I recently attended the Senate Hispanic Leadership Summit in Washington D.C. The two-day conference provided a forum for more than 350 Hispanic participants from across the country to discuss a range of policy issues with members of the United States Congress and the Bush Administration. I was nominated to represent the Latin Chamber of Commerce and Las Vegas community by Congressman Porter.

Senator Majority Leader William H. First (TN) welcomed the delegates. Summit C-Chair Sen. Mel Martinez (FL) joined Sen. Hutchison to update participants on Congress' accomplishments in the last session and briefed them on the upcoming agenda. Sen. Orrin Hatch (UT) spoke on educational opportunities; Sen. Jon Kyl (AZ) outlined ideas on immigration reform, and Sen. Pete Domenici (NM) discussed the recently passed Energy bill.

Several members of President Bush's administration addressed the Summit's attendees, including special guest speaker U.S Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez. Hector Barreto, director of the Small Business Administration, led the economic panel; U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona was the keynote speaker on the health care panel and Kathleen Leos, associate Assistant Deputy and Senior Policy Advisor, Office of English Language Acquisition, U.S. Department of Education, updated attendee's on the President's educational programs, including "No Child Left Behind."

"Hispanic achievements have greatly influenced America’s policy-making, its economy, medical, and artistic fields. Collaborating on and bringing forward more ideas will continue to help shape our legislative agenda and a better quality of life for all American’s," said Sen. Mel Martinez, the Summit C-Chair.

It was an honor to represent the Latin Chamber of Commerce at this event and I will use the knowledge gained from the summit to help the Chamber obtain its goals and objectives