DAVID SCOTT - CONGRESSMAN, REPRESENTING GEORGIA'S 13TH DISTRICT
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Posted by
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June 14, 2013
Today is Flag Day, which is celebrated annually on June 14th to honor the history of the United States flag. Our flag represents hope, courage and freedom to all Americans.
A constituent contacted me once to point out the discrepancy in the US Flag Code in that Mothers Day was an official day to fly the flag, but Fathers Day was not. I introduced a bill to officially commemorate Fathers Day by flying the flag and it was passed through Congress without opposition (P.L. No: 110-239). So, fly Old Glory today and on this coming Fathers Day! -Order a flag to be flown over the US Capitol: http://www.davidscott.hous -A short history of the US flag can be found at the Smithsonian website: http://www.si.edu/Encyclop -Flag Code on time and occasions for display: http://www.law.cornell.edu What does the flag mean to you?
Posted by
on
May 31, 2013
Over $1 trillion in student loan debt is being carried by American families. If Congress fails to act by July 1st, that debt could become more burdensome. On that date, interest rates for student loans are set to double from 3.4% to 6.8%, placing an even heavier burden on students.
Failure to act will add $4.3 billion to students’ debt burden for next year’s loans alone. The House Republicans recently passed a partisan bill that does not help families pay their loans. The bill, H.R. 1911, would make college more expensive by charging students and families nearly $4 billion more in higher interest payments. The legislation would also force students into loans with interest rates that reset every year of the loan, similar to adjustable-rate mortgages. For more information about the bill, click here. Congress needs to go back to the table and find bi-partisan agreement on stopping the loan increases. Are you having trouble paying student loans? Add your comments below.
Posted by
on
May 22, 2013
On May 15, a bipartisan majority of the House of Representatives voted 416-6 in favor of passing H.R. 701. Congressman Scott is an original sponsor of H.R. 701, which requires the SEC to implement Title IV of the JOBS Act (P.L. 112—106) by October 31. Title IV requires the SEC to adopt or amend regulations that encourage capital formation for small businesses through a currently under-used provision of securities law known as Regulation A. Under Regulation A, the JOBS Act increased the capital that small companies an raise from $5 million to $50 million.
The JOBS Act was enacted in 2012 and several provisions are being implemented through proposed agency regulations. Congressman Scott is a member of the House Financial Services Committee, which has oversight of the SEC and other financial market regulators. You can review the SEC's website on the JOBS Act online at: http://www.sec.gov/spotlight/jobs-act.shtml Do you have any thoughts or concerns about implementing the JOBS Act?
Posted by
on
May 02, 2013
Recent news reports in the AJC and WSB-TV have reported on major problems at the Atlanta VA center in Decatur. In response to the inspector general's report, Congressman Scott joined with his colleagues in demanding a review of the facility. On a related note, his office has been working with an increasing number of local veterans who are having problems with backlogs at the VA.
What are your experiences with the VA? Are you experiencing delays or backlogs? Are the local facilities meeting your needs? Is your medical care being handled well and with respect? Congressman Scott would like to hear from you. Please comment below or call the office if you need assistance.
Posted by
on
April 03, 2013
On April, 19, Congressman Scott hosts his annual Job Fair. This event is open to the public at-large and a diverse group of employers have signed up to attend.
If you have been looking for work or have been unemployed for a while, what challenges are you facing in finding a new job? Share your experiences with others so that we can better understand how to match job seekers with employers. Earlier, we asked employers what challenges they are facing in hiring new employees. You may want to read their responses to that question.
Posted by
on
March 08, 2013
Today, a strong jobs report was announced. The positive trend shows continued economic growth for America. However, there are still a lot of uncertainties that may be holding employers back from expanding their payrolls. There may still be a mismatch between the number of unemployed and companies that cannot find qualified candidates.
Whether you represent a small business, or a large company, you may have difficulties filling positions with qualified applicants. There are many resources available to you which may help you fill your employment needs.
On April 19, Congressman Scott hosts his annual 13th Congressional District Jobs Fair at the GICC in College Park. This event usually attracts between 8,000 - 10,000 job seekers. We are currently seeking additional employers to attend and meet with potential hires. There is no charge to have a representative at the event. As an employer or supervisor, what challenges are you having with filling slots on your team? What advice would you give to people who are currently unemployed? Please comment below to share your experiences and share your thoughts.
Posted by
on
March 08, 2013
Congressman David Scott will host an awards ceremony to honor all participating students of his 11th Annual Congressional High School Art Competition. The reception will be held Saturday, March 16, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at the Arts Clayton Gallery, located at 136 South Main Street, Jonesboro, GA 30236.
Participating high schools this year include: Chapel Hill High School, Charles Drew High School, Clayton County Magnet High School, Creekside High School, Douglas County High School, Fayette County High School, Jonesboro High School, Landmark Christian Academy, Langston Hughes High School, Lithia Springs High School, Lovejoy High School, Mt. Zion High School, Mundy's Mill High School, North Clayton High School, Our Lady of Mercy Catholic High School, Pebblebrook High School, Riverdale High School, Stockbridge High School, and Trinity Chapel Academy.
Posted by
on
March 05, 2013
Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) and Congressman David Scott (D-GA) released a statement regarding the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) updated estimates of the costs of the Goodlatte/Scott Amendment to the Dairy Security Act. Congressmen Goodlatte and Scott offered this amendment during markup of the House Farm Bill.
“Last year, we offered an alternative dairy policy that would provide dairy producers with voluntary margin insurance protection that did not include administrative fees and was not tied to a new supply management program that manipulates dairy prices and penalizes consumers,” said Goodlatte and Scott. “This amendment provided for a viable safety net for producers without putting the government in the middle of market decisions.” Goodlatte and Scott continued, “CBO’s updated score of the Farm Bill finds that our amendment would save $100 million over the Dairy Security Act as included in the dairy title of last year’s proposed House Farm Bill. We believe that the CBO score further proves that supply management does not work and our amendment will provide producers with a viable safety net without supply management and added producer fees. We look forward to continuing to work with Chairman Lucas and Ranking Member Peterson on common sense reforms for our nation’s dairy farmers.” ###
Posted by
on
March 05, 2013
Home foreclosures are declining and property values are increasing in Georgia. Yet, many neighborhoods around metro Atlanta are still working to return to full strength. Congressman Scott has been promoting programs to help individual homeowners and communities deal with the financial epidemic of foreclosures and falling home values. Just this past January, a major housing assistance event was held in Cobb County with the assistance of the US Departments of Treasury, HUD and the Making Home Affordable Coalition. This is the third major housing event held in the 13th Congressional District in the past three years. The event in 2012 was held at the GICC in College Park.
If you are struggling to stay in your home, don't give up! There are many resources available to help. HUD has a list of tips on how to avoid foreclosure. Several programs are available to help homeowners who are underwater, want to refinance, are unemployed or who want to avoid foreclosure. You can view several of the programs available through the Making Home Affordable initiative. The Homesafe Georgia program can help you make payments if you are currently unemployed. Details of the national mortgage settlement with major banks can be found online at: http://www.nationalmortgagesettlement.com/ If you are having trouble reaching your lender, you can contact our office to help. What are you seeing in your neighborhood? Is the housing market improving? Have you been able to refinance or avoid foreclosure?
Posted by
on
February 26, 2013
The previous blog post described what sequestration is. This post considers how the cuts will affect Georgia. I believe that Congress must continue to work on a long-term budget situation that brings down the debt and creates opportunities for the economy to grow. What good does it to our future if we drastically slash investments in education, job training and research if we do not have a flourishing economy?
Job losses: According to the George Mason University Center for Regional Analysis, Georgia would lose 27,609 defense related jobs and 26,903 civilian jobs for a total of 54,512 jobs. Teachers and Schools: Georgia will lose approximately $28.6 million in funding for primary and secondary education, putting around 390 teacher and aide jobs at risk. In addition about 54,000 fewer students would be served and approximately 80 fewer schools would receive funding. Education for Children with Disabilities: In addition, Georgia will lose approximately $17.5 million in funds for about 210 teachers, aides, and staff who help children with disabilities. Work-Study Jobs: Around 2,490 fewer low income students in Georgia would receive aid to help them finance the costs of college and around 890 fewer students will get work-study jobs that help them pay for college. Head Start: Head Start and Early Head Start services would be eliminated for approximately 1,700 children in Georgia, reducing access to critical early education. Protections for Clean Air and Clean Water: Georgia would lose about $3.5 million in environmental funding to ensure clean water and air quality, as well as prevent pollution from pesticides and hazardous waste. In addition, Georgia could lose another $979,000 in grants for fish and wildlife protection. Military Readiness: In Georgia, approximately 37,000 civilian Department of Defense employees would be furloughed, reducing gross pay by around $190.1 million in total. Army: Base operation funding would be cut by about $233 million in Georgia. Air Force: Funding for Air Force operations in Georgia would be cut by about $5 million. Law Enforcement and Public Safety Funds for Crime Prevention and Prosecution: Georgia will lose about $427,000 in Justice Assistance Grants that support law enforcement, prosecution and courts, crime prevention and education, corrections and community corrections, drug treatment and enforcement, and crime victim and witness initiatives. Job Search Assistance to Help those in Georgia find Employment and Training: Georgia will lose about $873,000 in funding for job search assistance, referral, and placement, meaning around 33,160 fewer people will get the help and skills they need to find employment. Child Care: Up to 1,100 disadvantaged and vulnerable children could lose access to child care, which is also essential for working parents to hold down a job. Vaccines for Children: In Georgia around 4,180 fewer children will receive vaccines for diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, whooping cough, influenza, and Hepatitis B due to reduced funding for vaccinations of about $286,000. Public Health: Georgia will lose approximately $925,000 in funds to help upgrade its ability to respond to public health threats including infectious diseases, natural disasters, and biological, chemical, nuclear, and radiological events. In addition, Georgia will lose about $2.5 in grants to help prevent and treat substance abuse, resulting in around 2400 fewer admissions to substance abuse programs. And Georgia health departments will lose about $571,000 resulting in around 14,300 fewer HIV tests. STOP Violence Against Women Program: Georgia could lose up to $208,000 in funds that provide services to victims of domestic violence, resulting in up to 800 fewer victims being served. Nutrition Assistance for Seniors: Georgia would lose approximately $1.3 million in funds that provide meals for seniors. As you can see, the coming budget cuts are penny wise and pound foolish. They will cause real harm to Americans and not help grow the economy. To learn more, visit the Budget Committee online at: http://democrats.budget.house.gov/ |
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