A United States Navy[1] ship that was facing a possible new name is keeping its identity.
The USNS César Chavez will retain its name after Reps. Gil Cisneros and Sam Liccardo -- both Democrats from California -- wrote a letter last July to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, requesting the vessel not be renamed. Cisneros previously served as undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness under former President Joe Biden.
"The Department of Defense has established clear criteria for naming military assets: consider historical context, recognize national service, and minimize cost USNS César Chavez meets those standards," the letter reads. "In 1946, before becoming one of the most consequential labor leaders in American history, César Chavez enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 19 and was stationed in the Western Pacific. He served in a segregated unit, where he, like many Mexican American servicemembers, quietly endured discrimination -- an experience that deepened his understanding of injustice and shaped his lifelong fight for dignity and equality."
Chavez co-founded the National Farm Workers Union alongside Dolores Huerta and Gilbert Padilla. The union later joined forces with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee to become the United Farm Workers Labor Union.
In a written response, the Department of Defense said there are "no plans to rename USNS César Chavez."
"Uplifting the life and legacy of César Chavez should not be a partisan issue," Cisneros said in a statement. "I'm encouraged that Secretary Hegseth and the Department of Defense heard our concerns and will preserve the name of the USNS César Chavez. Mr. Chavez is an American hero who dedicated his life to our country, from the Navy to the labor movement. Sustaining his name on this ship is a powerful reminder of his enduring legacy and the inspiration he provides to all who serve."
"This is a win not only for the Latino community, and our veterans; it's a win for all Americans who believe service, leadership, and sacrifice deserve honor, not erasure," Liccardo added in his own statement. "César Chavez's story and triumphant spirit reflect the best of America, and I am relieved to know his legacy will continue to inspire those who serve our nation."
Read more: US DOD Secretary Pete Hegseth orders USNS Harvey Milk renamed during Pride Month
"This response raises questions of what defines 'warrior ethos,'" Liccardo's statement continued. "I welcome a response from Secretary Hegseth on why Bay Area hero and civil rights icon Harvey Milk's legacy won't be preserved under the same criteria."
The effort to rename U.S. Navy vessels began in June, when it was announced that the USNS Harvey Milk would be renamed. Harvey Milk was a Navy veteran, a gay rights advocate and the first openly gay man elected to public office in California.
Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement at the time that the renaming under Secretary Hegseth "will help highlight the priorities of President Donald Trump."
The USNS Harvey Milk -- the only ship thus far to be renamed under Hegseth's renaming effort -- was officially renamed in late June after Navy Chief Petty Officer Oscar V. Peterson, a World War II Navy veteran who received the Medal of Honor[2] and fought in the Battle of the Coral Sea in 1942.
Other ships that came up as possibly being renamed included:
- USNS Thurgood Marshall
- USNS Medgar Evers
- USNS Harriet Tubman
- USNS Dolores Huerta
- USNS Lucy Stone
- USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg
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