Schedule for this upcoming days.

[TayTay]

Monday:

NASA and Congressional Leaders Kick-Off Explorer School Event

PR Newswire via NewsEdge Corporation :

An educational partnership between the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) and the Robert L. Ford K-8 School in Lynn, Mass. will
have its official kickoff event next Monday, Sept. 25 at the school beginning
at 10 a.m. EDT.

Participating in the event will be U.S. Senators Edward M. Kennedy and
John Kerry, U.S. Representative John F. Tierney, officials from NASA and
retired NASA astronaut, Dr. Jeff Hoffman.

What: Student assembly
When: 10 a.m., Monday, September 25, 2006
Where: Robert L. Ford K-8 School, Lynn, Mass.
Who: Members of Congress, NASA officials, retired NASA astronaut

The NASA Explorer Schools Program provides schools with classroom
resources and innovative technology based on NASA's missions and discoveries.
During the three-year partnership, NASA helps schools address science,
technology, engineering and mathematics needs. Robert L. Ford K-8 School was
selected as a NASA Explorer School beginning in academic year 2006-2007.

[TayTay]

1. Helping Small Business with Regulations

Kerry Bill Helps Small Businesses Comply With Sarbanes-Oxley
Comtex Business via NewsEdge Corporation :
WASHINGTON, Sep 21, 2006 (U.S. Newswire via COMTEX) --Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.)introduced legislation today that would help small public companies with the costs of implementing Sarbanes-Oxley regulations.

The Small Business Sarbanes-Oxley Assistance Act of 2006, introduced by Kerry, would authorize the U.S. Small Business Administration to award federal grants to small businesses to help them cope with the cost of complying with Sarbanes-Oxley regulations. It also creates a task force, assembled by the SBA Chief Counsel for Advocacy, and comprising of representatives from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and others, to report semi-annually on how to reduce the red tape and financial burden, assisting small public companies complying with Sarbanes-Oxley.

“We passed Sarbanes Oxley to create accountability and transparency in the corporate structure, and it’s helping to battle corporate fraud,” Kerry said.

“But too many small companies don’t have the resources or expertise to make the necessary structural changes on their own, and we need to make sure they compete on a level playing field. It’s just not right that their resources are being stretched thinner than those of the corporate giants, just to comply and compete. This bill will help small businesses comply with Sarbanes-Oxley, and offer federal assistance to those who need additional help—so small businesses can abide by the law, create jobs and grow our economy.”

Kerry’s bill follows a recent U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that found small public companies to be spending considerably more on implementing Sarbanes-Oxley, particularly Section 404 of the bill, which requires firms to establish internal control frameworks and to file internal control reports. The report found that firms with less than $75 million in market capitalization were spending $1.14 in audit fees per $100 of revenue, compared to just $.13 per $100 for firms with greater than $1 billion in market capitalization.

“The task force will make it easier for small businesses to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley in the future,” Kerry said. “In the meantime, if Congress is asking these small firms to take on the costly burden of complying with Sarbanes-Oxley, the least we can do is chip in and help pay for it.”

http://www.usnewswire.com

[TayTay]

2. More SBA actions to help Katrina Victims

Kerry Presses FEMA to Keep Its Promises to Small Business Owners Rebuilding the
Gulf Coast

WASHINGTON, Sep 21, 2006 (U.S. Newswire via COMTEX) --Sen. John Kerry (D- Mass.) sent a letter to FEMA Director David Paulison, calling on Paulison to disclose the details of the FEMA contracts awarded to small businesses, as they rebuild the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Kerry also inquired about whether those businesses have been paid in full, amidst allegations that FEMA has consistently failed to fairly compensate contractors for their work. (Text of Kerry letter below.)

“From its initial response to its efforts for long-term recovery, the Bush Administration has failed the victims of Katrina. Now we are hearing that Washington isn’t paying its bills on time to small business owners,” said Kerry, who serves as Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee.

“Gulf Coast businesses have rolled up their sleeves to help rebuild their home, as they themselves struggle get back on their feet. Many of those businesses depend on these contracts to keep their doors open - and from what I’m hearing, FEMA isn’t holding up its end of the bargain. We need ensure that FEMA keeps its word on these contracts, because it’s about time Washington started keeping its promises to those that are working to create a future for the Gulf Coast.”

Kerry asked Director Paulison to disclose the number of small business contracts issued by FEMA that were Katrina related; the number of contracts that have been completed and paid for; the average time between the completion of a contract and full payment by the Agency; and the number of completed contracts that went unpaid by the Agency.

Text of Kerry letter to Director Paulison:

The Honorable R. David Paulison
Director/Under Secretary
Federal Emergency Management Administration
500 C Street, SW
Washington, DC 20472
Dear Director Paulison:

As you know, more than a year ago the Gulf Coast region was devastated by Hurricane Katrina and then Hurricane Rita. As the result of this national disaster, the nation has made a great commitment of time and resources to rebuild and restore the region to its unique place in our nation. Restoring the Gulf Coast’s business community - especially it’s small business community is a critical component to bringing the region back to its former glory.

According to the Louisiana Economic Development office between 15,000 and 20,000 small businesses in Louisiana alone were initially affected by Hurricane Katrina. These businesses represented tens of thousands of employees and hundreds of millions of dollars in payroll. Many of these small businesses also represent the expertise and labor that is rebuilding the region. As a nation we must ensure that we do all we can to support their continued health and growth.

To ensure that the small businesses of the Gulf region survive and thrive, it is important that FEMA fulfill its responsibility to promptly compensate those small businesses that it has contracted with during the recovery.

Unfortunately, I have heard from several small business representatives and owners that FEMA is unwilling or unable to pay contractors for completed work in a timely fashion. If this is not the case I would like further clarification so that I can evaluate the situation. Your answers to the following questions would be helpful to that end.

1) How many small businesses have contracted with FEMA for Katrina related goods or services? How many of those contracts are prime and how many are subcontracts?

2) How many of those contracts have in whole or part (such that payment is due) been successfully completed? What is the average time between contract completion and full payment? What is the average time of payment for non-small business contracts that have small business subcontractors?

3) How many successfully completed contracts were not paid within 3 months, 6 months, 9 months or longer? Businesses in the Gulf Coast region are already struggling to survive. Doing business with the federal government should be a lifeline to those businesses not the final nail in their coffin. I would appreciate your response to the above questions no later than November 1, 2006. Thank you in advance for your cooperation on this important issue. If you have questions about this matter, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

John F. Kerry

Ranking Member

http://www.usnewswire.com

[TayTay]

3. Party Luncheon Monday to raise money for Mass Dem ticket

VICTORY LUNCHEON WITH
SENATOR KENNEDY & SENATOR KERRY


PLEASE JOIN
SENATOR EDWARD KENNEDY
SENATOR JOHN KERRY
Congressman Edward Markey
Congressman Barney Frank
Congressman Richard Neal
Congressman John Olver
Congressman Marty Meehan
Congressman William Delahunt
Congressman James McGovern
Congressman Michael Capuano
Congressman John Tierney
Congressman Stephen Lynch
Senate President Robert Travaglini
Speaker Salvatore DiMasi
Mayor Thomas Menino
&
Democratic Governors' Association Chairman
Bill Richardson

For a Victory Luncheon
In honor of
Deval Patrick
Tim Murray
&
Massachusetts Victory ‘06
The Democratic Coordinated Campaign

Monday, September 25
12:00 P.M
Park Plaza Hotel, 64 Arlington Street

Tickets $500/$1,000
(all $1,000 tickets also recieve one seat at the luncheon with
President Clinton on October 16 )

[Blaukraut]

6. Damn, if only I had 500 bucks

This is such an important cause!
I do wonder, though; when does our taller senator find time to rest? He is all over the place, that man!

[TayTay]

4. Prostrate Cancer panel on 9/21/06

Davis seeks more money for prostate cancer study
Friday, September 22, 2006

WASHINGTON - Congress should increase spending on research and early detection of prostate cancer, Rep. Artur Davis said Thursday during a forum on why black men die more often than whites from the disease.

Alabama has the second-highest death rate in the nation for black men with prostate cancer, at 82.7 percent, according to American Cancer Society statistics published by the Prostate Health Education Network. Nationally, the death rate for black men diagnosed with the disease is 70.4; for whites, the death rate is 28.8.

"If all the disparities ... were a function of some malevolent factor, like if the Ku Klux Klan somehow was causing disparities in health care ... I almost think we'd do a better job of dealing with this," said Davis, D-Birmingham. He endorsed a proposal by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., that Congress spend $40 million on more early detection programs.

"There's $325 billion going into Iraq. Before we destroy every relationship we have left on the face of this planet, we can find $40 million to face up to this issue here at home," Kerry said.

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1158917369252000.xml&coll=2

[whometense]

5. THIS I love.

"There's $325 billion going into Iraq. Before we destroy every relationship we have left on the face of this planet, we can find $40 million to face up to this issue here at home," Kerry said.

Just keep hammering, Senator!!

[TayTay]

7. Thursday, Spet 28 National Security Speech

8:30 a.m. KERRY-NATIONAL SECURITY _ Johns Hopkins University's Nitze School of
Advanced International Studies hosts briefing on "National Security: A View from
the Senate," with Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.

Location: Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, 1740 Massachusetts
Ave. NW.

Contacts: Felisa Klubes, 202-663-5626