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NOVEMBER
2005
MALC Golf Tournament Huge Success
The October 19th and 20th Mexican American
Legislative Caucus Annual Golf Classic
and Reception were by far the most successful
in Caucus history.
Supporters
Every aspect of this year’s events
enjoyed full sponsorship; thank
you to:
- Reception Sponsor: Ameriquest Mortgage
- Golf
Shirt Sponsor: UETA Stores
- Green Sponsor: Texas
Oil & Gas
Association
- Breakfast Sponsor: TAMUK, TAMU-CC,
TAMIU and TAMUS Engineering Program
- Luncheon Sponsor: HEB
- Bar Sponsor: Diageo
- Hole-In-One Truck: New
Car Dealers Association of Dallas & Covert
Ford of Hutto
- Beverages Sponsor: Coca Cola
Thank you to
the event’s financial sponsors
at all levels this year, including
Advance America, Mr. Thomas Aguillon,
the AFL-CIO, American Electric Power,
Ameriquest Mortgage Company, Anheuser-Busch,
Jim Arnold & Associates,
Mr. Ismael Arebalos, the Association
of Electric Companies of Texas, the
Association of Texas Professional Educators,
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, ATMOS
Energy, Baker Botts LLP, Blue Cross & Blue
Shield of Texas, the Board of Hispanic
Caucus Chairs, Brinker International,
The Honorable Jaime Capelo, Cash America,
The Honorable Eddie Cavazos, CenterPoint
Energy, Ms. Linda Christofilis, Circle
C Golf Course, Coca Cola, Mr. Albert
Cortez, House Speaker Tom Craddick,
Davis & Wilkerson
PC, Diageo, Dow Chemical Company, DuPont,
El Paso Electric Company, Enbridge
Energy Company, Inc. Exxon Mobil, Farmer’s
Insurance, First Cash Financial Services,
Inc., First Data, Mr. Robert Floyd,
Foley’s,
Fort Worth Police Officers Association,
Friends of TAMU Engineering PAC, the
Garcia Group, Greg Garcia of Texas
A&M, Mr.
Robert Kamm, Mr. Rusty Kelley, Greg
LaMantia, Gulf States Toyota, the Harcourt
Companies, HEB, HillCo Partners, Holt
Rinehart & Winston,
Hughes & Luce, Hyperion Media,
the Austin Icebats, Independent Colleges & Universities
of Texas, Inc., Intuit, Mr. Michael
Johnson, Johnson & Johnson, Lasik
Plus, Licensed Beverage Distributors
of Texas, Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson
LLP, Locke Liddell & Sapp
LLP, Marathon Oil, Mr. Mario Martinez,
Ms. Carol McGarah, MCI, MedImmune,
Mesa Water, NAMI, the National Association
of Social Workers, the National Rifle
Association, the New Car Dealers Association
of Dallas, NRA Institute for Legislative
Action, RJ Reynolds, Mr. Marc Rodriguez,
Sam Houston Race Park, Santos Alliances,
SBC, Serrano’s
Restaurants, Christopher Shields LLP,
The Honorable David Sibley, Southwest
Airlines, Sprint, TAMIU, TAMU-CC, TAMUK,
Texas Alliance of Energy Producers,
Texas Apartment Association, Texas
Association of Builders, Texas Association
of Realtors, Texas Chiropractic College,
Texas Council of Engineering Companies,
Texas Credit Union League, Texas Electric
Cooperatives, the Texas Farm Bureau,
the Texas Federation of Teachers, Texas
Gas Service, Texas Hospital Association,
Texas Instruments, Texas Medical Association,
Texas Society of CPAs, Texas State
Rifle Association, the 409 Group, Three
Point Strategies, Time Warner Cable,
Texas Trial Lawyers Association, TxOGA,
TXU, Ueta Sotres, Union Pacific, United
Transportation Union, the University
of North Texas Foundation, USAA, the
UT System, Valor Telecom, Verizon,
Wal-Mart, Kwame Walker & Associates,
Wholesale Beer Distributors of Texas,
the Zachry Group, and Mr. Roy Zermeno.
Reception & Honorees:
Over 200 friends, family, Caucus members,
and elected officials attended the October
19th reception at Serrano’s downtown
and enjoyed free food, beverages, and music.
Austin-native and Nashville recording artist
John Arthur Martinez provided the entertainment.
www.johnarthurmartinez.net
See the Photos:
Contact Sheet
Page 1
Contact Sheet Page 2
Contact Sheet Page 3
Contact Sheet Page 4
Contact Sheet Page 5
Contact Sheet Page 6
To order photos, please contact
Christine at 236-8410.
During prepared remarks, Caucus Chairman
Pete Gallego recognized all attending House
members, elected officials, and Serrano’s
owner Adam Gonzales for his years of support.
Chairman Gallego then presented four awards— Rafael
Quintanilla and Hector Gutierrez received
the Compañero Award for
their years of service; Rep. Delwin Jones
received the La Causa Award for
his consistent support of Latino issues;
and Rep. Rick Noriega and his wife Melissa
Noriega received the Pareja
Award for their dedication
to Texas and distinguished status as the
first and only husband and wife to simultaneously
serve as Caucus members.
Golf Tournament Winners:
Over 150 golfers and guests participated
in the October 20th golf tournament. The first
place team included Roy Zermeno,
Steve Zermeno, Frank Gracely, and Rep.
Rick Noriega (Team Score 56). Second
place went to Robert
Haney, Michael Gregg, and Jeff Burdett
(Team Score 56). Third place went
to Connie English, Joe Arabie, and Jay
Harvey (Team Score 58). Longest Drive went
to Robert Haney. Closest to the Pin went
to David Vigil.
The Hispanic lobbying community, known
as the MALos and the MALas, are due a special
thank you for their leadership, participation,
and sponsor recruitment for this year’s
event. Caucus Legislative Director Adrianna
Bernal and event organizer Christine Simmons
are also due a great thank you for their
efforts.
The Caucus membership is sincerely grateful
for this year’s show of support.
Interim Appointments and Charges
Speaker Craddick announced a number of
appointments and interim charges in October.
On October 12th, he announced appointees
to the Sunset Advisory Commission, including
Caucus Member Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon
(San Antonio). The Sunset Advisory Commission
is a 12-member body who provide an assessment
of state agency programs. To see the announcement,
go to:
http://www.house.state.tx.us/news/release.php?id=1478
On October 14th, he announced appointees
to the Texas Legislative Council (TLC),
including Caucus Member Rep. Ryan Guillen
(Rio Grande City). The TLC is led by the
Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker, the Chairman
of the House Administration Committee,
six Senators and five Representatives,
and provides bill drafting and research
to the Texas legislature and agencies.
To see the announcement, go to:
http://www.house.state.tx.us/news/release.php?id=1483
The same day, he announced appointees
to the Bi-national Alcohol and Substance
Abuse Task Force—all Caucus Members.
Rep. Norma Chavez (El Paso) will serve
as Chair of the Task Force. Additional
appointees include Rep. Veronica Gonzales
(McAllen), Rep. Aaron Pena (Edinburg),
Rep. Mando Martinez (Weslaco), and Rep.
Tracy King (Batesville). The Task Force
is in charge of making recommendations
to help alleviate alcohol and substance
abuse problems in the border region. To
see the announcement, go to:
http://www.house.state.tx.us/news/release.php?id=1479
Speaker Craddick also announced appointees
to the Interim Committee to Study the Use
of the Power of Eminent Domain, including
Rep. Aaron Pena (Edinburg). Senate Bill
7 created the Interim Committee; Senate
Bill 7 counteracts the U.S. Supreme Court's
recent eminent domain decision, Kelo
v. City of New London. To see the
announcement, go to:
http://www.house.state.tx.us/news/release.php?id=1481
Finally, the Speaker’s office released
Interim Study Charges—tasks for each
House Committee to address during the remaining
interim months for purposes of discussion
during the next legislative session. To
see the charges in full, go to:
house.state.tx.us/committees/charges/79interim/79thinterimcharges.pdf
Voting Rights Act Up For Renewal
Several provisions of the federal Voting
Rights Act are up for renewal in 2007,
and Congress has begun considering proposals
for changes and improvements.
The Act attempts to ensure that no person
is denied the right to vote due to race
or color. President Johnson signed the
Voting Rights Act on August 6, 1965, and
Congress extended the Act in 1970, 1975,
and 1982. It has been called the most successful
piece of civil rights legislation ever
adopted by the United States Congress;
following its enactment, the number of
Hispanic voters and elected officials rose
dramatically.
For more information on the Voting Rights
Act, go to:
http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/voting/intro/intro_b.htm
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