ASSEMBLYMEMBER KAREN BASS
47TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
For Immediate Release: June 10, 2008
Contact: Richard Stapler
Phone: (916) 319-2047

SACRAMENTO -- Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) will travel to Washington, D.C. this week for three days of bipartisan meetings to lobby for Washington's assistance to help close California's budget gap.

Bass will meet with U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein as well as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to push for more assistance to the Golden State. The Speaker will also meet with California's members of the House Appropriations Committee including Ranking Member Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Redlands), Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Inland Empire), Rep. Mike Honda (D-Silicon Valley), Rep. Lucille Roybal Allard (D-Los Angeles), Rep. Barbara Lee, (D-Oaklland), Rep. Sam Farr  (D-Monterey), and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank).

In addition, the Speaker will attend a meeting of the state's Democratic Congressional delegation hosted by Delegation Chairwoman Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose), as well as a meeting of the Congressional Black Caucus.

"With California taxpayers still getting only 79 cents back for every dollar we spend, it's vital that Washington become a partner in helping us balance on our budget," said Bass. "I'm hoping to shake the trees in Washington to push for passage of programs that will help California's bottom line."

Speaker Bass will push for extension of federal unemployment benefits, assistance for public safety programs, and education funding in her meetings.