Rep. Hank Johnson's E-Newsletter for Friday, April 12, 2013

Dear friends,

The last week of March and the first week of April were two wonderful weeks for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed connecting with constituents and groups here at home. Although Congress was not in session, the recent Easter recess was anything but a vacation. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I was very busy throughout Georgia’s Fourth Congressional district meeting with as many constituents and groups as I could.

As always, I was reminded by my constituents of exactly why it is I am so honored to serve in Congress. I had the privilege of pinning a much-deserved and long-overdue Purple Heart Medal on a local Vietnam veteran – an experience I will never forget. I am thankful to have also nominated several outstanding young students to attend the U.S. Service Academies. I am confident they will not only represent the Fourth District well, but will undoubtedly serve Georgia and the nation with distinction. I want to especially thank Newton County Commission Chairman Keith Ellis for allowing our office to hold a Meet & Greet at the Historic Courthouse on the Square on Saturday, April 4.

It was a great forum with outstanding questions. For photos of the Newton meeting, please visit my Facebook page.

Now that we’re back in Washington, discussions turned to the budget this week as President Obama released his proposal that included concessions to Republicans regarding Social Security and the chained CPI. For more on what the chained CPI means, click HERE.

Republicans have been demanding that this budget proposal, which will reduce future cost of living increases for Social Security recipients, be part of any budget package. It has been widely reported to have been on the table in the “grand bargain” negotiations.

I remain opposed to chained CPI, which no matter how you phrase it, is a cut to Social Security benefits. The American people have earned their Social Security. Chained CPI will cut retiree benefits by $650 a year when they are 75, and over $1,100 a year when they reach age 85. Social Security is solvent through 2047 – there are other ways we can shore up this critical program without cutting benefits that protect our seniors.

SALUTING A HERO: On March 28, I presented DeKalb County resident Staff Sgt. Clarence Bostwick with the Purple Heart Medal for wounds he received in action in Vietnam in 1968. Due to confusion about his records, Staff Sgt. Bostwick was not properly recognized by the Army until 2012. He was discharged in 1970 and retired from the Reserves in 1994. Staff Sgt. Bostwick is the very epitome of a hero and a patriot, and I was proud to present him with the Purple Heart. To see WSB-TV’s report, click HERE.

FORECLOSURE SETTLEMENT: About four million borrowers will share $3.6 billion as part of a settlement between federal regulators and banks accused of foreclosure-processing mistakes. But a vast majority of borrowers being compensated for mortgage-related abuses will only get $1,000 or less. For people who lost their homes without fair consideration for modification, they deserve a larger share of the payouts. This settlement is a weak punishment for banks, who have done too little to help consumers at the height of the foreclosure crisis. For more information, visit my Foreclosure Prevention Page HERE.

DEKALB POLICE CHIEF: I was honored to attend the swearing-in ceremony for new DeKalb County Police Chief Cedric Alexander at the Old Courthouse in Decatur. It was good to see old friends and colleagues, and I think the police department is in good hands. Welcome aboard Chief Alexander!

GUN CONTROL: This week two senators – a Democrat and a Republican – unveiled a bipartisan deal to expand background checks for commercial gun purchases – including those at gun shows and online. It’s time Congress did its part to strengthen background checks, close the gun show loophole and take the most dangerous weapons out of the hands of those in greatest danger of doing harm to others. I look forward over the several weeks to examining this proposal. For more, click HERE.

ARTS COMPETITION: I’m looking forward to hosting this year’s 2013 Congressional Arts Competition for eligible high school students throughout the district. The annual event – which will take place at noon on Saturday, April 20 at The Lou Walker Senior Center in Lithonia – not only displays the community’s finest young artists but also awards $20,000 in college scholarships. For guidelines or for more information, click HERE. To read about it in On Common Ground News, click HERE.

COMMON SENSE IMMIGRATION REFORM: I was pleased to attend a comprehensive immigration reform town hall with state Sen. Curt Thompson, Rep. Pedro Marin and Asian American Legal Advocacy Center of Georgia Executive Director Helen Ho on April 4 in Norcross. I believe that this is the year when Congress will pass common sense, comprehensive immigration reform. The centerpiece of this effort must be the creation of a road map to citizenship for the 11 million new Americans who aspire to become citizens. Americans support it. Republicans need it. It’s time for Congress to deliver. For more, click HERE.

FREE TAX FILING: Tax day is Monday, April 15 – that’s why I wanted to let you know about a free filing service available on the IRS website. It’s called Free File, and all taxpayers can use it for free. If your income is $57,000 or less, you are eligible to use Free File’s easy filing software. For more, click HERE.

MOTHER-DAUGHTER WALK TO HELP REFUGEES: Join the Global Village Project (GVP), which helps teenage survivors of war acquire the education necessary to succeed in life, for their first Connecting Communities: Mother-Daughter Walk on Saturday, April 20. Beginning at 8:30 a.m., the 4.5-mile walk will take participants from the Clarkston Community Center to the GVP campus at Decatur Presbyterian Church. Most of the walk will take place on the PATH trail that connects Clarkston and Decatur, the two main communities symbolizing the school and its mission. For more on GVP, click HERE. To register for the walk, click HERE.

SERVICE ACADEMY DAY: One of the many things my office does is help our students get into college at one of the Military Academies each year. A good way for students and parents to learn more is at our annual Academy Day at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta on Saturday, April 20. For more information or to register, click HERE. You will be redirected to Sen. Johnny Isakson’s page to register.

SERVICE ACADEMY NOMINATIONS: On April 3, I announced the names of the eight Fourth District students who have been nominated to attend a U.S. Service Academy – Military Academy (West Point), Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, Coast Guard Academy, and Merchant Marine Academy. To date, four students have received appointments. For more, read about it in The CrossRoadsNews HERE.

C-SPAN STUDENT COMPETITION: I congratulate one of my young constituents, Samuel Gladden, a 10th-grade student at Miller Grove High School in Lithonia, who received $250 for his honorable mention documentary, “Education: The Greatest Common Factor,” about how education is related to the economy. Samuel took part in C-SPAN’s annual student documentary contest for middle school and high school students.

I also want to congratulate Mr. Zach Cohen, a 7th-grade student at The Alfred and Adele Davis Academy in Sandy Springs, who received $1,500 for his second prize documentary, “Education: Take A Spin,” about education in the U.S. He interviewed me for his piece. These and other videos will air on C-SPAN on April 17. For more, visit studentcam.org. To see my floor speech honoring these fine young students, click HERE.

GRANTS PAGE: This week, I updated and upgraded our federal grants page on my website: hankjohnson.house.gov. The new page allows nonprofits, small businesses, faith-based organizations and government entities more insights on funding opportunities to support their missions. It also provides grant researchers with a more user-friendly experience. Making federal funding opportunities more accessible for my constituents via our website is a priority. For more, click HERE.

MAKE IT IN AMERICA & THE RARE ACT: I recently reintroduced the Resource Assessment of Rare Earths (RARE) Act, which directs the U.S. Geological Survey to conduct a 3-year, comprehensive global mineral assessment of rare earth elements, which are critical to high-tech clean-energy and defense manufacturing. China has a monopoly right now on mining and production – I’m trying to change that. This bill is part of House Democrats’ “Make It In America” agenda for the 113th Congress that focuses on creating the best conditions for American businesses to manufacture their products, innovate, and create jobs right here in the U.S. For more on the RARE Act, click HERE. For more on the “Make It In America” agenda, click HERE.

SOUTH RIVER WATERSHED ALLIANCE (SRWA): On Saturday, April 20 the SRWA is holding “Spreading the Love” South River Clean-up and Exploration at 9 a.m. On Saturday, May 18, at 9 a.m., SRWA is hosting a “Beyond the Bridge Canoe Outing” at Panola Shoals Trailhead (Panola and Snapfinger Roads) For more information on both of these great SRWA events, visit southriverga.org or click HERE.

BIOMETRIC DATA: On Monday, May 6, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will implement Customer Identity Verification (CIV) in its field offices. Individuals will now be required to submit biometric data, specifically fingerprints and photographs, when appearing at USCIS offices for interviews or to receive evidence of an immigration benefit. CIV will help to both defend against threats to national security and protect customers from identity fraud. For more information, click HERE.

U.S. MAIL: The U.S. Postal Service announced Wednesday that it would cancel plans to end Saturday mail delivery this summer, saying the new stopgap budget that Congress recently passed would prohibit the move. For more, click HERE.

JOBS ONLINE: Looking for a job is never easy – whether you’re a recent college graduate or a seasoned worker, the application process can be a draining experience. With so many job openings now posted online only, it can be even harder to know where you can get reliable information. USA.gov has pulled reliable resources from across the government to help you find the next step in your career. Also, please stop by my Jobs Page for more resources here in Georgia.

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