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Hilda L. Solis is the current United States Secretary of Labor.
She served in the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2009, representing the 31st and 32nd congressional districts of California that include East Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley.
Solis was raised in La Puente, California by immigrant parents from Nicaragua and Mexico. She gained degrees from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and the University of Southern California and worked for two federal agencies in Washington, D.C. Returning to her native state, she was elected to the California State Assembly in 1992 and to the California State Senate in 1994. She was the first Hispanic woman to serve in the State Senate, and was re-elected there in 1998. She became known for her work toward environmental justice and was the recipient of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in 2000.
Solis defeated a long-time Democratic incumbent on the way to gaining election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000. There she was known for her commitment to labor causes and continuing environmental work. She was re-elected easily to four additional terms in 2002 through 2008. In December 2008, President-elect Barack Obama announced his intention to nominate Solis as the next United States Secretary of Labor. She took office after being confirmed by the United States Senate on February 24, 2009, becoming the first Hispanic woman to serve as secretary in the U.S. cabinet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilda_Solis
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