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LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS National Office |
2000 L Street, NW, Suite 610 PRESS RELEASE |
| For Immediate Release July 23, 2002 |
Contact: Lorraine Quiroga |
Washington, DC - The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), praised the Bush Administration for the nomination of Tony Garza to become Ambassador to Mexico and urged the U.S. Senate to make his confirmation a top priority.
"We commend President Bush for selecting the right person for this job at a time when our two countries, the United States and Mexico, face important major issues of common interest and immediate concern," said Hector Flores, National LULAC President. "Since September 11th, our world has changed tremendously and Tony Garza is someone who acutely understands the challenges the two neighbors now face along our southern border. The challenge is to ensure homeland security while not shunning an important and longtime friend," he added.
Garza, a second generation Texan whose grandparents are from Mexico, has a long and distinguished record of public service. His public service career began in 1988 when he became the first Hispanic Republican elected to statewide office in Texan history as railroad commissioner with oversight over the state's energy sector.
"LULAC is confident that the Senate, in its wisdom, will quickly confirm a man who has lived and worked his entire life along the border. He brings insight to the job and understands we have to strike the right balance between protecting our border and fostering continued commerce and relations with Mexico which will benefit our economy," said Flores. Flores said he is hopeful that Garza will seek out new ideas and continue to be inclusive in dealing with increasingly sensitive and complex issues such as undocumented immigrants and disputes over water needs affecting millions on both sides of the border.
"These are not partisan matters, they are challenges all Americans face at an important time in our history when we must be willing to come together to find solutions. Since 1929, LULAC shares that history and we look forward now to working with Ambassador Garza," concluded Flores.
LULAC is the largest and oldest Hispanic organization in the United States. LULAC advances the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, health and civil rights of Hispanic-Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 700 LULAC councils nationwide and in Puerto Rico. The organization involves and serves all Hispanic nationality groups.