Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to provisions in this bill that will undermine the nutrition standards for school meals and the WIC program. Nutrition programs that support balanced diets are vital tools in protecting against childhood hunger and reducing obesity. While I appreciate Chairman Aderholt’s efforts to fully fund childhood nutrition programs, I strongly oppose this bill because it weakens federal child nutrition standards. Rather than allowing USDA to work with schools to help them ... Read more

It is an honor to join millions of Americans in celebrating February as Black History Month. It is also a privilege to represent the 40th Congressional District which includes the historically vibrant African American community of the Central Avenue corridor which today is being revitalized. The corridor is home to the Dunbar Hotel which hosted some of our nation’s leading jazz legends such as Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald in the 1930’s. This year’s theme, “Civil Rights in America”, focuses... Read more

Mr. Speaker, today the 9th of April is called Equal Pay Day because it marks the number of days into 2013 women have had to work to equal the salary of their male counterparts in 2012. It is a sad reality that women systemically continue to be paid less than men for doing the same work. As families increasingly rely on women’s wages to makes ends meet, equal pay is not simply a women’s issue—it is a family issue. On average, women receive only 77 cents for every dollar paid to male workers. This... Read more

In observance of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which takes place yearly in October, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34) gave the following speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. The text is below. Click here to watch video of Congresswoman Roybal-Allard’s speech. "As National Breast Cancer Awareness Month comes to a close, I rise to honor our breast cancer warriors who are bravely battling this deadly disease. The American Cancer Society estimates that 2.6 mi... Read more

In observance of National Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place September 15 to October 15, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34) gave the following speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. The text is below. Click here to watch video of Congresswoman Roybal-Allard’s speech. “Mr. Speaker, September is the month in which we celebrate the many contributions Latinos have made, and continue to make, to our great country. Hispanic Americans are our teachers, religious lead... Read more

Pledging her commitment to job creation in our country, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34) addressed an audience of more than 200 attendees gathered at the annual conference of the Council of Mexican Federations (Consejo de Federaciones Mexicanas en Norteamérica.) Following her remarks, the congresswoman signed a pledge to “support urgent legislation to create good jobs.” COFEM is a non-profit organization serving the immigrant community since 2004. Its mission embraces a community cent... Read more

Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard joined Coca-Cola Refreshments (CCR) of Southern California today at the company's Downtown Los Angeles distribution center to showcase the newest additions to its growing fleet of low- to zero-emission Alternative Fuel Vehicles. The event highlighted the company's leadership in sustainability efforts and commitment to reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The new vehicles are comprised of electric and hybrid electric and other fuel efficient ... Read more

At the closing ceremony of the third annual Los Angeles Hispanic Youth Institute, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34) urged 125 local high school students participating in the event to overcome obstacles in their lives and, no matter what, pursue an education. “Like countless young people today, I know many of you face challenges at home, at school, and in your community,” said Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34), who served as the honorary chairperson of the event. “Financial pr... Read more

Congressional Record Tribute: Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the late George Ramos, a longtime Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist in Los Angeles, a Cal Poly professor, and a decorated Vietnam War veteran who devoted much of his life to honoring the Latino community that he knew so well and loved. Mr. Ramos grew up in the area of East Los Angeles known as Belvedere Garden. As we learned through his own writings, Mr. Ramos escaped the trappings of poverty, drugs and gang ... Read more

More than 60 small business owners attended a seminar on the impact of health care reform on their companies and employees at a luncheon held at the Hub Cities One-Stop Career Center in Huntington Park. Congresswoman Roybal-Allard was joined in the discussion by David Chase, California Outreach Director for the Small Business Majority. The congresswoman made the following remarks: “Good Afternoon and thank you for being here for today’s discussion on the impact on small business of the new Healt... Read more