Dear Dr. Hassan, YOU DID IT! Last night Congress restored the loan limits for the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) for two years. As you know, in late September the FHA, Fannie Mae; and Freddie Mac loan limits were reduced in 42 states pricing potential home buyers out of the American Dream of home ownership and holding back the housing recovery. NAR immediately went to work with the goal to get the loan limits restored in Congress. For weeks that goal seemed unlikely. You, and countless other REALTORS® like you along with YOUR leadership and YOUR management team worked to educate Congress that well-qualified buyers didn't need yet another hurdle to access affordable mortgage financing. They finally listened. Because we were persistent. And because we were right. The reinstated FHA loan limit formula and cap change will help make mortgages more affordable and accessible for hard-working, middle-class families in 669 counties in 42 states and territories, where the average loan limit reduction after the reset last month was more than $68,000. The provision reinstates the FHA loan limits through 2013 at 125 percent of local area median home prices, up to a maximum of $729,750 in the highest cost markets, the floor will remain at $271,050. However, Congress chose not to apply the loan limits restoration to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Fannie-and-Freddie-backed mortgages will remain at 115 percent of local area median home prices up to $625,500. The bill also provides for a short-term extension of the National Flood Insurance Program through December 16, 2011. NAR will continue to press Congress to use the additional time to complete their work on a five-year reauthorization of the program, which ensures access to affordable flood insurance for millions of home and business owners across the country. I know that when we work together we can accomplish anything we set our minds to in order to preserve, protect and defend the American Dream of Home Ownership. Because of your excellent work, I am continually reminded that “REALTORS® are the Heart of the Deal.” With much appreciation, Moe Veissi 2012 President NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®



Friend, Today, I am launching the most historic and exciting campaign PAC for a Change has ever waged -- WINWITHWOMEN2012 -- and I want you to be part of it. Click here to visit the new WinWithWomen2012.com now -- and sign up to help elect the most Democratic women senators in history! When I first ran in 1992, women were only two percent of the U.S. Senate. In 2012, we have the chance to make women more than 20 percent of the Senate -- the highest number in history -- if we act now! Our PAC for a Change community sees it very clearly: We must elect senators who will stand up and fight for what makes our nation great. That includes the belief that every American -- regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, and, yes, gender -- deserves opportunity and dignity. This fundamental belief is now under attack like never before. The Republicans have launched an all-out war on women. The GOP has blocked every jobs bill that would help women recover from a recession that has hit them hardest. They've tried again and again to take away a woman's right to choose, her protections from toxic pollution during pregnancy, her retirement security, and her advances in the health care reform law. In Mississippi, they are even trying to redefine personhood so that women would lose full access to fertility treatments, contraceptives, and emergency care during pregnancy. There is only one way to fight back -- and that is to elect this amazing team of women Democratic candidates that PAC for a Change has endorsed. Let me be clear: I need your help now to make this dream come true. Click here to visit WinWithWomen2012.com -- and then share our new site with your friends on Facebook, post it on Twitter, and forward this email to everyone you know. We have challengers like Elizabeth Warren in Massachusetts and Tammy Baldwin in Wisconsin. We have incumbents like Debbie Stabenow in Michigan and Dianne Feinstein in California. We're launching WinWithWomen2012.com today to help these wonderful candidates get the resources they need to win tough races, and to fight back against the GOP's war against women and their families. But it will only work if we all get involved and stay involved until election night. Electing the most women to the U.S. Senate in our nation's history would be an amazing achievement -- and it would be a huge step forward in women's ongoing struggle for true equality and our country's never-ending quest to become a more perfect union. This is the most important campaign our PAC for a Change has ever waged, and I need your help today. Please join me in making history by visiting WinWithWomen2012.com -- and then sharing our new site with your friends on Facebook, posting it on Twitter, and forwarding this email to everyone you know. WINWITHWOMEN2012! In friendship, Barbara Boxer U.S. Senator

Thursday, October 27, 2011 3:27 PM



Dear Dr. SABBAGH:

Thank you for taking the time to write and share your views with me.  Your comments will help me continue to represent you and other Californians to the best of my ability.  Be assured that I will keep your views in mind as the Senate considers legislation on this or similar issues.

If you would like additional information about my work in the U.S. Senate, I invite you to visit my website, http://boxer.senate.gov.  From this site, you can send a message to me about current events or pending legislation, access my statements and press releases, request copies of legislation and government reports, and receive detailed information about the many services that I am privileged to provide for my constituents.  You may also wish to visit http://thomas.loc.govto track current and past federal legislation.

Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me.  I appreciate hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator

October 19, 2011

Dear Friend:

Today I helped lead a Senate Commerce Subcommittee hearing on the need to strengthen pipeline safety after last year’s San Bruno natural gas pipeline explosion, which killed eight people, injured 52 others, destroyed 38 homes and damaged another 70 homes.

To read my opening statement from today’s hearing, please click here. To watch video of the hearing, click here.

Sadly, the tragedy in San Bruno was entirely preventable. And although the San Bruno accident was particularly severe, it was not at all unusual.  According to the Department of Transportation, there have been an average of 42 serious gas pipeline incidents per year over the past decade, resulting in an average of 14 deaths, 16 injuries, and over $32 million in property damage each year.

We should honor all those who have lost their lives or were injured in these pipeline incidents by strengthening safety rules so we can protect other communities from suffering similar tragedies.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator

October 18, 2011

Dear Friend:

Please take a moment to read this message about how you, your family, and your community can most effectively prepare for earthquakes.

In addition to creating your family emergency plan and getting an earthquake preparedness kit, your family, school, business, or organization can participate in this year’s “Great California ShakeOut” earthquake drill on Thursday, October 20th, at 10:20 a.m. Pacific Time.

The annual ShakeOut gives every Californian an opportunity to learn about and practice the techniques of “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” to be used during and immediately after an earthquake.  To learn more, click here or visit the ShakeOut website at http://www.shakeout.org/.

More than 8.4 million people have already signed up for this year’s ShakeOut.  To join, go to www.ShakeOut.org/register and find out how to plan a drill and talk with others about earthquake preparedness.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator

Dear Dr. Sabbagh :

Thank you for writing to express your support for extending existing Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan limits. I appreciate the time you took to write and apologize for the delay in my response.

I am an original cosponsor of legislation (S. 1508) introduced by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), which would extend the increased loan limits for qualifying federally-insured mortgages that are currently set to expire on September 30, 2011. Specifically, this legislation would preserve the existing conforming loan limit of $729,750 through December 2013. Without action, the loan limit would revert to a pre-crisis 2008 limit of $625,500, which would further depress California's already fragile housing market by prohibiting homes in high-value real estate markets from qualifying for federal insurance.

Please know that I appreciate your strong support for extending the FHA's increased loan limits. My decision to cosponsor this legislation was due, in part, to the outpouring of letters and emails I received from concerned constituents, such as yourself. I now hope this bill will receive quick and favorable consideration by the Senate.

Once again, thank you for writing. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841, or visit my website at http://feinstein.senate.gov. Best regards.

Sincerely yours,

Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator

ABOUT THE SENATOR CONSTITUENT SERVICES ISSUES & LEGISLATION PRESS CONTACT

- - - - - NEWS FROM BARBARA BOXER, UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM CALIFORNIA - - - - -

September 30, 201

Dear Mr. Sabbagh:

Thank you for taking the time to write and share your views with me. Your comments will help me continue to represent you and other Californians to the best of my ability. Be assured that I will keep your views in mind as the Senate considers legislation on this or similar issues.

If you would like additional information about my work in the U.S. Senate, I invite you to visit my website, http://boxer.senate.gov. From this site, you can access my statements and press releases about current events and pending legislation, request copies of legislation and government reports, and receive detailed information about the many services that I am privileged to provide for my constituents. You may also wish to visit http://thomas.loc.gov to track current and past federal legislation.

Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. I appreciate hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator

September 30, 2011

Dear Friend:

I am pleased to share with you the recent announcement of Justice Department grants that will allow cities and counties across California to hire 190 police officers.

To read more about this investment, including which cities will benefit, please click here.

As cities in California continue to confront difficult budget cuts, I am pleased that this funding will put more police officers on the streets to protect our families and communities.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator

Press Release of U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer

For Immediate Release: September 28, 2011

Contact: Washington D.C. Office (202) 224-3553

Boxer Lauds California 'Cops' Funding

Grants Will Lead to 190 New Police Officers in Cities and Counties Statewide

Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Boxer (D-CA) today praised the announcement by the Justice Department that cities and counties across California will receive more than $71 million in grants to hire 190 police officers.

Senator Boxer said, As cities in California continue to confront difficult budget cuts, I am pleased that this funding will put more police officers on the streets to protect our families and communities. It is common sense more cops on the beat means less crime.

The Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), a program long supported by Senator Boxer, gives hiring grants to help bolster police forces. The grants provide all of the approved salary and benefits for entry-level officer positions for three years and require police departments to retain the grant funded positions for a fourth year.

The grants will support 190 police officers across California, including 25 each in Oakland, Los Angeles and Sacramento. Specifically, the funds will be allocated as follows:

Crescent City Police Department
$238,737

Fairfield Police Department
$1,809,475

Indio Police Department
$1,235,928

Lompoc Police Department
$932,844

Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department
$8,535,100

Madera Police Department
$531,896

City of Maywood
$428,788

Monterey County
$2,369,759

Norwalk Department of Public Safety
$810,950

Novato Police Department
$1,095,873

City of Oakland
$10,739,575

Parlier Police Department
$244,057

Perris Police Department
$835,833

Placer County Sheriff's Department
$2,587,904

City of Redlands
$1,711,616

Sacramento County Sheriff's Department
$11,306,450

Sacramento Police Department
$8,102,450

City of Salinas
$2,832,472

San Joaquin County Sheriff
$4,595,360

City of San Jose
$1,703,664

City of Stockton
$7,817,161

City of Tulare
$1,230,792

Williams Police Department
$245,450

Dear Friend:

Thank you for your e-mail message and for your interest in public policy.

In order to better serve the 37 million residents of California, I am now using an e-mail system located on my Senate website. This system enables me to provide more and better responses to you and other constituents while saving taxpayer dollars.

If you would like a reply to your message, I encourage you to visit my website e-mail system at http://boxer.senate.gov/en/contact/policycomments.cfm
Simply fill in the fields, type in your message, and click Submit at the bottom of the page.

Again, thank you for contacting me. I hope you will keep in touch.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator

August 11, 2011

Dear Friend:

Thanks to health care reform, women will have access to a wide range of free preventive health care services under guidelines recently announced by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Beginning in August 2012, new health insurance plans will be required to cover womens preventive services such as contraceptives, annual well-woman checkups, and domestic violence screenings without charging a co-pay or deductible.

To read my statement about this important advance in womens health care, please click here. To read the new HHS guidelines, click here.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator

Dear Mr. Sabbagh :

Thank you contacting me to express your support for reauthorizing the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). I appreciate the time you took to write and apologize for the delay in my response.

Like you, I believe that federally backed flood insurance is important for many Americans living in areas susceptible to catastrophic flooding. At this time, there are currently no proposals in the Senate to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program. However, there are a number of legislative proposals in the House of Representatives that would reauthorize NFIP. Should such legislation pass the House, it would be considered by the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, before being considered by the full Senate. Please know that it is my hope that the Senate can address the outstanding issues regarding NFIP and pass a long term extension before the current authorization expires.

You may be interested to know that on June 27, 2011, I introduced the "Flood Protection Fairness Act" (S. 1284). This legislation helps homeowners and businesses by allowing:

o Residents living behind levees built with local tax dollars to qualify for the same discounted flood insurance rates as communities that rely on levees built with federal tax dollars;

o Areas protected by coastal levees to qualify for the same flood insurance rate zones as areas protected by riverine levees, provided they meet equivalent flood protection standards; and

o Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to calculate the value of a levee system in current dollars instead of using the un-inflated cost of levee improvements completed years ago. This encourages local governments to fix problems as they arise.

The "Flood Protection Fairness Act" will incentivize local governments to help pay for flood protection systems, and lower the cost of flood insurance for Californians. This bill is currently pending in the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Once again, thank you for writing. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841. Best regards.

Sincerely yours,

Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator

support for H.R. 1754

Dear Mr. Sabbagh :

Thank you for taking the time to express your support for H.R. 1754, the Preserving Equal Access to Mortgage Finance Programs Act . I appreciate hearing your concerns, and welcome the opportunity to respond to your comments.

As you may know, government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac buy residential mortgages from the original lenders and resell them as mortgage-backed securities to investors (or hold them in their own portfolios). There is a ceiling on the size of loans the GSEs can buy, called a conforming loan limit. The current GSE conforming loan limits range from $417,000 to $729,750, depending on local area median home price. The F ederal H ousing A dministration limits range from $271,050 to $729, 750, also based on 125% of local area median home price. Unfortunately, b oth of these limits will reset to 115% of local area median up to $625,500 on September 30, 2011 unless Congress acts.

You will be happy to know that I am proud cosponsor of H.R. 1754, a bipartisan bill introduced by Reps. Gary Miller and Brad Sherman of California that would make the current loan limits permanent. As you point out, h omeownership and affordable housing are particularly difficult in the Silicon Valley region, where real estate prices are among the highest in the nation . As our econom y recovers from the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, it is important that we do not hamper this recovery by reduc ing mortgage liquidity, wh ich is what allowing these limits to expire would do. As H.R. 1754 moves through Congress, you can rest assured that I will keep your strong support in mind.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to contact me about this important issue. Your comments help me to better represent the people of our Congressional District.

Sincerely,

Michael M. Honda
Member of Congres

Saving Digital Innovation and the Internet 01/19/2012

Dear Friends:

Yesterday, thousands of websites and millions of Americans stood up to protest the internet censorship bills currently moving through Congress, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA). As part of these protests, I changed the front page of my website to help educate constituents about the risks posed by these bills. As I have said since Day 1, SOPA and PIPA would set dangerous precedent and represent a big step backwards in Washington's efforts to foster growth in the digital sector. These bills would have a profound effect on how the internet functions on a basic level, undermining the legal process and overturning long-standing practices established in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

I have serious concerns about the overly broad definitions of theft included in both bills that could be used to shut down dozens of lawful exchange sites that are valuable outlets for small-scale buying and selling. I am also uneasy about the use of DNS blocking as a viable solution, especially within the lens of consumer security standards like DNSSEC. Finally, the complete immunity from federal and state laws granted in these pieces of legislation to several industries could set off an anti-consumer and anti-competitive wave that will strike at the very core of the internet. The fact that Congress is considering these haphazard bills is a cause for alarm.

Throughout the public debate for the Stop Online Piracy Act and the Protect IP Act, I have often stated that at heart of this issue are fundamental questions about what the internet and free speech means to Americans, intellectual property rights holders, and our economy; questions that are too important to haphazardly rush through Congress without a full and open debate. No one denies that copyright infringement and piracy are serious problems. What is under discussion is the protections that legitimate sites should have and by what method we expose these criminals while allowing lawful businesses and people, like the constituents in my District, to continue to innovate in ways that change the way we look at the world.

I know many of you agree with me. Yesterday, my blog and Facebook posts had an outpouring of comments, describing to the world how much you oppose SOPA and PIPA. Were not done yet though, just because yesterdays protests are over doesnt these bills are defeated. We must continue to press on and tell our stories. I am keeping my protest page up and I hope it will encourage you to continue what you started yesterday by liking my post on Facebook and posting on my blog.

Sincerely,

Mike Honda

Rep. Honda eNewsletter - November 8, 2011
I'm not standing on the sidelines

Dear Friends;

I havent been sitting on the sidelines during the jobs debate; over the next few weeks I am introducing two critical pieces of legislation. Watch my District Address to find out more.

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'Super Committee' Telephone Town Hall: Recordings from my call

In October, I held a telephone town hall about the Super Committee and the United States economy. It was great to talk with so many of you about the issues facing our nation. The full recording from the call is now on my website.

Read More...

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Putting an end to Viral Hepatitis: America's silent killer

This week, I introduced a bi-partisan and bi-cameral version of my Viral Hepatitis prevention bill with Rep. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts. The following OpEd ran in several papers to coincide with the introduction of this legislation:

Read More...

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Improving Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education

The American Dream remains an aspiration for millions of American families throughout the United States, just as it was for me in my youth. Achieving the American Dream starts with a solid education. The American public school system should be the equalizer of economic opportunity throughout the US, one that can elevate and enhance a childs creativity and thought, allowing he or she to be a competitive player on the world scene, just as it was 40 years ago when I watched Apollo 11 land on the moon.

Read More...

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With so much happening in the nations capital, I use several forms of communication to keep you informed, and involved in the process. In addition to this enewsletter, I also post information on myblog,Twitter,Facebook, andYouTube. Please feel free to visit these resources. In this regard, I appreciate all of your calls, letters, and visits to my office expressing your views on the issues that matter to you. I have been working hard to make sure that our districts values are properly heard in Congress.

Sincerel

Rep. Honda eNewsletter - October 11, 2011
Join Me To Talk About Our Country's Future

Dear Friends;

This Thursday, October 13th at 6:30PM PDT, I will be hosting a telephone town hall about our nations economic outlook. Considering the effect that the Super Committee and jobs, budget and tax proposals will have in setting our countrys priorities for years to come, I believe it is very important that a substantive discussion occur between neighbors, friends, families, and elected officials.

I hope you will join me for this important discussion. To sign-up,please click here.

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Health Reform Provides Health Insurance for One Million Youth

Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that over one million young adults have gained health insurance over the last year as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). New statistics from a variety of organizations have shown this to be one of the many impactful accomplishments of the Affordable Care Act.

Read More...

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VIDEO: Rural aid, not guns, key to Pakistan progress

I recently recorded my latest policy address to the District regarding the need for a change in American-Pakistan policy.

Watch the video here...

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The Time is Right to Expand the Peace Corps

As the Peace Corps celebrates its 50th anniversary this month, it is time to take stock and commit to making it bigger, better and bolder.As one of four members of the House who volunteered, I answered President John F. Kennedy's call for Peace Corps recruits in the 1960s and served in El Salvador. To say that the Peace Corps changed my life and my perspective, and influences now my modus operandi as a member of Congress, would be a sweeping understatement.

Read More...

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With so much happening in the nations capital, I use several forms of communication to keep you informed, and involved in the process. In addition to this enewsletter, I also post information on myblog,Twitter,Facebook, andYouTube. Please feel free to visit these resources. In this regard, I appreciate all of your calls, letters, and visits to my office expressing your views on the issues that matter to you. I have been working hard to make sure that our districts values are properly heard in Congress.

Sincerely,