A Day in the Life of Congresswoman Roybal-Allard
Congresswoman Roybal-Allard maintains a busy schedule working out of her offices
in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, CA. The congresswoman represents the 34th
Congressional District, which includes downtown Los Angeles, East Los Angeles,
and nine southeast cities of Los Angeles County.
A political pioneer, in 1992, Congresswoman Roybal-Allard
became the first Mexican-American woman elected
to Congress. Before that, she represented the 56th
Assembly District of California for six years.
Throughout her tenure in public service, Congresswoman
Roybal-Allard has remained committed to expanding
opportunities for residents of her district and
working families throughout the country. She champions
efforts to increase access to health care, create
affordable housing, modernize and upgrade public
schools, improve school safety, increase the federal
minimum wage, reduce the high Hispanic drop-out
rates, preserve Social Security and Medicare, and
stimulate economic growth to create new jobs.
As a Member of the House Appropriations Committee,
one of the most powerful and distinguished committees
in Congress, she spends much of her time attending
hearings and meetings. She is the first Latina in
U.S. history to be appointed to the Appropriations
Committee, which controls the purse strings of the
federal government. The congresswoman serves on three
influential subcommittees -- the Subcommittee on
Homeland Security, the Subcommittee on Transportation,
Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
and the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services,
and Education. As a member of these subcommittees,
Congresswoman Roybal-Allard oversees funding of the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship
and Immigration Services, the U.S. Department of
Labor, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department
of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development.
Known as a respected consensus builder, Congresswoman
Roybal-Allard also served as chair of the California
Democratic Congressional Delegation in 1997 and 1998.
In assuming this position, she became the first woman,
first Latina and the first Member to achieve this
role through election rather than seniority. Later,
during the 106th Congress in 1999 and 2000, she went
on to become the first female Chair of the Congressional
Hispanic Caucus, which is a coalition of Hispanic
Members of Congress.
Congresswoman Roybal-Allard's responsibilities take
her back and forth between California and Washington,
D.C. Her time in Washington, D.C. centers around
her committee responsibilities and votes on key bills
pending before Congress. She also receives visits
from Los Angeles residents, business owners, educators,
veterans, workers, and students. They travel to see
their nation's capital and talk with their congresswoman
about issues important to them.
When at home in Los Angeles, the congresswoman spends
much of her time meeting with residents and community
leaders to discuss ways to improve the quality of
life in the 34th Congressional District.
For example, the congresswoman urges her constituents
to take advantage of her Grants
Notification Program that she established to
help local groups obtain federal grant money. It
gives potential applicants advance notification
of upcoming federal grant opportunities. This program
has helped to bring millions of federal dollars
to the district.
Congresswoman Roybal-Allard also encourages college-bound
students in her district to check out her Student
Information Program, which provides students
and local schools with college scholarship, financial
aid, internship, and fellowship information.
Congresswoman Roybal-Allard enjoys every aspect
of her job, but she especially enjoys hearing from
residents of the district and serving them. If you
have an idea for the Congresswoman, or if you need
assistance, please feel free to contact Congresswoman
Roybal-Allard.
Congresswoman Roybal-Allard's Personal Story
Congresswoman Roybal-Allard was born and raised in
Boyle Heights, California. She is the eldest daughter
of Lucille Beserra Roybal and the late Congressman
Edward R. Roybal, a Member of Congress for 30 years.
The 1965 graduate of the California State University
at Los Angeles is married to Edward T. Allard, III.
Together, they have four children: Ricardo, Lisa,
Angela, and Guy Mark; and six grandchildren.