NOMINATION OF MARTIN G. CASTILLO TO BE CHAIRMAN OF THE CABINET COMMITTEE ON OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPANISH-SPEAKING PEOPLE MONDAY, MAY 4, 1970 U.S. SENATE, COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, Washington, D.C. The committee met, pursuant to call, at 10:10 a.m., in room 3302, New Senate Office Building, Senator John L. McClellan (chairman) presiding. Present: Senator McClellan. Staff members present: James R. Calloway, chief counsel and staff director; Jay E. Gooselaw, assistant chief clerk; Eli E. Nobleman, professional staff member; W. E. O'Brien, professional staff member; and Arthur A. Sharp, staff editor. OPENING STATEMENT OF THE CHAIRMAN The CHAIRMAN. The committee will come to order. I thought perhaps some of the other members would attend this morning, but apparently they are all engaged, and I am advised, some are out of town. This hearing is being held to consider the President's nomination of Mr. Martin G. Castillo to be chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Opportunities for Spanish-Speaking People. Mr. Castillo was appointed as a member of the predecessor agency— the Inter-Agency Committee on Mexican-American Affairs-by President Nixon on May 28, 1969, and designated as chairman. Since December 30, when the President signed Public Law 91-181 establishing the Cabinet committee, Mr. Castillo has been serving as acting chairman of that committee. The Cabinet Committee on Opportunities for Spanish-Speaking People was established by Public Law 91-181 (December 30, 1969), to carry out the objectives of (1) insuring that Federal programs are reaching and providing the necessary assistance for all Spanishspeaking and Spanish-surnamed Americans, including Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Cuban Americans; (2) providing for the development of new programs which may be necessary to meet the problems which are unique to such persons; and (3) giving impetus to an integrated, Government-wide effort of assistance to such groups by providing for the establishment of a permanent body to replace the Interagency Committee on Mexican-American Affairs, established by Presidential memorandum in 1967. At this point, without objection, I shall insert in the record Staff Memorandum No. 91-2-14 on the nomination, giving the background and functions of the Cabinet committee, and a biographical sketch of the nominee. I will ask him to examine this biographical sketch, however, before it is inserted in the record, and if there are any errors to please make the necessary corrections. SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS APRIL 24, 1970. Staff Memorandum No. 91-2-14. Subject: Nomination of Martin G. Castillo to be chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Opportunities for Spanish-Speaking People. Martin G. Castillo was nominated to be Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Opportunities for Spanish-Speaking People (a new position) by President Nixon on March 11, 1970. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Mr. Castillo was appointed as a member of the predecessor agency-the InterAgency Committee on Mexican-American Affairs-by President Nixon on May 28, 1969 and designated as Chairman. Since December 30, 1969, when the President signed Public Law 91-181 establishing the Cabinet Committee, Mr. Castillo has been serving as Acting Chairman of that body. Mr. Castillo was educated in New Mexico, California and Germany. He graduated from Loyola University of Los Angeles in 1953; attended the University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany in 1949-1950; received his Juris Doctor Degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles in 1961; has practiced law as a member and founder of the Firm of Lewis, Gershan and Castillo, in Los Angeles, California since 1962. Mr. Castillo, the son of Army Col. Jose A. Castillo and Emma Barela Castillo, is thirty-eight years of age and married to the former Carol Wood. The couple has two children, Scott Christopher, age 14, and Craig Anthony, age 11. Mr. Castillo served in the United States Air Force from 1953 to 1958 as a fighter pilot attaining the rank of Captain. He is presently a member of the Air Force Reserves with the rank of Captain. APPOINTMENT, QUALIFICATIONS AND FUNCTIONS OF CHAIRMAN The Chairman of the Committee is appointed by the President, subject to Senate confirmation, at Level V of the Executive Schedule ($36,000), and he must be chosen from among individuals who are recognized for their knowledge of and familiarity with the special problems and needs of Spanish-speaking people. He is required to serve in that capacity full-time as the chief officer of the Committee and is barred from holding any other office or position of employment with the United States concurrently. Among the Chairman's duties, powers and functions are (1) to designate one of the other Committee members to serve as acting Chairman in the absence or disability of the Chairman; (2) to appoint and fix the compensation of necessary personnel and procure the services of experts and consultants at rates not in excess of the daily equivalent paid for positions under GS-18, General Sechdule; (3) to request other Federal departments and agencies to furnish information, services and facilities; and (4) to request advice from the Advisory Council established by the act. COMPOSITION, FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES OF THE CABINET COMMITTEE The Cabinet Committee on Opportunities for Spanish-Speaking People was established by Public Law 91-181 (December 30, 1969) to carry out the objectives of (1) insuring that Federal programs are reaching and providing the necessary assistance for all Spanish-speaking and Spanish-surnamed Americans, including Mexican, Puerto Rican and Cuban Americans; (2) providing for the development of new programs which may be necessary to meet the problems which are unique to such persons; and (3) giving impetus to an integrated, Government-wide effort of assistance to such groups by providing for the establishment of a permanent body to replace the Interagency Committee on Mexican-American Affairs, established by Presidential memorandum in 1967. The Cabinet Committee is composed of the Chairman, seven Cabinet members the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Health Education and Welfare, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, Treasury and the Attorney Generaland the Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission, and the Commissioner of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission most concerned with Spanish-speaking and Spanish-surnamed Americans. In addition, the chairman may invite participation by other Federal departments and agencies when matters of interest to them are being considered. The principal function of the Cabinet Committee is to advise Federal departments and agencies regarding (1) appropriate action to be taken to assure that Federal programs are providing the assistance required by such Spanish Americans, and (2) the development and implementation of comprehensive and coordinated policies, plans and programs focusing on the special problems and needs of the Spanish-American community. In connection therewith, the Cabinet committee is authorized to foster such surveys, studies, research and demonstration, and technical assistance projects and establish and promote such relationships with, and participation by, State and local governments and the private sector as may be appropriate to identify and assist in solving the special problems of the people concerned. The committee is required to meet at least quarterly each year and to submit to the President and the Congress an annual report of its activities during the preceding year, including appropriate recommendations. The committee is further authorized to (1) prescribe appropriate rules and regulations; (2) consult and coordinate its activities with appropriate Federal departments and agencies, enter into agreements with them and utilize their facilities and resources; and (3) acquire directly from any such Federal agencies information which it deems necessary to carry out its functions and utilize their services and facilities; and all such agencies are authorized to furnish such information, services or facilities to the committee upon the request of its chairman, to the extent permitted by law and by available funds. STAFF AND BUDGET Prior to fiscal year 1970, the predecessor agency-the Interagency Committee on Mexican-American Affairs-was funded by contributions from member agencies, with an approved level of spending fixed at $485,000, and 29 permanent positions. For fiscal year 1970, the committee received an appropriation of $510,000 (Public Law 91-204), and employed a total staff of 30 persons, of whom 27 occupied permanent positions and 3 were temporary. For fiscal year 1971, a total appropriation of $675,000 has been requested for 35 positions. Approved: JAMES R. CALLOWAY, Chief Counsel and Staff Director. ELI E. NOBLEMAN, The CHAIRMAN. Senator Fannin, we welcome you this morning. If you wish to present the nominee or any statement you care to make, the committee will now hear you. STATEMENT OF HON. PAUL J. FANNIN, A U.S. SENATOR FROM THE Senator FANNIN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I do appreciate this opportunity to be with you this morning and to present Mr. Martin G. Castillo and recommend him for confirmation for this appointment. Mr. Castillo is familiar with my State, the Western States, and the States where we have a large Mexican-American population, as in my State. He received his military flight training in Arizona; he served in the U.S. Air Force from 1953 to 1958 as a fighter pilot, and attained the rank of captain. He is presently a member of the Air Force Reserve with the rank of captain. Mr. Castillo graduated from Loyola University of Los Angeles in 1953; attended the University of Heidelberg, in Heidelberg, Germany, in 1949 and 1950 and then received his juris doctor degree from Loyola Law School in 1961. He practiced law as a member and founder of the firm of Lewis, Gershan, and Castillo in Los Angeles, Calif., since 1962. I have known him to be a dedicated American and certainly vitally interested in the Spanish-speaking American people. He has visited with leaders in my State of Arizona. I have talked to them about him, and they have certainly been very impressed with his work. I heartily recommend his confirmation to you, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. Very well, Mr. Castillo, we will be glad to hear you now, if you have any comments, to give us any reason why we should or should not agree to your confirmation. STATEMENT OF MARTIN G. CASTILLO, NOMINEE TO BE CHAIRMAN OF THE CABINET COMMITTEE ON OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPANISHSPEAKING PEOPLE Mr. CASTILLO. Mr. Chairman, I really cannot tell you why you should, but I probably could tell you a lot of reasons why you should not. The CHAIRMAN. I believe on second consideration we will eliminate that as irrelevant. Let us proceed Mr. Castilllo with your background, and whatever else you would like to say to the committee for the record. Mr. CASTILLO. I am highly honored to be here, Mr. Chairman, and I thank Senator Fannin for presenting me. My Senator is out of the District at the present time. It is probably the highest honor that I have ever been paid, being nominated by the President, and although as a lawyer I am an advocate by profession, and it seems to fit well with this line of work. Self-advocacy is always a difficult thing and, therefore, I prefer to say, Mr. Chairman, that I am highly honored to be here today, and I welcome any questions you might have about my background or my thoughts. The CHAIRMAN. Very well. I have here a letter from Senator George Murphy strongly recommending your confirmation. So that those present may know what Senator Murphy said, I will read it. The letter addressed to me, as chairman, says: Hon. John L. McClellan, U.S. SENATE, COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES, Washington, D.C., May 4, 1970. Chairman, Senate Committee on Government Operations, Washington, D.C. Dear Mr. Chairman: I regret that my schedule prevents my presence this morning to introduce my constituent and friend Martin G. Castillo to you. The nomination of this fine man is of great satisfaction to me and, thus, I am doubly sorry not to be with you. As you know, it has long been my strong position that we must bring more Americans of Mexican and Latin American descent into positions of responsibility in our Government. I personally know many in my own State who are most able |