Padilla Announces Monterey Park Mayor as Guest for 2023 State of the Union
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) announced that Councilman Henry Lo, the former Mayor of Monterey Park, will be his guest at President Biden’s 2023 State of the Union Address to Congress. Lo served his term as Mayor of Monterey Park, California from December 2021 to January 2023. On January 21, the eve of Lunar New Year, a mass shooting in Monterey Park claimed the lives of 11 people.
“As Monterey Park, Half Moon Bay, and too many other communities throughout California and across the country grieve the tragic loss of life from mass shootings, it’s an honor to be joined by Councilman Henry Lo at this year’s State of the Union address,” said Senator Padilla. “Henry’s leadership has been instrumental in honoring the lives of those we lost in Monterey Park and helping the community heal after such a devastating loss. Americans across the country are heartbroken by the senseless and unnecessary violence that continues to impact so many of our friends, family, and loved ones. We have to do better for our communities and recommit ourselves to passing sensible, nationwide gun safety laws that will save the lives of thousands of people each year.”
“Monterey Park is a city of immigrants, a city that embodies the American Dream. But on what should have been a day of celebration for us, Monterey Park joined the long list of cities in America that have woken up to the tragic reality that a mass shooting has claimed the lives of its community members. It is urgent that we take federal action to ensure that no other community in America has to mourn lives lost to senseless gun violence,” said former Mayor of Monterey Park Henry Lo. “The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act was an important step to protecting our communities, and I thank Senator Padilla for his continued advocacy at the federal level for common-sense gun safety reforms that will keep our communities safe.”
Lo is the son of working-class immigrants who came to California seeking the American Dream and was the first in his family to attend college. Lo received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from Colby College and a Master in Public Administration degree from California State University, Northridge.
Lo’s history of public service spans over 20 years. From 2003 to 2020, he served on the Garvey Elementary School District Board of Education. As a board member, he co-founded the Garvey Education Foundation, which has raised community support for the schools in the Garvey Elementary School District since its founding in 2007.
Senator Padilla is a staunch advocate for commonsense, life-saving gun safety reforms. In June 2022, Padilla voted in favor of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The law is the most significant gun safety legislation in almost thirty years and helps to keep guns away from abusers, improve background checks, and increase state funding for the implementation of red flag laws. Senator Padilla believes there is still far more to do to keep our communities safe from gun violence—including expanding background checks for the sale or transfer of all firearms and banning military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines.
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