Our profile of the week is Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard, the first Mexican-American congresswoman elected to California's 40th congressional district, who announced her retirement late December.

Democratic Rep. Roybal-Allard is the co-author of "The Dream Act" (acronym for Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, or "Development, Relief, and Education for Foreign Minors Act"), which allow some young immigrants who grew up in the United States to have the right to permanent residence and eventual US citizenship. In addition, "it helped open doors in the halls of Congress to more Latinas and women of all racial and ethnic backgrounds".

According NBC News, “Roybal-Allard arrived in Congress in the shadow of her father, former U.S. Rep. Edward Roybal, who also served for 30 years and was a co-founder of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus”. However, born in the predominantly Latino neighborhood of Boyle Heights in Los Angeles, built her own congressional legacy during her three decades in the House of Representatives”.

“Roybal-Allard is the first Latina to become a cardinal. She is the chair of the House Appropriations Committee’s subcommittee on homeland security. She also co-chairs the Congressional Women’s Working Group on Immigration Reform, which formed in 2013 as women and children were arriving on the border from Central America during the Obama administration”.

The biography on her official website outlines other characteristics:

“In 2019, she introduced the newest version of this bill: HR 6, The Dream and Promise Act.  Her Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act, which tests newborns for treatable genetic disorders, has helped to save the lives of thousands of babies.  Her Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking (STOP) Act has been instrumental in reducing underage drinking and its consequences.  From her position on the House Appropriations Committee, she has spearheaded many federal projects that have created jobs and improved the lives of her constituents, including the new federal courthouse in Downtown Los Angeles, the Metro Gold Line Lightrail Eastside Extension, the deepening of the Port of Los Angeles, and the ongoing revitalization of the Los Angeles River”.

“As chairwoman of the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, the congresswoman continues to fight to ensure our homeland security personnel have the resources and guidance they need to keep our country safe against all threats, manmade and natural, and to treat immigrants humanely and with dignity and respect.  She advocates for fair and just bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform which focuses on deporting those who threaten national security, and better secures our borders.  She is also fighting for investments in the Coast Guard’s air and marine fleets, including much-needed funding for its first heavy icebreaker in 40 years”.

Also according to her official website, “The congresswoman has been at the forefront of the fight to improve the quality and affordability of health services, and has successfully secured funding for local needs including infant and child care, prenatal health, dental care, HIV testing, substance abuse, diabetes treatment, and telehealth services.  She has been equally successful in obtaining federal dollars for local education and labor projects, including job training and placement services, arts and vocational education, afterschool care, early education, magnet schools, and English literacy programs.  She also ranks highly as a vocal congressional supporter of veterans, the rights of women and children, civil liberties, and animal rights”.

“In addition to chairing the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, Congresswoman Roybal-Allard serves in many other positions:

• Vice chair of the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, which oversees federal funding for public education, workforce training, health care initiatives, and related agencies.

• Member of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, to which Speaker Pelosi appointed her in 2019.

• Founding co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Maternity Care.

• Vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus Task Force on Aging and Families.  (Formerly the Congressional Task Force on Seniors)

• Member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC).

• Member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC).

• Member of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus.

• Member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC).

• Member of the Democratic Leader’s Council”.

For all of Roybal-Allard's accomplishments as a congresswoman: