Austin - State Sen. José Rodríguez, has been elected by his colleagues to be the next Chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus (SDC). Sen. Rodríguez made the following statement:
I appreciate and thank the outgoing Chair, Senator Kirk Watson of Austin, for his leadership and efforts over the past two legislative sessions. I am honored to lead the SDC as we approach the 2016 election and the 2017 legislative session.
We are blessed to live in a state with abundant resources, both in terms of natural resources and our people. In recent years, the state has experienced economic growth where we’ve been fortunate to operate without a looming budget deficit. However, this success has yet to be felt by everyday Texans who are working harder to make ends meet.
Democrats have great ideas and a vision for the state, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to improve our schools, access to health care, and economic opportunity for all Texas families.
We will also continue to fight efforts to discriminate against Texans because of their race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation, as well as any attempt to unfairly target hard-working immigrants who are a vital part of our state.
As Democrats, we value and strive for justice, equality, and inclusion. It is my privilege to lead these efforts.
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José Rodríguez represents Texas Senate District 29, which includes the counties of El Paso, Hudspeth, Culberson, Jeff Davis, and Presidio. He represents both urban and rural constituencies, and more than 350 miles of the Texas-Mexico border. Senator Rodríguez currently serves as the Chairman of the Senate Hispanic Caucus, and is a member of the Senate Committees on Education; Health and Human Services; Veteran Affairs and Military Installations; Nominations; and Agriculture, Water, and Rural Affairs.