[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 172 (Thursday, November 19, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2835]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              EDUARDO PENA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN T. SALAZAR

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 19, 2009

  Mr. SALAZAR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a man who has 
dedicated his life to serving others. Mr. Eduardo Pena's lifelong 
commitment to public service and the Hispanic American community are to 
be commended.
  Pena, a native of Laredo, Texas, is a 1957 graduate of the University 
of Texas in Austin with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Marketing. He 
received his law degree in 1967 from Catholic University in Washington, 
D.C., while working full time for the Department of Labor.
  Pena has a long and distinguished career in public service, working 
for the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the U.S. Senate, and the Equal 
Employment Opportunity Commission. He is a two time recipient, 1968 and 
1969, of the DOL's award for meritorious achievement.
  In 1979, he resigned from government service to enter private law 
practice. However, this did not prevent him from engaging in a number 
of community service activities.
  In 1978 he was elected president of the League of United Latin 
American Citizens (LULAC), where he served for one year and used his 
expertise to ensure civil rights for Latinos. Today, Pena remains 
heavily involved in LULAC as a volunteer and his wife, Ada, serves as 
the State Director for the District of Columbia.
  Earlier this year Eduardo Pena stepped down as General Counsel for 
the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), a pro bono post he 
held since March 1978.
  In this role he committed his own time and energy to providing pro 
bono expert legal counsel and guidance to an organization that has 
grown dramatically since he began his work.
  His efforts have assisted thousands of young Latinos to achieve a 
college education and take the first steps towards launching a 
successful career in public service and many other fields.
  CHCI's growth and advancement as an organization have taken place 
thanks to the dedication Eduardo Pena has demonstrated for more than 
three decades.
  Madam Speaker, I extend my sincere gratitude for more than 30 years 
of service to CHCI and a lifetime of contributions to the Hispanic 
American community and the nation.

                          ____________________