Karen Bass for Congress - March 24, 2010

BASS: I'm running for Congress because I believe the experience I have, working for change in delivering results, can help us meet the top challenges ahead. I will work and fight for each and every one of you. I know how to get results from my work in the community and my work in Sacramento. I'm truly honored to have the support of congresswoman Diane Watson, a giant in our community and whose retirement leaves very big shoes to fill, and I'm so very proud to have the support of many people in the community who I've worked with for decades.

Marqueece Harris-Dawn: As a community organizer, Karen's demonstrated her ability to bring people together, to work through the tough issues, and to deliver something on behalf of her constituents.

Kent Wong: For over 30 years, she has been a dynamic, visionary leader here in Los Angeles. She's going to do great things in Congress.

BASS: Serving as a member of the California State Assembly, I have heard from many of my constituents who have lost their homes to foreclosure. California is home to 40 percent the nation's foreclosures, and this is one of the primary reasons our economy has been hit so hard. Serving as speaker and leading the state during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression has been a painful and difficult experience. However, in spite of many partisan challenges in Sacramento, I worked effectively with my colleagues across the aisle. We passed legislation to bring six hundred million dollars to repair and build Los Angeles schools. We passed an historic agreement to protect our water supply, the first time agreement has been reached in half a century. And we passed bipartisan legislation to protect 600,000 children from losing their health care. That's the kind of problem solving and bridge-building I've tried to do in Sacramento, and it's the kind of problem solving and bridge-building I will work to do in Washington.

Francesca Vega: She exudes the passion that we need and the prowess and coalition building that I think is going to be just so critical right now and necessary in D.C.

BASS: As a physician assistant in the nineteen eighties, my workplace was the Los Angeles county emergency room, filled with working families who have no place to go for health care. My patients typically waited hours, often in pain, at private hospitals until it was discovered they were uninsured and then they were transferred to the county ER. I understand firsthand the need for health care reform, so no one has to wait 16 hours and all Americans can have access to quality care. In 1990, I founded the Community Coalition and began organizing block-by-block, alongside grassroots leaders, to improve neighborhoods by forcing out problem liquor stores and bringing quality businesses, grocery stores, clinics and other businesses. On Florence Avenue, one location had become a magnet for drug trafficking and gang violence. After we organized nearby residents and listened to their concerns, we convinced the owner to lease the property to a nonprofit social service agency.

Tracy Moore: She's principled, she's progressive, she's powerful, she's an incredible role model for everyone.

Physician Assistant Student: She's a leader you wanna come out and support. It's also a pleasure to back somebody who supports the community and wants to continue on and continue fighting on the things that she's doing.

BASS: Throughout the coming weeks and months, as I ask voters at the 33rd Congressional District for their support, I will also offer my commitment to fight as hard as I can, as hard as I always have, to change what isn't working, to continue bringing people together and delivering results. Thank you very much.