After 18 years of imprisonment, today Sara Kruzan is finally a free woman. Freedom is something she’s never experienced before. Sara was forced into prostitution by a sex trafficker when she was only 11 years old. For years, she was abused, exploited, and sold on the streets for money.

Sex trafficking is a disgusting crime happening right here in our state and nation. In the past, young girls arrested for prostitution were judged by society as criminals. Through education, survivor and prevention programs, and legislation, we continue to work to reverse this injustice. Sara’s release is a giant leap towards justice for all the true victims of this horrific crime.

It is time we put the true criminals behind bars and show that we will not let the exploitation of young, innocent girls continue in our own streets and neighborhoods.

Over the weekend, Governor Jerry Brown granted freedom to Sara Kruzan, who has been imprisoned for the last 18 years for killing her former pimp. Sara was originally sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, but former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger commuted her sentence to 25 years-to-life with the possibility of parole.

Now in a matter of months, Sara will be a free woman. Freedom, however, is something she’s never experienced before. Sara was forced into prostitution by a sex trafficker when she was only 11 years old. For years, she was abused, exploited, and sold on the streets for money.

In the past, young girls arrested for prostitution were judged by society. Through education, survivor and prevention programs, and legislation, we continue to work to reverse this injustice. Sara’s release is a giant leap towards justice for all the true victims of this horrifying crime.

When she is finally released, I look forward to meeting with Sara to discuss new ways to help young girls who are being exploited.

Early this morning, President Obama signed a bipartisan bill into law that ended a federal government shutdown that spanned 16 days and raised the nation’s debt ceiling. The new bill funds the federal government through January 15, 2014 and extends the country’s debt limit until February 7, 2014.

While we all breathe another sigh of relief that the government shutdown was averted, again, we know this is only short-term.  There is no victory here, for either party or for any branch of government.  We got through another deadline, but didn’t solve any of the big challenges facing our nation.

Our elected officials in Washington need to develop a long-term strategic budget by working together.  If they need a lesson in how this is done, they can see the example of local governments across this nation who cannot play these games, but must solve the problems impacting their communities.

This go-round had Los Angeles County a few short weeks away from not being able to provide those most in need with the basic necessities of food and shelter. These are people who are struggling to make ends meet and feed their families in an economy which has still not recovered.  It is my hope that in the next few months, we will see more courage from leaders in Washington to put partisan grandstanding aside and do the tough work of negotiation and problem-solving so that we don’t face this situation yet again in January.

We are now a week into the federal government shutdown and things remain the same. Vital programs and services remain shuttered, impacting everyday people across the country.

With most of our federally mandated programs “excepted,” Los Angeles County’s operations remain virtually unhindered by the shutdown, but the clock is ticking on several key programs.

If the shutdown continues into November, the County’s food stamps and Calworks (welfare) programs will expire, and we will need to find other resources to continue providing these essential public assistance programs.

Also, two of the County’s public housing programs will be impacted. The Community Development Commission, which receives federal funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, will be unable to maintain the housing choice voucher program, better known as Section 8, unless a congressional resolution is passed. The Public Housing Program will also no longer be able to distribute funds, and currently only has four months of reserves available to tap into if the shutdown continues. Families, no longer able to make ends meet, will be forced out of their homes into shelters or the streets.

The government shutdown is already hurting this country with furloughs and cuts to services. In just over three weeks, without a resolution, people will lose the programs necessary to their livelihood. The dysfunction in Washington will cost them their sources of food, shelter and income.

As you know, at the stroke of midnight last night, the federal government shutdown due to the inability of Congress to work together. This government shutdown will have ripple effects throughout the nation, impacting programs and services like National Parks, veteran pensions, coast guard patrols, and passport services.

Fortunately however, the shutdown is not expected to significantly hurt Los Angeles County’s operations. A big reason why is because Medicaid, which accounts for over half of the County’s federal revenue, is a mandatory program, and is thus excluded from the shutdown.

However, two programs offered by Los Angeles County to residents in need, food stamps and CalWorks, could become tied up in the congressional mess. If these programs do not receive an extension by the end of the month, both will expire and the County, the ultimate safety net, will need to find other resources to continue providing these essential public assistance programs.

If Congress can’t come together and reach an agreement soon, this shutdown is not only going to impact “non-essential” services. It will hurt everyday people, like our military veterans, who rely on federal assistance programs that are necessary for their livelihoods.  We need long-term vision and a thoughtful plan, not shutdowns and more last-minute, crisis debates, which do nothing but make the American people even more frustrated with their government.