Norma Torres
| Norma Torres | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 35th district | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Gloria Negrete McLeod |
| Member of the California State Senate from the 32nd district | |
| In office May 20, 2013 – November 30, 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Gloria Negrete McLeod |
| Succeeded by | Connie Leyva (redistricted) |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 52nd district 61st district (2008–2012) | |
| In office December 1, 2008 – May 20, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Nell Soto |
| Succeeded by | Freddie Rodriguez |
| Mayor of Pomona, California | |
| In office April 3, 2006 – December 1, 2008 | |
| Preceded by | Edward Cortez |
| Succeeded by | Elliot Rothman |
| Pomona City Councillor from the 6th District | |
| In office January 8, 2001 – April 3, 2006 | |
| Preceded by | Willie E. White |
| Succeeded by | Steven Bañales |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 4, 1965 Escuintla, Guatemala[1] |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Louis |
| Residence | Pomona, California |
| Occupation | 9-1-1 dispatcher |
| Religion | Roman catholic[2] |
| Website | Rep. Norma Torres |
Norma Judith Torres (born April 4, 1965)[1] is an American politician. She is a member of the United States House of Representatives for California's 35th congressional district. Previously, she was a member of the California State Senate representing the 32nd district. She is a Democrat.
Early life and career
Torres was born in Guatemala. When she was five, her mother died, and she, her father, and her two brothers relocated to Los Angeles.[3] She worked as a 9-1-1 dispatcher, where in 1994 she led a campaign to require the hiring of bilingual 911 operators. She was an active member of AFSCME, serving as local 3090's shop steward. She served on the Pomona city council prior to being elected the city's mayor in 2006. In 2008, she endorsed then-presidential candidate Barack Obama before Hillary Clinton withdrew from the race, and was a superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention. She was elected to the State Assembly in November 2008, filling the vacancy left by former legislator Nell Soto, who retired.
She was 2008/09 Treasurer for the National Conference of Democratic Mayors.
California politics
As a State Senator, Torres represented the cities of Bloomington, Chino, Colton, Fontana, Montclair, Muscoy, Ontario, Pomona, Rialto, and San Bernardino.
As an Assemblywoman, Torres Chaired the Committee on Housing and Community Development. She supported and led an effort to secure $2 billion in federal funds for the “Keep Your Home California” program. She helped pass the Homeowner’s Bill of Rights to protect consumers from foreclosure, authored legislation to accelerate the construction of affordable housing, help delinquent homeowners refinance their second mortgages, and make it easier for returning veterans to purchase homes.
Making sure the public safety system is responsive and working collaboratively with the community to combat crime has been one of Torres’ priorities. A former 9-1-1 dispatcher, Torres understands the fear families face during emergencies. That is why she wrote the law that modernized the 9-1-1 system so that cell phone users are immediately routed to their local police department and not a statewide hotline. In addition, she authored legislation to help prevent metal theft, keep drivers under the influence of drugs off our roads and highways, stop peeping toms from exploiting victims, and raising fines on criminals who tamper with online data.
The California Sheriff’s Association, League of California Cities, Professional Engineers in California Government, Yellow Ribbon America, and the American Hero’s Foundation, among many others, have recognized her for her outstanding leadership. She has been an honored guest in Guatemala, where she toured the country, met with Heads-of-State, and received the country’s highest honor—the Order of the Great Congress of Guatemala, in the rank of Knight.
Senator Torres has been a vocal proponent to improve California’s business climate to help create jobs in the Inland Empire. She fights for job training programs, access to higher education and other tools to improve the skills to assist people get better paying jobs. She strongly advocates for services and programs that help families transition out of the recession, keep their homes and bring a quality education to their children.
Torres is a long-time resident of the Inland Empire. She resides in Pomona with her husband Louis, and their sons Robert and Matthew. A proud supporter of the US military, her third son, Christopher, is a veteran of the United States Air Force. Torres received her bachelor’s degree in Labor Studies from the National Labor College in Silver Springs, Maryland.[4]
On 21 November 2007, while serving as Mayor of Pomona, she appeared as a special invited guest on Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. The episode featured Lela's, a Pomona restaurant in the city she represented.[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Chief Clerk of the California State Assembly, Secretary of the California State Senate, 2009-10 California Legislature (PDF), State of California, retrieved August 11, 2011
- ↑ http://www.nationaljournal.com/almanac/2014-new-members/california-35-norma-torres-d-20141031
- ↑ http://www.afscme3090.org/news/04-10-26_norma_torres.html
- ↑ http://sd32.senate.ca.gov/biography
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNB6tk4jT3U
External links
- Norma Torres at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Official website
- Campaign website
| United States House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Gloria Negrete McLeod |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 35th congressional district January 3, 2015 – present |
Incumbent |
| United States order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by Mark Takai D-Hawaii | United States Representatives by seniority 424th |
Succeeded by David Trott R-Michigan |
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