IV
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. CON. RES. 3
Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding a Federal holiday to
commemorate the birthday of Ce´sar E. Cha´vez.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 3, 2001
Mr. FILNER submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred
to the Committee on Government Reform
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding a Federal
holiday to commemorate the birthday 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 the State of California and the city of San Diego,
California, has each established a holiday to recognize the
birthday of Ce´sar E. Cha´vez;
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, Michi-
gan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, and
Texas, with many more planned;
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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 by President
Clinton on August 8, 1994;
Whereas as 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 de-
veloped 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 2 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
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migrant schools, many of whom graduated and worked as
teachers, doctors, nurses, and in other professional occu-
pations;
Whereas the legacy of Ce´sar E. Cha´vez includes healthy
working conditions that yield uncontaminated food for
America’s tables and the enforcement of employer sanc-
tions for those who hire illegal immigrants;
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 everyday workers to seek
advancement in education and politics; and
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: Now, there-
fore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that—
(1) a Federal holiday should be established to
honor Ce´sar E. Cha´vez for his tireless commitment
to improve the plight of farm workers and the poor
throughout the United States and for the inspiration
his heroic efforts gave to so many Americans to
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work nonviolently for justice in their communities;
and
(2) all Americans should commit themselves to
working for justice through nonviolence in their com-
munities and remind themselves of the work of the
people who put food on the tables of America.
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