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U.S. Congressman José E. Serrano ~ Representing the people of the 16th District of New York
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The Serrano Report, Vol. V, #24 |
On Capitol Hill
Serrano Remembers September 11th
Yesterday, Congressman Serrano joined colleagues in Congress as well as people across the nation in commemorating the tragic events of September 11th, 2001.
“Our nation suffered a terrible blow seven years ago today and was forever changed,” said Serrano. “We watched in horror as our nation was attacked by unknown assailants for unknown reasons. Our shock turned to outrage, grief and sadness in the following days. I will never forget watching the American people come together as one to mourn the innocent people we lost and also ask that the terrorists responsible be brought to justice.”
“My hometown, New York, was hit that fateful day. It was a primary day, and I was campaigning for my son, José M. Serrano in his bid for the City Council. The attacks caused the election to be canceled, which was a direct blow to our cherished democracy. In the days following, I vowed to fight against changes to our civil rights as a result of the attacks. I believe that the more we changed, the more the terrorists would have succeeded.
“In that spirit, every 9/11, I ask myself, ‘have I done everything I can to preserve the freedoms and traditions of our great nation against fear and hatred?’ I then redouble my efforts. The memory of the thousands of innocent people we lost that fall day seven years ago demands no less.”
Serrano Calls for Easing of Restrictions on Cuba in Wake of Recent Hurricanes
On Monday, Congressman Serrano sent a letter to President Bush calling on him to ease restrictions on travel and remittances to Cuba. He highlighted the devastation that recent hurricanes have inflicted on Cuba and suggested that Cuban-Americans were a great resource for providing assistance in this difficult time.
The text of the letter follows:
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The Honorable George W. Bush
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
I am writing to add my voice to that of the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Howard Berman, calling for a suspension of regulatory restrictions for travel and remittances to Cuba by Cuban-Americans. Lifting these restrictions will help to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Cuba caused by the recent hurricanes.
First, Hurricane Gustav damaged homes, infrastructure and crops across the island. Now, Hurricane Ike has caused the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people in Cuba and will add to the damage to buildings and agriculture. Because of this repeated battering, I agree with Chairman Berman that we should examine all possible avenues for providing assistance to Cuba.
As a government we should reach out and offer assistance to the Cuban people, but one of our best resources for providing timely and accurate assistance is the many Cuban-Americans with families back in Cuba. They personally understand the situation in Cuba and will know what their families need. In order to tap this great resource, I believe that Chairman Berman’s proposal of a 90 day suspension of regulatory restrictions on visits, remittances and gifts is reasonable and would allow Cuban Americans to help their relatives recover from the storms.
This is not a time to focus on policy differences over the merits of the Cuban government, nor on the long term differences between our two governments. It is a time to acknowledge the human suffering and hardship that is ongoing in Cuba and to take steps to alleviate it.
This is an opportunity for our nation to show its compassion for those who are suffering. I encourage you to take the necessary measures to allow direct assistance to the Cuban people from their family members in the United States.
Sincerely,
José E. Serrano
Member of Congress
Serrano Helps Unveil Latin Jazz Stamp
On the evening of September 8th, Congressman Serrano joined Postmaster General John Potter to unveil the new Latin Jazz commemorative stamp at the National Postal Museum.
During the event, Serrano spoke about the history and importance of Latin Jazz. He also gave a personal and moving tribute to Candido Camero, who was being honored by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute as the Arts and Culture Award Recipient for 2008. Camero, an accomplished percussionist, was recognized for his ongoing contributions to Latin Jazz.
"It was an amazing experience to share the stage with Candido and to listen to him perform," said Serrano. "The new artwork on the new stamp does a good job of conveying the rhythm and passion that is typical of Latin Jazz and that is particularly evident in Candido's music."
Gerald Merna, U.S. Postal Service
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| Rep. Grace Napolitano, Serrano, Candido Camero, Rep. Xavier Becerra, Rep. Joe Baca and Postmaster General John Potter after unveiling the new stamp |
Serrano Receives Award at CHCI Event
On Wednesday, Congressman Serrano received the Chairman's Award at the annual Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Gala. The award is given in recognition of a lifetime service to the Hispanic community.
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| Chairman's award winners, Rep. Solomon Ortiz, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Serrano surrounded my CHCI members after receiving their awards |
Grant Opportunities
Child Health Grant
Application Deadline: October 9, 2008
The Health Resources and Services Administration recently announced the availability of grants for programs that promote access to health care by children and their families. The purpose of the grant is to increase preventive health care for children by creating community and statewide collaboration among health professionals, families, and community organizations and businesses. The grant is not for research into these relationships, but rather for the development of such collaborative organizations, and applicants should plan on targeting that currently lack adequate health care. The application process is open to any group, including community based organizations.
For more information on this opportunity, please read the full description.
For information on other government grants, please go to: www.grants.gov.
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WASHINGTON OFFICE
2227 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-3216
(202) 225-4361
Fax: (202) 225-6001
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BRONX OFFICE
788 Southern Blvd.
Bronx, New York 10455
(718) 620-0084
Fax: (718) 620-0658
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Print Page
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WASHINGTON OFFICE
2227 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-3216
(202) 225-4361
Fax: (202) 225-6001
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BRONX OFFICE
788 Southern Blvd.
Bronx, New York 10455
(718) 620-0084
Fax: (718) 620-0658
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