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NALEO Congratulates National Leaders as They Ascend to Prominent Positions in Congress, the Administration and Leading National Organizations
    Latinos in Top Posts Represent Significant Advancement in Political
                      Development for the Community

   LOS ANGELES, Jan. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Association
of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), the nation's preeminent
Latino leadership organization, praises Latino leaders who have ascended to
top leadership positions in the House of Representatives, the
Administration and in nationally recognized organizations.
   Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi has appointed several Latino U.S.
Representatives to lead committees and subcommittees in the 110th Congress
and the Democratic Leadership. U.S. Representative Nydia Velazquez (D-NY),
who has been Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee since
1998, has been officially appointed to Chair this full congressional
committee, making her the first Latina in the history of the House to have
been the ranking member and Chair of a full committee.
   U.S. Representative Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) has been appointed to chair
the House Intelligence Committee. Chairman-designate Reyes has an extensive
background in law enforcement and national security issues and has served
on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence since the spring of
2001.
   Speaker-designate Pelosi also selected U.S. Representative Hilda Solis
(D- CA) to serve as Vice Chair of the Democratic Steering Committee. The
Steering Committee is responsible for developing policy for the Democratic
Caucus and makes recommendations on the appointments and committee
assignments for Members. Other Latino members of the Steering Committee
include Nydia Velázquez and Loretta Sánchez (D-CA). In 2000, Representative
Solis became the first woman to receive the John F. Kennedy Profile in
Courage Award for her pioneering work on environmental justice issues in
California and her relentless, successful struggle to protect the families
of the San Gabriel Valley against harmful toxins.
   U.S. Representative Xavier Becerra (D-CA), the only congressional
member from Southern California on the House Committee on Ways and Means,
will serve as Assistant to the Speaker. In appointing Representative
Becerra, Speaker- designate Pelosi said "As former Chair of the Hispanic
Caucus, he has proven himself a national leader on issues of importance to
the Latino community, the nation's largest and fastest growing minority.
His appointment to the new Democratic Leadership will strengthen the voices
of Latinos across the country."
   The Congressional Hispanic Caucus has elected U.S. Representative Joe
Baca (D-CA) to serve as its next Chair. Representative Baca will lead the
Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which includes all Democrats in the U.S.
House of Representatives and Senate of Latino heritage. Representative Baca
succeeds outgoing Chair, Representative Grace Napolitano (D-CA) who served
the Caucus with distinction during her tenure. Also elected to
Congressional Hispanic Caucus leadership were Representatives Raul M.
Grijalva (D-AZ) as first Vice Chair, Charles A. Gonzalez (D-TX) as second
Vice Chair and Linda T. Sanchez as Caucus Whip.
   Tapped by President George W. Bush to serve as the next General
Chairman for the Republican National Committee, U.S. Senator Mel Martinez
(R-FL) will be the face of the Republican Party, focusing on fundraising
and outreach, and promoting the GOP agenda. Formerly the U.S. Secretary of
Housing and Urban Development, Senator Martinez took his place in the
history books as the first Cuban-American to serve in the U.S. Senate and
becomes the first Latino to hold the position of General Chairman for
either of the major political parties.
   Appointed by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the U.S. Senate
as Under Secretary of Education, Sara Martinez Tucker will be responsible
for implementing the work of the Commission on the Future of Higher
Education, as well as coordinating policies, programs and activities
related to vocational and adult education, postsecondary education, college
aid and the President's financial reforms for the Pell Grant Program.
   Unanimously elected to serve as its next Chair, Puerto Rico Resident
Commissioner Luis G. Fortuno will lead the Congressional Hispanic
Conference. Established in 2003, the Conference is composed of Republican
members of Congress who have Hispanic or Portuguese ancestry, including
those members who represent a substantial Hispanic population in their
districts. He succeeds outgoing Chair, U.S. Representative Ileana
Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), who was selected by the House Republican Conference as
the new Ranking Member of the influential House Committee on International
Relations, making her the first Latino to hold this post. Elected to the
House of Representatives in 1989, Representative Ros-Lehtinen became the
first Latina and first Cuban-American elected to Congress.
   "The ascension of so many Latino leaders to serve in prominent
leadership roles is an historic milestone for the Latino community," said
John Bueno, NALEO President and former President Pro-Tem for the City of
Pontiac, Michigan. "This significant gain in leadership is a reflection of
Latinos as a permanent part of the nation's political landscape," added Mr.
Bueno. "It is a testament to the caliber of Latinos in the United States
that are currently serving our nation at the highest levels of public
service. NALEO congratulates all the new appointees as they take the helm
of their new positions. NALEO also congratulates all of the Latino Members
in the House and the Senate for their recent electoral victories,"
concluded Mr. Bueno.
   About NALEO
   NALEO is a non-partisan membership organization whose constituency
includes the nation's more than 6,000 Latino elected and appointed
officials.
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