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U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) today announced four grant awards totaling $548,897 to help community health centers enroll the uninsured in new health insurance options made available by the Affordable Care Act. With this award, the health centers will help consumers understand their coverage options in California's new Health Insurance Marketplace - Covered California. The awards will also allow the health centers to help people determine their eligibility for Medi-Cal, the Children's Health Insurance Program, as well as other forms of financial assistance.

U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA-5) today announced that he founded the bipartisan Congressional Invasive Species Caucus. Thompson co-founded the caucus with Rep. Dan Benishek (R-MI-1). The Caucus will serve to raise awareness about invasive species, support local communities who are bearing the brunt of this problem, and promote efforts to prevent and control the spread of invasive species. The Caucus will provide opportunities for Members of Congress to meet with other policy makers, organizations and industry leaders that are working to prevent the spread of invasive species.

U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) announced today that the Headquarters Building of the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky will be dedicated in honor of Colonel Robert Howard. Col. Howard served with the 5th Special Forces in Vietnam, and was Thompson's company commander when Thompson was an airborne instructor at the Army Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia. Thompson requested the Army establish a memorial honoring Colonel Howard and worked with the Army to identify the facility at Fort Campbell.

Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-05) today announced a $238,000 federal grant that will provide Sonoma County veterans with job training, job placement, housing and other services. The grant, provided through the Department of Labor (DOL), will be awarded to Vietnam Veterans of California, Inc. in Santa Rosa. The grants were awarded through the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP).

With student loan rates set to double on Monday, July 1st, U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson yesterday called on the House to immediately bring up legislation he co-authored, H.R. 1595, the Student Loan Relief Act. Thompson's bill would allow college students to benefit from historically low interest rates by freezing the current 3.4 percent rate on subsidized Stafford loans for the next two years. The House Majority blocked H.R. 1433 from coming to the floor for consideration.

U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) today released the following statement after the U.S. Senate passed the “Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act,” a comprehensive immigration reform bill, by a vote of 68-32:

“Today, the Senate passed bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform. Not only is this bill the right thing to do for our country and in line with our nation's most fundamental principles, it will boost our economy and lower our debt.