A Historic First, Congressman Robert Garcia Finally Sworn-In to U.S. House of Representatives
Congressman Robert Garcia is the First LGBTQ+ Immigrant to Serve in Congress. He will be sworn in following a 3-day delay led by Republicans in disarray.
Congressman Garcia will be sworn in on the Constitution, with him he will have a photo of his late parents who he lost to the COVID-19 pandemic, his citizenship certificate, and comic book Superman #1 on loan from the Library of Congress.
Today, Congressman Robert Garcia was sworn in as United States Representative for California’s 42nd Congressional District, representing the people of Long Beach and Southeast Los Angeles in the 118th Congress.
“It is about time. The American people deserve a government who works for them, and now I can finally get to work for the people of California. As the first LGBTQ+ immigrant to serve in Congress, I am committed to building an inclusive, strong, and prosperous community. I will work with my colleagues to defend democracy, make meaningful progress on immigration reform, and improve the infrastructure in our cities to ensure that the families of Long Beach and Southeast Los Angeles can thrive for years to come. It is an honor to have been entrusted with representing my community here in Washington D.C. I will continue to put people over politics to deliver results for everyone back home. ”
Congressman Robert Garcia is a career educator, who served two terms as the Mayor of Long Beach, California. Congressman Garcia immigrated to the United States as a young child and was raised in Southern California, becoming a proud U.S. citizen in his twenties. Congressman Garcia believes in defending our democracy, leveling the playing field with progressive education policy, addressing the climate crisis, supporting working families with increasing wages, and fighting to expand and protect fundamental rights for women, immigrants, and the LGBTQ+ community.
He is married to Matthew Mendez Garcia, a professor of political science at California State University, Long Beach. He is proud to serve as the first openly LGBTQ foreign-born member of Congress. An admitted comic book nerd, Garcia credits comics with helping him learn to read and write English.
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