Agenda for the Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus Executive Board Meeting on July 20, 2008. TSDC Executive Board Meeting Agenda on July 20, 2008 with a breakdown of various topics discussed including committee reports, and other businesses. Handwritten notes about TSDC Executive Committee Meeting notes on yellow lined paper. Business card for Bruce D. Shelton, Audit Committee is stapled to page. Minutes TSDC Executive Board Meeting on July 20, 2008 discussing various club reports and topics. Proposed Budget for TSDC on July 20, 2008 through January 31, 2009 of a bank balance of $1,207.65. Summary of activities at TSDC meeting on July 20, 2008.

An agenda for the July 20, 2008 Executive Board meeting of the Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus. An agenda for the July 20, 2008 meeting of the Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus, listing a breakdown of various topics including committee reports and other businesses to be addressed during the meeting.

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Strong productivity gains in the U.S. economy hinge, in part, on transportation networks working efficiently. Continued development and efficient management of the nation's freight transportation system--especially highways and rail lines that connect international gateways and intermodal facilities to retailers, producers, and consumers--are important to sustaining the nation's competitive position in the global economy. However, the increasing congestion on the transportation system poses a threat to the efficient flow of the nation's goods and has strained the system in some locations. Moreover, recent growth in international trade has placed even greater pressures on ports, border crossings, and distribution hubs. Congestion delays that significantly constrain freight mobility in these areas could result in increased economic costs for the nation. The Federal Highway Administration has calculated that delays caused by highway bottlenecks cost the trucking industry alone more than $8 billion a year. Recognizing that freight congestion has been well-defined and studied, Congress asked us to research technologies and projects currently in place or in development that could improve freight mobility, including low-cost approaches. In doing our work, we learned that the National Cooperative Freight Research Program (NCFRP) is currently conducting …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since 2002, destroying the terrorist threat and closing safe havens have been key national security goals. The United States has provided Pakistan, a key ally in the war on terror, more than $10 billion in funds and assistance. Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas' (FATA) rugged terrain, poor economic conditions, low literacy, underdeveloped infrastructure, and unique legal structure, all add to the complexity of efforts to address the terrorist threat in the FATA. This testimony discusses the (1) progress of U.S. national security goals in the FATA, (2) status of U.S. efforts to develop a comprehensive plan, and (3) oversight of U.S. Coalition Support Funds (CSF) provided to Pakistan. The testimony is based on recent reports on the status of a comprehensive plan (GAO-08-622) and preliminary observations on the use and oversight of U.S. CSF (GAO-08-735R)."

News release about DART's new Rosa Parks Plaza, a bus transfer location in downtown Dallas.

Email regarding the representatives of the Dallas Stonewall Young Democrats and funding.

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is required by the Government Management Reform Act of 1994 to audit the Consolidated Financial Statements of the U.S. Government (CFS). Certain material weaknesses in financial reporting and other limitations on the scope of our work have continued to result in conditions that have prevented us from expressing an opinion on the federal government's accrual basis consolidated financial statements. To assist us in planning future audits, when we anticipate being able to eventually issue an opinion on the accrual basis consolidated financial statements, we have performed and plan to continue performing selected procedures on certain line items and other areas of interest. The purpose of these procedures is to obtain an understanding of selected federal agencies' accounting and reporting and the audit work being performed in these areas. This letter relates to the fiscal year 2006 accounts payable (A/P) line item. The federal government reported about $58 billion of A/P as of September 30, 2006. Certain federal agencies' auditors reported internal control deficiencies related to A/P. These weaknesses contributed to the CFS material weakness for "Liabilities and Commitments and Contingencies" reported in our …

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "On January 31, 2008, we testified before Congress' subcommittee at a hearing entitled, "Eliminating Agency Payment Errors." At the hearing, we discussed federal agencies' progress in addressing key requirements of the Improper Payments Information Act of 2002 (IPIA) and Section 831 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002, commonly known as the Recovery Auditing Act. Our review and testimony focused on (1) progress made in agencies' implementation and reporting under IPIA for fiscal year 2007, (2) remaining challenges with IPIA implementation, and (3) agencies' efforts to report recovery auditing information. This report responds to your March 13, 2008, request to provide answers to follow-up questions relating to our January 31, 2008, testimony. (1) What kinds of changes should be made to the Single Audit Act, which already requires recipients to have proper systems of internal control to ensure front-end compliance with Federal requirements that would assist in identification and reduction of improper payments? The FY 2007 Audit Report on the Consolidated Financial Statement indicates that the Federal government's inability to determine the extent to which improper payments occur is one of the major government-wide material …

Judicial candidate forum and fundraiser check of $250.00 made on October 20, 2008.

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Disposal of radioactive material continues to be highly controversial. To address part of the disposal problem, in 1980, Congress made the states responsible for disposing of most low-level radioactive waste (LLRW), and allowed them to form regional compacts and to restrict access to disposal facilities from noncompact states. LLRW is an inevitable by-product of nuclear power generation and includes debris and contaminated soils from the decommissioning and cleanup of nuclear facilities, as well as metal and other material exposed to radioactivity. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) ranks LLRW according to hazard exposure--classes A, B, C, and greater-than-class C (GTCC). The states are responsible for the first three classes, and the Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for GTCC. Three facilities dispose of the nation's LLRW--in Utah, South Carolina, and Washington State. The testimony addresses (1) LLRW management in the United States and (2) LLRW management in other countries. It is substantially based on two GAO reports: a June 2004 report (GAO-04-604) and a March 2007, report (GAO-07-221) that examined these issues. To prepare this testimony, GAO relied on data from the two reports and updated information on current …

News release about DART's reduced service schedule in observance of the Memorial Day holiday.

Minutes of executive board meeting of the Texas Stonewall Democrats Caucus on July 20, 2008. A breakdown of various topics discussed including platform presentation, various reports, old business, and new business.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Edward McCreary. McCreary was born in Spain in 1928 and attended school in the Philippines beginning in 1935. He was a high school sophomore in Baguio when the Japanese invaded, and he managed to escape to the mountains, where he hid for three months. After he was caught, he was imprisoned for one year in a small camp. As guerillas began to recapture parts of the island, prisoners were transferred to Santo Tomas University. There American prisoners organized committees to serve as a form of self-government. Thanks to them, McCreary completed his high school education while there. By the spring of 1944, starvation was setting in, causing death and illness. In September 1944 a Navy air raid brought hope to the prisoners, but it was several weeks before American troops landed. Soldiers broke into the prison and spent three days barricaded there beside the prisoners; together they shared military rations and food that had been smuggled to them by Dominican priests. Upon being liberated, McCreary was evacuated to the States and enrolled in Harvard University.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Eunice Marie Valencia Cavajeh. Cavajeh was born 16 October 1927 in Oskosura on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Her father was a Filipino doctor who was trained in the United States and her mother was an American nurse. They were married in the Philippines in 1919. Cavajeh recalls the Japanese invasion beginning 8 December 1941. She also recalls the confusion encountered upon leaving the city. She tells of the Japanese occupying the hospital her father managed. She joined a guerilla group and was assigned the duty of typing up reports that were sent to other guerilla units by runner. She mentions that a number of friends were executed for supporting the guerillas and of the Japanese burning houses as they retreated once the Allies invaded. She also recalls hearing of the surrender of Japan.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Keith Wells. Wells was in the cavalry at Texas A&M when the war broke out. He joined the Marine Corps and attended officer’s school. There he learned parachuting, completing his final jumps with a broken leg, which he never sought medical care for. He received further training at Camp Pendleton and became the executive officer of his company. Landing on Iwo Jima in the third wave, he remained there for the duration of the campaign. While crossing the island, he received multiple shell fragment wounds to his leg and head. As a member of the 3rd Platoon, E Company, 28th Marine Regiment, he witnessed both the first and second flags atop Mount Suribachi. By the end of the war, he was on a first-name basis with a general, who was impressed by his grace under fire. Wells retired from the service as a major, earned a degree in geology and entered the oil industry.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ken Jones. Jones joined the Navy in January of 1944. Beginning in May, he served as a 20mm gunner aboard the USS Colorado (BB-45). Jones participated in the pre-invasion shelling of Saipan, Guam and Tinian. Additionally, he participated in the Philippines Campaign and the Battle of Okinawa. After the war, they traveled to Tokyo Bay and witnessed the surrender of Japan. He returned to the US and was discharged around late 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Martin DeVries. DeVries joined the Navy as a Seabee in 1942. Having experience in painting and hanging wallpaper, he was assigned as a painter to the 31st Naval Construction Battalion, attached to the 5th Marine Division at Port Hueneme. When DeVries deployed to Iwo Jima, he assisted the storekeeper with the cold storage of fruits and vegetables; his incentive in doing so was to stay cool and enjoy fresh food. DeVries watched the invasion of the island from afar, amazed by flamethrowers. When the flag was raised on Mount Suribachi, DeVries remembers hearing celebratory whistles and horns. Afterward he was sent ashore to help construct an airstrip and complete the nearly impossible task of building a road to the top of Mount Suribachi. Upon his discharge, DeVries returned to his work as a painter, eventually becoming president of the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America. For the benefit of his grandchildren, he wrote a book about his wartime experiences.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Thomas Underwood. Underwood joined the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936. He entered the Navy in 1940 and received basic training in San Diego. Upon completion, he was assigned to the USS Portland (CA-33) at Pearl Harbor, where he was trained as a signalman. He was out on maneuvers on 7 December 1941 and recalls seeing a signal come in from the flag ship that the harbor was under attack. When he returned a few days later, the USS Arizona (BB-39) was still smoking. Underwood spent the remainder of the war escorting ships and carrying out shore bombardments. After the Portland was torpedoed at the Battle of Surigao Strait, Underwood enjoyed a few months in Australia. There, he reconnected with old friends he had made on a goodwill tour before the war began. When the war ended, Underwood returned home for shore duty and remained in the Navy for another 20 years. His picture can be found in LIFE Magazine’s January 1942 issue, showing the Portland’s signalmen.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Victor Nanadiego. Nanadiego was born in the Philippines and was a private in the Philippine Army at the time of the Japanese invasion. He was captured and participated in the Bataan Death March. He describes insect infestations, rampant disease, and the lack of food and water. Nanadiego also discusses the duties POWs performed including burying the dead. He was released after four months and joined the guerillas when he had recovered from his captivity. Nanadiego describes how he was promoted to the rank of captain and how he worked with an American named Lieutenant Townsend to move weapons. He continued to serve in the Philippine Army after the war and eventually became a general. Nanadiego also discusses how Philippine veterans were not given the same benefits as their American counterparts.

Email describing a visit to El Paso concerning the formation of a TSDC chapter in the Rio Grande Valley. The TSDC President Daniel Graney concluded that the Rio Grande Valley needed to complete a few preliminary steps are advised to be completed before a chapter could form in El Paso.

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This letter responds to Congress' September 26, 2008, request that GAO address questions submitted for the record by Members of the Committee related to the September 11, 2008, hearing entitled The Next Generation Air Transportation System: Status and Issues."

Typed and handwritten conversation scripts translated from Manipuri to Lamkang. Conversation topics include riding the bus, staying at a hotel, visiting a market, getting a haircut, talking on the phone, and meeting colleagues.

Spreadsheet detailing membership dues in a section labeled HSYD Q2 2008 Membership Dues.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether a state agency must use an average of 100 Mcf per day of natural gas in order to qualify for the exemption provided by section 104.202 of the Utilities Code (RQ-0617-GA)