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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release July 5, 1995

         PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES JOHN RAYMOND GARAMENDI DEPUTY 
              SECRETARY OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR

President Clinton has nominated John Raymond Garamendi of California to be Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Mr. Garamendi recently served as California's first elected Insurance Commissioner where he received national attention for his activism on behalf of consumers. Mr. Garamendi began his career in public service as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia. He was elected to the California State Assembly in 1974 and then to the California Senate in 1976. During his legislative career, Mr. Garamendi chaired the Joint Committee on Science and Technology, the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee and served as Majority Leader. Some of his major legislative credits include working to protect Lake Tahoe, reforming health care financing, improving roads and mass transportation systems and developing a state agenda for economic competitiveness.

Mr. Garamendi was raised on a cattle ranch in Mokelumne Hill, California, located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Mr. Garamendi received his undergraduate degree in business from the University of California at Berkeley and his masters degree from Harvard Business School. Mr. Garamendi and his wife Patti have been married for 29 years and have six children.

As Deputy Secretary, Mr. Garamendi will work closely with Secretary Bruce Babbitt in managing the Department and overseeing policy and program implementation.

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