Media

(Washington, DC)--Today, Congressman Al Green (TX-09b)announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released $1.6 million in federal disaster aid for projects related to Hurricane Katrina.  The funds, which will be provided through FEMA's Public Assistance Program, will be allocated for police overtime and supplies for the temporary sheltering of Hurricane Katrina evacuees at the Houston Astrodome and the George R. Brown Convention Center.

(Washington, DC)--Congressman Al Green (TX-09) today spoke out in favor of the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) on the floor of the House of Representatives.  The VRA, which was established in 1965, provides protection to minority communities by prohibiting any voting practice that would abridge the right to vote on the basis of race and, specifically, abolished literacy and other tests which some states and local governments used to deny African Americans and other minorities the right to vote.  Some provisions of the VRA are set to expire next year if they

(Washington, DC)--Congressman Al Green (TX-09) yesterday introduced legislation that would increase the minimum wage to $7.25 by 2007.  He was joined by Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member George Miller (CA-07), Congressional Black Caucus Chair Mel Watt (NC-12), Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Grace Napolitano (CA-38), Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair Michael Honda (CA-15), and 42 additional original cosponsors.  The Living American Wage (LAW) Act of 2006 would raise the minimum wage by linking it to the federal poverty threshold for a fa

(Washington, DC)--Congressman Al Green (TX-09) today voiced his concern over flooding in the wake of Monday's storm.  The storm, which at times rivaled the intensity of Tropical Storm Allison, flooded at least 265 homes in Harris County with two inches to two feet of water.  It was due to this concern that Green requested and helped secure funding in both the Fiscal Year 2006 and 2007 appropriations bills in Congress for projects to increase flood protection at the Sims Bayou and Brays Bayou.  He also announced the allocation of a $6 million grant to the Harris Count

(Washington, DC)--Today, Congressman Al Green (TX-09) sent a bipartisan letter to United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan that calls on UN member states to fully fund the World Food Programs (WFP) Emergency Operation in Sudan.  The United States, a supporter of the WFP, has met its financial commitment to the program, however, other UN member states have failed to meet their obligation.  As a result, the WFP has been forced to cut rations by half.  50 Members of Congress joined Congressman Al Green in signing the letter.

(Washington, DC)--The House Financial Services Committee yesterday passed an amendment sponsored by Congressman Jim Ryun (KS-02) and Congressman Al Green (TX-09) to require the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to treat the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) given to service-members the same as civilian Section 8 vouchers when determining residency eligibility in affordable housing units.   The Ryun-Green provision was amended to H.R. 5443, the Section 8 Voucher Reform Act.  The amendment passed the committee unanimously by a voice vote.

(Houston, TX)--Congressman Al Green (TX-09) today urged students and parents to consolidate federal student loans before July 1, 2006, when interest rates on outstanding loans are expected to rise to the highest rate in six years.  Consolidation enables students and parents to combine their separate loans into one loan and lock in a low fixed interest rate, saving borrowers thousands of dollars over the life of their loans.

(Washington, DC)--Congressman Al Green (TX-09) yesterday joined several of his colleagues on the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) at a press conference to discuss the findings of a new study that was conducted by the Center for Responsible Lending.  The report confirms that the highest cost home loans are much more likely to go to borrowers of color than to their white counterparts.  Other members attending the press conference included Representatives Mel Watt (NC-12), Barbara Lee (CA-09), Artur Davis (AL-07), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07)