Notations On Our World (Special Friday Edition): Senator Feinstein Responds to Our Editor

Our Editor & Co-Founder shared this with us on the response he received from Senator Feinstein's Office which we wanted to report on:

 

Thank you for writing to share your thoughts regarding the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants.  I appreciate the time you took to write, and I welcome the opportunity to respond.

I share your concern that homelessness remains one of the country’s most persistent challenges, and I have made addressing this crisis one of my top priorities.  Each year, nearly 1.6 million people turn to emergency shelters and transitional housing programs, according to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.  As you know, McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants provide critical assistance to communities to help end chronic homelessness.  

You may be interested to know that on March 23, 2018, Congress passed, and President Trump signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-141).  This law allocates $2.513 billion for Homeless Assistance Grants, representing a $130 million funding increase compared to fiscal year (FY) 2017.

You may also be interested to know that I joined 34 of my Senate colleagues on April 18, 2018, in sending a letter to Chairman Susan Collins (R-ME) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) of the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee.  Specifically, the letter expressed support for funding of no less than $2.8 billion for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants for FY 2019.  

Please know I recognize that housing programs have been chronically underfunded for years relative to the ongoing need for housing assistance.  Be assured that I have noted your support for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants.  As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which has jurisdiction over funding for federal housing assistance programs, I will keep your thoughts in mind as the appropriations process moves forward.

Once again, thank you for writing.  Should you have any other questions or comments, please call my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841 or visit my website at feinstein.senate.gov.  You can also follow me online at YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, and you can sign up for my email newsletter at feinstein.senate.gov/newsletter.

Best regards.

Sincerely yours,


  Dianne Feinstein
         United States Senator

Notations On Our World (Special Mid-Week Edition): On Our World

Please enjoy these snapshot with all that goes on in our World with developments courtesy of Transparency International and Points of Light that do all that they can to make a difference for all ordinary faces:  

The UK government agreed to require British Overseas Territories to introduce public registers of beneficial ownership. That means that companies based in places like Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos and the British Virgin Islands will soon have to reveal the identity of the people who own or control them. The British Overseas Territories have long been a destination of choice for money-launderers and others seeking to move or hide their wealth offshore. More than half of the offshore companies referred to in the Panama Papers were set up in the British Virgin Islands. Now, it won’t take leaks like those to bring important financial information from these territories to light. As we highlighted in our report last month, now it is up to the other G20 countries to step up their efforts. If governments in other secrecy jurisdictions don’t act, they might soon find themselves at risk of being used as a refuge for corrupt cash and ill-gotten gains. They wouldn’t want that, would they?    The UK just made it harder for the corrupt to hide their wealth offshore From the Lava Jato scandal  to the Panama and Paradise Papers, time and again we’ve seen how offshore territories - often known as secrecy jurisdictions or tax havens - play a key role in facilitating the illicit flow of money across borders. New on Voices for Transparency   Italians are disillusioned with public contracting, can an ancient archaeological site change that? In southern Italy, public works are often perceived as useless and a waste of money. Can citizen involvement change that?   Corruption in the news this week Global: Disclosure in the Caymans: Global walls of financial secrecy are falling Christian Science Monitor (3 May)A new British law could have big ripple effects as part of a global trend toward financial transparency. Disclosure of who really owns offshore companies can counter crime and reduce the inequality that arises from corruption or tax evasion.   US / Honduras: US Arrests Honduras Elite for Allegedly Laundering Corruption Proceeds Insight Crime (3 May)   Canada: A special adviser will help RCMP tackle B.C.'s 'infamous' money laundering industry National Post (3 May) TI mention   US: Trump claims immunity, asks court to toss foreign payments suit Reuters (2 May)   Blog/Opinion Opinion: There’s a reason for the lack of trust in government and business: corruption The Guardian (4 May)   Blog: Corruption is bad HuffPost (2 May)

Brothers Team Up to Help Save Blue-Footed Booby May 2, 2018 Most students study topics in school in order to pass a test. Few take their knowledge and turn it into a commitment to make the world a better place. But that’s exactly what Will Gladstone did after learning about the endangered blue-footed booby in his fifth-grade science class. With the help of their dad, Will and his younger brother Matty started The Blue Feet Foundation, selling blue socks to raise funds - more than $40,000 to date! - to help save the blue-footed boobies.  Read About These Daily Points of Light

Social Entrepreneur Empowers Women Through Self-Defense, Leadership Training After surviving a hate crime, Rana Abdelhamid felt shaken and alone. The experience led her to start a nonprofit organization supporting Muslim women’s empowerment through self-defense and skills-based training. Now, Rana’s grassroots movement has expanded  to bring healing and empowerment to all women, reaching more than 3,000 worldwide. Read About This Daily Point of Light

Service Unites Speakers Announced Service Unites 2018 brings together celebrities, activists, athletes, civic leaders and more to talk about civic culture and the importance of giving back. Featured speakers include former Rep. Gabby Giffords and retired astronaut Capt. Mark Kelly; the NFL’s Coty Sensabaugh and his wife, Dominique; actresses Eden Duncan-Smith and Trinitee Stokes; and slam poet Amal Kassir. Meet Our Speakers » How Clif Bar & Company Gives Back At Clif Bar & Company, giving back is in their DNA. With a large focus on giving back in ways that help the planet, “Clifsters”have volunteered nearly 117,000 hours since the inception of the employee giving and engagement program – last year alone, the company’s 1,200 employees volunteered nearly 20,000 hours – and it just continues to grow. Read More »

Nominate a Woman of Worth Help us recognize women who are making a beautiful difference in their communities! Nominate an extraordinary woman for L'Oréal Paris Women of Worth. Each honoree will have a chance to receive up to $35,000 to support her individual cause. Nominate a Woman of Worth » Veteran Solutions Lab Applications The Civic Accelerator Veterans Solutions Lab, sponsored by the PwC Charitable Foundation Inc., is accepting applications from early-stage ventures that focus on equipping veterans and their families with skills and resources to succeed in the new economy and civilian life. Learn More »

More from the Points of Light Blog Youth-Led LemonAID Warriors Helps Kids Make Social Activism Part of Their Social Life With the Validation Project, Teen Empowers Youth to Speak Up, Take Action Teaching Youth to Believe in Their Future Through Art, Mentorship, Education and Service Longtime Volunteers Help People in Need Make Houses into Homes

Random Thoughts: "Ordinary Faces" Edition

Please Enjoy On this Mid-Week Prowl here in our Network as we welcome all to May here in our "Outsider" Properties to showcase challenges and the possibilities: 

Out & About in Our State

California is in the midst of an Election Fight.    This is what the Candidates for Governor have talked about in order to address the profound Housing Crisis in the State:

Random Thoughts (Special Friday Edition): Reminders for All....

Sources of Inspiration for all....

Notations From the Grid (W-End Edition): How Ordinary Faces Are Not Forgotten

We are grateful and appreciative to the team at Global Citizen for their valiant effort in making sure ordinary faces are never forgotten as this snapshot we received in our Virtual Studios earlier this week.   It is such that continues to sustain our sense of hope for the future:

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