78R9789 MDM-D

By:  Luna                                                         H.R. No. 580



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Dr. Hector P. Garcia of Corpus Christi earned 
nationwide renown as a humanitarian and civil rights advocate; and
	WHEREAS, A graduate of The University of Texas Medical Branch 
at Galveston, this proud patriot joined the United States Army 
during World War II, immediately after completing his surgical 
internship; he attained the rank of major in the Medical Corps and 
earned a Bronze Star with six battle stars for his valorous service; 
and
	WHEREAS, Following his military discharge, Dr. Garcia opened 
a medical practice in Corpus Christi, where he often provided free 
medical care to those who could not afford to pay, and saw the 
effects of discrimination against Mexican Americans; and
	WHEREAS, This truly notable Texan  established the American 
GI Forum, an organization composed primarily of veterans and 
dedicated to securing equal rights for American Latinos, and 
throughout his life, he worked for such causes as bilingual 
education, school desegregation, job creation, and housing; and
	WHEREAS, The American GI Forum today continues to reflect 
this remarkable humanitarian's deep commitment to treating others 
with dignity and to working within the system to effect change; and
	WHEREAS, Long active in politics on the state and national 
levels, Dr. Garcia was named by President Lyndon B. Johnson as a 
member of the National Advisory Council on Economic Opportunity and 
the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and as a delegate to the United 
Nations, and President Ronald Reagan awarded him the Presidential 
Medal of Freedom; and
	WHEREAS, Beloved by the people of Corpus Christi, "Dr. 
Hector" was accorded many well-deserved accolades, including 
having a city park, a post office, and Memorial Medical Center's 
indigent health clinic named for him; in addition, he received the 
first honorary doctorate conferred by Texas A&M University--Corpus 
Christi, which also erected a statue of him and dedicated a plaza on 
campus in his honor; in 1990, he was further lauded for his 
exceptional endeavors by Pope John Paul II; and
	WHEREAS, A man of tremendous decency and compassion, Dr. 
Garcia devoted his life to the service of others, and through his 
unrelenting efforts the country he cherished achieved a fuller 
realization of its highest ideals; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 78th Texas 
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Dr. Hector P. Garcia 
for his immeasurable contributions as a physician and as a leader in 
the struggle to guarantee civil rights for all Americans.