Rep. Johnson's E-Newsletter for Veterans Day 2014

As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, every day I’m inspired to work on behalf of all our military personnel and veterans.

My work as a member of Congress on behalf of veterans is two-fold: In Washington, I have consistently proposed or voted to help increase awareness of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), boost mental health funding, decrease homelessness and increase job opportunities for our veterans.

At home in Georgia through my constituent services representatives in Lithonia, we are working hard every day to ensure that veterans receive the benefits they so rightly earned.

That’s why on the eve of Veterans Day 2014 – Nov. 11 – we renew our commitments to the nation’s more than 2 million service members and reservists, their families, and 23 million veterans, including more than 770,000 here in Georgia and more than 50,000 in the Fourth District.

WHEN WOMEN SUCCEED, AMERICA SUCCEEDS: My office held a “When Women Succeed, America Succeeds” town hall on October 16 at Ray of Hope Christian Church in Decatur. It was an excellent forum discussion on policies that address real economic needs facing women and families in the district, state and nation. For more, click HERE. For more photos, click HERE.

MOST EFFECTIVE IN CONGRESS: According to a new study by Vanderbilt University and the University of Virginia, I was ranked as the 18th most effective Democrat in the House during the 112th Congress, and the most effective Democrat from Georgia. I was also ranked higher than any of my Republican colleagues from Georgia. I was ranked 18 out of more than 200 Democrats. The study judged effectiveness by looking at a lawmaker’s “proven ability to advance a member’s agenda items through the legislative process and into law. For more, click HERE.

DIVERSITY IN MEDIA: I recently sent a letter to Tom Wheeler, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, urging him to identify and eliminate market-entry barriers for small businesses and entrepreneurs, especially helping to create more diverse ownership in every area of media and telecommunications. The media industry still suffers from an extreme lack of diversity, especially in broadcast ownership. For more, click HERE.

SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS INCREASE: Monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for nearly 64 million Americans will increase 1.7 percent in 2015, the Social Security Administration announced. The 1.7 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits that more than 58 million Social Security beneficiaries receive in January 2015. Increased payments to more than 8 million SSI beneficiaries will begin on December 31, 2014. For more, click HERE. For information about Medicare changes for 2015, click HERE.

ACUITY & JOBS: Acuity Brands announced recently it will expand its operation, creating 700 jobs and investing more than $16 million into Rockdale and DeKalb counties over the next five years. For Acuity to be retrofitting an existing building in Decatur to become its new state-of-the-art engineering and technology center just down the street from our Congressional District office is tremendous news for the Fourth Congressional District. For more, click HERE.

LETTER ON TORTURE: Last week, I sent a letter to President Barack Obama urging the President to stand firm in his opposition to the use of torture anywhere in the world. The letter is signed by more than 30 colleagues. The letter expresses support for ensuring the United Nations Convention Against Torture – being held in Geneva, Switzerland next week – applies overseas, to all persons directly or indirectly under control of any U.S. authorities wherever they are located. For more, click HERE.

FOR YOUR/MORE INFORMATION:

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As always, I appreciate your time and feedback. Please remember you can reach me on Facebook and Twitter as well as e-mails, phone calls and letters. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to represent you in Congress. Please take some time this Veterans Day to pay tribute to our men and women in uniform.