[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 177 (Thursday, October 26, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1022-E1023]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING VICTOR GARZA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ZOE LOFGREN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 26, 2023

  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the accomplishments of 
Mr. Victor Garza. He is a longtime community advocate and Latino leader 
in San Jose, CA.
  Victor Garza was born in Eagle Pass, Texas, and moved to California 
in 1960. He enlisted in the United States Navy and when he left the 
Navy, he realized there were limited services for veterans in the 
community. He observed that Latinos were struggling to gain a political 
voice and recognized that two key areas that needed to be addressed 
were educational attainment of Latinos and increasing their political 
participation and increasing services to people in need throughout the 
community. He was active in one of the most important veterans' groups 
in the nation, the American GI Forum.
  Victor became the first Manager of the Santa Clara County Office of 
Veterans Services. He has received numerous commendations and awards 
for his long history of political activism and community involvement 
including proclamations from the U.S. Congress, State Legislature, 
County of Santa Clara. and the City of San Jose. He was awarded 
``Outstanding Young Man of America'' by the U.S. Jaycees, recognized by 
the Santa Clara County Human Relations Commission for outstanding 
service and dedication to the community, and was an Olympic Cross 
Country Torch Relay Participant in 1996. The Victor Garza Community 
Center in Austin, Texas bears his name, as does the Victor Garza 
Educational Center at Evergreen Valley College.
  He founded the La Raza Roundtable in 1988, Santa Clara County's 
largest coalition of Latino and Mexican American organizations, and 
spent the last 4 decades fighting for his community. In 1998, Victor 
was invited by the White House to participate in President Clinton's 
Initiative on Race and Poverty.
  Victor has been a strong voice for equitable education, social and 
health services, immigration issues, employment and promotional issues 
that impact the Latino workforce, as well as veterans affairs. He is 
truly the best our community has to offer, and it has been my privilege 
to work alongside him and I am proud to call him my friend.

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