FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 11, 2014

LATINO LEADERS CALL FOR FINAL SENATE VOTE TO CONFIRM LOURDES CASTRO RAMIREZ TO BE AN ASST SECRETARY AT HUD

Unanimously approved by Senate Banking Committee and Garnering National Support, yet still awaiting a vote

Washington, DC—The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of 39 of the nation’s preeminent Latino organizations, sent a letter yesterday to Senate leaders Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell demanding a confirmation vote on the nomination of Lourdes Castro Ramirez to be the Assistant Secretary of Public Housing and Indian Affairs at the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

President Obama nominated Ms. Castro Ramirez on August 1, 2014, to be the next Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing. On November 20th, the Senate Banking Committee approved her nomination.

“It is unconscionable that a highly qualified nominee like Lourdes Castro Ramirez has not yet been confirmed,” said Hector Sanchez, NHLA Chair and Executive Director of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement. “The fact that she was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate Banking Committee and garnered letters of support from across the nation, makes us concerned with the current system that makes it so difficult to move through highly qualified candidates. The Senate has far too many nominees backlogged, waiting to serve our country and carry out the work of important federal programs and agencies.”

Ms. Castro Ramirez is a proven leader with deep expertise in affordable housing and community economic development. In addition, she already has the management experience needed for an office of this size. Ms. Castro Ramirez will bring the vision and experience that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Public and Indian Housing so richly deserves. We urge the Senate for a vote to move this deserving candidate forward.

The full text of today’s letter can be read here.

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Established in 1991, the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA) brings together Hispanic leaders to establish policy priorities that address, and raise public awareness of, the major issues affecting the Latino community and the nation as a whole. In 2013, NHLA launched the Latinos United for Immigration Reform campaign. For more information, please visit www.nationalhispanicleadership.org and LatinosUnited.org and follow @NHLAgenda.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

| Carmen Orozco-Acosta | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (512) 787-6508 |

| Brenda Arredondo | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (915) 373-1483 |