House resolution filed to congratulate Fil-Am appointed by Biden to key US agency

Filipino-American Camille Calimlim-Touton, who has roots in Dagupan City, was appointed as deputy commissioner of the US Bureau of Reclamation. PHOTO FROM DAGUPAN CITY PIO

DAGUPAN CITY—Rep. Christopher de Venecia, of Pangasinan’s fourth district, on Wednesday (Jan. 27) filed a resolution in the House of Representatives congratulating Filipino-American Camille Calimlim-Touton for her appointment as deputy commissioner of the US Bureau of Reclamation.

Touton was appointed by US President Joe Biden on Jan. 21.

The Bureau of Reclamation is a water management agency under the US Department of the Interior, which oversees dams, canals, and hydroelectric plants across the Western United States. It is the largest wholesaler of water in the United States and the second-largest producer of hydroelectric power in the Western United States.

In House Resolution No. 01315, De Venecia said Calimlim-Touton’s appointment was historic as she became the first Filipino-American to serve in the agency’s leadership role.

Her parents, Carl and Marlene Bangsal Calimlim, are from Tebeng village in this city.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and a master’s degree in Public Policy from George Mason University, Virginia.

“The appointment of Calimlim-Touton brings honor and pride not only to the people of Dagupan City but also the entire Philippines,” De Venecia said.

Touton’s work focuses on complicated issues of western water policy and the grave threats posed by climate change and unpredictable drought cycles.

TSB