Rep. Johnson's E-Newsletter for March 14, 2014
Dear Friends,
I took action this week by signing a discharge petition that would force an up-or-down vote to extend unemployment insurance for more than 2 million Americans. The bill extends emergency unemployment insurance for nearly 5 million Americans looking for work through the end of the year. Now is the time for action on unemployment insurance. The economic crisis suffered from the cut off of unemployment compensation has continued for 2 months, spread to 2 million Americans, including more than 76,000 here in Georgia. For more, click HERE. To see my floor speech, click HERE.
50+ JOB FAIR: My office is pleased to be working with the AARP Foundation on a 50+ job fair at the Lou Walker Senior Center Thursday, March 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The AARP will be helping job seekers to find work, understand healthcare options, develop housing and financial strategies, and polish their résumé writing and social media skills. The Lou Walker Senior Center is located at 2538 Panola Road, Lithonia 30058. Please dress for success and bring plenty of résumés. Registration is required. To register, click HERE. Please let your friends and family members who are looking for work know about this important event.
GETTING COVERED: I was pleased to join U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, Fulton County Commission Chairman Dr. John Eaves and President and CEO of the Center for Black Women’s Wellness Jemea Dorsey on Monday at the Women’s Wellness Center to highlight upcoming local efforts aimed at educating and enrolling consumers in affordable health coverage in Atlanta. The deadline to enroll and receive coverage this year is March 31. The next enrollment period is in November for coverage beginning Jan. 1, 2015. To learn more, start or finish an application, compare plans, enroll or ask a question, visit healthcare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596 | TTY: 1-855-889-4325. Help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT EVENT: There are dozens of important enrollment events happening throughout the Fourth District and the metro area. Certified staff will be available to assist residents at no cost. If you plan to enroll at an event, please bring the following information:
□ Social Security Numbers (or document numbers for legal immigrants) for every member of your household who needs coverage
□ Employer and income information for every member of your household who needs coverage (for example, from pay stubs or W-2 forms—Wage and Tax Statements)
□ Policy numbers for any current health insurance plans covering members of your household
Upcoming Enrollment Events:
Antioch AME Church on Saturday, March 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 765 South Hairston Road, Stone Mountain, GA. To pre-register, click HERE.
New Birth Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday March 16 at 11 a.m. 6400 Woodrow Road – Lithonia, GA 30038 – 770-696-9600.
Rockdale Medical Center and Oakhurst Medical Center on Tuesday, March 18 from 4-7 p.m. East Tower Classrooms, 1412 Milstead Avenue, Conyers, GA 30012. For more, call 770-918-3915.
Flat Shoals Library on Tuesday, March 18 at 5 p.m., Flat Shoals Library, Decatur, GA. 4022 Flat Shoals Pkwy., Decatur, GA 30034. For more information, 404.244.4370.
Wesley Chapel Library on Wednesday, March 26 from 5 to 8 p.m. 2861 Wesley Chapel Road, Decatur, GA 30034. For more, call 404-665-7179.
Covington KMART Tabling Event on Saturday, March 29 at 12, 2 and 4 p.m. KMART Covington, GA.
Porter Sanford Center on Sunday, March 30, from 3 to 5 p.m. 3181 Rainbow Dr. Decatur, GA 30034. For more, call 404-665-7179.
For more on all these events and more, click HERE.
SMALL TOWN AMERICA SHOULDN’T RESEMBLE A WAR ZONE: Please take a minute to read my latest op-ed in The USA Today. County, city and small-town police departments across the country are now acquiring free military-grade weapons from the Pentagon. We have to ask ourselves as a nation – is this who we really are? There are countless stories of police departments getting (and often later selling) assault weapons, drones, and other military-grade equipment that is absolutely ill-suited for America's main streets. The Pentagon's 1033 program, which “provides or transfers surplus Department of Defense military equipment to state and local civilian law enforcement agencies without charge,” is a big part of this disturbing trend. That’s why I’m considering legislation to reform the 1033 program before America’s main streets and civilian police militarize further. For more, click HERE.
INTERSTATE TAXATION & E-COMMERCE: As the ranking member of the House Judiciary subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law, I've recently been addressing issues dealing with interstate taxation and e-commerce – specifically Internet sales tax solutions. By closing the online sales tax loophole, states across the country could add much-needed revenue to build schools, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure projects that put Americans back to work.
The House Judiciary Committee has held numerous hearings on this issue. We understand the problem, and we know it must be addressed. The Senate has already reported legislation on this subject that is overwhelmingly bipartisan. It’s time that the House Judiciary Committee follow suit. As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, I look forward to working together with my Republican and Democratic colleagues on this important issue. For more, click HERE.
ROCKDALE CAREER FAIR: Rockdale County government announces the return of the Rockdale County Career Fair, which brings together employers with positions to fill and citizens looking for work. The career fair, which is free, will be held Friday, April 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Rockdale Career Academy, 1064 Culpepper Drive, Conyers, 30094. For more, click HERE or call them at 770-278-7050.
FILE YOUR TAXES FOR FREE: I’m pleased to announce that my office is partnering with the Internal Revenue Service to offer a Georgia Free File workshop on Saturday, March 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Clarkston Community Center, 3701 College Avenue, Clarkston, GA 30021. Come learn how to keep more of your hard-earned money. Join us for this free event. For more information, call Shy Armstrong in our Lithonia office at 770-987-2291.
WHITE HOUSE EASTER EGG ROLL: As part of their ongoing effort to open the People’s House to as many Americans as possible, the President and First Lady announced this week that the 2014 White House Easter Egg Roll will be held on Monday, April 21. In support of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative to help kids grow up healthy and have the opportunity to reach their full potential, the event will feature sports courts, cooking stations, and, of course, Easter egg rolling in addition to live music and storytelling. For the most up-to-date information on the Easter Egg Roll and other public events at the White House, please visit www.WhiteHouse.gov/about/tours-and-events or call the Visitors Office 24-hour information line at (202) 456-7041.
ANNUAL ART CONTEST: Last week, we released the details of this year’s 2014 Congressional Arts Competition, an annual event displaying the community’s finest young artists. Eligible high school students throughout the district, which include parts of DeKalb, Gwinnett and Newton counties and all of Rockdale County, are encouraged to apply and display their talent in this year’s contest. Entries must be designed according to the specifications in the competition guidelines. For guidelines and to enter, click HERE.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL: I am pleased to announce the recent appointment of Whitney A. Marshall as my new legislative counsel. My previous counselor, Mr. Slade Bond, is now staffing me in my role as ranking member of the House Judiciary subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law. Ms. Marshall is a graduate of Wake Forest University and William & Mary Law School. A Greensboro, N.C. native, she was most recently employed in Congressman Mel Watt’s office (NC-12). Ms. Marshall will staff me for my Judiciary Committee work and continue our focus on privacy and technology issues. For more, click HERE.
FIGHTING FRAUD: More than $4.3 billion in FY 2013 and a total of $19.2 billion over the last five years in fraudulent payments in Medicare and related programs have been recovered for the benefit of U.S. taxpayers. One of the key goals of the Affordable Care Act was cracking down on waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare and other federal health care programs. The Affordable Care Act provided agencies new tools to crack down on fraud. The results today show these tools are working. This is the fifth consecutive year that the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program has increased recoveries over the previous year, climbing from $2 billion in FY 2008 to over $4 billion every year since FY 2011. For more, click HERE.
ART STATION: Art Station in Stone Mountain, which is home to a professional Theatre Company, art galleries, classrooms and production and administrative space, has a lot going on this spring, including one of Atlanta's best St. Patrick's Day celebrations on Monday, March 17 and their annual Art Stroll coming up May 10. For more, explore Art Station HERE.
As always, I appreciate your time and feedback. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to represent you in Congress.
