Senate Floor

Mr. Secretary, please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Members, a quorum is present. Would the Members and our guests beyond the rail and in the gallery please rise? We will be led in prayer this morning by our chaplain, Sister Michelle Gorman, after which, please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. Thank you.

As we celebrate the life and legacy of Cesar Chavez, we pray his prayer for all workers who struggle for justice. God, of all peoples and nations, show us the suffering, excuse me of the most miserable so we will know our people's plight. Free us to pray for others, for you are present in every person.

Help us to take responsibility for our own lives so that we can be free. Grant us courage to serve others, for in service there is true life. Give us honesty and patience so that we can work with other workers. Bring forth song and celebration so that your spirit will be alive among us.

Let your spirit flourish and grow so we will never tire of the struggle. Let us remember those who have died for justice, for they have given us life. And help us love even those who hate us, so that we can change the world. Amen.

Please join us as we salute our flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of. ....

Members, we're going to move on to privileges of the floor. And probably for the 10th time this week, we want to wish Senator Laird a happy birthday. Moving on to Senator Wahab at the Majority Leader's desk. The floor is yours.

Thank you. Members, today I'm proud to welcome this to the Senate. The participants and leadership of the Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp. Both here on the floor and and in the gallery. Many of us believe in public safety, second chances, and the belief in growth as a human being.

Pine Grove is a unique, transformative program that provides these young men the opportunity to change the course of their lives.

Through rigorous training in conjunction with CAL FIRE, they are able to become certified to fight wildland fires and work to protect their community and assist in firefighting throughout the state, while also receiving trauma, informed treatment and educational programming. You guys are far more aware of them than you think.

They are the ones that helped us with the LA Wildfires, let alone these participants, gain not only employable skills, but also gain self confidence, pride and personal achievement, leadership and teamwork skills.

Since September 2024, these young firefighters have deployed to over 2020 fires throughout the State of California, fighting alongside CAL FIRE strike teams, risking their own lives to help preserve life and property. The program has outstanding support from the community, not only for their firefighting efforts, but for their service work.

They work in a state and county parks, performing fire and flood abatement, clearing roads of fallen trees and brush, and again saving lives. They also volunteer with the local Friends of the Library program and assist with the setup and cleanup for the annual Amador County Fair.

Here in the Legislature, as bills move through committees and budgets are negotiated, our work directs resources and policy decisions for these types of programs, programs that offer young people second chances. I think it's important for each of us to have the chance to meet these young men and the CDCR staff who support them.

And I want to highlight that their work is often unnoticed. They are often not thanked, let alone not thanked enough. They risk their lives and they are judged by society all the time. The fact that they are in their jumpsuit, they are being judged as they walk through this building.

And the reality is that it takes more than what meets the eye to really describe a human being. The depth of character that each of them show, the ability to grow. And so it is my pleasure to present the Pine Grove Conservation Camp with a Senate resolution recognizing their good work and service to the State of California.

Joining us today on the floor are firefighters Gonzalo Murillo, Edgar De La Rosa, Elijah Martinez, Isaias Barajas, Guillermo Dominguez, Naji Franklin and Long Luong.

I want to highlight that many of you guys also know Scott Budnik, who's in the gallery, who has worked very hard to make sure that the folks behind me and up in the gallery get the attention and respect that they deserve. I also want like to recognize camp commanders Lt. Vanessa Melendez and Lt. Edward Maldenberg. Lt.

Melendez and her husband were actually in Norway with many of us who learned about the Smart justice effort of reimagining what public safety and second chances really look like potentially here in California.

I also want to highlight officers Steve Herrera and Rodney Landreth, as well as many of the other Members of the Pine Grove Camp that are with us in the gallery and many of those that are still not here today.

So if I could ask for all of us to give them a round of applause and say thank you for your service.

So before we take the picture, if. I could call on Senator, Senator Seyarto, who would like to say a few words as well.

Thank you, Madam President. There we go. I just wanted to say a quick thank you to these gentlemen. I have seen firsthand the work that they do on a fire and understand that these guys get to come out on the worst of the fires that we see on TV.

And sometimes late at night, you know, when you're sitting in base camp and regrouping and things like that, what you'll see is a little line of helmets going up, ungodly looking slopes. And what they're doing is when you talk about containment of a fire, that's what they're doing, is they're creating containment lines around a fire.

And sometimes that means going up, you know, 45 degree slopes and more while rocks are falling on them, trying to dodge those. And sometimes fire is approaching and they are not recognized all the time for the work that they do.

So I applaud them for joining this effort with our other firefighters out there to assist them in protecting our communities and also working to turn your lives around. That's awesome. And we're very, very supportive of that.

And once again, just thank you so much for your assistance on these two fires and all of the other fires that you assist on.

Thank you, Senator Smallwood-Cuevas.

Thank you, Madam President. And the good Senator from the Inland Empire. We rarely agree on things, but this we do agree. We are extremely proud of the work that you do every day, the training that you put in, and then the efforts that you make on the front line, saving lives and saving the treasure of California.

I had the pleasure, along with the good Senator, of visiting Pine Valley and having a chance to see where your camp is and learn more about your equipment. So, so fascinating, the dedication that you have every day, not just to fight the fires, but to prevent them as well.

I also wanted to say we met a few of the gentlemen who are also, I want to say this is an academic camp. A young man who was studying statistics and Spanish after doing his training of the day, because he wants to leave there and go on to college. So we salute you, we thank you.

But also we have a responsibility to you to ensure that once you are done serving and doing the work that you're doing on yourselves and for the community, that you have an opportunity to take these skills, to join other fire service opportunities, and to get the education that you so much deserve in the future.

Thank you now and thank you for what you will do in the Future. And with this support of this great resolution.

Yeah. I want to start off by first thanking the Senator from Hayward for inviting our incarcerated firefighters to join us here on the floor. You know, this is something that is so important and so special to me.

I've met with, I think, almost all of you now several times, and, you know, I just can't even begin to express my gratitude enough.

You know, know, as many of you were working on the Eaton fire and fighting those fires, you know, I want to let you all know just how many constituents in the San Gabriel Valley, in the Pasadena area and the Altadena area were celebrating you all and, you know, sharing their support for you all online, you know, and we're just so proud of the work that you all are doing.

You all are heroes. Had you not been there that evening, there would have been more devastation, there would have been more lives lost, there would have been more homes lost.

And so I thank you all for helping to contain the Eaton fires and for putting your lives on the line to protect a community that I've called home for over three generations of my family. And so I can't begin to express my gratitude enough.

I'm so proud of the work that you all do, and in talking with each and every one of you, you've expressed to me just how personal this work is for you. So, you know, I just want to commend you again, and thank you.

I look forward to seeing what we can do to further support you and your pathway to doing this as a career, which I know so many of you aspire to do.

I know some of you even made that transition during the time that I got to meet you, which is incredible and so exciting to see some of the folks that you were working with move on to join CAL FIRE, and I know that's a role that so many of you desire to do.

So thank you all for all of your tremendous work. It means so much to me, and I want you all to know, too.

I've talked with other firefighters across local cities throughout the county, and they've said over and over again, you guys are some of the hardest working guys out there, and you should know that other firefighters realize that you all are heroes and you do tremendous work. So thank you.

Senator Rubio.

Good morning, Members of the Senate. Today, I also wanted to stand up personally to thank all of you. I represent the neighboring city to the Eaton fire, and I was there right after the fires and. And spent time with some of you as well. And the Rose bowl, as you Were you're enough to go alongside the firefighters.

And everyone really wants to say thank you. I know that I've heard so many people tell me to share with you that they wanted to say thank you. Of course, sometimes you don't get to see how much people were praising you, recognizing you, and saying, you know, thank you for what you're doing.

Those that were impacted as well were also mindful that your help, your support, and your bravery to go into the fire as well, save their homes, save their lives. So you need to know how much people were looking at you, admiring you, and thanking all of you for what you did. And I personally want to say thank you as well.

Senator Grayson.

Thank you. And also thank you to my colleague seatmate for bringing this fine group of young men into this chamber. It's one thing to be able to.

Well, first of all, I want to recognize the fact that this effort brings together multiple agencies within the state, and they work hand in hand together to provide an opportunity for California to use the resources that we have to fight fires.

But it's one thing to have a second chance where you're given opportunities to educate yourself, you're given opportunities to train yourself for reentry, but this is another thing to not only do that on spare time, but during the week, five days a week, going out, cutting lines.

And by the way, when they're fighting fires, they're not fighting fires with a hose and water at a distance. They're fighting fires with tools. They're cutting lines.

And to be able to stand there and see the gratification of when that fire reaches the line that they cut and immediately dies, and to know that they didn't just save structures, they actually saved lives. And for that, this is an incredible, unselfish work that they provide.

It's not just about serving themselves in education and trying to have that second chance of reentry. It's really about serving the community and putting their lives on the line to save other people's lives and the things that they have attained and their hard work that they've attained over their lives. So thank you very much for all your work and my best wishes to you.

Yeah, I just want to associate myself with the comments made by my colleagues. I represent the Palisades and also Malibu, which have suffered so much from terrible fires.

I got to go see some of the crews that you're representing here today with regards to the Franklin fire, clearing brush, making sure that the severity of fire would be reduced. And we had similar efforts in place in the Palisades as well. So all the comments certainly hold for the fires in our neck of the woods.

And I just want to express my personal appreciation to all the, you know, you're here today, but you are here representing so many more people up and down the state who've, you know, from within the system who've been helping to make our state safer.

I also just want to give a special shout out to our friend Scott Budnick, who's here, who continually brings the important, complicated stories from within our system, who also has done such good work showing us and showing policymakers the path to redemption.

And I just want to personally thank you, Scott, for opening my mind and eyes and heart to so many of these young people represented here today and so many others here in the California State Legislature.

Seeing no further comments. I want to thank you all for being here today. We're really honored to have you. And if you'd like to take a picture, now would be the appropriate time. Thank you so much for your hard work. We really recognize how much dedication you have to doing a good job.

Members without objection, we will now move on to senate third reading and take up file item number 25 SR 29 by Senator Arreguin. Please read.

Senate Resolution 29 by Senator Arreguin relative to Cesar Chavez Day.

Senator Arreguin, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Madam President. On behalf of the California Latino Legislative Caucus, I rise to present Senate Resolution 29 recognizing March 31, 2025 as Cesar Chavez Day in the State of California. Today we recognize the life and legacy of Cesar E. Chavez.

And Chavez's life serves as an extraordinary example of how one person can overcome the odds and inspire a movement for social change. He was a symbol of justice, an educator of civil and human rights, a role model and a beloved friend to many.

In 1965, Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta led a successful five year strike in boycott that rallied millions of supporters throughout the world.

To support the United Farm Workers, he built broad coalitions bringing unions, faith groups, students, minorities and consumers together in the name of social justice, advancing invaluable rights to some of the most marginalized people in our state farm workers. He also recognized how powerful unity and solidarity was in advancing social movements.

Larry Itliong, who would join Cesar Chavez using the phrase of Solidarity, Isang Bagsak. Did I do that right Senator Cabaldin? Creating cross cultural unity between Filipinos and Latino farm workers in their mutual struggle for a better standard of living.

We know today just how important agriculture is to our state's economy and identity and the challenges that farm workers continue to face with the lack of proper regulations and enforcement for the issues of heat illness in our fields.

But their work is just as important now as it was when Cesar was leading the call for social and economic justice. This recognition is also especially important to me as the son and grandson of farm workers and someone who was inspired by the life of Cesar Chavez.

Growing up, I heard the stories of my family of this great man named Cesar Chavez. The impact of his life on my family in organizing and improving the standard of living for farm workers directly changed my family's life and mine as well.

And as a young brown kid, his leadership on behalf of farm workers inspired me to dedicate my life to fight for economic and social justice. And he still is a hero to me to this day.

When I was nine years old growing up in San Francisco, there was a campaign to rename a prominent street through the Mission District after Cesar Chavez.

And while most people at my age were busy playing Sega Genesis or on their Game Boy, I joined that campaign and served as a spokesperson to help rename Army Street after Cesar Chavez in San Francisco. That campaign was more contentious than it should have been, even in San Francisco. But we overcame the opposition and won.

And Cesar Chavez street is still there to this day as an example to our young people of the incredible life and legacy of this incredible leader.

I want to recognize that we're joined here today in the senate chambers by the niece of Cesar Chavez, Linda Medina, who has been invited by my guest, as a guest by my colleague, the senator from San Jose. I know that he will also recognize her very shortly.

Her mother, Rita Chavez Medina, was the sister of Cesar Chavez and the founder of the Chavez Family Vision Incorporated, whose mission is to preserve and promote the legacy of Cesar Chavez. We thank her for her work in advancing the values of volunteerism and nonviolence in making a positive difference in communities across the state and mass.

Permission to read, Madam President?

Yes.

I'll close by reading a quote from Cesar Chavez. After concluding his 28 day hunger strike in 1968, he wrote in a letter that we cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about the progress and prosperity for our community.

Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others for their sakes and and for our own. And I believe that all of us in this chamber whose job is to advocate for the needs of the people whose communities that we represent, should take this quote to heart.

Let us continue to work here in the state legislature with this goal in mind. Thank you for this opportunity to celebrate the life and legacy of one of the most important and influential leaders of our time. Cesar E. Chavez. Thank you.

Senator Blakespear.

Thank you, Madam President. I rise today on behalf of the Legislative Women's Caucus in strong support of SR 29. Cesar Estrada Chavez is a name that symbolizes struggle, unity, justice and triumph.

His lifelong dedication to the fight for the rights of farm workers and marginalized communities has left an indelible mark on the history of rural California, the history of California as a state and the labor struggles of the United States. Through his leadership, he demonstrated that ordinary people united with a common purpose can change the world.

His particular brand of organizing and nonviolent resistance, through boycotts, marches and hunger strikes, galvanized supporters from all over the country and brought young students into the movement, creating hope and activism and the commitment of change for a better tomorrow.

While Cesar Chavez's leadership is well recognized it's important to acknowledge the unsung heroes, particularly the women who played a role, a pivotal role in this larger movement. Women were not just supporters, but often the driving force behind the scenes as their husbands.

Organized, women were the backbone of the movement, performing essential work and holding families and communities together. There were also moments when women took the lead in ways that have not readily been recognized. When the men went to march on Sacramento, it was the women who stood strong on the picket lines, ensuring that the movement spirit never faltered.

These women were critical to the success of the United Farm Workers and the broader labor movement. One woman who should be recognized for her invaluable contributions is Helen Chavez. The wife of Cesar Chavez. She worked alongside her husband, playing a pivotal role in behind the scenes organizing and serving as a fierce advocate for justice.

Another key figure whose contributions continue to inspire us is is Dolores Huerta. Her strength in leadership, organizing an unwavering dedication to the cause, remains unmatched.

She was a co founder of the United Farm Workers with Cesar Chavez, was instrumental in the enactment of the Agricultural Labor Relationships act of 1975, was inducted into the National Women's hall of Fame in 1993, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012.

Dolores Huerta continues to be a force for change, advocating for workers, women and marginalized communities to this day. Yet there are many more women whose names are not as well known, but whose contributions were equally vital.

Women like Luisa Moreno, Maria Moreno, Mei Chen, Heide Conti and Emma Tenayuca were all instrumental in shaping the labor movement and advocating for the rights of workers, particularly those from communities of color. Their courage and leadership laid the foundation for the ongoing fight for justice in the workplace.

Today we continue to see the struggles these women fought for reflected in the challenges we face. And we know that we have work to do. As we honor the legacy of Cesar Chavez, we must recognize the fight for justice, equality and respect in the workplace and in our daily lives, especially for women and workers of color.

The bravery and tenacity of the women and men who paved the way must not be forgotten. Their struggles were not in vain and we must continue the work that they started. Cesar Chavez's legacy teaches us the power of collective action, the strength we find when we unite our voices for a singular cause.

And as he said, si se puede. Yes, we can. I respectfully ask for your. I vote in support of this. SR 29. Thank you, madam President.

Senator Richardson.

Thank you, Madam President. I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Cesar Chavez, a man who stood for justice, dignity and equality. His work uplifted farm workers across the country and gave voice to those long overlooked and unheard.

Although I never met him, I did meet his fruit, I met his granddaughter Christina, son in law and many others. And if I could slightly divert a bit, we're talking about Cesar Chavez today and his incredible work. But one that we probably won't hear people talk about is our own gentle lady from Los Angeles, our Senator.

As I'm sure you'll hear in her comments, she actually walked those same fields. And we should not be remiss as we celebrate Cesar Chavez, to know that we actually have one among us who worked with, understood, fought the battles, and frankly, that's why she's here today.

Many of us talk about systems and things that need to change, but very few people are willing to come in the system to fix it. And so for that, that's a special honor. Cesar Chavez also worked with a person that I learned over the years to respect and want to emulate, and that is Dr. Martin Luther King.

They shared a deep commitment to non violence, civil rights, uplifting the poor and the marginalized. Though they worked in different communities, their missions were closely aligned. In fact, Dr. Martin Luther King wrote a letter of support to Chavez during the Delano Grape Strike, calling his work inspiring and moral.

Both leaders believed that the fight for labor rights were inseparable from the fight for human rights. They stood in solidarity, Chavez for farm workers and King for sanitation workers, each showing the world that non violent resistance and the power of unity could be overcome even in the most entrenched systems of injustice.

Through tireless and organizing and peaceful protests, Chavez changed the way this nation views labor and civil rights. As co founder of the United Farm Workers, he led a powerful movement rooted in nonviolence, unity and hope. He believed that real change comes not from force, but from persistence and collective action.

His message was clear and has been stated today. Si se puede. Yes, it can be done. But what I want to remind us all was, wasn't it interesting that that phrase is what caused part of the momentum to elect the President, then President to become President Barack Obama.

It galvanized our communities, it brought us together because it spread, spoke of one fight. And for that we celebrate Cesar Chavez and all those who've continued the work. And I urge and aye vote on SR 29.

Senator Durazo.

Thank you, Madam President. As some of you know, when I was young, my mom and dad, my brothers and sisters, we picked cotton and grapes and we followed the circuit, picking many other crops. Around the same time. In 1962, two young Latinos were foolish enough to think they could actually build a union with farm workers.

And for farm workers, Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta were, in so many ways, our original dreamers. I followed them with my dreams. Thousands of us did. We made good trouble. We studied hard and we stayed in school. We became lawyers and doctors and teachers and police officers. We opened small businesses, we bought homes. We had babies.

And we changed California. When I got elected to the senate, that was the first time I can remember hearing people talk about farm workers as, quote, essential workers. They kept working when Napa was burning. A couple of years later, calling farm workers essential workers was just part of our everyday language. There was a reverence.

Americans were locked in our homes as farm workers left their homes, harvested our food, got sick and even died. They were spoken of as heroes because they were essential. Important to California, important to United States of America. I can only imagine what that would have felt to Cesar Chavez.

I know how it felt to me, how it felt to my sisters, to my brothers. It was part of our dream. But it didn't last long. Their essentialness quickly became what we stopped talking about. What they give to us is now what they take from us. Their value no longer valued, their health no longer essential.

Nor are their children, nor their work or their pain. I remember how that used to feel, and I know how it makes me feel today. Colleagues, I urge your support today for SR 29 as a reminder of Cesar's dreams.

Senator Archuleta.

Thank you. Madam President. I rise in support of SR 29. And I thank you once again on this Cesar Chavez Day. Cesar Chavez is one of the nation's greatest champions for labor and social justice, who committed his life for the betterment of the underserved, the underrepresented.

And I thank all the senators who stood with me and will be standing with me today to acknowledge this great man. As chair of the Military and Veterans Committee. I want to highlight that Cesar Chavez proudly served our great country in the United States Navy.

Many people don't realize that he is a veteran, a fellow veteran that must be honored for wearing that uniform and service to our country. After training at San Diego, he was first stationed at Saipan, then later in Guam before he returned to California. He returned from service in 1948 proudly and received an honorable discharge for his service.

And he married Helen, who he met while working in the fields. After he was honorably discharged, he realized that he's got to start his family. But if you heard it, had to do more, had to reach out and help his family and help his brothers and sisters.

And obviously starting a union was possibly the best way to go. And he learned that in the military, organizing people, bringing people together. So in honor of his service, the Navy is dedicated to the USNS Cesar Chavez in his honor. A ship named in his honor. We Latinos, we Americans should be very proud of that distinction.

Cesar Chavez Day recognizes Cesar Chavez not only for his advocacy and support of farm workers, but also a celebration of a broader labor movement that all of us to this day must recognize the advocated so desperately, sometimes tragically, sometimes with beaten, who knows? And again, we have to remember, he was even jailed for his work and conditions.

Why? Because he knew that those farm workers needed better conditions, living conditions and higher wages. And he fought for them. I had the honor to meet him long about the time when the grape strikes were going on. Do you remember that, Senator?

When the grape strikes were going, I met him in the City of Commerce in Los Angeles County. What an honor it was to see him there at that banquet. His commitment to people and the values he lived and he inspired all of us. Obviously, Senator, I know it has for both of you, all of us.

He gave us workers a reason to stand up. And he said, what the growers didn't know, he said, is that it's not the bananas or the grapes or the lettuce, it's the people. And when people come together, look out, America, because we are going to make a difference. He often reminded us that we're all God's children.

And every life has a value. Every single life has a value. He was proud of his people he fought for. He was also proud to be a veteran in the United States Navy, serving with honor and distinction. He is one of.

This is one of the reasons that we heard the term and continue hearing the term, and it will never stop. Si, se puede. It can be done. It will be done. It shall be done. And now more than ever. Si se puede. California, wake up. Si se puede. Don't give up. Our work is just starting.

So the rallying cry today is to come together as a community, as a state, to recognize Cesar Chavez for the work he's done in our hearts, our souls, our futures, our children. And for these reasons and many more, it is our honor today to recognize such a great American. So I ask you all to vote for SR 29.

Thank you, madam President.

Senator Cervantes.

Thank you, Madam President. Today I rise as a proud joint author on behalf of the California LGBTQ Caucus in support of Senate Resolution 29. I want to thank our colleague from Berkeley for bringing forth this important resolution.

The story of the farm worker movement is not unlike the ones we hear in our communities, where, despite the many odds stacked against us, we rise above. Amid the turmoil and the strife, Cesar Chavez serves as a powerful example of selflessness that inspires us all.

Whether that's advocating for better jobs and working conditions, enhancing access to health care, improving education, providing services to others, or treating everyone with dignity and respect, regardless of their background, we should all strive to follow his leadership. Cesar Chavez was an ally for our LGBTQ community.

Chavez was the first major civil rights leader to support gay and lesbian visibility. In 1987, Chavez attended and spoke at the second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, serving as a grand marshal.

It was at this march that he asked attendees, how could you demand equality for your own people while tolerating discrimination against anyone else because of who they are? The efforts of Cesar Chavez are a reminder that together, we can break down all barriers. Cesar Chavez.

The farm worker movement and the fight for civil rights are deeply rooted in in the history of the Coachella Valley in our communities. When my own father served as the mayor of the City of Coachella, he gave Cesar Chavez his first key to the city.

In 1990, my family led the effort to name the Cesar Chavez Elementary School in the City of Coachella the first public school named in the state after him. Chavez has had a tremendous impact in advancing the United Farm Worker Movement and working to support our farm worker rights in Eastern Riverside County.

Chavez reminds us of the social responsibility to serve our communities and ensure dignity and respect for all, especially our most vulnerable. We must continue to protect our farm workers who are the backbone of our economy. If we fail to do so, we will face significant economic and social consequences.

Still, above all, we should all be allowed to thrive beyond our community's productivity to our state to be deserving of dignity and to live whole and healthy lives beyond survival. Let us continue to honor his legacy by heeding the call to support our most vulnerable and demand human dignity for our communities. Now more than ever.

La Lucha Continua. For these reasons, I respectfully ask for an aye vote on SR 29. Thank you.

Senator Rubio.

Thank you, Madam President. Ladies and gentlemen of the Senate, today I rise on behalf of the Latino Caucus and the Jewish Caucus and as a member of both caucuses and in particularly, and more importantly, in my eyes, as a proud daughter of a bracero worker farm worker.

My father came to the United States with little more than determination and hope of building something better for his family. He worked long hours in the fields, doing the backbreaking labor that feeds our country.

He often talks about his hands, the calluses on his hands, the thirst he felt sleepless nights, and how hard him and his fellow farm workers worked to feed our country. My father never asked for recognition. He simply believed that if he worked hard enough, his children might have a better life than he did.

And in the background was Cesar Chavez, working hard to ensure that my father was taken care of. Cesar Chavez gave voice and dignity to people like my father. He stood up when no one else would and reminded this country that farm workers were not invisible. They're people with families, with values, with dreams.

And across our country, many families still share my father's story. A story of sacrifice, resilience and quiet strength. And today he is the only father in the State of California, in California history, with the only two daughters ever served, to ever serve here in this capitol. And we happen to be immigrants, formerly undocumented.

That's a pride that I carry and I hope it's an indication of what happens when given the opportunity. Just like many immigrants in this country, they always work hard to give back and not take. And we must also remember the allies who stand in solidarity with the farm worker labor movement, including the Jewish community.

One of them was Nan Freedman, an 18 year old student who was killed by a truck while on the picket line supporting farm workers. Cesar Chavez called her a holy person and a sister who gave her life for justice. And that's the beauty of America.

The beauty of America is that we stand up for each other when it matters. The beauty of America is that we always lift each other up, especially those that are most vulnerable. And the Jewish community did. While we've made progress, there's still so much more to be done to ensure farmworkers are treated fairly and with respect.

By celebrating Cesar Chavez today, we're renewing our commitment to justice and equality, not just in words, but in action. I carry the legacy of Cesar Chavez and generations of hardworking families with pride, with humility, and with a deep sense of responsibility to contribute. Thank you. I want to thank the senator from Berkeley for bringing this forward.

And I respectfully ask for an aye vote on SR 29. Thank you.

Senator Cortese.

Well, thank you, Madam President. I want to thank our colleague from Berkeley, of course, for bringing the resolution. And as he indicated, after this item is concluded, I will be leading the recognition for Lydia Chavez Medina.

I have found it since I've been here, a term in a couple of months, very important to rise and acknowledge the San Jose connection to Cesar Chavez, the Chavez family, the Farm Workers Movement.

And before that, something that we are very, very familiar with in San Jose, the CSO movement that existed for 10 years prior to the formation of the United Farm Workers. We've heard colleagues speak about the history. I won't repeat all that, but Cesar enlisted in the Navy.

When he returned from the Navy, he arrived in San Jose 1952. And from 1952 to 1962, he ultimately began his life as an organizer. But make no mistake, he was a farm worker. He picked crops, he pruned trees, he did all of those things. And he grew up at that time.

Growing up, I guess, qualifies if you're in your early 20s in what we call the Mayfair district to this day in San Jose, a district that's sometimes better known as Sal se puedes, not si se puede, Sal se puedes, get out if you can. And that wasn't good enough for Cesar. He wasn't going to. He wasn't going to accede to that.

And so he joined Fred Ross Sr, with a lot of influence from, frankly, from the Catholic community, at a place called Our lady of Guadalupe Church, which is become an iconic place of organizing in San Jose for years and years since, and began tabletop meetings, kitchen table meetings with people throughout Sal si puedes, letting them know that they are empowered, that they can change things.

That legacy lives on in San Jose to this day. It's a part of the San Jose story, but it's also part of the San Jose future. When Cesar left 10 years later to Delano and formed the United Farm Workers, as we've heard, what he left behind was the organizing that he created.

He left behind organizing that 1968 welcomed Robert F. Kennedy Sr . Helped catapult his election for the first time, created a Chicano movement that had candidates that was beginning to take a seat at the table. This started in San Jose. San Jose subsequently had its first Mexican American mayor since the days of the Alcaldes.

I attribute that to that early organizing work that never happens without the work of Cesar Chavez. Even before the formation of the United Farm Workers. It sounds like a big, massive enterprise when you talk about the formation of the United Farm Workers.

The fact of the matter is it was a family operation, and we'll hear a little bit about that later. Siblings, every one of Caesar's siblings was in effect, a volunteer, if not an officer in the operation.

And his idea, according to his brother Richard, for forming the United Farm Workers in the first place, something that he couldn't get. Fred Ross Sr. To actually sanction, which is one of the reasons he moved to Delano in the first place. That idea came while pruning trees in San Jose. Pruning apricot trees.

Richard told me that story directly. Happened to be in a location right across the street from where I was growing up, in that old Valley of Heart's Delight, before Silicon Valley, that was orchards and vineyards and row crops. And Richard tells a story very simply.

He said, as they were matched up on a tree, which is how you prune trees two at a time, one on one side of the tree, on a ladder, one on the other side. Cesar said, somebody's got to do something about this. We need to form a union, you know.

And Richard tells the story that he thought he was. He was joking. Well, it wasn't a joke, obviously. And Richard, of course, was. Was drafted into the movement just like the other siblings and ultimately the children. I'll say something more about this in a moment. But Cesar's sister Rita, stayed in San Jose.

She'll be 100 years old this year. The stories I know about Cesar Chavez being a farm worker before he became an activist and an organizer largely came from Rita. And we're very, very proud to have her as a favorite daughter of our community in San Jose.

Let me just say, lastly, in terms of the San Jose connection, Mcdonald Hall, which was the initial place of Cesar's organizing at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, is now a state monument and is designated to become a federal monument.

The house on Sharf Avenue, which is a block away and down the street from that church I keep referring to in Sal si puedes, is now a state historic landmark and is now owned by a community organizing group called Amigos De Guadalupe and is becoming the place of organizing that Cesar would have envisioned.

We're proud in San Jose of all of this history and the fact that we have continued to bring it forward, to put it into action, not just by designating historic landmarks, by putting them into actual organizing tools. Thank you very much, Madam President, and colleagues, for the opportunity to give the San Jose version of this history.

I appreciate it very much. Lydia asked me earlier this morning, do your colleagues know how close your relationship is with the Chavez family? And I said, no, I don't ever talk about that.

And this will be the last time I repeat that, because I don't think it's something to be bragged about or to be brought into these kind of discussions typically.

But I am very honored and privileged and proud to have that kind of a relationship to be invited to birthday parties, to be invited to speak at funerals, to be in some sense part of the extended family. Again, thank you, Madam President, for the opportunity to address the Senate.

So, Members, a little reminder. We have a few items on the agenda, four of which need our vote. So I've been asked to to make sure we all stay on the floor. Next is Senator Valladares.

Thank you, Madam President and members. I rise in support of SCR 29 to recognize March 31 as Cesar Chavez Day. Many of you may not know that the San Fernando Valley girl came to Los Angeles by way of Central Valley roots in Bakersfield. My great grandparents moved to Kern County in 1911 and 1917.

And like many immigrants, they work the fields. My family picked it all, they packed it all. And even for a time, my grandmother worked alongside Cesar Chavez. Today we honor Cesar Chavez not just as a champion for farm workers, but as a man of faith, family and hard work.

Chavez believed in the dignity of labor, the power of personal responsibility and the strength of community. He was a Navy veteran, a man of deep faith and an advocate for self reliance. He understood that the American dream isn't given it's earned.

He fought for better wages, not through government handouts, but through grassroots organizing and the Free Association of Workers. He was deeply scattered, and I would be remiss if I didn't point out that he was deeply skeptical of illegal immigration. Recognizing that an unchecked labor market undermines fair wages for working class Americans.

Chavez believed in sacrifice, in service values that transcend party lines, but that resonate deeply to those of us who believe in faith, in family and in hard work. Today, let's honor him not just with words, but by committing to policies that empower workers, that strengthen communities and keep the promise of opportunity alive for future generations. Thank you.

And I urge an I vote.

Senator Cabaldon.

Madam President. Thank you. The contributions and the plight of California farm workers didn't start in the 60s. And the organizing movements didn't either. In the turn of the 19th century, California's farm worker landscape was as diverse as you could imagine. Chinese farm workers, Japanese farm workers, Sikh farm workers, Filipino farm workers, Mexican farm workers.

Not because the agriculture industry was an early adopter of diversity, equity and inclusion practices. Far from it. In fact, quite the opposite. Instead, the diversity reflected a constant, unending wave, breaking waves of anti immigrant policy and practices partly intended to keep folks out and partly intended to break the possibility of organizing ever happening.

And so if the Sikhs are getting a little too uppity, then let's Bring in some Filipino farm workers. The Filipinos are getting a little bit too anxious. Let's bring in more Mexicans through the Bracero program and constantly pit everyone against one another.

In the early 1960s, Larry Leong, who was mentioned by the Senator from Berkeley and Philip Veracruz, through the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee, had organized the first of the grape strikes in Delano and beyond. And they were worried because every grape strike that they had organized before had had been broken by the importation of Mexican workers.

And the Filipino workers themselves had been used to break the strikes of so many others. So each year, effort after effort was undertaken to try and every year was broken by dividing and conquering the communities of farm workers that had served California so profoundly. When Cesar Chavez formed the National Farm Workers Association, he broke the mold.

This, in my view, is the most significant of his contribution. Yes, his speeches, yes, his inspiration. But he said, no more, no more. We are not going to break the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee strike. And within days we're joining it.

We are coming together for the first ever multi ethnic organizing and labor action in order to protect farm workers. And within three years, the two organizations, the National Farm Workers alliance and the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee, the Filipino and Mexican organizations, came together to form the United Farm Workers.

Today that lesson is even more profound because although history didn't start in the 1960s, it didn't end in 1975 with the adoption of the Agricultural Labor Relations act either. My own family, I don't know about the statute of limitations.

There was a family in Stockton that worked the fields during the harvest and then operated an illegal booking operation underneath the ice cream parlor in downtown Stockton.

And like so many farm workers, and the reason why there are so many children and grandchildren of farmworkers on this floor is that these folks, they're not farm workers, are not simply to be pitied and worried about, but also to be celebrated.

Because the gamble that they made, the work, the pain, the suffering that the center from Los Angeles and so many others have said they made the right choice. They chose to fight forward, to battle for their rights and also to raise families that could enjoy parts of the American dream.

I later became a great boycott organizer on the UC Berkeley campus. And now I represent one of the most important grape regions in all of California. That is the progress that we're making.

Last I'll say this, is that there are so many communities in California that have schools and health clinics and major boulevards and thoroughfares named for Cesar Chavez and for all of this legacy, and they are a recognition of that past. But they are also. Those roads are the roads to somewhere.

They are the roads for us to continue to press, to fight, especially now, to make real that dream. Because not every farm worker in California has achieved the dreams that Cesar and everyone else that's been mentioned on this floor has aspired to.

And so we have to recommit ourselves on days like this to walk down, arm in arm, walk down Cesar Chavez Boulevard, Cesar Chavez Avenue, past Cesar Chavez Elementary School, to make that dream real. I urge an aye vote.

Senator Laird.

Thank you, Madam President. I rise to thank the senator from Berkeley, but to add comments to two of my colleagues that have spoken. And the senator from Riverside talked about the links of Cesar Chavez to the LGBT movement. And I was there when he was the Grand Marshal in 1987.

We were very proud that he was involved in the march on Washington. But three years before, we had the first demonstration for LGBTQ rights at a national political convention convention in San Francisco. There was a march down Market Street and he marched with us.

And he very unobtrusively stood off to the side when we all went into a space for a rally off of Market Street and just stood there and greeted people as they came off the street for the march. I walked up and I thanked him. He was not seeking recognition. He was just one of the people.

And you have to think about what was going on in that period. There were only maybe 10 openly gay elected officials in the entire United States. We had the first cases of HIV, and that was starting to travel with fear. It was still illegal to be gay in almost all the 50 states.

And so it was in that context that he stood up. It was in that context that he didn't think twice. He marched. It was solidarity. He was there. And then the Senator from Baldwin park said allies stood up for him and he stood up for allies.

And I had that personal experience because the very next year, as hard as it is to believe, 40 years ago, I was running for re election to the City Council in a very hard fought race. And in the summer, I went away to take a last break before the campaign started.

And I said to my running mate, the mayor at the time, I said, okay, no controversies between now and the election. We have got this all ready. We are heading. And I go away and I come back and I found out that Cesar Chavez has come to Santa Cruz. She has given him a resolution.

Various interests around the state have announced a tourism boycott of the City of Santa Cruz. And they put the resolution on our agenda to make us vote on it.

As we head into the election campaign thinking that that is going to be a negative thing, of course, on a 4 to 3 vote, we stood up, we ratified that resolution. We spoke exactly of the needs of farm workers and what was going on.

And imagine our surprise when the day before the election, without talking to us, without coordinating, Cesar Chavez comes to a rally on the UC Santa Cruz campus and endorses my running mate and myself. I remember getting a phone call. You're not going to believe what just happened. And it's exactly as the senator from Baldwin Park said.

Said we stood up for him and he stood up for us. And he was doing that in cities and counties all across California. It was grassroots organizing at its finest. And I think it is a real message to all of us in these times. Right now, I proudly Support Senate Resolution 29.

Seeing no further discussion or debate, Senator Arreguin, you may conclude.

Well, thank you colleagues for those excellent comments. I think they highlight how Cesar Chavez was not just an advocate for farm workers, but for so many social movements, the LGBTQ Movement, the Racial Justice Movement, the Civil Rights Movement, the Environmental Movement, the Animal Rights Movement.

He was somebody who stood up for the dignity of all people and the civil rights of all people, and that's why we're honored to recognize him today. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Please call the roll.

[ROLL CALL]

Please call the absent Members.

Alvarado-Gil, Becker, Hurtado, Jones, Mcguire, Reyes, Weber Pierson.

Ayes 33. Noes 0. The resolution is adopted. Members are going to move back to privileges of the floor to introduce guest Senator Cortese at the majority leader's desk.

Thank you, Madam President.

Of course, I'd like to thank, join in thanking, my colleagues for passing SR 29, and again, our colleague from Berkeley for bringing it forward. I want to welcome Lydia Chavez Medina, the niece of Cesar Chavez. She traveled to Sacramento to be here with us today, to represent her extended family, and we're very excited—I'm very excited—to have her join us.

Lydia, her mother, Rita Chavez Medina, and Lydia's siblings, Rudy, Helen, Barbara, Eva, Paula, have spent decades working tirelessly to promote and continue Cesar Chavez's legacy, in part through an organization called the Chavez Vision.

Lydia coordinates and participates in community events to educate about her family's history, the history of farm worker activism, which we just heard so much about. She also organizes marches and festivals in my district that draw thousands of attendees. She encourages young people to practice Cesar Chavez's core values and resolve conflicts peacefully, non-violently.

She often leads those same groups in the farm workers prayer, which of course, we heard this morning.

Lydia's mother, Rita, who I just mentioned, is Cesar's lone surviving sister and she's the oldest. She was unable to join us today because she's attending events throughout the state to celebrate Cesar Chavez Day, although I will see her at an event Saturday night in San Jose.

But later this year, Rita's turning 100 years old, and I still hope to have her join us on the Senate Floor one day. Her lifetime of activism, her continued efforts, have made a substantial positive impact on our state and nation. Rita spent much of her life in San Jose herself. Of course, I mentioned that earlier, she worked in my district's orchards.

Particularly, she helped organize and build momentum for boycotts of grocery stores that sold grapes during the Farm Workers Strike. In fact, the very first boycott was a Safeway store at East San Jose. This included that store where the Chavez family used to live on Sharf Avenue.

Rita also spent 60 years working as a poll worker for the Registrar of voters during elections. 60 years. We all believe it's some kind of a record that won't be broken. We'll see. Her father stressed the importance of voting, and she always understood that voting is a great privilege for American citizens.

She additionally spent time volunteering to help people fill out green card papers and tax forms, throughout her life. Rita speaks about the value of education, sharing the story of how she went to adult school at 52 to finish her diploma.

She recounts stories from her brother Cesar, sharing that if he were around today, he would still call upon all of us to help farm workers.

She was very close to her brother ever since they were young, acting as a confidant. Rita is a board Member of Cesar Chavez Family Vision, organization I mentioned just a few moments ago, which is headquartered in San Jose and established back in 1998, to preserve and promote the legacy of Cesar Chavez and the family.

They advocate for the principles and philosophy of nonviolence, volunteerism, and public action, to effectuate positive change. I'm actually an Emeritus Board Member myself, and I strive to embody these values throughout my work in the Senate. No more personal stories from me today, although I appreciate all of you for allowing me that earlier.

Lydia, we want to thank you for your activism. As I said earlier, we all understand this has been a generational movement within the Chavez family itself. A family affair, so to speak. They've all put in hard work over the years and Lydia is no exception. And again, very grateful to have her joining us here today.

Please join me in giving a big Senate welcome to Lydia Chavez Medina.

Welcome to the California Senate. We are honored to have you here today. Thank you very much for joining us on Cesar Chavez Day. For those that would like to take a picture, now would be a good time.

Remember, we're going to move on with our agenda. Messages from the Governor will be deemed read. Messages from the Assembly—I know you're all waiting with bated breath for that—it will be deemed read. Reports of Committee will be deemed read, and amendments adopted. Are there any motions, resolutions, or notices? Seeing none.

We're going to move on to consideration of the daily file. Second reading, File Items 1 through 3. Mr. Secretary, please read.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 25 with amendments. Senate Bill 329 with amendments, and Senate Bill 320 with amendments.

Members, we're going to move on to Governor's appointment. File Item Number 5. Senator Grove, the floor is yours.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam President. Colleagues, File Item Number 5 is the confirmation of Jason Elliott for the appointment of California Transportation Commission. Commissioner Elliott is currently the President of Versus Solutions, and he previously held various positions within the office of the Governor—of Governor Gavin Newsom—and in San Francisco, Mayor Ed Lee's office.

He was unanimously supported by the Rules Committee on March 12th. I respectfully asked for an "Aye" vote.

Senator Cervantes.

Thank you, Madam President. Let me be clear. I will support both nominations to the California Transportation Commission on this floor today. However, I will raise concerns about the broader implications of Governor Newsom's appointment to the CTC.

As many of you know, I began my career in the Legislature, fighting to make sure that the region I do represent, the Inland Empire, finally receives the necessary funding from the State for transportation infrastructure.

When I was reelected to my Assembly seat in 2018, I promised the communities that I represent that I would always fight for the Inland Empire's fair share from Sacramento. The Transportation Commission plays a vital role in the distribution of transportation funding across our great state.

From 2002 until 2024, Joseph Tavaglione, of the City of Riverside, served as a member of the CTC. After his death, with these appointments by the Governor, our region no longer has the representation on this very Commission.

I know that my Inland Empire colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, will agree how vital it is that a member of our Inland Region has a voice on the CTC. The Inland Empire is not only one of the fastest growing regions in our state but is also one of the fastest growing regions in the country.

And the IE's transportation needs are unique, with goods coming from Long Beach ports and Los Angeles ports, flowing through our communities to the rest of the country, and with many of our residents commuting to the rest of Southern California.

While I will be casting a vote today, it is my sincere hope that, with the future appointments, the Governor does ensure that the nearly 5 million residents of the Inland Empire will once again have representation to amplify the needs of our region, on the California Transportation Commission. Thank you.

Any further discussion or debate? Seeing none. Please call the roll. Oh, Senator Grove, you may conclude.

Thank you, Madam President. I, too, share some of the concerns that were just raised about commissioners that are appointed in different areas, where we feel like were neglected in the rural areas and in the Inland Empire.

And I do believe that, you know, we maintain a lot more miles of road than our colleagues that are in different parts of the state. Mostly, our real urban areas, and suburban areas actually maintain more miles of road, but we get less resources. But I can tell you, I know you just came from the Assembly, I can tell you that if you reach out to these commissioners, they are very open to talking with you.

They are very open to hearing your concerns. So, while the Governor has not yet appointed someone in the Inland Empire, I hope that would happen.

But if he has not appointed one, I can tell you that the good colleague that sits right behind you, Senator Cortese, on the transportation, is an ex officio and he has actual contacts with them. I have communication with them. We've had meetings. They are very open. They're very good about solving problems and transportation problems throughout the state.

They are really, really good Members on the Transportation Committee that the Governor is appointing. We do oppose a couple of them, when they do come along, because of the way they handle things and the processes. But the majority of them are very reasonable and very willing to work with anyone, to help the transportation needs in their district.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Seeing no further comment. Is it a question, Senator Wiener?

I didn't realize we were having a regional discussion today about transit funding. And I just wanted to point out that there are a lot of—every region has major, major transit funding problems, including in the Bay Area, where we're at risk of our transit systems collapsing.

So, Senator Wiener, this is the transportation appointment, but, but I hear you. We'll have another Member of the Commission is up next, and if you want to make a comment at that time. It was at a closing and so we're going to call the roll now. Thank you very much.

[Roll Call]

Please call the absent Members.

[Roll Call]

Moving on to File Item Number 6. Senator Grove.

Thank you, Madam President, colleagues. The confirmation of Zahirah Min for appointment to the California Transportation Commission. Commissioner Mann, excuse me, not Min, Commissioner Mann was currently the President of the Chief Executive Office of South Los Angeles Transit Empowerment Zone. She previously worked for several philanthropic foundation, was an attorney for Legal Aid Foundation in Los Angeles.

She was unanimously approved by the Rules Committee on March 12th, and I respectfully asked for an "Aye" vote.

Senator Wiener.

Thank you very much, Madam President. I just—my apologies for the ordering before—I support this nominee, like I did the last one. I support funding for all of our regions for their transportation needs. I do just want to point out that our urban areas also have huge—massive—unmet needs that the state has fallen far short of.

And, uh, Bay Area transit systems are at risk of collapse if nothing happens. There are problems in LA, and so, I think we need to work together to grow the pie, to make sure that we're funding transportation needs in all of our regions. I ask for an "Aye" vote.

Senator Smallwood-Cuevas.

Thank you, Madam President, and I want to echo the words of our great Senator and Budget Chair from San Francisco, I rise in support of Zahirah Mann.

She is a strong attorney, a social justice transit advocate, and has worked with many marginalized communities to ensure fair and accessible transit and resources for many of our communities, particularly in South LA, and I support this. I also want to raise that our transit industry—why can't I say this—transit authority in Los Angeles—our metro is also in dire straits.

Not only are we trying to deal with the loss of federal dollars for major projects to continue to address the climate and traffic needs in our region, we also are preparing for the Olympics, where we will have one million-plus visitors descend in a carless Olympics.

And so, it is vital that we invest in public transit, that we expand public transit, and most importantly, that we practice equity to ensure that communities are prepared to put California on the map and show the great resources and beauty of the state, without chaos.

We can only do that with a well-funded transit—public transit—system, particularly Los Angeles Metro. So, thank you.

Senator Grove. You may conclude.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Zahirah Mann is an incredible asset to the Transportation Commission. Even though she's from the South Los Angeles area, she does have a wide spectrum about different uses throughout the state, and I—we all—found her to be incredibly qualified. Respectfully ask for an "Aye" vote.

Please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Please call the absent Members.

[Roll Call]

Members, any objection to moving to the consent calendar now? Seeing none. We'll take up File Item Number 44. Anybody want any item removed on File Item Number 44? Seeing none. Secretary, read all the items on the consent calendar.

Senate Bill 39 and Senate Bill 229.

Please call File Item Number 44.

[Roll Call]

Please call the absent Members.

[Roll Call]

Moving back to Senate. Third reading, Members. File Item Number 13. Senator Archuleta is prepared. Please read.

Seneca Current Resolution 18, by Senator Archuleta, relative to National Medal of Honor Day.

Senator Archuleta, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Madam President, as we honored our heroes today up in the gallery and obviously with Cesar Chavez. It's a great day to honor our heroes. Madam President, I proudly rise today as Senate Military and Veterans Affairs Committee chair to present SCR 18, recognizing March 25 as National Medal of Honor Day in California.

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration that may be awarded by the United States government. It is presented by the President of the United States in the name of Congress and is conferred only upon Members of the United States Armed forces who distinguish themselves as through conspicuous gallantry and courage at risk of their life above and beyond the call of duty.

Dating back to the Civil War, the Medal of Honor has been awarded to only an elite few of the millions of men and women who have bravely served our great nation and military.

As of 2023, there have been just 3,536 Medals of Honor awarded, with 40% of the awards issued for actions taken during the Civil War, which obviously California did not participate as a state. The first Medal of Honors were presented to six Members of Andrew Raiders on March 251863 for acts of valor during the Great Locomotive Escape.

Andrew Raiders were volunteers from the Union army led by civilian scout James Andrews, who commandeered a Confederate train, named the General, and utilized it to do heavy damage to a vital Confederate Western and Atlantic Railroad. In 1990, Congress took action to officially designate March 25 as Medal of Honor Day, with the first official Medal of Honor day being celebrated March 25.

The following year, Congress established National Medal of Honor Day in response to the declining public awareness regarding the importance of the Medal of Honor and to foster public appreciation for and recognition of the Medal of Honor and the recipients to this recipient, to its recipients, the Medal of Honor represents more than just a recognition of combat.

It symbolizes the sacrifices made by those whom they serve and the people who served before them. This day serves as an opportunity to reflect on the heroic journey and the fallen comrades who gave their lives in the service of freedom that we all enjoy in America today.

To honor the sacrifice those people made each year, Medal of Honor recipients lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier resting place for the Medal of Honor recipient who cannot be identified within the Arlington National Cemetery. And if you've not been there, please put it on your list to do.

On the Medal of Honor Day, we are reminded at the timeless values that make America strong. Our courage, integrity and devotion to the great good and the greater good. These principles transcend time and inspiring us to uphold the ideals that our nation was built upon.

As we celebrate Medal of Honor Day here in California, I want to highlight the seven living Californians who received the Medal of Honor recipients of the 68 total honorees from the Golden State that represent the best of the best here in California.

So from California and Los Angeles County, the representatives of Los Angeles County, we have three honorees who have earned the Medal of Honor in Vietnam. Gary Lee Lindrell, Alfred Rascon and Gary Rose from Monterey. In District 17, John Baca was awarded his Medal for Valor during the Vietnam War.

From San Francisco in District 11, now District 11, James Allen Taylor was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism in Vietnam from Contra Costa County. And now District 7. Ty Carter earned his during the war on terror in Afghanistan. And lastly, from Lodi County, District 5, Clinton Ramachida earned his Medal of Honor in Afghanistan.

Medal of Honor Day calls for us to carry the torch forward, ensuring that our service Members courage and honor continues to inspire every citizen who takes pride in the nation's rich history of service while helping to inspire America's youth and forge the heroes of tomorrow that our nation needs and is looking forward to have join their ranks.

For these reasons, I ask you support SCR 18 recognizing National Medal of Honor Day in California. And I thank you for your time. Thank you, Madam President.

I want to rise and support this resolution. I want to thank the author from Whittier for bringing this forward. We use the term humor hero very loosely in our society. We talk about movie stars and other people, but these are the true heroes. And it's understand that freedom is not free.

We have our liberties and our freedoms because of people just like this who put their lives online. And it's not just the individuals, but it's the families. I'm a son of a career military soldier. My hero in my life is my dad.

And I want to thank the gentleman from Whittier who also served in the 82nd Airborne, like my dad. And I want to thank him for honoring the best of the best, the people who put their lives online and earned this. Very few people get the Congressional Medal of Honor.

And it's important that we recognize their sacrifice and understand freedom is not free. And we want to thank them not just on this day, but every day, for wearing the country's uniform, for fighting for the liberties and freedoms we enjoy every single day. Thank you

Senator Grove.

Thank you, Madam President. Colleagues, I rise as a proud co author of Senate Concurrent Resolution 18, which proclaims March 25, 2025 as National Medal of Honor Day. In California, the Medal of Honor is the highest distinction award for Members in the armed services, a recognition of extraordinary bravery and selfless sacrifice in the face of danger.

While few receive this honor, every recipient represents the best of our nation, the best of courage, sacrifice, and an unwavering commitment to their fellow service Members. When you're on the battlefield, I have never been, but many people have told me that you have to rely on the service Member that's standing next to you.

You rely on each other to save your life, to protect you from danger, and to face what you face before you together. Over our country's history, 117 Californians have received this distinguished award. And In Senate District 12, we represent nine of those recipients.

Lauren Hughes Leslie, a United States army veteran, risked her life to pull injured soldiers from a burning vehicle after her convoy was ambushed. And she saved multiple lives. Mary Cardiff, a U.S. armed Force colonel, a U.S. air Force colonel played a vital role in coordinating air support during combat missions.

Her decisive leadership ensured that safety, safety of her fellow troops were protected. Mitchell Bertel, a US Marine Corps veteran, refused to abandon his post during a surprise enemy assault. Despite being wounded, he held his position to protect his unit's evacuation, a courageous act that saved many lives.

Lisa Oliveris, a US Navy veteran, took command during a shipboard emergency, organizing damage control efforts that kept her vessel afloat until help arrived and kept her crew be safe.

Anthony Martinez, a US Army National Guard veteran, braved relentless enemy fire to rescue a trapped family during a chaotic firefight, returning to danger again and again to ensure no one, no one was left behind. Patricia Greer, a United States U.S.

Air Force master sergeant, played a critical role in locating and rescuing a downed pilot, acting quickly to prevent any impact enemy forces from reaching him first. James Walker, a US army veteran, led a courageous counter assault under intense fire, protecting his fellow soldiers and shifting the course of battle.

Sandra Kim, a US Coast Guard veteran, risked her life in treacherous waters to save six hurricane victims, refusing to stop until everyone was brought to safety. Charles Evans, a US Navy veteran, ran through enemy fire time and again to treat wounded Marines on the battlefield, saving several lives at great personal risk.

These heroes remind us that the Medal of Honor is more than a symbol. It represents sacrifice, courage and selfless service to others. The names that I read, a majority of those were women who served in the United States military and laid their life down and gave up so many things to protect those fellow service Members that they served with. All of them deserve to be honored, especially here in California.

And I thank the good Senator from Whittier for bringing this resolution forward and giving me the honor to co author it. I encourage all Californians to reflect on the extraordinary acts of valor and join me in honoring our nation, our national. Excuse me, our nation's heroes of Medal of honor winners.

Senator McNerney.

Madam President, this morning I rise in support of SCR 18. I want to thank my colleague from Pico Rivera for bringing forth this resolution. My father and father in law were both veterans of World War II. My son became an officer in the U.S. air Force. And I clearly appreciate the value of military service.

I now represent approximately 55,000 veterans, and the Congressional Medal of Honor represents the pinnacle of military valor and heroism. I've known several Medal of Honor recipients. They've been humble, but they carry an immense strength. But they also carry a burden which I would call fame for valor. And that sticks with them their entire lives.

As I pointed out, as my colleague from Huntington Beach pointed out, these are the true American heroes. Not our sports figures, not our movie actors. The actual people that go into combat for this country are our true heroes. We will honor and support Medal of Honor recipients and their comrades. Their stories of bravery inspire generations. I respectfully ask for an aye vote on SCR 18.

Seeing no further comments. Senator Archuletta, you may conclude.

Thank you. I'd like to thank all my colleagues and as the chairs military and Veterans Committee, of course, my colleagues that are here that serve on the Committee, Veterans, Marine Corps, United States army, all branches of service are recognized.

It seems like Memorial Day, Veterans Day, but we should honor these young men and women who are serving our country and the veterans. So when you see a veteran, of course, thank them their service, but add a new phrase. It's called welcome home. They feel terrific when you say that.

And I will tell you that here in California, we will continue to honor our military. Today is a day that we recognize the highest achievement in the military, the Medal of Honor. Sadly, so many give their lives and it's received posthumously.

But for those that are with us, God bless them for their service and God bless California for honoring them today. Thank you Madam Chair.

Please call the roll.

[Roll Call]

Ayes 31, no. 0. The resolution is adopted. Members, we're going to return to motions and resolutions. This is the time for the adjourn in memory. Senator Limon, the floor is yours.

Thank you. Members, today I rise to adjourn in the memory of Ralph Miller of Santa Barbara. A towering figure in labor rights, a fervent advocate for justice and a cherished leader within the community. Ralph was born and raised in Alabama, where he pursued higher education at Alabama State University before graduating from Cal Lutheran University.

There he distinguished himself academically and athletically, serving as the chair of the Black Student Union and playing a pivotal role in the University's national championship football team in 1971.

His athletic prowess led him to a notable football career, playing for teams such as the New Orleans Saints, Houston Oilers, Philadelphia Eagles, San Diego Chargers, New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers. He also competed in the Canadian Football League and the World Football League. Beyond the field, Ralph co founded the National Football League Players Association.

Transitioning from sports to public service, Ralph joined the Los Angeles County probation Department in 1976. Demonstrating leadership early, he became an AFSCME union steward in 1977. Ralph's commitment to labor rights was unwavering.

Elected to AFSCME Local 685 Executive board in 1978, he ascended to union President in 1997, a position he held with distinction for 21 years until his retirement in 2018.

Under his guidance, he secured significant victories, including negotiating pay increases, establishing a longevity bonus, instituting a uniform allowance, preserving billions in funding for LA County Probation, and preventing the closure of certain probation camps. Even post retirement, Ralph's dedication to union Members remained steadfast.

He actively participated in political advocacy at various government levels and served on boards and commissions such as the California Criminal Justice Committee, California Probation Service Task Force, and the Pasadena Human Services Commission, just to name a few. Beyond his professional achievements, Ralph cherished time with his family, especially his grandchildren.

His deep familial bonds were central to his life and his legacy endures through his countless memories he created. Ralph Miller passed away peacefully on March 5th of this year, surrounded by his family. His life's work continues to inspire us in workplace, places, communities and beyond.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy Miller, daughter Angela Miller, son in law Max Peltz, and granddaughter Tuli Miller Peltz. Thank you. And I respectfully ask that we adjourn in his memory today and his family is here joining us in the gallery.

Senator Richardson.

Thank you, Madam President. My colleague did a wonderful job from Santa Barbara of telling the background and history of Ralph, who we know and we love. As was stated, Ralph Miller was an individual who had contributions that transcended numerous disciplines over his lifetime.

Many of them were just stated to you, but I'll add a few personal notes that I experienced for those of you who didn't know Ralph. Ralph was a tall man, towering.

When you met him, you had to look up to him and he had very large hands that could actually he played football, but I swear he could have put a football in his hand. You know, it was already stated that he helped to. He was a founding Member of the National Football League of Players Association.

And I want to point out that when Ralph played football, we didn't have the special coated and padded helmets. He didn't play at a time when they had gloves, when they were playing in 30 degree weather with no coverings as we have today.

In playing football, he played it when it was the tough time, real football, I think that many of the players would say today. And so when you think of Ralph, I want you to imagine this talk, tall, towering, large handshake of a man that when he greeted you, he caught your attention initially just there.

I met him when he was President of Local 685 and I was kind of new running for elected office and some of the things that stood out to me is that Ralph, even though he was a Towering man. He was like a bear to me. He would kind of pull me in and school me and teach me.

And I would be remiss not to acknowledge Willie Pelote. Some of you know him, Willie. Willie had a long history here in the building, a long history with representing, ask me. But, you know, there would be no Willie without a Ralph, because everybody needs a lieutenant.

Everybody needs someone who's going to go out once all the meetings are held to talk about bringing that message back to the people, organizing people, and then implementing it. And as I'm now the Subcommitee chair of Budget 5, which includes corrections, I really am going to miss Ralph because it's a tough business.

It's one thing to talk about probation officers and areas where we can improve, but any of us, to take on that job and to do that job as a career and to work, to not only supervise, but to get people, hopefully to the next level of being contributor Members of society. And that's what Ralph did.

That's what he loved. And all of us, he would hold us accountable to do the right thing. And so I join my colleagues in honoring him. I'm going to miss his counsel as I go into this new journey of work. And the best that we can do is to study and do the right thing for working people. Thank you, family, for being here and know that he is well remembered.

Thank you very much, Madam President. I'll just add a couple of things because my colleagues have said the most important things about him. But I do want to add on the issue of the work that he did as a founding Member of the National Football League Players Association.

As my colleague said, these were very tough times. These were very tough times for the football players themselves.

And just to give you an idea of what he was up against when he was in those early days, the Cleveland Browns General manager said, quote, unquote, management could cut, trade, bench, blackball and owned in perpetuity anyone and everyone that it wanted. That's what they were up against.

So he was a tough guy who represented tough guys, but he also had the heart of gold. He truly cared about his community. So that's why he went into the profession of doing his work with youth through the Los Angeles Probation Department.

I worked with him on many campaigns and I was head of the LA Federation of Labor. He was a true leader, not only to this AFSCME family, but also to the professional probation officers, to the youth and the adults that had experienced detention and incarceration. He worked hard to help youth find A path to a better life.

He regularly invited me to his union's community events that he organized, where the families and the officers join together and work together. I'm very. He was a dear friend to myself and to my husband. I'm very thankful to all that he did for me. And his contributions to his union left an indelible mark on all of us. Rest in power, Brother Ralph.

Senator Archuleta.

Thank you, Madam President. I had the honor yesterday to be the speaker at a graduation for LA County probation officers. And we recognize that. Ralph Miller. End of watch, March 5, 2025. But his colleagues, his new brothers and sisters in arms, they were there to be honored because they were graduating and.

And we talked privately with some of the cadre who knew him and worked with him, and they said what a great man he was and a great leader and of course, leading Local 685. It's something he was always proud of. And we celebrated his life here in Sacramento last week.

So I urge everyone to remember our men and women in uniform in law enforcement and to acknowledge the number of years they serve. So, Ralph, rest in peace, my brother. Thank you.

Senators, please bring his name forward to the desk so he may be appropriately memorialized by the Senate. And please accept our sincere condolences and appreciate you being here today as we celebrate a life well lived and recognize and honor him. If there is no other business, Senator McGuire. The desk is clear.

Madam President, thank you so much this weekend. Hope you enjoy time with your families. On Monday celebrating the life and legacy of Cesar Chavez. We hope that you're out in your. Community doing good on behalf of the residents that you work for. The next floor session is scheduled for Tuesday. No fooling. April 1st. Be here all night, 2025 at 2pm. Thank you so much.

The Senate will be in recess until 3:30pm at which time the attention adjournment motion will be made. We will reconvene April 1st at 2pm.