District 4 Councilwoman Participates in Congressional City Conference
Published on March 13, 2024
SAN ANTONIO (March 13, 2024) – District 4 Councilwoman Dr. Adriana Rocha Garcia attended the first National League of Cities (NLC) Board of Directors meeting of the year on March 10 after sharing key advocacy priorities to the NLC Legislative Action Committee on March 9. A select group of the NLC Board of Directors was invited to meet with President Joe Biden before he addressed the opening general session of the Congressional Cities Conference. The Councilwoman invited President Biden to San Antonio to visit the Migrant Resource Center (MRC).
While chairing the Human Development (HD) Committee this year, the focus will be on advocating for the reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which funds the bulk of the federal government’s 43 employment and training programs. Another key priority of the HD Committee will be supporting funding for the RECOMPETE Program, which aims to invest in economically distressed communities as well as programs that create and connect people to good jobs.
“Over the past five years, it’s been a privilege to share with others the transformative impact of voter-approved initiatives like Pre-K 4 SA, SA Ready to Work, and our Housing Bond,” the Councilwoman stated. “These annual events allow us to build relationships and connect with experts in workforce development, housing, transportation, infrastructure, energy, and emergency response.”
The HD Committee joined the Public Safety and Crime Prevention Committee, the leadership of NLC’s constituency groups and member councils for an Immigration Roundtable on Sunday, March 10. This discussion was a valuable opportunity to engage in a constructive dialogue on the local impacts of immigration and explore collaborative approaches to address the challenges at hand. The Councilwoman shared information about the City’s MRC and the need to garner federal support to help municipalities impacted by immigration.
On Monday afternoon, the Councilwoman moderated an all-women panel titled “Aligning Workforce Development with Plans for Economic Growth,” which focused on opportunities to develop effective workforce pathways supporting residents from historically underserved and underrepresented communities. Presenters included officials from the U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Transportation and AmeriCorps.