[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 65 (Tuesday, May 4, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E736-E737]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             DOLORES HUERTA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 4, 2010

  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I am joined by my colleagues Congressmen 
Xavier Becerra, Linda T. Sanchez, Loretta Sanchez, Lucille Roybal-
Allard, Adam Schiff, and Henry Waxman in paying tribute to our dear 
friend Dolores Huerta, who is being honored by the Feminist Majority 
Foundation with the Eleanor Roosevelt Award. This coveted award is 
given annually to a select few individuals who have contributed 
significantly--often against great odds and at great personal risk--to 
advance the rights of women and girls and to increase awareness of the 
challenges women face on account of their gender.
  Dolores is a world renowned activist and is regarded as one of the 
most prominent Chicana labor leaders in the United States. At the age 
of 80, she is currently the President of the Dolores Huerta Foundation. 
The mission of her foundation is to build active communities in 
disadvantaged areas and to work towards fair and equal access to 
healthcare, housing, education, jobs, civic participation and economic 
resources with an emphasis on women and youth.
  Several of us have known Dolores since the early 1970's when we were 
members of the California State Legislature and Dolores was the Vice 
President and Co-Founder of the United Farm Workers of America. During 
the last 50 years, she has worked tirelessly on many social justice and 
public policy issues. We know firsthand of her outstanding 
contributions to our community.
  In 1955, when she was only 25 years old, Dolores found her calling as 
an organizer while serving in the leadership of the Stockton Community 
Service Organization (CSO), a grassroots organization that battled 
segregation and police brutality, led voter registration drives, pushed 
for improved public services, and fought to enact new legislation. 
Through her diligent lobbying efforts, she succeeded in removing the 
citizenship requirements from pension and public assistance programs. 
She was the leading force in the passage of legislation allowing voters 
the right to vote in Spanish and securing the rights of individuals to 
take the driver's license examination in their native language.
  Dolores has been arrested 22 times for participating in non-violent 
civil disobedience activities and strikes to protect farmers and women, 
which has resulted in great benefits to both groups. Largely due to her 
solid support for the grape boycott, the farm workers were provided 
with their first health and benefit plans and those who had lived, 
worked, and paid taxes in the United States for many years were granted 
amnesty. She fought tirelessly to provide a better working environment 
and stop the abuse of female immigrants across the U.S.-Mexican border 
by convincing law enforcement agencies to address the brutal rape and 
the murder of these immigrants.
  Dolores was given the Outstanding Labor Leader Award in 1984 by the 
California State Senate. In 1993, she was inducted into the National 
Women's Hall of Fame. That same year she received the American Civil 
Liberties

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Union (ACLU) Roger Baldwin Medal of Liberty Award; the Eugene V. Debs 
Foundation Outstanding American Award, and the Ellis Island Medal of 
Freedom Award. She is also the recipient of the Consumers' Union 
Trumpeter's Award. In 1998, she was one of three Ms. Magazine's, 
``Women of the Year,'' and the Ladies Home Journal's, ``100 Most 
Important Women of the 20th Century.'' In addition, she has received 
three honorary doctorate degrees for her extraordinary career.
  Madam Speaker and distinguished colleagues, we ask you to join us in 
saluting Dolores Huerta for her impressive efforts and unyielding 
commitment to empowering women and improving the lives of farm workers.

                          ____________________