Congressional Hispanic Caucus Remarks at the Annual Dinner.

Mr. Speaker, Chairman Garcia, distinguished Members of Congress, members of my own administration—both those who speak Spanish and the few who don't— [laughter] :

It is a real pleasure for me as President of our country to be present at this Second Hispanic Caucus Dinner.

I have never known such a small caucus to have so many friends and so much power and so much influence. And the friends, power, and influence are all growing every day, and I'm thankful for it. I'm sure it's because the members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus have hearts that are pure, and they certainly have a cause that is just.

Mrs. Royhal just told me that Ed ¹ is feeling very well. His message was one of great encouragement to us, and I am looking forward to continuing my work with him as soon as he is released from the hospital, perhaps tomorrow.

¹ Representative Edward R. Roybal of California.

Tonight we are enjoying' good food, good hospitality, good friendship, good company, and good plans for the future and good memories of the past. But as we gather together in a spirit of celebration and good fellowship, we must never forget that we are here because of something that's larger and much more important.

Everyone in this room is a part of three great struggles, struggles that have defined the history of our time. I'm talking about the struggle for human rights at home and abroad. I'm talking about the struggle for basic social and economic justice, and I'm talking' about the struggle for a peaceful Earth.

The actions that I take as President of the United States of America are aimed at advancing, with you, these three great causes. The lives of many in this room have literally been dedicated to these causes. And in these battles, the members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus have been, as you know, just where they belong, always in the front lines of the struggle. I've been proud to stand with you for the last 2 1/2 years, and I'm proud that we've stood together in a common cause.

Ed Royhal and his colleagues—Bob Garcia, Baltasar Corrada, and Kika de la Garza, and others who have joined the Spanish Caucus—have made their voices heard far beyond their own districts. They've fought for the rights of all Hispanic Americans, whether their background is Mexican or Cuban Puerto Rican, Central American, or South American. They've fought for jobs, for political participation, for better education, and for an end to prejudice, discrimination, and bigotry.

All Americans, not just those who happen to speak Spanish, have benefited from their efforts. And on behalf of all Americans, I thank them, and I thank you.

The road we travel together is long and it is hard, but we are moving. And we are going to keep on moving and keep on pushing until the magnificent ideals of this Nation are a reality for all who live within its borders.

Tonight, I want to report to you very briefly on the progress we have made together within this Government and within this Nation in the cause of liberty, of justice, and of peace.

This Nation was founded on a passionate commitment to basic human rights, but for too many years our Government, our Nation, has seemed to have lost touch with this basic source of strength. It's been said often, and said rightly, human rights begin at home. And I'm determined that the provisions of the United States Constitution and the laws of our land shall apply to all who live within the borders of our country, whether they are citizens or not.

Months ago I urged all the Governors of our country, and I have now signed an order to all of the heads of the departments and agencies in our own Government, directing them to see that undocumented aliens are treated fairly and humanely in every instance. And I'm directing Federal officials to give full cooperation to officials of other nations who seek their help in investigating any allegation of discrimination or deprivation of those basic human rights which we hold so dear.

We have not yet stamped out all the vestiges of bigotry and brutality in our country, but we must do so. These have been the goals of Leonel Castillo as Director of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Leonel has made the INS more efficient and more responsive, so that suffering people, trying to obey the law, would not have to wait years for a simple answer to a basic question. He took on one of the toughest, most thankless jobs there is in the United States, and he did it well. And all of us ought to thank him for it.

I know that Leonel is disappointed at some things which have not yet been done in the not much more than 2 years that he has served so well, but I am very proud of his accomplishments.

For too long both the legislative and the executive branches of Government have ignored our immigration policies and the problems that were building up throughout our land. Undocumented aliens have feared that any solution attempted would be at their expense, and a great many other people have just found it easier not to think about this problem as long as it was others who suffered and not themselves.

Together in the last few months, we have tried to face up to these difficult problems and to seek real solutions. We are making some progress. We've not yet gone far enough. And we are consulting closely with the Mexican Government officials for the first time, and other countries who are involved. And I promise you that this effort which has been initiated so well by Leonel Castillo, by the Immigration and Naturalization Service, will not terminate with his departure. He will continue to help us, and the progress that he started will continue as well.

Some parts of our policy are very controversial-human rights at home also means justice, tempered with mercy.

Last week, I commuted the sentences of the last four Puerto Rican nationalists who attacked President Truman and wounded five Members of Congress more than 25 years ago. I did this for humane reasons.

AUDIENCE MEMBER. Why?

THE PRESIDENT. I'll tell you why. I did this for humane reasons and because I agreed with Congressmen Garcia and Corrada and with Franklin Lopez and others here tonight, that the time that they had served, more than 25 years, was long enough.

I'd like to make it clear that an important principle was involved. These nationalists were imprisoned for criminal conduct, not for their political views. Like other Americans, they're entitled to the freedom of speech guaranteed by the Constitution. And I can say to you that our country is strong enough so that we can honor the principle of freedom of speech, and we need not fear those who speak out with ideas with which we may disagree.

On the important issue of the future status of Puerto Rico, I will support whatever decision is made by the people of Puerto Rico because I believe— [applause] —because I feel that Puerto Ricans have enough judgment to make a decision about their own future for themselves, and I will honor their judgment.

We must look now to the present and its needs, and to a better future for all Puerto Rican citizens, whether they live on the island or whether they live here on the mainland. And we seek to fulfill human rights here at home, and we will continue to speak out for human rights abroad.

From the day that I took office, I have sought to place at the top of my agenda and to awaken the conscience of the world and to bring that conscience about human rights to bear on the world's leaders. We have created an atmosphere that I believe has made significant progress on human rights throughout our hemisphere. Many prison doors have swung open, repression of the poor and the weak and the helpless has been eased in many countries. Democratic government or civilian government has been rescued and has replaced military governments and autocratic governments, where people had little voice.

The struggle for human rights is basic and so is the struggle for the economic and the social justice which permits human beings to enjoy those rights once they have been obtained with dignity. That struggle cannot be won unless the Government of this country, which we love, is peopled with men and women of courage, ability, sensitivity, and the knowledge of the special problems which many of you in this room know so well.

I will have two superb new leaders to help me in the near future. One of them is Abelardo Valdez, who is now administering our AID program and who will soon be the United States Chief of Protocol. The other is a fine man, one of the most competent men I know in government, who happened to have been born in Mexico City, has practiced law there for 19 years, who served our Nation well, and who will now be the Secretary of the Navy of the United States of America, Edward Hidalgo. I think Abelardo and Edward are here. Are they here? Stand up if you will, new Secretary of Navy. He was not only my first choice, he was first choice of the former Secretary of Navy, now the Deputy Secretary of Defense. And I am very proud of you, Edward, and what you've already done for our country.

As you know, in order to advise me on personnel and other important affairs, Esteban Torres, who came here with me tonight, has joined my White House staff. Ambassador Torres has distinguished himself both in government and also as a labor leader.

As United States Ambassador to UNESCO, his ability to make friends was demonstrated by his election to the UNESCO Executive Board. Our country is not always unanimously popular in the United Nations. But when Esteban ran for the Executive Board of UNESCO, out of 130 countries voting, he got 127 votes.

He's going to be giving me advice on many things, one of which is how to get votes. [Laughter]

Ambassador Torres is working closely with me, also. on the upcoming visit of President Lopez Portillo of Mexico. And he will make sure that your voice is heard every day when policy is made within the White House. Assisting him will be Gilbert Colon.

All of those that I've named, and many others, are working very closely with our new Attorney General to root out any element of racism or discrimination in our system of criminal justice. And a special advisory committee is being set up, with Esteban's help and the help of the Attorney General, of Hispanic Americans to make sure that this goal, which has not been accomplished in the past, will be accomplished in the future.

We also know that accurate information about our country is a. fundamental weapon in the struggle for social justice. In this connection, the 1980 census is a major opportunity and a personal challenge to me and to everyone in this room. If Hispanic Americans are to be full partners in all aspects of American life and to share in its full benefits. we must have an accurate count of how many Hispanic Americans live in the United States of America.

I have for the first time directed the Census Bureau to hire bilingual census takers, to print questionnaires in Spanish, and to work with community groups and leaders who understand their own community, to encourage cooperation. It's important, because of the sensitivity of some people's lives who live here, that the confidentiality of individual census information will be protected. And I have directed, without equivocation, that this be done.

I cannot look at the individual information, your Congressman cannot look at it, and no other Government agency can look at this individual confidential information that will give us accurate information. An accurate count will mean better Government funding for areas that have a high population of Hispanic Americans and better political representation. And a much larger Congressional Hispanic Caucus will result from better counts of those who live in our country. That in turn will put much more muscle behind the efforts that all of you tonight in this room will espouse for the benefit of those in our country who speak Spanish.

With your help, we've increased funds for bilingual education already, in just a little over 2 years by 50 percent. And I've requested funds for a special program for bilingual vocational education. And I strongly support, by the way, the legislation which has already passed the Senate to give the Southwest Border Commission authority to award construction grants to ease severe overcrowding in schools in the Southwest, in heavily Hispanic areas.

Just as we carry on the struggle for human rights and social justice, we're struggling to build peace and security in this hemisphere and throughout the world.

In the Western Hemisphere, among our American neighbors, we believe in peace. We believe in a policy of nonintervention. We respect the other American states as equals and as individuals. We work closely with our friends in political and diplomatic matters. We consult closely with them, because we know that their advice, their counsel, their cooperation is crucial to us to make the right decision on the policy and the motivations and the actions of our own Government that affect those who live in the Caribbean, in Central and South America.

We're promoting economic development and building stronger trade relationships. We are committed, along with the other free countries and free peoples of this hemisphere, to minimize the spread of totalitarian and atheistic Communist influence among the free people of this hemisphere.

I'm very proud that we are rebuilding the world's faith in all these and other American commitments.

Together, with a sense of wisdom and of fairness, we fought and we won a victory for peace and for human rights—that was not politically popular with the Panama Canal treaties. The Senate of the United States took courageous action, and you and I, as full partners, were able to do what was right, because we stood together. I believe that this will be recognized in history as an action that spared this half of the world of possible conflict between peoples that have always in the past been friends, but which would have shattered this friendly relationship forever.

The Congress still must take action on the Panama Canal treaties. And I plead with all of you to use your influence for favorable consideration of the implementation legislation for the Panama Canal treaties, so that we will not be embarrassed by violating the word of honor of our Nation and mistreating the heroic and the generous and the good friends that we have who live in Panama and throughout the southern part of this hemisphere.

In the tragic: wake of the recent Hurricane David, the American people responded immediately and with open hearts to the needs of the people of Dominica and the Dominican Republic. Governor Romero and the people of Puerto Rico have been especially helpful. And the people of Miami, trader Mayor Ferre's leadership, also deserve our congratulations for their donations of food and medicines for the people of the Dominican Republic.

This month, here in Washington, I will meet with President Lopez Portillo of Mexico, and I expect this meeting to further the balanced relationship that I seek with our near neighbor and our friend.

There are many issues of great importance to both nations that we can only manage—because they have been so long ignored—through continual, careful, and close consultation between the United States and Mexico. We'll be discussing energy and trade and border issues, as well as other matters on which we are now negotiating with the Mexican Government. These negotiations are now and will continue to be frank, fair, and mature. They are conducted within a framework of mutual respect and with a conviction that both nations will benefit from them. That's how it should be, and with your continued support, that's how it always will be.

Our relations with Mexico are among the most important that we have in the entire world. And I will never let the inevitable problems and differences of opinion that may arise, deflect us from the mutual respect, friendship, cooperation, and sensitive attention to our proper duties which we share with President Lopez Portillo and the Mexican people.

In closing let me say this: These are just a few items on a big agenda, but I know that we can do this together. Our goals are the same—to bring all Americans, no matter in which country we live, into full partnership in every aspect of our lives, with full justice, economic opportunity, and political participation. If that day is to come down, and come down to us soon, we must work together to bring it about. It will not come automatically. I cannot do it alone; no President could. Government cannot do it alone. You cannot do it alone. But together, if we have a common goal, mutual respect, courage, and respect for one another and for the principles that bind us together, we can make it happen.

To close my remarks I would like to use for a few seconds our Nation's second language.

Tenemos que trabajar juntos para garantizar la participacion total en todos aspectos de la sociedad americana para todos miembros dr: la comunidad hispana, para el futuro de nuestros hi, os, para el Jutufo de la comunidad hispana, y para el futuro de nuestra nacion. Muchas gracias a todos. [We have to work together to guarantee the total participation in all aspects of the American society for all members of the Hispanic community, for the future of our children, for the future of the Hispanic community, and for the future of our Nation. Thank you very much.]