Wikipedia

Congressional Hispanic Caucus

(Redirected fromHispanic Caucus)
This article is about the caucus for Hispanic Democratic members of Congress. For its Republican counterpart, seeCongressional Hispanic Conference.

TheCongressional Hispanic Caucus(CHC) is an organization of 38Democraticmembers of theUnited States CongressofHispanic and Latinodescent.[2][3]The Caucus focuses on issues affecting Hispanics and Latinos in theUnited States.The CHC was founded in December 1976 as a legislative service organization of theUnited States House of Representatives.The CHC is organized as a Congressional Member organization, governed under the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Congressional Hispanic Caucus
ChairNanette Barragán
Founder
5 founding members
FoundedDecember 1976;47 years ago(1976-12)[1]
HeadquartersWashington, D.C.
National affiliationDemocratic Party
Seats in theHouse
37 / 435
(plus 1 non-voting)
Seats in theHouse Democratic Caucus
37 / 213
(plus 1 non-voting)
Seats in theSenate
3 / 100
Website
Official websiteEdit this at Wikidata

As of the118th Congress,the CHC is composed entirely of Democrats, although at its founding it was a bipartisan organization. Hispanic Republican members of Congress formed theCongressional Hispanic Conferencein 2003 after leaving in the late 1990s over policy differences. The CHC has refused to admit Republican members in recent years, denying admission toCarlos Curbeloin 2017 andMayra Floresin 2022.

Purpose

edit

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus aims to address national and international issues that directly impact the Hispanic community. The function of the CHC is to serve as a forum for the Hispanic Members of Congress to coalesce around a collective legislative agenda. In addition to covering legislative action, the CHC also monitors executive and judicial issues at the federal level.[4]

SenatorCatherine Cortez Masto,aMexican AmericanfromNevada,SenatorBen Ray LujánaMexican AmericanfromNew Mexico,and SenatorAlex Padilla,aMexican AmericanfromCaliforniaare the current members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus from theSenate.The remaining 38 members are from theHouse.

History

edit

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) was organized in 1976 by five Hispanic Congressmen:Herman Badillo(NY),Baltasar Corrada del Río(PR),Kika de la Garza(TX),Henry B. Gonzalez(TX) andEdward Roybal(CA), to serve as a legislative organization through which legislative action, as well as executive and judicial actions, could be monitored to ensure the needs of Hispanics were being met. It was staffed by Raquel Marquez Frankel, who had grown up in Silver City and Albuquerque, New Mexico, and had become, in 1947, the first Latina to attend theUniversity of New Mexico School of Law.[5]The goal was to work in conjunction with other groups, both inside and outside Congress, to strengthen Federal commitment to Hispanics and heighten the community's awareness of the operation and function of the American political system.

As of 2023, the CHC is composed entirely of Democrats, although at its founding it was a bipartisan organization. The Republican members left in the late 1990s over policy differences and, in 2003, formed their own group, theCongressional Hispanic Conference.In 2017, the Caucus declined to admit Rep.Carlos Curbelo,who would have been the only Republican member. In 2022, Rep.Mayra Flores,a Republican, was denied membership as well.

Chairs

edit

Leadership

edit

Current membership

edit
Congressional Hispanic Caucus in the118th United States Congress

United States Senate

edit

Arizona:

California:

Nevada:

New Mexico:

United States House of Representatives

edit

Arizona:

California:

Colorado:

Florida:

Illinois:

New Jersey:

New Mexico:

New York:

Northern Mariana Islands:

Oregon:

Texas:

Washington:

Source[7][8][9]

Controversies

edit

Joe Baca's Tenure as Chairman

edit
See also:Joe Baca

On January 31, 2007, a story on thePoliticowebsite reported that Rep.Joe Bacahad called Rep.Loretta Sancheza "whore" in a conversation withSpeaker of the California AssemblyFabian Núñez,prompting Sanchez to resign from the CHC. Rep. Baca has denied this charge,[10]but two other CHC members,Linda Sánchez(Loretta's sister) andHilda Solis,expressed support for Loretta Sanchez.[11]In the case of Solis, Baca called her "a kiss-up to SpeakerNancy Pelosi,"for which he apologized to Solis both privately and publicly.[12]

A year prior to the "whore" incident, the CHC'spolitical action committeegave $3,000 to Baca's children's campaigns for state offices in California. Although Baca recused himself from the decision to make the contributions, six members of the caucus criticized the decision, saying that CHC's PAC should support only federal candidates. Consequently, on November 15, 2006, when Joe Baca was elected chair of the CHC, Solis and the Sanchez sisters challenged his election, saying that the voting should have been done by a secret ballot.[12]

On Monday, April 2, 2007, CongresswomanLinda Sánchezclosed her offices in honor ofCésar Estrada ChávezDay, a state holiday in California (which fell on a Saturday that year). CHC chair Baca made the following comment on Sánchez's decision to close the office: "I believe the best way to observe César Estrada Chávez Day is not by taking the day off from work or school."[13]On April 12, Linda Sánchez announced that she had suspended her membership in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, citing "a need for structural reforms to ensure that the caucus is more equitable and inclusive of all its members." She specifically stated that her decision "was not based on personal animus directed at Baca."[14]

Other controversies

edit

On June 30, 2013, CongressmanFilemon Vela Jr.resigned from the CHC, citing opposition to the Senate immigration bill which the CHC endorsed, saying: "Opponents of serious immigration reform are extracting a pound of flesh in this process by conditioning a pathway to citizenship on the construction of more ineffective border fence."[15][16]

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus has received support over the years from Mexican billionaireRicardo Salinas PliegoandAzteca America.[17]Andres Ramirez, a Nevada political consultant, andKevin de León,the President Pro Tempore of the California State Senate, have worked together to route money from Azteca America to various caucus groups and political campaigns, as Pliego is a known rival toCarlos Slim,whom both de Leon and Ramirez have attacked through the use of phony groups such as "Two Countries One Voice". Ramirez has appeared at functions for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.[18]The effort to recruit past students and fellows involved in programs of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus has caused some political bloggers to speculate over the effort by California State Senator de Leon and his colleague California StateSenator Jim Beallto use their legislative staffs, some of whom have been involved in programs of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, to take over several local groups of California Democratic Party State Central Committee delegations for the purpose of establishing control for de Leon and his allies.[19]

In November 2017, the caucus refused to admit Republican congressmanCarlos Curbelo,who would have been the only Republican in the caucus.[20]In October 2022, it also denied admission to Republican congresswomanMayra Flores,who was the first Mexican-born congresswoman.[21]

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute

edit

In October 1981, theHouse Committee on House Administrationdrafted new regulations stipulating that fundraising activities were to be moved off all government premises. Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus decided to maintain a legislative support organization onCapitol Hill,the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and moved the non-profit, fundraising organization, today known as theCongressional Hispanic Caucus Institute,Inc. to a new residence.[22]

CHC BOLD PAC

edit

TheCHC BOLD PAC(officially theCommittee for Hispanic Causes-BOLD PACand sometimes referred to as simplyBOLD PAC) is the Congressional Hispanic Caucus' political arm, endorsing Democratic and especially Hispanic candidates.[23][24]Ruben Gallegowas the chair of the group until 2023,[25]the current chair isLinda Sánchez.[26]The group raised $8.7 million during the2018 electioncycle.[27]

edit
  • Caucus members in the mid-1980s
  • The four Puerto Rican members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus during the Obama Administration
  • Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute offices in Washington, D.C.

See also

edit
Wikimedia Commons has media related toCongressional Hispanic Caucus.

References

edit
  1. ^"About the Congressional Hispanic Caucus".United States House of Representatives.
  2. ^"Congressional Hispanic Caucus".Archived fromthe originalon January 8, 2019.RetrievedJanuary 7,2019.
  3. ^Bernal, Rafael (January 2, 2019)."Hispanic Caucus boasts record membership in new Congress".The Hill.RetrievedJanuary 7,2019.
  4. ^"About the Congressional Hispanic Caucus".Congressional Hispanic Caucus.June 26, 2013.RetrievedJuly 12,2022.
  5. ^Nancy Harbert, ed. (2010)."60 for 60: Shaping Law in New Mexico Since 1950".
  6. ^"Congressional Hispanic Caucus Announces Leadership for 118th Congress".Congressional Hispanic Caucus. December 15, 2022.
  7. ^"Chairman Joaquin Castro Welcomes Newest Members to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus".Congressman Joaquin Castro. January 8, 2019.RetrievedJanuary 9,2019.
  8. ^"Members".Congressional Hispanic Caucus.Archivedfrom the original on December 31, 2019.
  9. ^Figueroa, Ariana (November 18, 2022)."Congressional Hispanic Caucus welcomes new House members, reflects on Latino vote".New Jersey Monitor.
  10. ^"Sanchez Accuses Democrat of Calling Her a 'Whore,' Resigns from Hispanic Group".Politico.
  11. ^"Two More Reps. Complain About Treatment of Women in Hispanic Caucus".Politico.
  12. ^ab"Women Call for Change in Caucus".The Washington Post.
  13. ^"Rep. Baca wags finger at Sanchez for closing office for César Chávez Day".The Hill.Archived fromthe originalon April 10, 2007.
  14. ^"Linda Sanchez Leaves Hispanic Caucus".Politico.
  15. ^"Filemon Vela explains his resignation from Congressional Hispanic Caucus, says immigration foes are" extracting a pound of flesh "as price of reform".The Houston Chronicle.
  16. ^"Rep. Filemon Vela quits Congressional Hispanic Caucus to protest lawmakers' acceptance of border" militarization "".The Houston Chronicle.
  17. ^"Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Announces New Partnership with Fundacion Azteca America and Grupo Salinas for International Fellowship Program in Mexico".Wilmington, N.C.: WECT. Archived fromthe originalon April 2, 2015.RetrievedMarch 7,2015.
  18. ^"Cato Financial Times: Did Andres Ramirez of Nevada violate Nevada State Ethics Laws in creating Two Countries One Voice on behalf of deLeon and Mercury Public Affairs?".Catocalifornia.blogspot. December 4, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 24,2018.
  19. ^"A look inside San Jose politics and culture".San Jose Inside.RetrievedJanuary 24,2018.
  20. ^Alex Daugherty (November 16, 2017)."Hispanic caucus tells Cuban American he can't join the club — he's too Republican".Miami Herald.
  21. ^Choi, Matthew (October 26, 2022)."Republican Mayra Flores rejected from all-Democratic Hispanic caucus".The Texas Tribune.
  22. ^"Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute".December 6, 2017.RetrievedJanuary 24,2018.
  23. ^"PAC Profile: Committee for Hispanic Causes".Open Secrets.BOLD PAC.RetrievedOctober 22,2021.
  24. ^Raju, Manu;Rogers, Alex (November 25, 2020)."Democratic fight emerges ahead of appointment to fill Kamala Harris' Senate seat".CNN.RetrievedOctober 22,2021.
  25. ^Bowman, Bridget (October 7, 2021)."Democrats: Push to pressure Sinema won't distract from Kelly's 2022 Senate race".Roll Call.RetrievedOctober 22,2021.
  26. ^"Linda Sánchez is the new chair of BOLD PAC, the campaign arm of the Hispanic Caucus. She'll be the first woman to lead the organization".Politico.RetrievedJuly 31,2023.
  27. ^Severns, Maggie (September 20, 2018)."Democratic lawmakers launch PAC to elect more women to Congress".Politico.RetrievedOctober 22,2021.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Congressional_Hispanic_Caucus&oldid=1257376959"