FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 01, 2024
Contact: [email protected]
Gil Cisneros Statement on CA-31 Primary Results
Covina, CA – Today, former LA County Congressman, Under Secretary of Defense, and Education and Veterans Advocate Gil Cisneros announced the endorsement of Planned Parenthood Action Fund for his race in California’s 31st Congressional District. Planned Parenthood Action Fund supports candidates who are staunch advocates of sexual and reproductive rights, civil rights, voting rights, and basic freedoms. Their backing arrives mere days following Gil’s impressive display in the primary election, where he emerged victorious amidst stiff competition from 10 other candidates.
“Across the country we are seeing the rights of women being stripped away. Abortion and IVF are just the start of the extreme right wing agenda to further dissolve the freedom of choice. Make no mistake that birth control and more are next on their radar. At the Department of Defense, I took action to ensure our service members had the ability to travel for abortion care and IVF when they were stationed where those services were inaccessible. I gave our service members and their families more access to birth control and waived the co-pay for it. I am running for Congress to restore a woman’s right to choose, defend IVF, and stop further erosion of bodily autonomy. I am glad to have Planned Parenthood Action Fund in my corner to defend reproductive and sexual rights.” said Gil Cisneros.
Gil Cisneros supporters include Supervisor Hilda Solis, Congresswoman Napolitano, Congressmember Judy Chu, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, Retired Assemblymember Mike Eng, BOLD PAC Chair Congresswoman Linda Sánchez, Giffords PAC, ASPIRE PAC, California Environmental Voters, League of Conservation Voters, SEIU California, Democrats Serve, the New Democratic Coalition Action Fund, Operating Engineers Local 12, the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers, and the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 36. A full endorsement list can be found here.
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Gil Cisneros is the former Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, and the Military’s Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer. A former U.S. Naval Officer, Gil was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal (2), the National Defense Medal, and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for his exemplary service to his country.
From 2019 to 2021, Cisneros served as U.S. representative for Los Angeles County in California’s 39th Congressional District where he served on the Armed Services and Veterans Affairs committees.
Gil is an advocate and co-founder of The Gilbert & Jacki Cisneros Foundation, an organization committed to improving the level of Hispanic education in the country and the lives of Veterans. Gilbert’s dedication toward philanthropy began when he purchased a winning California Mega Millions lottery ticket in 2010. Gil and Jacki partnered with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and the city of Pico Rivera, California to create Generation First Degree Pico Rivera, with the goal of putting a college degree in every Hispanic household in the city. Gil’s commitment to education led him to be appointed to former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher Initiative’s advisory board.
California’s 31st is an open Congressional District in Los Angeles County covering the San Gabriel Valley. Incumbent Congressmember Grace Napolitano is retiring. The district includes all or part of the Cities of Azusa, Baldwin Park, Bradbury, City of Industry, Covina, Duarte, El Monte, Glendora, Irwindale, La Puente, La Verne, Monrovia, San Dimas, South El Monte, and West Covina. 51.2% of the registered voters in CA-31 identify as Latino, and 15.3% are of Asian or Pacific Islander descent.
Gil Cisneros is a former Navy officer and the use of his military rank, job titles and photographs in uniform does not imply endorsement by the Department of the Navy or the Department of Defense.
