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Washington State Republican
National Hispanic Assembly
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PRESS RELEASE
Republican National Hispanic
Assembly
Washington Hispanics Celebrate Bush's 100 day mark as 'Just the Beginning'. May 2, 2001 As pundits dissected President George W. Bush’s first 100 days in office, Hispanics in both Washington State and Washington DC celebrated the event by noting that the President’s outreach efforts to Hispanics clearly will not end at Day 101. In fact, the 100-day mark of the Bush administration arrived sandwiched between several other important events for Hispanics in Washington DC. Last Thursday several hundred Hispanics gathered to honor the Hispanic appointments made by the new Bush administration to the White House. The event, organized by the Republican National Hispanic Assembly (RNHA) as part of its National Convention, was held at the Mexican Cultural Institute and honored 21 high level Hispanic appointees to the White House and many others who have been appointed to positions in other parts of the new administration. Mr. Ruben Barrales, deputy assistant to the President, delivered the keynote address. Dr. Pedro Celis, a Microsoft employee, and the Washington State chairman of the RNHA, headed a delegation of four Washingtonians to these events. "It is very encouraging to see the speed and energy that our new president has applied in making this administration truly inclusive and one that reflects the diversity that exists in America today. No other President, Republican or Democrat, has done so much in this regard. And we have only just begun." That event took place prior to the 100-day mark, but it’s clear President Bush’s outreach to Hispanics won’t end with that benchmark. This coming Friday, the President and the First Lady will be hosting a "5 de Mayo" celebration in the White House, with four other Washington State members of the RNHA in attendance. Most important, President Bush will meet May 3 with Mexican President Vicente Fox at the White House to continue the discussions they began in Guanajuato in February and continued in Quebec City in April on issues of importance to both countries and their Latino citizens. All of these activities bode well for the growing importance of Latinos in American politics, according to U.S. Rep. Henry Bonilla (R-TX), who worked with the President when he was Governor of Texas: "This is the year of the Latino and we owe that to President George W. Bush. He and his administration have made amazing strides for Latinos - and we're only 100 days into the presidency. If we've come this far in just 100 days, imagine the progress we'll make over the next four years." US Rep Kay Granger (R-TX), another veteran of the President’s tenure as Texas Governor, agreed. "I saw George W. Bush as Governor bring people together and get things done," she said.. "Already in the first 100 days he has appointed more than twice as many Hispanics as his predecessor. But President Bush isn't doing this to make a statement; he's doing it to make a difference." Dan Garza, vice-chairman of the Washington RNHA, said, "The Hispanic population in Washington State has risen dramatically, according to Census data that reports the Washington Hispanic population represented 28% of the state’s total population increase. But this has not translated into a corresponding increase in Hispanic representation in our government. President Bush has shown, with his actions as well as his words, that he is committed to making this administration truly reflect all Americans. I'm honored to have been chosen to lead our delegation from Washington State to the "Cinco de Mayo" festivities at the White House. This is truly "Un Nuevo Dia" for Hispanics in Washington State and across our Nation." Washington Rep. Steve Van Luven (R-Bellevue), Chairman of the House Trade and Economic Development Committee, has a long-standing involvement with the Hispanic community in Washington State, serving as the first Non-Hispanic on the Board of Directors of the Washington-Jalisco Sister State Association. Rep. Van Luven emphasized the importance of the President’s economic and trade policies for Hispanics: "It is impossible to overstate the importance in the change in policy indicated by the Bush administration when the President made his first foreign trip a visit with Mexican president Vicente Fox, and his second one his participation in the summit of the Americas. The economic and trade policies of this administration will raise the standard of living of the millions Hispanics living in this country and abroad, by providing increased opportunities for economic development". Chairman Van Luven summed up the feelings of Hispanic Americans when he said, "Some politicians reach out to the Hispanic community for purely political reasons, while others do it because they truly care. President Bush truly cares about the Hispanic community. I am a gringo with a Latino heart and President Bush also has a Latino heart. He knows, understands and loves the Hispanic culture." Contact Information: |
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