Leticia R. Van de Putte
Encyclopedia
Leticia R. San Miguel Van de Putte
(born 6 December 1954)
is a Democratic
member of the Texas Senate
representing the 26th District
. She was previously a member of the Texas House of Representatives
.
, and raised in San Antonio, where she currently lives with her husband of 32 years, Henry P. "Pete" Van De Putte Jr.
Senator Van de Putte currently serves as Chair of the Veteran Affairs and Military Installations Committee, and also is a member of the Senate Committees on Education, State Affairs, and Business and Commerce.
She considered running in the 2010 race for governor
, but in June 2009 decided to instead run for re-election to the Texas Senate.
She is a strong advocate for children, veterans, improved access to health care, quality education, and economic development issues and has consistently authored and sponsored bills to assist families in securing opportunities. Senator Van de Putte has been a key author of bills that reformed our welfare system, revamped our Juvenile Code, and insured children. Multiple civic organizations and community groups have recognized Senator Van de Putte as one of the most effective, hardworking, sincere, and influential legislators in Texas.
Van de Putte served as a co-chair of the 2008 Democratic National Convention
along with Kansas
Governor of Kansas
Kathleen Sebelius
and Atlanta, Georgia
Mayor Shirley Franklin
, while Speaker of the House
Nancy Pelosi
served as permanent chair.
's John F. Kennedy School of Government
in 1993. She received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Texas at Austin
, College of Pharmacy, and she is a 1973 graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School (San Antonio, Texas).
(born 6 December 1954)
is a Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
member of the Texas Senate
Texas Senate
The Texas Senate is the upper house of the Texas Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing 31 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 672,000 per constituency. There are no term limits, and each term is four years long. The Senate meets at the...
representing the 26th District
Texas Senate, District 26
District 26 of the Texas Senate is a senatorial district that currently serves a portion of Bexar county in the U.S. state of Texas. The current Senator from District 26 is Leticia R. Van de Putte.-2004:-2002:-2000:...
. She was previously a member of the Texas House of Representatives
Texas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
.
Family
Van de Putte was born in Tacoma, WashingtonTacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
, and raised in San Antonio, where she currently lives with her husband of 32 years, Henry P. "Pete" Van De Putte Jr.
Political career
Senator Leticia Van de Putte, a pharmacist for more than 31 years, represents a large portion of San Antonio and Bexar County. A former-five term state representative, she is now serving her fifth term as a Texas State Senator for District 26. In 2003, she was appointed Chair of the Texas Senate Democratic Caucus, a position she holds to this day. At the national level, Senator Van de Putte is an active and deeply-involved member of many political organizations, including the National Assessment Governing Board, the American Legacy Foundation Board, and the National Conference of State Legislatures, of which she served as President from 2006 to 2007. In addition, she proudly led the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators as President from 2003 to 2005. In 2008, she joined the ranks of two of Texas’ most admired and successful women, Barbara Jordan and Ann Richards, by serving as Co-Chair of the Democratic National Convention in Denver.Senator Van de Putte currently serves as Chair of the Veteran Affairs and Military Installations Committee, and also is a member of the Senate Committees on Education, State Affairs, and Business and Commerce.
She considered running in the 2010 race for governor
Texas gubernatorial election, 2010
The 2010 Texas gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010, to elect the Governor of Texas, who will serve a four-year term beginning on January 18, 2011, and ending on January 20, 2015. Incumbent Republican Governor Rick Perry ran successfully for re-election to a third term. He...
, but in June 2009 decided to instead run for re-election to the Texas Senate.
Honors and awards
Over the past two decades, Senator Van de Putte has been honored with numerous awards such as the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare's award for "State Legislator of the Year" Vietnam Veteran's of America's "Legislator of the Year Award," the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill "Texas Legislative Champion Award", the United Way of San Antonio "Children's Championship Award", the League of United Latin American Citizens' "Legislative Recognition Award", Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve "Seven Seals Award", the Texas Classroom Teachers Association "Legislative Star" Award, the Texas Pharmacy Association "Pharmacist of the Year", the American Pharmacists Association's "Hubert H. Humphrey" Award named for a noted pharmacist and public servant, and the Center for Policy Alternatives honored Senator Leticia Van de Putte with the "Arthur S. Fleming Leadership Award". This national award is presented to a leader who exemplifies the ideals of public service through the highest standards of performance. Most recently, the Senator received the Charles M. West Distinguished American Award, which recognizes leaders whose contributions have had a lasting impact on pharmacy and the health and welfare of the American public.She is a strong advocate for children, veterans, improved access to health care, quality education, and economic development issues and has consistently authored and sponsored bills to assist families in securing opportunities. Senator Van de Putte has been a key author of bills that reformed our welfare system, revamped our Juvenile Code, and insured children. Multiple civic organizations and community groups have recognized Senator Van de Putte as one of the most effective, hardworking, sincere, and influential legislators in Texas.
2008 Democratic National Convention
2008 Democratic National Convention
The United States 2008 Democratic National Convention was a quadrennial presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party where it adopted its national platform and officially nominated its candidates for President and Vice President of the United States. The convention was held in Denver,...
along with Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
Governor of Kansas
Governor of Kansas
The Governor of the State of Kansas is the head of state for the State of Kansas, United States. Under the Kansas Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Kansas executive branch, of the government of Kansas. The Governor is the...
Kathleen Sebelius
Kathleen Sebelius
Kathleen Sebelius is an American politician currently serving as the 21st Secretary of Health and Human Services. She was the second female Governor of Kansas from 2003 to 2009, the Democratic respondent to the 2008 State of the Union address, and chair-emerita of the Democratic Governors...
and Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
Mayor Shirley Franklin
Shirley Franklin
Shirley Clarke Franklin is an American politician, a member of the Democratic Party, and served as mayor of Atlanta, Georgia from 2002 to 2010...
, while Speaker of the House
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...
served as permanent chair.
Education
Senator Van de Putte was a Kellogg Fellow at Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
's John F. Kennedy School of Government
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
in 1993. She received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
, College of Pharmacy, and she is a 1973 graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School (San Antonio, Texas).
2004
2002
2000
1999
External links
- Senate of Texas - Senator Leticia R. Van de Putte official TX Senate website
- leticiavandeputte.com official campaign website
- Project Vote Smart - Senator Leticia R. Van de Putte (TX) profile
- Follow the Money - Leticia R. Van de Putte