Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard Announces She Will Not Run For Re-Election
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard has announced that her nearly 30 year run in the House of Representatives will finally come to an end, as she will not re-run for election in 2022.
She was the Mexican-American woman elected to Congress, and the first Latina to serve on the House Appropriations Committee and to chair an Appropriations Subcommittee.
In a statement released on Monday, Roybal-Allard reflected on her time in Congress and the honor that came with serving her country, and the City of Los Angeles,
"Serving my constituents in Congress has been the single most distinguished honor of my life. Over my many years of public service, I have always strived to do that which is best to help improve my community and my country. After thirty years in the House of Representatives, the time has come for me to spend more time with my family. Therefore, I have decided not to seek reelection. While I will not be seeking reelection in 2022, I look forward to continue to work for the people of my district in the new year and long after I leave public office."
Now 80 years old, Roybal-Allard's 40th District includes Bell, Bell Gardens, Commerce, Cudahy, Downey, Huntington Park, Maywood, Paramount, Vernon and portions of Bellflower, East Los Angeles, Florence-Firestone and South Los Angeles.
Prior to overseeing the 40th District, she served as representative for both the 34th District (2003 - 2013) and the 33rd District (1993 - 2003). Before that, Roybal-Allard was a member of the California State Assembly from 1987 to 1992, representing the 56th District.
Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi released a statement shortly after Roybal-Allard announced her decision to forgo re-election. In it, she praised the Democratic Representative for her, "unyielding commitment to our immigrant communities," referring to Roybal-Allard as "an absolute force for progress in the hallowed halls of Congress."
She is the daughter of former Los Angeles City Councilman and U.S. Congressman Edward R. Roybal, who served on the House of Representatives from 1963 to 1993.
A Los Angeles native, Roybal-Allard was born and raised in Boyle Heights. She attended California State University, Los Angeles and has an elementary school named after her in Huntington Park.
She is one of two Representatives to announce their decision not to re-run on Monday. Overall, 22 different Representatives have retired from their positions prior to the Midterm Elections scheduled for 2022.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)