[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 43 (Wednesday, March 31, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E498]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HONORING CESAR CHAVEZ ON HIS 77TH BIRTHDAY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL M. HONDA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 31, 2004

  Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Cesar Chavez on his 
birthday. I ask the members of the House to join us in paying our 
respects to a man who brought awareness of farm labor injustices to 
national light, and who made a path for all those who came after him.
  Chavez's legacy continues to live on today. His influence can be seen 
in the legislation that comes to this very floor. Recently, Leader 
Pelosi and I have joined national civil rights leader John Lewis, in 
introducing H.R. 3809, the FAIRNESS Act, comprehensive civil rights 
legislation that will protect workers from discrimination and workplace 
abuse.
  We also continue the fight to ensure that in today's world, the 
rights of workers are still protected. That is why those of us who work 
daily on the issues of fairness, justice and equity know that even 
though we have been fighting these battles for more than half a 
century, we have not won the war and discrimination still exists. That 
is why it is important to ensure our laws stay current with the times. 
We cannot allow loopholes to create a situation where it is legal to 
discriminate against segments of our population. Under the Fairness Act 
all workers--and that is a very important point--all workers may obtain 
relief for unfair labor practices.
  As you know, Democrats in Congress have advocated on behalf of 
immigrants for years to help them earn status as lawful permanent 
residents, secure a path towards citizenship, and pursue opportunities 
in higher education.
  Mr. Speaker, we must keep in mind that immigrants make indispensable 
contributions to our economy. They compose an increasingly essential 
proportion of our workforce. Their tax payments help finance government 
programs, of which they are both users and beneficiaries. Making 
immigrants true stakeholders in our society means not only bringing 
them out from the shadows of the undocumented, but also providing them 
access to lawful permanent residency status. Ultimately, the value of 
immigrants to our society should not be valued just in dollar terms. 
Rather, we should measure the enrichment to our culture and the overall 
vitality immigrants bring to American society.
  I remain committed to improving the lives of all immigrants in this 
country, and I will continue advocating for programs that offer 
immigrant workers meaningful access to permanent legal status and a 
clear path towards citizenship. Today we can still hear Mr. Chavez say 
his chant of encouragement, pride and dignity: ``Si, se puede!''--yes, 
it can be done.
  Mr. Speaker, thank you for letting me address the House of 
Representatives today to honor Mr. Chavez on the occasion of what would 
have been his 77th birthday.

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