Letter to Constituents

Letter

Dear Friends and Neighbors

I hope this newsletter finds each of you well. This week is a constituent work week so I am spending time in our district listening to your concerns and offering assistance to you where I can help you the most. As always, I am committed to serving the constituents of the 37th Congressional District.

Significant Events This Week

This week it was announced that unemployed veterans between the ages of 35 and 60 can now apply for new benefits to cover education costs for up to one year through a joint Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Labor program that focuses on retraining 99,000 veterans for high-demand jobs. I urge veterans in my district who are eligible to take advantage of this federal program. For more information on how to apply, eligible veterans may go to the website at www.benefits.va.gov/VOW.
May 13th-19th was National Transportation Week. During this week, we celebrate that rich legacy and recommit to building a robust infrastructure that will accelerate our economy in the years ahead.
May 20-26th is National Small Business Week and I released a statement asking the residents of the 37th Congressional District to join with me in thanking small businesses for all they do and to patronize the diverse businesses in our community to demonstrate to them our continued support.
Last week, I introduced legislation to provide debt relief to recent college graduates searching for employment. The Unshackling Students to Lead, Excel, Act, Develop and Succeed Act, or "U.S. LEADS Act," would assist recent college graduates who are entering a difficult job market by allowing them to defer payment on their federal student loans without accruing interest when the national unemployment rate exceeds seven percent, or when the unemployment rate for 21-25 year olds exceeds nine percent.

Congresswoman Laura Richardson meets with college students in the district
As always, I am grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve you and California's 37th District. I commit to continue the work of meeting your needs and improving the lives of all of our families.

My warmest regards to you and your family,

Laura Richardson
Member of Congress (CA-37)

District Highlights

May marks Older Americans Month and I commemorated the occasion by spending time with senior citizens in my district. Older Americans Month is a great opportunity to make sure that Medicare funds in my district are going to those who qualify and deserve it, so we can continue to provide the best care for our seniors.

In honor of Older Americans Month, Congresswoman Laura Richardson meets with senior citizens in the district
I want to encourage high school students in my district to compete for a $2,000 college scholarship award by submitting a brief essay to Time Warner Cable's No Snap Judgments Essay Contest. This competition encourages students to look beyond first impressions and discover how our commonalities outweigh our differences.Essays must be submitted online before the deadline of June 3 at www.twcmedia.com/nosnapjudgments.

On May 22nd, Cheryl McNair came by my office to discuss the recent decision by the Department of Education to defund the McNair Scholars Program. The program was developed to encourage and prepare thousands of low-income and minority students to pursue postgraduate study and careers in academia.

On May 24th, I attended the American Gold Star Manor Memorial Day Ceremony in Long Beach to pay a formal tribute to all the service men and women who paid the supreme sacrifice while serving the nation.

I am proud to announce that the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority was recently awarded $25 million from the competitive State of Good Repair Initiative. The grant provides for the replacement of forty Los Angeles County buses that are beyond their useful lives.

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