Conferring honorary citizenship of the United States on Bernardo de Gálvez y Madrid, Viscount of Galveston and Count of Gálvez.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 105) conferring honorary citizenship of the United States on Bernardo de Galvez y Madrid, Viscount of Galveston and Count of Galvez.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.J. Res. 105, currently under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I thank the gentleman for his support.

Mr. Speaker, H.J. Res. 105 confers honorary United States citizenship upon Bernardo de Galvez y Madrid in recognition of his many contributions to and sacrifices for the cause of American independence. I want to commend again our colleague, Jeff Miller, for introducing this legislation, and I certainly urge my colleagues to support it.

American citizenship, Mr. Speaker, is the highest honor that our country can confer upon a person who is a citizen of another land. The granting of honorary citizenship is a symbolic gesture that welcomes the recipient into our national family.

Honorary citizenship is and should always be an extraordinary honor not lightly conferred. Congress has granted honorary citizens on only six occasions in the past to seven individuals. The seven recipients have been Casimir Pulaski, the Marquis de Lafayette, Mother Teresa, William and Hannah Penn, Raoul Wallenberg, and Winston Churchill. The last two recipients, Casimir Pulaski and the Marquis de Lafayette, both played crucial roles in the United States' victory in the Revolutionary War.

General Galvez's contributions to the war effort compare very favorably with those of Casimir Pulaski and the Marquis de Lafayette. H.J. Res. 105 states that Galvez ``provided supplies, intelligence, and strong military support to the war effort.''

Indeed, the historical record indicates that, due to the British blockade of seaports on the eastern seaboard, Galvez's secretly- coordinated smuggling operation and efforts to clear the Mississippi River of British influence helped to ensure that George Washington's Continental Army received necessary weapons and other provisions.

H.J. Res. 105 states that:

Galvez recruited an army of 7,500 men . . . and led the

effort of Spain to aid the United States' colonists . . . he

and his troops seized the Port of New Orleans and

successfully defeated the British at battles in Baton Rouge,

Louisiana; Natchez, Mississippi; and Mobile, Alabama.

Commentators and historians have uniformly lauded General Galvez's bravery, tenacity, and tactical military skill in rapidly assembling and leading a diverse, multiethnic regiment. Galvez's forces were victorious in every battle into which he led them.

H.J. Res. 105 states that Galvez ``led the successful 2-month siege of Pensacola, Florida, where his troops captured the capital of British West Florida and left the British with no naval bases in the Gulf of Mexico.''

The historical narrative surrounding Galvez's actions leading up to and throughout the 2-month-long Battle of Pensacola underscores his heroism and leadership in pursuit of the objective of pinning down the British forces and driving them from the Gulf of Mexico.

There is no question that keeping the British occupied on a second front during the war was crucial and critical to the success of General Washington's campaign.

Mr. Speaker, some historians have noted that the length and timing of the Battle of Pensacola, in particular, impacted the number of forces and ships the British could commit to the Battle of Yorktown, which was the final campaign of the Revolutionary War.

Finally, H.J. Res. 105 states that Galvez' victories against the British were recognized by George Washington as a deciding factor in the outcome of the Revolutionary War.

I believe that Bernardo de Galvez y Madrid deeply deserves honorary citizenship, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Mr. Franks, for yielding.

H.J. Res. 105 would bestow honorary American citizenship on General Bernardo de Galvez. Though not born in the United States, General Galvez was a true friend to our country who played an integral role in securing the independence of this Nation.

As governor of Spanish Louisiana, General Galvez provided American forces with funds, arms, and ammunition, and he provided military intelligence to the American commanders.

After Spain's entry into the war, General Galvez recruited an army of American, Spanish, and French troops and set about a multiyear campaign that decimated British forces all along the gulf coast.

General Galvez led successful campaigns in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama before embarking on his seminal victory at the Siege of Pensacola, where he captured the capital of British West Florida after a bloody 2-month long battle, during which he in fact was wounded by gunfire.

General Galvez's victory left the British with no naval forces or bases along the gulf coast and prevented British troops and supplies from reaching the battles along the eastern seaboard.

His efforts to assist the formation of our country were recognized by President George Washington, President John Adams, and by the United States Continental Congress. In fact, President Washington cited General Galvez's efforts as a deciding factor in the outcome of the war.

Honorary citizenship is a rare and extraordinary recognition granted to foreigners who have rendered great service to the United States of America. Only seven individuals have been granted honorary citizenship, including two Revolutionary War heroes, the Marquis de Lafayette, and General Casimir Pulaski.

When our Founding Fathers declared our independence, they knew that they were going up against probably the world's most preeminent power. They chose to take up that battle because of their unwavering commitment to liberty and freedom, but they also knew that in order to be successful, they needed the support of allies and great men like the Marquis de Lafayette, Casimir Pulaski, and General Bernardo de Galvez.

I want to thank Chairman Goodlatte, Chairman Gowdy, Chairman Franks, and the staff of the Judiciary Committee for their assistance in moving this bill through committee. I also want to thank our majority leader for bringing this bill to the floor.

I would encourage all my colleagues to support this measure to recognize General Galvez's immense contribution to the history of our country by granting him honorary American citizenship.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.J. Res. 105, which proclaims Bernardo de Galvez to be an honorary citizen of the United States posthumously and recognizes his contribution in aiding the American colonists in the fight for independence against the British.

Although he was born in Spain, General Galvez led masterful military campaigns against the British and played a crucial role in securing land and seaports on behalf of the American colonists. He additionally helped negotiate the terms of the treaty that ended the American Revolution and secured America's independence from British rule.

This is only the eighth time that Congress has bestowed posthumous citizenship, most recently in 2009, when we honored Casimir Pulaski, a Polish military officer who, like General Galvez, fought alongside American

colonists during the Revolutionary War.

This honor is reserved for only the most highly-deserving individuals, but it should be noted that it is purely symbolic and does not have any substantive effect on the immigration status of surviving family members.

In closing, General Galvez played an important role in the American Revolution, and he was recognized for his efforts by George Washington. The time has come for Congress to now recognize him by granting him posthumous citizenship.

I urge my colleagues to support the resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of H.J. Res. 105.

I ask unanimous consent that the joint resolution be read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.