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Your Georgia Desk

From Senator Frank Ginn

Taking Care of Georgia Citizens

The eighth day of the 2015 legislative session saw a significant piece of legislation pass through the Georgia State Senate. I am proud to say that with unanimous consent, Senate Bill 1 passed the Senate and is now headed for consideration in the House. Specifically, the legislation seeks new guidelines for the coverage of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in children up to six years old, including diagnostics and medically necessary treatments or therapies. Georgia will become the 36th state in the nation to require some form of autism insurance coverage if SB 1 receives final approval by the General Assembly and the Governor. I believe there is a huge payback to our citizens for the small cost of coverage. This early diagnosis and intervention can help a child to become a productive citizen instead of becoming a ward of the state.

In order to remain nationally and globally competitive, as well as maintain the safety of our roadways, Georgia must take immediate and significant steps to fund transportation investment. This week, our House counterparts unveiled legislation that will help fund future transportation infrastructure. Our economy is mobility driven—we have the busiest passenger airport in the world, as well as the fourth largest container port in the country. I plan to spend time analyzing this proposal, while also considering other legislative options. I would love to hear from my constituents about how you would like to address our transportation needs. Creating a responsible transportation plan is of utmost priority to lawmakers under the Gold Dome during the 2015 legislative session. What we do—perhaps more importantly, what we don’t do—will echo throughout our state for decades to come.

Some of you have contacted me about Governor Deal’s budget recommendations, in particular, eliminating coverage for approximately 11,500 school cafeteria workers, bus drivers, and other employees who work less than 30 hours per week. In response to the Governor’s proposal, the House passed their version of the amended FY 2015 budget last week; specifically including language supporting the idea of keeping health coverage for these valued staff members. These individuals play a vital role in the quality of our children’s education, and should be compensated for their important jobs. Bus drivers safely transport our children to and from school, and cafeteria workers feed our children. Our school systems could not operate without these employees.

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Your Washington Desk

From Senator Johnny Isakson and Senator David Perdue

Senators Isakson, Perdue Fight to Fully Repeal Obamacare

U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and David Perdue (R-GA) today co-sponsored legislation to fully repeal Obamacare.

The Obamacare Repeal Act was introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and has 44 co-sponsors. The legislation would fully repeal Obamacare effective 180 days after its enactment, allowing Congress and the states six months to develop and vote on new patient-centered health care reform.

“Since the day that Obamacare was signed into law, I have worked to repeal it because of its terrible consequences for America’s families and small businesses,” said Senator Isakson. “Hardly a day goes by when I don’t hear from Georgians who are seeing the cost of their health care go up, or who can’t keep their insurance or continue seeing their doctor, all because of Obamacare. This entire law is fundamentally flawed and must be taken out root and branch. We need commonsense solutions that improve the cost and quality of health care through competition and choice, rather than imposing job-killing taxes, mandates, and penalties on the American people.”

“Georgia families and small businesses, as well as people all over the country, have been hurt by the effects of Obamacare,” said Senator Perdue. “Since this disastrous law has been put in place, millions of people have been denied access to their doctors and the cost of healthcare has continued to skyrocket. Obamacare has prevented businesses from hiring and slashed employees’ hours, further damaging our economy. I’m proud to stand with the people of Georgia in rejecting this flawed law, because Obamacare has hurt the middle class for too long and now it must go.”

Your Washington Desk

From Senator David Perdue

Senator David Perdue Proud To Support Bipartisan Legislation to Prevent Veteran Suicide

U.S. Senator David Perdue (R-GA) today voted for the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act. Named after Clay Hunt, a young veteran who took his life in 2011, the bipartisan bill would improve mental health care and suicide prevention resources for American service members. The bill passed both chambers of Congress unanimously.

“Twenty two veterans commit suicide every day, and that is nothing short of a national tragedy,” said Senator Perdue. “Georgia has a large veteran population, and I’m proud to support commonsense legislation like this to help our nation’s heroes. I’m glad that both sides of the aisle were able to reach quick agreement on this bill, because keeping promises to our veterans must be one of the federal government’s biggest priorities.”

The bill requires the Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs to:

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Your Washington Desk

From Senator Johnny Isakson

Isakson, Blumenthal Praise Unanimous Senate Passage of Veteran Suicide Prevention Bill

‘The Clay Hunt SAV Act’ heads to president’s desk in show of strong bipartisan, bicameral support

U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, praised Senate passage of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act today by a vote of 99-0.

The legislation (H.R.203) — passed unanimously out of the Senate VA Committee on Jan. 21, 2015, as the committee’s first priority this Congress — seeks to improve mental health care and suicide prevention resources for American veterans.

“I am pleased the full Senate acted quickly following VA Committee passage on this urgent legislation,” said Isakson, who also is a veteran. “When you have 8,000 veterans a year committing suicide – which is more veterans than have died in all of Iraq and all of Afghanistan since we’ve been fighting – then you have a serious problem. This legislation is an important step toward providing better access to mental health resources for our veterans.”

“This breakthrough bipartisan step will help countless veterans overcome invisible wounds of war that lead to 22 tragic suicides every day,” said Blumenthal. “We owe these wounded warriors more effective mental health care, so they can win the war against inner demons that come home from service. This bill will help save lives – courageous, strong veterans who need and deserve enhanced psychiatric care, counseling, outreach support and accountability from the Veterans Administration. A friend of mine, Justin Eldridge of southeastern Connecticut, braved mortar fire and snipers in Afghanistan, returning to his young family with traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress. Tragically, he slipped through the cracks at his local VA facility and eventually took his own life. As brave as he was on the battlefield, he could not win his war at home. We have an obligation to keep faith with our veterans, and this legislation – providing an impartial review of VA mental health programs, more centralized information and outreach, more support for VA psychiatrists – constitutes an important step.”

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Your Washington – GA 3 – Desk

From Congressman Lynn Westmoreland 

Westmoreland Supports ObamaCare Repeal

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 596, a bill to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. Congressman Westmoreland is a cosponsor of this legislation and has voted in favor of a full repeal of ObamaCare at the start of every congress since the law was passed in 2010. In addition, Congressman Westmoreland has voted almost 50 times to repeal, delay, defund, or change the President’s healthcare law. Below is Congressman Westmoreland’s statement.

“We knew ObamaCare was bad, but the botched ObamaCare rollout in 2013 showed the American people how truly bad this government takeover actually is,” stated Westmoreland. “Premiums and healthcare device costs have doubled while many are still trying to make ends meet. Employers have been burdened with costs and are cutting back hours of part-time employees to save where they can, resulting in 2.5 million hard working Americans being cut from full-time status. As we approach the tax season, we are also seeing how ObamaCare is digging into tax returns and costing households even more. In fact, there have been $47 billion in IRS fines under the individual mandate and $1 trillion in new taxes. ObamaCare takes away from the patients and gives far too much power to the IRS.

“This ObamaCare repeal vote is more than a symbolic one, it’s a plea from the American people to scrap this trainwreck law and start over. ObamaCare was horribly written when it was passed, and it continues to get worse the more it’s implemented. The American people don’t want the government involved in their healthcare, and I will continue to vote to dismantle and repeal ObamaCare every opportunity I get.”

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Your Washington – GA 14 – Desk

From Congressman Tom Graves 

Rep. Tom Graves Votes to Repeal Obamacare

Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-14) issued the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 596, legislation that would repeal Obamacare:

“We need real health care reform that puts patients first and expands choice, not Obamacare’s top-down mandates that have resulted in higher premiums, limited choice and the cancellation of millions of health care plans. By repealing Obamacare in its entirety, we can start fresh on health care reform without the constraints of the unworkable and unfixable disaster that is Obamacare. House Republicans are developing patient-centered solutions, which preserve personal freedom, expand choice, and allow people to keep the doctor and health insurance plan they like and trust.”

Last week, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy announced a new working group to continue developing patient-centered health care solutions to replace Obamacare. The group’s members are Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, and Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline.

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Your Washington – GA 1 – Desk

From Congressman Buddy Carter 

Carter Supports Full Obamacare Repeal

 Congressman Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (GA-01) voted in favor of H.R. 596 today to fully repeal Obamacare. The legislation was passed by the House this afternoon.

“Today, I voted to repeal the health care law that is destroying the healthcare system that I proudly worked in for thirty years,” Carter said. “As a small business owner and healthcare professional, I have seen firsthand that many Georgians can no longer afford the astronomical costs of healthcare and they are forced to skip visits to the doctor, put off medical procedures and avoid filling prescriptions. No one should be burdened with the choice of whether they can or cannot receive medical care because of a misguided law that continues to kill jobs and our economy. Obamacare is driving the free market out of healthcare and preventing patients from having a say in their health – I refuse to let that happen.”

In addition to fully repealing Obamacare, the legislation would require Congress to create replacement legislation within 180 days of enactment.

“While I am pleased to support a full repeal, we can’t stop there,” Carter said. “American families deserve better than Obamacare and this legislation will allow Congress to create solutions to repair our broken healthcare system and empower patients with more choices, lower costs and better services.”

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Your Washington – GA 12 – Desk

From Congressman Rick Allen 

Rep. Rick Allen Supports Full ObamaCare Repeal on House Floor

Your Washington – GA 12 – Desk

From Congressman Rick Allen

Rep. Rick Allen Applauds House Passage of  Legislation Fully Repealing ObamaCare

U.S. Congressman Rick Allen (R-Ga.-12) applauded action by the House today to pass legislation fully repealing ObamaCare. Allen was a cosponsor of the measure, H.R. 596, which the House approved with a vote of 239-186. The legislation fully repeals ObamaCare while also directing the chairmen of relevant committees in the House to craft alternative solutions to strengthen the nation’s health care system that foster growth, lower premiums and empower patients with more choices.

Allen issued the following statement upon the bill’s passage:

“From skyrocketing premiums to canceled health plans and lost access to their doctors, Georgians across the 12^th district have felt the devastating effects of ObamaCare. Its burdens on small businesses continue to destroy jobs and have cut the hours and paychecks of millions of hardworking Americans. Simply put, ObamaCare is an unworkable law that is wrong for Americans and disastrous for our economy. I’m proud to act on behalf of my constituents who overwhelmingly oppose this law by supporting its full repeal. Importantly, the legislation passed by the House today allows Congress the opportunity to work on commonsense, patient-centered solutions to improve our health care system.

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Your Washington – GA 7 – Desk

From Congressman Rob Woodall

Woodall Supports Full Repeal of Obamacare

Today, U.S. Representative Rob Woodall (GA 07) issued the following statement regarding his support of H.R. 596, the “To repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.”

“Today, I voted to fully repeal Obamacare, and set in motion a targeted approach to solve the problems created by a law that has regrettably been anything but affordable for American families and taxpayers,” said Woodall.  “From the time it was first jammed through on an entirely party-line vote, Obamacare has been a source of great conflict among the American people, and has broken the very promises on which it was based.  For the millions of Americans unable to keep their doctor or the plan they had, and unable to afford an alternative, the problem has only expanded.”

“The American people want practical solutions to these problems, and Republicans in the House are working hard to offer principled solutions, just as we did last Congress with the American Health Care Reform Act, and much more.”

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