[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 76 (Thursday, June 5, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1130-E1131]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           TRIBUTE TO MAYOR BRADLEY, DOLORES HUERTA, ABE LEVY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 5, 1997

  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to pay tribute to Tom Bradley, 
Dolores Huerta, and Abe Levy, who this year are each receiving awards 
from the Jewish Labor Committee, western region. It is impossible to 
exaggerate the impact Tom, Dolores and Abe have had on the lives of 
working men and women. They are three people who truly made a 
difference.
  I have been fortunate to benefit from their friendship and learn from 
their efforts. As an attorney, Abe Levy has fought for the rights of 
workers and their unions throughout the legal system, including arguing 
before the Supreme Court. He has also appeared on their behalf before 
the National Labor Relations Board, the Agricultural Labor Relations 
Board, and the Railway Labor Board. Abe has devoted his professional 
life to fighting for decency and justice in the shops, factories and 
workplaces. Abe also had the great wisdom to hire me for his labor law 
firm--and the patience to keep me.
  As time goes by, Tom Bradley's many accomplishments seem even more 
impressive. His first successful campaign for Mayor of Los Angeles, in 
1973, was a model effort which brought together people from all races 
and ethnic groups in pursuit of a common goal. It is the rare 
politician who can reach across communities and transcend barriers as 
effectively as Tom.
  I have worked with my dear friend Dolores Huerta for over 20 years. 
When I think of Dolores, words such as courageous, compassionate, and 
determined come easily to mind. As a member of the California 
Legislature, we worked closely to create the Agricultural Labor 
Relations Act in 1975. For the first time, farmworkers were given the 
right to organize and vote for a union. This remains among my most 
cherished political memories--in no small part because of Dolores.
  Our collaboration continued when I went to Congress. Literally since 
the moment I arrived in 1983, we have worked together to fight 
continual attempts by growers to bring back the

[[Page E1131]]

bracero program, or to create a new guest worker program. Dolores 
simply never lets up in her efforts to improve wages and working 
conditions for farmworkers--the poorest workers in the country.
  I ask my colleagues to join me today in saluting Tom Bradley, Dolores 
Huerta, and Abe Levy, who have dedicated themselves to bringing a sense 
of dignity and a feeling of hope to those in need of both. Their lives 
and achievements inspire us all.

                          ____________________