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Dear Friends,
 Even though I returned to Congress this week, I wanted to thank everyone who made the District Work Period last week such a success. I appreciate everyone who met with me at the Lithonia office and everyone I saw on numerous events throughout the District. Here’s a brief recap of my work week in Atlanta and a look at events in Washington, D.C.
Photo right: Hank meets with Takuji Hanatani, Consul General of Japan, in Atlanta on March 23 to express his constituents' concerns and hopes for the people of Japan in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake and tsunami, and the ongoing nuclear power plant crisis.
WORK WEEK IN ATLANTA: I was fortunate to be able to visit two schools, a Conyers business, a birthday party for Emmanuel Hawkins in Tucker, an Eagle Scout Court of Honor in south DeKalb, the Japanese Consul, a senior center and Clarkston’s Friendship Forest among many other meetings and events.
I also want to thank representatives of Computers for Youth, Fair Tax advocates, Georgia Peace & Justice Coalition, the Multiple Sclerosis Society, Wesley Chapel Livable Centers Initiative and everyone who helped plan our Veterans Expo scheduled for next month. Please check out the photos on our FLICKR page. Thank you!
THIS WEEK IN WASHINGTON: Ongoing military operations in Libya and the budget debate received the lion’s share of the attention in Washington this week. I hope you had a chance to watch President Obama’s speech on Libya on March 28. As a member of the Armed Services Committee, I will continue to ask tough questions about our involvement in enforcement of the United Nations resolution that authorizes the use of force to protect Libyan civilians.
As far as the budget goes, negotiations are ongoing. Hopefully we’ll reach an agreement before April 8. Otherwise the government will shut down. According to a CNN poll, more than 60% of Tea Party supporters say shutting down the government – even for just a few days – is a good thing. I hope it doesn’t come to that.
CALLING ALL STUDENT ARTISTS: Attention all high school student artists and their teachers in the Fourth District -- I’m looking for participants to enter our 2011 Congressional Arts Competition, the annual arts extravaganza celebrating the community’s best young artists. The deadline for entries is April 14 and must be completed according to the competition guidelines, which are on my WEB SITE. In addition to having your artwork at the Capitol for a year, winners will be eligible for college scholarships from the Art Institute of Atlanta ($10,000, $5,000, and $2,500) or the Savannah College of Art and Design ($1,500 per year).
VETERANS EXPO: We owe our service members, their families and all our veterans an immeasurable debt. To ensure they receive their full benefits, I’m holding a Veterans and Armed Forces Expo on Friday, April 29 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at DeKalb Technical College in Clarkston in conjunction with DeKalb County. Veterans, military personnel and their families will receive free information about available services and on-site assistance with benefits, including employment opportunities, housing, health care, education and filing Veterans Administration claims. Veterans and their families from throughout the Fourth District are welcome!
The expo will be held in the college’s main Conference Center. Participating veterans can register and receive more information at our Veterans Home page of the Web site: hankjohnson.house.gov/veteran-index.shtml. Pre-registration is encouraged. To register, Click HERE.
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THE UNEMPLOYED: On March 16, I introduced the Fair Employment Act of 2011, which would protect against discrimination on the basis of unemployment status. This bill is about fairness – fairness to Americans, who through no fault of their own are out of work and can’t find a job. It responds to widespread reports of job listings that explicitly exclude unemployed applicants. Some advertisements stated that “no unemployed candidates will be considered at all.” Discrimination against the unemployed smacks of days gone by when signs read, ‘women need not apply,’ ‘Irish need not apply’ or ‘no Blacks allowed.' I'm going to do all I can to fight for the unemployed. For more, click HERE.
RARE EARTH ELEMENTS: On March 31, I introduced the Resource Assessment of Rare Earths (RARE) Act of 2011, which directs the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct a three-year, comprehensive global mineral assessment of rare earth elements (REEs). Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA), a national leader on energy and the environment, is the lead cosponsor of the bill. Critical to high-tech clean-energy and defense manufacturing, rare earth elements (REEs) are strategic minerals used in the production of cutting-edge technologies such as wind turbines, advanced batteries, powerful magnets, and military radar systems. For more, click HERE.
HEALTH CARE FAIR: AARP, DeKalb United Pentecostal Church and UnitedHealthcare are holding a health and wellness fair at the Pentecostal Church, 1670 Juliette Drive in Stone Mountain on April 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Services include free screening for blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, BMI, HIV/AIDS and a take home colon cancer test. Gospel star Marvin Sapp will perform at the fair. For more, click HERE.
HUMANE SOCIETY HONOR: I was proud to receive a Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) award this week for my leadership on appropriations language encouraging the Secretary of Defense to develop alternatives to the use of live animals in battlefield trauma training. Studies show that animals physically feel pain, just like humans. How we treat animals reflects our values as a society and stewardship of the planet. We must do all we can to treat animals with respect and kindness, and defeat animal cruelty wherever we can. For more, click HERE.
KIDS & HEALTHY FOODS:The USDA will expand assistance to state agencies for schools operating USDA’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) for the 2011/2012 school year. The investment is part of the Obama administration’s efforts to improve the health of our children by providing access to nutritious meals in schools and also serves as a valuable resource to schools that continue working to improve the health and nutrition of the foods they serve. The assistance will provide free fresh fruit and vegetables to children throughout the school day. For more, click HERE.
Please share this e-letter with friends and family who live in the Fourth District and encourage them to sign up to receive these free online newsletters. Also, follow me on Twitter and Facebook. And please let friends, neighbors and family know about the Arts Competition, the Health Fair and the Veterans Expo events later this month.
Thanks,
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March 31, 2011
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My Staff
Arthur D. Sidney, Chief of Staff
Kathy Register, District Director
District
Shy Armstrong
Peter Butts
Katie Dailey
Betty Dixon
Eric C. Hubbard
Ray Khalfani
Andy Phelan
Carole Mumford
Dori Scales
Paulette Suggs
Washington, D.C.
Scott Goldstein
Jocelyn Griffin
Jonathan Ossoff
Mark Perkins
Ebony Simpson
Oliver Spurgeon, III
Elisabeth Stein
Sascha Thompson
Marybeth Williams
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Even though I returned to Congress this week, I wanted to thank everyone who made the District Work Period last week such a success. I appreciate everyone who met with me at the Lithonia office and everyone I saw on numerous events throughout the District. Here’s a brief recap of my work week in Atlanta and a look at events in Washington, D.C. 
