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José Antonio “Joe” García, Jr. is the U.S Representative for Florida’s 26th congressional district. The district includes most of western Miami-Dade County, as well as the Florida Keys. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He is the former executive director of the Cuban American National Foundation and was nominated by President Barack Obama to be director of the Office of Minority Economic Impact and Diversity of the United States Department of Energy, a position for which he was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate.
José Antonio García, Jr. was born in Miami Beach (October 12, 1963) to José García Sr. and his wife, Carmen. His parents fled Cuba after the Cuban Revolution occurred and Fidel Castro’s Communist regime took power. García graduated in 1982 from Belen Jesuit Preparatory School. While at Belen Jesuit he participated in the Close Up Washington civic education program. García attended Miami-Dade Community College before earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and public affairs from the University of Miami in 1987. While at the university, García was elected president of the student government. García later earned his J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law in 1991.
García served on the Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC) as chairman.
While on the FPSC, he also chaired the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and was second vice chair of the Southeastern Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (SEARUC). García was later appointed to the Federal Communications Commission Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service and was a member of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO).
García served on the board of the Spanish American League Against Discrimination (SALAD) and on the board of directors of Regis House, a drug addiction treatment and prevention center for inner-city youth in Miami. García is a member of the board of directors of the Cuban American National Foundation, and is a past president. He also has served as director of the New Democrat Network Hispanic Strategy Center, and chairman of the Democratic Party of Miami-Dade County.
In 2009, García joined the Obama administration in a Senate-confirmed position as director of the Office of Minority Economic Impact for the Department of Energy. During his tenure at the Energy Department, García was also appointed by President Barack Obama to the Task Force on Puerto Rico’s Status.
United States House of Representatives.
Tenure.
Rep. García was sworn into his first two-year term on January 3, 2013.
Immigration reform.
García is the chief sponsor in the House of Representatives of a comprehensive immigration reform plan which is similar to legislation that has passed the United States Senate. If enacted, the plan would create a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented people already living and working in the United States. When the bill was introduced García said it was not perfect but he believed it to be a good compromise. He has since introduced a discharge petition, a mechanism for bypassing the Speaker and forcing a vote on the House Floor. García has also joined with immigration reform advocates in numerous attempts to convince GOP leadership to bring the bill to vote, including the “Fast for Families,” that has been ongoing since 2013.
Flood insurance.
García has introduced legislation that would halt flood insurance rate hikes for five years. His efforts stem from previous legislation that once in place would hit 268,000 Floridians with rate increases of between 20 to 400 percent. The Miami Herald reports that the bill applies to all “property owners covered by the National Florida Insurance Program, and provides the greatest relief to those hardest hit—including an estimated 47,000 in Miami-Dade County.”
Abortion.
García supports abortion rights and has voted against legislation that would prohibit organizations that perform abortions from receiving federal funds.
Cuba.
García joined other Cuban lawmakers in submitting a letter to the State Department calling for Cuba to remain a designated state-sponsor of terrorism.
And in a Sept. 19 letter, he joined with the other three Cuban-American House members by raising concerns over the regime’s involvement in selling art at a Houston art fair.
García believes the United States should continue to allow Cuban-Americans to make trips to Cuba to visit family and other Americans to go there for “purposeful travel,” such as educational tours and religious missions.
García supported the application of a Havana-based research institute to get a license from the U.S. Treasury Department to test and market a diabetes treatment in the United States. Critics claim that the license could weaken the embargo and could eventually lead to giving the Castro regime access to American markets without political reform.
Gay marriage.
García supports same-sex marriage. He was one of 172 Congressman who signed a memorandum sent to the Supreme Court to repeal DOMA.
Health care.
García opposes repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act.
Privacy.
García voted against the Amash Amendment, which would have prohibited the collection of records by the National Security Agency under the Patriot Act.
Economy.
García voted for the Farm Bill, a $1 trillion bill expanding crop insurance for farmers by $7 billion over the next decade and created new subsidies for rice and peanut growers, but which made cuts to the food stamp program by an average of $90 per month for 1.7 million people in 15 states.
Social Security.
He opposes any privatization of social security. In addition García opposes raising the retirement age.
Energy.
García supports developing renewable and alternative sources of energy. He opposes offshore drilling, and also opposes any offshore energy production, hoping to develop energy industries on shore.
Elections.
2008.
District 25
García announced on February 7, 2008, his candidacy for the U.S. Congress in Florida’s 25th congressional district. García’s campaign raised over $1.8 million. Incumbent Republican U.S. Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart defeated García 53%-47%.
2010.
In April 2010, García announced his candidacy for the 25th district again, after U.S. Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart announced he would run for reelection in the 21st District being vacated by his brother, Lincoln Diaz-Balart. In his campaign announcement, García noted he would focus on job creation, funding education and health care as his top priorities. García defeated Luis Meurice in the Democratic primary 76%-24%.
In the general election, García faced State Representative David Rivera, Tea Party activist Roly Arrojo, and Florida Whig Party nominee Craig Porter. Rivera defeated García 52%-43%, or a 9.5-point margin.
2012.
In 2012, García announced he would seek a rematch against Rivera in what was now the 26th district. It is more divided between Republicans and Democrats than its predecessor, the 25th district. It had been pushed well to the east and south, losing its share of Collier County and picking up all of Monroe County, including the Keys. The race was widely expected to be much closer than in previous cycles, in part due to the new demographics, and due to numerous scandals surrounding Rivera. In addition to several state probes, Rivera was the target of a federal investigation into allegations he tried to sabotage the Democratic primary in the 26th by secretly funding an unknown candidate, Justin Sternad, in hopes of avoiding a rematch against García. Several vendors Sternad employed in his campaign told The Miami Herald that Rivera had funded Sternad’s campaign. Sternad himself subsequently told the FBI that Rivera had funded his campaign. Sternad’s campaign manager, Ana Alliegro, was a close friend of Rivera’s, and according to Sternad served as the go-between. García won the rematch, defeating Rivera 54%–43%. He is the first Cuban-American Democrat to represent South Florida in Congress, as well as the first non-black Democrat to represent a significant portion of Miami since 1993.
District 26
García is running for re-election to the U.S. House in 2014. He will face Republican nominee Carlos Curbelo in the general election. According to a Washington Post article in December 2012, García is one of the 10 most vulnerable incumbents in 2014. García is a member of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s Frontline Program. The program is designed to help protect vulnerable Democratic incumbents heading into the 2014 election.
Personal life.
García and his ex-wife, Aileen Ugalde (divorced in 2012), Joe has one daughter, Gabriela who lives in Miami.
Agencies/Various/Wiki/Excerpts/InternetPhotos/thecubanhistory.com
The Cuban History, Hollywood.
Arnoldo Varona, Editor.