US Senate's first speech partly in Spanish

[Harold F. Schiffman]

>>From NYTimes,


February 3, 2005
A Senate Speech Says Si, Gonzales
By THE NEW YORK TIMES


WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 - Addressing dozens of uncomprehending senators and a
handful of attentive television cameras Wednesday morning, Senator Mel
Martinez delivered the Senate's first speech partly in Spanish.
Mr. Martinez, Republican of Florida, made his debut speech on the floor in
both English and Spanish, telling Hispanic Americans that Alberto R.
Gonzales, President Bush's nominee to be attorney general, is "one of us."

The speech appears to be the first made by a senator on the floor in
Spanish or any language other than English, said Donald Ritchie, a Senate
historian.

Univision, the most popular Spanish-language cable network, and CNN En
Espaol carried the speech live. According to a translation provided by his
office, Mr. Martinez told Hispanic Americans that Mr. Gonzales, now White
House counsel, "represents all of our hopes and dreams."

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/03/politics/03martinez.html