SER National Pays Tribute to Senator Orrin Hatch as a Leader with a Servant’s Heart

by Ileana Martinez | Apr 28, 2022 | News & Updates

Nation’s Service-Employment-Redevelopment Network Recalls a Friend Who Exemplified Loyalty, Fairness, and Deep Caring for All Communities
SER National today issued the following statement in remembrance of former Utah Senator Orrin Hatch, who died Saturday in Salt Lake City, Utah, at 88. Hatch was the longest-serving Republican member in the history of the U.S. Senate. His tenure extended 42 years, from 1977 to 2019. During his service in public office, he held numerous powerful positions, including Senate president pro tempore. He was a member of the Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee. Hatch was an influential legislative figure whose counsel was respected by seven U.S. Presidents and nine Senate majority leaders. He sought the Republican nomination for president in 1999 in a bid that eventually went to George W. Bush. Both sides of the aisle regarded his leadership as one of a man of great faith, conviction, and dedication.
“I have lost a dear friend, and our nation has seen the passing of a great American,” says Ignacio Salazar, SER National Chief Executive Officer. “Those of us at SER National who had the privilege of working with Senator Hatch shall never forget his profound kindness and empathy for the plight of others. He understood the difference between partisan politics and sound public policy as he fought, at times as the lone voice, in support of important programs that benefitted millions of Americans, including Latinos.
Senator Hatch was a spiritual man who looked for and acknowledged the worthiness and value of every human being he met. I will never forget his abrazos, the embrace of friends that surpassed any words we could exchange. His genuine caring was driven by his own experience growing up in an impoverished family that lost its home during the Great Depression. His father borrowed $100 to buy a parcel of land where they built a humble house. This is where Orrin grew up, tending chickens and selling eggs before becoming the first in his family to attend college, then a lawyer before entering public office in 1976. He never forgot where he came from, which shaped his true servant heart.
Senator Hatch stood by SER National during some of the most challenging times. Thanks to his support and championing our work, we received critical funding to sustain projects that were both economically and socially vital. Also, his staff reflected the diversity of America, and his vision led him to establish the Task Force on Hispanic Affairs. Indeed, Orrin Hatch was a trailblazer, a courageous defender of truth, and stood for what is right above all. We at SER National are honored to have known him and shall strive to continue his legacy of service to America.”

SER National Says Confirmation of Judge Jackson to the Supreme Court is an Opportunity

by Ileana Martinez | Apr 8, 2022 | News & Updates

Nation’s Service-Employment-Redevelopment Network Calls the Senate 53-47 Confirmation A Moment When America Can Re-Commit to Justice for All

SER Jobs for Progress National, Inc. issued the following statement on the confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. On Thursday, Judge Jackson became the first black woman confirmed to the highest court. As significant was that Vice-President Kamala Harris presided over the confirmation vote as the first black woman elected to the second-highest office in the United States.
 Ignacio Salazar, SER National’s President & Chief Executive Officer
“Since our founding as a nation, America has always risen to define its greater self even through the most challenging times of political turmoil, economic upheaval, or social unrest. We have been able to prevail because most Americans believe in the set of principles in our Constitution that afford us equal rights and, with those, similar responsibilities. These values extend into every facet of our lives, including education, employment, economic advancement, and the application of justice.
On the latter, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson faced tough questioning during her Senate confirmation hearings about how she would apply the law given, inferring whether her experiences as a black woman born to parents involved in the civil rights movement might bias her judgment. She faced the pointed interrogatories with steadfast dignity and unwavering conviction of her principles. Judge Jackson replied that she would conduct herself and arrive at her conclusions ‘without fear or favor’ as evidenced by her more than 600 decisions during her judicial career.
A deeper analysis of Judge Jackson’s legal qualifications demonstrates an exemplary record with fewer than two percent of her decisions overruled, an extraordinarily low reversal rate. Moreover, as measured by rulings that withstood challenges, Judge Jackson’s performance on the federal bench surpasses that of more than half of her peers across the United States. Also, her career experience as a jurist is greater than that of four other current Justices on the Supreme Court combined when they were nominated.
All of this affirms the decision of the Senate majority, including three Republicans, and the more than 53% of Americans surveyed in a Gallup Poll. Confirming Judge Jackson to the Supreme Court represents our nation’s journey in the right direction towards ensuring that one day soon, liberty and justice for all, will be a guarantee, not simply a pledge recited since 1892 and formally adopted by the U.S. Congress in 1942.  SER NATIONAL salutes Judge Jackson on her historical confirmation. We may all look forward to a greater America because of her voice and viewpoints within the chambers of the highest court in our land.”