The letter asks that operational control of two MC-12 aircraft be transferred to the Texas Air National Guard, noting that this type of aircraft is packed with invaluable electronic surveillance equipment. The legislators also requested that crew training for the MC-12 be transferred to Texas. Such transfers would not only aid the effort to secure our borders, but would also provide a more appropriate training ground for our troops.
“We can address border security issues by working with the Federal government to determine sensible solutions. Transferring operational control of two MC-12 aircraft to Texas is a practical response that will help secure the border by reallocating existing resources,” said Cohen.

A copy of the letter can be viewed here.

It is signed by Representative Valinda Bolton, Representative Ellen Cohen, Represenative Kirk England, Representative Stephen Frost, Chairman Veronica Gonzales, Chairman Mark Homer, Representative Donna Howard, Representative Eric Johnson, Representative Carol Kent, Representative Diana Maldonado, Chairman Jim McReynolds, Representative Jose Menendez, Representative Robert Miklos, Representative Paula Pierson, Chairman Allan Ritter, Representative Kristi Thibaut, Representative Chris Turner, and Representative Allen Vaught.

The group of realtors shared information regarding specific matters related to the realtor community both locally and statewide. “As the Houston Association of Realtors prepares for next year’s legislative session, Rep. Ellen Cohen’s constituents are especially appreciative of the Realtor Roundtable she held at her district office recently,” said Dana Kervin, Chief Political Strategist for the Houston Association of Realtors (HAR). “She listened to their concerns such as real estate transfer fees, eminent domain and a tax on services. Her openness and willingness to make a positive difference speak well of her character, integrity, and leadership.”

See Photos From the Event

• Women for Ellen Website Launched
• Ellen’s Birthday Bash
• State Board of Education Town Hall

Ellen on the Issues

The right to vote is a powerful privilege. It allows us to decide which issues are important and which officials can best represent our stance on those issues. It gives us the opportunity to set priorities and shape society. It is why so many have marched for, fought for, and even died for the right to vote.

This month marks the 90th anniversary of the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment which finally gave women the right to vote. The battle, which began when a group of 5 women invited the public to the First Women’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, New York, was a hard fought one. Large suffrage marches, parades and demonstrations were organized, and many women were jailed. Susan B. Anthony was arrested and found guilty of voting illegally. Alice Paul and many other women were arrested for “obstructing traffic” following months of picketing in front of the White House. In jail they were beaten and forced to live in unsanitary conditions. After the women instituted a hunger strike, many were brutally force fed several times a day, and Paul was even transferred to the psychiatric ward in the hope that she would be declared insane. These brave women literally fought with their blood, sweat and tears. It was an important victory for them as they fought for equality on all fronts. However, the struggle for other minorities to gain voting rights would continue for decades.

Last week, I announced the launch of the Women for Ellen website, which was created as part of the Women for Ellen initiative. I am honored that supporters in my district found my work on women’s issues important enough to create this community. As we remember those who fought for women’s equality this month, I encourage everyone, not just women, to visit the website. It has often been said that men of quality are not threatened by women seeking equality. I hope that everyone seeking equality for all will make sure their voice is heard on Tuesday November 2.

State Representative Ellen Cohen

Environmental Links

Vote Texas

Secretary of State

Harris County Voter Registration Department

Campaign News

Ellen’s Birthday, BBQ and Yard Sign Bash

Yard signs are here just in time for Ellen’s birthday, and we’re going to have a party to celebrate! We will be serving BBQ with all the “fixins” and of course, birthday cake. The festivities take place from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 21 at Southside Place Clubhouse located at 3743 Garnet. It’s a great opportunity to say hello to Ellen and pick up your yard signs, bumper magnets, and t-shirts. If you have a visible place in the District where we can display a larger 4 x 4 yard sign, please just let us know and we will handle the install. Email Dave Bonem at dave@ellencohen.org or call 713.838.0134. We hope to see everyone on the 21st!

Upcoming Town Hall – A Discussion on the SBOE

On Wednesday, September 29 from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m., Ellen will host a town hall meeting at the Houston Community College West Loop Center located at 5601 West Loop South. The meeting will address issues affecting the State Board of Education, which will be meeting one week prior to the town hall. Panelists include:

• Representative Scott Hochberg, Vice Chair of the House Committee on Public Education
• Honorable Lawrence Allen, Vice Chair of the State Board of Education
• Kathy Miller, President of Texas Freedom Network
• Angela Miller, Manager of Secondary Social Studies Curriculum for the Houston Independent School District
• Sharon Pope, Director of Publications for Texas Council for the Social Studies.

Please join us to discuss your issues and concerns with our participants. We look forward to a great turnout!

Watch the
August Slideshow!

Check out photos from some of the activities in which Ellen participated this month! They include attending the signing of a partnership between HCC’s Coleman College & UT School of Nursing at Houston, a Meet & Greet at the House of Coffee Beans, hosting a listening session with local realtors, and much more.

If you would like to invite Rep. Cohen to participate in an upcoming event, please email us or call (713) 627-0134.

View Rep. Cohen’s event calendar.

The Council of Texas Business Deans, formerly known as the Texas Council on Collegiate Education in Business, was founded in May 1975. The Council facilitates communication among member universities to coordinate and improve business education.

Conference speakers include:

• Dr. Belle S. Wheelan, President, Commission on Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
• Dr. Jerry Trapnell, Executive Vice-President and Chief Accreditation Officer AACSB-International
• Dr. William Gilmer-Vice President in Charge, El Paso Branch Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and Senior Economist Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Houston Branch, and
• The Honorable Ellen Cohen, Texas State Representative House District 134.

Included in the conference agenda is a tour of the University of St. Thomas. Cameron’s Dean, Dr. Bahman Mirshab, is the conference host. Dr. Mirshab holds a Ph.D. in economics from Wayne State University and served as the regional program director and vice president of the Mid-Continent East region for the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

The Cameron School of Business is committed to educating ethical business leaders capable of managing the organizations of the future.

Aug. 1 is National Minority Donor Awareness Day – a nationwide observance to educate minorities about the urgent need for donation and transplantation within the multicultural community. In Houston alone, 2,502 minorities (African-Americans, Hispanics and Asians) are waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant.

The lack of organs available for transplantation is a local, state, and national health crisis. Across the country, more than 108,000 people are waiting for their second chance at life and the number continues to grow. Every 11 minutes another name is added to the transplant waiting list. The next name on the list could be yours or someone you love.

In 2006, the Glenda P. Dawson Donate Life Texas Registry was created to encourage Texans to officially register as organ and tissue donors. This electronic database of all Texas residents who wish to donate their organs and tissues upon their deaths is confidential. A first-person donor directive, the registry is legally-binding, which means a person’s wishes to donate are acted upon, alleviating a difficult decision for that person’s family to make.

All states have some form of electronic registry; however, other states are lightning years ahead of Texas. The saying goes that “everything is bigger in Texas,” but that is sadly not the case with the registry. Texas ranks at the bottom of the list of all states with less than 5 percent of the adult population over 18 years of age registered. States such as Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Oregon outrank Texas with more than 70 percent of the population registered.

Houstonians can do something to turn this trend around. Registering electronically eliminates one of the barriers to helping those waiting on a second chance. In the time it takes to send a text or an email, lives can be saved. One individual donor has the potential to save and/or enhance the lives of 80 people through the gift of organ and tissue donation.

Houstonians are known for having open hearts and open minds. Let’s take charge of this emergent state of affairs and provide an example for the rest of the Lone Star State to follow.

To register as an organ and tissue donor and for more information, visit www.donatelifetexas.org. It is free and takes less than five minutes.

Editor’s note: State Representative Ellen Cohen represents District 134, which includes all of Bellaire, West University, River Oaks, Rice University and the Texas Medical Center, along with parts of Meyerland and Montrose. State Senator Mario Gallegos is a lifelong public servant who retired as a firefighter after 22 years in the Houston Fire Department. He served as a State Representative for two terms prior to being elected to the Senate, where he is serving his fourth term. In January 2007, Senator Gallegos became a liver transplant recipient.

Rep. Cohen, a seasoned champion of educational outreach, shared her enthusiasm for the camp. “I think this is an absolutely amazing experience…to see these children listening to Dr. Harris with a glint in their eyes and we know that there are future astronauts, future scientists, and future doctors who will discover things we can’t even dream about. This is a spectacular program.” Dr. Harris, a Mayo Clinic-trained physician and the first African American to walk in space, hails from an underprivileged background and faced many impediments to his own success. He founded the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp to help kids overcome the obstacles he once faced and recognize a wealth of possibilities for satisfying careers in science and math that contribute substantially to the advancement of society.

Dr. Harris credits U of H as an important factor in his own professional development. “Without a doubt, U of H was my launching pad for the things I got a chance to do in life, as a physician, as an astronaut, and now in business. I hold a bachelor of science degree and a master of business administration from here, and that has enabled me to do what I’m doing today.”

About TLC,2

The Texas Learning and Computation Center (TLC2) fosters and supports interdisciplinary research, education, and training at the University of Houston. TLC2 offers state-of-the-art computation, visualization, and educational facilities. Its skilled staff provides support in grant procurement and management, communications and media services, event and outreach coordination, and applications solutions and web development.

About ExxonMobil Foundation

ExxonMobil Foundation is the primary philanthropic arm of the Exxon Mobil Corporation in the United States. The Foundation and the Corporation engage in a range of philanthropic activities that advance education, health and science in the communities where ExxonMobil has significant operations. In the United States, ExxonMobil supports initiatives to improve math and science education at the K-12 and higher education levels. See www.exxonmobil.com/community for more information.

About The Harris Foundation

Founded in 1998, The Harris Foundation is a 501 (c) (3), non-profit organization based in Houston, Texas, whose overall mission is to invest in community-based initiatives to support education, health and wealth. The foundation supports programs that empower individuals, in particular minorities and economically and/or socially disadvantaged, to recognize their potential and pursue their dreams. See www.theharrisfoundation.org for more information.

Contact:
Jennifer James, Director of Communications
Texas Learning and Computation Center (TLC2)
University of Houston
jtjames@tlc2.uh.edu
713-743-3373
www.tlc2.uh.edu

“I am honored and grateful for the financial support of so many individuals who believe in my work on behalf of the constituents of District 134,” said Cohen. “Many people have told me that we need individuals in the Texas Legislature who are willing to work together in a bipartisan manner for the good of our state. In my first campaign, I promised to represent the District to the Legislature and not a Party to the District. I have kept that promise. We need genuine leadership and experience in Austin and not partisan politics. We have serious issues facing our state in the next session and we need leaders who will work together to get things done for the citizens of Texas.”

• EPA Invalidates TCEQ Permits
• Ellen’s Birthday Bash
• Calling Blockwalkers!

Ellen on the Issues

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recent invalidation of permits issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has raised ire, support, and questions. I firmly believe for the good of the state of Texas and the health of its people, the two entities must work together. When the EPA is the largest environmental agency in the world and TCEQ the second largest, the need for conversation and collaboration is imperative.

The reason for the invalidation of over 120 permits is that the EPA rejects Texas’ use of “flexible permits.” Flexible permits essentially put a cap on overall emissions of a facility, but allow leeway for various units within that plant. The EPA believes that this permitting system does not live up to the requirements of the Clean Air Act. The TCEQ believes that the flexible permitting system is in compliance with federal laws, and claims that the EPA is interfering with state’s rights.

While the problems are complex, facts and figures rather than finger-pointing will lead us to viable solutions. The ramifications are many, including our quality of life, our children’s health, and our ability to attract businesses. TCEQ will be under a routine review process by the Sunset Advisory Commission later this year. Please contact members of the Sunset Commission and share your thoughts

Please email me at info@ellencohen.org to let me know your thoughts on possible solutions and your concerns

State Representative Ellen Cohen

Environmental Links

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Environmental Defense Fund

Sierra Club

Air Alliance

Campaign News

Save the Date – Ellen’s Birthday, BBQ, and Yard Sign Bash

Join Ellen, her family, friends, and supporters for the celebration. Please drop by for BBQ and to pick up your Ellen Cohen yard sign. You won’t want to miss the fun!

The event takes place on Saturday, August 21, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Southside Place Clubhouse located at 3743 Garnet. If you can’t make the party but want a yard sign, email Dave Bonem at dave@ellencohen.org or call 713.838.0134.

Blockwalkers Needed!

Join us each Saturday in July for blockwalking District 134. We meet at 1535 West Loop South, Suite 412, at 9:00 a.m. First is an orientation, then we blockwalk for no more than 90 minutes, and finally we end with a debriefing. You will definitely be finished by noon. With four blockwalks behind us, we’ve already knocked on more than 1000 doors. You can make that number grow! For more information email Dave Bonem at dave@ellencohen.org or call 713.838.0134.

Serving in the Legislature, meetings with constituents, speaking engagements, and attending events in District 134 are what Ellen enjoys doing most. Check out photos from some of the activities in which Ellen’s participated this month! They include a trip to Lamar University in Beaumont, the Pride Parade, a tour of the UT Health Stem Cell Research Lab, house parties at the homes of Jim & Beverly Postl and Drs. George & Cindy Santos, and much more.

If you would like to invite Rep. Cohen to participate in an upcoming event, please email us or call (713) 627-0134.

See Ellen participating in Austin during an Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services June 14-15.

View Rep. Cohen’s event calendar.