Washington D.C. (Photo: S Chia)
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, USCM, Task Force on Homelessness, and USCM President Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve are leading a bipartisan coalition of over 50 mayors from across the nation. They will meet with key officials from the Biden-Harris Administration, the U.S. Senate, and the U.S. House of Representatives during a series of meetings scheduled for the upcoming week in Washington, D.C., covering a wide range of committees and areas of expertise.
The USCM Task Force on Homelessness has outlined a three-part legislative agenda addressing homelessness. While in the nation’s capital, mayors will advocate for expanding eligibility for housing vouchers to include Veterans, ensuring they do not have to choose between disability benefits and housing. They also plan to remove the cap on project-based vouchers to grant cities more flexibility in constructing affordable and supportive housing, and lobby for increased funding for housing choice vouchers.
Mayor Bass emphasized the necessity of collaborative efforts across the country to effect meaningful change in addressing homelessness, expressing gratitude to President Biden’s administration and bipartisan members of Congress for their support in tackling this crisis.
“In order to make tangible change in the greatest crisis facing Los Angeles and hundreds of cities across the country, we know we must continue to work in partnership with leaders across the country,” said Bass. “We must continue this fight to get the job done. Thank you to President Biden and his administration for their strong partnership on this issue and to the members of Congress on both sides of the aisle who are willing to lock arms with us to save lives.”
While in Washington, the mayors will hold a press conference on Tuesday, April 30, sponsored by House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano. The event will be located at the House Triangle on the East Front of the U.S. Capitol Building.
Highlights of the USCM Task Force on Homelessness Advocacy Fly-In include meetings with notable figures such as U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients, Domestic Policy Advisor to the President Neera Tanden, Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Tom Perez, and Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Shalanda Young.
The trip will span Sunday evening to Wednesday and will consist of nearly 50 mayors representing states across the nation, including other mayorships from California.
Author: Rikki Almanza
Rikki is a Web Content Coordinator for the American Legion, Department of California. With a deep-rooted connection to the military, a spouse who is a Navy veteran, a father who served in the Air Force for 25 years, and a grandfather who proudly served, Rikki is committed to using her skills and knowledge to provide valuable assistance and resources to servicemembers and veterans.
