Form 99

CITY OF LOS ANGELES

RESOLUTION

DIANE WATSON

WHEREAS, Congresswoman Diane Watson was born in Los Angeles, and is a Lifetime resident of California's 33'd Congressional District where she has served as Congresswoman since 200 I;

WHEREAS, In 1975, Congresswoman Watson became the first African-American woman to be elected to the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education, where her commitment to education began with her efforts to expand school integration and toughen the academic standards that are set today; and

WHEREAS, In 1978, Congresswoman Watson was elected to the California State Senate, where she was then chosen to chair the Senate Health and Human Services Committee from I 98 I to 1998; and

WHEREAS, During her tenure in the California State Senate, Congresswoman Watson became a statewide and national advocate for health care, consumer protection, women, and children; and

WHEREAS, In 1993, Congresswoman Watson authored the California Birth Defects Monitoring Program Act, pioneering research into the causes of birth defects as well as monitors half the state's births- 300,000 every year collecting data on more than 200 structural birth defects having medical significance; and

WHEREAS, In 1993, Congresswoman Watson also authored the Residential Care Facilities Act, to ensure that senior citizens receive quality care in nursing and assisted living homes; and

WHEREAS, Congresswoman Watson has been an advocate for commonsense welfare reform in the State of California, and has played a major role in formulating the State of California's T ANF program, which provides education, child care, and employment to welfare recipients; and

WHEREAS, In 1999, President Clinton appointed Congresswoman Watson to serve as the United States Ambassador to the Federated States of Micronesia; and

WHEREAS, Congresswoman Watson was elected to Congress in 200 I and was reelected on November 5, 2 002 to a full two year term and has served in each succeeding Congress since; and

WHEREAS, Congresswoman Watson has provided national leadership as a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and as the Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Government Management, Organization, and Procurement and as a member of the Subcommittee for Domestic Policy, the Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives: and

WHEREAS, The Congresswoman has served the interests of the residents of Los Angeles and the American people as a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and of the Subcommittee for Africa and Global Health, the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Global Environment, and the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade; and

WHEREAS, The Congresswoman is the Chair of the Congressional Entertainment Industries Caucus, Co­ Chair of the Korean Caucus, member of the Women's Caucus, the Progressive Caucus, and the UK Caucus:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that by the adoption of this resolution the Los Angeles City Council along with the Mayor hereby congratulate Congresswoman Diane Watson and applaud her exemplary efforts and accomplishments which have been of great value to the community, to the City of Los Angeles, to the State of California, and to the United States of America.

October 22,20 I 0 PRESENTED BY: E > 0 -rr--' ADOPTED COUNCILMEMBER ERIC GARCETII SECONDED BY: OCT 1 9 2010 ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS lOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL e4~~ Recyclable a~d made from ffiC'JCled waste. @