Happy Thanksgiving from Congressman Woodall

Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the season of gratitude and joy. Americans from all walks of life gather with their family and friends to reflect on their blessings and to give thanks. I have heard others say that it is sometimes difficult to part the clouds and see all that we have to be truly thankful for, but I think of it simply.

There are a lot of other countries that you and I could live in today, other countries in which so many of us were born. As we watch the situation between Gaza and Israel escalate, I remember that an entire generation of Israeli children has grown up under rocket fire. While America celebrates Thanksgiving, Israel will be fighting for the very peace and freedom that we Americans so often take for granted.

The hand of God works in mysterious ways. As far as I'm concerned, however, I won the lottery by being born in America. I live in a country that provides more opportunities to succeed than any other country on earth. And you and I as citizens and voters have been given the awesome power and responsibility to keep it that way.

Is everything perfect today? Of course not. We have a long, tough road ahead of us. However, when I think about my options - when I think about our options - I always conclude that the United States of America, warts and all, is still the greatest nation that man has ever devised.
I join you in giving thanks for the blessing that it is to be an American. I wish you and your family a wonderful start to the holiday season. May God bless your family and our great nation, and may God give a very special blessing to those men and women celebrating Thanksgiving while serving America far away from their families and in harm’s way. For them and their sacrifices, we are especially grateful.

Sincerely,

Rob Woodall

From the Desk of Congressman Rob Woodall

The U.S. Capitol was full this week with newly elected members who are excited to contribute their ideas and returning members who are reinvigorated and ready to get to work fixing our nation's problems.  But it wasn't all orientation and organization events.  I'd like to share with you some of what's been happening in Washington, D.C. this week.

Benghazi Investigation

As many of you know, the Middle East is facing an increasing number of serious political, social, and security challenges.  This week, Israel has had to endure a particularly heavy barrage of rocket attacks from Gaza.  Iran continues to pursue nuclear capability.  Al Qaeda has penetrated the demilitarized zone between Egypt and Israel, known as the Sinai Peninsula.  Syria remains locked in a bloody civil war.  And, the Obama Administration has withheld the truth about the nature of the attacks on our diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt for weeks. 

I have received correspondence from many of you regarding the attacks on our consulates and embassies in Libya and Egypt.  Like many, I am completely dissatisfied with the narrative provided thus far by the White House and the U.S. Department of State.  This week, we are finally beginning to receive some answers.  On November 15, 2012, the House Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing to determine the extent of our security failures.  My hope is that testimony provided by General David Petraeus at today’s hearing in the House Intelligence Committee will shed additional light on the Administration’s actions, including why it did not immediately disclose the truth to the public.

While we cannot solve all of the problems in the Middle East, it is essential that we do everything in our power to keep our diplomatic missions safe and our allies secure.  My promise to you is that I will work to do both of these things.   

Energy

This week, President Obama acknowledged that his cap-and-trade scheme—which was already rejected by Congress—would kill jobs and further slow economic growth.  However, the President needs to do more than admit that new energy taxes will hurt our economy. He should commit to creating 20,000 new jobs by finally approving the Keystone XL Pipeline. He should call for the Senate to take up H.R. 1231, a bill passed by the House which would lift the ban on new offshore drilling and move America closer to long-term energy independence and security. 

Unfortunately, the President is more focused on shutting down our current domestic energy production than expanding it. His EPA regulations are expected to shut down up to 54,000 megawatts of coal-fueled electric generation and cause at least 544,000 jobs losses next year. My promise to you is that I will fight any attempt by this Administration to make it more difficult for energy job creators to hire new workers, limit our capacity to safely develop new domestic energy, or make it harder for American families to simply pay their monthly bills. With your help, we can be successful.

Protecting America's Airline Industry

This week the House passed S.1956, the “European Union Emissions Trading Scheme Prohibition Act of 2011” by voice vote.  This legislation prohibits U.S. airlines, like Georgia's own Delta Airlines, from being forced to participate in the European Union’s (EU) carbon emissions trading scheme.  While it is certainly the right of all nations to govern their airspace as they see fit, the EU emissions trading system essentially taxes airlines for emissions made outside EU airspace.  Such regulations are a clear encroachment on the sovereignty of other nations and in violation of numerous international treaties to which the United States and the EU member states are signatories.  

The Senate also passed S.1956 unanimously, signifying the broad,  bi-partisan support for standing up for U.S. sovereignty, as well as the financial well being of U.S. airlines.  The bill has already made a difference, though it has yet to be signed by the President.  Knowing that the House would soon vote on S.1956, the EU commissioner in charge of the emissions scheme announced a one year delay in implementing the system.  I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in the House and Senate to counter this bold attempt by the EU to undermine our national sovereignty and damage our airline industry. 

Fiscal Cliff

Since you and I began working together in Congress, we looked to find ways to cut spending and address our federal budget challenges directly. This week marked a post-election return to those efforts through proposals to address the so called “fiscal cliff,” the combination of forthcoming tax increases and deep cuts to our military and other spending programs.

We all agree that our tax code must change, but there are very different visions between the House of Representatives and the President on how to restructure it. The President has called for tax rate increases for small businesses earning over $250,000 a year. It is clear that this will hurt the prospects for those small businesses to hire new employees and expand.  In contrast, the House has proposed raising tax revenues but not raising tax rates.  We would grow revenues through comprehensive tax reform that will reward innovation and hard work and expand our economy.  The FairTax is one of the ideas that would do that very thing, and I'm working hard to make it part of our tax reform conversation. 

Even more important than tax receipts, however, is the current path of federal spending.  Any serious and credible budget plan must change that spending path, particularly the path of entitlements and mandatory spending.  As a member of the House Budget Committee, I joined Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) in crafting a budget that would achieve that goal.  As we head towards the fiscal cliff set for January 1, 2013, please know that I will do everything that I can to implement our reform ideas and ensure that our economy continues to grow.  The President and the Senate to this day -- even after four years -- have yet to put a spending reform proposal on the table.  The House can't negotiate with itself, and I am doing everything that I can to encourage the President and the Senate to put their plans for spending reform on the table. 

New England Compounding Center

On Wednesday, November 14th the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Overisght and Investigations held a hearing to begin what will certainly be a long process of figuring out what went wrong at the New England Compounding Center (NECC).  Tainted medication from NECC has led to hundreds of cases of fungal meningitis across the country and over 30 deaths.  The hearing examined the history of complaints against the NECC, the response of the State of Massachusetts, and the actions of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.  Hopefully, with continued oversight and with the cooperation of all the parties involved, we can get to the bottom of what happened and how to prevent it from happening again.

Thank you for your continued interest in our government and for giving me this opportunity to share with you.   


Sincerely,

 

 

 

 

Member of Congress

November 2012 Meeting Invitation

Conservative Republican Women

of North Atlanta 

invite you to attend our November meeting

Monday, November 19th,  Magnolia Café

5175 South Old Peachtree Road, Norcross, GA

Doors open at 7:00.  Meeting begins promptly at 7:30

Featured speakers are:

Kathy Schrader

Newly Elected Judge

and

Representative fromWellspring Living

Wellspring Living's mission is to confront the issue of childhood sexual abuse and exploitation through awareness, training, and treatment programs for women and girls.

https://wellspringliving.org/

 

Everyone is welcome

Bring a friend

 

GA GOP Chairman's Letter

Chairman’s Letter: November 14, 2012

Posted by chris on Nov 14, 2012
Dear Friends,
In the week that has passed since Election Day, our Party – both here in Georgia and nationally – has had the opportunity to reflect on what worked, what didn’t and where we are going to go from here. Self-assessment, while not always an easy process, will guide our Party forward into 2014 and beyond and is something that we have embraced here at Georgia GOP.
As I wrote last week, Election Day was indeed a successful day for the Republican Party in Georgia. Along with casting more votes for Mitt Romney than any presidential candidate has ever garnered in our state (and the most East of the Mississippi in 2012), we also grew our majorities in both chambers under the Gold Dome, defended our congressional and statewide majorities and did not lose a single incumbent on the federal or state level. In addition, we saw our Party grow substantially on the local level, electing more sheriffs, county commissioners and district attorneys than ever before.
In 2014, the stakes will once again be high here in the Peach State. Senator Saxby Chambliss will be up for reelection, as will the vast majority of our statewide office holders, including Governor Nathan Deal, Attorney General Sam Olens, Secretary of State Brian Kemp and all other constitutional officers. As such, the next few months will be not only a time for reflection, but also for preparation.
That preparation begins with the 2013 Georgia Republican Party Convention Cycle. Starting with the Mass Precinct Meetings in February and continuing through the 2013 State Convention in Athens, this cycle will be vital to the future of our Party. We will be electing leadership atop every District and County GOP Organization, and will ultimately elect my successor here at the State Party. In order for our team to carry on the successes of the past decade, we must continue to elect leaders that will carry our Party to new and great heights.
Please mark your calendar for these important upcoming dates in the 2013 GAGOP Convention Cycle:
February 9, 2013 - Mass Precinct Meetings
March 9, 2013 – County Conventions
April 20, 2013 – District Conventions
May 17-18, 2013 – GAGOP State Convention (Athens, GA)
To find out more about the upcoming events in the 2013 Georgia Republican Party Convention Cycle, please contact your County Chairman by clicking here.
Here at the Georgia Republican Party, our sights are set on November 4^th, 2014. Let’s get to work!
All my best,

Sue

Corporate Political Donations

Below is a list of political donations, by company, to the two major political parties:

AMERICANS CAN NOW DETERMINE WHERE TO SHOP AND SPEND THEIR MONEY Election Cycle political donations, as reported by the Center for Responsive Politics. Shopping Price Club/Costco donated $225K, 99% went to Democrats Rite Aid donated $517K, 60% went to Democrats Magla Products (Stanley tools, Mr. Clean) donated $22K, 100% went to Democrats Warnaco (undergarments) donated $55K, 73% went to Democrats Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia donated $153K, 99% went to Democrats Estee Lauder donated $448K, 95% went to Democrats Guess, Inc. donated $145K, 98% went to Democrats Calvin Klein donated $78K, 100% went to Democrats Liz Claiborne, Inc. donated $34K, 97% went to Democrats Levi Straus donated $26K, 97% went to Democrats Olan Mills donated $175K, 99% went to Democrats WalMart donated $467K, 97% went to Republicans K-Mart donated $524K, 86% went to Republicans Home Depot donated $298K, 89% went to Republicans Target donated $226K, 70% went to Republicans Circuit City Stores donated $261K, 95% went to Republicans 3M Co. donated $281K, 87% went to Republicans Hallmark Cards donated $319K, 92% went to Republicans Amway donated $391K, 100% Republicans Kohler Co. (plumbing fixtures) donated $283K, 100% Republicans B.F. Goodrich (tires) donated $215K, 97% went to Republicans Proctor & Gamble donated $243K, 79% went to Republicans Spirits Southern Wine & Spirits donated $213K, 73% went to Democrats Joseph E. Seagrams & Sons (incl. Beverage Business and considerable media interests) donated $2M+, 67% went to Democrats Gallo Winery donated $337K, 95% went to Democrats Coors & Budweiser donated $174K, 92% went to Republicans Brown-Forman Corp. (Southern Comfort, Jack Daniels, Bushmills, Korbel Wines, Lenox China , Dansk and Gorham Silver) donated $644 K -- 80% went to Republicans Restaurants Sonic Corporation donated $83K, 98% went to Democrats Triarc Companies (Arby's, T.J. Cinnamon's, Pasta Connections) donated $112K, 96% went to Democrats Pilgrim's Pride Corp. (chicken) donated $366K, 100% went to Republicans Outback Steakhouse donated $641K, 95% went to Republicans Tricon Global Restaurants (KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell) donated $133K, 87% went to Republicans Brinker International (Maggiano's, Brinker Cafe, Chili's, On the Border, Macaroni Grill, Crazymel's, Corner Baker, EatZis) donated $242K, 83% went to Republicans Waffle House donated $279K, 100% went to Republicans McDonald's Corp. Donated $197K, 86% went to Republicans Darden Restaurants (Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Smokey Bones, Bahama Breeze) donated $121K, 89% went to Republicans Heinz Republicans $64,000. Democrats $21,300! John Kerry's wife's company!!! Hotels Hyatt Corporation donated $187K of which 80% went to Democrats Marriott International $323K, 81% went to Republicans Holiday Inns donated $38K, 71% went to Republicans

Veterans Day Around GA 7th District

Every year, just after an election season focuses on the division within our nation, a day comes along that unites all Americans.  I’m talking about the eleventh day of the eleventh month when all Americans have the privilege of honoring our military heroes.  I’m talking about Veterans Day, and this year Veterans Day celebrations are taking place not just on a single day, but throughout the entire weekend.

Around the great 7th District of Georgia you can participate in activities that honor the sacrifice and love of country that our brave men and women in uniform have fought to protect.  America's veterans are second to none.  When our country called, they answered, and it is our duty to celebrate them on Veterans Day.  Please consider attending one of the great Veterans Day events taking place this weekend.

Friday, November 9th

City of Lawrenceville - "A Day of Honor"
On Friday from 11am to 1pm, the City of Lawrenceville will be hosting an event, A Day of Honor, in celebration of our veterans at the Lawrenceville Visitor’s Center.  State Representative Buzz Brockway will be the featured guest speaker.  The event will include a luncheon, music, a workshop on veterans’ employment opportunities and resume building provided by the Georgia Department of Labor, and veterans’ disability and health benefits counseling from the Disabled American Veterans. 

City of Cumming and the American Legion Veterans Day Ceremony
The City of Cumming is partnering with the American Legion Post 307 to hold a Veterans Day ceremony on Friday at 11am at the City of Cumming Veterans War Memorial.  The Memorial is located at 301 Veterans Memorial Boulevard and pays homage to the sons and daughters of Cumming and Forsyth County who served our country on foreign and American soil.  The ceremony will include the North Forsyth High School JROTC, the Forsyth Central High School Flash of Crimson Band, members of the American Legion, the Forsyth County Sheriff and Fire Joint Honor Guard Rifle Team, Boy Scout Troop 245, and remarks by special guest General John W. Hendrix, US Army, Ret. 

Sunday, November 11th

Gwinnett County Fallen Heroes Memorial
The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners, along with members of the Gwinnett and Lawrenceville Police, Fire and EMS crews, and the Sheriff’s Office will honor Gwinnett County’s veterans and service members at the Gwinnett Fallen Heroes Memorial.  The ceremony will begin at 1:30pm at 75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville and will host guest speaker Command Sergeant Major James Nelson.  The Gwinnett Fallen Heroes Memorial commemorates over 700 residents of Gwinnett County who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation and community. 

City of Lilburn
The City of Lilburn will host a Veterans Day Salute in Lilburn City Park on November 11th from 2pm to 4pm.  The event will include patriotic music and a flag folding and retirement ceremony led by Girl Scout Troop 4530.  The ceremony will be held at the pavilion in Lilburn City Park, located at 76 Main Street.

Forsyth County Veterans Day Freedom Rally
Forsyth County's Veterans Day celebration will be held at the Central Park Recreation Center at 2300 Keith Bridge Road in Cumming from 3pm to 5pm on November 11th.  The event will honor our nation's veterans and includes speeches from local veterans and a flag presentation by Boy Scout Troop 3740.  Donations will be accepted at the rally and all donations will support wounded warrior programs.   

Monday, November 12th

Action Ministries and HOPE Atlanta

On Monday at 10:30am, Action Ministries Georgia, in partnership with HOPE Atlanta, will be hosting a special Veterans Day program at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #5255 at 368 Grayson Highway in Lawrenceville.  U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson is scheduled to deliver remarks to the veterans community at this event.  Action Ministries and HOPE Atlanta help veterans in need to meet their housing, education, and food related issues, and will focus on these topics at the event.

Thank you for all that you do to remember our veterans and honor their service.  We are a better nation because of what you do.

Sincerely,

Rob Woodall