Latinos United for Immigration Reform

Jul 19, 2013 - NHLA Responds to House Natural Resources Committee Election and Renews Focus on Improving Latino Underrepresentation Across Government

Lack of Latino leadership on Congressional Committees Renews Focus on Improving Underrepresentation Across Government

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION
July 19, 2013

Washington, D.C. -- Today, the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda issued the following statement regarding the selection of the Ranking Member of the U.S. House of Representative's Committee on Natural Resources. The House Democratic Caucus met yesterday afternoon to select their new Democratic leader of the Committee. The vacancy was created because former Ranking Member, Edward Markey, won a special election to replace Secretary of State John Kerry as Massachusetts' new Senator. Congressman Raul Grijalva (AZ) withdrew from the race against Congressman Peter DeFazio (OR), who Democratic members ultimately selected as their new Ranking Member for the committee. While Rep. Raul Grijvalva ran a spirited a campaign focused on the policy issues of the day, for Latino leaders, his run underscored the lack of diversity in leadership positions on Capitol Hill and throughout the Federal government.

Hector Sanchez, Chairman of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda and Executive Director of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement said, "Our coalition is pleased that our support of Mr. Grijalva's campaign shed much needed light on an often closed, internal process within the House of Representatives. The critical issues of diversity, inclusion, and voting record should carry just as much weight as seniority in terms of factors determining leadership selection. Democratic leaders' decision to advance the selection of Ranking Member from the Steering and Policy Committee to the full House Democratic Caucus level underscores that these critical issues should continue remain an important part of the debate. We look forward to continuing our work with him and other congressional leaders to ensure that diverse and experienced voices have a seat at the leadership tables in the House of Representatives -- and on both sides of the aisle.

"We congratulate Congressman DeFazio on his selection as the newest Ranking Member of the House Committee on Natural Resources and hope he heeds our calls to exercise leadership in embracing the views of key constituencies affected by his decisions – particularly on the issue of immigration, an issue which at points makes its way through the Natural Resources committee.”

In a comprehensive approach aimed at solving the persistent Latino underrepresentation in the Federal government, the NHLA has for years been working to highlight the lack of Latinos in key political positions. In January, the coalition began its work on the first-ever national Latino Appointments Program to identify and support Latinos interested in pursuing political appointments at the state-level and in the Obama Administration. Through this program, along with the NHLA committees, the coalition seeks to comprehensively identify opportunities to make the political pipeline more accessible for Latinos across various areas of government.

This week's congressional election should serve to renew the public's attention on the need to improve diversity across government. While Latinos are 17 percent of the U.S. population:

• Just 7 percent of the top 250 Administration posts are held by Latinos (Source: National Journal).

• Just 8 percent of the federal career employees and 4 percent of the Senior Executive Service federal employees are Hispanic (Source: Office of Personnel Management).

• Just 1 percent of 300 top-level Congressional staffers are Latinos (Source: National Journal).

• Just 14 of the many leadership positions in the U.S. House of Representatives are held by 13 Latino Members of the House (see list below).

List of Latino Members of the U.S. House of Representatives in Leadership Roles

  1. Xavier Becerra, D-CA., Ranking Member of the Democratic Caucus Chair, Ways & Means Social Security Subcommittee Chair
  2. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-FL.,Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee
  3. Linda T. Sánchez, D-CA., Ranking Member of the Ethics Committee
  4. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., Ranking Member of the Small Business Committee
  5. Jim Costa, D-CA., Ranking Member of the Agriculture Committee's Livestock, Rural Development and Credit Subcommittee (Of Portuguese decent)
  6. José E. Serrano, D-N.Y., Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee's Financial Services
  7. Ed Pastor, D-AZ., Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee's Transportation, Housing and Urban Development
  8. Loretta Sanchez, D-CA., Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee's Tactical Air and Land Forces
  9. Rubén Hinojosa, D-TX., Ranking Member of the Education and the Workforce Committee's Higher Education and Workforce Training Subcommittee
  10. Albio Sires, D-N.J., Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee's Western Hemisphere Subcommittee
  11. Henry Cuellar, D-TX., Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Committee's Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism
  12. Raul Grijalva, D-AZ., Ranking Member of the Natural Resources Committee's Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulations Committee
  13. Grace Napolitano, D-CA, Ranking Member of the Natural Resources Committee's Subcommittee on Water and Power Subcommittee

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. For more information, please visit www.nationalhispanicleadership.org and follow @NHLAgenda.

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