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It’s Time for Congress to Pass a Hurricane Harvey Emergency Funding Package

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By Rep. Al Green (TX-09), Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02) and  Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18)

Historically, during times of national emergency, Americans unite to meet the challenge. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina altered the lives of thousands of Americans throughout Louisiana and Mississippi, damaging cities that have not been the same since. But, no matter our differences, we as a country have always come together in the face of tragedy. Now, it is time we act in unison once more.

Since August 25, the city of Houston along with Harris and Fort Bend counties have felt the effects of Hurricane Harvey. The unprecedented storm dumped an estimated 11 trillion gallons of water on just Houston alone. First responders, emergency personnel and the U.S. National and Coast Guards along with hundreds of volunteers, were on the frontlines of the battle ensuring all those affected by Harvey were safe and dry.

As the natural disaster travels towards Louisiana and Mississippi, we ask for our great country to continue to stand with one another by volunteering, sending donations, and praying that for strength, hope and perseverance to weather this storm.

Hundreds of people of color have been affected by the storm already. If anyone would like to lend a helping hand to the relief effort through donations, we are asking you give to local organizations that focus on people of color such as: The Black Women’s Defense League, Raices, ICNA Relief, BlackAmericaWeb.com Relief Fund or the South Texas Human Rights Center. Any contribution will be greatly received as we ask Congress and President Donald Trump to provide immediate emergency funding and resources to deal with the crisis at hand. We believe at least $150 billion will be needed just to aid Texas residents in reconstruction, with much more needed later as the storm continues to travel the Gulf Coast.

In addition, Southeast Texas needs funding for storm surge protection research, just as New York and New Jersey received following the devastation of Hurricane Sandy.

Congress should pass an aid package not only to help the people of Texas, but to also provide an assurance to the American people that their government will be there for them in a time of crisis. This legislative package should not be weighed down in political rhetoric and partisanship. Instead, it should be aimed at helping as many people affected by Harvey as possible.

It is essential for the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to conduct a full and complete assessment of the entire Gulf Coast region’s infrastructure capabilities when it comes to flooding. Time and time again, we have seen our region suffer from hurricanes, and we must take steps to prevent another city from struggling to rebuild.

Americans from around the country have offered themselves in service to help their fellow citizens. Now, we as Members of Congress must do the same. The best way for us to do so is with a comprehensive emergency funding package. Volunteers, first responders and so many others have stepped up to the plate, now it is up to us to hit the ball out of the park.

When Congress goes back into session, let’s pass this package without unnecessary political debates. The people of the Gulf Coast are depending on us.

Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.), Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) and Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) represent Gulf Coast residents. They are all members of the Congressional Black Caucus.

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Big Conversations, Big Culture, Big DMV Energy

Catch “Let’s Talk on Win-TV” for big conversations on theater, books, and Black film culture in the DMV! Featuring “Spades the Play,” “DMV Does,” and the American Black Film Festival.

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DMV culture and conversations highlighted by the Washington Informer

🎬 LET’S TALK ON WIN-TV — BIG CONVERSATIONS, BIG CULTURE, BIG DMV ENERGY!
Join us for a dynamic lineup of conversations celebrating theater, community, books, and Black film culture across the DMV!
🎭 SPADES THE PLAY
Jada Ingleton, Content Editor for The Washington Informer, sits down with Marcus Callender, creator of Spades the Play, for a conversation about the inspiration, storytelling, and creative energy behind this exciting production.
📚 DMV DOES — MORE THAN A BOOK CLUB!
Washington Informer Publisher and Let’s Talk host Denise Rolark Barnes talks with Whitney Parker and Jennifer Ward, founders of DMV DOES, about building community through books, meaningful conversations, connection, and shared experiences.
🎥 AMERICAN BLACK FILM FESTIVAL COMES TO THE DMV!
Washington Informer Lifestyle Reporter Brenda Siler talks with Nicole Friday about the upcoming American Black Film Festival at Union Market, bringing filmmakers, storytellers, creatives, and film lovers together for a celebration of Black cinema.
🔥 Three conversations. Three perspectives. One powerful DMV connection!
Watch Let’s Talk on WIN-TV and catch the conversations that bring Community. Culture. Conversation. Connection. straight to you!
📺 WATCH. SHARE. JOIN THE CONVERSATION!
Follow The Washington Informer and subscribe to WashingtonInformerTV for more original programming and conversations from across the DMV.

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Obama Urges Democrats to make AI a Priority

Obama calls for Democrats to prioritize AI. Tune into Black Press USA’s Morning Show for the full breakdown.

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Obama speaks at BlackPressUSATV urging Democrats to prioritize AI development and regulation.

This morning on Black Press USA’s Morning Show, Niele Anderson is joined by co-host guest Mr. Mo’Kelly as they break down the headlines shaping politics, culture, health, and the Black community.

Watch Black Press USA’s Morning Show for the headlines, the context, and the conversation behind the news.

#BlackPressUSA #MorningShow #BlackNews #KarmeloAnthony #VotingRights #USPS #Measles #ColinKaepernick #TargetBoycott #EmmittSmith #BlackMedia #BlackPress

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Obama Urges Democrats to make AI a Priority 📱

Obama is calling on Democrats to prioritize AI. Tune into Black Press USA’s Morning Show for the full breakdown of this and other crucial headlines impacting the Black community.

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This morning on Black Press USA’s Morning Show, Niele Anderson is joined by co-host guest Mr. Mo’Kelly as they break down the headlines shaping politics, culture, health, and the Black community.

Watch Black Press USA’s Morning Show for the headlines, the context, and the conversation behind the news.

#BlackPressUSA #MorningShow #BlackNews #KarmeloAnthony #VotingRights #USPS #Measles #ColinKaepernick #TargetBoycott #EmmittSmith #BlackMedia #BlackPress

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Spades the Play – Marcus Callender

Tune in today at 4 PM for an inside look at Spades the Play! Discussing theater, culture, and community with creator Marcus Callender.

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Marcus Callender performs in Spades the Play, presented by Washington Informer

🔥 DON’T MISS IT! TODAY AT 4 P.M.! 🔥
Get ready for a lively conversation about theater, culture, friendship and community!
Jada Ingleton, Content Editor for The Washington Informer, sits down with Marcus Callendar, creator of Spades the Play, for an inside look at the inspiration, storytelling and creative vision behind this exciting stage production.
🃏 What inspired Spades the Play?
🎭 What stories are being brought to the stage?
🔥 And what can audiences expect?
Tune in TODAY at 4:00 P.M. on WIN-TV!
📲 Watch, share and enjoy the conversation!
The Washington Informer | WIN-TV
Community. Culture. Conversation. Connection.

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Black Press

OP-ED: How Does Your State Rank for Pre-K?

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — “Other states should take note: Georgia proves that state-funded preschool with well-qualified teachers, pay parity with K-12, small classes, and strong continuous improvement systems can be scaled as a universal program,” said NIEER director Steve Barnett. “With new initiatives to support quality, Georgia can expect increased enrollment, but leaders should also actively promote increased enrollment.”

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Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA.
Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA.

Georgia’s state-funded pre-k program for 4-year-olds was recently recognized as the largest state-funded preschool program in the nation to meet all 10 quality benchmarks, and the first universal program to do so. Georgia’s recognition is the top finding in the National Institute for Early Education Research’s new 2025 State of Preschool Yearbook. The yearbook provides an annual snapshot of state-funded preschool across the country. Forty-four states and the District of Columbia fund preschool programs.

Only five additional states meet all 10 of NIEER’s research-based benchmarks for quality —Alabama, Hawaii, Michigan, Mississippi, and Rhode Island—in this year’s report. None of those programs have the reach of Georgia Pre-K. NIEER’s benchmarks measure essential preschool quality indicators, including teacher qualifications, class sizes, early learning standards, and program assessments.

“Other states should take note: Georgia proves that state-funded preschool with well-qualified teachers, pay parity with K-12, small classes, and strong continuous improvement systems can be scaled as a universal program,” said NIEER director Steve Barnett. “With new initiatives to support quality, Georgia can expect increased enrollment, but leaders should also actively promote increased enrollment.”

Nationally, state support for preschool education hit record highs in enrollment and funding in 2024-2025. The pace of growth slowed, however, compared to the prior year, and many states continue to lag behind pre-pandemic enrollment levels. Preschool enrollment increased by 44,000 children nationally, reaching almost 1.8 million, including 37% of U.S. four-year-olds and 9% of three-year-olds. California, Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, and Missouri contributed the most to increased enrollment, adding more than 52,000 new seats.

States spent nearly $14.4 billion on preschool in 2024-2025. Including federal and local dollars, total spending was almost $17.7 billion. Three states each spent more than $1 billion last year: California ($4.1 billion), New Jersey ($1.2 billion), and New York ($1 billion). Together, these three states account for 45% of all state preschool spending. Texas adds almost another $1 billion.

Spending increased by $434 million, or 3%, adjusted for inflation. Twenty-eight states increased preschool funding, including Michigan and New Jersey, which each added more than $100 million. “Not only does preschool access vary by which state a child happens to live in, but so does the quality of that preschool experience,” said Allison Friedman-Krauss, lead author of the report. “Only high-quality early care and education programs support children’s development enough to result in lasting academic and other gains that ultimately deliver savings for taxpayers.”

A record six states met all 10 of NIEER’s recommended quality standards, with Alabama doing so for the 20th consecutive year. Georgia joined this list this year after improving its teacher-to-child ratio from 1:11 to 1:10 and lowering maximum class sizes to 20. Several states met 9 of 10 benchmarks, including New Mexico, which is working toward universal access for both three- and four-year-olds. Once New Mexico requires all lead teachers to have a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, it will be on par with Georgia in terms of both quality and quantity.

Not all states moved forward. Twenty states enrolled fewer preschoolers in 2024-2025 than the prior year, with enrollment dropping by more than 1,000 children in Arizona, Florida, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin. Seventeen states spent less on preschool than the prior year, adjusted for inflation, with Arizona, North Carolina, Oregon, and Texas seeing the largest percentage declines. Additional information about the State of Preschool Yearbook, including individual state profiles and maps, graphs, and state rankings, can be found at www.nieer.org.

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Headlines and Hot Topics

Join Niele Anderson and Rodney Perry on Black Press USA’s Morning Show as they dissect trending headlines in politics, culture, and the Black community. Get the context and conversation behind the news.

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BlackPressUSA TV discusses current headlines and hot topics.

This morning on Black Press USA’s Morning Show, Niele Anderson is joined by co-host guest Rodney Perry as they break down the headlines shaping politics, culture, health, and the Black community.

Watch Black Press USA’s Morning Show for the headlines, the context, and the conversation behind the news.

#BlackPressUSA #MorningShow #BlackNews #KarmeloAnthony #VotingRights #USPS #Measles #ColinKaepernick #TargetBoycott #EmmittSmith #BlackMedia #BlackPress

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