October 24, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2229 children. According to a report from the Mili- RECOGNIZING THE AMERICAN For these and other contributions to the tary Homefront for the Department of Defense, HIGHWAY USERS ALLIANCE ON daily lives, the economic well-being, and the 37.8 percent of active duty troops are married THE OCCASION OF ITS 75TH AN- health and safety of the traveling public, I rise with children. The Department of Defense re- NIVERSARY to recognize the outstanding achievements of ports that as of October 22, 2007, the total the American Highway Users Alliance and its number of military fatalities in Iraq and in and HON. JAMES L. OBERSTAR sustained contribution in service to our Nation, around Afghanistan totaled 4,273 for both con- OF MINNESOTA and to recognize the Alliance’s 75th anniver- flicts. Based on this data, the Congressional IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES sary. Research Service has estimated that 1,615 Wednesday, October 24, 2007 f troops who were married and had children HONORING DR. LUIS LEAL have died. Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, I rise in Single parents have also been killed in de- strong support of H. Res 772, to recognize the fending our country. The Military Homefront American Highway Users Alliance on the oc- HON. LOIS CAPPS states that 5.4 percent of active duty American casion of its 75th anniversary. OF CALIFORNIA troops are single parents. Using this data, Our Nation’s roadways truly are the lifeblood IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CRS has estimated that 231 troops who were of our economy and an integral part of our ev- Wednesday, October 24, 2007 single parents have died. eryday lives. Our highway system unites Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, today I rise Madam Speaker, we need to provide all of Americans from every state and allows us to to honor Professor Luis Leal on the occasion the help we can to these families of our fallen explore the diverse culture, geography, and at- of his 100th birthday. Professor Leal is a dis- military. H.R. 3961 is a small way to assist tractions that America has to offer. Highways tinguished member of the Santa Barbara com- those families who have lost a spouse and a are critical to the mobility of our Nation by en- munity. He is a man who has devoted his life parent to their children. abling the extensive movement of goods and to scholarship and education, a man dedicated f people. Our highways make it possible for to expressing and revealing the richness of Americans to take more than 660 million trips Mexican, Latin American and Chicano lit- HONORING THE AMERICAN HUN- to visit friends and family every year, and erature and culture. GARIAN FEDERATION ON ITS more than 110 million Americans use the high- Luis Leal was born in 1907 and grew up in 100TH ANNIVERSARY ways to commute to and from work. People Mexico City during the Mexican Revolution. will travel three trillion miles on our Nation’s He came to the United States seeking a col- HON. DANIEL LIPINSKI roads this year. Without our national highway lege education and earned a bachelor’s de- OF ILLINOIS system, America would be a far different gree at . After a hiatus IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES place. to serve in World War II, Leal earned his doc- The need to connect America with a system Wednesday, October 24, 2007 torate from the . of interstate highways was obvious to Presi- After a career teaching at the University of Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I rise today dent George Washington in the first year after Mississippi, , and the Univer- to honor the American Hungarian Federation our Nation was founded. While traveling to the sity of Illinois, Leal ‘‘retired’’ to the Santa Bar- on their 100th anniversary. This group, formed Ohio country on horseback, Washington ob- bara area at the age of 69, only to be invited in 1906 as a vehicle to advance and protect served the isolation and vulnerability caused to join the faculty at UC Santa Barbara as a the interests of Hungarian-Americans, is one by a lack of interstate mobility. He also saw scholar and teacher, first in the Spanish and of the oldest ethnic organizations in the United the economic impact that an interstate road Portuguese Department and then in the newly States. would have for the viability and survival of the established Center for Chicano Studies. Hungarians have been outstanding contribu- new Nation, and called for the development of Leal has enjoyed a distinguished career as tors to our republic since the days of its incep- a trans-Appalachian road to unify the young one of the most highly regarded scholars of tion, when Col. Commandant Mihaly Kovats, Nation. That route was authorized by Con- Mexican and Latin American literature, and the Hungarian officer who led the first Amer- gress in 1806, and the ‘‘National Road’’ (later was one of the first to draw attention to this ican cavalry into battle, died fighting the British known as U.S. Route 40) became the first fed- relatively new field of study. He is the author at Charleston, S.C. in 1779. Their exceptional erally funded road in U.S. history. of over 30 books and 300 articles. In 1988, he service and patriotism were again exemplified A young Dwight Eisenhower came to a simi- received the Distinguished Scholar Award in 1906 when Hungarian-Americans raised lar conclusion while accompanying an Army from the National Association for Chicana and funds for the erection of a statue of George convoy from Washington, D.C., to San Fran- Chicano Studies in recognition of his lifetime Washington in Budapest, one of the first acts cisco in 1919. Eisenhower found that the state achievement. In 1995, UCSB created the Luis of the newly-formed American Hungarian Fed- of America’s transportation system was defi- Leal Endowed Chair in Chicano Studies in eration. cient. Years later, as the Supreme Allied Com- recognition of his accomplishments. Since its creation, the Federation’s noble mander in the Second World War, Eisenhower Leal has also received renowned cultural mission has expanded greatly to assist Hun- was impressed by the ability of the autobahns honors from the Mexican and American gov- garians on both sides of the Atlantic as well as to move military material rapidly across Ger- ernments. In 1992, Mexican President Salinas advance worldwide the causes of freedom and many. As President, Eisenhower would sign awarded Leal the Mexican Order of the Aztec democracy. They have worked tirelessly to into law the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 Eagle, the highest award granted to foreign unite those of Hungarian descent, celebrate which authorized the Interstate Highway Sys- citizens. It was President Bill Clinton who pre- their shared culture, assist the needy mem- tem and established the Highway Trust Fund. sented Leal with the National Humanities bers of their community, and provide relief and The American Highway Users Alliance was in- Medal in 1997. shelter to victims of Communist oppression. strumental to the passage of this landmark As a man who has devoted his life to edu- In a powerful expression of solidarity with transportation legislation. cation and to advancing the study of Mexican, those all over the world who have suffered Founded in 1932, the American Highway Latin American and Chicano Literature, I today under Stalinist regimes, the American Hun- Users Alliance has been a persistent and out- recognize Luis Leal as a distinguished scholar garian Federation played a pivotal role in the spoken proponent for our Nation’s highway. and professor, and as a man dedicated to creation of the Victims of Communism Memo- Known as the ‘‘Highway Users’’, the alliance making our community and this Nation a rich- rial. This monument was dedicated on June has voiced the interests of motorists and busi- er, more vibrant place. 12th by the President of the United States and nesses on major national highway and traffic f it honors the more than 100 million people safety legislation over the past 75 years. The PERSONAL EXPLANATION killed worldwide by totalitarian communist re- Highway Users has worked tirelessly to pro- gimes. tect the integrity of the Highway Trust Fund HON. TIMOTHY H. BISHOP It is my privilege to honor the American and State highway trust funds. OF NEW YORK Hungarian Federation on their 100th anniver- Madam Speaker, the Highway Users has IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES sary and extraordinary contributions to Amer- been a consistent advocate in favor of ica. Their efforts and labors ensure a brighter strengthening the national highway network by Wednesday, October 24, 2007 future for Hungarians, at home and abroad, as promoting a strong Federal role in mobility and Mr. BISHOP of New York. Madam Speaker, well as for all those who yearn for freedom in safety and by advocating policies that benefit I was speaking at the U.S. Navy Memorial our world. all highway users. ceremony in honor of my constituent, Lt.

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