Washington, DC – U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales will address participants at the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) 2005 Capital Awards on Tuesday, March 8 at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. The gala begins with a reception at 5:30 p.m., which is followed by the awards program and dinner at 6:30 p.m. This is the Attorney General’s first major address to a national Latino audience since his confirmation last month.

NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguia will also address the more than 800 persons who are expected to attend this year’s event honoring Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and Representative Chris Cannon (R-UT) for their work in Congress on behalf of the Latino community on issues such as education, immigration, and health care. NCLR will also present a public service award to Llano Grande Center for Research and Development for its efforts to improve opportunities for Latino students in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Citigroup is the Chair of the event, and AT&T, the Fannie Mae Foundation, Frito-Lay, Inc./PepsiCo. Inc., and Sears, Roebuck & Co. are the Vice Chairs.

MEDIA ADVISORY