Latinos United for Healthcare

If confirmed, nominee would become the President's highest-ranking Latina nominated in his second term and the first Hispanic to head the agency

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION
September 20, 2013

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of the 36 leading Hispanic organizations in the United States, called on the United States Senate to schedule a vote to confirm Katherine Archuleta as the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

On May 23rd, President Barack Obama announced her nomination. NHLA sent a letter of support highlighting Ms. Archuleta's accomplishments to the Senate in advance of her hearing on July 16th in the United States Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. In that hearing, Archuleta was responsive to Senators' questions and said her priorities ­include recruiting and developing “top talent” and inspiring a younger generation of federal workers “to experience the nobility and excitement that public service offers.”

NHLA leaders joined in reiterating their strong support for Archuleta, with the following statements:

“Katherine Archuleta’s nomination hearing was over two months ago. She thoroughly answered questions and shared her leadership vision for the future of OPM,” said Hector Sanchez, NHLA Chair, Executive Director of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA), and co-chair of OPM's Hispanic Council on Federal Employment. “Ms. Archuleta is highly qualified and deserving of a vote and immediate confirmation. It is unfortunate that once again partisan politics is delaying a highly qualified candidate from a leadership position in public service. Prior OPM nominees have been approved by unanimous voice vote within the Senate and there is no reason for unnecessary holds or further delay on the vote to confirm Katherine Archuleta."

“Sequestering Ms. Archuleta’s nomination is a disservice to the nation. Her impeccable credentials and public service record make her a prime role model for younger generations to be inspired to serve our country. Delaying her confirmation as OPM director deprives the federal government of an outstanding leader who would be particularly significant for the Hispanic community, which sadly remains the only underrepresented racial/ethnic population in the federal workforce,” observed Antonio Flores, President & CEO of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU). “HACU urges the U.S. Senate to expedite Ms. Archuleta’s confirmation so that the important business of recruiting, selecting, and retaining the best federal employees possible is conducted under the direction of a proven leader.”

“The current delay in confirming Katherine Archuleta's nomination for OPM Director is yet another indicator of the abuse of Senatorial privilege for crass partisan purposes,” said Angelo Falcón, President, National Institute for Latino Policy (NiLP). “Once again, an eminently qualified nominee is being held up unnecessarily and at a time when the federal work force may be facing what would be a disastrous government shutdown.”

"Katherine Archuleta is an exemplary public servant who stands ready and willing to help move our country forward as the first Latina Director of the Office of Personnel Management," stated National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund Executive Director Arturo Vargas. "Given her extensive experience and deep commitment to this nation, we have no doubt Ms. Archuleta will succeed in recruiting the nation's best and brightest to work at every level of the federal government. We call on the U.S. Senate to put partisan politics aside and take swift action to confirm Ms. Archuleta to this important position."

“We fully support the nomination of Katherine Archuleta and her credentials and commitment to public service are without question,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO, National Council of La Raza (NCLR). “Yet once again we are facing a situation where an eminently qualified Hispanic nominee’s confirmation has been unconscionably delayed. This disrespectful and unfair pattern has not gone without notice in the Latino community and these nominees and our community deserve better.”  

“Hispanics are the most underrepresented group in the Federal Government and Katherine Archuleta would make a significant difference in righting this inequity,”  said Ignacio Salazar, President & CEO, SER-Jobs for Progress National, Inc. “Her vast experience eminently qualifies her to hold this position. Ms. Archuleta’s wide range of credentials will benefit the OPM as she leads our federal workforce. I urge the United States Senate to confirm her to the head of the Office of Personnel Management.”

"The National Conference of Puerto Rican Women strongly urges the Senate to confirm Katherine Archuleta as head of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management," said Vilma Colom, National President of the National Conference of Puerto Rican Women, Inc. "She will bring much needed innovations, accountability and leadership qualities that are critical to others throughout the nation."

For over two decades NHLA has pushed presidential Administrations to increase the representation of Hispanics in the federal workforce, as noted in its Public Policy Agenda. The Twelfth Annual Report to the President on Hispanic Employment in the Federal Government released by OPM this past Fridayreveals that, while the federal government saw an increase of 1,958 Hispanic employees from FY 2011 to FY 2012, Latinos have unfortunately remained a relatively stagnant 8 percent of the federal civilian workforce over the past several years. More must be done to ensure a more representative government and the prompt confirmation of Ms. Archuleta as OPM Director is a critical step forward towards making progress on the historic challenge of Latino underrepresentation in government.

Established in 1991, the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA) brings together Hispanic leaders to establish policy priorities that address, and raise public awareness of, the major issues affecting the Latino community and the nation as a whole. In January, the coalition launched its new Latino Appointments Program to identify and support junior to Cabinet-level Latino candidates pursuing presidential and state-level appointments. For more information, please visitwww.latinoappointments.org and follow @NHLAgenda.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
| Melody Gonzales | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (202) 508-6917 |
| Brenda Arredondo | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (915) 373-1483 |

American GI Forum | ASPIRA Association, Inc. | Avance | Casa de Esperanza | Cuban American National Council | Farmworker Justice | Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities | Hispanic Federation | Hispanic National Bar Association | Labor Council for Latin American Advancement | Latino Justice PRLDEF | League of United Latin American Citizens | MANA, A National Latina Organization | Mexican American Legal Defense & Educational Fund | National Alliance of Latin American & Caribbean Communities | NALEO Educational Fund | National Association of Hispanic Federal Executives | National Association of Hispanic Publications | National Association of Latino Independent Producers | National Conference of Puerto Rican Women, Inc. | National Council of La Raza | National Hispana Leadership Institute | National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators | National Hispanic Council on Aging | National Hispanic Environmental Council | National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts | National Hispanic Media Coalition | National Hispanic Medical Association | National Institute for Latino Policy | National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health | National Puerto Rican Coalition, Inc. | SER – Jobs for Progress National, Inc. | Southwest Voter Registration Education Project | United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce | United States-Mexico Chamber of Commerce | U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute

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