Internationally Renowned Vaccine Expert Dr. Larry Corey to Join Conversation.
Press release issued 12.16.20
https://kilmer.house.gov/news/press-releases/kilmer-to-hold-end-of-year-telephone-town-hall
Tacoma, WA – On Tuesday, December 22 at 6:00pm PT, Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) will hold a telephone town hall to provide an update on the federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to answer questions from constituents. In addition to a discussion on the legislation passed by Congress to support workers and families, Dr. Larry Corey, an internationally renowned expert in virology, immunology and vaccine development at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the co-leader of the vaccine testing program for the COVID-19 Prevention Network, will join the conversation to discuss COVID-19 vaccines and the road ahead.
“Even though we can’t meet in person right now, it’s important for me to hear from as many constituents as possible across our region,” said Rep. Kilmer. “I hope folks will be able to join the town hall to learn more about COVID-19 recovery, my ongoing efforts to ensure the federal government steps up to lend a hand to families and local employers, and to get your questions answered.”
Rep. Kilmer has held town halls so far in the 116th Congress in Port Angeles, Quilcene, Tacoma, Belfair, Poulsbo, Kingston, Gig Harbor, Montesano, Westport, Forks, over the phone, and on Facebook.
Press are welcome to join.
COVID-19 Telephone Town Hall – Tuesday, December 22, 6:00pm PT
WHO: Representative Derek Kilmer, Residents of the 6th Congressional District
WHAT: Telephone Town Hall on COVID-19
WHEN: Tuesday, December 22 at 6:00pm PT
WHERE: Residents of the 6th District can call to join the town hall using the following information – or listen over the internet at www.Facebook.com/Derek.Kilmer
Town Hall Telephone Number: 877-229-8493
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Congress Passes Cantwell, DelBene Landslide Preparedness Bill.
Press release issued 12.16.20
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congress passed the National Landslide Preparedness Act (H.R. 8810), bipartisan legislation that will help save lives, protect communities and property, and improve natural disaster emergency preparedness by targeting key gaps in science and mapping critical to understanding landslide hazards. The bill was introduced in the Senate by U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and in the House of Representatives by U.S. Representative Suzan DelBene (D, WA-01).
This information will help communities plan for and respond to natural hazards, update the nation’s topographical maps, and inform public safety, national security, planning, infrastructure, transportation, agriculture, and natural resource management. The 2014 landslide near Oso, Washington, which took the lives of 43 people and devastated a community in about two minutes, and the recent landslide in Haines, Alaska, both highlight the urgent need to better understand and prepare for landslide hazards.
“Six years after the Oso landslide, everyone in the State of Washington remembers the devastating impacts landslides can have,” Senator Cantwell said. “This bill would dramatically increase our use of LIDAR data needed to map, identify, and track landslide risk areas. Employing our best science and mapping technologies will help communities across our state save lives, safeguard property, and improve our emergency planning and response.”
“Washington state knows too well the devastating impact landslides and natural disasters can have in the blink of an eye. We must do all that we can to safeguard our communities and honor those that we lost. The National Landslide Preparedness Act will help us better prepare for and mitigate future events by collecting invaluable data that will protect lives and property,” said DelBene. “The next natural disaster should not become our next national tragedy.”
Landslides kill 25 to 50 people and cause between $1.6 billion and $3.2 billion in damage in the U.S. annually, according to the U.S. Geological Service and National Research Council. These statistics are expected to worsen because of climate change.
“I know first-hand the monumental impacts our community was challenged with during the 2014 Oso landslide,”said Darrington Mayor Dan Rankin. “In just over two minutes, we lost 43 of our family, friends, and neighbors. We lost our main highway for over six months. We lost the ability to communicate beyond the slide via phone or internet for more than 72 hours. Medical services were severely impacted, and prescription services and transactions were also not available. This is just the tip of the iceberg of the immediate impacts of this one event. The legislation that Representative DelBene has brought forward may not prevent another Oso slide but it gives communities like Darrington data that we can use to make important decisions about land use in hazard areas, training for our emergency services, and redundancy in infrastructure so precious time is not lost in a time of need.”
The National Landslide Preparedness Act:
Expands early warning systems. The bill expands existing early warning systems for post-wildfire landslides in recently burned areas across the United States. It also requires procedures to be developed for federal monitoring of stormwater drainage in areas with a high risk of landslides, in coordination with state, local, and tribal governments.
Creates a new federal program focused specifically on landslide hazards. The bill would establish a National Landslides Hazard Reduction program through the United States Geological Survey (USGS), which would identify risks and hazards from landslides to protect at-risk communities and improve communication and emergency preparedness.
Develops new maps to help communities prepare for landslide risk. The bill would direct the USGS to implement a 3D Elevation Program to increase data collection and landslide threat identification across the country. Enhanced elevation data, such as LIDAR, is critical for numerous reasons—to help communities plan for and respond to natural hazards; to update the nation’s topographical maps; and to inform a myriad of uses including public safety, national security, planning, infrastructure, transportation, agriculture, and natural resource management.
Authorizes new landslide-related grant programs. The bill authorizes new programs to provide funding to state, territorial, local, and tribal governments for landslide research, mapping, assessment, and data collection.
Establishes committees to better deal with landslide risks. The bill establishes an advisory committee on landslides and creates an interagency committee to coordinate better landslide responses from the multiple government agencies with jurisdiction.
The bill first passed the House of Representatives on June 3, 2019, and the Senate on July 30, 2020. Technical differences were worked out between the two chambers. It now goes to the president, who is expected to sign it.
IN STATE HEADLINE NEWS:
State invites public input on updates to mineral prospecting rules..WDFW
https://wdfw.wa.gov/news/state-invites-public-input-updates-mineral-prospecting-rules
Inslee announces updated school guidance for in-person instruction
December 16, 2020
Gov. Jay Inslee and Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal today announced an update in the metrics used to inform local school district decisions for in-person learning. They also announced $3 million from set aside funds to be distributed to implement health and safety protocols.
https://www.governor.wa.gov/news-media/inslee-announces-updated-school-guidance-person-instruction
A new back-to-school plan: State releases updated guidance around in-person learning
OLYMPIA – Today the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) released updated metrics to help local leaders and school officials make decisions about in-person learning and the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in the school environment.--DOH
State’s first new ferry terminal in 40 years opens Dec. 29
MUKILTEO – State ferry riders on the Mukilteo/Clinton route will get an upgrade on Tuesday evening, Dec. 29. That’s when Washington State Ferries’ new, safer and more efficient Mukilteo multimodal terminal will open to replace its cramped 63-year-old facility.---WSDOT
https://wsdot.wa.gov/news/2020/12/16/state%E2%80%99s-first-new-ferry-terminal-40-years-opens-dec-29
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TODAY'S HEADLINE NEWS
WORLD NEWS:
UNICEF supporting emergency food aid for UK children over holidays.
Thousands of families in the United Kingdom impacted by COVID-19 are to receive “one-off…emergency” food assistance from UN Children’s Fund UNICEF over the upcoming holiday period and beyond, it has announced.---UN NEWS CENTER
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/12/1080282
UN committee on enforced disappearance registers ‘milestone’ 1,000th request to locate victims.
The UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) reached “a significant milestone” on Thursday after registering its 1,000th urgent request for governments to locate victims. --UN NEWS CENTER
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/12/1080292
Funding needed to halt ‘life threatening crisis’ facing refugees in Kenya
Amidst a “critical shortage” of resources, hundreds of thousands of refugees in Kenya will lack food unless new funds are swiftly received, the UN’s food relief agency warned on Thursday. ---UN NEWS CENTER
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/12/1080322
Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing on the Political Situation in Syria (via VTC)--USUN
NATIONAL HEADLINES
Message to the Congress on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Serious Human Rights Abuse and Corruption--WH
The United States Supports the Voices of the Venezuelan People--US STATE DEPT.
https://www.state.gov/the-united-states-supports-the-voices-of-the-venezuelan-people/
Defense Officials Discuss Special Operations, Irregular Warfare Initiatives.--DOD
Owner of Texas Chain of Hospice Companies Sentenced for $150 Million Health Care Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme
A corporate executive has been ordered to serve 20 years in prison after his conviction related to falsely telling thousands of patients with long-term incurable diseases, such as Alzheimers and dementia, they had less than six months to live and subsequently enrolling them in hospice programs.--DOJ
BUSINESS & FINANCE:
Michigan Based Wire Fraud Conspiracy and Tax Offenses Charged
Allegedly Used Detroit Police Department Reports in Illegal Scheme
A federal grand jury in Detroit, Michigan, returned an indictment today charging Michigan businessmen John Angelo from Royal Oak, Cory Justin Mann from West Bloomfield, Michael Daneshvar from Bingham Farms, Glenn Franklin from Harrison Township, and Brent Sitto, from Bloomfield Township with one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and further charging John Angelo and bookkeeper Rosina Angelo, also known as Rosina Caruvana, from Mountainside, New Jersey, with one count of conspiracy to defraud the IRS. John Angelo and Rosina Angelo were also each charged with three counts of aiding in the preparation of a false tax return and Cory Mann was charged with two additional counts of aiding in the preparation of a false tax return.--DOJ
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/michigan-based-wire-fraud-conspiracy-and-tax-offenses-charged
Treasury Releases Report on Macroeconomic and Foreign Exchange Policies of Major Trading Partners of the United States--US TREASURY DEPT.
https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm1212
Federal Reserve Board announces new members of Community Advisory Council--THE FED
https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/other20201217a.htm
Agencies release annual CRA asset-size threshold adjustments for small and intermediate small institutions.---THE FED
https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/bcreg20201217a.htm
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NEWS STORY COMMENTARY:
Dem Senator Warns: Our Message to Rural Voters Is 'Really, Really Flawed'---PJ MEDIA
Quoted from FOX News: Tester, who is serving his third term in the Senate, told the New York Times that there was “no denying” that Trump “has an appeal to rural America.” The Democratic senator argued that his party’s message to rural voters is “really, really flawed.”
“We do not have a — what do I want to say — a well-designed way to get our message out utilizing our entire caucus. So we need to do more of that,” Tester said. “You cannot have Chuck Schumer talking rural issues to rural people; it ain’t gonna sell. And quite frankly, I don’t know that you can have Jon Tester go talk to a bunch of rich people and tell them what they need to be doing.”
Editorial Note: The only time are concern rural America when it's election time. In his four year term President Trump spending time to aiding rural America. Now, has for this Sen. Tester, he might actually be a good represent in his district, so I can't really pass judgement on him, because it not up to us to judge what is the motives of other people that is for God to judge.
Today's Bible verse
Matthew 1:20-21 (New King James Version)
But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
