HONORING OSCAR A. MANZANARES AS A DISTINGUISHED LEADER IN CENTRAL FLORIDA FOR HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

On 2026-10-09, Representative Darren Soto (D-FL-9) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING OSCAR A. MANZANARES AS A DISTINGUISHED LEADER IN CENTRAL FLORIDA FOR HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH" in the House.

HONORING OSCAR A. MANZANARES AS A DISTINGUISHED LEADER IN CENTRAL FLORIDA FOR HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 159 (Friday, October 9, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 159 (Friday, October 9, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E1046] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING OSCAR A. MANZANARES AS A DISTINGUISHED LEADER IN CENTRAL FLORIDA FOR HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH ______ HON. DARREN SOTO of florida in the house of representatives Friday, October 9, 2026 Mr. SOTO. Mr. Speaker, Oscar A. Manzanares was raised in Hudson County, New Jersey. He started out in the field as a laborer and worked his way through the ranks, learning the trade the way most laborers do, from the men working next to him. He served as a steward, representing the members on the job when something isn't right. He worked as a foreman, responsible for the crew's pace and its safety. He became an organizer, sitting down with workers who had never been in a union and explaining what opportunities they had with the union. Today, he serves as the proud business manager of Laborers' Local 517 in Orlando, where he negotiates agreements, enforces them, and advocates for Florida's construction workforce on wages, safety, and training. He represents hundreds of members who are counting on this work to give their families something better. He advocates for them, fights for them, and stands by them no matter what obstacles are in front of him. He pushes members toward the training and certifications that move them up, because a career in the laborers should not stop at the first paycheck. Manzanares volunteers at food pantries, feeds the homeless, and mentors young people who are looking for a direction. He goes out into the community and talks with people who want a better future for themselves. He talks to Latinos who want to get into the trades, and he helps them find ESOL classes so nothing stands between them and the work. He knows what it means for a family when one person finds steady union work, and he has made it his business to open that door for as many people as he can. ____________________