Expanding Homeownership in the Silicon Valley Although Silicon Valley’s housing market is faring better than those in other parts of the state and the country, home owners, buyers, and sellers still face a number of challenges. Local real estate prices are among the highest in the nation, and the impact on the loan market of problems elsewhere has caused a slowdown in home sales here. This week, the House voted on the most comprehensive response yet to our country’s mortgage and housing crisis. I was proud to vote in favor of these bills, as they will have a unique impact on our district. The package of housing measures passed this week will help families facing foreclosure keep their homes and help other families avoid foreclosures in the future (in H.R. 5830), and help the recovery of communities harmed by empty homes caught in the foreclosure process (H.R. 5818). Of particular importance to California is the provision that raises the loan limits for single family loans in high cost areas such as Silicon Valley. I have also worked with my colleagues to advocate for federal dollars to organizations such as the Housing Trust of Santa Clara County, which provides gap financing to developers of affordable multi-family rental units, emergency shelters, transitional housing, and housing for special needs populations. The Housing Trust also created the First-Time Homebuyer Assistance Program to give workers better opportunities to buy their first home. Owning a home is part of the American dream, and I look forward to working to continue to expand that opportunity to more families in our district. District Teacher Wins 2008 Winner of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching Congratulations to Ascencion Solorsano Middle School science teacher Dawn Marie O’Connor for being a recipient of the 2008 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching. Hailing from Gilroy, her philosophy of “learning science by doing science” creates students that are capable thinkers, problem solvers, and future leaders. Congratulations! National Teacher Appreciation Week This week is National Teacher Appreciation Week. As a former teacher, I feel strongly about the good work that today's teachers are doing. A lack of adequate funding has left teachers in classrooms across the country working in difficult conditions and with limited resources. As a member of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, I am committed to ensuring our schools are fully funded. Teachers need to have the best tools available to do their jobs in training the youth of our nation, and I will continue to make these issue a top priority. Where’s My Stimulus Check? For those of you still waiting for your stimulus check, click here for the payment schedule.