IV

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. RES. 486

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding Ce ́sar E.

Cha ́vez and farm worker housing programs.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MAY 2, 2000

Mr. BACA submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the

Committee on Education and the Workforce

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding Ce ́

sar E. Cha ́vez and farm worker housing programs.

Whereas Ce ́sar E. Cha ́vez was born March 31, 1927, on a

small farm near Yuma, Arizona, and died on April 23,

1993;

Whereas numerous holidays, schools, parks, libraries, and

other structures and events have been named after Ce ́sar

E. Cha ́vez, internationally and in Arizona, California,

Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, and

Texas, with many more planned;

Whereas Ce ́sar E. Cha ́vez was a recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Prize during his lifetime and was

awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President

Clinton on August 8, 1994;
2

•HRES 486 IH

Whereas, the grandson of a Mexican immigrant and settler,

he grew up working with migrant farm workers, himself

picking grapes, melons, beans, and other staple crops at

low wages and for long hours, during which time he developed a strong work ethic and respect for the farm

workers his father called ‘‘the children of God’’;

Whereas at the age of 18, Ce ́sar E. Cha ́vez entered the

United States Navy and served his country with distinction for 2 years;

Whereas, as early as 1949, Ce ́sar E. Cha ́vez committed himself to organizing farm workers to campaign for safe and

fair working conditions, reasonable wages, decent housing, and the outlawing of child labor;

Whereas in 1962, Ce ́sar E. Cha ́vez founded the National

Farm Workers Association, predecessor of the United

Farm Workers of America, which brought hope to farm

workers that they might one day realize the basic protections and workers’ rights to which all Americans aspire;

Whereas, through his commitment to nonviolence, Ce ́sar E.

Cha ́vez 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;

Whereas Ce ́sar E. Cha ́vez was an advocate for nonviolence at

a time when violence penetrated every level of our society;

Whereas Ce ́sar E. Cha ́vez and his family also dedicated themselves to the education of farm workers’ children through

migrant schools, many of whom graduated and worked as

teachers, doctors, nurses, and in other professional occupations;
3

•HRES 486 IH

Whereas the legacy of Ce ́sar E. Cha ́vez includes healthy

working conditions that yield uncontaminated food for

America’s tables;

Whereas Ce ́sar E. Cha ́vez’s influence extends far beyond agriculture and provides inspiration for those working to

better human rights through his example of organizing

voter registration drives in urban and farm areas, initiating complaints against mistreatment by police and welfare officials, and empowering everyday workers to seek

advancement in education and politics;

Whereas Ce ́sar E. Cha ́vez lived alongside his campesino

brothers and sisters in humble surroundings and upon

his passing was laid to rest where he lived and worked

for 23 years on the grounds of the headquarters of the

United Farm Workers of America, known as Nuestra

Sen ̃ora de La Paz (Our Lady of Peace), located in the

Tehachapi Mountains at Keene, California; and

Whereas the Nation should not cease its efforts to improve

the conditions of farm workers, remembering the rallying

cry of Ce ́sar E. Cha ́vez, ‘‘Si se puede!’’ (There is Hope!):

Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that—

3 (1) schools across the Nation should teach

about Ce ́sar E. Cha ́ 4 vez and lead community service

5 projects in his memory; and

6 (2) farm worker housing programs should be

7 supported at the Federal, State, and local levels.

Æ