We, the undersigned leaders representing diverse communities across the United States, recognize the importance of living in peace with our neighbors and within our own borders.

We recognized that "...the inherent dignity of and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world," as stated in the preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

As National Hispanic Heritage Month approaches, we celebrate the many ways in which Hispanic Americans contribute daily to strengthen our Nation's social, moral and economic fabric. In this spirit, we strongly believe that the President of the United States of America has a responsibility to ensure that the U.S. citizens who reside in Vieques, Puerto Rico, like all American citizens, are afforded the right to life, liberty and security of person. These rights cannot be assured as the U.S. Navy continues its constant military exercises, maneuvers, bombings, and use of live ordnance in the island-municipality of Vieques.

Further recognizing the current inability of the people of Puerto Rico, and therefore the people of Vieques, to enjoy the equal opportunities afforded to all other American citizens to fully participate in the political process of this great Nation, making them unable to affect decisions regarding the U.S. Navy's presence in Vieques.

As a consequence, failure to order a U.S. Navy withdrawal from the island of Vieques would further negate the fundamental rights of the almost 10,000 American citizens of Hispanic heritage who live in Vieques, to life, liberty and security of person.

Further, it would undermine the immense efforts and extraordinary strides made by Hispanics and all other ethnic groups throughout our history to fully participate as equals in this democracy. Toward this goal, we undertake to work together to advance the following truths:

• Life, liberty and security of person are fundamental rights and principles of our democracy, essential in our pursuit for political, social and economic equality. The protection of the aforementioned undeniable rights should be made a priority in the struggle to help the American citizens of Hispanic heritage who reside in Vieques, Puerto Rico;
  
• Latinos from across this Nation-including the more than 200,000 Puerto Ricans who have served in the Armed Forces since 1917-have time and again, responded to our Nation's call to make the ultimate sacrifice to defend the rights to life, liberty and security of person, as well the right of democratic self-determination throughout the World. We call upon the President to recognize their contributions in war by declaring an Executive Order calling for the withdrawal of the U.S. Navy from the island of Vieques, in order to protect its inhabitants. This, in the very same spirit they have been asked to defend our fellow citizens in many occasions;
  
• In the best traditions of American democracy, our government should ensure that: all land currently belonging to the U.S. Navy will be returned to the people of Vieques; that such lands are safe for human habitation and that residents may live in them peacefully and without fear for their own safety and that of their children for generations to come; a land restoration program is established within one year of the U.S. Navy's withdrawal; and, a special fund for the restoration and clean up of the affected areas, in relation to clearance and removal of unexploded ordnance and related solid waste, as well as hazardous and toxic waste, and water safety is put in place;
  
• Ensure that the American citizens of Hispanic heritage who reside in Vieques have access to health services, education, housing and economic resources;
  
• Instruct the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and other related agencies, to conduct a study of the effects that 60 years of military presence in the island-municipality have had on the health of the local residents. Establish a broad health services program to counteract the high cancer rate believed to have been the result of the extreme environmental conditions of constant bombings and use of live ordnance;
  
• Develop a comprehensive history and plan of data related to the environment, archeological, religious, and historic sites in order to establish a historic preservation site.

We commend the Vice President for his declarations in favor of the people of Vieques, and for his initiative to promote and defend the rights to life, liberty, and security of person of our fellow American citizens, who for six decades have had to endure an extraordinary sacrifice in the name of democracy.

We also commend the chief legislative sponsors of the American citizens of Hispanic heritage who reside in Vieques, Puerto Rico. These members of the U.S. Congress have recognized that this issue transcends ethnic and cultural diversity and embodies our most cherished democratic values: justice, equality and acceptance.

We urge the President to fulfill his responsibility to promote and protect the rights of all our citizens, and to celebrate the diverse contributions Latinos and communities of color have made to American society by calling upon the withdrawal of the U.S. Navy from the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico during National Hispanic Heritage Month.