Dear Friends,
I had a very productive district work period in Georgia recently, and I heard from many constituents who asked me to remain even more committed to working with President Obama and my House colleagues to create jobs, help homeowners in danger of losing their homes and ensure access to quality, affordable health care.
EXTENDING UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, HEALTH COVERAGE, AND HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION JOBS INVESTMENT – On Thursday, the House passed H.R. 4691, the Temporary Extension Act. This emergency legislation will extend a range of programs, including unemployment insurance, COBRA health benefits for jobless Americans, highway construction jobs programs, small business loans, and flood insurance. As of Friday, Republican Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky is singlehandedly blocking passage of this emergency measure, despite serious consequences for families across the nation. For more, click here.
PALS OF SMALL BUSINESSES – I was pleased to see more than 400 people at our Partnership Alliance Learning Series for small businesses last week at DeKalb Technical College in Clarkston. We know that small businesses are the engine of job creation in our economy, so it was important for me to connect our small businesses to federal, national, state and local resources. Between our nonprofit meeting Feb. 5 and small business meeting Feb. 19, we helped more than 1,000 local organizations. If you missed the meeting, please e-mail our coordinator Paulette Suggs at paulette.suggs@mail.house.gov for further resources information. Please visit my Flickr page to see photos of all the activity.
RECOVERY FUNDS IN THE DISTRICT – In case you missed it, I recently announced a $2 million Health Care and High Growth Job Training Grant for DeKalb Technical College (DTC). This is the second job training grant for the Fourth District authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (stimulus package) since January – a $1 million green jobs grant we announced last month. For more on what this will do and how many jobs it will create, click here.
FAIRNESS IN HEALTH INSURANCE – I was troubled to hear that some Georgians face a 72 percent increase in their health insurance premiums. And with 75 percent of the state’s health insurance market controlled by just two companies, it’s why I voted for the Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act this week. Not only will it restore competition and transparency in the health insurance market, it also gives the Justice Department more power to investigate possible price fixing. This is a victory for the American consumer and a critical step toward comprehensive health care reform. For more, click here.
CLEAN-ENERGY JOBS –I was honored to be invited to Suniva – a solar panel manufacturer in Norcross – last week to tour their impressive facility. Thanks to more than $5.7 million in Recovery Act tax credits, Suniva is expanding and creating the clean-energy jobs that will fuel our nation’s economic renaissance. To see more about the company or surf their jobs listing, click here.
PROTECTING CONSUMERS – Landmark reforms to the credit card industry went into effect this week thanks to the Credit CARD Act, which I supported. The law will end unfair industry practices and protect consumers from abusive tactics like retroactive rate increases, misleading late-fee charges and over-limit fee traps. When so many American families are struggling to make ends meet, consumers deserve to be treated fairly by their credit card companies. This new law will level the playing field for consumers. For more, click here.
HELPING SAVE OUR HOMES, NEIGHBORHOODS – Please join us Saturday, Feb. 27 at the Maloof Building in downtown Decatur for a Home Buyer Information and Education Workshop. It’s part of the federally funded Neighborhood Stabilization Program designed to help rehabilitate our neighborhoods with high foreclosure rates. Learn how to buy a foreclosed home or buy a former foreclosed home that has been renovated. Don’t worry, if you can’t make this meeting, there will similar meetings on March 27 and April 17 at the Porter Sanford Center. To register, click here.
NOISE STUDY – I’m pleased to announce that we have secured more than $565,000 for a noise study along I-285. The project starts from 1-20 East and I-285 South interchange to Bouldercrest Road. The project involves additional lanes, safety improvements and sidewalks from I-285 to the Clayton County line. Increasing traffic along this corridor has negatively impacted the quality of life for residents, so I’m grateful that we can begin to determine whether we need more sound barriers. Stay tuned.
SKYROCKETING TUITION COSTS – I read with interest this week that state officials are considering raising tuition costs a whopping 77 percent. Did you know that students whose families earn less than $33,300 qualify to attend Georgia Tech debt free if they are accepted into the university and complete the student financial aid form? Tech is looking for schools to help identify and encourage high academic achieving students who otherwise could not afford to attend. For more information, click here.
EASTER AT THE WHITE HOUSE – If you’re interested in participating in the White House’s annual Easter Egg Roll, there is an online lottery for tickets through Sunday, Feb. 28. To apply for tickets, click here. Children of all ages are welcome to attend, as long as there is at least one child 12 years old or younger. Tickets are required for every attendee, including small children and infants.
FAITH-BASED SITE – The White House has just launched the new Internet home of the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. This Web site will help faith-based and neighborhood organizations learn more about how they can partner with government to better serve individuals, families and communities in need. You can find it here.
POOR PEOPLE’S DAY AT CAPTIOL – I would like to thank Sandra Robertson, the executive director of the Citizens Coalition, for inviting me to the state capitol Feb. 11 for the Georgia Citizens Coalition on Hunger Poor People’s Day. I was proud to let the folks there know I support the battle against poverty; the quest for fair, living wages and an end to hunger. It’s why I co-sponsored the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, I supported the Recovery Act, which sent billions in tax breaks and community improvements to our most distressed neighborhoods, and I supported S-CHIP – which funds Georgia’s PeachCare providing health insurance for our most at-risk children. To see a video, visit my Facebook page.
STAND UP AND BE COUNTED – When you receive your 2010 Census next month, please be sure to fill it out and send it back. It’s crucial for the distribution of federal funds, allocation of services, block grants, planning for new hospitals, schools, and libraries – not to mention resources for infrastructure. For more information, click here.
IRS OUTREACH – The IRS Exempt Organizations (EO): Customer Education and Outreach Office is bringing a one-day workshop for small and mid-sized nonprofit organizations to the Atlanta area on March 2, 3, and 4, 2010. The workshop will cover information and procedures to help nonprofits comply with their tax obligations and maintain their tax-exempt status. For more, click here.
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Until next time be safe and stay warm, spring is just around the corner.
