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“CESAR ESTRADA CHAVEZ STUDY ACT” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H7438-H7440 on July 10, 2007.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
CESAR ESTRADA CHAVEZ STUDY ACT
Mr. SARBANES. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 359) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of sites associated with the life of Cesar Estrada Chavez and the farm labor movement, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 359
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Cesar Estrada Chavez Study Act''.
SEC. 2. SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY.
(a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date on which funds are made available to carry out this Act, the Secretary of the Interior (referred to in this Act as the
``Secretary'') shall complete a special resource study of sites in the State of Arizona, the State of California, and other States that are significant to the life of Cesar E. Chavez and the farm labor movement in the western United States to determine--
(1) appropriate methods for preserving and interpreting the sites; and
(2) whether any of the sites meets the criteria for listing on the National Register of Historic Places or designation as a national historic landmark under--
(A) the Act of August 21, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461 et seq.); or
(B) the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.).
(b) Requirements.--In conducting the study under subsection
(a), the Secretary shall--
(1) consider the criteria for the study of areas for potential inclusion in the National Park System under section 8(b)(2) of Public Law 91-383 (16 U.S.C. 1a-5(b)(2)); and
(2) consult with--
(A) the Cesar E. Chavez Foundation;
(B) the United Farm Workers Union; and
(C) State and local historical associations and societies, including any State historic preservation offices in the State in which the site is located.
(c) Report.--On completion of the study, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report that describes--
(1) the findings of the study; and
(2) any recommendations of the Secretary.
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes) and the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland.
General Leave
Mr. SARBANES. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Maryland?
There was no objection.
Mr. SARBANES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 359 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of the sites associated with the life of Cesar Estrada Chavez and the farm labor movement.
Representative Hilda Solis, my colleague on the Natural Resources Committee, has worked tirelessly for the last 6 years to move this important legislation forward. I am proud to join Representative Solis and 68 other Representatives as a cosponsor of this bill, and I want to thank Ms. Solis for her efforts and leadership in getting this important study authorized.
In 1962, Cesar Chavez founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers of America, working to protect farm workers' rights. Chavez led the United Farm Workers for 31 years and gained increases in wages and better working conditions for farm laborers. Through his work, Chavez became a national leader on civil rights and social justice and an inspiration to millions of Americans and people around the world.
H.R. 359 directs the Secretary of the Interior to consider sites in Arizona, California, and other States that are significant to the life of Cesar Chavez and the farm labor movement in the western United States. The bill requires the Secretary to determine the appropriate methods for preserving and interpreting the sites and to determine whether any of them meet the criteria for being listed on the National Register of Historic Places or possible designation as national historic landmarks. The Secretary has 3 years from the date on which funds are made available to submit a report describing the findings of the study as well as the Secretary's recommendations.
The Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands held a hearing on this bill in March of this year where we heard testimony from the administration in support of this bill. Later, at both a subcommittee markup and a full committee markup, this legislation advanced with bipartisan support.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 359 is a bill whose time has come. Similar legislation has passed the Senate once before in 2003, and I am pleased this bill is finally making it to the House floor. We need to move forward with this congressionally authorized study so that we can learn about and evaluate options to protect the resources associated with Cesar Chavez and the farm labor movement. The longer we wait, the more likely it is that these resources may be lost to development or the ravages of time. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
The majority has adequately explained the bill, Mr. Speaker, and I note that during the full committee consideration of this bill the minority was assured that this act was in no way to be construed as advancing any effort to establish a national holiday honoring Cesar Chavez. Further, the majority gave assurances that this bill was not going to be used to promote House Resolution 76, which urges the establishment of such a holiday. With this understanding, we will not object to the consideration of this measure.
Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SARBANES. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield such time as she may consume to the sponsor of this legislation, my colleague from the National Resources Committee, Representative Hilda Solis.
{time} 1415
Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 359, the Cesar Chavez Study Act, and urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, you know that the National Park System units are important components of our Nation's historic, cultural and economic and recreation and social identity.
H.R. 359 authorizes a study to determine whether sufficient historic resources still exist, so that the story of Cesar Chavez could be added to the National Park System.
I first introduced this legislation more than 6 years ago to honor the important contributions he made to the environment and to help the National Park Service finally recognize a significant Hispanic leader. Since then, I have worked hard with my colleagues to bring this bill to the floor.
I would like to personally thank Chairman Rahall and Chairman Grijalva for their support, and the staff of the committee.
Cesar Estrada Chavez was a second-generation American. He was born in the United States March 31, 1927 in Yuma, Arizona, and raised during the Great Depression.
The lessons he learned during his time inspired him to dedicate his life to improving the lives of others less fortunate even than himself.
Chavez led by action. He was a student of Mahatma Gandhi's nonviolent philosophy, and believed that non-violence was one of the most powerful tools to achieve change, including social and economic justice and equality.
In 1968 he fasted for 25 days, Mr. Speaker, one of many fasts he held to demonstrate a commitment to non-violence through sacrifice and penance. He was a deeply religious man.
Through his work, Cesar Chavez changed the course of history for thousands of Latinos and Hispanics and farm workers in this country. Farm workers have been empowered now to fight for fair wages, health care coverage, pension benefits, housing improvements, pesticide and health regulations and countless other protections for their health and well-being.
These changes have meant considerably improvements for the life of farm workers and their families, in fact, three fourths of which are Hispanic or Latino.
During his 66 years with us, Chavez made a significant difference in the lives of those he touched, well beyond improvements for farm workers. And at an early age, I too was inspired by Cesar Chavez's work on behalf of farm workers and the environmental justice movement. This includes protecting green space in both urban and rural areas so that all communities can enjoy the benefits of recreation.
Chavez strongly understood the importance of land and the value of the environment in connection to one's health and economic stability. For many Hispanics, this appreciation of the environment is cultural; 96 percent of Hispanics believe that the environment should be an important priority for this country, yet there is not one single unit of the National Park System dedicated to Hispanics.
And as a result of Chavez's belief exhibited through his actions, I was moved to introduce this legislation and believe it important that we preserve the history through our National Park System. It is my hope that one day Hispanic families all have a place in the National Park Service where they can appreciate, honor and learn about Cesar Chavez's work, his beliefs, just as we do now in celebration with African American families who can now visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. historical site and Selma-Montgomery trail.
The significance of Chavez's life and work is widely recognized. The Department of Labor has honored Chavez in the Labor Hall of Fame, and the Bush administration, as you heard, supports this legislation. I won't list all the supporters, but there are more than 20 organizations nationally recognized who support this legislation.
In fact, at his funeral, Cardinal Roger Mahoney of Los Angeles called Chavez, and I quote, ``a special prophet for the world's farm workers.''
In 1994, Chavez's widow, Helen, accepted the Medal of Freedom from President Clinton, who lauded Chavez for facing a ``formidable, often violent opposition with dignity and non-violence.''
It is my hope that through this legislation, future generations can understand who Cesar Chavez was, and why the work that he did was so important, know that they too can be courageous and work toward the betterment of all mankind.
I strongly urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. SARBANES. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Ms. Solis again on her persistence, and congratulate her on having this brought to the floor today.
I do want to say that while Cesar Chavez certainly cast a long shadow in the western United States, I worked with an organization in Maryland that did work on the Eastern Shore of Maryland on behalf of farm workers, and he was a national hero to them. So congratulations again.
Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my strong support for H.R. 359. This important legislation would require the Secretary of the Interior to study the potential creation of a historic landmark in honor of Cesar Estrada Chavez.
I want to thank my friend, Congresswoman Hilda Solis, for sponsoring this bill and championing this cause which is of great significance to so many Americans, myself included.
Cesar Chavez provided hope for thousands of people. Perhaps best known for founding and leading the United Farm Workers of America, Chavez used non-violent tactics that included boycotts, fasts, and strikes to bring attention to the dangerous working conditions in the field. His efforts helped to produce the first industry-wide labor contracts in the history of American agriculture.
Cesar Chavez' legacy has empowered, encouraged and motivated countless individuals. He is a continuing example that with hard work, dedication and love, change can happen and oppression can be conquered. His famous words, ``Si se puede'' (Yes you can), still inspire us today.
I cannot think of anything more American than standing up for one's right to justice, fairness, and equality.
I urge my colleagues to cast a vote in recognition of Cesar Estrada Chavez, and to support H.R. 359.
Mr. SARBANES. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and yield back.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 359, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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