Robert Garcia (New York politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bob Garcia
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York |
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| In office February 21, 1978 – January 7, 1990 |
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| Preceded by | Herman Badillo |
| Succeeded by | José E. Serrano |
| Constituency | 21st district (1978–83) 18th district (1983–90) |
| Member of the New York Senate | |
| In office April 17, 1967 – February 21, 1978 |
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| Preceded by | Eugene Rodriguez |
| Succeeded by | Olga A. Méndez |
| Constituency | 29th district (1967–1972) 30th district (1973–1978) |
| Member of the New York Assembly | |
| In office January 1, 1966 – April 17, 1967 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Zaretzki |
| Constituency | 83rd district (1966) 77th district (1967) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 9, 1933 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | January 25, 2017 (aged 84) San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | City University of New York, City College RCA Institute |
Robert Garcia (born January 9, 1933 – died January 25, 2017) was an important American politician. He served as a U.S. Representative for New York's 21st district, which included the South Bronx. Before that, he was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1965 and the New York State Senate in 1967. He served in the U.S. Congress from 1978 to 1990.
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Early Life and Education
Robert Garcia was born in Bronx, New York. His parents came from Puerto Rico. His father was born in Spain and moved to Puerto Rico, working in a sugar mill. His mother was from Ponce. They moved to New York City in the 1920s. Because they were born in Puerto Rico, the Jones Act of 1917 made them U.S. citizens. Their ship went straight to Brooklyn, not Ellis Island.
School and Military Service
Garcia went to public schools in New York City. He graduated from Haaren High School in Manhattan in 1950. After high school, he joined the United States Army. He served from 1950 to 1953 during the Korean War. He worked as a radio operator for the Third Infantry Division.
After the war, he continued his education. From 1953 to 1957, he studied at the City College of New York. He also attended Community College of New York and the RCA Institute. After finishing his studies, he worked as a computer engineer for IBM Control Data from 1957 to 1965.
Public Service Career
Robert Garcia's first step into politics was helping with John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign in 1960. He quickly became active in local politics. He worked with Herman Badillo and learned from Felipe Torres. Garcia was elected as a Democratic member of the New York State Assembly in 1966 and 1967.
On March 28, 1967, he was elected to the New York State Senate. He filled a spot left open by Eugene Rodriguez. Garcia stayed in the Assembly until the 1967 session ended. He then took his seat in the State Senate in 1968. He served in the State Senate until 1978. From 1975 to 1978, he was the Deputy Minority Leader in the Senate. He also attended the 1976 Democratic National Convention.
Garcia cared a lot about conditions in New York's prisons. When the Attica Prison riot happened in September 1971, Governor Nelson Rockefeller asked him to help. Garcia joined a committee to mediate inside the prison.
Serving in Congress
Garcia was a Democrat, but he was first elected to Congress on the Republican and Liberal tickets. This happened on February 14, 1978, to fill a spot left by Herman Badillo. He officially took his seat on February 21, 1978, as a Democrat. He was re-elected several times, serving until 1990.
- Garcia was the official representative of the U.S. Congress to NATO. He helped improve relations between Spain, Latin America, and the U.S.
- He played a key role in getting DEA agents released from Cuba. He met with then-president Fidel Castro multiple times.
- Garcia also helped make Martin Luther King National Holiday a reality.
- He worked with Republican Congressman Jack Kemp to create the Kemp-Garcia Enterprise Zone law. This law aimed to create jobs in city neighborhoods.
- In 1979, he was part of the U.S. group celebrating new relations with China. He met with Chairman Deng Xiaoping.
- Garcia was a leader in helping Hispanic Americans gain political representation. He convinced President Carter to include "Hispanic" as an option on the U.S. Census Bureau for the first time in 1980.
- As the only U.S. Representative of Puerto Rican descent with a vote in Congress, Garcia often spoke for the 3.6 million U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico.
Resignation from Congress
Garcia stayed in Congress until January 7, 1990. He decided to resign after a legal investigation. This investigation was related to a business case known as the Wedtech scandal.
Later Life and Legacy
After the legal case, Garcia joined Charles Colson's "Prison Fellowship" program. This program helps people in prison. Garcia's father and sister were pastors, and Garcia worked with Colson for a time. He also continued to advise clients in the U.S. and Puerto Rico through his company, Garcia Associates.
Robert Garcia passed away on January 25, 2017, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was 84 years old.
Honors and Recognitions
Robert Garcia received many awards during his time in public service. He is increasingly recognized for his important role in Black and Hispanic politics. Organizations like the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute and the National Association of Latino Elected Officials (NALEO) have honored him.
See also
In Spanish: Robert Garcia (activista) para niños
- List of American federal politicians convicted of crimes
- List of federal political scandals in the United States
- List of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress
- Nuyorican
- Puerto Ricans in New York City
