Hispanic Organizations to Host Presidental Inaugural Gala

Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI) and Hispanic

Alliance for Progress (HAP)

, two key and growing national Hispanic organizations, have joined together to host a

“Grand Hispanic Gala” that will celebrate America, the strength and diversity of our nation’s Hispanic community,

and public service during the 43

rd Inauguration of President George W. Bush.

The event sponsors, participants and invited guests represent some of the most distinguished Hispanic American

leaders in the United States today.

Honorary Co-Chairs of the event are

Mr. and Mrs. George P. Bush and Mr. Emilio Estefan, Jr.; the Gala Co-

Chairs are the

Honorable Manuel Lujan, former Secretary of Interior, former Member of Congress, and current

HAP Chair, and the

Honorable Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Congressman from Florida and CHLI Chairman.

“We are excited by the stellar group of people who have come together for this grand celebration of American

democracy and the growing influence of our nation’s Hispanic and Portuguese American communities. We are

honored to partner with the Hispanic Alliance for Progress in this unique inaugural event, which promises to be a

grand celebration of who we are as Americans, while at same time celebrating the second inaugural of President

George W. Bush,” stated

Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, CHLI Chairman.

Among the honored guests will be

Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Henry Bonilla, Mario Diaz-Balart, Devin Nunes

Resident Commissioner Luis Fortuño of Puerto Rico. Also expected to attend are House Majority Whip Roy

Blunt

, Senator Mel Martinez, Attorney General designate Alberto Gonzales, Secretary of Commerce designate

Carlos Gutierrez

, as well as other key appointed and elected officials, and members of the diplomatic corps.

The formal event will be held on

Wednesday, January 19th, 2005, from 8:00 pm to 1:00 am at the Willard Inter-

Continental Hotel in Washington, DC, and will feature top Hispanic entertainment and dancing.

Major sponsors for this event include Altria Group, Inc, BellSouth, Carnival Foundation – Alcalde & Fay, CaseNew

Holland, The Coca-Cola Company, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Ford Motor Company, General Motors,

Goldman Sachs, Heineken, Mexican American Grocers, R.J. Reynolds, Univision Communications, Inc.,

TimeWarner, Verizon, and numerous individual sponsors.