruits of their hard work to earn their living. Portuguese immigrants distinguished themselves in farming, fishing, and other trades, and built for this Nation a solid foundation of honesty and pride in their work. Subsequent generations have rested upon this heritage to succeed in our society, with a great many Portuguese-American communities producing professors, lawyers, physicians, judges, politicians and other leading figures of our society.

Fifty years later, the admirable successes of Portuguese-American communities throughout California, New England, and elsewhere are a testament to their remarkable work ethic and integrity, which truly inspire us all. Their story is one of sweat, toils, and struggles before a new land, and in itself reflects the very spirit o$ this nation.

For all of that, this resolution recognizes the great importance, of the Azorean Refugee Act, and the vast contributions made by these Azorean communities, who truly turned tragedy into triumph. Let us never forget that America's strength rests on the inclusion of people from all parts of the world and in the generosity that flows from our ideals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Mr. Speaker, today it is my honor to rise in strong support of House Resolution 1438, which commemorates, as noted by the two previous speakers, the 50th anniversary of the Azorean Refugee Act of 1958.

This resolution is sponsored by the Portuguese Caucus, my colleagues and good friend Congressman Devin Nunes and Congressman Dennis Cardoza. We've worked on this together, not only to take note of this significant anniversary, but also to coordinate with our guests, the President of the Portuguese Parliament and three members of the House of Deputies.

It was September 27, 1957, when the island of Faial experienced a series of volcanic eruptions that lasted for over a year and shattered the economic infrastructure of that island, and had impacts throughout the Archipelago.

During that time, two great United States Senators, John Pastore of Rhode Island, who represented a large Portuguese constituency, and Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts, later to become the 35th President of the United States, offered to help those who were suffering as a result of this natural event that devastated the islands. They did so by drafting and passing the law of Azorean Refugee Act of 1958.

It made available special non-quota immigrant visas available to the victims of the earthquakes and volcanoes, and it was extended until 1963, that allowed even more refugees to come to the United States.

Between 1960 and 1980, over 175,000 Azoreans have come to establish and develop their roots in the United States and, at the same time, maintain their family relationships to their friends and their members of their families in the Azores and in Portugal. In fact, the 2000 U.S. Census showed that there were almost 2 million Portuguese-Americans in the United States, many of them of Azorean descent.

Mr. Speaker, these Portuguese immigrants have contributed greatly to the fabric of our Nation, not only in the Northeast and New England, but in California as well. As has been noted, they have participated in all walks of life. In my district and Mr. Cardoza and Mr. Nunes' the Portuguese-Americans have been dominant in the San Joaquin Valley, not just in the dairy industry, but yes, they've also become teachers and doctors and judges and yes, even Members of Congress.

The Portuguese culture is thriving in the San Joaquin Valley, and there are many festas throughout the year, family reunions, the exchanges of those traditions and the ties that bind us quite well.

It's important to note that we have, as I mentioned a moment ago, a visiting delegation. Up in the gallery we have the President of the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal, President Jaime Gama. With him are the former Speaker, Joao Moto Amaral, next to him is a member of the House of Deputies, Antonio Filipe, as well as Ricardo Rodrigues. And we're very appreciative that they be could be here to witness this 50th anniversary and this acknowledgment, because we need to understand that it's more than just like immigrants before and immigrants since. We have had a solid relationship with Portugal with the largest Air Force base, military strategic diplomatic involvement as it relates to just not Europe but the Middle East and Africa, all very vital to America's interests.

Again, we want to recognize all those Portuguese-Americans for their contributions to our Nation, the Azoreans who came to America under this Azorean Refugee Act. We want to thank our Portuguese Caucus, Congressman Nunes, Cardoza, Congressman Frank, Congressman Kennedy and McGovern, all who are cosponsors of this resolution who represent significant Portuguese communities.

We also want to thank Chairman Conyers, Ranking Member Lamar Smith and the leadership on both sides for moving this resolution in an expedited fashion through the committee process and onto the floor. We urge an ``aye'' vote.

Announcement By the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time to myself as I may consume.

I support this resolution. H. Res. 1438, Mr. Speaker, commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Azorean Refugee Act of 1958, and celebrates the contributions that Portuguese-Americans have made to the United States.

In the late 1950s a series of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes devastated the Portuguese Azorean islands. In an important humanitarian gesture, the United States absorbed thousands of Azorean refugees following the enactment of the Azorean Refugee Act of 1958.

Since that time, hundreds of thousands of Azoreans and other Portuguese have migrated to the United States. They have made important contributions to many aspects of American society and the American economy. They are most well-known for their contributions to America's fishing and dairy industries.

President Jaime Gama of the Portuguese Parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, is currently heading a delegation visiting Washington. This is a perfect opportunity for us to pass H. Res. 1438 to commemorate the Azorean Refugee Act, and to acknowledge the continuing friendship between the American and the Portuguese people.

I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I have no more speakers, and I yield back, Mr. Speaker.