Friday, May 24, 2013

Guest Blogger Series: Rep. Charles A. Gonzalez “Who are Republicans Listening to? Not Latinos”

Rep. Charles Gonzalez

As featured in the The Huffington Post: In the past two months two prominent Republican leaders hosted national conferences to address what many call the Republican’s Latino “problem.” Former Speaker Newt Gingrich’s group, The Americano, held its first Hispanic Conference in Washington DC in December and just this past week, former Governor Jeb Bush’s first [...]

Obama Meets with Hispanic Lawmakers to Discuss Outlook on Immigration

Immigration Protest

Congressional Hispanic Caucus members met with President Obama yesterday to discuss the prospects of immigration legislation in the future, which the parties present agreed are slim to nil in the next couple of years. “The reality is, we’re no longer on the House side in charge of the agenda,” said Rep. Charlie Gonzalez (D- Texas), [...]

GOP Less Likely to Hire Hispanic Staffers

capitol-hill-building

Hispanics are least likely to be found working in Republican offices on Capitol Hill and their numbers may dwindle even further among congressional staff with the incoming GOP-controlled House, according to a new report that surveyed the makeup of staffers. An analysis of the staff makeup of all 435 House offices in the 111th Congress [...]

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Elects New Leadership

Rep. Charles Gonzalez

Yesterday, the members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) elected Rep. Charles A. Gonzalez (D-TX) to lead the group of Latino Democrats in the new Congress.  Rounding out the leadership board are Rep. Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX), who becomes the Caucus’ 1st Vice Chair, Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) as 2nd Vice Chair, and Rep. Dennis [...]

Hispanic Lawmakers to Meet with President Obama to Push Immigration Legislation in Lame Duck Session

Immigration Protest

Leaders from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus will meet with the President this afternoon in an effort to get the White House to support the passage of an immigration bill during the lame duck session. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) and Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.) will be present at the meeting.  The lawmakers [...]

“Sixth Sense” Congressman to Chair Immigration Committee

Rep Steve King

  Iowa Republican Steve King is slated to become the chairman of the US House subcommittee that oversees all immigration legislation. King, who well known for his staunch anti-immigrant stances and inflammatory remarks, has said he opposes the bi-partisan Dream Act.  Calling it a form of “amnesty”, he vows to use his position to block [...]

Guilty Verdict for Two Men Charged in Fatal Hate-fueled Beating of Mexican Immigrant

Brandon Piekarsky, left and Derrick Donchak, right

A federal court in Pennsylvania found two men guilty yesterday in the beating death of Luis Ramirez, an immigrant from Mexico, who police say was targeted because of his race and nationality. “Four people attacked one person because of his race and because they didn’t want people like him living in their town,” prosecutor Myesha [...]

Hispanic Legislators to Discuss Immigration Reform with President Obama

Immigration Reform Protester

Later today, Rep. Nydia Velazquez, Sen. Robert Menendez and Rep. Luis Gutierrez will meet with President Obama at the White House to discuss a strategy that will aid immigration reform efforts that seem to be gaining momentum this week. “We won’t stop until we get comprehensive immigration reform,” Velazquez, chairwoman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, [...]

Obama Talks Immigration Reform with Congressional Hispanic Caucus

President Obama

President Obama is holding a meeting with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus this afternoon to discuss immigration reform. The meeting follows on the heels of a discussion the President held yesterday with grassroots groups and labor leaders on the issue at the White House. During this meeting the President said his Administration is committed [...]

Pelosi Appoints Latino Lawmaker to President’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform

xavier

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, on Wednesday, appointed Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-CA) to serve on President Obama’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform.  The nine-term member joins fellow Democrats, Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt, and Energy and Commerce Committee member Jan Schakowsky to complete the 18 member bipartisan commission. In addition to serving as a [...]