{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletter-archive/district-connection-111620", "District Connection - 11/16/20", "2020-11-16", "2020", "2020-11", "Republican", "Senate", "GA", "Rob Woodall", "W000810", "woodall.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "EFFORTS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND DEPLOY COVID-19 COUNTERMEASURES\nThe COVID-19 pandemic is first and foremost a public health crisis, and some of the most critical efforts to combatting this virus have centered on developing countermeasures, such as diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. There are several vaccine candidates in the process of clinical trials, and I know many of you may have seen Pfizer's recent announcement, which says its vaccine candidate has demonstrated a 90 percent efficacy rate based on results from its Phase 3 trial. As you may recall, earlier this summer the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced an agreement, as part of itsOperation Warp Speed, that would provide for the production and delivery of 100 million doses of this COVID-19 vaccine, with the ability to acquire 500 million additional doses, if it is proven safe and effective. Additionally, just this morning, Moderna announcedequally encouraging data from its Phase 3 trial, indicating a vaccine efficacy of 94 percent.These results are undeniably encouraging, but those trials are ongoing. Any vaccine candidate will still need to demonstrate set standards of efficacy and safety, as well as receive regulatory approval from the FDA, before wider distribution.\nAdditionally, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for a new therapeutic treatment that has shown evidence to reduce hospitalization and emergency visits for COVID-19 positive patients at increased risk of severe illness from the virus. And last month, the FDA approved its first treatment, remdesivir, for use in health care settings for adults and children 12 and older who require hospitalization from COVID-19.\nThe federal government will continue to play a critical role in advancing vaccines and treatments to fight COVID-19, and as these efforts continue, we must continue to do our part and follow public health recommendations. The health of our communities and our further economic recovery is dependent on it.\n\nKEEPING AMERICAN FAMILIES UNITED\nYou would be hard-pressed to find someone who would tell you our immigration system is working as intended. In fact, it is more common to find someone to tell you how the onerous process had failed them by way of delays, misfiled paperwork, and more. The issues plaguing our immigration procedures have real consequences for families throughout the United States. One issue specifically was brought to my attention earlier this Congress by our neighbors representing American Families United.\nFor those who fall in love, marry, and raise a family with a spouse who turns out to be undocumented, there is no path for those families to get right by the law. Rather, our laws unintentionally encourage those individuals to remain in hiding or else risk being separated from their families for three years, five years, or permanently as they are barred from ever returning to the U.S. While upholding our national security and safety of our citizens makes it necessary to keep some individuals from reentering the country, surely it was never intended to prevent American citizens from living in peace with their spouse.\nAfter working for over a year with Representative Veronica Escobar (D-TX), we were able to introduce H.R. 8708, the American Families United Act. For those cases that do not deal with security issues for the United States, this bill will enable immigration judges to use their discretion on a case-by-case basis to keep American citizens and their families together.\nFamilies belong together, and I believe the American Families United Act serves that mission. I am proud of the strong product we have put together and hope this bill will be taken up in the coming months.\n\nALL VETERANS AND GOLD STAR FAMILIES GRANTED FREE ENTRANCE TO NATIONAL PARKS \nMany of you know that last Wednesday was Veterans Day a time of reflection, gratitude, and celebration of the honorable sacrifices that our nation's veterans have made to protect our country. We certainly owe our servicemembers a tremendous debt of gratitude, which is why I was pleased to learn that U.S. Secretary of the Interior Bernhardtrecently issued an order granting all Gold Star Families and military veterans free entrance to our national parks, refuges, and other public lands.\nA similar program is already offered to active duty military and their dependents, but expanding this benefit to Gold Star Families and veterans is truly symbolic of our lasting appreciation of their sacrifices. To benefit from the program, Gold Star Families or veterans simply need to present qualifying identification, such as a Military ID or a Driver's License with a veterans designation, providing access to the roughly 2,000 public locations spanning 400 million acres of land managed by the Department of the Interior, the National Forest Service, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It is only fitting that all of our nation's servicemembers, both past and present, should have free access to some of the very lands they strived to protect and defend.\n\nCONSTITUENT SPOTLIGHT: PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 \nIn the early months of the COVID-19 public health emergency, there was much that we didn't know about the respiratory contagion that has since spurred an ongoing global health crisis. But as the days and months have gone on, the important role that face masks play in preventing the spread of COVID-19 has become increasingly clear. Here is what some of you have had so say about the subject:\nMariah from Lawrenceville:\nI am writing you this letter concerning the use of masks due to the life-threatening pandemic that is occurring. The lack of mask usage should not be taken lightly because the lives of our fellow citizens are being jeopardized. I understand that social distancing can be a little difficult in public, especially with many people around, butmasks can prevent further spread of COVID.\nSusan from Suwanee:\nMr. Woodall, it's time to let our kids, teenagers and young adults go back to normal. They have sacrificed enough for this virus. For those that interact with young people as part of their job or living situation, wear a mask. I am sad for all that our kids have lost.\n______________________________________________________________________________\nAs you may recall, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) first implemented its mask guidance on April 3 of this year. Since then, the scientific community has found overwhelming evidence that properly worn masks help prevent the droplets carrying the COVID-19 virus from spreading person-to-person. As CDC Director Robert Redfield told lawmakers when testifying on Capitol Hill this fall, face coverings are the most important, powerful public health tool we have. In fact, as our scientific researchers continue their efforts to accelerate the development of a COVID-19 vaccine that is proven to be safe and effective, the use of face masks, social distancing protocols, and other public health measures have enabled businesses to reopen, children return to school, and our nation get back to work.\nAs Susan said, the economic and mental toll levied on workers and families because of COVID-19 has been undeniable. But it cannot be said enough: our economic bounce back and return to normalcy is inextricably linked to our ability to control the public health threat posed by COVID-19. We will not have one without the other. As the winter months approach, and with people spending more time indoors in close proximity to others, we simply cannot afford to see a surge in new cases.\nTo ensure compliance with the CDC's mask wearing guidance, some have suggested that the federal government pass a nationwide mask policy. While I think the sentiment beyond such calls  to protect our friends and neighbors  is universally shared, it remains the case that these policies should be state and locally implemented. Any policy is only as strong as its enforcement, and while our federal leaders should continue to let science be our guide when setting best practices, it is our states and localities that are ultimately tasked with enforcing any such policy. Of course, the importance of following public health protocols should be a message that is communicated at all levels of government. But as in many areas of public policy, our states and localities are the ones best equipped to assess their needs and determine how to specifically implement policies to best address them.\nTo Mariah's concern, the good news is an increasing number of Americans are opting to wear masks. But with many states continuing to see increases in the number of confirmed cases, we must ensure we are continually adhering to these public health guidelines. Masks will continue to play a pivotal role in reducing transmission of this virus; let's continue to do our part to protect our friends and neighbors, particularly those with underlying health conditions who are most vulnerable.\n\nGWINNETT COUNTY SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS CONTINUE TO DEMONSTRATE EXCELLENCE\nHere in the Seventh District, we are home to some of the most outstanding schools in the state, and even with the challenges posed by COVID-19, our students continue to demonstrate a commitment to academic excellence. That's why this week, I would like to recognize Gwinnett County Public Schools for its success at increasing its student graduation rate, with 83.23% of students graduating from high school within 4 years.\nAs we all know, this increased graduation rate would not have been possible without the hard work of our teachers in ensuring students in the classroom are receiving a quality education. As you may recall from my previous newsletter, Gwinnett County Public Schools earlier this fall named its 139 Teachers of the Year for each public school in the county. Now, 6 finalists have been selected out of 25 semifinalists. This year's finalists include: Lena Alonso from Lilburn Elementary, Katie Blum from Sugar Hill Elementary; Kelley Donovan from Coleman Middle School, Julianne Purnell from Five Forks Middle School; Philip Peavy from Paul Duke STEM High School; and Danielle Swaby from South Gwinnett High. The overall district winner is expected to be announced on December 10th.\nI surely don't envy the Selection Committee in making its final decision, and as we await word on this year's winner, I know we are all grateful for the hard work of all of our teachers during this time. These educators have worked tirelessly to adapt learning models to continue to provide instruction both in-person and virtually (and oftentimes both at the same time). Thank you for all that you do.\n\nFORSYTH COUNTY COMMUNITY HONORS SERVICEMEMBERS AND VETERANS\nAs I discussed earlier, last week we observed Veterans Day to remember the bravery and sacrifice of those who have served to defend our country. Our military's heroic efforts have preserved our freedoms. It gives me such pride to see our community give back in honor of their service and to share examples of those acts of generosity with you.\nIn Cumming, Dental Smiles collected 450 pounds of candy during their annual Halloween Candy Buyback by encouraging trick-or-treaters to donate some of their Halloween haul to Operation ShoeBox a nonprofit that sends Christmas care packages to troops serving overseas. And that's not the only business trying to ignite the Christmas spirit for our servicemembers. Another Forsyth business, Music Authority, is working with volunteers to create giftboxes through the Any Soldier program, gifting essential hygiene items to soldiers overseas along with handwritten notes to cheer on our military heroes. And while these and other businesses across our community have demonstrated a generous show of support for our active duty military overseas, our district has also come together to thank our local veterans by installing a new flagpole and monument in the Vickery Lake community.\nThese acts of kindness are undeniably important during this time, and I would like to thank everyone who made this Veterans Day one of hope and celebration. And on behalf of our District, I would like to again thank our veterans and troops for their service and sacrifice. We celebrate that today, but may we remember it always.\n\nSEVENTH DISTRICT KICKS OFF THE HOLIDAY SEASON WITH A CHARITABLE SPIRIT\nWith the holidays just around the corner, our community has been gearing up to make this holiday season that much more special for children and families in need. That's why I would like to highlight the efforts of Forsyth County Fire Department (FCFD) and The Place of Forsyth for their work to give our community a little extra holiday spirit. FCFD has kicked off its annual Aerial's House toy collection drive, and they are asking for new, unwrapped gift donations for children of all ages to be dropped off at their contactless donation bins at the Forsyth County Fire Station or the Fire Department Headquarters from November 9th through December 11th, or in the lobby of the Forsyth County Administration Building in December. The toys will be distributed with the help of the extraordinary folks at The Place of Forsyth, a nonprofit that has truly strengthened our community with their dedicated service, especially during this challenging year. In fact, The Place hopes to continue supporting members of our community in need by preparing its Holiday Assistance Program, including Thanksgiving meal kits for over 500 families who are in need. With these efforts to give to those in need additional support, the Forsyth County Fire Department and The Place of Forsyth have truly gone above and beyond to bring joy to our community this holiday season.\nThank you to all of you who have already donated to assist our neighbors. Your acts of generosity and the enthusiasm in which you give back to our community are part of what makes our district so special.\n\nTHE WEEK AHEAD\nLast week, Members-elect to the 117th Congress descended upon Washington, D.C. to begin new Member orientation sessions. Orientation will continue this week in addition to a number of organizational meetings for the Republican and Democrat conferences. That leaves us with a light load legislatively as we consider a number of bills under suspension of the rules and one bill under a rule, H.R. 8294, the National Apprenticeship Act of 2020.\nWhile the 80-year-old National Apprenticeship Act is in dire need of modernization, H.R. 8294 falls short of providing meaningful reform to empower employers and others to pursue work-based learning innovation. Although Democrats on the House Committee on Education and Labor rejected the Republican alternative offered by Representative Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) which would truly bring the National Apprenticeship Act into the 21st century, I am hopeful the House will have a second chance to consider this option as an amendment on the House floor.\nSincerely,\nRob Woodall  Member of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletter-archive/district-connection-111620"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.669013872742653, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}