The worst part about this is that it was sent in all ernestness
Friends,
As we embark on a new year, our nation faces a myriad of critical challenges ranging from healthcare and education to housing and our economy. In the second session of the 110th Congress I will continue to work hard, as I did in the first session, to pass initiatives that address these challenges that are important to the American people. As your representative for the 9th Congressional District of Texas, I am honored to serve you in the United States House of Representatives. I hope that you will find the information in this e-newsletter update useful and informative. If I can ever be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to contact me by calling my office (the Green Team) at 713-383-9234 or by visiting me on the web at www.house.gov/algreen. Together we can make a better America .
Wishing you a happy new year,
Al Green
Member of Congress
WORKING FOR YOU ON CAPITOL HILL:
RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS BY COMMEMORATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH
As you may know, February is Black History Month, a chance to honor the lives and achievements that African Americans have intricately weaved into the very core of the American fabric. In recognition of the rich history of African Americans, I introduced a resolution, H. Res. 942, expressing the significance of Black History Month. A resolution commemorating this annual celebration illustrates the appreciation of the House of Representatives for the multitude of contributions African Americans have made and will continue to make in the future. I believe that the ethnic and racial diversity of the United States is the cornerstone of our nation’s strength. We are blessed to live in a country that honors the contributions of all people to the greatness of our nation.
SUPPORTING THE REVITALIZATION OF OUR NATION’S PUBLIC HOUSING
There is a misconception held by some that there is a surplus of available and affordable housing units in the United States . In fact, there is a deficit of over 5.6 million affordable and available housing units across this country. In Texas alone, we face the third largest deficit in the nation with a shortage of over 437,000 affordable and available housing units.
Recognizing the need to stem the loss of affordable housing, the United States House of Representatives voted to pass the HOPE VI Improvement and Reauthorization Act on January 17, 2008. As a Member of the House Committee on Financial Services’ Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity, I spoke on the floor of the House in support of the reauthorization of this vital program that revitalizes severely distressed public housing projects, improves economic conditions in the surrounding neighborhood, and helps very poor families progress toward self-sufficiency. This bill includes an important provision that requires that all public housing units slated for demolition under the HOPE VI program be replaced on a one-to-one basis. This provision is vital to insuring that the deficit of affordable housing in Texas and across our nation does not continue to grow. Increasing the number of available and affordable housing units in the 9th District and across the country is and will continue to be a high priority for me in Congress.
HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
On January 21st our nation honored one of the leaders of the civil rights movement, the great Dr. Marin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King taught us that silence in the face of injustice only serves to fuel the fires of prejudice and hatred. He said that “in the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” Dr. King’s message has become the conscience of our country, reminding us that it is our responsibility to stand up and speak out in the face of racial, gender, and religious discrimination.
Forty years after his assassination, we are still working to ensure that Dr. King’s dream of equality will one day be fully realized by all in our great nation. As we celebrate the life and legacy of a great American hero and international symbol of justice and equality, we must not forget that there is still tremendous work to be done:
· 47 million Americans live without health insurance, 4.1 million in Texas alone
· 37 million people live in poverty, 3.4 million in Texas alone
· 9 million children across the United States are without access to affordable healthcare, 1.4 million in Texas alone
· 200,000 veterans are homeless, 16,000 in Texas alone
Together, I believe we can fight the evils of social injustice and work to create a brighter future for all Americans. It has fallen on to us to make Dr. King’s dream a reality by standing up, and by all means, speaking out.
WORKING FOR YOU IN THE DISTRICT:
HONORING OUR NATION’S HEROES
On December 22nd and 24th, 2007, I visited the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center to present more than 200 flags flown over the United States Capitol to our nation’s veterans. It is important to honor the men and women who have sacrificed so much to make the United States of America the great country it is today. The freedoms we so often take for granted have been secured and defended since our nation’s founding by those in uniform willing to risk their lives for our ideals of freedom, opportunity, and justice.
Yet while our veterans were there to answer our call to duty, our government has not always been there for them. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs , nearly 200 , 000 homeless veterans live on the streets , in shelters or in community based organizations - 16,000 in Texas alone. I believe that we must honor our nation’s heroes not only with words, but with actions. For this reason I introduced H.R. 3329, the Homes for Heroes Act. This bill would prevent homelessness and provide affordable housing and housing services for our nation’s homeless heroes and their families. I believe this is the least a grateful nation can do.
BICYCLES FOR CHILDREN PROGRAM IN THE 9TH DISTRICT
According to the 2000 Census, over 75,000 children in the 9th Congressional District live below the federal poverty line. Addressing the prevalence of poverty in our nation is a priority for me as well as my colleagues in the 110th Congress. I will continue to work on your behalf in Congress to tackle the issue of poverty through legislation such as my Living American Wage (LAW) Act which indexes the federal minimum wage to the federal poverty level.
I believe it is equally important to extend a helping hand to those in our community who are facing difficult times whenever possible. In the spirit of the holiday season, I joined the Southeast Coalition of Civic Clubs and several local ministers on December 21, 2007 to distribute 100 bicycles to low-income children in our District. I sincerely want to thank all of the businesses and individuals that made the Bicycles for Children Program such a great success. Their selfless efforts have made this program possible for the past two years and it is my sincere hope that those efforts will continue to help make the dream of owning a bicycle a reality for children in the 9th District in the years to come.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
DIGITAL TV CONVERTER BOX COUPON PROGRAM UNDERWAY
At midnight on February 17, 2009, all full-power television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting in analog and switch to 100% digital broadcasting. Digital broadcasting promises to provide a clearer picture and more programming options and will free up additional airwaves for use by our emergency responders.
Congress created the TV Converter Box Coupon Program for households wishing to continue using their analog TV sets after February 17, 2009. The Program allows U.S. households to obtain up to two coupons, each worth $40, which can be applied toward the cost of eligible converter boxes. A TV connected to cable, satellite or other pay TV service will not require a TV converter box.
Between January 1, 2008 and March 31, 2009, you can request a coupon while supplies last in one of four ways:
· Apply online at https://www.dtv2009.gov
· Call the Coupon Program 24-hour hotline at 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009). Hearing-impaired consumers can use the TTY service by calling: 1-877-530-2634 (English/TTY) or 1-866-495-1161 (Spanish/TTY)
· Download a Coupon Application from: https://www.dtv2009.gov & mail a coupon application to: PO BOX 2000 , Portland , OR 97208-2000
· Fax a coupon application to 1-877-DTV-4ME2 (1-877-388-4632)
Please contact my office at 713-383-9234 if we can provide you with any additional help or information during this transition.
ON THE WEB:
For more information or to find out about my most recent activities please visit me on the web at www.house.gov/algreen
Please do not reply to this message, as it is an unattended mailbox. If you wish to send me an e-mail, please use the form at http://www.house.gov/writerep. If you would like more information on what is happening in Congress, please visit my web site at http://www.house.gov/algreen for more information.
To subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter, please use the subscription form on my home page at http://www.house.gov/algreen/ and follow the instructions there.
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