Rep. Hank Johnson's E-Newsletter for August 6, 2014
Dear Friends,
On July 30, I marked the 49th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid by taking to the House floor to celebrate these twin poverty fighting pillars and to continue speaking about the new State Medicaid Expansion Caucus (SMEC), which I proudly co-chair.
President Lyndon Johnson signed Medicare and Medicaid into law on July 30, 1965. On the 49th anniversary of the enactment of Medicare & Medicaid, I will stand with our seniors and recommit to rejecting plans that will end Medicare as we know it and increase costs.
You can participate in the new Medicaid Expansion Caucus by liking us on Facebook.
SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION: The Small Business Administration (SBA), which helps Americans start, build and grow businesses, is having a huge impact in the Fourth District. From Norcross and Snellville in Gwinnett County to Tucker, Decatur, Avondale Estates, Clarkston, Pine Lake, Lithonia and Stone Mountain in DeKalb – Conyers in Rockdale County to Covington and Oxford in Newton County – the SBA has helped Fourth District businesses to the tune of $115 million since 2013, saving or creating more than 2,700 jobs. For more on how the SBA can help your small business, click HERE.
SBA CONFERENCE: On August 19, 2014, SBA Georgia District Office will be joining Atlanta City Council President Caesar Mitchell and the General Services Administration for the 3rd annual Back To Business Conference at Atlanta City Hall. The conference is free of charge. Small business owners from around the metro area will have the opportunity to network with potential government and private sector buyers and feature panels on entrepreneurship and the new Atlanta Falcons stadium project. SBA Regional Administrator Cassius Butts will be the keynote speaker. For more, visit my small business resources page HERE.
HOMESAFE GEORGIA: Prior to becoming a Congressman, I fought against foreclosures in our community as a DeKalb County commissioner.
But as a Congressman, I’ve taken my fight against foreclosures to the next level. Since 2009, my office has helped more than 1,800 residents deal with pending foreclosures of their homes.
In 2011, my office partnered with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and D&E housing specialists to raise awareness of President Obama’s Hardest Hit Fund, known as HomeSafe in Georgia. HomeSafe helps homeowners who are unemployed or underemployed through no fault of their own with up to 24 months of mortgage payments. It helps residents keep their homes until they are back on their feet.
Today, more than 1,050 Fourth District homes have been saved thanks to HomeSafe, which has resulted in nearly $21 million in relief – more than any other district in Georgia. I’m proud our office has worked with DCA to get the word out about HomeSafe – and helped get DCA’s Fourth District outreach off the ground. For more on HomeSafe, click HERE. To view my online foreclosure prevention center, click HERE.
FIXING THE VA: As a member of the House Armed Services Committee since 2007, every day I’m inspired to work on behalf of all our military personnel and veterans.
That’s why I was particularly pleased to vote in favor of the bipartisan, bicameral agreement on legislation to reform and strengthen the Department of Veterans Affairs last week, which will help ensure that all our veterans have access to the health care and benefits they have earned.
For more on the VA, click HERE.
COMMUNITY EVENTS: Congratulations to my friend Pastor William Flippin and The Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church family on the grand opening of their new sanctuary. The dedication service was outstanding. It was good to see so many friends and constituents this past weekend. For more, visit my Facebook page.
WORLD HEPATITIS DAY: Last week, the World Health Organization recognized July 28 as “World Hepatitis Day” in order to raise awareness of viral hepatitis, a disease that has become a global health risk and is also a growing threat in Georgia.
More than five million Americans (2 percent of the population) are living with hepatitis B, hepatitis C or both. Yet according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), up to 75 percent of these individuals do not realize they are infected. Undiagnosed viral hepatitis is the leading cause of cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver transplants. While the virus remains undetected, individuals can unknowingly transmit the disease to others.
As someone who has fought and ultimately won my battle with hepatitis, I know firsthand how important it is to get tested and treated.
I joined Sen. Mazie K. Hirono of Hawaii, Rep. Michael M. Honda of California and Rep. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana to pen an op-ed in the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call about the need for greater testing for hepatitis. To read the op-ed, click HERE.
PASSPORT DAY: The Atlanta Passport Agency will open its doors on Saturday, September 13, 2014, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. for a special Passport Day. For this day only, appointments are not required for customers to apply for a passport at the Atlanta Passport Agency. Customers can request routine service or expedite service. The $60 expedite fee will be charged to customers requesting expedite service. To reduce waiting times on September 13, customers are encouraged to complete applications online at travel.state.gov and bring their completed, unsigned forms to the agency. For more, click HERE.
HUMANITARIAN BORDER CRISIS: House Republicans claimed last week that their bill to address the surge of unaccompanied children from Central America at the border would “fix” the problem. The sad truth is that not only is the bill going nowhere but it was nothing more than a talking point so Republicans could take it home to constituents to claim they did something.
Instead of wasting time on political messaging bills that take us nowhere, I have a better idea: let’s focus on a solution to our broken immigration system. The bipartisan immigration legislation that passed the Senate over a year ago offers comprehensive answers to the problems with our immigration system – but for more than a year House Republicans have refused to give the American people a vote.
The Senate’s bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform legislation secures the border, protects our workers, unites our families, creates jobs and reduces the deficit by nearly $900 billion. The humanitarian crisis at the border is a powerful reminder of the importance of an immigration system that honors our values as a nation. The time is now. While House Republicans search for the compassion to help desperate children, Democrats are demanding a vote on the comprehensive immigration reform our nation needs.
FOR YOUR/MORE INFORMATION:
Housing Help | Jobs Center | Healthcare | Small Businesses
As always, I appreciate your time and feedback. Please remember you can reach me on Facebook and Twitter as well as e-mails, phone calls and letters. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to represent you in Congress.
Hank