Rep. Hank Johnson's E-Newsletter for Friday, Jan. 11, 2013

Dear friends,

Happy New Year! I’m looking forward to a productive 2013. As we open the 113th Congress, I offer a hearty welcome to all of my new constituents in Covington, Oxford, Snellville, Centerville, Porterdale and south Rockdale County. I look forward to serving both my new and former constituents in the newly reapportioned Fourth District.

As I said before the holidays, I remained hopeful throughout that Democrats and Republicans could come together before the end of the year to prevent big tax increases on the middle class.

I voted to pass the American Taxpayer Relief Act because it allows for continued growth of the American economy. The bill protects the middle class – providing permanent tax relief, while restoring equity in the tax code by requiring the wealthy pay their fair share. The bill extends unemployment benefits for two million Americans. It extends the earned income tax credit, the child tax credit and the college tax credit for five years, while including a one-year patch on Medicare reimbursements to doctors along with a permanent fix for the Alternative Minimum Tax. The bill also protects families from a spike in milk prices by extending the relevant provisions of the Farm Bill for nine months.

While several key battles remain in early 2013, the American people have been yearning to see an end to congressional gridlock, and I think Congress has taken a step in that direction. I remain hopeful we can work together to prevent harmful and unnecessary cuts to programs that protect the middle class, especially Social Security that is not responsible for our current debt and deficits.

TRAGIC HOUSE FIRE IN ROCKDALE: News this week of a fire in Conyers that claimed the lives of four young children has devastated our community. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Glass family, who lost Adaria, 9, Dashawn, 7, Armoni, 3 and Deon Jr., 7 months. A Glass Family Memorial fund has been set up with Wells Fargo Bank. Contributions can be made at any Wells Fargo Bank. The Glass’ Pastor Billie Cox of Macedonia Church in Conyers is also collecting clothing for the family. She can be reached at 770-262-4076.

HELP FOR HOMEOWNERS: The U.S. Department of Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, Making Home Affordable and Hope Now are holding a Help for Homeowners event on Friday, Jan. 25, 2013, from 1 to 8 p.m. at the Cobb Galleria. If you’re struggling to make your mortgage payments, please call 1-888-995-HOPE (4673) or visit MakingHomeAffordable.gov.

APPRIGHTS: There is one week left to comment on our legislation to protect mobile privacy. I want to thank you if you’ve already provided your feedback on AppRights, my bottom-up project on mobile privacy, and invite those who have not participated to lend your voice to the project. After hearing back from you, we have worked hard to galvanize your thoughtful input into serious proposals for mobile privacy legislation.

We have already released the main proposals on AppRights.us for your comment. Next week, we will post the legislation that I plan to introduce. Please continue to share your thoughts on privacy by using the secure form at AppRights.us, or interacting with us on Facebook or Twitter. By remaining open and receptive to your comments, we will continue working together to find the right solutions to each issue.

SOLDIER SUICIDES: The sad truth today is that U.S. soldier suicide rates outpace combat deaths. It’s frightening a figure but more importantly it’s a wakeup call. That’s why I’m proud that language I offered to help prevent tragic cases of suicide among members of the military in the FY 2013 National Defense Authorization Bill (NDAA) is now law.

My provision allows commanding officers and mental health professionals to talk to at-risk service members about the firearms they own personally and encourage them to safely store those weapons in a military facility or secure them with the use of a gunlock. Retired U.S. generals and Sen. John Kerry support the provision. This is not a panacea that will prevent all suicides in our military. But it is a good place to start as we all come together to address this troubling epidemic. We owe it to our soldiers, their families and their loved ones to do everything we can to help them through difficult times. For more, click HERE.

NEH FUNDING FOR LOCAL LIBRARIES: I am pleased to announce that the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has awarded grants to Clarkston and Stonecrest libraries and Georgia Perimeter College for the Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys, a project of NEH's Bridging Cultures special initiative. For more, click HERE.

VOTE ACT: I introduced the bipartisan Verifying Official Totals for Elections or VOTE Act, which would require jurisdictions using electronic voting machines for federal elections to deposit the software or source code in the National Software Reference Library at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This would ensure accuracy and reliability in contested races or in cases of a recount. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution featured this important bill last month, and I plan to re-introduce it in the 113th Congress. For more, click HERE.

DUNAIRE ELEMENTARY: I was pleased that Dunaire Elementary School’s Dynamic Dolphins Xylophone Ensemble was in Washington, D.C. this holiday season to perform at The White House. I understand they were the youngest xylophone group to perform at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. I’m committed to providing all our students with opportunities to learn and grow. For more, click HERE.

SANDY RELIEF: I was shocked that House leadership pulled a vote on the Sandy Disaster Relief Package last Tuesday. While I was pleased that we passed $9 billion in flood relief funds on Jan. 4, I look forward to voting on the rest of the package on Jan. 15.

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