[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 54 (Wednesday, March 28, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E669]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                IN HONOR OF THE BIRTHDAY OF CESAR CHAVEZ

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 28, 2007

  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of 
Cesar Chavez, not only because he was one of the great leaders of our 
country, but also because he was my friend. Cesar was a man of courage, 
faith, and love who shared his strength with thousands and inspired 
millions of Americans.
  To know Cesar was to stand in awe of the enormous task he set for 
himself and the great moral leadership he gave to the campaign to 
challenge injustice and achieve peaceful change. His life, his cause, 
and his commitment have been and remain an inspiration to me.
  His struggle for oppressed farmworkers fired our conscience. He 
insisted that this Nation acknowledge that every human being, 
regardless of origin, is of worth and is entitled to reach for a better 
tomorrow.
  What made Cesar Chavez stand out was that he lived the principles he 
preached: truth and courage. He knew what it was like to be treated 
without respect, and to work all day, everyday, with little to show for 
it. A lesser man may have burned up with anger, but Chavez burned with 
a love of justice and hope for a brighter future.
  Cesar's struggle for justice is far from over and we must continue to 
help others help themselves.
  In Congress, we hold the power to create change. The Agricultural 
Jobs, Opportunities, Benefits, and Security Act of 2007 would bring 
major improvements to the lives of farmworkers in America. This bill 
would create a path for eligible undocumented farmworkers to apply for 
temporary immigration status or permanent residency based on their work 
experience. It would also preserve and enhance key labor protections 
for guestworkers.
  Like Chavez, I believe there's nothing more wasteful than leaving a 
child with no good choices after graduation, and nothing more un-
American than charging children with the offenses of their parents. 
With Cesar in mind, I introduced the Dream Act, a bill that helps 
undocumented students realize their dream of going to college and 
becoming permanent legal members of the communities they've always 
called home.
  Cesar helped us see through the eyes of farmworkers--and what they 
saw was a dark and hopeless world. But under his leadership, they saw a 
new world, one of strength and hope, united against poverty and 
exploitation. Under UFW contracts, they won higher pay and for the 
first time--health coverage and pension benefits.
  We will remember Cesar's fight and never forget what he taught us--
that we will succeed--that we will protect the gains that were so hard 
to win--that we will never give up.

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