2018 -- H 8302

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LC005884

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

WELCOMING HIS EXCELLENCY MARCELO REBELO DE SOUSA, PRESIDENT OF THE

REPUBLIC OF PORTUGAL AND HIS EXCELLENCY ANTÓNIO COSTA, PRIME

MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF PORTUGAL, TO THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

     Introduced By: Representatives Cunha, Solomon, Fellela, Nunes, and Craven

     Date Introduced: June 07, 2018

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, His Excellency Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of the Republic of

Portugal, was born on December 12, 1948, in Lisbon, Portugal, the eldest son of Baltasar Rebelo

de Sousa and Maria das Neves Fernandes Duarte. He attained a law degree from the Faculty of

Law of the University of Lisbon, and a PhD in Legal and Political Sciences with Distinction and

Commendation; and

     WHEREAS, Throughout the distinguished public service career of President Rebelo de

Sousa, he has served with distinction as a government minister, a member of Parliament, a law

professor, and as a journalist; and

     WHEREAS, President Rebelo de Sousa began his professional career as a teacher in the

areas of Legal and Political Sciences, and later advanced to serve as the Chairman of the

scientific and pedagogical boards and the Institute of Legal and Political Sciences of the Faculty

of Law of the University of Lisbon. He also served as a Professor at the Faculty of Social and

Human Services and with the Faculty of Law with the Portuguese Catholic University; and

     WHEREAS, President Rebelo de Sousa also served the citizens of Portugal with honor in

the political arena. A founder of the People’s Democratic Party, later the Social Democratic

Party, he served as party leader from 1996 to 1999. He also served as the Secretary of the

Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, and as a Member of

the Council of State; and

     WHEREAS, His Excellency Rebelo de Sousa was elected the 20th President in Portugal

in 2016. The President of the Republic of Portugal is the Executive Head of State, serves as the

Commander of the Armed Forces and has the authority to name the Prime Minister, with the

support of the Assembly. President Rebelo de Sousa has proven to be a popular leader, one who

governs by consensus and with moderation; and

     WHEREAS, His Excellency António Costa, Prime Minister of Portugal, was born in

1961, in Sao Sebastiao da Pedreira, Lisbon, the son of noted writer Orlando da Costa, and Maria

Antónia Palla, a journalist and feminist activist. He graduated from the Faculty of Law of the

University of Lisbon and has been active in Portuguese politics for more than thirty years; and

     WHEREAS, Prime Minister Costa served as the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs for the

Portuguese government from 1997 to 1999, and as the Minister of Justice from 1999 to 2002. He

also served as a member of the European Parliament and later returned to serve the Portuguese

government as the Minister of State and Internal Administration following the 2005 elections;

and

     WHEREAS, Prime Minister Costa was elected to serve as the Mayor of Lisbon in 2007,

and was re-elected twice in 2009 and 2013, both by large majorities. He also served during this

period as the Secretary General of the Socialist Party; and

     WHEREAS, Prime Minister Costa served as the nation of Portugal’s Prime Minister

since November 26, 2015. The Prime Minister in the Portuguese electoral system serves as the

Head of Government and coordinates the actions and is responsible for their performance within

the Portuguese government. The Prime Minister answers to the Parliament and must keep the

President informed about governmental affairs. Prime Minister Costa has proven to be a popular

leader as he has thus far been able to combine fiscal responsibility with a pro-growth agenda; and

     WHEREAS, The two leaders of the Portuguese State, His Excellency President Marcel

Rebelo de Sousa and His Excellency Prime Minister António Costa, will be visiting the State of

Rhode Island on June 9 and 10 in support of the annual “Day of Portugal” celebration on July 10,

2018. They will be hosted in the capital City of Providence and will be entertained by a Waterfire

show; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby warmly welcomes His Excellency Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa,

President of the Republic of Portugal, and His Excellency António Costa, Prime Minister of the

Republic of Portugal to the State of Rhode Island; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to His Excellency Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa,

President of the Republic of Portugal and his Excellency António Costa, Prime Minister of the

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Republic of Portugal.

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LC005884

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