Posted by: Office Staff (October 20, 2008, 08:34 PM)
From the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi…..
America faces daunting challenges—and clear choices. The worst financial crisis since the Great Depression imperils our nation’s vitality and the economic security of every American. America’s brave men and women are still fighting a costly war in Iraq while focus needs to be intensified on Afghanistan and terrorism around the globe.
The 110th Congress has begun to move America in a New Direction.
Toward energy independence and clean, renewable energy and an energy efficient future.
To an America more competitive in a global economy, creating high tech and green jobs here at home.
Putting our troops and veterans first.
Working to make college, energy, health care, and home ownership more affordable for every American. Beginning to change the way we do business in Washington and restore fiscal responsibility and accountability to government.
The New Direction Congress has enacted into law key legislation to rebuild our economy, strengthen our national security, care for America’s children and families, protect our planet, and restore accountability—with significant bipartisan support more than 70 percent of the time.
Here is the summary of legislative actions in the 110th Congress:
ECONOMIC RECOVERY:
Economic Rescue Plan with key taxpayer and homeowner protections SIGNED INTO LAW
Recovery Rebates to jump-start economy, help Americans with rising costs SIGNED INTO LAW
Extended Unemployment benefits for 3.5 million Americans SIGNED INTO LAW
First increase in the minimum wage in a decade SIGNED INTO LAW
Saving 380,000 good-paying jobs by meeting shortfall in Highway Trust Fund SIGNED INTO LAW
Authorizing completion of key highway projects, creating 40,000 good-paying jobs SIGNED INTO LAW
Farm Bill with historic new investments in nutrition, energy, and conservation, and launching reforms to farm
payments to reflect farmer need VETO OVERRIDDEN BY CONGRESS, ENACTED INTO LAW
Terrorism risk insurance extension, aiding economic growth SIGNED INTO LAW
Curtailing tax loopholes for companies that ship American jobs off shore SIGNED INTO LAW
Making CEO pay subject to shareholder approval PASSED HOUSE
HOUSING FORECLOSURE CRISIS:
Comprehensive housing foreclosure crisis bill, preventing families from losing their homes and their neighbors
from losing value in their homes, and creating a federal backstop and tough, independent regulation of
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which hold half the nation’s mortgage debt SIGNED INTO LAW
Helping states/localities purchase foreclosed homes, stabilizing communities SIGNED INTO LAW
Tax credit for first-time homebuyers, and property tax deduction for non-itemizers SIGNED INTO LAW
Reform of the Federal Housing Administration, expanding access to affordable mortgages, and to “reverse
mortgages” for seniors who need equity from their homes SIGNED INTO LAW
Stopping tax on “income” when lender forgives part of mortgage in foreclosure SIGNED INTO LAW
Creating an Affordable Housing Trust Fund for rental housing SIGNED INTO LAW
EDUCATION AND COMPETITIVENESS:
Largest college aid expansion since the first GI Bill in 1944, cutting college loan rates in half SIGNED INTO LAW
Uninterrupted access to low-cost student loans, despite credit crunch SIGNED INTO LAW
Giving colleges incentives to rein in tuition increases and expanding college access for low-income students SIGNED INTO LAW
Cleaning up abuses in the student loan industry SIGNED INTO LAW
Innovation agenda creating a math/science teacher corps; doubling research funding SIGNED INTO LAW
Head Start preschool improved and expanded SIGNED INTO LAW
Extended tax cut for innovative research & development SIGNED INTO LAW
Key investments in education VETOED BY PRESIDENT
REDUCING TAXES:
A tax cut for 19 million middle-income American families facing the AMT in 2007 SIGNED INTO LAW
A tax cut for 25 million middle-income American families facing the AMT in 2008 SIGNED INTO LAW
Internet tax moratorium extension SIGNED INTO LAW
Extended tax cuts for homeowners, families, college students, teachers SIGNED INTO LAW
AMERICAN WORKERS:
Minimum wage increased for the first time in a decade SIGNED INTO LAW
Reversing Supreme Court decisions that had weakened Americans with Disabilities Act SIGNED INTO LAW
Extending & improving help for workers who lose jobs to foreign competition PASSED HOUSE
Strengthening the Equal Pay Act by providing more effective remedies PASSED HOUSE
Rectifying a Supreme Court decision to allow workers to pursue pay discrimination claims PASSED HOUSE
Prohibiting employment discrimination based on sexual orientation PASSED HOUSE
Collective bargaining rights for first responders PASSED HOUSE
Free choice for workers to choose their own bargaining representative PASSED HOUSE
AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE:
Health care coverage for 10 million American children VETOED BY PRESIDENT
Expansion of life-saving stem cell research to cure or prevent chronic diseases VETOED BY PRESIDENT
Key investments in health care VETOED BY PRESIDENT
Ensuring 44 million American seniors and people with disabilities have access to doctors they know and
trust VETO OVERRIDDEN BY CONGRESS, ENACTED INTO LAW
Ban on genetic information discrimination in health coverage SIGNED INTO LAW
Ending discriminatory treatment of mental health care coverage SIGNED INTO LAW
Medicare required to negotiate cheaper drugs for seniors and disabled Americans PASSED HOUSE
Blocking $18 billion cut in health care for low-income children & seniors SIGNED INTO LAW
Making America healthier with FDA regulation of tobacco PASSED HOUSE
NATIONAL SECURITY
9/11 Commission terrorism recommendations given force of law SIGNED INTO LAW
Investments to begin to fix the military readiness crisis SIGNED INTO LAW
Iraq benchmarks, progress reports required SIGNED INTO LAW
Providing for responsible redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq VETOED BY PRESIDENT
Extending ban on torture to U.S. intelligence personnel VETOED BY PRESIDENT
Tighter foreign investment rules, after Dubai Ports scandal SIGNED INTO LAW
TROOPS AND VETERANS:
New GI Bill to give free college education to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans SIGNED INTO LAW
Largest veterans’ health care funding increase in history SIGNED INTO LAW
Wounded Warrior Act, improving health care after Walter Reed scandal SIGNED INTO LAW
Major pay raise for troops in both FY2008 and FY2009 SIGNED INTO LAW
Tax relief for military families SIGNED INTO LAW
ENERGY INDEPENDENCE AND GLOBAL WARMING:
Landmark Energy Independence law: first new fuel efficiency standards in 32 years, historic commitment to
renewable American bio-fuels SIGNED INTO LAW
Historic new support for non-food bio-fuels in the Farm Bill VETO OVERRIDDEN BY CONGRESS, ENACTED
INTO LAW
Tax incentives to invest in clean, renewable energy and create hundreds of thousands of green jobs SIGNED
INTO LAW
Comprehensive Energy Security & Consumer Protection Act PASSED HOUSE
Making Big Oil pay its fair share for taxpayer-owned resources and transition to energy independence
Protect consumers by releasing oil from the government stockpile and increasing home heating
assistance
National Renewable Electricity Standard (15�y 2020)
Responsible compromise on off shore drilling and increased American production
Standards for more efficient homes and buildings
Reduced transit fares and expanded service
Further close “Enron-like Loophole” to curb excessive petroleum speculation PASSED HOUSE
Holding OPEC and Big Oil accountable for price fixing; cracking down on price gouging PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE
Greening the Capitol, making Congress carbon neutral ENACTED BY HOUSE
REBUILDING AMERICA:
Aid to the Gulf Coast recovering from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita SIGNED INTO LAW
Major new commitment to flood control & environmental restoration projects VETO OVERRIDDEN BY CONGRESS, ENACTED INTO LAW
Omnibus Public Lands Bill, with new protections for national parks, wilderness, historic sites, trails, and water resources from coast to coast SIGNED INTO LAW
Modernizing and improving Amtrak and other inter-city passenger rail for energy
efficiency SIGNED INTO LAW
CONSUMER PROTECTION:
Most sweeping FDA drug safety provisions in more than a decade SIGNED INTO LAW
Banning toxic toys and children’s products from China and other countries and toughening enforcement of the Consumer Product Safety Commission SIGNED INTO LAW
Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights PASSED HOUSE
Passenger Bill of Rights for airline travelers PASSED HOUSE
FIGHTING CRIME:
Improved background checks for gun purchases SIGNED INTO LAW
5,200 New Border Patrol Officers over two years SIGNED INTO LAW
Saved the critical COPS program, proposed for elimination by the President SIGNED INTO LAW
Reauthorized and strengthened Byrne Justice Assistance Grants (JAG) for local law enforcement, which thePresident had proposed eliminating SIGNED INTO LAW
Tools and resources to prevent and prosecute hate crimes PASSED BY HOUSE
FISCAL DISCIPLINE:
Pay-as-you-go budget discipline ADOPTED IN HOUSE RULES
A fiscally responsible budget that balances by 2012 and invests in key priorities PASSED BY HOUSE AND SENATE, NO PRESIDENTIAL ACTION REQUIRED
Cracking down on “no-bid” contracts PASSED BY HOUSE AND SENATE
Prohibiting profiteering by U.S. contractors operating in war zones PASSED BY HOUSE
Requiring mandatory fraud reporting for U.S. contractors PASSED BY HOUSE
RESTORING ACCOUNTABILITY:
Widely-acclaimed landmark lobbying and ethics reform SIGNED INTO LAW
New historic independent Office of Congressional Ethics ADOPTED IN HOUSE RULES
Banning pensions for Members of Congress convicted of certain crimes SIGNED INTO LAW
Strengthening Freedom of Information Act for government transparency SIGNED INTO LAW
U.S. Attorney appointments depoliticized SIGNED INTO LAW
Reducing enormous backlog in passport processing SIGNED INTO LAW
Closing off shore tax loopholes for federal contractors SIGNED INTO LAW
Strengthening independence of federal Inspectors General SIGNED INTO LAW
Whistleblower protections strengthened PASSED BY HOUSE AND SENATE
Holding private security firms in war zones accountable for criminal actions PASSED BY HOUSE
Withholding federal contracts from tax-delinquent companies PASSED BY HOUSE
Requiring more transparency by companies that rely on federal contracts PASSED BY HOUSE
Requiring standards for the preservation of White House and federal agency e-mails PASSED BY HOUSE
Posted in Unspecified |
0 Comments |
Permalink
Top of Page
Posted by: Hank Johnson (September 11, 2007, 10:11 AM)
FRIENDS: This day of remembrance is one on which we pay tribute to the victims of this terrorist act and the many public servants who were injured and lost their lives saving citizens in New York and Washington, D.C..
We remember their families, as well. September 11th will forever be etched into our psyche and it has led to significant improvements in our national defense and emergency readiness.
Perhaps most of all, I am proud of America’s response to this tragedy for we demonstrated the enormous spirit, the generosity, the bravery and the patriotism that keeps our country strong.
--Hank
Posted in Unspecified |
0 Comments |
Permalink
Top of Page
Posted by: Hank Johnson (June 14, 2007, 01:05 PM)
FRIENDS: Please join me in congratulating the following Fourth District students nominated to attend U.S. service academies who have accepted offers of appointment to the Class of 2011:
U.S. Air Force Academy:
- Ms. Brittany Nichole Dutton, Tucker High School
U.S. Military Academy:
- Mr. Daniel Conner Sutton, Marist School
U.S. Naval Academy:
- Mr. John Charles White, Naval Academy Prep School
- Ms. Logan Arielle Johnson, Chamblee Charter High School
- Ms. Jacquelyn Nicole Williams, Martin Luther King Jr. High School
Those interested in more information on appointments to service academies should read the FAQ on this site and call my office at (770) 939-2016.
--Hank
Posted in Unspecified |
1 Comments |
Permalink
Top of Page
Posted by: Jonathan Ossoff (June 04, 2007, 11:55 AM)
Atlanta-area blogger Will Hinton is podcasting an interview with Congressman Johnson.
Click here to listen.
Posted in Unspecified |
0 Comments |
Permalink
Top of Page
Posted by: Hank Johnson (February 13, 2007, 08:08 PM)
Today we mourn the loss of a great Georgian, Congressman Charlie Norwood, who has passed away after a long and brave battle with cancer.
Charlie was a native son of Georgia, a scholar, a decorated combat veteran, a dentist and a public servant.
We disagreed on many issues, but by all accounts he served the 10th district well.
He and his family are in my prayers. I hope you will join me in attending his memorial service this Thursday in Augusta.
Posted in Unspecified |
0 Comments |
Permalink
Top of Page
Posted by: Hank Johnson (February 02, 2007, 01:27 PM)
This is Congressman Hank Johnson -- welcome to my blog.
Here I'll be post updates from Capitol Hill and comment on the day's news. Thanks for reading -- please stop by often!
--Hank
Posted in Unspecified |
4 Comments |
Permalink
Top of Page
