“I want to congratulate all the recipients of the 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom.  They have all made contributions that have led to the betterment of our society.  These individuals serve as a source of inspiration for all of us, but especially for young people, who study the lives of these men and women and learn a great deal.

Rep. John Lewis introduced a bill that authorizes the Secretary of State to initiate a Gandhi-King Scholarly Exchange Program that will foster the ideals of non-violence  and peaceful social transformation.

Rep. John Lewis will be managing time on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives some time this afternoon. 

The “Safe, Accountable,Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act: a Legacy for Users” (SAFETEA-LU), originally meant to provide a fund to support highway infrastructure projects throughout the country is scheduled to expire in September with a shortfall of funding. To avert the imminent crisis, H.R. 3357 will authorize the transfer of $7 billion from the general fund of the Treasury to the Highway Trust Fund’s Highway Account.  Rep. Lewis, a senior member of the House Ways & Means committee, will be managing debate on this topic when debate takes place.

Today Rep. John Lewis received an announcement from Vice President Joseph Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder saying that $31.4 million in federal grants would be devoted to fund the new hiring and rehiring of 184 law enforcement officers under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) commonly known as the stimulus package.

Every day there are 14,000 Americans who lose their health insurance.  In 1993, 61 percent of small businesses offered their employees some form of health insurance; today only 38 percent do.  For those who still have coverage, their health insurance premiums are rising three times faster than their wages. Most people who declare bankruptcy carry an average medical debt of $12,000, and problems paying medical bills contribute to 60 percent of the bankruptcies in Georgia.  There is no question that one key to getting our nation back on track financially and finding ways to sustain the spending power of America’s families is to fix the health care system.  The question is how.  Right now the U.S. Congress is working on some solutions to this problem that begin what will be a long-term process to make health care more affordable and accessible to all Americans.