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.

February 27, 2003

Ms. SOLIS (for herself, Mr. PASTOR, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. HOEFFEL, Mr. BECERRA, Mr. OWENS, Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, and Mr. ACEVEDO-VILA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources

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.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. CESAR ESTRADA CHAVEZ STUDY ACT.

(a) SHORT TITLE- This Act may be cited as the `Cesar Estrada Chavez Lands Legacy Study Act'.

(b) FINDINGS- Congress finds the following:

(1) On March 31, 1927, Cesar Estrada Chavez was born on a small farm near Yuma, Arizona.

(2) At age 10, Chavez and his family became migrant farm workers after they lost their farm in the Great Depression.

(3) Throughout his youth and into adulthood, Chavez migrated across the Southwest, laboring in fields and vineyards.

(4) During this period, Chavez was exposed to the hardships and injustices of farm worker life.

(5) In 1952, Chavez's life as an organizer and public servant began when he left the fields and joined the Community Service Organization, a community-based self-help organization.

(6) While with the Community Service Organization, Chavez conducted--

(A) voter registration drives; and

(B) campaigns against racial and economic discrimination.

(7) During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Chavez served as the national director of the Community Service Organization.

(8) In 1962, Chavez founded the National Farm Workers Association, an organization that--

(A) was the first successful farm workers union in the United States; and

(B) became known as the `United Farm Workers of America'.

(9) From 1962 to 1993, as leader of United Farm Workers of America, Chavez achieved for tens of thousands of farm workers--

(A) dignity and respect;

(B) fair wages;

(C) medical coverage;

(D) pension benefits;

(E) humane living conditions; and

(F) other rights and protections.

(10) The leadership and humanitarianism of Cesar Chavez continue to influence and inspire millions of citizens of the United States to seek social justice and civil rights for the poor and disenfranchised.

(11) The life of Cesar Chavez and his family provides an outstanding opportunity to illustrate and interpret the history of agricultural labor in the western United States.

(c) RESOURCE STUDY- Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior (referred to in this section as the `Secretary') shall complete a 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.); and

(B) the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.).

(d) REQUIREMENTS- In conducting the study under this section, 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;

(C) State and local historical associations and societies; and

(D) the State Historic Preservation Officers of the State of Arizona, the State of California, and any other State in which a site described in subsection (a) is located.

(e) REPORT- On completion of the study under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report on--

(1) the findings of the study; and

(2) any recommendations of the Secretary.

(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section.

END