[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 38 (Wednesday, April 10, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H1181-H1183]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HECTOR G. GODINEZ POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
the Committee on Government Reform be discharged from further 
consideration of the bill (H.R. 1366) to designate the United States 
Post Office building located at 3101 West Sunflower Avenue in Santa 
Ana, California, as the ``Hector G. Godinez Post Office Building,'' and 
ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Simpson). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from Virginia?
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, 
but I will not object, I yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom 
Davis) for further clarification of the measure.
  Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1366, introduced by the distinguished gentlewoman 
from California (Ms. Sanchez), designates the facility of the United 
States Postal Service located at 3101 West Sunflower Avenue in Santa 
Ana, California as the ``Hector G. Godinez Post Office Building.'' The 
bill is cosponsored by the entire House delegation from California.
  Mr. Speaker, Hector Godinez had a distinguished 48-year career in the 
Postal Service. He climbed the postal ranks from mail carrier to 
southern California district manager. Prior to joining the Postal 
Service, he served with distinction as a tank commander in the U.S. 
Army under General George Patton.

                              {time}  1315

  He earned a Bronze Star for bravery under fire in World War II and a 
Purple Heart for wounds received in battle. He also served as the 
national president of the League of United Latin American Citizens from 
1960 to 1961. I would urge the House to adopt H.R. 1366.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Continuing to reserve my right to object, Mr. 
Speaker, as a member of the Committee on Government Reform, I am 
pleased to join my colleague in consideration of H.R. 1366, which names 
the postal facility after the late Hector G. Godinez.
  H.R. 1366 was sponsored by the gentlewoman from California (Ms. 
Sanchez) on April 3, 2001, and enjoys the support and cosponsorship of 
the entire California congressional delegation.
  As chairman of the Congressional Postal Caucus, I am proud to join 
the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Sanchez) in tribute to Hector 
Godinez, a distinguished and medaled World War II veteran, letter 
carrier, postmaster, and community activist.
  Mr. Godinez was born in San Diego, California, in 1924, attended 
ethnically segregated schools in Orange County, and later joined the 
U.S. Army, serving in General George Patton's Third Army. Wounded in 
action in Germany, Hector Godinez received five battle stars, one 
Purple Heart, and one Bronze Star at the Battle of the Bulge.
  Shortly after his honorable discharge from the Army, he began a 48-
year career with the U.S. Postal Service, starting as a letter carrier 
and rising to the position of postmaster of Santa

[[Page H1182]]

Ana, appointed by President John F. Kennedy as the first Mexican 
American postmaster in the United States.
  A recipient of the Postmaster General's Citation for Excellence Award 
and the U.S. Postal Service Community Service Award, Mr. Godinez was a 
founder of the League of Latin American citizens, LULAC, and worked 
tirelessly and successfully to desegregate Orange County public 
schools.
  Local newspaper headlines said it all.
  The Santa Ana Register, 1984: ``World War II nudged Hispanic off 
farm, into activism.'' ``Godinez has compiled a lengthy record of 
community volunteerism in Orange County.''
  The Los Angeles Times, 1985: ``Godinez honored for groundbreaking 
career.''
  Santa Ana Magazine, 1985: ``Hispanic leader honored for service.''
  The Orange County Register, 1999: ``Santa Ana Hispanic leader dies--
Hector Godinez was instrumental in getting equal treatment of Mexican 
American children.''
  Los Angeles Times, 1999: ``Hector Godinez, first Latino postmaster.''
  Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague, the gentlewoman from California 
(Ms. Sanchez), for seeking to honor such a man of high principle, a man 
of the people, and such a distinguished and honorable individual as Mr. 
Godinez. He is truly deserving of this recognition. I join with my 
colleagues in urging support.
  Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. I yield to the gentlewoman from California.
  Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my great privilege to rise today as the House 
considers H.R. 1366, legislation which will name a U.S. post office in 
Santa Ana, California, after a friend, a mentor, and an inspiration to 
many of us in Orange County, Hector G. Godinez.
  I would like to thank my colleague, the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Cox), and the majority leader, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Armey), and all my colleagues in the California delegation and the 
members of the Committee on Government Reform for their support and 
efforts in bringing this bill to the floor today.
  Today we have the opportunity to provide a fitting tribute, not only 
to Hector but to his entire family. Hector Godinez was a public servant 
and an activist whose life was dedicated to the betterment of Orange 
County and to the advancement of the Mexican American community.
  Hector Godinez was born on the grounds of San Diego Mission in 1924. 
He was the son of field workers, and his family moved to Santa Ana a 
year later, making this his permanent home.
  Growing up in Orange County, Hector attended ethnically segregated 
local schools where Hispanics were sent to the Mexican schools and set 
apart from Anglos.
  Immediately after high school, inspired by the news of Pearl Harbor, 
Hector joined the Army, serving as a sergeant in General George 
Patton's Third Army. He is the recipient of five battle stars, one 
Purple Heart, and one Bronze Star for heroic achievement.
  Hector was wounded during the battle in Germany and was given an 
honorable discharge. Upon returning to the United States in 1945, 
Hector experienced firsthand the adversities that Mexican Americans 
were facing in the work force in California.
  Through a Federal program created to help partially disabled veterans 
gain government jobs, he became a letter carrier in Santa Ana. In 1959, 
Hector was denied a promotion in Santa Ana by the postmaster. He was 
told that Anglos would be resentful of a Mexican American working in 
their community.
  However, by the early sixties, Mr. Godinez had been granted an 
appointment as Santa Ana's postmaster, making him the country's first 
Mexican American postmaster. From there, Hector worked his way up to 
become the Southern California district manager for the United States 
Post Office, managing more than 44,000 employees and an operating 
budget of $750 million.
  At the time of his death in 1999, Hector had fulfilled a 46-year 
career of service with the U.S. Post Office. I would be doing Hector 
Godinez' memory a disservice if I failed to recognize the many other 
contributions that he made to our community because of a lifelong 
commitment to volunteerism.
  Hector was a founding member of the Santa Ana LULAC, a base of 
activists who were dedicated to addressing issues within the American 
system for improvement of conditions for Americans of Mexican descent. 
Through this organization, he and his fellow activists were responsible 
for Mendez versus Orange County Board of Education.
  This is a landmark lawsuit, one in which these Hispanics took on the 
establishment in Orange County so that our schools would not be 
segregated. And, in fact, California desegregated its schools 6 years 
ahead of the rest of the Nation. It was because of this lawsuit. This 
lawsuit was the basis for Brown v. Board of Education at the national 
level.
  Hector also organized and became the chairman of the board of the 
first State-chartered minority bank. He served as a trustee for the 
Rancho Community College District for 17 years, and he served on the 
board of KOCE/50; that is, our county's public broadcast television 
station.
  He was the first Hispanic to be named the president of the Santa Ana 
Chamber of Commerce, and a founding member of the Santa Ana 
Redevelopment Board. He also chaired the Orange County Boy Scouts. He 
received a number of degrees, including his Master's, which he received 
in 1980. Witty and loyal, Hector was known for his dedication to his 
friends, his collection of cowboy boots, and his affinity for Stetson 
hats.
  Hector has been the recipient of the NAACP's Human Rights Award and 
the Western Region's Community Service Award, and he was among the 
first recipients of the Postmaster General's Award for Executive 
Achievement.
  He was distinguished by the National Association of Postmasters, the 
National League of Postmasters, and the National Association of Postal 
Supervisors.
  Hector was survived by a wife of 53 years, Mary; four children: 
Hector Ron, Robert, Linda Godinez Miller, and Gloria Mumoz; and nine 
grandchildren.
  Hector Godinez was a man who not only persevered over economic 
hardship and racial prejudice, but who used these experiences to fuel 
his fight to improve the lives of so many Mexican Americans and all the 
people of Orange County.
  Throughout his life he never stopped fighting, giving, or learning. 
Orange County is better off for Hector's life work.
  I myself got to work with Hector before he died, and in fact, I must 
say that Hector was a Republican. But on the day that I decided to run, 
he came to me and he said, ``This is important for our community, and 
it is important for Orange County, and I will support you.''
  Today I hope that the rest of my colleagues will support in passing 
this tribute to him by passing this legislation.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, continuing my reservation of 
objection, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Cox).
  Mr. COX. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois for 
yielding to me, and I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis) 
for bringing this bill to the floor from the Committee on Government 
Reform, and for agreeing to bring it directly to the floor, because it 
is a very important opportunity for our Congress to recognize that one 
of Orange County's finest citizens is indeed one of America's finest 
citizens.
  This legislation is going to permit us to honor Hector Godinez in a 
way that will endure, even though he is no longer with us.
  I would like to commend the gentlewoman who just spoke, the sponsor 
of this legislation. I am the lead majority sponsor of the legislation 
with her. I would also like to commend the senior Senator from 
California. The other body actually enacted this legislation in the 
last Congress, and we will, I am sure, see bicameral legislation on it 
in this Congress.
  It is my privilege to rise today in strong support of this 
legislation because, as I say, this is such a fitting and lasting 
tribute to Hector Godinez, who died 3 years ago, in May of 1999. He 
lived an exemplary life.
  We have heard from the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis), the

[[Page H1183]]

gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis), and the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Sanchez) some of the highlights of this extraordinary 
individual's career. He was a soldier, a public servant, a civil 
servant, a civic leader, a husband, a father, and a grandfather. He was 
a hero to many, many people in Orange County, in California, and 
ultimately, across the country.
  I think it is just spectacularly fitting that as a member of the 
greatest generation, we can begin a story about Hector Godinez by 
pointing out the very salient fact that he was a tank commander under 
General Patton in Germany. Yet, he was such a gentle man, genial, 
funny.
  Those of us who represent constituents know we have to go to the 
postmaster from time to time to work out problems: The mail is not 
getting delivered; I cannot get a post box in front of my house. As the 
postmaster in Orange County for 30 years, no one was more friendly and 
more responsive in response to such constituent needs than was Hector 
Godinez. He was just a pleasure to deal with throughout his life and 
his career.
  In Germany, this gentle man was shot at, wounded, and earned a Purple 
Heart and a Bronze Star for his valor. He continued to serve his 
country in everything he did for the rest of his life.
  He earned national distinction relatively earlier in his career 
because this Republican was appointed by a Democratic President, John 
F. Kennedy, as the first Mexican American postmaster in American 
history. He was an enormously positive presence in our community of 3 
million people in Orange County.
  As the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) pointed out, he was 
remembered at the time of his death by our leading newspapers, the 
Orange County Register and the Los Angeles Times, for his fights 
against ethnic and racial discrimination. He attended ethnically 
segregated schools as a youngster, and he fought to make sure that 
would not happen to kids in his adult life. He fought against racial 
segregation and discrimination very successfully.
  He was a founding member of the local chapter of the League of United 
Latin American Citizens, and rose to become the President of the 
national organization from 1960 to 1966. He was the first Latino ever 
elected president of the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce.
  Just as he devoted tireless efforts to the Mexican American 
community, Hector Godinez served all Orange Countians. He served on the 
board of directors of our public television station, KOCE TV, he 
chaired the Orange County Council of the Boy Scouts of America, he 
served on numerous civic boards and commissions, and helped raise 
hundreds of thousands of dollars for charities and student 
scholarships.

                              {time}  1330

  I would like to conclude by paying a moment of tribute to the people 
who in Hector's life were the most important: his wife of 53 years, 
Mary; his four children, Hector, Robert, Linda and Gloria; and their 
nine grandchildren.
  To his family I would like to say that today the House of 
Representatives stands with you in honoring Hector's life and work. He 
is an example to us all.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank you for allowing H.R. 1366 to come to the House 
floor today and I thank my colleagues for joining us to pass this 
important legislation so that all of America may join those paying 
tribute to one of Orange County's and the Nation's greatest men.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, based on all I have heard and all 
the comments and accolades, I urge swift passage of this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Petri). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from Virginia?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the bill, as follows:

                               H.R. 1366

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF HECTOR G. GODINEZ POST OFFICE 
                   BUILDING.

       The United States Post Office building located at 3101 West 
     Sunflower Avenue in Santa Ana, California, shall be known and 
     designated as the ``Hector G. Godinez Post Office Building''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, regulation, map, document, paper, 
     or other record of the United States to the United States 
     Post Office building referred to in section 1 shall be deemed 
     to be a reference to the ``Hector G. Godinez Post Office 
     Building''.

  The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, was read 
a third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the 
table.

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