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DAY ONE MEETING READOUTS: Mayor Karen Bass and U.S. Conference of Mayors Garner Support From Biden Administration on National Homelessness Strategies

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LOS ANGELES – As Chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) Task Force on Homelessness, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and USCM President Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve are leading a bipartisan group of nearly 50 mayors from 18 states across the country to Washington, DC to advance national solutions to confront the homelessness crisis. The delegation represents more than 17 million people and will meet with key members of the Biden-Harris Administration, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House of Representatives. 

EDs: More info about the delegation trip here. Click here for photos and b-roll.

Today, the delegation shared their national advocacy goals with White House officials and Cabinet Secretaries as a part of the USCM Task Force on Homelessness’ legislative agenda to combat homelessness:

  • Expand veteran eligibility for housing vouchers so that veterans don’t have to choose between their disability benefits and housing; 

  • Lift the cap on project-based vouchers to provide cities with flexibility to build more affordable and supportive housing; and

  • Advocate for increased funding for housing choice vouchers.

Today, the delegation met with the following cabinet secretaries:

The delegation also met with White House Officials including White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients, Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Tom Perez, Domestic Policy Advisor to the President Neera Tanden, and Director of the Office of Management and Budget Shalanda Young about the administration’s continued support for cities addressing this issue and the commitment to continue support for local lifesaving efforts. 

Tomorrow, the delegation will meet with Congressional leaders to pursue a statutory change in this important issue. Members of the delegation today met with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise to discuss their shared bipartisan approach on veteran homelessness. The delegation also met with Congresswoman Linda Sanchez. 

Tomorrow, the delegation will meet with Congressional leaders including: 

  • House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries 

  • Representative Katherine Clark, House Minority Whip

  • Representative Pete Aguilar, Chair of the House Democratic Caucus

  • Representative Rosa DeLauro, Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee

  • Representative Maxine Waters, Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee

  • Representative Mark Takano, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

  • Representative Warren Davidson, Chair of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance 

  • Representative Jay Obernolte, Chair of the House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight 

  • Senator Sherrod Brown, Chair of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

  • Senator Jerry Moran, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

  • Senator John Cornyn, Member of the Senate Committee on Finance

  • Senator John Fetterman, Member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

Mayors will speak at a press conference at 1:00 PM EST. The event, sponsored by Ranking Member  of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Mark Takano, will take place at the House Triangle. For more information, email lamayornews@lacity.org