Leader Pelosi Called on to Ensure Latino Representation in Super Committee Leading Latino Organizations Cite Lack of Diversity on Panel

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, August 11, 2011

CONTACT:
Enrique Cortez
enrique@enitially.com
(202) 525-7411

WASHINGTON DC – Today, the Latinos for a Secure Retirement coalition (LSR) issued the attached letter urging House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to appoint a Latino to the “super committee,” which was created as part of the recent deal to raise the federal debt ceiling. The super committee will have unprecedented power over programs crucial to all Americans. With 9 of the 12 super committee members already named, there is not yet a single Latino appointed. Eight of the committee members already named are white males, with one white woman so far appointed.

In its letter, LSR cited Representative Xavier Becerra (D-CA) and Representative Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) as strong defenders of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. The letter states both Congressmen “would make a great choice to represent the Latino community on the committee. Rep. Becerra has served on the Simpson-Bowles commission, and is a member of your Democratic leadership team. Rep. Grijalva is the co-chair of the Progressive Caucus, which earlier this year released a budget proposal that would eliminate the deficit while still protecting critical programs.”

Latinos have dominated America’s population growth in the last twenty years, more than doubling their size since 1990. The Latino community now represents 50 million people – almost one in six Americans – living in every corner of the nation. However, the Latino growth in population has not always been reflected in increased representation in our political system. For coalitions such as LSR, having a Latino voice on the so-called Super Congress is imperative.

“Leader Pelosi has been a great advocate for the Latino community,” stated Jeff Cruz, LSR Executive Director. “We call on her to do right by the nearly 50 million Latino-Americans in the country who, like all Americans, benefit from critical social insurance programs that the super committee may target. With Social Security, for example, the modest benefits Latinos receive represent nearly all the income for almost half of Latino seniors.”

The Latinos for a Secure Retirement (LSR) coalition brings together some of the strongest and most prominent advocates for Latinos in the country including the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA), The Hispanic Federation, the National Hispanic Council on Aging, MANA- A National Latina Organization, SER- Jobs for Progress National, Inc., the Institute for the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Elderly, the American GI Forum and the National Association for Hispanic Elderly.

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For more information about Latinos for Secure Retirement, visit www.latinosforasecureretirement.org.

For more information on LSR Coalition members including:

League of United Latin American Citizens, visit http://lulac.org

Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, visit http://www.lclaa.org

The Hispanic Federation, visit http://www.hispanicfederation.org

The National Hispanic Council on Aging, visit http://www.nhcoa.org

MANA, A National Latina Organization, visit http://www.hermana.org

SER- Jobs for Progress National, Inc., visit http://www.ser-national.org

Institute for the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Elderly, visit http://www.iprhe.org

American GI Forum, visit http://www.agifusa.org

National Association for Hispanic Elderly, visit http://www.anppm.org