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The White House
For Immediate Release

WHITE HOUSE VIDEO MESSAGE: Celebrating a Unique Nation

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­EMBARGOED UNTIL 6:00 AM ET, Friday, July 4, 2014

WHITE HOUSE VIDEO MESSAGE: Celebrating a Unique Nation

WASHINGTON, DC – In this week’s message, Assistant Secretary of the Navy Juan Garcia commemorated the unique founding of our country: that we are a nation of immigrants. In celebration of the 4th of July, the President will naturalize immigrants who have served in the armed forces and have been willing to sacrifice their lives for this nation even before becoming citizens.

The audio of the address and video of the message will be available online HERE

Remarks of Juan Garcia, Assistant Secretary of the Navy

Spanish Weekly Address

The White House

Hi, everybody. My name is Juan Garcia, and I’m the Assistant Secretary of the Navy. I hope you are all enjoying a great Fourth of July.

I want to start with a few special words for the US Men's soccer team, who represented us so well in recent weeks. We are proud of you. They have gotten a lot of new fans.

It was 238 years ago that our founders came together in Philadelphia to launch our American experiment. Those early patriots were united by a belief in a simple truth – that we are all created equal; that we are all endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights; and that among these rights are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Over the years, that belief has sustained us through war and depression; peace and prosperity.  It’s helped us build the strongest democracy, the greatest middle class, and the most powerful military the world has ever known. 

Generations of Americans have marched, organized, petitioned, fought and even died to widen the circle of opportunity for others; and to perfect this union we love so much.

And on this day of U.S. Independence. the President will celebrate what makes this country unique in the world: we are a nation of immigrants. In a naturalization ceremony the President will recognize the sacrifice of immigrants in the armed forces who are willing to sacrifice their lives for this nation even before becoming citizens.

We also want to give special thanks to the men and women of our military and the families that serve with them, especially to service members who will pass the holiday serving their country far from home, as the thousands of members of the Navy serving in danger today.

You keep us safe, and you keep the United States of America a shining beacon of hope for the world.  And for that, you and your families deserve not only the appreciation of a grateful nation, but our enduring commitment to serve you as well as you’ve served us.

God bless you all.  And have a great weekend.

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