Nydia Velázquez

Velázquez was born in the town of Limones in the municipality of Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, on March 28, 1953.{{Cite web |title=Hispanic Americans in Congress -- Velázquez |url=https://www.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/congress/velazquez.html |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=Library of Congress}} She grew up in a small house on the Río Limones with eight other siblings.Deborah Sontag, [https://www.nytimes.com/1992/11/02/nyregion/puerto-rican-born-favorite-treated-like-outsider.html?pagewanted=all Puerto Rican-Born Favorite Treated Like Outsider], New York Times (November 2, 1992).{{Cite news |last=Newman |first=Maria |date=1992-09-27 |title=From Puerto Rico to Congress, a Determined Path |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/09/27/nyregion/from-puerto-rico-to-congress-a-determined-path.html |access-date=2023-11-18 |issn=0362-4331}}Mary B. W. Tabor, [https://www.nytimes.com/1992/09/17/nyregion/1992-campaign-12th-district-woman-loyalty-labor-nydia-m-velazquez.html The 1992 Campaign: 12th District Woman in the News; Loyalty and Labor; Nydia M. Velazquez], New York Times (September 17, 1992). Her mother was Carmen Luisa Serrano Medina, and her father, Benito Velázquez Rodríguez, was a low-income worker in the sugarcane fields who became a self-taught political activist and the founder of a local political party; he was also listed as "Black" on the 1940 U.S. census.{{Cite web |title=Benito Velázquez Y Rodríguez in the 1940 Census {{!}} Ancestry |url=https://www.ancestry.com/1940-census/usa/Puerto-Rico/Benito-Vel%c3%a1zquez-Y-Rodr%c3%adguez_5nzbxb |access-date=2023-11-18 |website=www.ancestry.com |language=en}} Political conversations at the Velázquez dinner table focused on workers' rights.

Velázquez attended public schools and skipped three grades as a child. She became the first person in her family to graduate from high school. At age 16, she became a student at University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras. In 1974, she received a B.A. degree in political science, magna cum laude, and became a teacher. In college, Velázquez supported Puerto Rican independence; by the time she ran for Congress in 1992, Velázquez no longer addressed the issue, saying that it must be left up to the Puerto Rican people.

In 1976, Velázquez received an M.A. degree in political science from New York University. She served as an instructor of political science at the University of Puerto Rico at Humacao from 1976 to 1981. After returning to New York City, Velázquez was an adjunct professor of Puerto Rican studies at Hunter College from 1981 to 1983.

In 1983, Velázquez was special assistant to Representative Edolphus Towns, a Democrat representing New York's 10th congressional district in Brooklyn.

In 1984, Howard Golden (then the Brooklyn Borough president and chairman of the Brooklyn Democratic Party)Frank Lynn, [https://www.nytimes.com/1984/08/16/nyregion/democrats-in-brooklyn-face-hispanic-demand.html Democrats in Brooklyn Face Hispanic Demand], New York Times (August 16, 1984). named Velázquez to fill a vacant seat on the New York City Council, making her the first Hispanic woman to serve on the council. Velázquez ran for election to the council in 1986, but lost to a challenger.

From May 1986 to July 1989, Velázquez was national director of the Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources' Migration Division Office. In 1989 the governor of Puerto Rico named her the director of the Department of Puerto Rican Community Affairs in the United States. In this role, according to a 1992 The New York Times profile, "Velazquez solidified her reputation that night as a street-smart and politically savvy woman who understood the value of solidarity and loyalty to other politicians, community leaders and organized labor."

Velázquez pioneered {{lang|es|Atrévete Con Tu Voto}}, a program that aims to politically empower Latinos in the United States through voter registration and other projects. The {{lang|es|Atrévete}} project spread from New York to Hartford, Connecticut; New Jersey; Chicago; and Boston, helping Hispanic candidates secure electoral wins.Carol Hardy-Fanta, with Jaime Rodríguez, Latino Voter Registration Efforts in Massachusetts: Un Pasito Más" in Latino Politics in Massachusetts: Struggles, Strategies, and Prospects (eds: Carol Hardy-Fanta & Jeffrey N. Gerson: Routledge, 2002), pp. 253-54.

Velázquez has been an advocate for human and civil rights of the Puerto Rican people. In the late 1990s and the 2000s, she was a leader in the Vieques movement, which sought to stop the United States military from using the inhabited island as a bomb testing ground. In May 2000, Velázquez was one of nearly 200 people arrested (including fellow Representative Luis Gutiérrez) for refusing to leave the natural habitat the US military wished to continue using as a bombing range.{{cite news |author=Morales, Ed |date=May 11, 2000 |title=The Battle of Vieques |publisher=The Nation |url=https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/battle-vieques/ |url-access=limited}} Velázquez was ultimately successful: in May 2003, the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Training Facility on Vieques Island was closed, and in May 2004, the U.S. Navy's last remaining base on Puerto Rico, the Roosevelt Roads Naval Station – which employed 1,000 local contractors and contributed $300 million to the local economy – was closed.[https://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/03/national/after-closing-of-navy-base-hard-times-in-puerto-rico.html New York Times: "After Closing of Navy Base, Hard Times in Puerto Rico"] April 3, 2005[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-jan-12-na-vieques12-story.html Los Angeles Times: "Navy Makes Plans Without Vieques – Use of bombing ranges in Florida and other U.S. mainland areas will increase after Puerto Rican island training ground is abandoned"] January 12, 2003 Admiral Robert J. Natter, commander of the Atlantic Fleet, is on record as saying: "Without Vieques there is no way I need the Navy facilities at Roosevelt Roads — none. It's a drain on Defense Department and taxpayer dollars."

File:Nydia M. Velázquez 113th Congress.jpg

Velázquez ran for Congress in the 1992 election, seeking a seat in the New York's newly drawn 12th congressional district, which was drawn as a majority-Hispanic district. She won the Democratic primary, defeating nine-term incumbent Stephen J. Solarz, who was heavily damaged by the House banking scandal, and four Hispanic candidates.

{{See also|2010 United States House of Representatives elections in New York#District 12}}

Velázquez's 2010 campaign income was $759,359. She came out of this campaign about $7,736 in debt. Her top contributors included Goldman Sachs, the American Bankers Association, the National Roofing Contractors Association and the National Telephone Cooperative Association.{{cite web |title=Representative Nydia M. Velázquez |url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/26975/nydia-velazquez |access-date=June 15, 2012 |publisher=Vote Smart}}

{{See also|2012 United States House of Representatives elections in New York#District 7}}

Velázquez, who was redistricted into the 7th congressional district, defeated her challengers to win the Democratic nomination.{{cite news|title=Rangel, Long, Meng, Jeffries, Velazquez Declared Winners In Primaries|url=http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/163756/rangel--long--meng--jeffries--velazquez-declared-winners-in-primaries|access-date=July 26, 2012|newspaper=NY 1|date=June 26, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120629232745/http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/163756/rangel--long--meng--jeffries--velazquez-declared-winners-in-primaries|archive-date=June 29, 2012|url-status=dead}} Her top contributors included Goldman Sachs, the American Bankers Association and the Independent Community Bankers of America.{{Cite web|url=https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/summary?cid=N00001102&cycle=2012&newMem=N&type=I |title=Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez – Campaign Finance Summary | publisher=OpenSecrets}}

On September 29, 2008, Velázquez voted for the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. On November 19, 2008, she was elected by her peers in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to lead the group in the 111th Congress.

Before removing her name from consideration, she was considered a possible candidate to be appointed to the United States Senate by Governor David Paterson after Senator Hillary Clinton resigned to become secretary of state.{{cite news | first=Emily | last=Cadei | title=New York Rep. Velázquez Out of Clinton Senate Seat Derby | date=December 12, 2008 |url=http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000002997456 | work=CQPolitics.com | access-date=December 20, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081224085811/http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000002997456 | archive-date=December 24, 2008 | url-status=dead }}

Among Velázquez's firsts are: the first Hispanic woman to serve on the New York City Council; the first Puerto Rican woman to serve in Congress; and the first woman Ranking Democratic Member of the House Small Business Committee in 1998. She became the first woman to chair the United States House Committee on Small Business in January 2007 as well as the first Hispanic woman to chair a House standing committee.

Valazquez voted with President Joe Biden's stated position 100% of the time in the 117th Congress, according to a FiveThirtyEight analysis.{{Cite web |last=Bycoffe |first=Aaron |last2=Wiederkehr |first2=Anna |date=2021-04-22 |title=Does Your Member Of Congress Vote With Or Against Biden? |url=https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-congress-votes/house/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210522014239/https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-congress-votes/house/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 22, 2021 |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=FiveThirtyEight |language=en}}

Velázquez was among the 46 Democrats who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4029522-republicans-and-democrats-who-bucked-party-leaders-by-voting-no/|title=Republicans and Democrats who bucked party leaders by voting no|first=Jared|last=Gans|date=May 31, 2023|access-date=June 6, 2023|work=The Hill}}

In September 2024, Nydia M. Velázquez presented a federal bill called the "Mel Law," which guarantees posthumous degrees to students who die before completing their mandatory studies.{{Cite web|url=https://amsterdamnews.com/news/2024/09/26/rep-velazquez-introduces-mels-law-at-federal-level/|title=Rep. Velazquez introduces Mel’s Law at the federal level|first=Karen|last=Juanita Carillo|date=September 26, 2024|access-date=September 30, 2024|work=Amsterdam News}}

• Committee on Financial Services{{Cite web |title=Committee Members |url=https://financialservices.house.gov/about/members.htm |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=Financial Services Committee |language=en}}
• Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit;{{Cite web |title=Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Monetary Policy |url=https://financialservices.house.gov/118th-congress-subcommittees/subcommittee-on-financial-institutions-and-monetary-policy.htm |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=Financial Services Committee}}
• Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity;
• Committee on Small Business (chair){{Cite web |title=Membership |url=https://democrats-smallbusiness.house.gov/about/membership.htm |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=Small Business Committee}}
• Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis{{Cite web |date=2020-04-29 |title=Pelosi Names Select Members to Bipartisan House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis |url=https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/42920 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200511095523/https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/42920 |archive-date=May 11, 2020 |access-date=2020-05-11 |website=Speaker Nancy Pelosi |language=en}}

• Congressional Hispanic Caucus{{cite web|title=Members|url=https://congressionalhispaniccaucus-lujangrisham.house.gov/members|publisher=Congressional Hispanic Caucus|access-date=15 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180515183838/https://congressionalhispaniccaucus-lujangrisham.house.gov/members|archive-date=May 15, 2018|url-status=dead}}
• Congressional Progressive Caucus{{cite web |title=Caucus Members |url=https://progressives.house.gov/caucus-members |access-date=30 January 2018 |publisher=Congressional Progressive Caucus}}
• Women's Issues Caucus{{Cite web |title=The Women's Caucus |url=https://www.wcpinst.org/our-work/the-womens-caucus/ |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=Women's Congressional Policy Institute |language=en-US}}
• Urban Caucus[http://velazquez.house.gov/about/committees-caucuses.shtml About Nydia Velázquez: Committees and Caucus Memberships]
• Office of Nydia Velázquez (official website) (accessed April 10, 2016)
• House Baltic Caucus{{cite web|title=Members|url=http://housebalticcaucus.webs.com/members|publisher=House Baltic Caucus|access-date=21 February 2018}}
• Congressional Arts Caucus{{cite web|title=Membership|url=https://artscaucus-slaughter.house.gov/membership|publisher=Congressional Arts Caucus|access-date=23 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612140644/https://artscaucus-slaughter.house.gov/membership|archive-date=June 12, 2018|url-status=dead}}
• Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus{{cite web|title=Members|url=https://capac-chu.house.gov/members|publisher=Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus|access-date=24 May 2018}}
• Climate Solutions Caucus{{cite web |title=90 Current Climate Solutions Caucus Members |url=https://citizensclimatelobby.org/climate-solutions-caucus/ |access-date=20 October 2018 |publisher=Citizen's Climate Lobby}}
• Medicare for All Caucus
• Blue Collar Caucus
• Rare Disease Caucus{{cite web|title=Rare Disease Congressional Caucus|author=|url=https://everylifefoundation.org/rare-advocates/rarecaucus/rarecaucus-members/|format=|publisher=Every Life Foundation for Rare Diseases|date=|accessdate=13 January 2025}}
• United States–China Working Group{{cite web|title=Our Mission|author=|url=https://larsen.house.gov/uscwg/ |format=|publisher=U.S.-China Working Group|date=|accessdate=28 February 2025}}

Velázquez was formerly a member of the Congressional Out of Iraq Caucus.[https://web.archive.org/web/20160420101201/http://velazquez.house.gov/issues/iraq.shtml Issues: Alternatives to War], Office of Nydia Velázquez (official website) (accessed April 10, 2016).

Velázquez, also known as "la luchadora",[https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/21/nyregion/congresswoman-nydia-m-velazquezs-biggest-foe-isnt-on-the-ballot.html New York Times: "The Biggest Rival for a Congresswoman From Brooklyn Isn't Even on the Ballot" by Sarah Wheaton] June 20, 2012 married Brooklyn-based printer Paul Bader in 2000.Bob Liff, [http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/boroughs/rep-velazquez-marry-printer-article-1.881629 Rep. Velazquez to Marry Printer], New York Daily News (November 17, 2000). It was her second marriage. In November 2002, New York City Comptroller Bill Thompson controversially hired Bader as an administrative manager in the Bureau of Law and Adjudications, joining Joyce Miller, wife of Representative Jerry Nadler, and Chirlane McCray, wife of City Councilman Bill de Blasio.[http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/nydia-husband-hired-joins-controller-staff-article-1.511321 New York Daily News: "Nydia's Husband Gets Hired – He joins controller staff" by Celeste Katz] November 22, 2002 In 2010, Velázquez and Bader were in the process of divorce.Maite Junco, [http://www.nydailynews.com/latino/dancing-avenue-q-puerto-rican-parade-grand-marshal-nydia-velazquez-article-1.181823 Dancing in the avenue: Q&A with Puerto Rican parade grand marshal Nydia Velázquez], New York Daily News (June 8, 2010).

In October 1992, during her first campaign for the House, an unknown person at Saint Clare's Hospital in Manhattan anonymously faxed to the press Velázquez's hospital records pertaining to a suicide attempt in 1991.Maria Newman, [https://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/10/nyregion/candidate-faces-issue-of-suicide.html Candidate Faces Issue Of Suicide], New York Times (October 10, 1992). At a subsequent press conference, Velázquez acknowledged that she had attempted suicide that year while suffering from clinical depression. She said that she underwent counseling and "emerged stronger and more committed to public service." She expressed outrage at the leak of personal health records and asked the Manhattan district attorney and the state attorney general to investigate. Velázquez sued the hospital in 1994, alleging that the hospital had failed to protect her privacy.[https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/14/nyregion/rep-velazquez-sues-st-clare-s-hospital.html Rep. Velazquez Sues St. Clare's Hospital], New York Times (May 14, 1994). Retrieved November 13, 2016. The lawsuit was settled in 1997.{{Citation|last=Cavinato|first=Joseph L.|title=YYYY|date=2000|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4591-0_25|work=Supply Chain and Transportation Dictionary|pages=337–338|place=Boston, MA|publisher=Springer US|doi=10.1007/978-1-4615-4591-0_25 |isbn=978-1-4613-7074-1 |access-date=2021-10-03|url-access=subscription}}Online court records for Nydia Velazquez v. St. Clare's Hospital, Index No. 015736/1994, Kings County Supreme Court, accessible in the WebCivil Supreme section of New York's [https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcivil/ecourtsMain eCourts] website.

Velázquez is Catholic.{{Cite web |date=2022-11-27 |title=Nydia Velázquez, Representative for New York – The Presidential Prayer Team |url=https://www.presidentialprayerteam.org/2022/11/27/nydia-velazquez-representative-for-new-york/ |access-date=2023-11-18 |language=en-US}}

{{Portal|Biography|Puerto Rico}}

• List of Puerto Ricans
• History of women in Puerto Rico
• List of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress
• Women in the United States House of Representatives

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{{reflist|2}}

{{Commons category|Nydia Velázquez}}

• [https://velazquez.house.gov/ Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez] official U.S. House website
• [http://www.nydiamvelazquez.com/ Nydia Velázquez for Congress]

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Category:1953 births

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