Fourth of July 2014 E-Newsletter

Statement

Dear Friends,

I want to wish everyone a safe and Happy Fourth of July!

As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, it gives me great pride to serve citizens of the Fourth District, Georgia and our nation. Every day I go to work -- whether in Washington or in Georgia -- I work on behalf of the men and women who so honorably and bravely serve in the U.S. Armed Forces.

On this Fourth of July, I especially want to salute the men and women and their families who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. Thank you for all that you do!

KES/ST. PHILIPS/FAMILY FUN DAY: It was a pleasure visiting with constituents at three important events this past Saturday, June 28 -- the 11th annual KES Day to support the developmentally disabled, Saint Philip AME's 30th Annual Ole Fashion Family Picnic and my own Family Fun Day in Newton County, cosponsored with Newton County Sheriff Ezell Brown, state Sen. Ron Ramsey, state Rep. Pam Dickerson and Newton County Commissioner Lanier Sims. Thank you to everyone, including my staff, who made these events such a success. For more, visit my Facebook page HERE.

HELPING THE HOMELESS: I'm pleased to announce another round of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grants to provide permanent and transitional housing for the homeless and their families in Georgia's Fourth Congressional District -- this time in Gwinnett County and the state of Georgia. The $58 million in grants that touch the Fourth District are key to efforts to end homelessness and help those who are experiencing both long-term homelessness as well as families confronting a sudden economic crisis. We urge homeless advocates in every county to research the assistance available through HUD and apply for grants that may help them further their mission. For information on HUD programs, click HERE.

AT&T-DIRECTV MERGER: As ranking member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law (RRCAL), which exercises jurisdiction over antitrust laws and competition, I had the opportunity to consider whether the proposed merger of AT&T with DirecTV will serve the public benefit or substantially lessen competition. For more, click HERE.

DISEASES OF POVERTY: I'm pleased to announce that I have re-introduced my bipartisan bill -- Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2014 or H.R. 4944 -- to address a growing problem of parasitic diseases -- mostly in poor, minority populations along the U.S.-Mexico border, the rural South, Appalachia and distressed urban areas. The bill passed the House of Representatives in 2010, but stalled in the Senate. My colleague Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) is cosponsoring the bill. For more, click HERE.

CHAMPION AWARD: I was honored to accept the Champion Award from Hemophilia Federation of America for my work in introducing my bipartisan "Part D Beneficiary Appeals Fairness Act" (H.R. 2827), which would give seniors on Medicare Part D who rely on "specialty tier' drugs an appeals process when dealing with the high costs of prescriptions. For more, click HERE.

METRO-AREA COMMISSARY: Last week, I toured the on-site sale at Fort Gillem, which is being used as a stop-gap measure to provide quarterly commissary services to metro Atlanta military personnel following the closure of commissaries at Fort McPherson (Sept. 2013) and Ft. Gillem (2011). The closings mean there is no commissary for military and veteran personnel in the metro Atlanta area. The nearest commissaries to Atlanta are at Ft. Benning, Robins Air Force Base, and Ft. Gordon, each of them hours away. I'm proud to stand with our military families and urge the Department of Defense to reconsider that thousands of veterans and service members across northeast Georgia, including the Atlanta region, deserve a full-time commissary.

FOR YOUR/MORE INFORMATION:

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 have a safe and happy Fourth of July.

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