Nydia Velázquez

Nydia Velázquez
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 7th district
Assumed office
January 3, 2013
Preceded by Joseph Crowley
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 12th district
In office
January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2013
Preceded by Major R. Owens
Succeeded by Carolyn Maloney
Chair of the House Small Business Committee
In office
January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011
Preceded by Don Manzullo
Succeeded by Sam Graves
Member of the New York City Council
from the 27th district
In office
1984–1985
Preceded by Luis Olmedo
Succeeded by Victor Robles
Personal details
Born Nydia Margarita Velázquez
(1953-03-28) March 28, 1953
Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, U.S.
Nationality American
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Paul Bader
Education University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras (BA)
New York University (MA)

Nydia Margarita Velázquez (born March 28, 1953) is a Puerto Rican politician who has served in the United States House of Representatives since 1993. Velázquez, a Democrat from New York, is the first Puerto Rican woman to be elected to Congress, and she was the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus until January 3, 2011. Her district, located in New York City, was numbered the 12th district from 1993 to 2013 and has been numbered the 7th district since 2013.

Early life, education and career

Velázquez was born in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico on March 28, 1953.[1] She grew up in Yabucoa[2] in a small house on the Río Limón,[3] one of nine children.[4] Her father Don Benito Velazquez was a poor worker in the sugarcane fields who became a self-taught political activist and the founder of a local political party.[3] Political conversations at the dinner table focused on workers' rights.[3] Her mother was Dona Carmen Luisa Serrano.[3]

Velázquez attended public schools[1] and skipped three grades as a child.[3] She became the first in her family to graduate high school.[1][4] She became a student at University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras at age 16.[3] In 1974,[1] she received a degree in political science, magna cum laude, and became a teacher.[3][4] While in college, Velázquez was a supporter of Puerto Rican independence; by the time she ran for Congress in 1992, Velázquez no longer addressed the issue, "saying that it must be left up the Puerto Rican people."[3]

In 1976, Velázquez received an M.A. in political science from New York University.[1] Velázquez then returned to Puerto Rico to teach,[3] serving as a professor of political science at the University of Puerto Rico at Humacao 1976 to 1981.[1]

Velázquez returned to New York City and taught at Hunter College from 1981 until 1983 as an adjunct professor of Puerto Rican studies.[1][3]

Political career

In 1983, Velázquez was special assistant to Representative Edolphus Towns, a Democrat representing New York's 10th congressional district in Brooklyn.[1][3]

In 1984, Velázquez was named by Howard Golden (then the Brooklyn Borough President and chairman of the Brooklyn Democratic organization)[5] to fill a vacant seat on the New York City Council, becoming the first Hispanic woman to serve on the Council.[1][3] Velázquez ran for election to the council in 1986, but lost to a challenger.[3]

From May 1986 to July 1989, Velázquez was national director of the Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources' Migration Division Office.[1] From 1989 to 1992 she was named by the governor of Puerto Rico as the director of the Department of Puerto Rican Community Affairs in the United States.[1][3] In this role, according to a 1992 New York Times profile, "Velazquez solidified her reputation that night as a street-smart and politically savvy woman who understood the value of solidarity and loyalty to other politicians, community leaders and organized labor."[4]

Velázquez pioneered Atrévete Con Tu Voto, a program that aims to politically empower Latinos in the United States through voter registration and other projects. The Atrévete project spread from New York to Hartford, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Chicago, and Boston, helping Hispanic candidates secure electoral wins.[6]

U.S. House of Representatives

Congresswoman Velázquez's official congressional portrait, 113th Congress.

1992 election

Velázquez ran for Congress in the 1992 election, seeking a seat in the New York's newly-drawn 12th congressional district, which was drawn as a majority-Hispanic district.[4] Velázquez won the Democratic primary, defeating nine-term incumbent Stephen J. Solarz and four Hispanic candidates.[2]

Tenure

In 2003, Hispanic Business Magazine honored her with its first "Woman of the Year" award, citing her support of minority small-business owners. As a Representative, Velázquez has focused on building a legislative agenda that lobbies to increase the opportunities for the nation's 47 million Hispanics, including the over 2.3 million Hispanics currently residing in New York City.[7]

Throughout her career as a New York Representative, Velázquez has consistently and fully supported pro-choice and family-planning interests groups such as the NARAL Pro-Choice America and the Planned Parenthood. Velázquez has consistently shown support of the National Farmers' Union. She has shown no support of interests groups that are against animal rights and animal rightists.[8]

In 2009, Velázquez voted against the amendment Prohibiting Federally Funded Abortion Services. In the past year, Velázquez has supported the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations, the Unemployment Benefits Association, and the Unemployment Benefits Extension. Velázquez has also consistently voted in favor of bills attempting to strengthen women's rights, such as the Employment Discrimination Law Amendments, Equal Pay Bill and the Inclusion of Consolidated Appropriations.[8]

On September 29, 2008, Velázquez voted in favor of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. On November 19, 2008, Congresswoman Velázquez was elected by her peers in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) to lead the group for the 111th Congress.[1]

Prior to removing her name from consideration, she was considered a possible candidate to be appointed to the United States Senate by Governor David Paterson after New York Senator Hillary Clinton was nominated to be a member of President Barack Obama's cabinet.[9]

Among her firsts are: the first Hispanic woman to serve on the New York City Council; the first Puerto Rican woman to serve in Congress; the first woman Ranking Democratic Member of the House Small Business Committee. Velázquez became the first woman to chair the United States House Committee on Small Business in January 2007 as well as the first Hispanic woman to chair a House standing committee.[1]

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Velázquez is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Congressional Progressive Caucus, Women's Issues Caucus, and Urban Caucus.[10]

Velázquez was formerly a member of the Congressional Out of Iraq Caucus.[11]

Political campaigns

In 1992, Velázquez defeated incumbent congressman Stephen J. Solarz in the primary and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing New York's 12th congressional district, and became the first female Puerto Rican member of Congress. The sprawling 12th district encompasses parts of Brooklyn, Queens and Lower Manhattan. It includes such neighborhoods as Ridgewood, Maspeth, and Woodside in Queens; Bushwick, Williamsburg, Red Hook, and Sunset Park in Brooklyn; and part of Manhattan's Lower East Side. She also became the first Hispanic woman to serve as Ranking Democratic Member of the House Small Business Committee. The committee oversees federal programs and contracts totaling $200 billion annually. She also serves on the House Financial Services Committee.[1]

2010

Velázquez’s 2010 campaign income was $759,359. She came out of this campaign with about $7,736 in debt. Her top contributors include Goldman Sachs, the American Bankers Association, the National Roofing Contractors Association and the National Telephone Cooperative Association.[8]

2012

Velázquez, who was redistricted into the 7th Congressional District, defeated her Democratic contenders to win the Democratic nomination.[12] Her top contributors included Goldman Sachs, the American Bankers Association and the Independent Community Bankers of America.[13]

Controversy

Velazquez has been criticized by her primary opponents Jeff Kurzon for her close ties to the banking industry and her reluctance to support reform and transparency measures. A majority of her campaign contributions have come from banks, including Goldman Sachs and the American Bankers Association.[13] Opponents have suggested that these contributions influenced her votes in support of the bailouts and her votes against reform and transparency measures.[14] In addition to support for private banks, Ms. Velazquez voted against bipartisan House efforts to audit the federal reserve, both in 2009 and in 2012.[15]

Personal life

Velázquez married Brooklyn-based printer Paul Bader in 2000.[16] It was her second marriage.[16] In 2010, Velázquez and Bader were in the process of divorce.[17]

In October 1992, during her first campaign for the House, an unknown person or persons at Saint Clare's Hospital in Manhattan anonymously faxed to the press Velázquez's hospital records which pertained to a suicide attempt in 1991.[18] At a subsequent press conference, Velázquez acknowledged that she had attempted suicide that year while suffering from clinical depression.[18] Velázquez said that she underwent counseling and was "emerged stronger and more committed to public service."[18] She expressed outrage at the leak of personal health records and asked the Manhattan District Attorney and the state Attorney General to investigate.[18] Velázquez sued the hospital in 1994, alleging that the hospital had failed to protect her privacy.[19] The lawsuit was settled in 1997.[20]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Hispanic Americans in Congress
  2. 1 2 Deborah Sontag, Puerto Rican-Born Favorite Treated Like Outsider, New York Times (November 2, 1992).
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Maria Newman, From Puerto Rico to Congress, a Determined Path, New York Times (September 27, 1992).
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Mary B. W. Tabor, The 1992 Campaign: 12th District Woman in the News; Loyalty and Labor; Nydia M. Velazquez, New York Times (September 17, 1992).
  5. ↑ Frank Lynn, Democrats in Brooklyn Face Hispanic Demand, New York Times (August 16, 1984).
  6. ↑ Carol Hardy-Fanta, with Jaime Rodríguez, Latino Voter Registration Efforts in Massachusetts: Un Pasito Más" in Latino Politics in Massachusetts: Struggles, Strategies, and Prospects (eds: Carol Hardy-Fanta & Jeffrey N. Gerson: Routledge, 2002), pp. 253-54.
  7. ↑ "Velasquez House Bio". United States. U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved June 15, 2012.
  8. 1 2 3 "Representative Nydia M. Velázquez". VoteSmart. Retrieved June 15, 2012.
  9. ↑ Cadei, Emily (December 12, 2008). "New York Rep. Velázquez Out of Clinton Senate Seat Derby". CQPolitics.com. Retrieved December 20, 2008.
  10. ↑ About Nydia Velázquez: Committees and Caucus Memberships, Office of Nydia Velázquez (official website) (accessed April 10, 2016).
  11. ↑ Issues: Alternatives to War, Office of Nydia Velázquez (official website) (accessed April 10, 2016).
  12. ↑ "Rangel, Long, Meng, Jeffries, Velazquez Declared Winners In Primaries". NY 1. June 26, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
  13. 1 2 http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cycle=2012&type=I&cid=N00001102&newMem=N
  14. ↑ Wheaton, Sarah (June 22, 2012). "Velázquez and Dilan Clash in Debate Among Four Seeking House Seat". The New York Times.
  15. ↑ http://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/112-2012/h513
  16. 1 2 Bob Liff, Rep. Velazquez to Marry Printer, New York Daily News (November 17, 2000).
  17. ↑ Maite Junco, Dancing in the avenue: Q&A with Puerto Rican parade grand marshal Nydia Velázquez, New York Daily News (June 8, 2010).
  18. 1 2 3 4 Maria Newman, Candidate Faces Issue Of Suicide, New York Times (October 10, 1992).
  19. ↑ Rep. Velazquez Sues St. Clare's Hospital, New York Times (May 14, 1994). Retrieved November 13, 2016.
  20. ↑ Online court records for Nydia Velazquez v. St. Clare's Hospital, Index No. 015736/1994, Kings County Supreme Court, accessible in the WebCivil Supreme section of New York's eCourts website.
Political offices
Preceded by
Luis Olmedo		 Member of the New York City Council
from the 27th district
1984–1985 		Succeeded by
Victor Robles
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Major R. Owens		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 12th congressional district
1993–2013 		Succeeded by
Carolyn Maloney
Preceded by
Don Manzullo		 Chair of the House Small Business Committee
2007–2011 		Succeeded by
Sam Graves
Preceded by
Joe Baca		 Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus
2009–2011 		Succeeded by
Charlie Gonzalez
Preceded by
Joseph Crowley		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 7th congressional district
2013–present 		Incumbent
Current U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Bobby Scott
D-Illinois 		United States Representatives by seniority
47th 		Succeeded by
Bennie Thompson
D-Mississippi
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