Bustamante and served as his Southern California director for five years. California Assembly Richardson served as the assistant speaker pro tempore in the Assembly. Richardson was the first African-American and South Bay representative to achieve this position. Additionally, Richardson was appointed to serve on the Budget, Human Services, Utilities & Commerce, Government Organization, and Joint Legislative Budget committees. She was chair of the Select Committee on Proposition 209-Equal Opportunity. U.S. House of Representatives Committee assignments Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications (Ranking Member) Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Highways and Transit Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Caucuses Congressional Black Caucus Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (Associate Member) Political positions Iraq War In 2003, Richardson said she believed weapons inspections in Iraq should have continued, and that she did not favor an invasion. She was asked by anti-war groups to support a Long Beach City Council resolution declaring the city's opposition to the Iraq War. She did not support this resolution, but cosponsored a resolution declaring support for local members of the National Guard. Once hostilities began, she stated that it was important to support the troops. She argued that once Saddam Hussein was caught and executed, American troops should have come home. She supports a withdrawal plan beginning in six months, according to her mailers, which often contain pictures of former president George W. Bush with a slash mark through his image, indicating her opposition to Bush's policies. She pledged to oppose any new spending for war in Iraq. Same-sex marriage She co-wrote AB 43, the bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in California. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed AB 43 in 2007. Prisons Richardson supported AB 900 to create 40,000 more prison beds in California at the cost of $7.4 billion. Environment Richardson has faced some harsh scrutiny for not co-sponsoring Rep. Henry Waxman's global warming legislation. As a result, Greenpeace has mounted a public awareness campaign about her position. Immigration Richardson does not support building a border fence. She does support some path to citizenship for certain illegal immigrants. 2008 presidential race Laura Richardson endorsed Hillary Clinton in the 2008 Democratic presidential primaries, although her district voted for 54.2% to 43.5% in favor of Barack Obama. FISA Amendments Act Richardson voted in favor of a controversial