Benny C. Martinez Post Office Building

Floor Speech

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Ms. GARCIA of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairwoman and the ranking member for such kind remarks about a dear friend and colleague back home, Benny Martinez.

They have covered a lot of what was said, but I will repeat some of it because I think it is important, not just for people in my district to hear it, but for people across the district because, with the naming of this Post Office, Mr. Speaker, it will mean the first post office named for a Latino in the Houston area, which, too, is a remarkable achievement.

Mr. Martinez was a community leader, an advocate for Mexican-American civil rights, an Army veteran, a nurse, a Houston, Texas educator, and a friend.

Benny and his family came from humble beginnings in Goliad, Texas, but moved to Houston, like many others, to find more opportunities.

In 1956, at the age of 18, Benny was inducted into the U.S. Army. After completing his training, he was sent to Korea, where he was assigned to the 564th Quartermaster Company.

Benny put his education degree to use and worked as an associate teacher in the Houston School District at Crockett Elementary.

On top of this, Mr. Speaker, he served many organizations. As was mentioned, he was a lifelong member of LULAC, the League of United Latin American Citizens; the Veterans of Foreign Wars; the Knights of Columbus; and the American GI Forum. He also found time to be an usher at his local church.

The thing that has been mentioned but that I want to underscore, because it was another historical note, is that he is better known for facilitating a historic meeting between a Texas LULAC chapter--again, the League of United Latin American Citizens--and then-President John F. Kennedy in 1963. This event is the first known meeting between a U.S. sitting President and a Hispanic civil rights group--very noteworthy.

After a lifetime of a lot of achievements, Mr. Martinez passed away at 85 in 2019. This bill would name the post office after him. I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill in the memory of a history maker and a pioneer in our community.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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