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 Lu-
ther King Jr. Peace Prize during his lifetime and was 
awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom on August 8, 
1994; 
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•HRES 213 IH 
Whereas Ce´sar E. Cha´vez was the grandson of a Mexican im-
migrant 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 distinc-
tion for two years; 
Whereas, as early as 1949, Ce´sar E. Cha´vez committed him-
self to organizing farm workers to campaign for safe and 
fair working conditions, reasonable wages, decent hous-
ing, 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 protec-
tions 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 them-
selves 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 occu-
pations; 
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•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 ag-
riculture and provides inspiration for those working to 
better human rights through his example of organizing 
voter registration drives in urban and farm areas, initi-
ating complaints against mistreatment by police and wel-
fare officials, and empowering workers to seek advance-
ment 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 im-
prove 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 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives recog-
nizes the accomplishments and example of Ce´sar E. 
Cha´vez and urges— 
(1) the Congress to amend section 6103 of title 
5, United States Code, or the President to issue an 
Executive order to establish a legal public holiday in 
honor of Ce´sar E. Cha´vez; 
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•HRES 213 IH 
(2) the several States, the District of Columbia, 
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and territories 
and possessions of the United States to observe the 
date established as Ce´sar E. Cha´vez Day as a legal 
public holiday; and 
(3) public elementary and secondary schools in 
the United States to enhance understanding of 
Ce´sar E. Cha´vez Day by providing classroom in-
struction on the life and work of Ce´sar E. Cha´vez. 
Æ 
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