[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 191 (Wednesday, December 16, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13325-S13326]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 48--RECOGNIZING THE LEADERSHIP AND 
HISTORICAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF DR. HECTOR GARCIA TO THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY 
 AND HIS REMARKABLE EFFORTS TO COMBAT RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISCRIMINATION 
                    IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

  Mr. MENENDEZ submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                            S. Con. Res. 48

       Whereas Dr. Hector Garcia changed the lives of Americans 
     from all walks of life;
       Whereas Dr. Hector Garcia was born in Mexico on January 17, 
     1914, and immigrated to Mercedes, Texas, in 1918;
       Whereas Dr. Hector Garcia is an honored alumnus of the 
     School of Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch, 
     Class of 1940;
       Whereas Dr. Hector Garcia fought in World War II, 
     specifically in North Africa and Italy, attained the rank of 
     Major, and was awarded the Bronze Star with six battle stars;
       Whereas once the Army discovered he was a physician, Dr. 
     Hector Garcia was asked to practice his profession by 
     treating his fellow soldiers;
       Whereas Dr. Hector Garcia moved to Corpus Christi, Texas, 
     after the war, and opened a medical practice; rarely charged 
     his indigent patients, and was recognized as a passionate and 
     dedicated physician;
       Whereas he first became known in south Texas for his public 
     health messages on the radio with topics ranging from infant 
     diarrhea to tuberculosis;
       Whereas Dr. Hector Garcia continued his public service and 
     advocacy and became founder of the American G.I. Forum, a 
     Mexican-American veterans association, which initiated 
     countless efforts on behalf of Americans to advance 
     opportunities in health care, veterans' benefits, and civil 
     rights equality;
       Whereas his civil rights movement would then grow to also 
     combat discrimination in housing, jobs, education, and voting 
     rights;
       Whereas President Kennedy appointed Dr. Hector Garcia a 
     member of the American Treaty Delegation for the Mutual 
     Defense Agreement between the United States and the 
     Federation of the West Indies;
       Whereas in 1967, President Lyndon Johnson appointed Dr. 
     Hector Garcia as alternate ambassador to the United Nations 
     where he gave the first speech by an American before the 
     United Nations in a language other than English;
       Whereas Dr. Hector Garcia was named member of the Texas 
     Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil 
     Rights;
       Whereas President Reagan presented Dr. Hector Garcia the 
     Nation's highest civilian

[[Page S13326]]

     award, the Medal of Freedom, in 1984 for meritorious service 
     to his country, the first Mexican American to receive this 
     recognition; and
       Whereas Pope John Paul II recognized him with the 
     Pontifical Equestrian Order of Pope Gregory the Great: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) encourages--
       (A) teachers of primary schools and secondary schools to 
     launch educational campaigns to inform students about the 
     lifetime of accomplishments by Dr. Hector Garcia; and
       (B) all people of the United States to educate themselves 
     about the legacy of Dr. Hector Garcia; and
       (2) recognizes the leadership and historical contributions 
     of Dr. Hector Garcia to the Hispanic community and his 
     remarkable efforts to combat racial and ethnic discrimination 
     in the United States of America.

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