[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 37 (Monday, March 15, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E378-E379]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING MANUEL ``MABER'' BERNAL

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CHARLES A. GONZALEZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 15, 2010

  Mr. GONZALEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer my words of 
congratulation to one of San Antonio's most distinguished citizens. 
Manuel ``Maber'' Bernal was born in Veracruz, Mexico, on November 19, 
1904. In

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1930, he began his career in broadcasting when Mexico's Radio XEW-AM 
first went on the air. Over the next 23 years, Mr. Bernal's fame, both 
in Mexico and in the United States, grew. He was well known for his 
radio performances, as an actor, author, and producer for XEQ and Radio 
Cadena Nacional. His voice was known to millions from his dubbings of 
Disney movies into Spanish.
  In 1953, after years of business trips here, Mr. Bernal made the 
United States his home. He settled in San Antonio, Texas, where he 
helped to build the radio station KCOR, the first full-time Spanish-
lanugage radio station in the United States. In addition to authoring 
several novellas and radio jingles, Mr. Bernal was dedicated to 
bridging the gap between his Spanish-speaking audience and their 
government. He worked with the local Social Security Administration 
District Manager to produce ``Su Seguro Social,'' tapes which 
introduced Americans to the Social Security Administration and 
explained its workings.
  As America transitioned into the television era, so did Mr. Bernal, 
and he continued to ensure that his work benefited the community. His 
program on KCOR-TV--once again the first full-time Spanish-language 
television station in the country as well as the first UHF station--was 
called ``Escuadron de Auxilio,'' ``The Help Brigade.'' KCOR would 
become the foundation of the Spanish International Network and, later, 
Univision.
  Manuel Bernal turned 105 years old on November 19, 2009. Over more 
than century, he has seen tremendous changes in the world and, often 
enough, he was at the forefront of those changes. I may be late in 
saying it, but I want to congratulate Mr. Bernal on a lifetime of 
accomplishment. I hope that his 105th birthday was a joy and I wish him 
many, many more.

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