[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 7911-7912]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING CESAR E. CHAVEZ

                         HON. LINDA T. SANCHEZ

                               california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 31, 2003

  Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, the history of the 
United States is filled with heroes who, through personal sacrifice and 
a strong commitment to their cause, have left their mark on society. 
Today, I am proud to honor the life and accomplishments of California's 
own, the late, talented union organizer, Cesar E. Chavez.
  Born on March 31, 1927 to a farming family in Yuma, AZ, Cesar learned 
early that life is filled with challenges. He was ten years old when 
his family lost their farm during the Depression. By 1938, the Chavez 
family joined thousands of others following the crops throughout the 
Southwest, eventually making it to California. It was during this 
period that Cesar began to realize that he and the other migrant 
workers not only lived in deplorable conditions but also were treated 
as second-class citizens.
  After his tour of duty in the U.S. Navy at the end of World War II, 
Cesar returned to California with his wife Helena to continue farming. 
In 1952, he met Fred Ross, an organizer for the Community Service 
Organization (CSO). Cesar flourished as an active member of this 
organization, conducting voter registration drives, battling racial and 
economic discrimination, and organizing new CSO chapters across 
California and Arizona. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Cesar 
became the national director of CSO. But no matter how hard he worked, 
he continued to have trouble persuading workers to fight for their 
rights because they were afraid of losing their Jobs.
  In order to fulfill his desire to create a union for farm workers, 
Cesar left his position with the CSO in 1962. He traveled from camp to 
camp recruiting workers. With the assistance of his family, he managed 
to organize 300 members into the National Farm Workers Union, NFWA, 
later changed to the United Farm Workers, UFW. Through Cesar's 
leadership, the UFW gained the national support of unions, church 
groups, students, minorities, and consumers.
  Cesar's commitment brought dignity and respect to the farm workers 
who organized themselves and became an inspiration and a resource to 
other Americans and people engaged in human rights struggles throughout 
the world. His fast in 1968 for 25 days prompted the late Senator 
Robert F. Kennedy to call him ``one of the most heroic figures of our 
time''.
  From 1965 through the 1980s, Cesar led numerous strikes, boycotts, 
and protests--not only to increase wage earnings at the time, but also 
to increase public awareness to the plight of the migrant workers. 
During the 1980s, the number of farm workers working under UFW contacts 
rose tremendously, allowing them to enjoy higher pay, family health 
coverage, pension benefits and other contract protections.
  Cesar E. Chavez worked until his death on April 23, 1993, defending 
the rights of farm workers to the end. Even now, his spirit and legacy 
continue to be studied and rewarded.
  On August 8, 1994, Chavez became only the second Mexican-American to 
receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor 
in the United States. Also, in that same year, his family and officers 
of the UFW created the Cesar E. Chavez Foundation to inspire current 
and future generations by promoting the ideals of Cesar's life, work, 
and vision.
  The State of California honored his life and work in 2000 by 
proclaiming March 31 as Cesar E. Chavez Day. California dedicates the 
remainder of the week to paying tribute to the great union leader by 
teaching elementary and secondary school children about his work. I am 
also honored to announce that I am an original cosponsor of House 
Resolution 112, which will establish a national legal public holiday in 
honor of the great social justice leader.
  Today, Cesar E. Chavez would have celebrated his 76th birthday. I am 
proud to celebrate his life and work. May his spirit and dedication 
continue to be an inspiration to those engaged in human rights 
struggles throughout the world.

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