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| 2024 Election: | Joe Biden's book | Kamala Harris' book | Donald Trump's book | JD Vance's book | 2024 Senate Debates |
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| Book Reviews | |||||||||||||||
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(from Amazon.com) | |||||||||||||||
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(click a book cover for a review or other books by or about the presidency from Amazon.com) |
from State of California secondary Archives (number of quotes indicated): |
| OnTheIssues.org excerpts: (click on issues for details) |
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Abortion Barbara Boxer: Don't go back to criminalizing women and doctors. Carly Fiorina: Overturn the Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion. Carly Fiorina: Embryonic stem cell research ok if not created for purpose. Carly Fiorina: Exceptions for rape, incest, and maternal endangerment. David Hadley: Pregnancy is a woman's decision, but restrictions ok. Gail Lightfoot: Oppose embryonic stem cell research. Jimmy Gomez: Fight for Planned Parenthood and women's access. Nanette Barragan: Don't force views of men in Congress on women's bodies. Peter Camejo: Abortions should always be legally available. |
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Budget & Economy Carly Fiorina: Stimulus package is a failure; more tax cuts instead. Carly Fiorina: Key to recovery is less government, taxation, & regulation. Dianne Feinstein: I'm a prudent voice for deficit reduction. Doug Ose: COVID: Open schools and businesses; get people back to work. Elizabeth Emken: Robust growth produces more revenue; reduce spending now. Herman Cain: 9-9-9 economic growth: stop picking winners & losers. Jimmy Panetta: Strengthen local agriculture, tourism, technology & research. John Chiang: Found $8 billion in government waste, fraud, & abuse. John Cox: Worried about COVID restrictions on hospitality, jobs. Kevin Faulconer: Put tax dollars to keeping roads smooth and safe. Kevin Faulconer: Conduct a top-to-bottom review of spending. Kevin Faulconer: COVID: important that we save both lives and livelihoods. Laura Smith: Pay for infrastructure by cutting legislative salaries. Lily Zhou: Decrease national debt to run healthy economy. Michele Bachmann: Problem is $1 in tax increases for each $3 in spending. Mitt Romney: I understand how the economy works because I lived in it. Mitt Romney: Let middle-income Americans save money tax-free. Mitt Romney: QE2 didn't work; focus on jobs & higher growth. Nanette Barragan: Balance business interests and jobs for our communities. Newt Gingrich: The Fed's secrecy & power are antithetical to a free society. Newt Gingrich: Put people back to work to raise revenues without taxes. Rick Perry: Keynesian theory is now done; never again in America. Rick Perry: Balanced Budget Amendment is the only way to sleep at night. Ron Paul: 1980s had huge deficits, despite Reagan's message. |
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Civil Rights Alex Padilla: Authored state law against from genetic discrimination. Barbara Boxer: Full equality only with same-sex marriage. Carly Fiorina: Marriage is between a man and a woman; but civil unions ok. Carly Fiorina: No same-sex marriage; yes civil unions; repeal DADT. David Hadley: Recognize same-sex marriages, with religious exemptions. David Hadley: Merit, not racial quotas, for college admissions. Delaine Eastin: Commissioned first State Dept. of Education LGBT Task Force. Jimmy Gomez: Defend LGBTQIA rights, including seniors. Jimmy Gomez: Retrofit facilities for Americans with Disabilities Act. Jimmy Gomez: Protect Social Security from GOP restructuring. Jimmy Panetta: So much more needs to be done for LGBT equality. Jimmy Panetta: Close loopholes in the Equal Pay Act. John Melendez: Ensure equal rights regardless of sexual orientation. Kevin Faulconer: Called on Congress to adopt LGBTQ rights legislation. Kevin Faulconer: Keep treatment of LGBTQ young adults as sex offenders. Nanette Barragan: One of America's greatest injustices is gender pay inequity. |
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Corporations Laura Smith: Unnecessary regulations are suffocating small businesses. Rick Santorum: Cut the corporate tax to zero, to create jobs. |
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Crime David Hadley: Supports death penalty; tracking sex offenders; and more. David Hadley: Prevent schools from covering up staff sexual abuse. Doug Ose: Build new prisons, oppose reducing of some felonies. Jimmy Gomez: Ban for-profit prisons; support sentencing reform. Jimmy Panetta: Ban racial profiling; build trust of law enforcement. Jimmy Panetta: Pursued justice for victims and families. Larry Elder: Police are pulling back, afraid of being called racist. Kevin Faulconer: Won't forget your safety is the government's top priority. Kevin Faulconer: I strongly support the death penalty in California. Kevin Faulconer: Time to have a governor who is going to put victims first. Laura Smith: Time for wide-sweeping elimination of Human Trafficking. Rick Perry: If you kill a TX citizen, you will face ultimate justice. Kamala Harris: Fulfill Proposition 69: fast analysis of all DNA samples. Kamala Harris: Charge online brothels with money laundering, if not pimping. |
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Drugs Carly Fiorina: Provide Mexico support in war on drugs. David Hadley: $85 million funding for drug and gang enforcement programs. John Cox: If we have to, we're gonna force people to get treatment. Kevin Paffrath: State bungled legalized cannabis; 80% of sales still illegal. Ron Paul: Our drug war is driving our immigration policy. Larry Elder: Tax & regulate cannabis. Kamala Harris: Arrest gang members for illegal guns, meth, and coke. |
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Education Alex Padilla: Voted to better protect student athletes. Barbara Boxer: $1.2 billion to save the jobs of 16,500 California teachers. Bill Simon: Don�t allow children to be trapped in failing schools. David Hadley: Let military families choose any public school district. Delaine Eastin: In 1965, California led American education; we can do better. Delaine Eastin: Combined higher education and K-12 schools into one bond. Delaine Eastin: Oppose Prop 187 targeting immigrant students in classrooms. Doug Ose: More emphasis on standardized tests to ensure proficiency. Doug Ose: College shouldn't be free; it undermines its intrinsic value. Doug Ose: COVID: Newsom sided with unions to close public schools. Gail Lightfoot: STEM education is important for science advancement. Gray Davis: CA schools are bad, but headed in the right direction. Jimmy Gomez: Public college education should be debt free. Jimmy Gomez: Vouchers take resources out of public education. Jimmy Panetta: Focus on expanding pre-K and early education. Jimmy Panetta: Make higher education both accessible and affordable. John Cox: I am a school choice advocate; I will push to end tenure. John Melendez: Lower college tuition, equal access. Kevin Faulconer: Better teacher salaries, give them tools they need. Kevin Faulconer: COVID: School closings not based on science. Kevin Faulconer: Take a firm stance with teachers unions over COVID closures. Kevin Paffrath: Racial disparities in education due to a despair mindset. Larry Elder: Schools need to purge bad teachers, they inflict damage. Laura Smith: Stop stealing for super-inflated administrative salaries. Laura Smith: Investigate universities for fraud, misappropriation. Lily Zhou: Give parents more choices, merit-based tenure for teachers. Nanette Barragan: Free-to-low-cost education for college or trade school. Nanette Barragan: Public education is a right--not a privilege for the wealthy. Newt Gingrich: I liked charter school programs in Obama's Race to the Top. Peter Camejo: Pay teachers more than prison guards. Rick Perry: We reduced school spending in TX and raised graduation rates. |
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Energy & Oil Alex Padilla: For expanding clean-tech manufacturing and solar power. Barbara Boxer: Prop. 23: California clean energy policy creates jobs here. Barbara Boxer: Work with China on global warming, but California leads. Carly Fiorina: Examine the science; US can't act alone on global warming. Carly Fiorina: Dealing with global warming requires a global solution. David Hadley: Ban off-shore oil drilling; require 50% wind and solar. Jimmy Gomez: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. John Cox: We must employ an all-of-the-above strategy. Jon Huntsman: Gas is $13/gal if we count cost of troop deployments. Kevin Faulconer: Unleash technological might to become energy independent. Kevin Paffrath: Allow reasonable upgrades to existing fuel infrastructure. Lily Zhou: Climate: engage youth; we know there's a problem. Michele Bachmann: Goal is to keep gas prices low, like $1.79 a gallon. Nanette Barragan: Climate change is an urgent environmental problem. Rick Perry: Don't put economy in jeopardy based on unsettled science. Ron Paul: I can get you a gallon of gas for a silver dime. |
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Environment Carly Fiorina: Protect families, not just fish and flies and frogs. Carly Fiorina: Account for social & economic impact of Endangered Species. David Hadley: Protect wildlife corridors and marine areas. Delaine Eastin: Pushed landfill cleanup and innovative recycling. Jimmy Gomez: Fund river revitalization; fight for environmental justice. Jimmy Gomez: Protect endangered species; and protect animal shelters. Jimmy Panetta: Collaborate to protect of our coastline, farmland, & forests. John Chiang: Safeguard our vast and precious natural resources. John Cox: Blaming climate change for wildfires unacceptable. John Melendez: Promoting hemp will protect our amazing planet. Laura Smith: Excessive water restrictions hurts agricultural industry. Michele Bachmann: EPA rulemaking has been based on politics, not science. Nanette Barragan: Fight to protect public health from big corporate polluters. Rick Perry: We reduced NO2 and ozone in TX without scientists dictating. |
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Families & Children Delaine Eastin: Prop 10: Raise tobacco taxes for early childhood development. Jimmy Gomez: Expand Paid Family Leave. Michele Bachmann: Best results when family involved; worst with government. |
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Foreign Policy Michele Bachmann: Biggest issue in Middle East is nuclear Iran. Rick Perry: America shouldn't be in the business of adventurism. Tom Campbell: Unwaveringly pro-Israel, despite votes against aid. Travis Allen: Unified Israel with Judea & Samaria; Jerusalem as capital. |
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Government Reform Bill Simon: Voters are turned off by negative campaigns. Bill Simon: Davis� pursuit of contributions are an obsession. Carly Fiorina: American dream is perishable, if government keeps growing. Doug Ose: Government engaged in significant overreach of authority. Doug Ose: California did studies instead of building dams & reservoirs. Gavin Newsom: COVID: all registered voters receive mail-in ballots. Gray Davis: Campaign contributions let regular people run for office. Gray Davis: Your vote is your voice-legislate open process. Jimmy Gomez: Replace Citizen's United with public financing. John Chiang: Dock pay of legislators unless they balance budget. John Chiang: Caught state paying $11 million salaries to dead employees. John Cox: I'm the outsider, not beholden to any donors. John Melendez: Electoral College broken, voters unheard. Kevin Faulconer: Would veto elimination of single-family zoning. Laura Smith: Investigate and punish embezzlement of taxpayer funds. Laura Smith: Revoke automatic voter registration via drivers' licenses. Laura Smith: Term limits must be imposed for all representatives. Lily Zhou: Knows firsthand how regulations stifle economic growth. Lily Zhou: Signed pledge for amendment for Congressional term limits. Peter Camejo: Encourage volunteerism and political activism. Peter Camejo: Green's contributions for message; Dem-Rep's for investments. Ron Paul: I believe in market regulation, but not federal regulation. Ron Paul: Everything government does is a mandate. Ron Paul: Don't use Executive Orders for controversial laws. Ron Paul: FEMA just conditioned people to build where they shouldn't. Kevin Kiley: Written words are binding on those in positions of power. Kevin Kiley: No "Third House": end lobbyist contributions and influence . Kevin Kiley: More open governance: restore power to local institutions . |
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Gun Control Barbara Boxer: Assault weapon ban has kept people safe. Carly Fiorina: Opposed 1994 assault weapon ban; opposes no-fly list gun ban. Carly Fiorina: Let people on no-fly list purchase guns; it's poorly managed. Carly Fiorina: Assault weapon ban is arbitrary about which weapons qualify. Dianne Feinstein: Gun lobby has too much power in Washington. Jimmy Panetta: Mental illness is often the root of gun violence. Kevin Faulconer: Keep California's tight restrictions, no need for changes. Kevin Paffrath: We're as far away from the Second Amendment as you can get. Laura Smith: Revoke or veto laws assaulting gun ownership rights. |
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Health Care David Hadley: Government-run health care reduces quality & increases costs. Doug Ose: COVID: Instead of mandates, give people options. Elizabeth Emken: Government-run health care is not the solution. Elizabeth Emken: ObamaCare is poorly written and it needs to repealed. Gail Lightfoot: Everyone benefits from health research, but not by gov't. Gavin Newsom: State employees to get vaccinated or regular testing. Jimmy Gomez: Supports single-payer at state level and federal level. Jimmy Panetta: Committed to making ObamaCare even better. John Cox: Opposed vaccination mandate for health care workers. Jon Huntsman: We reformed UT healthcare without mandates. Kevin Faulconer: COVID: I do not favor mandates; I favor education. Kevin Faulconer: COVID: For vaccinating everyone, but not mandating. Michele Bachmann: ObamaCare is killing jobs. Mitt Romney: On Day One, ObamaCare waivers to all 50 states. Rick Perry: Individual mandate just won't work. Rick Perry: Wipe out ObamaCare; block grant healthcare back to states. Rick Perry: TX wants freedom for healthcare menus & co-pays; feds refuse. Rick Perry: HillaryCare did not address agricultural needs. Rick Perry: I hate cancer; inoculate girls against HPV. Gail Lightfoot: Repeal ObamaCare & replace it with private sector. Ron Paul: Markets instead of lobbyists writing drug laws. Ron Paul: Vaccinating 12-year-olds against HPV is bad medicine. Larry Elder: Abolish Medicaid; charity not allowed by the Constitution . |
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Homeland Security Caitlyn Jenner: Opposed serving in Vietnam: failed physical despite Olympics. Carly Fiorina: Campaign donations from jihadists should be returned. Carly Fiorina: Guantanamo Bay isn't broken, so don't fix it. David Hadley: Strong champion for the Los Angeles Air Force Base. Herman Cain: Fix FEMA; don't abolish FEMA. Jay Obernolte: I have always stood for a strong national defense. Jimmy Gomez: VA medical benefits, job training, and housing loans. Jimmy Panetta: Strong defense includes two facilities in our district. Jon Huntsman: We need a DHS that doesn't make us feel like a shakedown. Jon Huntsman: 9-11 shattered our innocence and lost our confidence. Laura Smith: Assisting veterans & service members is honorable & required. Nanette Barragan: Advocate for veterans to receive comprehensive benefits. Newt Gingrich: We have enemies that want disasters on an enormous scale. Rick Perry: Unprincipled to create Department of Homeland Security. Rick Perry: Glad Obama kept Gitmo open; America is safer because of it. Rick Santorum: Department of Homeland Security fixed an internal mess. Ron Paul: Abolish the TSA; let airlines establish security. Tom Campbell: 2000 campaign donor later convicted of terrorism. Tom Campbell: Execute terrorists without trial nor Miranda rights. |
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Immigration Barbara Boxer: Cosponsored DREAM Act: legal status from college or military. Bill Simon: Immigration system needs fundamental reform. Caitlyn Jenner: For a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Caitlyn Jenner: Would try to repeal California's sanctuary state status. Carly Fiorina: No comprehensive reform; but yes to DREAM Act. Doug Ose: Set standards for DACA kids, some should be deported. Elizabeth Emken: Comprehensive solution that starts by securing our borders. Gray Davis: Diversity is our strength; welcome all good citizens. Herman Cain: Secure the border with more boots on the ground. Jimmy Gomez: Deporting parents of U.S. citizens is morally wrong. Jimmy Panetta: Let DREAMers earn their way to citizenship. John Melendez: Find path for immigrants here illegally. Jon Huntsman: Focus on fixing legal immigration as well as illegal. Karen Bass: Human services for immigrants and their children. Kevin Faulconer: Repeal Medicaid expansion to undocumented immigrants. Kevin Paffrath: Our current legal immigration system sucks. Michele Bachmann: Our immigration law worked beautifully until 1960s. Michele Bachmann: Lack of border fence yields our sovereignty. Mitt Romney: Build 2,600-mile fence with enough guards to secure it. Mitt Romney: Turn off the magnet that attracts immigrants. Nanette Barragan: Comprehensive reform instead of fences and deportation. Newt Gingrich: Require official English plus American history. Newt Gingrich: I voted for Reagan's legal guest worker program. Peter Camejo: Immigrants are necessary to keeping the economy strong. Rick Perry: El Paso border is not safe until we have boots on the ground. Rick Santorum: No tricks like 1986; secure the border first. Rick Santorum: No promises & no government benefits to immigrants. Ron Paul: ID cards and border fences are not the American way. Tom Del Beccaro: Immigration is a national security issue; ports are a danger. |
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Jobs Barbara Boxer: TV ad: Fiorina fired thousands and moved their jobs to China. Doug Ose: Repeal law that employers provide benefits to more workers. Doug Ose: Opposed higher minimum wage; base income on productivity. Elizabeth Emken: Public unions have too much political influence. Jimmy Gomez: Raise the national minimum wage. Jimmy Gomez: Equal pay for equal work & Paycheck Fairness Act. John Cox: The real, true minimum wage should be zero. Kevin Faulconer: Make fixing unemployment system top technology project. Laura Smith: Coordinate employment assistance program with businesses. Lily Zhou: Doesn't believe in minimum wage: you must acquire skills. Mitt Romney: Bain Capital created thousands of jobs during my time there. Mitt Romney: America is an extraordinary jobs machine. Nanette Barragan: Raise minimum wage & demand pay equity for women. Rick Perry: We created 1M jobs in TX while US lost 2.5M. |
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Principles & Values Bill Simon: Successful businessman, charity contributor, family man. Caitlyn Jenner: OpEd: Jenner a recluse on public policy. Caitlyn Jenner: Olympics win not because our system better than any other. Caitlyn Jenner: My faith played a very big role in what I'm doing. Carly Fiorina: I'll work across the aisle, including with Sen. Feinstein. Dianne Feinstein: Offers three televised Senate debates, but no Fox News. Dianne Feinstein: OpEd: Feinstein refusing to debate is a democracy dodge. Elizabeth Emken: Wins primary slot against 14 Republicans and 5 Democrats. Elizabeth Emken: Wins primary slot against 14 Republicans and 5 Democrats. Elizabeth Emken: Feinstein is arrogant and dismissive for not debating. Gavin Newsom: Partisan divisions can smash democracy like an antique vase. George W. Bush: Priorities: Reaganesque tax cuts; education & health reform. Gray Davis: Proud of record on education, healthcare, guns, environment. John Cox: I'm against corruption in government and in business. John McCain: Reagan Republican: simplify taxes, stop waste, pay down debt. John Melendez: Equal opportunity instead of catering to 1%. Kevin Faulconer: I treat people with dignity and respect even if we disagree. Kevin Faulconer: Strive to govern by being as inclusive as possible. Kevin Paffrath: Recall part of a national referendum on Trumpism. Kevin Paffrath: YouTube real estate star; politics not a priority. Lily Zhou: Legally immigrated from China; became entrepreneur. Lily Zhou: Restore people's faith in American Dream and our democracy. Lily Zhou: I'm a doer; I don't believe in research. Mitt Romney: Me & Tea Party are both for small government & low spending. Orly Taitz: Sen. Feinstein offers three debates, without birther issue. Peter Camejo: His candidacy broadened the debate and gave people choices. Republican Party: Democrats outvoted GOP in mail-in ballots. Kamala Harris: Campaign lit: "First African-American & Asian-American A.G.". |
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Social Security David Hadley: Raise state employee retirement age & make pensions portable. Herman Cain: Chilean model: they fixed the same broken system as US. Mitt Romney: Funding for Social Security is not working, but system works. Nanette Barragan: Never gamble Social Security benefits on Wall Street. Rick Perry: It's a monstrous lie that young people will get benefits. Rick Perry: Cannot keep the Social Security status quo. |
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Tax Reform Carly Fiorina: Tax burden is already too high. Carly Fiorina: I will vote against every tax increase; cut waste instead. David Hadley: Oppose sales and income tax hikes in Proposition 30. Elizabeth Emken: Protect the social safety net and entitlement programs. Gavin Newsom: Repealed taxes on diapers, menstrual products. Herman Cain: 9-9-9 economic plan: 9% income tax + 9% sales tax. Jay Obernolte: Failed notion that high taxes & big government improve life. John Chiang: No gimmicks to balance budget on backs of taxpayers. John Cox: I will reduce California's sky-high sales taxes, gas taxes. Jon Huntsman: Let's take a pledge to not take any pledges, including taxes. Kevin Faulconer: He will veto any tax increase that comes to his desk. Kevin Faulconer: Helping Our Heroes: exempt military retirement from taxes. Rocky Chavez: Californians pay an overall tax rate near 50%: too high! Tom Campbell: $600 billion to cut in Obama's budget; don't increase taxes. Tom Campbell: Won't sign taxpayer protection pledge; we need flexibility. |
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Technology Carly Fiorina: Taxation on the internet would be disastrous. David Hadley: Stop the wasteful high-speed rail project. Gail Lightfoot: Not up to government to provide R&D for business & industry. Jon Huntsman: For GOP to win, we can't run from science. Tom Campbell: Equalize internet sales taxes with bricks-and-mortar. Kevin Kiley: Focus on core infrastructure, not high-speed rail. |
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War & Peace Carly Fiorina: Impose crippling sanctions against Iran. Carly Fiorina: Impose sanctions on Iran: no refined petroleum imports. Carly Fiorina: Two-state solution with Jerusalem as undivided capital. Doug Ose: We're not shooting bullets yet, but we are at war with China. Jon Huntsman: Bring troops home from Afghanistan. Michele Bachmann: It was wrong for US to go into Libya. Nanette Barragan: Too many soldiers lost in unnecessary wars. Rick Santorum: No isolationism on Libya; but Obama did it wrong. Ron Paul: Cut $20B in Green Zone air conditioning to force troops home. Tom Campbell: Stand by Israel if they attack Iranian nukes. Tom Campbell: Consider but don't insist on Jerusalem as undivided capital. |
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Welfare & Poverty Jimmy Panetta: More affordable housing units in new developments. John Cox: Public-private partnership with churches can help homeless. Kevin Faulconer: Cut red tape; promote policies to get people off the street. Kevin Paffrath: Current system traps people into poverty programs. Laura Smith: Homeless people pour into California for free money & food. Lily Zhou: Group homes for mentally ill solves homelessness. Ron Paul: Welfare state isn't in the Constitution. Kevin Kiley: Audit $2.7B spent and help transition out of homelessness. |
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