Norma Torres

Norma Judith Torres, née Barillas (/ˈtɒrɛs/; born April 4, 1965)[2] is an American politician. She is a member of the United States House of Representatives for California's 35th congressional district. Previously, she was a member of the California State Senate representing the 35th district. She is a member of the Democratic Party.[3]

Norma Torres
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 35th district
Assumed office
January 3, 2015
Preceded byGloria Negrete McLeod
Member of the California State Senate
from the 35th district
In office
May 20, 2013 – November 30, 2014
Preceded byGloria Negrete McLeod
Succeeded byConnie Leyva (Redistricted)
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 52nd district
61st district (2008–2012)
In office
December 1, 2008 – May 20, 2013
Preceded byNell Soto
Succeeded byFreddie Rodriguez
Mayor of Pomona
In office
April 3, 2006 – December 1, 2008
Preceded byEdward Cortez
Succeeded byElliot Rothman
Member of the Pomona City Council
from the 6th district
In office
January 8, 2001 – April 3, 2006
Preceded byWillie White
Succeeded bySteven Bañales
Personal details
Born
Norma Judith Barillas[1]

(1965-04-04) April 4, 1965
Escuintla, Guatemala
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Louis Torres
Children3
EducationMt. San Antonio College
Rio Hondo College
National Labor College (BA)
WebsiteHouse website

Early life and career

Torres was born Norma Judith Barillas in Guatemala.[2] When she was five, she and her uncle came to the United States; her mother died a year later.[4][3] Although she had originally arrived on a tourist visa, she became a legal resident in her teens and gained citizenship in 1992. [5]

She worked as a 9-1-1 dispatcher, where in 1994 she led a campaign to require the hiring of bilingual 9-1-1 operators. She was an active member of AFSCME, serving as local 3090's shop steward. She served on the Pomona city council prior to being elected the city's mayor in 2006.[5] In 2008, she endorsed then-presidential candidate Barack Obama before Hillary Clinton withdrew from the race, and was a superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention. She was elected to the State Assembly in November 2008, filling the vacancy left by former legislator Nell Soto, who retired. She earned her bachelor's degree in Labor Studies from the now defunct National Labor College in Maryland in 2012 at the age of 47. [6][4]

Norma has one grandchild. Her oldest son is current Pomona City Councilmember Robert Torres.

U.S. House of Representatives

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Controversial remarks

On June 6, 2019, Rep. Norma Torres, D-Calif., was debating Republicans about language in the fiscal 2020 Health and Human Services spending bill. Rep. Ross Spano, R-Fla., said during floor debate that the spending bill includes provisions that weaken anti-abortion protections, including conscience protection rules for doctors and nurses who do not want to perform abortions. But Torres dismissed Spano’s opposition as sexist. “It is tiring to hear from so many sex-starved males on this floor talk about a woman’s right to choose,” Torres said.[10]

See also

References
  1. Kevin Freking A child of Guatemala seeks a seat in Congress
  2. Chief Clerk of the California State Assembly, Secretary of the California State Senate, 2009-10 California Legislature (PDF), State of California, archived from the original (PDF) on November 16, 2010, retrieved August 11, 2011
  3. "Biography". house.gov. n.d. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  4. "Dangers Propelled Norma Torres to Move to U.S., Then to Politics". Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  5. Kevin Freking (September 6, 1994). "A child of Guatemala seeks a seat in Congress". Associated Press. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  6. "Biography". Congresswoman Norma Torres. December 11, 2012. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  7. "Members". New Democrat Coalition. Archived from the original on February 8, 2018. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
  8. "Members". Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Archived from the original on May 15, 2018. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  9. "Members". Congressional NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  10. https://www.rollcall.com/news/congress/sex-starved-males-comment-sets-off-house-floor-kerfuffle
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Gloria Negrete McLeod		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 35th congressional district
2015–present		 Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Elise Stefanik		 United States Representatives by seniority
275th		 Succeeded by
Mark Walker
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