Downey mayor Claudia Frometa participates in U.S. Conference of Mayors

DOWNEY — Mayor Claudia M. Frometa was in Washington DC this week for the United States Conference of Mayors 91st Winter Meeting.

Frometa joins Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (making her first trip to Washington since taking office in December) at the conference which began Tuesday and concludes Friday with the mayors meeting with President Joe Biden and his top staff at the White House.

Mayors from 13 other cities in Los Angeles County are also set to attend along with six from Orange County, according to organizers. Beverly Hills Mayor Lili Bosse is scheduled to speak Wednesday at a session titled ``Combating Hate and Extremism and the Violence They Fuel."

Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken is set to join fellow women mayors in sharing their perspectives on the impact female leaders can have on their communities, discussing their personal leadership journeys and giving their insights on how to best prepare the next generation of female leaders.

In addition to Frometa, Bass and Bosse, the other Los Angeles County mayors who have registered are Jessica Ancona (El Monte); Monica Arroyo (Bell); Drew Boyles (El Segundo); Gleam Davis (Santa Monica); Ray Jackson (Hermosa Beach); Erik Lutz (Pico Rivera); Rex Richardson (Long Beach); Emma Sharif (Compton); Vilma Cuellar Stallings (Paramount); David Torres (Montebello); and Chuong Vo (Cerritos).

The Orange County mayors who have registered in addition to Aitken are Valerie Amezcua (Santa Ana); Noah Blom (Newport Beach); Chris Duncan (San Clemente); Farrah Khan (Irvine); and Sandy Rains (Laguna Niguel). The meeting at the Capital Hilton will begin with a special session on mental health for a strong workforce.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm are set to speak at the meeting Wednesday. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack are set to speak Thursday. Attorney General Merrick Garland, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo are set to speak Friday.

Mayors from 266 cities with populations of 30,000 or more have registered for the meeting.