Rick Noriega
Encyclopedia
Richard Joel "Rick" Noriega (born January 8, 1958) was a member of the Texas House of Representatives
from District 145 in eastern Houston
, first elected in 1998. He was the Democratic
nominee for the Texas United States Senate election, 2008 against the one-term Republican
incumbent
John Cornyn
. Noriega is married to Melissa Noriega
, a member of the Houston City Council
, a nominally nonpartisan
position. The two have two sons. Noriega is a Mexican American
.
. After graduating from high school
and joining the United States Army
, Noriega graduated from the University of Houston
in 1984 and from Harvard University
's John F. Kennedy School of Government
in 1990. As well, Noriega earned a certificate in advanced international affairs from the George Bush School at Texas A&M University
.
in 1979 in the wake of the Iran hostage crisis
. He became a Lt. Colonel in the Texas Army National Guard
, and most recently served in the Afghanistan War
that followed the September 11, 2001 attacks
.
On his return from Afghanistan, mayor Bill White requested that Noriega command the evacuee shelter operation at the George Brown Convention Center in Houston
, where he oversaw thousands of Hurricane Katrina
evacuees.
in 1998 and has since served five terms. He currently acts as the Budget and Oversight Chair of the Defense Affairs and State-Federal Relations Committee. Rick also sits on the Appropriations Committee.
As of 2004 Noriega's district is mostly Hispanic and low income. In the district many students began but never completed high school.
withdrew from his bid for the Democratic nomination on October 23, 2007. Noriega faced Republican incumbent John Cornyn, who outraised him financially and who received 81 percent of the vote in the Republican primary, in the November 4 general election. Noriega was ultimately defeated by Cornyn in the general election.
, which deployed approximately 18,000 Guardsmen to the US/Mexico border in 2006 to provide increased border security until an improved immigration reform package could be approved on Capitol Hill. Noriega has focused on curtailing human trafficking and drug smuggling at the border, and is calling for more advanced surveillance technology to be deployed at the border as well as for more Guardsmen to be deployed there. Noriega opposes the use of a border fence to curb illegal immigration and trafficking.
Noriega also authored HB 2546, a bill passed by the Texas legislature that restricts the sale of ammonium nitrate in order to prevent its use in criminal or terrorist activity such as the Oklahoma City bombing
.
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...
from District 145 in eastern Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, first elected in 1998. He was the 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...
nominee for the Texas United States Senate election, 2008 against the one-term Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
John Cornyn
John Cornyn
John Cornyn, III is the junior United States Senator for Texas, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was elected Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee for the 111th U.S. Congress....
. Noriega is married to Melissa Noriega
Melissa Noriega
Melissa Meisgeier Noriega is a member of the Houston City Council in Houston, Harris County, Texas, holding . Noriega is a former educator and civic leader in Houston and Harris County, Texas, as well as a former member of the Texas House of Representatives.-Early life and education:Melissa...
, a member of the Houston City Council
Houston City Council
The Houston City Council is a city council for the city of Houston in the U.S. state of Texas.Currently, there are fourteen members, nine elected from council districts and five at-large. The members of the Council are elected every two years, in odd-numbered years...
, a nominally nonpartisan
Nonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
position. The two have two sons. Noriega is a Mexican American
Mexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
.
Early life and education
Noriega was born and raised in HoustonHouston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. After graduating from high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
and joining the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, Noriega graduated from the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
in 1984 and from Harvard University
Harvard 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 1990. As well, Noriega earned a certificate in advanced international affairs from the George Bush School at Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
.
Military service
Noriega joined the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in 1979 in the wake of the Iran hostage crisis
Iran hostage crisis
The Iran hostage crisis was a diplomatic crisis between Iran and the United States where 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days from November 4, 1979 to January 20, 1981, after a group of Islamist students and militants took over the American Embassy in Tehran in support of the Iranian...
. He became a Lt. Colonel in the Texas Army National Guard
Texas Army National Guard
The Texas Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army, the United States National Guard and the Texas Military Forces . Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support...
, and most recently served in the Afghanistan War
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
that followed the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
.
On his return from Afghanistan, mayor Bill White requested that Noriega command the evacuee shelter operation at the George Brown Convention Center in Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, where he oversaw thousands of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
evacuees.
Public service
Noriega was elected to the Texas House of RepresentativesTexas 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...
in 1998 and has since served five terms. He currently acts as the Budget and Oversight Chair of the Defense Affairs and State-Federal Relations Committee. Rick also sits on the Appropriations Committee.
As of 2004 Noriega's district is mostly Hispanic and low income. In the district many students began but never completed high school.
2008 U.S. Senate campaign
Noriega narrowly avoided a runoff election by receiving 51 percent of the vote in the March 4, 2008 Democratic primary. His opponents were Gene Kelly (a perennial candidate), Ray McMurrey, and Rhett Smith. Prior to the filing deadline, trial attorney Mikal WattsMikal Watts
Mikal Watts is a 43 year-old plaintiff's attorney from San Antonio, Texas and a prolific donor to the Texas and National Democratic Party. He formed an exploratory committee to run for Senator of Texas against incumbent John Cornyn in the 2008 U.S...
withdrew from his bid for the Democratic nomination on October 23, 2007. Noriega faced Republican incumbent John Cornyn, who outraised him financially and who received 81 percent of the vote in the Republican primary, in the November 4 general election. Noriega was ultimately defeated by Cornyn in the general election.
2008 United States Senate
2006 State House 145
2004 State House 145
2002 State House 145
2000 State House 145
1998 State House 145
Economy
Noriega has proposed a comprehensive plan to help struggling families keep their homes during the 2008 economic downturn, focusing on revamping bankruptcy law, increased funding of counseling for struggling homeowners, and a tax credit of $2000 for homeowners who refinance into a fixed-rate loan. He also proposes funding to allow homeowners to refinance into FHA (Federal Housing Administration) backed loans, which generally provide lower rates of interest than private commercial loans.Domestic security and immigration
Noriega served the National Guard as commander of the Laredo sector during Operation Jump StartOperation Jump Start
Operation Jump Start was a plan to aid U.S. Customs and Border Patrol , announced by President George W. Bush in May 2006. It included the deployment of United States National Guard troops along the Mexico–United States border. The mission entailed enforcement of border security and construction...
, which deployed approximately 18,000 Guardsmen to the US/Mexico border in 2006 to provide increased border security until an improved immigration reform package could be approved on Capitol Hill. Noriega has focused on curtailing human trafficking and drug smuggling at the border, and is calling for more advanced surveillance technology to be deployed at the border as well as for more Guardsmen to be deployed there. Noriega opposes the use of a border fence to curb illegal immigration and trafficking.
Noriega also authored HB 2546, a bill passed by the Texas legislature that restricts the sale of ammonium nitrate in order to prevent its use in criminal or terrorist activity such as the Oklahoma City bombing
Oklahoma City bombing
The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. It was the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Oklahoma blast claimed 168 lives, including 19...
.
See also
- History of the Mexican-Americans in HoustonHistory of the Mexican-Americans in HoustonWhen Houston, Texas was first settled in 1836, some Mexican prisoners of war cleared and drained swampland so the city could be settled. Some parcels of land were given to 100 of the prisoners, who became servants. Throughout most of the 19th centruy most Mexican immigrants traveled to the Rio...
External links
- Rick Noriega for U.S. Senate official campaign website
- Biography from the Texas House of RepresentativesTexas House of RepresentativesThe 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...
- Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org