Chairwoman Lujan Grisham Welcomes Newest Members to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus
Washington, D.C.—Today, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairwoman Michelle Lujan Grisham issued a statement welcoming the newest CHC members to the 115th session of Congress:
"It gives me great pride to welcome the eight new members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to what is expected to be a challenging session of Congress. I look forward to working alongside our entire caucus to pursue policies that serve the best interests of the Hispanic community and Americans everywhere. The Caucus is committed to passing immigration reform and upholding the idea that Hispanic families have a right to healthcare, affordable education and economic opportunity. Each new CHC member brings a unique story and a fresh perspective to our important work in Congress."
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New Congressional Hispanic Caucus Members:
Congressman Adriano Espaillat made history by becoming the first Dominican-American member of the United States Congress. Congressman Espaillat has dedicated his life to serving New York families, small businesses and the public good. He worked in the New York Senate to boost economic development and create good, better paying jobs.
Senator Catherine Cortez Masto will begin this session as America's very first Latina Senator. During her time as Nevada's Attorney General, Senator Cortez Masto took on big banks in order to protect working families from deceptive practices.
Congressman Darren Soto fought both as a civil rights attorney and as a Florida state legislator to help Hispanic families. He was a strong advocate for legislation that qualified DREAMers for Florida in-state tuition and passed laws to help the state's struggling homeowners get back on their feet.
Congressman Lou Correa has spent much of his life helping children. As a volunteer, he mentored boys and girls in the Anaheim area and worked to make California streets safer for kids by reducing gang activity. As a state senator, Congressman Correa fought for affordable higher education and instituted a program that provided civics education to thousands of teenagers.
Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán put herself through college and law school in order to give back to her community. Throughout her career, Congresswoman Diaz Barragán has worked to keep immigrant families like hers together and to protect special needs children in foster care. She has also worked to advance social justice and civil rights for all Americans.
Congressman Ruben Kihuen migrated to the United States from Mexico with his fieldworker father and house worker mother and is now the first ever Hispanic to represent Nevada in the U.S. House of Representatives. Congressman Kihuen worked successfully in the Nevada Legislature to invest in K-12 and higher education for Nevadans while also advocating for fair wages for workers and equal pay for women.
Congressman Salud Carbajal's blue collar immigrant family worked hard to achieve the American dream. Congressman Carbajal is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and has spent his whole life giving back. He helped establish programs that provided job training for California's at-risk youth and was a tireless advocate for healthcare for children and seniors.
When Congressman Vicente Gonzalez left High School, it was his mother's words and his military family upbringing that put him on track to earn a GED and ultimately, a law degree. Congressman Gonzalez's humble beginnings motivated him to help working class families take on major corporations and insurance companies as an attorney in Texas.
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), founded in December 1976, is organized as a Congressional Member organization, governed under the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives. The CHC is dedicated to voicing and advancing, through the legislative process, issues affecting Hispanics in the United States, Puerto Rico and U.S. Territories.