January 2012 Archives

ATLANTA - Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04) ha anunciado hoy que el domingo 29 de enero es el tercer aniversario de la promulgación de  Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, una ley fundamental que defiende el principio de igualdad en remuneración para las mujeres.
 
"El logro de la igualdad de remuneración para las mujeres fue una de las principales prioridades para el Congreso liderado por los demócratas en 2009 - y fue el primer proyecto de ley firmado por el presidente Obama", dijo el representante Johnson, co-patrocinador original de la legislación. "La ley Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay reafirma un principio fundamental Americano: un salario igual por un trabajo igual, independientemente de su sexo, raza u origen".

La ley Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay devolvió protecciones básicas contra la discriminación salarial hacia mujeres y otros trabajadores, lo que garantiza que cualquier mujer que se enfrente a un trato injusto tendrá su día en corte.   Teniendo en cuenta que las mujeres constituyen casi la mitad de la fuerza laboral y las madres cada día más son el principal o secundario sostén de las familias estadounidenses, la brecha salarial perjudica a las familias, empresas y comunidades.

Hoy en día, las mujeres siguen ganando un promedio de sólo 77 centavos por cada dólar que gana un hombre, se debe hacer más para nivelar el campo de juego para todos los trabajadores, dijo Johnson.

"La ley Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay fortalece a las familias estadounidenses - debido a que igualdad de remuneración no es simplemente un asunto de mujeres, es una cuestión de familia", dijo Johnson. "Para las mujeres de nuestra nación, nuestro trabajo está lejos de ser terminado. Debemos actuar ahora para aprovechar Lilly Ledbetter, luchar contra la discriminación dondequiera que exista, y poner fin a esta injusticia fundamental en nuestra economía y la sociedad. "

Los demócratas se han comprometido a adoptar nuevas medidas para eliminar la brecha salarial y ampliar la igualdad de las mujeres. Para alcanzar estos objetivos, el presidente Obama creó Equal Pay Task Force, que está trabajando para asegurar que las leyes la igualdad de remuneración se cumplan rigurosamente en  todo el país. Ahora es el momento para que el Congreso 112 promulgué la Ley de Igualdad de cheque (Paycheck Fairness Act) para dar nuevos dientes a la Ley de igualdad de salarios y proporcionar a las mujeres herramientas adicionales para luchar contra la discriminación salarial. Las mujeres de Estados Unidos no pueden esperar.

"Esta ley no es sólo acerca de la discriminación de género - se trata de justicia para todos los trabajadores y las familias", dijo Johnson.
 

LITHONIA, GA – Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04) announced that Sunday, January 29, is the third anniversary of the enactment of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, a critical law championing the principle of equal pay for women.

Read the full article in On Common Ground News.

LITHONIA, GA – Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04) announced today that Sunday, January 29, is the third anniversary of the enactment of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, a critical law championing the principle of equal pay for women.
 
“Achieving equal pay for women was one of the top priorities for the Democratic-led Congress in 2009 – and it was the first bill signed into law by President Obama,” said Rep. Johnson, an original co-sponsor of the legislation.  “The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act reaffirmed a core American principle: equal pay for equal work, regardless of gender, race, or background.”

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act restored basic protections against pay discrimination for women and other workers, ensuring any woman facing unfair treatment would have their day in court.  With women making up nearly half of the labor force and mothers increasingly serving as the primary or co-breadwinners for American families, the wage gap hurts families, businesses, and communities. 

Today, with women still earning an average of just 77 cents for every dollar a man earns, more must be done to level the playing field for all workers, said Johnson.

“The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act strengthened America’s families – because equal pay is not simply a women’s issue; it’s a family issue,” Johnson said.  “For our nation’s women, our work is far from complete. We must act now to build on Lilly Ledbetter, fight discrimination wherever it exists, and put an end to this basic injustice in our economy and society.”

Democrats are committed to taking further steps to eliminate the wage gap and expand equality for women. To meet these goals, President Obama established the Equal Pay Task Force, which is working to ensure that existing equal pay laws are vigorously enforced across the country. It is now time for the 112th Congress to enact the Paycheck Fairness Act to give new teeth to the Equal Pay Act and provide women additional tools to fight pay discrimination.  America’s women can’t wait.

“This law is not just about gender discrimination – it’s about fairness for all American workers and families,” said Johnson.
 
 

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WASHINGTON, DC - El Representante Hank Johnson (GA-04) emitió la siguiente declaración sobre la congresista Gabby Giffords  a propósito de su retiro del Congreso:

"En mis cinco años en el Congreso, nunca he visto tanta efusión de genuina buena voluntad como fui testigo durante la última noche en la que Gabby Giffords hizo su aparición en la cámara con ocasión del Estado de la Unión. Nunca olvidaré estar acurrucado con ella en contra del amargo frío en ese día histórico de la el 20 de enero de 2009. Su fuerza y su mensaje de civismo son una inspiración para el mundo.

"Gabby será extrañada. Le deseo, y a su esposo Mark, todo lo mejor, mientras abren  un nuevo capítulo en sus vidas. Espero y confío en que algún día volverá al servicio público que ella tanto ama. "

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Rep. Hank Johnson’s Statement on President Obama’s State of the Union Address – “I agree with the President – this is a make or break moment for the middle class and for those trying to reach it.

Read the full article in Tucker Patch.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04) released the following statement on Congresswoman Gabby Giffords retiring from Congress:

“In my five years in Congress, I’ve never seen such an outpouring of genuine goodwill as I witnessed last night on the House floor for Gabby Giffords in her appearance at the State of the Union speech. I’ll never forget huddling with her against the bitter cold on that historic Inauguration Day on January 20, 2009.  Her strength and message of civility are an inspiration to the world. 

“Gabby will be greatly missed. I wish her, and her husband Mark, all the best as they open a new chapter in their lives. I hope and trust that one day she will return to the public service she loves so much.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Hank Johnson (D-GA) today issued the following statement following President Obama’s third State of the Union address.

“I agree with the President – this is a make or break moment for the middle class and for those trying to reach it. We can go back to an economy that favors the few built on outsourcing, bad debts and phony profits or can we build an economy in President Obama’s vision – an economy built by American workers, powered by American energy and reflecting American values.

“It is remarkable what President Obama has achieved in his first three years. He inherited an economy in freefall. Unemployment has fallen from 10% during the President’s first year in office to 8.5% today. Consumer confidence has more than doubled since the President took office and more than 3.2 million private sector jobs have been created in the last 22 months.

“We’re making progress, we’re building momentum, and we know what we have to do to rebuild a sustainable American economy with a thriving middle class and opportunity for all.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Judiciary Committee member Hank Johnson (GA-04) released the following statement on the second anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission decision.

“An activist Supreme Court, misusing its authority by legislating policy from the bench, ignored decades of legal precedent when it ruled in 2010 that corporations have the same constitutional right of free speech as people.

In doing so, the Court opened the floodgates for unlimited, unregulated and undisclosed secret corporate spending to influence the outcome of elections – local, state and federal – throughout America. Citizens United also enabled the use of foreign corporate money for the same purpose. The effect of this devastating decision has been to enable corporate money to dictate public policy so that it favors wealthy business interests, and millionaires and billionaires, over the interests of working people.

I fully support legislative efforts to return control of the political process back to the people. That is why I cosponsored H.J. Res 90, the OCCUPIED Amendment: Outlawing Corporate Campaign Cash Undermining the Public Interest in our Elections and Democracy, which would overturn Citizens United, return campaign finance regulation to the government and outlaw corporation campaign spending.

Powerful special interests and their lobbyists should not be able to drown out the voices of the American people and sell our Democracy to the highest bidder.”

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"I applaud Chairman Lamar Smith's decision to suspend Judiciary Committee consideration of SOPA. Any future legislation to address the issue of online theft of intellectual property should proceed in the regular order with hearings in front of the relevant subcommittees before being brought to the full committee for consideration."

LITHONIA, GA – Today, Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04) reminded that one year ago, Republicans tried to take health benefits from millions of Americans and force seniors to pay more for their prescription drugs by attempting to repeal the Affordable Care Act.  Rep. Johnson pointed out that had Republicans succeeded, they would have reduced health coverage and increased health costs for millions of Americans.

On the first anniversary of the passage by House Republicans of the Health Reform Repeal Act, Rep. Johnson said:   “If Republicans had been successful in taking away benefits that Americans enjoy today, 2.5 million young adults would have lost their health coverage; 17 million children would have lost their protections; 24 million seniors would have lost their free preventative care; and 2.7 million seniors would pay more for their drug costs.”   

Added Rep. Johnson: “As health care reform continues to be implemented, it is expanding coverage and lowering costs for millions of American households. I will continue to fight against GOP efforts to repeal patients’ rights that would put the insurance companies back in charge.”

Benefits already enjoyed by Americans include:

► Coverage for 2.5 million young adults. Under reform, already 2.5 million young adults have been able to stay on their parents’ health plan until their 26th birthday, instead of being uninsured.
► Lower drug costs for 2.7 million seniors.  Under reform, 2.7 million seniors have already received a 50 percent discount for their brand-name Rx drugs while in the ‘donut hole,’ with an average savings of $569 per senior per year.
► Lower health care costs for more than 24 million seniors.  Under reform, more than 24 million seniors have already received one or more free preventive services under Medicare, such as mammograms, colonoscopies, or a free annual Wellness Visit.
► Guaranteed protection for up to 17 million children with pre-existing conditions.  Under reform, insurance companies are now prohibited from discriminating against children with pre-existing conditions.

Benefits of the Affordable Care Act in the Fourth District:

► Provides coverage for 153,000 uninsured residents.
► Provides health care credits to up to 166,000 households.
► Reduces costs of uncompensated care by $98 million.
► Improves employer-based coverage for more than 350,000 residents.
► Improves Medicare for 65,000 residents/Closes the donut hole.
► Allows more than 15,000 small businesses to obtain affordable care.

The health reform law put Americans and their families in charge of their health care.  By contrast, the GOP repeal bill would put insurance companies back in charge – repealing key new consumer protections for Americans and their families.  For example, a successful GOP repeal effort would mean:

► Allowing insurers to once again arbitrarily drop individuals from coverage simply because they get sick;
► Allowing insurers to once again place a lifetime limit on coverage – a limit that, in the past, has forced families into bankruptcy when a serious illness has struck; and
► Allowing insurers to once again impose low annual limits on coverage, increasing costs for families.

The GOP repeal effort would also repeal key provisions that hold insurance companies accountable and achieve savings for consumers. For example, a successful GOP effort means:

► Repealing holding insurance companies accountable by eliminating the requirement that insurers spend at least 80 percent of premiums covering medical services – rather than CEO pay, profits, and administrative costs, and eliminating the requirement that insurers that fail to meet the 80 percent test must provide a rebate to their customers, beginning this year; and
► Repealing holding insurance companies accountable by eliminating the requirement that insurers must publish on the internet justifications for any premium increases they are seeking that are more than 10 percent, with outside experts publicly evaluating whether these increases are justified.

“As health reform continues to be implemented, it is already benefiting millions of Americans in important ways,” Rep. Johnson stated.

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 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Obama administration announced today that they have rejected the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04) was one of 36 House Democrats who wrote the State Department in October of last year saying that the expected re-exportation of the Canadian oil would not enhance U.S. energy security.

“Republicans in Congress have no one but to blame themselves for the denial of the Keystone Pipeline application because of the arbitrary and artificial deadlines they imposed on the process. The Keystone Pipeline was never about jobs and energy independence – it was about taking the dirtiest oil on earth through a pipeline to the Gulf Coast and shipping that oil abroad. I’m glad President Obama stood up for the American people, the environment, clean air and for the health and well being of the people and wildlife living near the pipeline.”

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Congressman attends ceremonies at historic Ebenezer Church, parade & rally in Stone Mountain, Rockdale breakfast

 LITHONIA – Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) honored the memory and legacy of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by attending services for the civil rights icon at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, the Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce and the Rockdale Branch of the NAACP Breakfast and the NAACP MLK parade and rally in Stone Mountain, Ga., where he served as Grand Marshal.

“Martin Luther King Jr. offered us a message of peace, and inspired us to respect our neighbors not as members of a given race, but as fellow human beings," said Johnson. “His mission was to ‘end the long night of racial injustice’ – his dream a vision of common purpose and common humanity.”

“This year, in Washington, we finally unveiled the magnificent Martin Luther King National Memorial. In doing so, Dr. King has now taken his rightful place in the pantheon of heroes honored on our National Mall, standing between the memorials to Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln. ”

Johnson started the day in Rockdale County, attended the morning ecumenical services at Ebenezer Church downtown and later traveled to Stone Mountain to be Grand Marshal of the parade and rally.

“Dr. King died fighting for workers’ rights,” said Johnson. “He taught us how to live and die, to speak up, speak out and find a way to get in the way of injustice.”

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LITHONIA, GA – Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) honored the memory and legacy of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by attending services for the civil rights icon at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, the Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce and the Rockdale Branch of the NAACP Breakfast and the DeKalb NAACP MLK parade and rally in Stone Mountain, Ga., where he served as Grand Marshal.

Read the full article in CBS Atlanta.

LITHONIA, GA – Rep. Hank Johnson released the following statement today in recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which will be observed on Monday, January 16th:

With the Oct. 16, 2011, dedication of the MLK Memorial on our National Mall in Washington, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. takes his rightful place in the pantheon of American heroes.  The King Memorial, which stands between the Jefferson and Lincoln monuments, now occupies the same hallowed ground as those esteemed Presidents.  It is the first and only monument on The Mall not created for a president or recognizing a war.  It is a blessing that the champion of peace stands forever in our collective national memory.

As we gather Monday to honor the work of Dr. King and Mrs. Coretta Scott King, we pause to reflect on the struggle against prejudice, hatred and intolerance. May we not forget that Dr. King not only labored in the vineyard to ensure that people of different races were treated fairly -- he also toiled to ensure that the poor were respected and that workers of every creed and background were treated justly.

While we have made great progress, we know there is “A Mission Still to Fulfill.” Once again, we rededicate ourselves to keeping the dream alive and fostering peace and equality.

It is my distinct honor and I am humbled to serve on Monday as the Grand Marshal of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade in Stone Mountain. The parade has become a remarkable tradition in that small village made famous in the “I Have a Dream Speech.”  As we go forth today, and because of  Dr. King’s work and legacy, we can joyfully  say, “Let Freedom Ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia” and throughout our nation and the world!

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Dear Friends,        

Here’s the latest from Washington, D.C., and the Fourth District.

REMEMBERING THE DREAMER: I’m proud to be a grand marshal for this year’s DeKalb NAACP Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade & Rally, which will be Monday, Jan. 16 at 12:30 p.m. in Stone Mountain.

On October 16, 2011, we finally unveiled the magnificent MLK Memorial in Washington. In doing so, Dr. King now takes his rightful place in the pantheon of heroes honored on our National Mall, standing between the memorials to Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln. For more on local King Day projects, please see CrossRoadsNews. To read more about this event, please see On Common Ground News.

MOBILE VETERANS CENTER COMING TO ATLANTA: I'm pleased to announce that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is deploying a Mobile Vet Center to Atlanta to increase access to readjustment counseling services for veterans and their families. The customized vehicle – which is equipped with confidential counseling space and a state of the art communication package – will provide services throughout metro Atlanta, including DeKalb, Rockdale, and Gwinnett counties. For more, click HERE.

SUMMER JOBS+: I am ecstatic President Obama proposed $1.5 billion for high-impact summer jobs as part of the Pathways Back to Work Fund. The President’s public-private plan is just what the doctor ordered – the government and dozens of private-sector businesses coming together to commit to creating nearly 180,000 employment opportunities for low-income youth 16-24 in the summer of 2012. The Department of Labor is developing a platform Summer Jobs+.  It can be found HERE. Teens can sign up under the ‘youth tab’ and will be notified once the system goes live.

FREE HEALTH SCREENINGS: ZERO: The Project to End Prostate Cancer is offering free prostate cancer testing this month. More than 110,000 men have been tested with this program since 2002, saving as many as 11,000 lives by alerting men to go see their doctor. Get screened this upcoming weekend in the Atlanta area at the mobile prostate cancer vehicle.

Friday, January 13 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Kroger: 2875 N Decatur Road, Decatur, GA, 30033. | Saturday, January 14 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Kroger: 2100 Riverside Parkway, Lawrenceville, GA, 30043. | Sunday, January 15 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Kroger: 1670 Highway 124, Snellville, GA, 30078. For more, click HERE.

MORE HELP FOR VETERANS: Veterans of the Persian Gulf War with undiagnosed illnesses have an additional five years to qualify for benefits from the VA. Veterans or survivors who believe they qualify for these benefits should call 1-800-827-1000. For more, click HERE. The VA now has all of its 152 medical centers on Facebook. For more, click HERE. For the Atlanta VA Facebook page, click HERE.

CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU (CFPB): On Jan. 4, President Obama named Richard Cordray as director of a new consumer protection agency. This new agency is crucial because it helps consumers make sound financial decisions. It’s good for students and parents to help them better understand loan options. It’s good for our soldiers — who are too often targets of unscrupulous lenders — and it’s good for homeowners who have complaints about the mortgage process. To see my Atlanta Journal-Constitution op-ed on the CFPB, click HERE.

SPEAKING OF CONSUMERS: I will re-introduce my Discount Pricing Consumer Protection Act this month. The bill would prohibit resale price maintenance agreements (RPMs), which are used by manufacturers and wholesalers, distributors, or retailers to set minimum prices for a product or service. RPMs result in high prices for consumers. I appreciate the support of the National Consumers League, the Consumers Union and the American Antitrust Institute. To read their letter of support, click HERE.

RESOLVE TO BE READY: Make sure you and your family are ready in case of an emergency in 2012 – create a communications plan and take other simple steps to be prepared. For a “Resolve to be Ready” toolkit, click HERE.

FOSTER GRANDPARENTS: I’m pleased to announce that Easter Seals of North Georgia is receiving a new Foster Grandparent Program grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service to serve Fulton, DeKalb and Clayton counties. For more, click HERE.

As always, I appreciate your time and feedback. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to represent you in Congress.

Thanks,

Dear Friends,

I'm pleased to announce that more than $845 million was released during the holidays by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to states to help low-income households with their heating and home energy costs under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

Georgia will receive an estimated $60 million this year – $27 million of which was released late last month.

I wrote a letter Dec. 2 to House leadership urging more funding for LIHEAP after funds were exhausted in Nov. 2011 due to increased demand by seniors and disabled residents.

To read my letter, click HERE.

This funding is crucial for low-income families who are still struggling to make ends meet. I understand the importance of helping folks during the cold winter months.

LIHEAP assists low-income households, including families with children and seniors, with their home-energy needs such as heating in the winter, cooling their homes in the summer, and insulating their homes to make them more energy efficient and reduce their energy costs.

But as more cuts are made to the social safety net, programs like LIHEAP will see even more cuts in the future. According to the National Energy Assistance Director’s Association, Georgia is getting 70 percent of what it got in FY011 for LIHEAP.

In the current budget-cutting climate in Congress, please be aware that it looks like programs such are LIHEAP are going to continue to experience extreme budgetary pressures.

As always, I appreciate your time and welcome your feedback. I hope you had a safe and enjoyable holiday. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to represent you in Congress.

LITHONIA, GA – Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) announced today that more than $845 million was released during the holidays by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to states to help low-income households with their heating and home energy costs under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

Georgia will receive an estimated $60 million this year – $27 million of which was released late last month.

Rep. Johnson wrote a letter Dec. 2 to House leadership urging more funding for LIHEAP after funds were exhausted in Nov. 2011 due to increased demand by seniors and disabled residents.

“This funding is crucial for low-income families who are still struggling to makes ends meet,” said Johnson. “I understand the importance of helping folks during the cold winter months.”

LIHEAP assists low-income households, including families with children and seniors, with their home-energy needs such as heating in the winter, cooling their homes in the summer, and insulating their homes to make them more energy efficient and reduce their energy costs.

Rep. Johnson warned that as more cuts are made to the social safety net, programs like LIHEAP will see even more cuts in the future.

According to the National Energy Assistance Director’s Association, Georgia is getting 70 percent of what it got in FY011 for LIHEAP.

“In the current budget-cutting climate in Congress, it looks like programs such are LIHEAP are going to continue to experience extreme budgetary pressures,” said Johnson.

To read Johnson’s letter, click HERE.

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LITHONIA, GA - El congresista Hank Johnson (GA-04) ha anunciado hoy que más de $ 845 millones dólares fue otorgado durante las vacaciones de parte del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos (HHS) a estados para ayudar a familias de bajos ingresos con sus calefacción y los costos de energía bajo el Programa de Asistencia de Energía para Hogares de Bajos Ingresos (LIHEAP).

Georgia recibirá un estimado de $ 60 millones este año - $ 27 millones de los cuales fueron otorgados el mes pasado.

Rep. Johnson escribió una carta el 02 de diciembre al liderazgo de la Cámara instando a una mayor financiación para los fondos de LIHEAP después de que se habían agotado en noviembre de 2011 debido a una mayor demanda de parte de las personas mayores y discapacitados.

"Esta financiación es crucial para familias de bajos ingresos que todavía están luchando para sobrevivir ", dijo Johnson. "Yo entiendo la importancia de ayudar a la gente durante los fríos meses de invierno."

LIHEAP ayuda a familias de bajos ingresos, incluyendo familias con niños y ancianos, con las necesidades de energía como la calefacción en el invierno, el enfriamiento de sus hogares en el verano, y el aislamiento de sus hogares para que sean más eficientes y reducir así los costos energéticos.

Rep. Johnson advirtió que los recortes a medida que más se hacen a la red de seguridad social, programas como el LIHEAP verá aún más recortes en el futuro.

De acuerdo con la Asociación de Directores de Asistencia de Energía Nacional, Georgia está recibiendo un 70 por ciento de lo que se puso en FY011 para LIHEAP.

"En el actual clima de recorte presupuestario en el Congreso, parece que este tipo de programas como el LIHEAP va a experimentar presión presupuestaria extrema ", dijo Johnson.

Para leer la carta de Johnson, haga clic AQUÍ.

LITHONIA, GA – Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) announced today that the Department of Veterans Affairs is deploying 20 additional Mobile Vet Centers to increase access to readjustment counseling services for veterans and their families, including one that is coming to Atlanta.

“I’m proud to join President Obama and Secretary Shinseki in announcing this victory for veterans in metro Atlanta,” said Johnson.

The customized vehicles – which are equipped with confidential counseling space and a state of the art communication package – travel to communities to extend VA’s reach to veterans, service members and their families.
 
Atlanta’s Mobile Vet Center will provide services throughout metro Atlanta, including DeKalb, Rockdale, and Gwinnett counties. 

Since 2007, Rep. Johnson’s office has held two Veterans Expos and secured more than $3 million in benefits for veterans in his district. Johnson said he plans to have the Mobile Vet Center at his next Vet Expo in 2012.

For more information, go to www.vetcenter.va.gov.

Rep. Hank Johnson is a member of the House Armed Services and Judiciary Committees.

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