WASHINGTON, DC -The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), the preeminent Latino leadership organization, today announced that New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson will receive the group’s Edward R. Roybal Award for Outstanding Public Service on June 26 during NALEO’s 25th Annual Conference in Washington, D.C.

The yearly award pays tribute to the organization’s founder, the late Congressman Edward R. Roybal, and recognizes exemplary service by a Latino elected or appointed official whose work has given meaningful voice to the people they serve and to the Latino community. 

This year, NALEO will honor the former Democratic presidential candidate at the Edward R. Roybal Legacy Gala, the conference’s signature social event, for his illustrious public service as Secretary of Energy, United Nations Ambassador, member of Congress and member of the NALEO Board of Directors. 

Prior to the formal presentation of the award by NALEO Educational Fund Board Member Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, daughter of the late Congressman, the event will feature several tributes to Gov. Richardson by his former colleagues, including House Ways and Means Chairman Rep. Charles Rangel, former Rep. Esteban Torres and former New Mexico Speaker of the House of Representatives Raymond G. Sanchez. 

“Gov. Richardson’s long and extraordinary career demonstrates his strong regard for public service and his commitment over the years to the country and to Latino causes, and it serves as an inspiration for all of us in public life,” said NALEO President and Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion.

“I’m delighted that my former House colleague and friend, Gov. Richardson, will be receiving the Edward R. Roybal Award for Outstanding Public Service,” said Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard.   “His leadership and compassion for the Latino community have been instrumental in drawing national attention to the issues Americans care about and driving so many others to take a more active role in the policies that shape their lives.  I can think of no one more deserving.

Gov. Richardson represented New Mexico’s 3rd Congressional District for 15 years before he was nominated by President Bill Clinton to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations in 1997.  In 1998, he was unanimously confirmed as Secretary of Energy, leading the Department as it confronted the challenge of rising gas prices, securing nuclear weapons labs and finding clean and renewable sources of energy.  Gov. Richardson has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Price five times for his advocacy of human rights and other diplomatic endeavors.

NALEO’s conference will convene nearly 1,000 Latino officials and their supporters from across the nation, at every level of elected office, along with U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, Treasurer Anna Escobedo Cabral, Sen. Robert Menendez and Sen. Ken Salazar, and Former Secretary Henry Cisneros.  Leading experts will join officials to discuss the significant role Latino voters will play in the 2008 elections, and will also address a broad policy agenda, including sustainable growth, education, global competitiveness, health care and immigration reform.

NALEO has also invited the presumptive Democratic and Republican presidential nominees to answer questions from attendees in separate candidate forums.  At last year’s NALEO conference in Orlando, Florida, Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) committed to attend the forum if he became the party’s presumptive nominee.  Details to follow in subsequent advisories.

To view a full conference agenda and registration info, please visit http://www.naleo.org/annualconference

NALEO 25thAnnual Conference and Presidential Candidate Forum
and Edward R. Roybal Legacy Gala

NALEO, the nation’s membership organization of Latino public servants and NALEO
Educational Fund, the leading organization that empowers Latinos to participate in the American political process, will host nearly 1,000 elected and appointed officials and their supporters at the nation’s Latino political convention.

June 25 – 28, 2008
The Edward R. Roybal Legacy Gala will be held at 7:00 p.m. on June 26 at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, located at 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW, in Washington, D.C.