The latest news relating to the political world as it impacts the US Latino community.
Excelencia in Education is using a Capitol Hill briefing today to release the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-funded white paper Using A Latino Lens To Reimagine Aid Design And Delivery. “This is a framing document getting people to think about what they can be doing as they develop policy regarding Latinos and federal financial aid,” Deborah Santiago, Excelencia in [...]
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) released yesterday its nine fundamental principles for comprehensive immigration reform, creating an inclusion for same-sex couples. In the document released on November 28, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus states that the second stepping stone in comprehensive immigration reform is protecting the sanctity of marriage. The reform references same-sex couples in the [...]
While it would certainly be great to see more Latino Democrats running and winning in Senate races and gubernatorial races (though Rick Perry should look out, San Antonio Mayor and newly minted DNC Convention Keynote Speaker Julian Castro is nipping at his heels), nothing could be further from the truth. Dems have worked closely with [...]
The Senate today finally voted to end the debate on Mari Carmen Aponte’s nomination as ambassador to El Salvador. As previously reported on La Plaza, Aponte’s nomination has been awaiting confirmation since December 2011, when a Republican filibuster blocked the Senate’s ability to move forward to a vote. She has been serving as a recess [...]
Democrats are expected to bring a vote to the Senate floor as early as Wednesday on the nomination of Mari Carmen Aponte as U.S. ambassador to El Salvador, and Senator Marco Rubio is feeling the pressure from leaders of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to follow through on his pledge to rally Republican votes to finally [...]
U.S. Rep. Charlie Gonzalez (TX-D), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and 14-year Congress veteran, announced he will not be seeking reelection in 2012. “Serving in Congress has been a privilege,” said Gonzalez in a press release. “But today my obligation and responsibility to family will keep me from seeking another term, while at the [...]
An Alabama Republican has received stern rebuke from a leading Hispanic lawmaker after making violent tinged remarks in reference to undocumented immigrants. U.S. Rep. Charles Gonzalez (D-TX), chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, denounced GOP Rep. Mo Brooks’ comments made to an Alabama TV station that he would do anything “short of shooting” undocumented immigrants [...]
President Barack Obama met with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus at the White House on Tuesday for the third time in the last several weeks to discuss pushing immigration reform in Congress. “He is committed and will be leaning into this issue in a very serious and very vigorous way. We are upping the intensity on [...]
Sen. John Cornyn‘s call to go beyond words and create a “credible and compassionate” solution to fix our broken immigration system provides supporters of comprehensive immigration reform efforts in Congress with a rare, bipartisan opportunity: We should take him up on it. Unfortunately, although his recent overtures and sensible tone on this subject are very welcome, [...]
Expectations for the President’s State of the Union Address on Tuesday night were high among Latinos, with leaders from major Latino advocacy groups issuing their own set of policy priorities they wished to see the President tackle in his speech. Following President Obama’s address, Hispanic lawmakers praised his speech for acknowledging those issues they considered [...]
