[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 112 (Friday, July 26, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1392]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     THE DEATH OF DR. HECTOR GARCIA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. SOLOMON P. ORTIZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 26, 1996

  Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to advise my colleagues of the 
passing of Dr. Hector Garcia of Corpus Christi, who was my personal 
hero and one of the most important Americans of our time.
  Dr. Garcia was a different breed of patriot and citizen. Long before 
the issue of civil rights was on anyone else's agenda, Dr. Hector 
Garcia recognized the need for equal rights for the citizens of the 
United States, particularly in our little corner of the world in south 
Texas. Rather than make the larger elements of society uncomfortable 
with a direct public assault on the status quo, Dr. Garcia began making 
quiet inroads into the system.
  Dr. Garcia encouraged all of us to become involved. He articulated 
clearly, then, why it was necessary for Hispanics to show an interest 
in the workings of our city, our community, and our country. He 
underscored the basic workings of democracy, preaching his message 
about the strength of numbers, the necessity of registering to vote, 
and the power of voting.
  Today, Dr. Garcia's message is the political gospel to which we all 
adhere. While others fought the system, often unsuccessfully, Dr. 
Garcia worked within the system to open it up for everyone to 
participate. He amazed us all with his wisdom, foresight, and 
longevity.
  Dr. Garcia began fighting for the cause of civil rights in 1948--long 
before others joined that cause. He fought for basic, fundamental 
civil, human, and individual rights. The seeds he planted all those 
years ago have grown into ideas whose roots are firmly planted in south 
Texas. Those seeds have produced today's leaders, and laid the 
foundation for tomorrow's leaders.
  As a veteran, I am particularly grateful to Dr. Garcia for his very 
special service--both during conflict with the enemy, and within the 
bureaucracy. The American GI forum, which he founded, was originally 
intended to guide WWI and WWII veterans through the maze of bureaucracy 
to obtain their educational and medical benefits, and it grew into the 
highly acclaimed Hispanic civil rights organization.
  The seeds of Dr. Garcia's inspiration and leadership have sprouted, 
and they will continue to grow and succeed--just as he planned. Dr. 
Garcia was a tremendously decent man, and his legacy to us is to treat 
each other decently as human beings. He embodied the Golden Rule--``Do 
unto others as you would have them do unto you.'' There are a host of 
people in south Texas who received free medical care from him because 
they simply couldn't afford to pay him.
  I will miss him, and I will miss his decency--I believe all Americans 
will. I believe the best way for us to remember him is to follow his 
example.