Albany - Speaker Sheldon Silver recently appointed Assemblywoman Carmen Arroyo (D-Bronx) Chair of the Assembly's Office of State-Federal Relations. The Speaker's mission for Arroyo and the Office is to identify and disseminate key information about federal initiatives to her Assembly colleagues so they can use it in developing State policies and budgets.

According to Arroyo, "I am honored that the Speaker has asked me to take on this responsibility. We are facing an unprecedented financial crisis in our State and City as well as the rest of the nation. We need help from Washington to resolve this crisis and so far our new President has taken bold action to help us."

Arroyo's first priority is to identify the effect of certain aspects of the recently passed federal stimulus on State government and how it translates into assistance for struggling families.

###