[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 42 (Wednesday, April 5, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H1492-H1494]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
FRANCISCO `PANCHO' MEDRANO POST OFFICE BUILDING
Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (H.R. 4561) to designate the facility of the United States
Postal Service located at 8624 Ferguson Road in Dallas, Texas, as the
``Francisco `Pancho' Medrano Post Office Building''.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 4561
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FRANCISCO ``PANCHO'' MEDRANO POST OFFICE BUILDING.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 8624 Ferguson Road in Dallas, Texas, shall
be known and designated as the ``Francisco `Pancho' Medrano
Post Office Building''.
(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be
a reference to the ``Francisco `Pancho' Medrano Post Office
Building''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Westmoreland) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.
General Leave
Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend
their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Georgia?
There was no objection.
Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4561, offered by the
distinguished gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson). This
bill would designate the postal facility in Dallas, Texas, as the
Francisco ``Pancho'' Medrano Post Office Building.
Francisco ``Pancho'' Medrano was a driving force in bringing the
Hispanic culture into the City of Dallas and working to eliminate
discrimination. Medrano was an activist and a hero with Dallas'
Hispanic communities and promoted the importance of civic
responsibility and political participation.
Mr. Medrano is well-known for his years of union and civil rights
work with the United Auto Workers. During his years with the UAW, he
integrated lunch counters in Dallas, took part in civil rights marches
in the Deep South and organized farm workers in the Texas valley.
However, his work was
[[Page H1493]]
not just confined to the UAW. He participated in numerous equality
campaigns in Mississippi, Arkansas and Texas.
I urge all Members to honor the perseverance of this honorable civil
rights leader by passing H.R. 4561.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such
time as she may consume to the author of this resolution, the Honorable
Eddie Bernice Johnson from Texas.
(Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to
revise and extend her remarks.)
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I would like to
thank Mr. Tom Davis and the ranking member, Henry Waxman, of the House
Government Reform Committee and also the gentleman from Georgia, Mr.
Westmoreland, and the ranking member, Mr. Danny Davis, for moving this
important legislation through the committee. This resolution has been
endorsed by every single Member from the Texas delegation.
Francisco ``Pancho'' Medrano played an integral part in bringing
Hispanics into the cultural and social mainstream in Dallas. He was a
leader to his community in the struggle against discrimination.
The son of a Mexican laborer, Pancho Medrano was born in Dallas in
1920. In his youth, in 1952, he was heavyweight boxing champion of
Mexico, and grew up as a community activist in the fight for social and
economic equality.
He grew up in an area of Dallas called Little Mexico and he
encountered much prejudice and segregation. But he never was considered
violent. As a young man, he was banned from public swimming pools and
all of the other things, and frequently said that he didn't see that he
should be any different from any other black American because he was
treated the same way.
At the beginning of World War II, when unions began to form in the
Dallas area, he was inspired by the political conditions around him. He
was captivated by the political agenda of the United Auto Workers and
he was then named by Walter Reuther to be organizer of the UAW Union in
Dallas. His work had an immeasurable impact on the lives of thousands
of working women and minorities.
In 1960, when television began to change the visibility of the
American civil rights movement, the UAW president commissioned him to
be an international representative for civil rights. So he participated
in all the landmark marches with Martin Luther King. He was probably
one of the only Mexican Americans in the Montgomery boycott and in
Selma along with Dr. King.
He continued his organizing throughout the country, including
Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, California and Arizona. He worked to
help repeal the poll tax in 1964, and he really spoke all the time
about understanding the struggle of all of the African Americans,
because he fought the same battle for all.
He was a father of five. Pancho, Jr., had preceded him in death. He
died in 2002 but continued to be active up to his death. His only
daughter, Pauline, is a member of the city council, his son Robert has
been, and his son Ricardo has been on the school board.
It is important I think for all young people to know that we have had
leadership that came along and made things better for them and did not
have to be violent. He was always a gentleman, but never silent when it
came to rights.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Tom Davis and Ranking
Member Henry Waxman of the House Government Reform Committee for their
leadership on moving this important resolution through the committee
and to the House floor for its consideration today.
``Pancho'' Medrano played an integral part in bringing Hispanics into
the cultural and social mainstream in Dallas.
He was a leader to his community in the struggle against
discrimination.
The son of a Mexican laborer, Pancho Medrano was born in Dallas in
1920.
Pancho Medrano, who in his youth was the 1952 Heavyweight Boxing
Champion of Mexico, grew up to be a community activist in the fight for
social and economic equality.
Growing up in the Little Mexico area of Dallas, Medrano encountered
prejudice and segregation. As a young man, he was banned from the
public swimming pool as well as banned from watching movies within the
public park in Little Mexico.
Medrano attended St. Ann's Catholic School and Dallas public schools
through the eighth grade. At the beginning of 9th grade, his high
school principal told him he could no longer attend classes and
directed him to go to work at the local rock quarry.
While working at the quarry, Medrano trained to become a riveter and
eventually went to work at the North American Aviation Company. There
were few skilled minority workers at the plant, and the majority of
white workers refused to work with Medrano. Conditions at the plant
were even worse for African Americans, as nearly all of them were
assigned to cleaning restrooms. Medrano was surrounded by an
environment where everything, even the punch clocks, were segregated.
At the beginning of World War II, unions began forming in the Dallas
area.
Inspired by the political conditions around him Medrano was
captivated by the political agenda of the United Auto Workers, in
particular the motto that there shall be no discrimination based upon
race, color, or creed, and sex.
Medrano played a key part in organizing the UAW union in Dallas.
His work made an immeasurable impact in the lives of thousands of
working women and minorities.
In 1960, when television began to change the visibility of the
American Civil Rights Movement, UAW President, Walter Reuther,
commissioned Medrano as a special UAW International Representative for
Civil Rights.
Medrano went on to participate in virtually all of the landmark
events of the civil rights movement.
Mr. Medrano integrated lunch counters in Dallas, and took part in
civil rights marches in the Deep South.
He organized demonstrations in Dallas and was involved in the
integration in Little Rock.
Often times there were no Mexican-Americans organizing these civil
rights demonstrations. Medrano played a key part in organizing and
energizing the Mexican-American community throughout the South.
Medrano participated as one of the only Mexican-Americans in the
Montgomery Bus Boycott.
He also marched in Selma along with Dr. King.
He continued his organizing throughout the country including:
Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, California and Arizona.
In addition, he organized farm workers in the Texas Valley alongside
civil rights leader Cesar Chavez.
In 1967, Texas Rangers broke up a peaceful protest where Medrano and
five women attempted to picket a train carrying melons picked by non-
union workers. The protest in Mission, Texas, was part of a year-long
effort by farm workers.
During this time, Medrano and others were subjected to persistent
harassment and violence from law enforcement officers for their union-
organizing protests. Medrano sued the Ranger who broke up the protest.
He took his case all the way to the Supreme Court--overturning the
Texas laws that barred mass demonstrations.
Medrano worked with the UAW to help repeal the poll tax in 1964. Mr.
Medrano said, ``I could understand the struggle of black people because
my people were experiencing the same sort of thing.'' Medrano was
driven to fight for economic and social justice for all individuals--
Hispanics, Blacks, Women, and others.
Mr. Medrano's work to end discrimination and prejudice has had a
profound and lasting effect on myself and on the lives of millions of
Americans.
We must all work to carry on his remarkable legacy.
Even when he retired in Dallas, Medrano continued to be an active
member of UAW Local 848's retiree group.
Mr. Medrano passed away in April of 2002.
In addition to his daughter, Pauline, he is survived by three sons,
Robert, Ricardo, and Rolando.
There are many young people who may not know of, or did not
experience Mr. Medrano's battle towards equality. It is imperative we
recognize and celebrate our civil rights leaders as a nation. Honoring
leaders such as Pancho Medrano teaches our young people about the
leaders who came before them--and hopefully gives a new generation the
inspiration to fight for change.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4561, to name the postal
facility at Ferguson Road in Dallas, Texas in honor of Pancho Medrano.
{time} 1330
Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, just to close, I strongly rise in
support of this postal facility naming for Mr. Frances Pancho Medrano,
who was an outstanding community activist. I think it is the kind of
people that he
[[Page H1494]]
was who really make America and have made America what it ought to be,
and so I strongly support this resolution.
Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the naming of a United
States Postal Facility in Dallas, Texas as the ``Francisco `Pancho'
Medrano Post Office Building.'' Pancho Medrano was the embodiment of
the civil rights movement for the Hispanic community in Dallas. He was
a decisive leader in encouraging Hispanics to actively participate in
the political process in Dallas. Mr. Medrano brought Hispanics into the
city's mainstream community and mentored a generation of Dallas
political leaders. His operational base centered in Little Mexico, an
enclave immediately north of downtown Dallas. In this neighborhood
where he was banned from swimming in the public pool as a child, he
raised a family whose name became synonymous with civic life.
Not only was he a strong civil rights leader, but along the way, he
became a very talented and successful heavyweight prize fighter.
Today Pancho Medrano would be most proud of his family's
achievements. One of his sons was a Dallas ISD school board member.
Another was selected to serve on the Dallas City Council and Dallas/
Fort Worth International Airport Board. Additionally, his daughter,
Pauline Medrano, was recently elected to the Dallas City Council,
representing the area that has long been home for the Medrano family.
She proudly carries on the legacy of leadership and passion to serve
the community. I will continue to work with her locally to better our
great city.
Therefore, it is with distinction that I recognize the designation of
the United States Postal Facility located at 8624 Ferguson Road in
Dallas, Texas as the ``Francisco `Pancho' Medrano Post Office
Building.'' I ask that all of my fellow colleagues support H.R. 4561.
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the
passage of H.R. 4561.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Boozman). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Westmoreland) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4561.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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