In Honor of Memorial Day, Tunnel To Towers to Provide Three Gold Star Families with Mortgage-Free Homes

Staten Island, NY - May 25, 2020 - (The Ponder News) -- This Memorial Day, the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, named after a fallen 9/11 FDNY firefighter, announced it will be providing mortgage-free homes to three Gold Star families - the families of U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Matthew J. West, U.S. Army Specialist Christopher Michael Harris, and U.S. Army Staff Sergeant William S. Jackson II.

SSG West, 36, was killed in action in Afghanistan on August 30, 2010, when his vehicle was hit by an IED. He joined the Army in June of 2004, and was on his third deployment at the time of his death.

SSG West left behind his wife, Carolyn, and their three children, Tyler, Joseph, and Annaliese.

“Not only will the Gold Star Family Home Program allow me to give them [the children] a home, but it will also help me to secure their education and future with less stress, and allow us to continue to make more happy family memories,” said Carolyn West.

SPC Harris, 25, was killed in action in Afghanistan on August 2, 2017. He was just one month into his first deployment when a vehicle packed with explosives detonated near his convoy, taking his life.

SPC Harris left behind his pregnant wife, Britt, who was expecting their first child. She welcomed their daughter, Christian Michelle, in March 2018.

“She’s my whole world,” Britt said of Christian Michelle. “The Gold Star Family Home Program will allow me to set aside a proper savings account for my daughter.”

SSG Jackson, known to his friends and family as Jack, was killed on Veterans Day 2006 when an IED detonated near his vehicle in Ramadi, Iraq. The 29-year-old first served in the U.S. Marines for four years, from 1998-2002, before joining the Army.

SSG Jackson is survived by his wife, Katie, and their four children, Zachariah, Levi, Samuel, and Hannah. All four children were younger than six when their father was killed.

“Since Jack’s death, we have felt like we have been in survival mode in many ways. Receiving a home would take the edge off of the feeling of shouldering a heavy burden alone. It would bring such a sense of relief,” Katie said.

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s Gold Star Family Home Program honors the legacy of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country by providing the surviving spouses and young children with mortgage-free homes.

“SSG West, SPC Harris, and SSG Jackson put their lives on the line in service of our country, and tragically, they did not make it home to their families. This Memorial Day, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation wants the West, Harris, and Jackson families to know that their sacrifices are remembered. We hope the knowledge that they will never have to make another mortgage payment again will provide Carolyn, Britt, Katie, and their children with some peace of mind as they continue to grieve,” said Foundation Chairman and CEO Frank Siller.

You can help Tunnel to Towers provide mortgage-free homes to Gold Star families by donating $11 per month at tunnel2towers.org.

Not Registered to Vote? Steven Odzer Shares Why It’s Time to Register to Vote

Henderson, NV - May 25, 2020 - (The Ponder News) -- With election season upon us, Steven Odzer wants to encourage young Americans and anyone else who hasn’t registered to vote to do so. Research from the last election shows that the young vote accounts for about half of the voting population. Steven Odzer points out that young Americans don’t realize how much influence they have on the future of their country. In a few short years, millennials will overpower baby boomers as a population, which is why it’s so important they get out and vote. The young vote declined 2% from 52% in the 2008 election, and young voters still made up half of the voters in 2016.

Steven Odzer is very much involved in the political aspects of his community. “I am very involved with Republican Party and Republican Jewish Committee,” says Steven Odzer. Steven Odzer is aware of the importance of the young vote, which is why he supports the Republican party and the RJC. It’s essential also to get young Americans to vote and find their voice so that they can make a difference at the local and national level.

On November 12, 2019, Steven Odzer attended an event at the Economic Club where President Donald Trump gave a speech. “I’m a strong supporter of the Republican Party and the RJC, so it was an honor to attend the event,” he said. It is during events like those that inspire Steven Odzer to keep supporting the Republican party.

According to Steven, Odzer is vital to talk to them about the importance of voting from an early age. The young population needs to understand that since they make up over half of the voting population, candidates count on the vote of Millennials. Aside from being a large group, young voters are also a diverse group. Candidates will focus on the young majority when campaigning this election season due to their diversity. Young voters come from different backgrounds, which also help diversify the vote.

Steven Odzer mentions young Americans should be more interested in voting because they were the ones who got hit the hardest during the recession of 2008. Millennials took a hit in the job market, student loans, and even healthcare. By voting, young Americans can support the leaders that best represent their financial interests.

Steven Odzer has made a name for himself in the distribution industry. Steven Odzer has served as CEO of many successful companies. Currently, YBT Industries of Henderson, NV. Steven Odzer, also dedicates a lot of time helping out the community. He supports causes such as both Jewish and non-Jewish causes, the AHRC, and Bris Avrohom.

Lt. Col. Allen West Recovering in Waco From Motorcycle Accident

Garland, TX - May 25, 2020 - (The Ponder News) -- On his drive back from the “Free Texas Rally” in Austin, TX, Lt. Col. Allen West was involved in an accident when a car cut in front of him. He is recovering, in stable condition, and has his family with him.
Local law enforcement reported that “an unidentified vehicle changed lanes when unsafe in front of two motorcyclists. The motorcyclist attempted to brake, and the rear motorcyclist crashed into the front motorcyclist. Both motorcyclists were transported to Baylor Scott and White in Waco to be treated for non-life threatening injuries.”

Allen West is currently dealing with a concussion, several fractured bones, and multiple lacerations. Though these injuries are serious, Lt. Col. West stated, “I am alive by the grace of God.”

He plans to continue to be a proponent for freedom and the state of Texas, and will resume his normal calendar of activities as given clearance by his medical team.

LTC West thanks the public for their well-wishes and outpouring of support, and continued prayers on his behalf are appreciated.

Learn more about Allen West, his campaign, and how to keep Texas Red by clicking HERE

Senate passes Kennedy and Van Hollen’s bill to kick deceitful Chinese companies off U.S. exchanges

Washington, D.C. - May 25, 2020 - (The Ponder News) -- On Wednesday, the Senate passed the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act by unanimous consent. Sens. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) introduced the legislation to protect American investors and their retirement savings from foreign companies that have been operating on U.S. stock exchanges while flouting Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) oversight.

“The SEC works hard to protect American investors from being swindled by American companies. It’s asinine that we’re giving Chinese companies the opportunity to exploit hardworking Americans—people who put their retirement and college savings in our exchanges—because we don’t insist on examining their books. There are plenty of markets all over the world open to cheaters, but America can’t afford to be one of them. China is on a glidepath to dominance and is cheating at every turn. I hope my colleagues in the House will immediately send this bill to the president’s desk so we can protect Americans and their savings,” said Kennedy.

“As we continue to experience the economic fallout and volatility caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to protect main street investors is all the more important. For too long, Chinese companies have disregarded U.S. reporting standards, misleading our investors. Publicly listed companies should all be held to the same standards, and this bill makes commonsense changes to level the playing field and give investors the transparency they need to make informed decisions. I’m proud that we were able to pass it today with overwhelming bipartisan support, and I urge our House colleagues to act quickly,” said Van Hollen.

The Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act prohibits securities of a company from being listed on any of the U.S. securities exchanges if the company has failed to comply with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board’s (PCAOB) audits for three years in a row.

The bill would also require public companies to disclose whether they are owned or controlled by a foreign government, including China’s communist government.

Many Americans invest in U.S. stock exchanges as part of their retirement savings, and dishonest companies operating on the exchanges put Americans at risk. This legislation protects the interest of hardworking American investors by ensuring that foreign companies traded in America are subject to the same independent audit requirements that apply to American companies.

Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) have cosponsored the bill.

Background:

Congress established the PCAOB to inspect audits of public companies, ensuring the information companies provide to the public is accurate, independent and trustworthy.

Currently, China’s communist government refuses to allow the PCAOB to inspect audits of companies registered in China and Hong Kong. Such companies represent a keen risk to American investors as nearly 11 percent of all securities class action lawsuits in 2011 were brought against Chinese-owned companies accused of misrepresenting themselves in financial documents.

According to the SEC, 224 U.S.-listed companies are located in countries where there are obstacles to PCAOB inspections. These companies have a combined market capitalization of more than $1.8 trillion.

In the last 10 years, the number of Chinese companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges has increased significantly, as those firms take advantage of the capital available in America.