House Passes Bill to Commemorate 1964 Civil Rights Act and Support for the United Negro College Fund

I am proud to have written House Resolution 2040, legislation which commemorates the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and remembers those who fought for its passage. On April 2, 2008 this bill passed the House of Representatives and is now under consideration in the Senate.

This legislation directs the Treasury Department to issue commemorative silver dollars, in 2014, the 50th Anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, with the images of the brave men and women who fought, and even died, for these laws to be enacted. These coins will serve as educational tools for our children and their children, so that the struggle that so many took part in, will never be forgotten.

Fittingly, the proceeds from these coins will be directed to the United Negro College Fund Discrimination in our education system was real. For many African-Americans their only hope for a college education was through a UNCF school.
UNCF institutions were founded to provide an education for African-Americans who were banned by law from seeking a college education in the all white public and private universities of the South.

U.S. Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria

The House of Representatives has significantly expanded the United States’ commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria around the Globe and I am proud to have supported this legislation.  This bill extends the bipartisan commitment to aggressively prevent, treat, and care for those living with HIV/AIDS, and cure those with TB and malaria in the least developed countries by launching a second five-year strategy to achieve these goals.  This bipartisan bill authorizes $50 billion for the United States’ bilateral and multilateral programs to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria for fiscal years 2009 through 2013. 

The Global AIDS bill makes important changes to the program by overturning the controversial and ineffective 1/3 abstinence-only requirement that applies to global HIV/AIDS prevention funding and instead provides a new requirement for evidence-based, “balanced funding” for abstinence, fidelity, and condoms.

It authorizes the expenditure of global HIV/AIDS funding to provide HIV/AIDS testing and counseling services in family planning programs supported by the U.S. government and Increases the authorization for U.S. contributions to the multilateral Global Fund from $1 billion to $2 billion per year.

It enhances programs to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV and strengthens programs to address HIV transmission to women and youth more comprehensively.
The bill authorizes HIV/AIDS programs to include linkages to food and nutrition programs to support individuals with HIV/AIDS and those who are in treatment for the disease.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Congressman John Lewis Hosts: “Educate Yourself: A Forum for Youth”
In Conjunction with the Congressman John Lewis Youth Council

• Are you 17 ½ and want to register to vote?
• Do you have questions about Georgia’s Teen Driving Laws?
• Do you think there should be laws affecting how teens dress?
• Are you affected by Global Issues such as Darfur, Sudan or the Environment?

Special Guests: Cee Cee Michaela & Marshawn Evans

Please come discuss these and other present day issues concerning teens!

For more information contact Rachelle O’Neil in the Atlanta office at (404) 659 - 0116

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Foreclosure & Housing Issues Forum

I will be hosting a forum on issues related to foreclosure on April 26, 2008 from 11:30-2:30 at the Dunbar Recreational Center gym.  I will have representatives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Federal Trade Commission, Bank of America, the Office of the United States Attorney, Georgia ACORN, and others.  I hope to see you there.