Whereas Hector P. Garcia was born on January 17, 1914, in
Llera, a small town in south central Tamaulipas, Mexico;
Whereas Hector P. Garcia was brought to Mercedes, Texas,
as a small child when his parents fled the Mexican Revolution in 1917;
Whereas Dr. Hector P. Garcia graduated from the University
of Texas Medical School in 1940, and later joined the United States
Army;
Whereas Dr. Hector P. Garcia served as an infantryman, a
combat engineer, and a medical doctor during World War II, and earned the
Bronze Star medal with six battle stars for his distinguished service;
Whereas Dr. Hector P. Garcia founded the American GI Forum
in 1948 to fight for equal treatment of Mexican-American veterans, including
proper medical treatment and educational benefits;
Whereas, in 1949, Dr. Hector P. Garcia secured a burial
with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery for Pvt. Felix
Longoria after a Texas funeral home refused to hold a wake for Pvt. Longoria, a
U.S. soldier killed during World War II, for the sole reason that he was
Hispanic;
Whereas President Lyndon Johnson made Dr. Hector P. Garcia
the first Mexican-American to serve as an ambassador to the United
Nations;
Whereas Dr. Hector P. Garcia was the first Hispanic to
serve on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights;
Whereas, in 1984, President Ronald Reagan bestowed upon
Dr. Hector P. Garcia the Presidential Medal of Freedom;
Whereas Dr. Hector P. Garcia devoted his life to fighting
for civil rights and educational access for Mexican-Americans; and
Whereas this Nation has benefited from Dr. Hector P.
Garcia's legacy of generosity and commitment to equality: Now, therefore, be
it
That the Senate honors the life of
Dr. Hector P. Garcia, a selfless physician, decorated World War II veteran,
dedicated family man, and civil rights hero, and joins in the celebration of
his birthday, January 17.