IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 213 

Urging the establishment and observation of a legal public holiday in honor 

of Ce ́sar E. Cha ́vez. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 5, 2009 

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

Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 

RESOLUTION 

Urging the establishment and observation of a legal public 

holiday in honor of Ce ́sar E. Cha ́vez. 

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, in the United States and internationally, 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 on August 8, 

1994; 


jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
2 

•HRES 213 IH 

Whereas Ce ́sar E. Cha ́vez was the grandson of a Mexican immigrant and settler and grew up working with migrant 

farm workers, picking grapes, melons, beans, and other 

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 two 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, or nurses or in other professional occupations; 


jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
3 

•HRES 213 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 workers to seek advancement in education and politics; 

Whereas Ce ́sar E. Cha ́vez lived alongside his campesino 

brothers and sisters in humble surroundings; 

Whereas, upon his death in 1993, Ce ́sar E. Cha ́vez 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 United States 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 the House of Representatives recog2 nizes the accomplishments and example of Ce ́sar E. 

3 Cha ́vez and urges— 

4 (1) the Congress to amend section 6103 of title 

5 5, United States Code, or the President to issue an 

6 Executive order to establish a legal public holiday in 

7 honor of Ce ́sar E. Cha ́vez; 


jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS
4 

•HRES 213 IH 

1 (2) the several States, the District of Columbia, 

2 the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and territories 

3 and possessions of the United States to observe the 

4 date established as Ce ́sar E. Cha ́vez Day as a legal 

5 public holiday; and 

6 (3) public elementary and secondary schools in 

7 the United States to enhance understanding of 

8 Ce ́sar E. Cha ́vez Day by providing classroom in9 struction on the life and work of Ce ́sar E. Cha ́vez. 

Æ 


jbell on PROD1PC69 with BILLS