Garcia, Sylvia, 1950-

GARCIA, Sylvia, A Representative from Texas; born in San Diego, Duval County, Tex., September 6, 1950; graduated from Ben Bolt-Palito Blanco High School, Ben Bolt, Tex.; B.S., Texas Women's University, Denton, Tex., 1972; J.D., Texas Southern University, Houston, Tex., 1978; lawyer; social worker; director and presiding judge, Houston, Tex., municipal court system, 1983-1998; Houston, Tex., Houston city controller, 1998-2003; member of the Harris County, Tex., commissioners court, 2003-2010; member of the Texas state senate, 2013-2018; unsuccessful candidate for nomination to the One Hundred Third Congress in 1992; elected as a Democrat to the One Hundred Sixteenth and to the succeeding Congress (January 3, 2019-present); one of the managers appointed by the House of Representatives in 2020 to conduct the impeachment proceedings of Donald J. Trump, President of the United States.

<p>Sylvia R. Garcia was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2018, becoming the first Latina ever to represent the Texas 29th Congressional district.</p>

<p>Sylvia is a native of Palito Blanco, a South Texas farming community. The eighth of ten children, Congresswoman Garcia saw her parents struggle to raise her and her siblings. Congresswoman Garcia's parents taught her that with hard work and a good education she could accomplish anything. As a result of these lessons, Congresswoman Garcia dedicated herself to success at school. She earned a scholarship to Texas Woman's University in Denton, where she graduated with a degree in social work and political science. Congresswoman Garcia then received her Doctor of Jurisprudence from Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University in Houston, working several jobs to pay for her tuition. Just as her parents believed in her future, Congresswoman Garcia believes the children of Texas can do anything. Garcia has dedicated her life to her community and to public service. As a social worker and legal aid lawyer early in her professional career, she protected our community's most vulnerable, old and young, and ensured no one was forgotten.</p>

<p>Sylvia continued her public service career by serving as Director and Presiding Judge of the Houston Municipal System for an unprecedented five terms under two mayors. In 1998, she was elected City Controller, the second-highest elected official in Houston city government and its chief financial officer. She quickly earned a reputation as the taxpayers' watchdog, fighting to protect the pocketbooks of working families and ensuring the City was transparent and accountable.</p>

<p>Sylvia Rodriguez Garcia (born September 6, 1950) is an American lawyer and politician who has been serving as the U.S. Representative for Texas's 29th congressional district since 2019. Her district covers much of eastern Houston. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously represented District 6 in the Texas Senate.</p>

<p>Sylvia Rodriguez Garcia was born in San Diego, Texas, and raised in Palito Blanco in west central Jim Wells County, the daughter of Luis and Antonia Rodriguez Garcia. She is the eighth of ten children. Her family are Mexican Americans.</p>

<p>After graduating from Ben Bolt-Palito Blanco High School, Garcia attended Texas Woman's University on a scholarship. She graduated with a degree in social work and began a career as a social worker. She later received her Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law.</p>