Dear Neighbor:

I'd like to share some important information and recent developments in Congress and Georgia's Thirteenth District. 

Congressman Scott Announces 2020 Military Academy Nominations

I am proud to share the names of nineteen students from Georgia’s Thirteenth District who have been nominated for admission to the elite U.S. Air Force Academy, Military Academy at West Point, Naval Academy, or Merchant Marine Academy. I look forward to recognizing these students during a special ceremony on Saturday, February 8, 2020, at 10:00 a.m., at Brawner Hall in Smyrna, Ga.

House Votes to Strengthen Worker Protections

This week, I voted in favor of H.R. 1230, the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act of 2019 to advance legal protections for older and disabled employees.  According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), age-based discrimination filings represented about 17 percent of all charges filed in Fiscal Year 2018 in Georgia—this is unacceptable and employers must be held accountable for discriminatory practices.  Workers 65 and older are the fastest-growing segment of the American workforce, and yet, age discrimination continues to be a barrier to employment for many.  H.R. 1230 reverses a 2009 Federal court decision to impose an unreasonably high standard of proof for age-based discrimination cases, ensuring that older workers are treated fairly in a challenging workforce.

Financial Services Committee Acts on Homelessness

On Tuesday, I joined my colleagues on the Financial Services Committee in examining our country’s rental crisis and homelessness epidemic.  More than 10,000 individuals in Georgia lacked stable housing in 2019, and the shortage of affordable rental homes available to low-income households means that families across the entire state must choose between paying rent and foregoing basic necessities like nutritious food and healthcare.  While federal programs to support affordable housing initiatives, like the Community Development Block Grant program, have faced budgetary hurdles in recent years, the Financial Services Committee is prioritizing this issue and the critical resources necessary to ensure that every American has access to safe, decent, and affordable housing.

Historic Legislation Passes the House to Protect Defrauded Students

On Thursday, I was proud to cosponsor and vote in favor of H.J. Res. 76 to block the implementation of the DeVos Borrower Defense rule. The Trump Administration has yet again prioritized the interests of for-profit institutions over the academic and economic success of students. Predatory institutions often sacrifice the success of students for their own profitability, leaving thousands of students defrauded with thousands in debt and with a job-less degree.  That’s why I voted to block this senseless rule and ensure stringent protections for Georgia students.

HomeSafe Georgia Deadline Approaches

For Georgia homeowners who are underwater or behind on mortgage payments, there are only a few weeks left to submit applications for mortgage assistance.  HomeSafe Georgia, a program launched in 2011 to help homeowners stay in their homes after the mortgage crisis, still has $12 million in funding that is available for distribution, but the window for assistance will close at the end of March.  Eligible applicants may receive up to $50,000 in mortgage assistance, but applications must be received by Tuesday, March 31^st to be considered.  For more information on HomeSafe Georgia, click here. 

Congressman Scott Receives A+ Democracy Score

Nearly ten years after the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling, which released a flood of dark money into our political system, I was proud to earn an A+ rating from the End Citizens United Action Fund for the work my colleagues and I have done in the House of Representatives to make our government work for the people.  Prioritizing measures to strengthen election security, restore critical voter protections, and prevent foreign interference in our elections has been at the heart of my work in 2019, and I look forward to continuing to work on critical measures to improve the accountability and transparency of our government.   

Social Media Highlight:

I enjoyed a great meeting this week with Virginia State University President Makola Abdullah about the importance of the USDA/1890 scholarship program for students studying agriculture, natural resource sciences and other ag-related disciplines. 
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