Dear Friends,  It was good to see so many constituents during the district work period the last week of February. It was enjoyable but busy, including meetings with constituents in the office and appearances at Commissioner Stan Watson’s forum at the Porter Sanford Arts Center, the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce event at Perimeter Center and Shiloh High School in Gwinnett County. I also ha d the privilege of speaking at a senior center, attending a political roundtable at the Maloof Building and visiting with Gov. Deal before heading back to Washington, D.C. I’m here to bring your ideas, thoughts and concerns back to Washington. To see photos, visit my Flickr page.
Photo top: Hank joins DeKalb Chamber President Leonardo McClarty, state Rep. Elena Parent and Georgia Power's John Kelley at the Chamber's Feb. 24 meeting at Perimeter Center. Photo above: Hank chats with Bob Lundsten, DeKalb Commissioner Elaine Boyer's Chief of Staff.
TEMPORARY BUDGET EXTENSION: On March 2, President Obama signed a measure to keep the government open until March 18. It gives us time to work out a plan to keep the government running for the rest of this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. Fiscal responsibility demands that we all make sacrifices.
But some of the proposed cuts to education, public safety and health care go too far, and would eliminate more than 700,000 jobs nationwide and more than 20,000 in Georgia. I pledge to work to ensure the burden is not shouldered by working families. Cuts are necessary, but not ones that prevent us from investing in our future or focus solely on domestic programs. It’s wrong to focus on just 15% of the budget to make drastic cuts that kill jobs, gut education, hurt the unemployed and stifle innovation.
 KEEPING COPS ON OUR STREETS: A good example of the kinds of funding I’ll fight to protect is the Community Oriented Policing Services or COPS. I voted to restore $298 million in funding to COPS to keep more than 1,300 officers on our streets. Since 1995, COPS has invested more than $177 million in Georgia, putting more than 2,400 officers on the streets and providing more than $24 million in technology upgrades.
In 2009, DeKalb County received $3.1 million to fund 15 officers, and Conyers received more than $400,000 for three officers. Last year, Doraville received a grant for $385,000 to hire two officers. For more, click here.
Photo above: Hank presents a $385,000 check to Doraville Police Chief John King for 2 additional officers funded through the COPS program.
 JOB TRAINING ESSENTIAL: Another program I’ll fight for is the Workforce Investment Act that Republicans are trying to zero out. They claim it’s ineffective, but constituents and officials I’ve spoken with say it helps 70% of participants find jobs within three months. While unemployment is still above 10% in Georgia and higher still for minorities, we must do all we can to help people find work.
Georgia has received more than $145 million since 2009 under this program to help retrain workers. Goodwill of North Georgia and the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) two recipients who administer these funds run excellent job-training programs in DeKalb, Rockdale and Gwinnett counties. For more, click here.
Photo above: Hank takes time for state Rep. Dar'shun Kendrick at the DeKalb Chamber meeting Feb. 24.
JOB FAIR: The Georgia Sustainable Communities Alliance (GSCA) is a holding a job fair Tuesday, March 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Holiday Inn in downtown Decatur. Please RSVP via e-mail by March 8 to candice.bailey@bbandt.com. For more on GSCA, e-mail Derold McIver at dmciver@bbandt.com.
PROTECTING OUR FREE SPEECH, PRIVACY: Nineteen of my House colleagues joined me in calling for a Congressional investigation of evidence that three prominent defense and intelligence contractors and a leading Washington, D.C., law firm may have been planning a dirty-tricks campaign to undermine and discredit critics of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. My concern is that intelligence contractors might have been conspiring to use counterterrorism tactics and techniques, possibly illegally, against American citizens exercising free speech. For more, click here.
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THE UNEMPLOYED: After I sent a letter asking them to look into job ads that read: “Unemployed need not apply,” the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) held a hearing on discrimination against the unemployed on Feb. 16. Hiring discrimination against unemployed job applicants is fundamentally wrong. Witness after witness confirmed that women, minorities, the elderly, disabled and veterans are being disproportionately affected by this troubling practice. I am drafting legislation to fight this injustice. For more, click here.
HELP FOR FORECLOSED VETERANS: The recession has taken a heavy toll on homeowners nationwide and here at home, and America’s service members have not been spared. Veterans who lose their homes to a short sale or a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure are eligible for up to $1,500 to find permanent housing. For more, click here.
ROCKDALE AND GWINNETT RECOGNIZED: I was pleased to hear members of my staff were able to attend the Upper Ocmulgee River Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council's annual meeting last week. RC&D does excellent work in Gwinnett and Rockdale counties to conserve natural resources, promote the "local growers" movement, the farm to school program and improve the area’s economy, environment and quality of life. Congratulations to Rockdale County award recipients, including Cooperative Extension Director Jule-Lynne Macie, who took her student environmental education team all the way to the national finals and to well known DeKalb attorney Doug Dillard, who has turned his family farm in Gwinnett into a model for the local growers movement! This is what it’s all about – citizens working with local governments to build better communities. For more, click here.
STRAIGHT A’s ON THE ENVIRONMENT: I received a 100 percent score from The League of Conservation Voters (LCV), which works to turn environmental values into national priorities. The 2010 Scorecard – released amidst the greatest attack on the EPA’s budget in 30 years and current Congressional assaults on the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, wildlife and wild places – awarded 100% to just 119 members, including me. I can assure the LCV and you that you can count on me to continue the fight! For more, click here.
RAIN BARREL WORKSHOP: Be The DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management will host a rain barrel workshop for DeKalb County citizens on March 12. Collecting rainwater in barrels for use during dry months is an effective and creative way to conserve water while reducing your water bill. To register, click here.
As always, I value your input and welcome your comments. Being your representative in Washington is a singular honor, and I appreciate you letting me know how I can be of service to you. 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.
Thanks,
| March 7, 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 |
It was good to see so many constituents during the district work period the last week of February. It was enjoyable but busy, including meetings with constituents in the office and appearances at Commissioner Stan Watson’s forum at the Porter Sanford Arts Center, the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce event at Perimeter Center and Shiloh High School in Gwinnett County. I also ha
d the privilege of speaking at a senior center, attending a political roundtable at the Maloof Building and visiting with Gov. Deal before heading back to Washington, D.C. I’m here to bring your ideas, thoughts and concerns back to Washington. To see photos, visit my 
KEEPING COPS ON OUR STREETS: A good example of the kinds of funding I’ll fight to protect is the Community Oriented Policing Services or COPS. I voted to restore $298 million in funding to COPS to keep more than 1,300 officers on our streets. Since 1995, COPS has invested more than $177 million in Georgia, putting more than 2,400 officers on the streets and providing more than $24 million in technology upgrades. 
JOB TRAINING ESSENTIAL: Another program I’ll fight for is the Workforce Investment Act that Republicans are trying to zero out. They claim it’s ineffective, but constituents and officials I’ve spoken with say it helps 70% of participants find jobs within three months. While unemployment is still above 10% in Georgia and higher still for minorities, we must do all we can to help people find work. 
