Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Speaker-To-Be Pelosi Names Rep. Becerra to Senior Leadership Post

'The new direction is the right direction for America'

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi (CA-8) today tapped Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), a 14-year veteran of the House and the only congressional member from Southern California on the House Committee on Ways and Means, as her designee to serve as Assistant to the Speaker.

Under the rules that govern the House Democratic Caucus, the Assistant to the Speaker is nominated by the Speaker-elect and is ratified by a vote of the Caucus. The Democratic Caucus will meet in early January at which time it will confirm Rep. Becerra to serve in this senior leadership post.

Following today's formal announcement by the Speaker, Rep. Becerra issued the following statement:

"I want to thank the Speaker for her trust and confidence in me as we all begin this new, exciting journey. The New Direction is the right direction for America, and I look forward to helping Speaker Pelosi and my colleagues in the House implement this forward thinking policy agenda."

In a release announcing the appointment, Speaker-elect Pelosi had this to say about Rep. Becerra:

"Congressman Xavier Becerra's keen intellect and substantive policy expertise will be crucial in charting a new course for America's working families. As a member of the Ways and Means Committee, he has been a strong leader in mapping out a new direction on trade, Social Security, and federal taxes. As former Chair of the Hispanic Caucus, he has proven himself a national leader on issues of importance to the Latino community and his appointment to the new Democratic Leadership will strengthen the voices of Latinos across the country."