[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 27]
[Senate]
[Page 36154]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     SENATE RESOLUTION 411--HONORING THE LIFE AND RECOGNIZING THE 
   ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF TEXAS CIVIL RIGHTS PIONEER DR. HECTOR P. GARCIA

  Mr. CORNYN (for himself and Mrs. Hutchison) submitted the following 
resolution; which was:

                              S. Res. 411

       Whereas, Hector P. Garcia was born on January 17, 1914, in 
     Llera, a small town in south central Tamaulipas, Mexico;
       Whereas, Hector P. Garcia was brought to Mercedes, Texas, 
     as a small child when his parents fled the Mexican Revolution 
     in 1917;
       Whereas, Dr. Hector P. Garcia graduated from the University 
     of Texas Medical School in 1940, and later joined the United 
     States Army;
       Whereas, Dr. Hector P. Garcia served as an infantryman, a 
     combat engineer, and a medical doctor during World War II, 
     and earned the Bronze Star medal with six battle stars for 
     his distinguished service;
       Whereas, Dr. Hector P. Garcia founded the American GI Forum 
     in 1948 to fight for equal treatment of Mexican-American 
     veterans, including proper medical treatment and educational 
     benefits;
       Whereas, in 1949, Dr. Hector P. Garcia secured a burial 
     with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery for 
     Pvt. Felix Longoria after a Texas funeral home refused to 
     hold a wake for Pvt. Longoria, a U.S. soldier killed during 
     World War II, for the sole reason that he was Hispanic;
       Whereas, President Lyndon Johnson made Dr. Hector P. Garcia 
     the first Mexican-American to serve as an ambassador to the 
     United Nations;
       Whereas Dr. Hector P. Garcia was the first Hispanic to 
     serve on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights;
       Whereas, in 1984, President Ronald Reagan bestowed upon Dr. 
     Hector P. Garcia the Presidential Medal of Freedom;
       Whereas Dr. Hector P. Garcia devoted his life to fighting 
     for civil rights and educational access for Mexican-
     Americans;
       Whereas this nation has benefited from Dr. Hector P. 
     Garcia's legacy of generosity and commitment to equality: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate honors the life of Dr. Hector P. 
     Garcia, a selfless physician, decorated World War II veteran, 
     dedicated family man, and civil rights hero, and joins in the 
     celebration of his birthday, January 17.

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