[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 47 (Tuesday, April 3, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E527]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      ACHIEVEMENTS OF CESAR CHAVEZ

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 29, 2001

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of the 
great American heroes of our time, Cesar E. Chavez. Throughout his 
life, Cesar embraced nonviolent tactics to lift up the lives and 
spirits of millions of people and to advance the cause of equality and 
social change, particularly for migrant farm workers.
  At an early age, young Cesar and his family were forced from their 
ranch because of an unscrupulous land deal. They went to work in the 
fields. Cesar traveled throughout California and followed the seasonal 
work and attended 37 schools before dropping out after the Eighth grade 
in a great sacrifice to his father, who was injured in an accident, and 
his mother, whom he didn't want to work in the fields. He joined the 
U.S. Navy at Seventeen and returned to the San Joaquin Valley in 
California and became involved in community action programs.
  Even though his own formal education was limited, later in life 
education became his passion. He was inspired by the teachings of a 
Catholic priest and by the writings of St. Francis, Gandhi and Dr. 
Martin Luther King, Jr., and once said that, ``The end of all education 
should surely be service to others.'' Cesar put that belief into 
practice and formed the National Farm Workers of America, which later 
became the United Farm Workers, and began a great social movement to 
fight for safe and fair working conditions, reasonable wages, decent 
housing and outlawing child labor.
  Chavez used fasting, marching rallying picketing and boycotting to 
call attention to the plight of the farm workers who endured great pain 
and exploitation to put food on tables of millions of American 
families.
  In 1965, he led the Delano grape strike and a 340-mile march across 
California, which gained national attention and ended in an agreement 
to improve wages for farm workers. Chavez's work did not end there. He 
led another boycott to protest the use of dangerous pesticides in the 
fields, and in 1973, he led another strike against lettuce growers for 
higher wages.
  ``La Causa'' had broad-based support not only from farm workers and 
Latinos, but from labor unions, religious groups, minorities and 
students. The UFW became a symbol of empowerment and pride for many 
workers throughout the nation for over three decades.
  Cesar Chavez died in his sleep on April 23, 1993. He died while he 
was defending the UFW against a lawsuit brought by a California lettuce 
and vegetable producer, which demanded that the farm workers pay 
millions of dollars in damages resulting from a UFW boycott of its 
lettuce during the 1980's.
  Cesar Chavez received many honors for his commitment to social 
change. They included an honorary degree from Arizona State University 
West in 1992, induction into the LIFE Hall of Heroes in 1997, and the 
Medal of Freedom, the United States' highest civilian honor, bestowed 
upon him posthumously by President Clinton in 1995.
  In addition, several states honor him and his work with a state 
holiday--and, just last week, our own State of Colorado joined that 
number when the legislature passed a law creating a state holiday to 
commemorate the birthday of Cesar Chavez.
  The successful effort to pass this legislation was led by my friends, 
Colorado State Senator Rob Hernandez and Colorado State Representative 
Frana Mace. I think all Coloradans owe them a debt of gratitude--and I 
especially want to thank them for raising my own consciousness and 
inspiring me to support federal legislation that would create a 
national Cesar Chavez holiday.
  So, Mr. Speaker, it's with great pride and humility that I stand here 
today on the floor of the House of Representatives and pay tribute to 
Cesar E. Chavez, a national hero and one of the giants of the civil 
rights movement in America.
  I honor him for his leadership, his vision, his bravery, and his 
unselfish commitment to the principles of social justice and respect 
for human dignity. He is an inspiration to those of use who seek to 
create a better world, and his legacy is one which serves to remind us 
that ``Together all things are possible.'' tSi se puede!

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