For Immediate Release:
January 28, 2019
Press Contact: Jose R. Mercado
JMercado@dpcreativestrategies.com
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Joaquin Castro (TX-20) will succeed U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) as the seventh Honorary Chair of the United States–Spain Council, an organization focused on stimulating bilateral trade and investment between the United States and Spain. The announcement will be made public during a ceremony at Spanish Ambassador Santiago Cabanas Ansorena’s private residence in Washington, DC.
“I am honored that Senator Kaine has asked me to join such a prestigious group of honorary chairs.As Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and as a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I know how important and significant our relationship with Spain is,” said Chairman Castro. “I look forward to building on Senator Kaine’s success and further strengthening our country’s relationship with Spain.”
Congressman Castro will share the title of honorary chair once held by former Governor Bill Richardson (D-NM), former and current Senators Bob Graham (D-FL); Christopher Dodd (D-CT); Mel Martinez (R-FL); Bob Menendez (D-NJ); and Tim Kaine (D-VA), who began his tenure as Honorary Chair of the United States–Spain Council in 2013.
“I am thrilled that Joaquin Castro will take the helm of the United States–Spain Council,” said Senator Kaine. “As a citizen from San Antonio, Joaquin is familiar with the strong cultural and historic relationship between our nations. He will bring passion, experience and drive to help the Council further this relationship and bolster our two countries’ economic, diplomatic, and defense ties. He is the right leader at the right time.”
The United States–Spain Council is a non-profit organization created by former U.S. Vice President Albert Gore and former Spanish President José María Aznar in 1996 to build stronger relationships between the public and private sectors in both countries.
Each year since its creation, the Council has worked in tandem with the Fundación Consejo España–Estados Unidos, its Spanish counterpart, to organize an annual forum where prominent government officials, corporate executives, and nonprofit leaders from both countries gather to discuss current affairs and topics of mutual interest.
This year’s United States–Spain Forum will be held in San Antonio, Texas, which is also the hometown of Honorary Chair, Joaquin Castro.
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