DOWNEY - Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard spoke to Girl Scouts from troops 2485, 3245 and 2675 at a joint meeting at Downey Memorial Christian Church on May 8.During the visit, the congresswoman discussed her role and duties as their representative in Congress and how federal legislation directly impacts their daily lives. Roybal-Allard urged the students to make their voices heard by exercising their right to vote and participating in other ways in the political process. She also encouraged them to do well in school and explained the many educational resources provided by her office to assist students. Downey resident Mikalya Minnig, of Troop 2485, presented the congresswoman with flowers. The pair last saw each other on March 18 when 10-year-old Mikayla traveled to Washington, D.C. to testify before the House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services, and Education, about living with pauciarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Mikayla's testimony focused on her story on behalf of the nearly 300,000 other children with juvenile arthritis and the need for more research at the National Institutes of Health.

********** Published: May 22, 2009 - Volume 8 - Issue 5