Finally. the Monday holiday program would stimulate greater industrial and commercial production by reducing employee absenteeism and enabling workweeks to be free from interruptions in the form of midweek holidays. Mr. Chairman. in response to some who may have reservations about Columbus Day. may I very strongly urge the retention of the inclusion of it as a national holiday and may I emphasize that it is a most appropriate means of recognizing the United States as a "nation of immigrants" as our late and beloved President Kennedy described it. may I remind you further that some 34 of our 50 States already observe Columbus Day as a holiday and there are a great number of legislative proposals. including my own. now pending in the Congress to establish Columbus Day as a national holiday. By commemorating the voyage of Columbus to the new world. we would be honoring the courage and determination which enabled generation after generation of immigrants from every nation to broaden their horizons in search of new hopes and a renewed affirmation of freedom. Mr. Chairman. by all standards and by overwhelming testimony. it appears clear that this legislation is unquestionably in the national interest and I again urge my colleagues to register resounding approval of it without extended delay.
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immigrants