[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 78 (Thursday, June 7, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1043]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E1043]]



        TRIBUTE TO ADELANTE EAGLE AWARD RECIPIENT TONY CARDENAS

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JOE BACA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 7, 2001

  Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to salute Assemblyman Tony Cardenas, a 
recipient of the 2001 Adelante Eagle Award.
  Adelante and the California Migrant Leadership Council is dedicated 
to empowering the Latino community in California by developing 
opportunities in education, economic development and the political 
process.
  The Adelante Eagle Award is presented annually to individuals who 
have made a commitment to California and have made positive 
contributions to the betterment of our community.
  Past Eagle Award recipients include Congressman Joe Baca, 
Congresswoman Grace Napolitano, Educators Mario Muniz, Carolyn and Jim 
Bartleson, Jim White, Business persons Mary Lou Gomez and Maria Dolores 
Andrade, just to name a few.
  Assemblyman Tony Cardenas was first elected to the California State 
Assembly in 1996 to represent the Northeast San Fernando Valley. The 
youngest of eleven children, Tony is the product of a modest 
upbringing, rich in the values of hard work and discipline. As a 
result, he achieved scholastic, professional, and political success.
  Assemblyman Cardenas graduated with an Electronic Engineering degree 
from the University of California at Santa Barbara where he was on the 
Dean's Honor List. After graduation, he worked at Hewlett Packard as an 
Engineering Specialist. Later he owned and was president of a real 
estate company in the San Fernando Valley.
  During his first term in the Assembly, Assemblyman Cardenas was the 
only freshman member to serve on both of the influential Assembly 
fiscal committees: Appropriations and Budget. He also chaired the 
Budget Subcommittee on Transportation and Information Technology and 
the Select Committee on Indian Gaming.
  In his second term, Assemblyman Cardenas was elected Chairman of the 
Assembly Democratic Caucus, which is one of the top leadership posts in 
the Assembly. His duties included maintaining a Democratic majority and 
formulating a public policy agenda for a productive California. He 
served on Assembly Committees on Utilities and Commerce; Budget; 
Banking and Finance; Governmental Organizations; Elections, 
Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments; and Budget Subcommittee 
on Resources. Assemblyman Cardenas continued to chair the Select 
Committee on Indian Gaming. In June of 2000 Assemblyman Cardenas was 
named Chairman of the Assembly's Budget Committee. As Chairman, he is 
responsible for overseeing the State's $100 billion budget.
  In recognition of his hard work and success in the California 
Assembly, Cardenas received numerous awards including Legislator of the 
Year from the California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, California 
Indian Legal Services, High Tech Legislator of the Year, American 
Electronics Association, and Humanitarian Awards from the Valley Family 
Center and the City of San Fernando.
  Assemblyman Cardenas envisions government as a tool to assist 
citizens on the local level and believes it can serve as a platform to 
enhance the quality of life, as evidenced by his legislative agenda. 
His priority issues include reforming our juvenile justice system, 
developing strong local economies by encouraging community businesses 
and assuring our children greater access to education for both 
immediate and long-term success. He has also sought to streamline 
government, allowing agencies to improve their services for people 
statewide and address the quality of healthcare for Californians.
  For all that he has done on behalf of the Latino community, we salute 
Tony Cardenas.

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