Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and six city councilmembers kicked off their first full day in Washington, D.C., on Monday, Oct. 16, as part of a trip this week to meet with White House officials and members of Congress.
The rare trip marks the first time in recent memory in which a delegation consisting of the mayor and more than a third of L.A.’s city councilmembers traveled together to the nation’s capital to advocate for federal support and funding to address some of the city’s priority issues.
Councilmembers on the trip include City Council President Paul Krekorian and council members Bob Blumenfield, Eunisses Hernandez, Heather Hutt, Traci Park and Hugo Soto-Martinez.
The mayor’s office described the historic trip as a chance to focus on efforts to house more people who are homeless, make the city safer, expand resources for veterans, support working Angelenos, improve L.A.’s transportation system and increase access to federal funding.
The delegation discussed expediting federal reimbursements for COVID-19-related expenses and the upcoming 2028 Olympics in L.A. – including making sure Los Angeles is prepared with transportation infrastructure and security. They also discussed support that the city is seeking to help accommodate migrants who have been arriving on buses from Texas to L.A. since June.
Blumenfield, in a phone interview part way through Monday, described the meetings with White House officials as “productive.”
“We’re building relationships. … We did not expect to walk into meetings and to walk out with checks” or specific promises, Blumenfield said. Rather, he said, the meetings provided a chance for L.A. and federal officials to learn from one another.
Ahead of this week’s trip, Bass said in a statement Friday that the federal government’s partnership with the city has already resulted in progress in bringing unhoused Angelenos indoors and to improving the city’s transportation system.
“This delegation…
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