Hispanic Americans in Congress, 1822-1995

JORGE LUIS CÓRDOVA DÍAZ

[Library of Congress]

Resident Commissioner
New Progressive of Puerto Rico

Ninety-first - Ninety-second Congresses
January 3, 1969 - January 3, 1973

Jorge Luis Córdova Díaz was born in Manati, Puerto Rico on April 20, 1907. In 1928 he graduated from The Catholic University of America and in 1931 received an LL.B. degree from Harvard University. From 1940 to 1945 he served as judge to the Superior Court of San Juan, followed by a two-year term on the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico.

In 1967 Córdova Díaz, a lifelong supporter of statehood for Puerto Rico, helped establish the New Progressive Party, and was elected Resident Commissioner the following year. He was elected to the Committees on Agriculture, Armed Services, and Interior and Insular Affairs. He had a special interest in drug abuse issues, introducing legislation to support programs on drug abuse prevention and rehabilitation of drug addicts. He also favored the suspension of aid to countries that failed to take steps to prevent drug trafficking into the United States. In conjunction with the Delegates from the Virgin Islands and Guam, Córdova Díaz worked to extend certain United States laws to these islands, including social security benefits and the Automobile Information Disclosure Act.

After an unsuccessful campaign for reelection in 1972, Córdova Díaz resumed a law practice in San Juan until 1984. He also served as president of the Puerto Rico American Insurance Company until 1984, and as chairman of the board from 1984 until his death on September 18, 1994.

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