International Affairs
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Curren Price was elected to the California Legislature in 2006 to represent the 51st Assembly District, and was re-elected by an overwhelming margin to a second term in 2008. In May 2009, he won a special election, and in November 2010, he won in the general election with 83% of the vote in the 26th Senate District. This District -- which represents one of the most diverse ethnic, religious and cultural areas in the country and the globe -- includes Culver City and other portions of Los Angeles, including Crenshaw, Beverlywood, Hollywood, Little Ethiopia, Thai Town, Koreatown, Ladera Heights, Larchmont, Leimert Park, and Vermont Hills.
Senator Price has a keen interest and extensive background in international affairs. After receiving his B.A. (Stanford) and J.D. (Santa Clara School of Law), he worked for a Los Angeles based export management firm where he managed a network of sales agents based in the middle and Far East. He also worked for ten years in Washington, D.C. for a satellite engineering firm on international projects, and was a featured speaker at international conferences on entrepreneurial opportunities in telecommunications. He has traveled to Israel, Africa, Europe and the Caribbean.
Over the years, Senator Price has developed a passionate, personal and professional interest in the Africa diaspora. During his junior year in college (1971), Mr. Price traveled to 12 countries in sub-Sahara Africa and immediately saw the African continent as a major opportunity for cultural fulfillment and economic activity. After graduating from law school, he returned to sub-Sahara Africa on business trips and was able to further explore untapped markets for commercial possibilities.
The Council of State Governments-West appointed Senator Price to serve as Chairman of its International Trade Committee for 2011-2012. This Council provides a nonpartisan platform for regional cooperation and collaboration among the legislatures of the 13 western states by creating opportunities for legislators and staff to share ideas and experiences with their colleagues.
California Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg appointed Senator Price to serve as the Chairman of the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee. The Committee has jurisdiction over legislation related to a wide-range of issues pertaining to business and professional services' practices and regulations. The Committee is also responsible for protecting California's consumers from unethical and harmful professional and business practices and helping to increase California's local, national and global economic competitiveness.
He also serves as a member of the Senate Select Committee on California-Mexico Cooperation. This Committee studies and makes legislative recommendations regarding infrastructure, economic development, social and civic exchanges of mutual benefit, and border-related matters between California and Mexico.
Senator Price established the 26th District Committee on Trade with Africa, to establish a win-win trade development partnership between Africa and California. His district is home to the African Consulates of Ethiopia, Uganda, South Africa, Ivory Coast and Kenya -- in addition to the Caribbean Consulates of Barbados, Belize, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
In addition to his committee affiliations, Senator Price has authored several legislative measures to stimulate international trade and investment relations in California.
SB 460 was introduced to establish an advisory committee to protect and increase activity at California’s ports.
Bill Sets Stage to Improve Promotion of Trade with California
Senate Resolution was offered to raise the visibility of the Federal EB-5 Visa Investment Program established in 1990 to attract foreign investment in the United States.
In his district, Senator Price recently co-hosted the Los Angeles African Diaspora Marketplace Roadshow (ADM), sponsored by the Constituency for Africa, Western Union and the U.S. Agency for International Development. The ADM is a business and educational forum that promotes business opportunities between sub-Sahara Africa and the U.S. Over the years, the Senator has had the honor of introducing visiting dignitaries to members of the California State Senate, has served as keynote speaker at numerous ethnic chambers of commerce and has been honored by numerous organizations for his advocacy for international relations.
Most recently, he received the 2012 Peace Award from the Center for African Peace and Conflict Resolution at California State University, Sacramento.
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