Rep. Veronica Escobar Veronica EscobarRaces heat up for House leadership posts Ahead of a coronavirus vaccine, Mexico's drug pricing to have far-reaching impacts on Americans Hispanic Caucus asks for Department of Labor meeting on COVID in meatpacking plants MORE (D-Texas) will give the Democrats' Spanish-language response to President Trump Donald John TrumpBarr criticizes DOJ in speech declaring all agency power 'is invested in the attorney general' Military leaders asked about using heat ray on protesters outside White House: report Powell warns failure to reach COVID-19 deal could 'scar and damage' economy MORE's State of the Union address next month, Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiPowell warns failure to reach COVID-19 deal could 'scar and damage' economy Overnight Defense: House to vote on military justice bill spurred by Vanessa Guillén death | Biden courts veterans after Trump's military controversies Intelligence chief says Congress will get some in-person election security briefings MORE (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerDemocrats scramble on COVID-19 relief amid division, Trump surprise Pelosi, Schumer 'encouraged' by Trump call for bigger coronavirus relief package Schumer, Sanders call for Senate panel to address election security MORE (D-N.Y.) announced Friday.

"Whether it's giving a voice to Latinos across America, or helping her home town of El Paso heal after gun violence, or holding the Trump Administration accountable for its assaults on the vulnerable, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar has embodied the best of public service in her first year in Congress," Schumer said in a statement. "At times like these, we need champions to step up, so I am thrilled she will deliver the Democratic Spanish-language response."

Escobar is a freshman lawmaker and one of the first two Latina members of Congress elected from Texas. Her district along the border with Mexico was previously represented by former Rep. Beto O'Rourke Beto O'RourkeJimmy Carter says his son smoked pot with Willie Nelson on White House roof O'Rourke endorses Kennedy for Senate: 'A champion for the values we're most proud of' 2020 Democrats do convention Zoom call MORE (D).

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She made national news during her first year in office in the wake of a shooting in El Paso that killed 22 people. When Trump was preparing to meet with victims of the shooting, Escobar said he was "not welcome" in the city while its residents were still mourning the dead.

"I would ask his staff and his team to consider the fact that his words and his actions have played a role in this," she said at the time.

A manifesto that was allegedly left by the accused shooter, who has pleaded not guilty, closely mirrored some of Trump’s statements about immigrants, including describing the influx of Latino migrants as an “invasion,” though the accused gunman said he held his beliefs before the president took office.

“Our diversity is our strength,” Escobar said in a tweet Friday after the announcement. “Now more than ever, Democrats will continue to celebrate our diversity, defend our democracy, and work for a more equal and just nation.”

I’m honored to be delivering the Democratic Spanish-language response to President Trump’s #SOTU and look forward to addressing our nation on the progress Democrats have made #ForThePeople. https://t.co/FJK8ATJTUH — Rep. Veronica Escobar (@RepEscobar) January 24, 2020

Pelosi and Schumer also announced that Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) will give the English-language Democratic response to Trump's Feb. 4 speech.