WASHINGTON, DC -- Cecilia Munoz, the current director of Intergovernmental Affairs at the White House, will become President Obama's Domestic Policy advisor, the White House announced today. Munoz, the first Latina to fill the top position, will direct the Domestic Policy Council, which coordinates the administration's policy-making process on issues that are critical to workers, families and communities of color.

SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry and International Secretary-Treasurer Eliseo Medina praised Munoz's appointment.

The president has made the perfect selection in Cecilia Munoz, a dedicated and brilliant public servant who knows the intricacies of the economic and social issues facing our nation, as well as what must happen in Congress and with policy leaders to solve them ," Henry said.

"As we advocate for the 99 percent of us who seek a strong middle class, we know that Cecilia Munoz's sense of fairness and justice will continue moving forward President Obama's vision of a country with good jobs now, no more cuts in critical services, where everyone pays their fair share, and there is a pathway to citizenship for immigrant workers," Henry added.

Munoz, a longtime civil rights advocate who was named a MacArthur Fellow for her work on civil rights and immigration, has been a critical player in the administration's efforts to bring common sense and justice to immigration policies in the absence of Congressional action on comprehensive immigration reform, Medina noted.

"Cecilia knows the complexity and ineffectiveness of our immigration system, and understands that our economy will greatly benefit from comprehensive immigration reform. In striving to find solutions, Cecilia begins by advocating for what is possible, rather than arguing why something cannot be done," Medina said. "She is a fighter."

"A native of Detroit and a daughter of Bolivian immigrants, Cecilia was brought up during the era of President Kennedy with a strong belief that public service should be highly valued. We congratulate her for achievements and for maintaining her commitment to public service in the Obama Administration," said Medina.

With 2.1 million members in Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico, SEIU is the fastest-growing union in the Americas. Focused on uniting workers in healthcare, public services and property services, SEIU members are winning better wages, healthcare and more secure jobs for our communities, while uniting their strength with their counterparts around the world to help ensure that workers--not just corporations and CEOs--benefit from today's global economy. http://www.seiu.org

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