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Opportunities For Texans:
United States Senate Youth Program: The United States Senate Youth Program is an excellent opportunity for high school juniors and seniors to deepen their knowledge of the Senate and the federal government overall, as well as receive a one-time $5,000 college scholarship to the undergraduate college of their choice. Begun in 1962 through Senate Resolution, the program is sponsored by the Senate each year to encourage high school students to pursue careers in public service. Two high school juniors or seniors are selected each year from each state, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity to serve as delegates to Washington Week, a week-long educational program that takes place in Washington, D.C. Public and private high school teachers and principals nominate qualified students beginning in early fall. To qualify students must hold student body office or another elected or appointed position in their communities and show academic interest and aptitude in government, history and politics. The chief state school officer in each state makes the final selection by December 1. The program is merit-based and highly competitive and the chosen delegates are consistently outstanding. For more information, please go to: www.ussenateyouth.org
Cornyn Announces Opening of Fire Department Grant Application Period: WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn today announced that on Monday, October 22 Texas fire departments can begin applying for federal grant funding to increase the number of firefighters and support their work. Sen. Cornyn offered his assistance to fire departments in the application process. The funding comes through the Department of Homeland Security’s Fire Prevention and Safety Program. For more information, click here.
Haltom City DRC to Become Disaster Loan Outreach Center: September 5, 2007 - WACO - Federal and State disaster officials announced on that the Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Haltom City will transition to a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan Outreach Center beginning Monday, September 24. The Governor’s Division of Emergency Management, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and SBA officials opened the DRC to provide one-stop, personal assistance and disaster information to residents and businesses affected by the June 16 – August 3 severe storms, flooding and tornadoes. For more information, visit our 2007 Flooding page.
SBA to Close Disaster Loan Outreach Centers in Grayson and Cooke Counties: September 5, 2007 - Sacramento, CA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), announced today that it will close its Grayson County Disaster Loan Outreach Center on Friday, September 7 at 5:00 pm. The center is located at the VFW Post 2772, 1707 Frisco Road in Sherman. SBA will also close its Cooke County Disaster Loan Outreach Center on Wednesday, September 12 at 5:00 pm. The center is located at the Gainesville Chamber of Commerce, 101 South Culberson Street in Gainesville. All individuals and business owners who have received an SBA application are encouraged to return it to the center before it closes. These centers provide homeowners, renters and business owners with personalized assistance as a result of the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that occurred June 16 through August 3, 2007. For more information, click here.
FEMA Announces Extension of Disaster Assistance Deadline: August 21, 2007 - The Federal Emergency Management Agency has extended the deadline for Texans affected by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding between June 16 and August 3 can register for disaster aid to October 29, 2007. There are 33 Texas counties eligible for Individual Assistance (IA), including Archer, Bee, Bell, Brown, Burnet, Cherokee, Comanche, Cooke, Coryell, Denton, Eastland, Grayson, Guadalupe, Hamilton, Henderson, Hood, Lampasas, Llano, Medina, Nueces, Parker, Runnels, Smith, Starr, Tarrant, Travis, Van Zandt, Victoria, Walker, Webb, Wichita, Williamson and Zavala. According to FEMA, IA funds can be used for temporary housing, home repairs and other disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance. The deadline extension also applies to low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, which may be available to help renters, homeowners, and businesses recover from losses not fully compensated by insurance. Federal disaster assistance is available even if you have contacted your insurance company, the Red Cross or another nonprofit. Contact FEMA by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) to apply for federal aid. Individuals with hearing or speech impairments can call the TTY registration number: 1-800-462-7585. You can also register online at www.fema.gov. For more information, visit our 2007 Flooding page.
Texas Flooding Update: Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) provide residents an opportunity to meet face to face with representatives from state and federal agencies to find answers to questions they may have about the recovery process. Customer service representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will be on hand to help renters, homeowners, individuals and businesses fill out loan applications and answer questions. Before visiting a DRC, individuals should register for assistance by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for those who are hearing or speech-impaired. The FEMA application line is open 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time seven days a week, until further notice. You can also register online at www.fema.gov. For more information, visit our 2007 Flooding page.
Cornyn Encourages Fire Departments to Apply For DHS Grant Funding For Additional Personnel: Offers assistance to fire departments in application process for SAFER grant funding – August 31 deadline - click here for more information.
Passport Requirement Deadline Extended: The U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security announced last Friday that U.S. citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda who have applied for but not yet received passports can nevertheless temporarily enter and depart from the United States by air with a government issued photo identification and Department of State official proof of application for a passport through September 30, 2007. Click here for the text of the announcement, FAQs, and a video of the announcement. Please note that this only relaxes the U.S. requirement; foreign countries have their own entry/exit requirements which frequently will mandate a passport even if the U.S. does not (click here for those requirements). We are experiencing many cases of travelers being denied boarding at U.S. airports or refused entry to foreign countries because of this. If you are seeking assistance from Senator Cornyn's office regarding your passport application click here for more details.
IRS Warns Taxpayers of New E-mail Scams: The Internal Revenue Service today alerted taxpayers to the latest versions of an e-mail scam intended to fool people into believing they are under investigation by the agency’s Criminal Investigation division. Click here for more details.
Hurricane Season Has Begun: This year's hurricane season has begun, which means it’s important for Texans to prepare now and protect their properties. Click here for tips on how to protect your home and assets from floods – America’s number one natural hazard.
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