releases: https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletter-archive/district-connection-101920
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| https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletter-archive/district-connection-101920 | District Connection - 10/19/20 | 2020-10-19 | 2020 | 2020-10 | Republican | Senate | GA | Rob Woodall | W000810 | woodall.house.gov | legacy | WEEK OF HEARINGS CONCLUDES FOR SCOTUS NOMINEE BARRETT While a holiday for some, last Monday kicked off a series of hearings in the Senate Judiciary Committee to perform its Constitutional obligation of advice and consent to advance President Trump's nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court. Although the hearings were marked at times with feckless procedural motions to delay the confirmation process, the occasion was largely civil and constructive. In fact, Ranking Member Diane Feinstein (D-CA) even praised the hearings as fair and one of the best set of hearings she's been a part of. Senator Feinstein's comments were a welcome reprieve from the partisan hyperbole surrounding the nomination of Judge Barrett and the judicial nomination process at large, where overblown statements about fairness and demonization of an individual's character dominated the conversation. It is true that the loss of the 60-vote threshold on judicial nominees has compromised the Senate's ability to work thoughtfully and collectively, but it is also true that the loss of the filibuster in this process was a direct cause of hyper-partisanship. The rules governing the Senate are what make it the world's greatest deliberative body, and I am hopeful that we will be able to return to a place where level heads prevail. At the conclusion of the final hearing, Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) scheduled the committee vote to advance Judge Barrett's nomination for Thursday this week, with full Senate consideration to immediately follow. LOCAL CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE MEET WITH FEDERAL LEADERS The good work our local Chambers of Commerce do has been perhaps no more evident than during this time. They have continued to provide leadership, assistance, and counsel to businesses across our communities who have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. A full economic return is dependent on strong state and local leadership ensuring that conditions are in place to both properly protect public health and support businesses as they reopen operations. I appreciate the efforts of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce and the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce's in that endeavor. And I am grateful to know that even during this difficult time, our state's local chambers are continuing to look for ways to connect with federal leaders and move forward their ideas to better serve our communities. Last week, the Gwinnett and North Fulton Chambers had the opportunity to discuss some of the most important issues facing our communities with leaders across the federal government, including U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao and Dr. Dana Meaney-Delman, who co-leads the Vaccine Task Force at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. I had the pleasure to speak with the Chambers, alongside Representatives Jody Hice and Hank Johnson, about federal efforts to address the impacts of this crisis, as well as the need to maximize the utility of every dollar and investment in the long-term, given our nation's troubling fiscal outlook. Opportunities like these that connect local and federal leaders yield some of our most fruitful policy ideas and discussions. I appreciated the opportunity to continue our dialogue, and I am grateful for their work to serve organizations across the state of Georgia. HRSA AWARDS $2 BILLION FOR RYAN WHITE HIV/AIDS PROGRAM The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program plays a critical role in our nation's public health response to the HIV epidemic, providing grant funding to states, cities, counties, and local community-based organizations to provide essential medical care and support services for uninsured and under-insured individuals affected by HIV/AIDS. Approximately 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV, and roughly half of those diagnosed have received support in some manner through the Ryan White Program. This program is a key component of the Trump Administration's initiative to drastically reduce HIV domestically by 2030, with the goal of reducing the number of new infections by 90 percent over the next decade. Earlier this year, as part of that Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for Americainitiative, the Health and Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the CARES Act awarded $117 million and $90 million, respectively, to bolster the program's offerings. And this month, HRSA awarded $2.24 billion in Fiscal Year 2020 grant funding to expand the program's reach even further. This funding will support medical and early intervention services for individuals who need that support the most, including at Positive Impact Health Centers (PIHC) in Duluth. The Ryan White program has continually demonstrated a track record of success, and I have no doubt that the providers supported with this funding will continue its 28-year legacy in improving health outcomes and reducing HIV transmission rates. MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD BEGINS FOR 2021 If you are enrolled in Medicare, you are likely aware that October 15th each year historically marks the beginning of the open enrollment process. During this period, Medicare beneficiaries can review their health and drug plans and make changes to their coverage before the new plan year begins in January. Or if you are happy with your current plan, you can elect to keep your current plan and make no changes at all. However, it is important to review 2021 plan materials, including the Evidence of Coverage and Annual Notice of Change, even if you plan to remain in the same plan to make sure that your needs will continue to be met. The enrollment period runs through December 7th. Whether you are looking to alter your Medicare Advantage plan, switch to Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage Plan, or change your Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, there are several resources available to help you navigate this process. You can use the Medicare Plan Finder atmedicare.govto compare coverage options and estimate plan costs. Additionally, the GeorgiaCares Program, which is part of a national program that offers assistance to ensure people with Medicare understand their benefits and coverage options, offers free, personalized counseling. You can contact them at 1-866-552-4464 or you may visit theirwebpagefor more information. CONSTITUENT SPOTLIGHT: INCREASING ACCESS TO BROADBAND As our country continues to spend a record amount of time and money online, the importance of access to fast and reliable Internet has been increasingly visible in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. Here are some of the messages I have received from you all on the topic: Robert from Cumming: Dear Congressman, as you know, Covid-19 has forced many of us to work from home. Fortunately, the Internet has allowed us to continue our employment. Our service was tolerable before the pandemic but now that we are working from home, we are finding it woefully inadequate. We have a vital need for better Internet service to keep our jobs and allow children to attend school. Alice from Buford: Over the past few weeks people have been told to stay home to stay safe. But without affordable, reliable Internet access this becomes increasingly harder. I'm writing to demand Congress pass funding to ensure Internet access for everyone. ______________________________________________________________________________ The COVID-19 public health emergency has brought to light countless social and economic trends and issues, one of those being the important role access to broadband Internet places in connecting our communities. As we have seen, online services have been increasingly utilized during this time. Telehealth visits, virtual learning in both K-12 and higher education, and large shifts across multiple sectors to remote work have provided for continuity of operations in a time when doing so is critical to lowering the spread of COVID-19. Messages like those from Robert and Alice demonstrate that access to reliable Internet is indeed a critical need, but unfortunately, the COVID-19 crisis has also illuminated where disparities in access exist for millions of Americans, particularly across rural and low-income communities. The most recent data in our state indicates that more than 1 million Georgians (500,000 homes and businesses) lack access to high-speed Internet service, with 70 percent of those residing in rural areas. Now, some of you may be asking what qualifies as the benchmark for broadband speed. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) defines this as a minimum 25 megabits per second (Mbps) download / 3 Mbps upload speed a threshold that was set by the FCC in 2015. The agency notes this speed is one generally sufficient to provide for the average user to utilize email, web browsing, streaming HD video, video conferencing, and other basic functions. I am proud of recent federal efforts to bridge the digital divide, including provisions in the CARES Act aimed at expanding broadband access and deployment. Specifically, the CARES Act included $100 million for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's ReConnect Loan and Grant program which provides funds for the costs of construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment to provide broadband in rural areas, as well as $200 million for the FCC's new COVID-19 Telehealth Program to assist medical providers in delivering telehealth services. Additionally, while the CARES Act allows states and local governments to utilize funding they received through the Coronavirus Relief Fund to support temporary Internet programs, as I recently discussed, I have joined my colleagues in urging House Leaders to ensure that those funds can be used for permanent broadband infrastructure construction as well. The issue of broadband deployment is also one that has also been a key focus of our state leaders, most notably through the Georgia Broadband Deployment Initiative (GBDI) launched in 2018 by the Department of Community Affairs, the Georgia Technology Authority, and partnering agencies to expand broadband infrastructure and services in Georgia. In fact, the data I mentioned earlier is a result of GBDI's work in our state, and this July, Governor Kemp announced the publication of Georgia's Broadband Availability Map to more accurately map where those broadband disparities exist in Georgia. Expanding broadband access has wide, bipartisan support across the nation, and I hope that Congress will continue its efforts at the federal level to provide for high-speed Internet deployment and its utilization. GWINNETT COUNTY ROTARIANS RAISE $25,000 FOR NONPROFITS When it comes to supporting our Gwinnett and Forsyth County nonprofits, there are many civic organizations who never fail to step up to the plate. Last week, the Rotary Club of Sugarloaf in Duluth raised nearly $25,000 at their annual Gwinnett Duck Derby in support of organizations like the Lawrenceville Boys & Girls Club, the Gwinnett Medical Center Foundation, the Gwinnett County Library Foundation, and other local nonprofits. About 6,000 raffle ducks were purchased at the Duck Derby a truly incredible turnout and show of support from our community. I hope you will join me in recognizing the Rotary Club of Sugarloaf and all of the Derby's participants and sponsors for their commitment to supporting our local nonprofits. I never cease to be impressed by the spirit of generosity that is embraced in our District. FORYSTH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AWARDED TRAFFIC SAFETY GRANT I am always grateful to hear of new and collaborative ways our state and local governments work together to keep our communities safe. The Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety awarded the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office with a traffic safety grant of over $120,000, which will be used to directly combat car accidents on our roadways. The Sheriff's office plans to use the grant to monitor impaired and reckless drivingissues which, according to Sheriff Ron Freeman, are one of our citizens' most prevalent complaints. Traffic safety is a critical public safety issue, and I look forward to hearing about the improvements to highway safety that this grant program will directly support. THE WEEK AHEAD With the Senate Judiciary Committee set to vote on Judge Amy Coney Barrett's nomination to the Supreme Court this week, likely followed by a full vote in the Senate Chamber, the House remains in recess but eagerly awaiting movement on negotiations between House, Senate, and White House leaders on the next COVID relief package. I regret that the progress surrounding this relief package continues to remain clouded in uncertainty, and I disagree with Speaker Pelosi's hard-line position in negotiations, ignoring calls from her own party to move forward a larger relief bill or allow standalone relief bills to come to the floor. Undeniably, there are areas where agreement remains yet to be reached, but there is ample opportunity to come together and act on those things which we do agree. An it's my way or the highway approach only continues to delay much-needed relief, and I will continue to press to consider a bill that can pass both the House and Senate and make it to the President's desk for approval. Sincerely, Rob Woodall Member of Congres | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |