Summary
Current Position: US Representative of CA District 35 since 2015
Affiliation: Democrat
Former Positions: State Delegate from 2008 – 2013; Mayor Pomona from 2006 – 2008
District: in the Inland Empire, including the communities of Chino, Eastvale, Fontana, Montclair, Ontario, Pomona, Rancho Cucamonga, and Upland.
Upcoming Election:
Quotes:
I’m greatly thankful to be recognized by @Forbes_CA
as one of the #100MostPowerfulWomen in Central America – it’s an honor to be among these women that are making a difference.
Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA) On HHS Border Facility, Immigration | Ayman Mohyeldin | MSNBC
OnAir Post: Norma Torres CA-35
News
About
Source: Government page
Congresswoman Norma J. Torres represents California’s 35th Congressional District in the Inland Empire which includes Bloomington, Chino, Fontana, Montclair, Ontario, Pomona, and Rialto. She previously served as a State Senator, Assembly Member, and as a Mayor and Council Member in the City of Pomona. Throughout her career in elected office, she has worked to make government more responsive to the needs of Inland Empire residents.
As State Senator, Torres played a significant role in making the Affordable Care Act work for California’s patients and consumers. Her law to diversify the Covered California Board so that it would be better prepared to enroll the uninsured, earned her statewide recognition and national attention. As Chair of the Committee on Housing and Community Development, she led an effort that secured $2 billion in federal funds for the “Keep Your Home California” program, which helped thousands of families keep their homes during the foreclosure crisis. Fighting crime and making sure public safety systems are responsive to the needs of the community has been a lifelong priority for Torres. As a former 9-1-1 dispatcher, she drew on her expertise to author a law that modernized the 9-1-1 system—resulting in a system that now routes cell phone callers to their local police department, rather than a statewide hotline, during an emergency.
Now on her third term in Congress, Torres currently serves on the powerful House Appropriations and Rules Committees. The Appropriations Committee is responsible for appropriating all federal spending, domestic and abroad. As a member of the Rules Committee, she helps determine the consideration of all legislation on the House floor.
Previously, she served on the Foreign Affairs, Homeland Security, and Natural Resources Committees. As a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Torres worked to address the root causes of migration from Central America and has fought to ensure accountability and transparency for U.S. funds spent abroad. Notably, her amendment to require the Secretary of State to send Congress a list of corrupt officials in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala was adopted in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 and signed into law.
On the Homeland Security Committee, she worked to tackle the many serious national security challenges facing the nation. In the committee, Torres prioritized the need to address cybersecurity risks at the nation’s ports. Specifically, at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, where most of goods imported traverse the Inland Empire. In October 2018, her Strengthening Cybersecurity Information Sharing and Coordination in Our Ports Act was passed into law as part of the five-year reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration.
Torres also served on the Natural Resources Committee, where she championed initiatives that would strengthen Indian’s Country’s ability to become more self-sufficient and address the disturbing increase in murdered and missing Native American women. Her amendment to the National Landslide Preparedness Act that addresses increased risk of landslides and flooding due to wildfires passed in the House.
Torres immigrated to the United States from Guatemala at age five and is a longtime resident of the Inland Empire. She resides in Pomona with her husband Louis, and their two sons Robert and Matthew. Her third son, Christopher, is an Air Force veteran. Torres received her bachelor’s degree in Labor Studies from the National Labor College in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Personal
Full Name: Norma J. Torres
Gender: Female
Family: Husband: Louis; 3 Children: Robert, Matthew, Christopher
Birth Date: 04/04/1965
Birth Place: Guatemala
Home City: Covina, CA
Religion: Catholic
Source: Vote Smart
Education
Attended, Rio Hondo College
BA, Labor Studies, National Labor College, 2012
Attended, Mount Saint Antonio College, 1999-2000
Political Experience
Representative, United States House of Representatives, California, District 35, 2014-present
Candidate, United States House of Representatives, California, District 35, 2022
Senator, California State Senate, District 32, 2013-2014
Assembly Member, California State Assembly, District 52, 2008-2013
Mayor, City of Pomona, 2005-2008
Member, Pomona City Council, 2000-2005
Professional Experience
Instructor, Los Angeles Police Department
911 Dispatcher, Los Angeles Police Department, 1990-2008
Offices
Washington, DC Office
2227 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-6161
Fax: (202) 225-8671
Ontario Office
3200 Inland Empire Blvd.
Suite 200B
Ontario, CA 91764
Phone: (909) 481-6474
Fax: (909) 941-1362
Contact
Email: Government
Web Links
Politics
Source: none
Election Results
Learn more about legislation sponsored and co-sponsored by Congresswoman Torres.
Finances
Source: Open Secrets
Committees
Appropriations Committee
- Subcommittee on Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
- Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government
Committee on House Administration
- Subcommittee on Oversight, Ranking Member
- Subcommittee on Elections
Caucuses
- Central America Caucus, Chair
- New Americans Caucus, Chair
- Air Cargo Caucus, Co-Chair
- Ahmadiyya Caucus, Co-Chair
- Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, Vice Chair
- Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, Vice Chair
- Democratic Women’s Caucus, Outreach Task Force Co-Chair
- New Democrat Coalition, Affordable Housing Task Force Chair
- Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chair of Communications
- Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
- Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission
- Arthritis Caucus
- Animal Protection Caucus
- Caucus for Effective Foreign Assistance
- Congressional Equality Caucus
- Congressional Law Enforcement Caucus
- Congressional Native American Caucus
- Congressional Caucus of Former Local Elected Officials
- Former Mayors Caucus
- Homelessness Caucus
- House Democracy Partnership
- Job Corps Caucus
- NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus
- PORTS Caucus
- Poverty, Income Inequality, and Opportunity Task Force
Comité de Asignaciones
- Subcomité de Transporte, Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano y Agencias Afines
- Subcomité de Operaciones Estatales, Extranjeras y Programas Relacionados
- Subcomité de Servicios Financieros y Gobierno General
Comité de Administración de la Cámara
- Subcomité de Supervisión, Miembra Ranking
- Subcomité de Elecciones
Caucus
- Caucus de Centroamérica, Presidenta
- Caucus “New Americans,” Presidenta
- Caucus Carga Aérea, Copresidenta
- Caucus Ahmadiyya, Copresidenta
- Caucus del Congreso “Pro-Choice,” Vicepresidenta
- Grupo de trabajo para la prevención de violencia por arma de fuego, Vicepresidenta
- Caucus de Mujeres Demócratas
- Coalición del demócratas nuevos
- El Caucus Hispano, Vvicepresidenta de comunicaciones
- Caucus Asiático-Pacífico Americano del Congreso
- Comisión de Derechos Humanos Tom Lantos
- Caucus de artritis
- Caucus de protección de animales
- Caucus “Effective Foreign Assistance”
- Caucus de Igualdad del Congreso
- Caucus de Fuerzas de Orden del Congreso
- Caucus de Nativos Americanos del Congreso
- Caucus de ex miembros electos locales del Congreso
- Caucus de Ex Alcaldes
- Caucus de “Homelessness”
- La Asociación para la Democracia de la Cámara de Representantes
- Caucus de “Job Corps”
- Caucus “NextGen 9-1-1”
- Caucus “PORTS”
- Grupo de trabajo sobre la pobreza, la desigualdad de Ingresos y Oportunidades
New Legislation
Sponsored and Cosponsored
Issues
Source: Government page
More Information
Services
Source: Government page
District
Source: Wikipedia
California’s 35th congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in California. The district is currently represented by Democrat Norma Torres.
The district is based in the Inland Empire, including the communities of Chino, Eastvale, Fontana, Montclair, Ontario, Pomona, Rancho Cucamonga, and Upland.
Wikipedia
Norma Judith Torres (née Barillas (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]
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] She originally arrived on a tourist visa, but became a legal resident in her teens and gained citizenship in 1992.[5]
Torres worked as a 9-1-1 dispatcher, and in 1994 led a campaign to require the hiring of bilingual 9-1-1 operators.[6] She was an active member of AFSCME, serving as local 3090’s shop steward.[citation needed] She served on the Pomona city council before being elected the city’s mayor in 2006.[5] In 2008, Torres 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.[7][4]
U.S. House of Representatives
Torres was elected to the U.S. House of Representative for California’s 35th congressional district in 2014, defeating Christina Gagnier (D) with 63.5% of the vote.[8] She was reelected in 2016, defeating Tyler Fischella (R) with 72.4% of the vote.[8] In 2018, Torres received 69.4% of the vote to defeat Christian Valiente (R),[8] and in 2020, she defeated Republican Mike Cargile with 69.3%.
After being reelected to the House in November 2022, Torres accused President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador of interfering in her race. Bukele had urged voters to oppose Torres.[9]
Committee assignments
For the 118th Congress:[10]
- Committee on Appropriations
- Committee on House Administration
- Subcommittee on Elections
- Subcommittee on Oversight (Ranking Member)
Caucus memberships
Political positions
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Abortion
As of 2022, Torres has a 100% rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America and an F rating from the Susan B. Anthony List for her abortion-related voting record.[14][15] She opposed the overturning of Roe v. Wade, calling it “devastating” and saying it set back “our country decades, reversing so many years of hard-fought progress” for women.[16]
Big Tech
In 2022, Torres was one of 16 Democrats to vote against the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act of 2021, an antitrust package that would crack down on corporations for anti-competitive behavior.[17][18]
Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023
Torres was among the 46 Democrats who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.[19]
Personal life
Torres is married to Louis Torres. They live in Pomona, California.[20] They have three sons, including Robert Torres, a Pomona City Council member.
See also
- List of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
References
- ^ Kevin Freking A child of Guatemala seeks a seat in Congress
- ^ a b 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
- ^ a b “Biography”. house.gov. n.d. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
- ^ a b Huetteman, Emmarie (February 15, 2015). “Dangers Propelled Norma Torres to Move to U.S., Then to Politics”. The New York Times. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
- ^ a b Kevin Freking (September 6, 1994). “A child of Guatemala seeks a seat in Congress”. Associated Press. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
- ^ “Congresswoman Norma Torres”. Federal Communications Commission. April 17, 2019. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
- ^ “Biography”. Congresswoman Norma Torres. December 11, 2012. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
- ^ a b c “California’s 35th Congressional District”. Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
- ^ Sesin, Carmen (November 28, 2022). “State Department says Salvadorans’ attempts to ‘directly influence’ a U.S. congressional election are ‘unacceptable’“. NBC News. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ^ “Norma J. Torres”. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
- ^ “Members”. New Democrat Coalition. Archived from the original on February 8, 2018. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
- ^ “Members”. Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Archived from the original on May 15, 2018. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
- ^ “Members”. Congressional NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
- ^ “Congressional Record”. NARAL Pro-Choice America. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ^ “Norma Torres”. SBA Pro-Life America. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ^ @NormaJTorres (June 24, 2022). “Register” (Tweet). Retrieved June 28, 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ “House passes antitrust bill that hikes M&A fees as larger efforts targeting tech have stalled”. CNBC. September 29, 2022.
- ^ “H.R. 3843: Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act of 2022 — House Vote #460 — Sep 29, 2022”.
- ^ Gans, Jared (May 31, 2023). “Republicans and Democrats who bucked party leaders by voting no”. The Hill. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
- ^ Yingling, Jennifer (November 7, 2018). “Torres”. The Hill. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
External links
- Congresswoman Norma Torres official U.S. House website
- Norma Torres for Congress campaign website
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
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