U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R) brought his proposal to defund and close the César Chávez National Monument to the Senate floor this week, but the measure was blocked after a sharp exchange with Democrat Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM).
Sen. Cornyn's bill, titled the No Funding to Honor Crime Scenes Act, would direct the Secretary of the Interior to close the monument, sell the federal property tied to it, and redirect existing funds to the Debbie Smith NDA Backlog Grant Program, which supports rape kit testing and survivor services.
The Texas senator argued the monument should no longer receive taxpayer support following allegations of sexual abuse involving César Chávez.
"On the same day that two Members of Congress have resigned as a result of sexual misconduct, we are going to not address this travesty that César Chávez has inflicted on his victims - women and children," said Cornyn on the Senate floor.
According to Cornyn's office, the legislation would cover Chávez's home, gravesite, memorial garden, and personal office, where the alleged abuse reportedly occurred.
Heinrich blocked the bill's unanimous consent request and offered an amendment that Cornyn said would delay action while preserving Chávez's legacy.
"His amendment is an insult to the countless victims of César Chávez's sexual misconduct," said Cornyn. "Instead of taking action to end taxpayer funding celebrating this predator, for a monument to honor their abuser, his amendment would simply require the government to shut down the monument to public access while the government does a report."
Cornyn also criticized the proposed amendment for removing the transfer of funds to the Debbie Smith Act, legislation he had championed for years to help law enforcement process untested rape kits.
"We don't need a report or a further study to delay action," said Cornyn. "We know... from his victims that he was a sexual predator. I choose to believe those victims."
Supporters of César Chávez have long viewed him as a labor and civil rights icon, making the debate politically charged and likely to continue if Cornyn pushes the bill through regular Senate procedures.
While the bill was blocked, Cornyn's floor fight ensures the debate over César Chávez's legacy, public memorials, and taxpayer funding is far from over.
