[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 5480-5483]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     RECOGNIZING DR. HECTOR GARCIA

  Mr. CONYERS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 222) recognizing the leadership 
and historical contributions of Dr. Hector Garcia to the Hispanic 
community and his remarkable efforts to combat racial and ethnic 
discrimination in the United States of America.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 222

       Whereas Dr. Hector Garcia changed the lives of Americans 
     from all walks of life;
       Whereas Dr. Hector Garcia was born in Mexico on January 17, 
     1914, and immigrated to Mercedes, Texas, in 1918;
       Whereas Dr. Hector Garcia is an honored alumnus of the 
     School of Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch, 
     Class of 1940;
       Whereas Dr. Hector Garcia fought in World War II, 
     specifically in North Africa and Italy, attained the rank of 
     Major, and was awarded the Bronze Star with six battle stars;
       Whereas once the Army discovered he was a physician, Dr. 
     Hector Garcia was asked to

[[Page 5481]]

     practice his profession by treating his fellow soldiers;
       Whereas Dr. Hector Garcia moved to Corpus Christi, Texas, 
     after the war, and opened a medical practice; rarely charged 
     his indigent patients, and was recognized as a passionate and 
     dedicated physician;
       Whereas he first became known in south Texas for his public 
     health messages on the radio with topics ranging from infant 
     diarrhea to tuberculosis;
       Whereas Dr. Hector Garcia continued his public service and 
     advocacy and became founder of the American G.I. Forum, a 
     Mexican-American veterans association, which initiated 
     countless efforts on behalf of Americans to advance 
     opportunities in health care, veterans benefits, and civil 
     rights equality;
       Whereas his civil rights movement would then grow to also 
     combat discrimination in housing, jobs, education, and voting 
     rights;
       Whereas President Kennedy appointed Dr. Hector Garcia a 
     member of the American Treaty Delegation for the Mutual 
     Defense Agreement between the United States and the 
     Federation of the West Indies;
       Whereas in 1967, President Lyndon Johnson appointed Dr. 
     Hector Garcia as alternate ambassador to the United Nations 
     where he gave the first speech by an American before the 
     United Nations in a language other than English;
       Whereas Dr. Hector Garcia was named member of the Texas 
     Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil 
     Rights;
       Whereas President Reagan presented Dr. Hector Garcia the 
     Nation's highest civilian award, the Medal of Freedom, in 
     1984 for meritorious service to his country, the first 
     Mexican-American to receive this recognition; and
       Whereas Pope John Paul II recognized him with the 
     Pontifical Equestrian Order of Pope Gregory the Great: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) encourages--
       (A) teachers of primary schools and secondary schools to 
     launch educational campaigns to inform students about the 
     lifetime of accomplishments by Dr. Hector Garcia; and
       (B) all people of the United States to educate themselves 
     about the legacy of Dr. Hector Garcia; and
       (2) recognizes the leadership and historical contributions 
     of Dr. Hector Garcia to the Hispanic community and his 
     remarkable efforts to combat racial and ethnic discrimination 
     in the United States of America.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Conyers) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CONYERS. I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 
legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include 
extraneous materials on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Michigan?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CONYERS. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, this resolution was brought to the Judiciary 
Committee's attention by our friend Solomon Ortiz of Texas, which 
recognizes the leadership and historical contributions of Dr. Hector 
Garcia to the Hispanic community and to the Nation in his remarkable 
efforts to combat racial and ethnic discrimination. Dr. Garcia was born 
in Mexico, and his family settled in Mercedes, Texas. So this 
concurrent resolution recognizes the leadership and historical 
contributions of this great American.
  It is singularly important to me that he graduated from a segregated 
high school in Texas. Segregated how? Well, it was segregated because 
Hispanics could not go to the schools that everybody else went to. Of 
course, African Americans couldn't either, so I guess they had two 
levels of segregation. Eventually, he got through the University of 
Texas, and then became a doctor. During World War II, he was a combat 
engineer, which is a field of the military that I, too, served in. The 
rest, as they say, is history.
  It is my intention to yield to our colleague Mr. Ortiz, who has more 
detail that we can add to this, though, Madam Speaker, at this moment, 
I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, first of all, I want to thank my Texas colleague Mr. 
Ortiz for introducing this resolution. It reflects well on him and on a 
wonderful individual who has contributed so much.
  I support House Concurrent Resolution 222, which recognizes the 
leadership and the historical contributions of Dr. Hector Garcia. My 
colleague in the other body, Senator Cornyn of Texas, sponsored a 
similar resolution during the last Congress, and I am glad to see that 
it is being considered in the House this year.
  In 1914, Hector Garcia was born in Llera, which is a small town in 
Mexico. As a child, he was brought to Mercedes, Texas, after his 
parents fled the Mexican Revolution in 1917. He graduated from the 
University of Texas Medical School in 1940 and used that education to 
serve his country in the United States Army.
  In the Army, Dr. Garcia served during World War II as an infantryman, 
as a combat engineer, and as a medical doctor. He earned the Bronze 
Star medal with six battle stars for his distinguished service; but his 
public service did not end there. Dr. Garcia founded the American GI 
Forum in 1948, which fights for equal treatment of Mexican American 
veterans in medical care and educational benefits.
  President Lyndon Johnson made Dr. Garcia the first Mexican American 
to serve as an ambassador to the United Nations. He also became the 
first Hispanic to serve on the United States Commission on Civil 
Rights; and in 1984, President Ronald Reagan bestowed upon Dr. Garcia 
the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
  I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CONYERS. Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Texas, Solomon Ortiz, whom we recognize as the dean 
of the Hispanic Caucus and whom I thank for bringing to our attention 
this great Texan and American.
  Mr. ORTIZ. Thank you, Chairman Conyers, for giving a beautiful 
description of my good friend Dr. Garcia, and thank you for bringing 
this to the floor.
  I also want to thank my good friend from Texas (Mr. Smith) for 
bringing this resolution to the floor.
  Madam Speaker, I rise to honor an American hero who is very well 
respected in the community. Today, we honor the life and work of Dr. 
Hector P. Garcia, who is a recognized leader of better health care for 
all Texans and who is a legendary civil rights advocate and promoter of 
education for Hispanics.
  My resolution, H. Con. Res. 222, honors a lifetime of the 
extraordinary achievements of Dr. Hector P. Garcia, who lived and 
worked in my congressional district in Corpus Christi, Texas, for many 
years.
  Dr. Garcia's family emigrated from Mexico in 1914 and settled in 
Mercedes, Texas. After graduating from medical school, he served with 
great distinction in World War II. He attained the rank of major and 
earned the Bronze Star with six battle stars. When the Army learned 
that Dr. Garcia was a physician, he was asked to practice his 
profession by treating his fellow soldiers.
  When he moved to Corpus Christi, he opened a private practice where 
he treated all patients regardless of their ability to pay. I was there 
many times when people just didn't have any money. He was able to give 
them what they needed free of charge. He was a very honorable man, and 
he turned down profit to make a better life for all of us, not only in 
south Texas but throughout the United States.
  Dr. Garcia first became known in south Texas for his public health 
messages on the radio. He was on the air three times a week with a 
Spanish program, ``Your Health and Welfare.'' During this time, he 
struggled to bring attention to severe illnesses such as tuberculosis, 
which enabled the public to become better educated about its health 
needs. His messages brought to light the many health issues of the 
region and the glaring poverty in south Texas.

                              {time}  1145

  A man of tremendous talents, Dr. Garcia prized education and fought 
for

[[Page 5482]]

other Americans to also value education. In the 1940s, he struggled to 
abolish the one-room segregated ``Mexican schools'' that one would find 
across the Texas landscape. As a result of this example of leadership, 
Texas schools in Corpus Christi were eventually desegregated, 
substandard schools for children of Mexican and Latino descent were 
closed, and students who previously did not have access to adequate 
education were given the same opportunities available to others. 
Because of these efforts, four schools are named after him in Texas and 
one in Chicago, Illinois.
  Perhaps most significantly, he emerged as founder of the GI Forum, a 
Mexican American veterans association to redress the injustices 
experienced by returning World War II veterans. The GI Forum initiated 
countless efforts on behalf of Americans in the areas of health care 
and veterans benefits, and now have more than 160,000 members in 500 
chapters in 24 States and Puerto Rico. His civil rights movements would 
then grow to combat discrimination in housing, in education, and in 
voting rights.
  In recognition of these achievements, President John F. Kennedy 
appointed Dr. Garcia a member of the American Treaty Delegation for the 
Mutual Defense Agreement between the United States and the Federation 
of the West Indies. As President Kennedy once said in another context, 
``In each of us, there is a private hope and dream which, when 
fulfilled, can be translated into benefits for everyone.'' Dr. Garcia 
understood this uplifting concept as he fought discrimination against 
the voiceless, for which we should all be proud of.
  In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Dr. Garcia as 
alternate ambassador to the United Nations, where he gave the first 
speech by an American before the United Nations in a language other 
than English. Dr. Garcia spoke Spanish to a captivated audience.
  President Reagan presented Dr. Garcia the Nation's highest civilian 
award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in 1984 for his tremendous 
service to this country, the first Mexican American to receive that 
distinction.
  Americans should do all they can to learn about Dr. Garcia. He 
dedicated his life to the less fortunate, and will always be remembered 
for giving so much of himself for this country and for all of us.
  Mr. CONYERS. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to Mr. 
Chet Edwards of Texas, a real leader on improving relations not just in 
Texas but across the country.
  Mr. EDWARDS of Texas. Madam Speaker, let me begin by thanking the 
chairman for his kind comments and for his leadership for our country.
  Madam Speaker, America is a better country today because of the life 
and service of Dr. Hector P. Garcia. And we will be a better country 
tomorrow if every school child hears his story. It is the story of an 
immigrant child who worked hard, became a physician, and dedicated his 
entire life to his family and service to country. It is a story that 
one person can make a difference. It is a story of the timeless values 
of hard work and service to others. It is the quintessential American 
story of love of country, expressed through a lifetime of service to 
others.
  One of the greatest privileges of my lifetime was to know Dr. Hector 
Garcia. He left the world a better place, and his life story continues 
to inspire everyone who hears it. And it is my hope that every school 
child in America will hear his story, a true champion of our Nation's 
never-ending quest for equal opportunity for all.
  As a child growing up in Corpus Christi, Texas, Dr. Garcia's 
hometown, I lived on the same block. At the time, I did not know he was 
a World War II hero who earned a Bronze Star and the rank of major. I 
did not know this champion in the cause of American's Hispanic 
veterans. Yet as I grew older and learned of Dr. Garcia's heroic 
lifetime of service on the battlefields of war, in the halls of 
Congress, and in the offices of his medical practice, his life's story 
became an inspiration that led me to public service.
  Had it not been for Dr. Hector, as we called him, I probably would 
not be in Congress today. For that I am personally grateful. But I am 
even more grateful for how he made a difference in our Nation's 
history. May God bless and forever keep in his loving arms Dr. Hector 
P. Garcia.
  Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 
222, a resolution that recognizes the life and contributions of Dr. 
Hector P. Garcia.
  In 1917, at the age of 3, Dr. Garcia immigrated to my hometown of 
Mercedes, Texas, with his family, where he graduated from my alma 
mater, Mercedes High School.
  Despite the social injustices that pervaded the United States, like 
those that forced him to attend segregated schools, he earned his 
medical degree from the University of Texas Medical School.
  He served the nation as a commissioned officer in World War II. After 
the war, he returned to Texas and continued his medical practice. His 
decision to fight for civil rights was spurred by the gross injustice 
and inequality he witnessed in the United States, Particularly in the 
treatment of Hispanic veterans returning from the war. He founded the 
American GI Forum to help give these Hispanic veterans a voice.
  Dr. Garcia also believed that every child should have equal access to 
education and that everyone deserved health care. He personally treated 
hundreds of indigent patients regardless of their ability to pay.
  Dr. Garcia's life and work continue to be an inspirational force for 
many, especially in deep South Texas.
  His tireless advocacy for civil rights has benefitted all in the 
United States who view equality as a fundamental component of our Great 
Nation.
  I am honored that I can stand here today and urge my colleagues to 
pass this resolution recognizing the remarkable achievements of this 
great American.
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. 
Con. Res. 222--Recognizing the leadership and historical contributions 
of Dr. Hector P. Garcia to the Hispanic community and his remarkable 
efforts to combat racial and ethnic discrimination in the United 
States. Dr. Garcia was born in Mexico, in 1914, but his family fled the 
Mexican Revolution and immigrated to Mercedes, Texas. His is an 
inspirational story of the possibilities the American Dream holds for 
immigrants. Through hard work and perseverance, he became a surgeon and 
served his country in World War II Dr. Garcia's experiences after his 
return from the war led him to found the American GI Forum in Corpus 
Christi, Texas.
  Dr. Garcia began helping Mexican-American veterans file claims with 
the Veterans' Administration, in response to the unacceptably slow 
treatment they were receiving. On March 26, 1948. he called a meeting 
to address the concerns of these veterans. This developed into the 
American GI Forum, which soon had chapters in 40 Texas cities and 
became the way by which Mexican-American veterans could express their 
frustration with the discrimination against-them.
  And so it is with great pleasure that I recognize Dr. Hector P. 
Garcia, for his service to our country and to the Mexican-American 
community, and I support this resolution.
  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to proudly 
support H. Con. Res. 222 introduced in the House of Representatives by 
Mr. Ortiz. H. Con. Res. 222 recognizes the leadership and lifelong 
contributions of Dr. Hector Garcia to the Hispanic community and his 
remarkable work on important issues such as civil rights, health care, 
veteran benefits, the struggle for racial equality, and ethnic 
discrimination in the United States of America.
  Dr. Hector Garcia was born in the city of Llera in Tamaulipas, 
Mexico, on January 17, 1914. He is the son of two schoolteachers who 
legally immigrated to Mercedes, Texas, to escape from the violence of 
the Mexican Revolution in the early 1900s. He graduated in 1940 from 
the School of Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch, and 
in 1942 volunteered for combat in the Army during World War II. In 
1946, after the war, he and his family returned to Texas and settled in 
Corpus Christi, where he became the president of the League of United 
Latin American Citizens (LULAC). While in Corpus Christi, Dr. Garcia 
opened a private practice to treat ill people regardless of their 
ability to afford health care and he founded the American GI Forum to 
address VA's discrimination and the right to equality of Hispanic 
American veterans. Dr. Garcia's strong advocacy and extraordinary work 
made him the recipient of national and international recognition, 
including the Nation's highest civilian award in 1984, the Presidential 
Medal of Freedom, and the

[[Page 5483]]

Equestrian Order of Pope Gregory the Great from Pope John Paul II in 
1990.
  Dr. Garcia's leadership, advocacy, work and commitment to Hispanic 
American civil rights equality, access to health care, and the fair 
treatment of the government's institutions to its citizens regardless 
of race and ethnicity constitute his legacy, and his invaluable 
contribution to the proud history of our great nation.
  I commend the life and legacy of Dr. Hector Garcia and his 
contribution to the Hispanic community in the United States of America, 
and I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this important 
resolution.
  Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of a great 
American, Dr. Hector P. Garcia. I would like to thank Congressman Ortiz 
for his leadership and for bringing forth this resolution.
  This resolution recognizes the leadership and historical 
contributions of Dr. Garcia to the Hispanic community and our country 
as a whole and for his tireless efforts to combat racial and ethnic 
discrimination. Dr. Garcia was founder of the American GI Forum, a 
Mexican-American veteran's service association, which initiated 
countless efforts on behalf of Americans in the areas of health care, 
veterans' benefits, and civil rights equality following World War II. 
For his efforts, President Reagan in 1984 presented Dr. Garcia with the 
nation's highest civilian award, the Medal of Freedom, for meritorious 
service to the country. He was the first Mexican-American to receive 
this recognition.
  Dr. Garcia and the American GI Forum played a pivotal role in the 
case of Army Private Felix Longoria. Private Longoria was killed in 
action in 1945. After a 4-year wait, his body was returned to Texas in 
1949. His widow requested the use of the funeral chapel in Three 
Rivers, TX, where she was denied because he was of Mexican decent. With 
the determination of a soldier, Dr. Garcia and the GI Forum intervened. 
They petitioned Senator Lyndon B. Johnson for assistance and LBJ 
successfully secured the hero's burial his widow and this private 
deserved at Arlington National Cemetery, where he became the first 
Mexican American to be awarded the honor. The issue garnered national 
attention when it was published in the New York Times. It was work like 
this that made the GI Forum a leader in civil rights movement.
  I had the benefit of knowing Dr. Garcia, and his family currently 
lives in my district. Dr. Garcia is an American hero and deserves the 
recognition of this House.
  Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to address the 
House for one minute.
  Madam Speaker, I stand here today to honor the life and historical 
contributions of Dr. Hector Garcia, a WWII hero, civil rights leader 
and medical doctor of the poor and disenfranchised.
  I rise to support the passage of this legislation which will 
encourage educating Americans on the life, deeds, and accomplishments 
of Dr. Hector Garcia.
  Motivated by a teacher who said that no ``Mexican'' was going to get 
an A in class. Hector Garcia graduated with a doctorate in Medicine in 
1940.
  He founded the American GI Forum (AGIF) in 1948, when a Mexican 
American soldier, Private Felix Longoria, was denied a proper funeral 
due to racial segregation.
  Motivated to fight against discrimination, Dr. Garcia sent out 
telegrams to elected and government officials.
  In response, Senator Lyndon B. Johnson, arranged to have the private 
buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery, 
becoming the first Mexican American serviceman awarded this honor.
  AGIF and Dr. Garcia became a voice for Mexican Americans in the post 
WWII era. During Vietnam he made it a point to accompany the families 
of fallen soldiers to collect the bodies of their loved ones.
  Dr. Garcia loved to quote the Declaration of Independence and the 
Constitution, applying it to his daily life.
  Dr. Garcia's motto, and the AGIF's today is, ``Education is Our 
Freedom and Freedom should be Everybody's Business''.
  He strove to make a more equitable and peaceful community both 
locally and internationally. Appointed alternate Ambassador to the 
United Nations, he was the first representative of the United States to 
address the UN body in a language other than English.
  This legislation will encourage his legacy and increase public 
knowledge of Dr. Hector Garcia's exemplary dedication to eradicating 
ethnic discrimination.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, which will have a 
positive impact on our young people and help craft the next generation 
of social leaders.
  Mr. CONYERS. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. DeGette). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 
222.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. CONYERS. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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