Dear Friends,
While Hurricane Irene may have postponed the original dedication of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on August 28, this weekend – on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011 – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will officially take his rightful place in the pantheon of American heroes.
 With the dedication of the MLK Memorial on our National Mall, which stands between the monuments to Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln, Dr. King will occupy the same hallowed ground as these esteemed Presidents.
In fact, it’s the first and only monument on The Mall not created for a president or recognizing a war.
As we gather Sunday, I hope everyone takes time to reflect that Dr. King gave his life in the struggle against prejudice, hatred and intolerance. And while we have made great progress, we still have much to learn. If we hope to achieve the full dream, we must all live by Dr. King’s principles of peace, nonviolence and equality. I know some folks from Atlanta are headed to Washington for the ceremony – I hope to see you there! To take a virtual tour of the monument, click HERE.
FIGHTING FOR JOBS: According to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, President Obama’s American Jobs Act, both the specific job growth proposals as well as taxing the wealthy to pay for it, remains popular with Americans. In fact, 63 percent say they favor the bill, which includes a payroll tax cut for workers, funding for new road construction and infrastructure projects and extending unemployment benefits.
What’s more, 64 percent of respondents agree with the statement that it is a ‘good idea’ to raise taxes on the wealthy and corporations to pay for it because they should pay their fair share. What’s your take on this? To respond, click HERE.
HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES: With Georgia's small businesses in mind, I introduced the “Fairness and Transparency in Contracting Act of 2011” (FTCA) this week.
The bill will ensure that federal small business contracts go to genuine small businesses instead of subsidiaries of large companies. The FTCA is a direct result of more than 15 investigations that exposed widespread abuses in federal small business contracting programs. For more, click HERE.
MILITARY RETIREE PAY CHANGES: Paydays for military retirees and those who receive portions of retired pay changed for September and will change for December as the pay schedules comply with the 2011 National Defense Authorization Act. For more, click HERE.
This year, the payment normally scheduled for Oct. was issued Sept. 30, and the payment normally scheduled for Jan. 3, 2012, will be issued Dec. 30, 2011.
ENDING VET HOMELESSNESS: As part of its push to end veteran homelessness by 2015, Veterans Affairs (VA) is launching its “Make the Call” initiative in Atlanta on Saturday, Oct. 29. Veterans and their families should never worry about finding themselves on the streets or living without care. It’s part of a $3.4 billion effort to provide health care to homeless veterans and $800 million in housing programs.
The VA is encouraging family friends and citizens to “Make the Call” and help prevent and end homelessness among veterans. The number – staffed around the clock – is 877-4AID-VET or 877-424-3838. For more information, click HERE.
ACCESS TO AIDS-RELATED CARE: Congratulations to Global Evaluation and Applied Research Solutions (GEARS), which earned a $2.9 million federal contract under the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. GEARS will provide technical assistance to organizations that provide cost-effective and improved access to AIDS-related health care for historically underserved populations. For more, click HERE.
FIGHTING DISCRIMINATION AGAINST UNEMPLOYED: This year, I’ve introduced the Fair Employment Act of 2011 and –with Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) – the Fair Employment Opportunity Act of 2011 (FEOA) – both of which would prohibit employers from discriminating against unemployed job seekers by refusing to consider them for job openings. It would make it illegal for employers to include any job postings that unemployed persons will not be considered or hired.
I’ve also launched The Fair Employment Project on my Web site that seeks feedback on your job searches and whether you feel like you weren’t hired for a job because you were unemployed. As responses come in, it will also be a conduit to share job search and interview tips for people still looking for work.
Your experiences will also help me fight for our legislation in Washington. If you’ve been out of work for six months or more any time during the Great Recession that began back in 2007, I want to hear your story. To join the project, click HERE.
MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is encouraging people with Medicare and their families to begin reviewing drug and health plan coverage options for 2012 to take advantage of the increased benefits, improved choices, and lower costs that are available.
The Medicare Open Enrollment Period – which begins earlier this year on Saturday, October 15 – has been expanded to last seven weeks and will end on December 7. This will give seniors more time to compare and find the best plan that meets their unique needs. For more, click HERE.
FALL FESTIVALS & OTHER LOCAL EVENTS: The 31st Annual Olde Town Fall Festival in Conyers is Saturday, October 22 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For more, click HERE. The Conyers City Police Department is also conducting a satisfaction survey. To participate, click HERE.
Avondale Estates is holding its AutumnFest on Saturday, October 15, 2011 - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more, click HERE.
Clarkston will cut the ribbon on the Milam Park Swim Facility on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 5:30 p.m., 3867 Norman Road. For more, click HERE.
Norcross is holding its last Whistle Stop Farmer’s Market of the season on Tuesday, October 18 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Thrasher Park. For more, click HERE.
Tucker is celebrating the completion of its streetscape project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15 on Main Street between LaVista Road and Lawrenceville Highway. Congrats Tucker! For more, click HERE.
 FACE TIME ON FACEBOOK: Please stop by my Facebook page. Friending me on Facebook is also a great way to keep track of upcoming events and news from D.C. and the District.
As always, I appreciate your time and feedback. Please help spread the word on the Fair Employment Project. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to represent you in Congress.
| October 14, 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
Carole Mumford
Andy Phelan
Dori Scales
Paulette Suggs Washington, D.C.
Scott Goldstein
Jocelyn Griffin
Glenn Miles
Jonathan Ossoff
Mark Perkins
Ebony Simpson
Oliver Spurgeon, III
Sascha Thompson
Marybeth Williams |
With the dedication of the MLK Memorial on our National Mall, which stands between the monuments to Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln, Dr. King will occupy the same hallowed ground as these esteemed Presidents.
FACE TIME ON FACEBOOK: Please stop by 
