Expressing support for designation of the fourth Friday of March as "Cesar E. Chavez Day".

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay a special tribute to a historical leader not only for the Hispanic community but for workers all across America.

Cesar E. Chavez was born on March 31, 1927 near Yuma, Arizona at a time of great discrimination and injustice.

He believed that the only way to get out of the circle of poverty was to work your way up and receive an education. With his family, Cesar-- as he is called by his most ardent followers worked in the fields all throughout California.

Along the way, Cesar attended nearly 40 schools before joining the Navy at the age of 17.

After marrying in 1948, Chavez and his wife, Helen Fabela, settled in Delano. Soon after he became involved with the Community Service Organization, run by Fred Ross, a man who worked to better the lives of Mexican Americans in the state.

Working with the organization in the 1950s, Chavez became more familiar with the plight of farm workers in southern California, and in 1962 founded the National Farm Workers Association, later to become the United Farm Workers.

As a cofounder and president of United Farm Workers, Cesar used nonviolent tactics to bring attention to the dangerous working conditions in the fields and the plight of exploited farm workers and their right to unionize.

At the same time, he studied the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, which led to his practice of nonviolence throughout his life.

Those beliefs meant turning to hunger strikes rather than violent means to draw attention to the plight of the farm workers.

Cesar Chavez completed his 36-day Fast for Life on August 21, 1988. The Reverend Jesse Jackson took up where Cesar left off, fasting on water for three days before passing on the fast to celebrities and leaders. The fast was passed to Martin Sheen, the Reverend J. Lowery, President SCLC; Edward Olmos, Emilio Estevez, Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert Kennedy, Peter Chacon, legislator, Julie Carmen, Danny Glover, Carly Simon, singer; and Whoopi Goldberg.

Today, on the 84th anniversary of his birthday, I stand to pay tribute to this hero who emerged from very little but left a tremendous impact on all of us decades later.

Cesar died in his sleep on April 23, 1993 near Yuma, Arizona at the age of 66 years old. At the time, he was in Yuma helping farm workers.

This year, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar dedicated the site of the United Farm Workers Delano Field Office, known as ``Forty Acres'' as a National Historic Landmark.

On August 8, 1994, Cesar Chavez was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton. Helen Chavez, Cesar's widow accepted the medal for her late husband, with an accompanied citation that included ``faced formidable, often violent opposition with dignity and nonviolence.''

In the words of President Clinton ``The farm workers who labored in the fields and yearned for respect and self-sufficiency pinned their hopes on this remarkable man who, with faith and discipline, soft spoken humility and amazing inner strength, led a very courageous life.''

For over ten years, I have fought for a national holiday to honor Cesar Chavez, a man who not only carried the torch for justice and freedom, but was the beacon of hope for thousands without a voice.

The reach of his accomplishments stretches far beyond the Latino community. The battle for social justice is far from being over. But in the words of Cesar Chavez, ``si se puede!''

During these hard economic times, let us not forget that history teaches us many things. True leaders are those who fight for those without a voice, and he was one that fought for many of those who didn't have voices.

On the anniversary of Cesar's birthday, I encourage all Americans to remember Cesar Chavez and honor him and his legacy.

I urge my colleagues to co-sponsor H. Res. 130, a resolution to encourage the designation of the fourth Friday of every March to be observed as ``Cesar E. Chavez Day.''

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in recognition of a great civil activist, Cesar E. Chavez. This week, we celebrate the life of a man who symbolizes dignity and respect and who would have turned 85 years old on March 31.

He was a farm laborer, a leader, a cofounder of the United Farm Workers, and a veteran. He brought social justice to migrant workers and communities, which included better pay, improving housing, outlawing the child labor law, and human dignity. He achieved all of this through the use of nonviolence.

For over 10 years, I have worked to create a national holiday to commemorate Cesar Chavez. Please join me in celebrating the life of a great American hero by supporting my legislation, House Resolution 130, which designates the fourth Friday of every March as Cesar E. Chavez Day.

Martin Luther King, Jr., once telegraphed Cesar Chavez with a message: ``Our separate struggles are really one--a struggle for freedom, for dignity, and for humanity.''

The legacy of Cesar Chavez will continue to inspire not only Latinos but people across our Nation who believe in the American Dream. ``Si, se puede''--yes, we can.