Washington, DC—The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, today congratulated members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) for the leadership roles they will assume in the next Congress. Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) will serve as Chair of the CHC, Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-CA) will serve as Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus, and Congressman Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) will serve as Cochair the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

“We congratulate these individuals for their leadership in the 111th Congress. They are strong leaders who have demonstrated a commitment to and deep knowledge of policy issues affecting all Americans, and Latinos in particular,” stated Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO.

Representatives Velázquez, Becerra, and Grijalva are taking on the challenge of leadership at a time when our country faces economic crisis, thousands of Americans losing their jobs and health insurance, the immigration system remains broken, and the right investments in our children and youth need to be made. They are also moving into these roles after an election which saw record turnout among Latinos, and in which the Latino vote clearly made a difference in the outcome of the presidential and congressional selections.

“We appreciate the courage these members are showing by agreeing to lead during these difficult times,” continued Murguía. “The power of the Latino vote was evident in the recent elections, and our community is prepared and committed to shaping the future of our country. We encourage more Latino participation in congressional leadership and staff, as well as in the Obama Administration.”

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