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Remarks of the President to the Republican National Hispanic Assembly [Ford Speech or Statement]
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7345147
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Remarks of the President to the Republican National Hispanic Assembly [Ford Speech or Statement]
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White House Press Releases (Ford Administration)
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1976-07-29
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1976
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Digitized from Box 29 of the White House Press Releases at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JULY 29, 1976
OFFICE OF THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY
THE WHITE HOUSE
REMARKS OF THE PRESIDENT
TO THE
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL HISPANIC ASSEMBLY
OF THE UNITED STATES
THE MAYFLOWER HOTEL
9:34 P.M. EDT
Fernando, my good friend, Minority Leader of the
House Congressman John Rhodes, Congressman Manny Lujan,
Ben Fernandez, distinguished members of the Administration
guests and ladies and gentlemen:
It is wonderful to be here tonight, and I thank
you from the bottom of my heart for your very warm and
friendly welcome. Obviously, I am honored to be here
with the Republican National Hispanic Assembly in this
month of our national Bicentennial when we are giving
special recognition to our rich national heritage,
including our Hispanic heritage.
America's recognition of its Hispanic components
involves much, much more than history itself. It includes
your vital and growing role, as well as your contribution
at all levels of leadership of the United States of
America, our country.
Your organization has provided an inspiration --
and results, I might say--for men and women of Hispanic
origin. With your help, we have done much, a great deal,
to mobilize the great wealth and talent and dedication
of Hispanic-Americans in our Federal Government, and I am
especially proud of your contributions, your dedication,
your leadership.
In recognition of our mutual desire to increase
the number of Hispanic-Americans in leadership positions,
I am particularly proud in this Administration to have
appointed many of those that I see here tonight.
But, as I look across the room, I see not only
those who have been appointed and recognized in the past,
but I am very pleased to introduce some of my most recent
Hispanic appointees. You are proud of them, just as I am.
MORE
Page 2
First is my new Special Assistant for Hispanic
Affairs at the White House, Tom Aranda, Jr. If you
have any trouble in the White House, call Tom. (Laughter)
We hope you have no reason to call him, and we will try
to avoid it, but that is his job and we are proud to
have you on board, Tom.
My new Assistant Secretary of the Department of
Interior is Albert C. Zapanta. I think most of you
recognize that the Department of the Interior has vast
responsibilities, and I can assure you that we have great
faith in the fine job that Albert will do, and congratulations.
We have two diplomatic appointments, Phil Sanchez--
he is our new Ambassador to Columbia, a very important
post, and congratulations, Phil--and Ignacio Lozano, whom
I have nominated to be our Ambassador to El Salvador.
It likewise is a position of responsibility in
an area where we must have a greater and greater influence
and interest, and I am sure that both of these two out-
standing appointees will do a fine job, and the very best.
Of course, we have Sam Martinez. Sam, of course,
came from Denver, and we brought him to Washington to
fill a very important post. I am confident that this very
difficult, very vital position of responsibility as
Director of the Community Services Administration will be
in excellent hands, with Sam's experience and ability and
dedication. Thank you very much, Sam, for coming to
Washington.
I think these appointments, plus the others that
have been made, are very indicative that this Administration
wants a vigorous involvement of Hispanic-Americans in
governing our nation.
Just as you need more advocates in Government --
and we are seeking to achieve and accomplish that --
Americans need more Hispanic representatives in Congress,
like my good friend Manuel Lujan of the great State of
New Mexico.
I would like to thank Congressman Lujan for
not only his help and assistance when I was the Minority
Leader and I know he is doing the same for Congressman John
Rhodes -- but to thank him for the extraordinary effort that
he made under most difficult cumstances when we had a
State convention down in the State of New Mexico.
Manny, I think that your efforts will be
vindicated in several weeks.
MORE
Page 3
But let me say that our common goal is to
make life better for the Hispanic community in the
United States by assuring a number of very broad, but
very important rights, such as the full voting right,
by improving the standard of living for all, expanding
the educational opportunity particularly the quality
education, including bilingual programs, by including
greater participation in the minority business enterprise
program, and by continuing our successful efforts to
reduce inflation and unemployment for all Americans.
These are programs that have a special focus
and a particular interest to all of you, but they improve
the quality of life and the betterment for all of us
throughout this country.
Several months ago, some of you may recall,
I issued an order that resulted in speeding up the
naturalization process, or proceeding, for new citizens
from Cuba, and I might add parenthetically, we are
monitoring that to see that the greater number of
employees produce more results. But nevertheless,
on a broad scale, I strongly welcome the growing
political involvement and vigorous, talented efforts
by new Americans at all levels of Government -- State
and local, as well as Federal.
On a broader basis involving an issue where
all of you are interested, and I am certainly deeply
concerned, let me say in the following several sentences
what this Administration stands for.
My Administration will continue a policy of
friendship toward the people and I underline the
people, of Cuba. But I add very emphatically, we will not
accept intervention by the Fidel Castro regime in the
affairs of other countries.
We will not accept the counsel of those who would
give in to Fidel Castro. Let me illustrate another example.
The free choice of the Puerto Rican people will be vigorously
defended. My Administration and the Government of Puerto
Rico could view any outside intervention into Puerto
Rican affairs as an unfriendly act. We shall strongly
resist any such intervention. Freedom of choice is
precious, not only for the Puerto Ricans, but for all
Americans.
After 200 years of freedom, we are approaching
another day when the American people again give their
consent to be governed and choose their elected
representatives. I call upon all Hispanic Americans
to join me in my campaign to achieve a greater realiza-
tion of that wonderful American dream.
MORE
Page 4
I think you know where I stand. You know
who I am. You know my record in our national Govern-
ment -- a record that I am glad to say you helped
to achieve.
Let us go on working together as partners to
obtain full participation for all citizens in the
political process. I ask your help. I need your
personal involvement to complete the work of the last
two years. Hispanic genius, Hispanic energy, Hispanic
pride and the Hispanic dedication have strengthened
our political system. You have advanced our goals in
the best interests of the highest aspirations of all
Americans.
I need your abilities and your skills for America
and for the Republican Party. The Republican Party is a
channel for a new era of Hispanic involvement. From
California in the Southwest, from Florida, from New
York, from Arizona and from all over this great land,
we are united here to preserve the principles of
America and dedicated to continuing our progress next
January.
And I think in the words of Cervantes,
Todavia no habeis visto nada," which translated,
as I understand it, "You ain't seen nothing yet."
END
(AT 9:49 P.M. EDT)