Zoe Lofgren: “I urge Members to support S. 1759, which is the companion bill to H.R. 3843. This measure will permit the American G.I.…”

“I urge Members to support S. 1759, which is the companion bill to H.R. 3843. This measure will permit the American G.I. Forum of the United States to receive a Federal charter. The American G.I. Forum is a national organization of Hispanic veterans founded in 1948 in Corpus Christi, Texas. The organization has 30 State chapters, over 100,000 members, and is dedicated to addressing issues affecting Hispanic veterans and their families, including resolving problems of discrimination or inequity endured by Hispanic veterans. The American G.I. Forum sought to obtain a charter... 40 years ago when other large veterans' organizations received them, but because of the discrimination, they were denied. This year, the organization celebrates its 50th anniversary. Clearly the American G.I. Forum should receive the same national charter that other veterans' organizations did. Unknown to many, perhaps, in this body, the G.I. Forum was founded in response to the worst kind of racial and ethnic discrimination.”