In 1992, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard became the first Mexican-American woman elected to Congress. She has distinguished herself throughout her 30-year congressional career as a dedicated advocate for the dignity and well-being of all Americans. The congresswoman is the first Latina to serve on the Appropriations Committee in the House of Representatives as well as the first Latina to serve as one of the 12 “Cardinals,” or Chairs, of a House Appropriations Subcommittee. She is the first woman to chair the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the first woman to chair the California Democratic congressional delegation. She is a founding co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Maternity Care, founder of the Women’s Working Group on Immigration Reform and a co-founder of the Congressional Public Health Caucus.
Environmental stewardship remains one of the federal government’s most important responsibilities. How we care for our environment will have profound impacts on future generations of Angelenos and all Americans. That is why Congress must strengthen our nation’s efforts to clean our air, clean our water, and preserve our natural resources.
From my position on the House Appropriations Committee, I have sought robust investments in clean and renewable energies. These investments not only support the advancement of critical green technologies, but also programs that help our families and communities transition to a 21st-century green economy. In addition, I have been leading the efforts in Congress to revitalize the Los Angeles River, so that we can make it a more environmentally friendly green space with parks, trails, and commerce, while maintaining its historic flood control function. (See my Los Angeles River Revitalization issue page for more information.)
I also strongly support congressional action to put America at the forefront of the worldwide effort to fight climate change. If left unchecked, climate change will have disastrous consequences for future generations. We must take all necessary steps to prevent those consequences.