[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 135 (Friday, August 12, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E848]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                         HONORING HENRY HUERTA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. LINDA T. SANCHEZ

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, August 12, 2022

  Ms. SANCHEZ. Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise to 
honor the life of the late Henry Perez Huerta. Henry was one of the 
most important voices in the labor movement in California. He led an 
incredible life protecting the rights of working families in Southern 
and Northern California and inspired other leaders to follow in his 
footsteps.
  Henry was a child of the farm worker movement. At 16, Henry watched 
his father organize a massive rally in Gonzales, California where Cesar 
Chavez spoke to farmworkers. From that moment, Henry was inspired to 
live a life where he fought for workers. Outraged by the 
disenfranchisement of farmworker families like his own, Henry became 
the youngest deputy registrar in the state of California. He registered 
countless farm workers to vote and make their voices heard.
  After graduating from the University of Oregon, where Henry was one 
of the very few Mexican-Americans on campus, he worked for the State of 
California's Department of Industrial Relations for 31 years. His work 
was so impactful to so many--often acting as a one-person investigation 
team for the Labor Commission. Thinking of his own family's experience, 
Henry felt a deep sense of fulfillment helping farm workers receive 
wages they were unfairly denied.
  While working in San Francisco, Henry quickly ascended to Senior 
Deputy Labor Commissioner, investigating the workplace conditions of 
sweat shops, agricultural companies, car washes and construction sites. 
Henry always understood the importance of empowering workers, which led 
him to lead the charge in unionizing carwash workers in LA.
  Henry and his wife, Martha, eventually settled down in Whittier, 
California, but Henry's passion for political change and empowering 
working families never faded.
  In his final months of life, Henry continued to register voters, and 
volunteer countless hours to get out the vote. As a result of his 
tireless activism, Henry was honored by the Los Angeles County 
Democratic Party as ``Democrat of the Year.''
  Henry was such a great activist not just because of the time he spent 
on work, but also the time he invested in mentorship, friendship, and 
guidance to local leaders. I am proud to have called Henry a friend and 
a role model.
  Henry Huerta left us too soon. His absence is greatly felt by my 
community, but his legacy as a voice for the disenfranchised will be 
remembered for generations. I join Henry's wife, Martha, his 2 
children, Enrique Jr., and Zenaida, and all his family and friends in 
celebrating the difference he made in our community through a full and 
meaningful life.

                          ____________________