Washington, DC (December 19, 2008) – Congressman Rubén Hinojosa, today released the following statement commending President-Elect Barack Obama’s nomination of Congresswoman Hilda Solis for Secretary of Labor.

“The nomination of Congresswoman Hilda Solis is wonderful news for the Hispanic community and our nation as a whole. Congresswoman Solis has long been an advocate for America’s hardworking men and women and I can think of no better person to repair an agency that has been out of touch with the American workforce for the last eight years.

“In Congress, I have witnessed Congresswoman Solis’s commitment to promoting much-needed improvements to our workforce investment programs. She is a tireless champion of strengthening not only our country’s competitiveness through the Green Jobs Act, but the skills of our labor force through access to job training and English as a Second Language programs. I look forward to working with her as she continues to fight for America’s working families.”  

Congressman Hinojosa chairs the Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness Subcommittee, which is charged with the reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). This legislation creates a comprehensive job training system that allows individuals to better access essential job training and employment services. Congressman Hinojosa and the Education and Labor Committee will be working with both the Departments of Labor and Education to reauthorize this critical bill next year.

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