“Our hearts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of the victims, and I assure them that we as a nation will not rest until the enemies responsible for this attack upon our country and indeed, democracies everywhere have been brought to justice.” Speech delivered on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on September 12, 2001, the day after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Born and raised in Boyle Heights, California, Roybal-Allard's interest in politics and public service was undoubtedly influenced by her father who served in Congress for thirty years. Educated in California and surrounded by a highly political family, Roybal Allard followed in her father's footsteps when she was elected to represent part of her father's district in Congress. The first Latina appointed to the House Appropriations Committee in 1999, she was also elected chair of the twenty nine members California Democratic congressional delegation. From 1999-2001 she became the first woman to chair the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Roybal-Allard has focused on education, school safety, minimum wages, social security and economic development. She has addressed teen pregnancy and the drop-out rates among Hispanic students. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, she serves on the Homeland Security Sub-committee, a responsibility which touches upon the lives of all Americans.

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Lucy Roybal Allard Women's Political Communcation Archive IOWA State University U.S. Representative	Images Videos