Hank Johnson

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation. Whereas, Ninety years ago on May 16, 1922, a tenacious man of God was born in St. Anns Jamaica West Indies; and Whereas, Mr. James L. Littlejohn, born to Georgianna and Nehemiah Littlejohn, grew up in Jamaica where he met and married his sweetheart Millicent and to their union two children were born, Barbara and Gilbert; and Whereas, Mr. Littlejohn has shared his time and talents as a Husband, Father and Motivator, giving the citizens of Jamaica, England and the United States a person of great worth, a fearless leader and a servant to all advancing the lives of others, through service at Brooklyn Baptist Church (1975) in New York and since 2002 at Peace Baptist Church in DeKalb County, Georgia; and Whereas, Mr. Littlejohn has been blessed with a long, happy life, devoted to God and credits it all to the Will of God; and Whereas, Mr. Littlejohn along with his family and friends are celebrating a remarkable milestone, his 90th Birthday, we pause to acknowledge a man who is a cornerstone in our community; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Mr. Littlejohn on his birthday and to wish him well and recognize him for an exemplary life which is an inspiration to all; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim May 16, 2012 as Mr. James L. Littlejohn Day in Georgia's 4th Congressional District of Georgia.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following: Whereas, forty-two years ago a virtuous woman of God accepted her calling to serve in the Educational System; and Whereas, Mrs. Alma T. Gammage began her educational career in teaching in the Chattahoochee County School System in Georgia and this year she retires from teaching at Edward L. Bouie, Sr., Elementary Theme School in Lithonia, Georgia, she has served the DeKalb County Public Schools System well and our community has been blessed through her service; and Whereas, this phenomenal woman has shared her time and talents as a Teacher, Educator and Motivator, giving the citizens of Georgia a person of great worth, a fearless leader, a devoted scholar and a servant to all who want to advance the lives of our youth; and Whereas, Mrs. Gammage is formally retiring from her educational career today, she will continue to promote education because she is a cornerstone in our community that has enhanced the lives of thousands for the betterment of our District and Nation; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Mrs. Alma T. Gammage on her retirement from the DeKalb County Public Schools System and to wish her well in her new endeavors; Now Therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim May 18, 2012 as Mrs. Alma T. Gammage Day in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson), the sponsor of this bill.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I rise in support of H.R. 5512, the Divisional Realignment Act of 2012, as amended. This noncontroversial measure, which the Judiciary Committee ordered reported by voice vote, simply reorganizes divisions within the two Federal judicial districts, namely the Eastern District of Missouri and the Northern District of Mississippi. I hope I pronounced ``Missourah'' correctly. Some say ``Missourah,'' some say ``Missouri.'' I'll stick with ``Missourah'' right now--I'm feeling kind of down home. This divisional realignment is being done at the request of these two districts to improve judicial administration and access to court for jurors and litigants. These proposals were formally adopted by the Judicial Conference of the United States on March 13, 2012, and transmitted to the House Judiciary Committee. According to the Judicial Conference, these changes are supported by the judicial councils of the circuits in which these districts are located, as well as the United States Attorneys for the affected districts. Under H.R. 5512, two counties in the Eastern District of Missouri will be shifted from its Eastern Division to its Southeastern Division. The bill also eliminates one of the four divisions within the Northern District of Mississippi and reallocates the counties within the eliminated division among the remaining three divisions. The Members whose districts would be affected by these divisional changes--that being Representatives Bennie Thompson, Gregg Harper, Alan Nunnelee, Jo Ann Emerson, and Russ Carnahan--have all sponsored or cosponsored this bill. In deference to these Members' familiarity with local conditions, therefore, we do not oppose these changes. We have made one revision to H.R. 5512 at the request of the Judicial Conference. To give the judges in the two affected districts some additional time to implement the bill's new divisional realignments, the version of the bill that we are considering today includes a 60-day delayed effective date. I thank Chairman Lamar Smith and Subcommittee Chairman Howard Coble for their assistance in moving this bipartisan legislation that should improve the administration of justice in these judicial districts. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following proclamation. Whereas, Dr. Thomas Smith has distinguished himself as an Educator in American government and civic leadership at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. High School in DeKalb County, Georgia; and Whereas, Dr. Smith for the last ten (10) years has led his ninth grade civic students in the study of civic leadership both through academics and community service; and Whereas, he spearheaded the effort to bring federal and state legislators to the school on a consistent bases to mentor and expose the students to our government first hand; and Whereas, this year, the civic leadership students who have been successful in their studies include Abraham Ameer, Dorien Bullock, Tommy Jones, III, Morgan Mathews and Carlton Williams; and Whereas, his boundless energy and enthusiasm has opened nationally recognized opportunities, helping his students understand that their futures are as limitless as the skies; and Whereas, we are grateful for the life and work of this outstanding teacher who defines the very essence of the profession; and Now Therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim May 22, 2012 as Dr. Thomas Smith and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. High School Civic Leadership Students Day in Georgia's 4th Congressional District.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following proclamation. Whereas, thirty-eight years ago a virtuous woman of God accepted her calling to serve in the Educational System; and Whereas, Mrs. Karen L. Macon began her educational career in teaching in South Bend, Indiana at Muessel Elementary School in 1974 and this year she retires from teaching at Edward L. Bouie, Sr., Elementary Theme School in Lithonia, Georgia, she has served the DeKalb County Public Schools System well and our community has been blessed through her service; and Whereas, this phenomenal woman has shared her time and talents as a Teacher, Educator and Motivator, giving the citizens of Georgia a person of great worth, a fearless leader, a devoted scholar and a servant to all who want to advance the lives of our youth; and Whereas, Mrs. Macon is formally retiring from her educational career today, she will continue to promote education because she is a cornerstone in our community that has enhanced the lives of thousands for the betterment of our District and Nation; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Mrs. Karen L. Macon on her retirement from the DeKalb County Public Schools System and to wish her well in her new endeavors; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim May 18, 2012 as Mrs. Karen L. Macon Day in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation. Whereas, Thirty-three years ago a virtuous woman of God accepted her calling to serve in the Educational System; and Whereas, Mrs. Loretta J. Maloy began her educational career in teaching in Georgia and this year she retires from teaching at Edward L. Bouie, Sr., Elementary Theme School in Lithonia, Georgia; she has served the DeKalb County Public Schools System well and our community has been blessed through her service; and Whereas, this phenomenal woman has shared her time and talents as a Teacher, Educator, and Motivator, giving the citizens of Georgia a person of great worth, a fearless leader, a devoted scholar, and a servant to all who want to advance the lives of our youth; and Whereas, Mrs. Maloy is formally retiring from her educational career today, she will continue to promote education because she is a cornerstone in our community that has enhanced the lives of thousands for the betterment of our District and Nation; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Mrs. Loretta J. Maloy on her retirement from the DeKalb County Public Schools System and to wish her well in her new endeavors; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby proclaim May 18, 2012 as Mrs. Loretta J. Maloy Day in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia. Proclaimed, this 18th day of May, 2012.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following proclamation. Whereas, the union of Hardy and Rose Dogan in Charleston, Mississippi has blessed us with descendants that have helped to shape our nation; and Whereas, the Dogan Family has produced many well respected citizens and the patriarchs and matriarchs of the Dogan Family are pillars of strength that have touched many throughout our nation; and Whereas, in our beloved Fourth Congressional District of Georgia, we are honored to have members of the Dogan family for they are some of our most beloved citizens in our District; and Whereas, family is one of the most honored and cherished institutions in the world, we take pride in knowing that families such as the Dogan family have set aside this time to fellowship with each other, honor one another and to pass along history to each other by meeting at this year's family reunion in DeKalb County, Georgia; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize the Dogan family; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim May 25, 2012 as Dogan Family Reunion Day in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. I have no speakers, and I'm prepared to close.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, my friend, Congressman Franks from Arizona, cited the fact that he believes that this language that I seek to remove from the NDAA actually strengthens the administration's hand. I would submit that what it does is imposes on the administration--insofar as delicate negotiations and diplomacy are being invoked--to try to convince the North Koreans that it's in their best interest to abandon their nuclear aspirations. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the good ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith).

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would direct the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the Secretary of Defense to report to Congress regarding the impact on national security of reducing our nuclear weapons stockpiles, as required by the New START Treaty. For strong supporters of New START, such as myself, it's self-evident that reducing our stockpiles when we already have the capacity to destroy the Earth many times over is clearly in our national security interest. But I understand that there is some doubt amongst my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. I respect those views, and we should address them. So this amendment offers a simple solution, that is, let's require our senior military leadership to give us their views. I believe that my view, which is that cutting our nuclear stockpiles is perfectly consistent with our security interests, would be validated. But in the national interest, it seems not only prudent but essential to put that question to our senior military leadership. And I'm willing to do that, even if it risks me getting back the wrong answer, or an answer that I don't want to hear. I'm, frankly, surprised this amendment is controversial because it's just common sense. I would ask any colleague who opposes this amendment why they wouldn't want to hear the views of our military leadership, why would we not want to hear from our senior commanders on this issue? Is there any valid reason? Let's ask our military leadership and get the expert opinions we need to move forward with a clear understanding of the policy's implications. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, what did he say? Well, it doesn't matter because whatever he said, please know that treaties have to be confirmed or ratified by the Senate with a two-thirds majority. Mr. Chairman, let's ask our military leadership whether the New START military reductions are in our security interests, whether it vindicates supporters of arms control, like myself, or vindicates those who believe we need to build more. Let's get that answer from the people who are in the best position to answer the question. And those people are our leaders in the military and in the Defense Department. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. I yield myself 15 seconds to point out that the voluminous report that my colleague on the other side just referred to, that was included in last year's NDAA and has not been submitted. I'm just asking for a simple report. I yield 2 minutes to my colleague from Washington.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. My amendment would strike language in the bill directing the administration to consider redeploying tactical nuclear weapons to the western Pacific region, and it would replace that language with a finding that such a deployment would not be in the best national security interests of the United States. The irresponsible language in the bill has already provoked a strong negative reaction from the South Korean Government and has forced the State Department to clarify that deploying nuclear weapons in South Korea is not on the table. Tactical nuclear weapons would be extremely destabilizing in the region. It would accelerate North Korea's development of nuclear weapons, and America would lose its moral ground in its diplomatic efforts to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons. It would undermine decades of diplomatic efforts to secure a nuclear- free Korean Peninsula, especially the Joint Declaration on Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula which both North and South Korea signed in 1991; and it would dramatically heighten tensions with China, perhaps with Russia, whose leaders would be understandably concerned by American tactical nuclear weapons in their backyards. Mr. Chairman, our forces in the region, including our ballistic missile submarines, our intercontinental ballistic missiles, Tomahawk cruise missiles, B 52 and B 2 bombers, are fully capable of countering North Korea. I would quote General Walter Sharp, recently retired as commander of U.S. forces in Korea, who said less than 1 year ago: I don't believe tactical nuclear weapons need to return to the Republic of Korea. The U.S. has sufficient capabilities from stocks in different places around the world in order to be able to do what we need to do to be able to deter North Korea from using nuclear weapons. They don't have to be stationed here in Korea for either deterrent capability or use capability. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 4970, the so-called VAWA bill, also known as the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act. It should be renamed WAWA, or ``War Against Women Act.'' This bill rolls back existing protections and is simply shocking in its callousness towards women and victims of abuse Native American women, they are women, too. Three out of five are victims of domestic and sexual violence. They are murder victims at the rate of 10 times the national average, but yet H.R. 4970 denies protections to help those women. It also rolls back U visa protections for certain immigrant women who depend on their spouses for their immigration status. These women are particularly vulnerable to abuse. LGBT victims are excluded also. Instead of this flawed bill, we should be considering the bipartisan Senate bill. And domestic violence does not recognize political parties. I urge House Republicans to come back to the table with a bill that we can all be proud to call the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1864, the Mobile Workforce State Income Tax Simplification Act. This is an important bipartisan bill that will help all workers across the country. It will also help businesses, large and small. I have been working on this bill since I was a freshman in the 110th Congress, at which time Chris Cannon from Utah, a former Member, was the lead sponsor. In the 111th Congress, I was the lead sponsor on H.R. 1864 as it is known now. This term, the 112th Congress, Mr. Coble, whom I have been quite pleased to work with, has been the lead sponsor. Again, he is a good friend of mine, and I appreciate the opportunity to work with him. H.R. 1864 provides for a uniform and easily administered law that would ensure the correct amount of taxes withheld and paid to the States without the undue burden the current system places on employees and employers. From a national perspective, the Mobile Workforce bill will vastly simplify the patchwork of inconsistent and confusing State rules. It would also reduce administrative costs to States and lessen compliance burdens on American workers. Take my home State of Georgia, for instance. If an Atlanta-based employee of a St. Louis company travels to headquarters on a business trip once per year, that employee is required to file a Missouri tax return, even if her annual visit only lasts for 1 day. However, if that employee travels to Maine, she would not be required to file a Maine tax return unless her trips lasts for 10 days. If she travels to Arizona on business, she would only have to file an Arizona income tax return if she was in the State for more than 60 days. In each case, her employer is also liable for withholding those States' taxes out of her paycheck, and the only way she can avoid double taxation is if she files for a credit for each State's tax in her resident State. H.R. 1864 would fix this problem by establishing a uniform threshold before State income tax laws would apply to traveling employees. This bill would protect employees who perform employment duties in a nonresident State if they work in the State for less than 30 days. Until that threshold is reached, they will continue to pay in their State of residency. When I initially started working on this bill, the withholding threshold was 60 days. In response to the concerns by the Federation of Tax Administrators, I sought a compromise and lowered the threshold to 30 days. I understand that the FTA may still have some concerns about the bill, but I believe that it is a good bill that addresses the bulk of their concerns. The FTA's concerns have certainly not been ignored. In addition to lowering the day threshold, we also worked to clarify that the bill's operating rules were not drafted to avoid paying withholding tax, and clarified if an employer has a time and attendance system designed to allocate wages among States, it must be used. At a time when more and more Americans find themselves traveling for their job, this bill is a commonsense solution that helps workers who are employed in multiple States by simplifying the tax reporting requirements for them and for their employers. Madam Speaker, for the vast majority of States, this bill carries a minimal or no revenue impact. In fact, this bill will greatly increase compliance rates. This bill will end up saving States the administrative costs of processing and remitting thousands of small returns from nonresidents. While nothing is perfect, and the Federation of Tax Administrators may still have some concerns, this bill is truly the product of years of working with the States on an approach that balances their concerns with administrative ease and efficiency for employers and employees. This is truly a bipartisan effort that seeks to simplify State tax compliance, not reduce State taxes. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 2072, the Export-Import Reauthorization Act of 2012. Since it was established in 1934, the Ex-Im Bank has helped to support American exports by providing loan guarantees, working capital guarantees, export credit insurance, and direct loans to American companies and foreign businesses that purchase American products. The Ex-Im Bank has supported more than $450 billion of U.S. exports since its inception. Over the last 5 years the Ex-Im bank has supported 11,000 transactions and $65.5 billion, supporting American jobs and American businesses in more than 2,000 communities nationwide. Since 2007, in my home state of Georgia, the Ex-Im Bank has supported the trading activities of 129 companies, 60 percent of which were small businesses--supporting over $2 billion dollars in total export sales. In my district over the same time period, the Ex-Im Bank has assisted 16 companies--including nine small businesses and four minority-owned businesses--supporting more than $270 million dollars in total export sales. John Chihade, Vice President of Chihade International, a small business in my district, told my office, quote, ``Without the Ex-Im Bank I would not have been able to get the line of credit that I currently have. With the SBA my line of credit was $5 million, but with the support of the Ex-Im Bank I am now up to $7\1/2\ million. This has allowed me to really grow my business. I've gone from 3 employees to 42 employees in 4 years.'' Because of the Ex-Im Bank's support for Mr. Chihade's company, not only was he able to sustain his business during the worst economic recession in America's history, but he was able to grow his business and create jobs. In Fiscal Year 2011, the Ex-Im Bank provided $6 billion in financing and insurance to American small businesses and has set a goal of providing $9 billion annually, adding 5,000 new businesses to its portfolio by 2015. These 5,000 new businesses will be better able to sell goods in the global market place and expand their enterprises, creating jobs and opportunity while strengthening and expanding America's global commercial reach. It's no wonder that the Ex-Im Bank plays such a key role in the President's National Export Initiative, a plan to double U.S. exports in five years to support 2 million jobs in the United States. Our work to reauthorize the Ex-Im Bank is a rare example of effective government in this House, and I have to commend my colleagues, the Majority Leader and the Minority Whip, for working so hard to make sure this key priority of the Obama Administration is passed. My colleagues have not only recognized the need to reauthorize the Ex-Im Bank, but also the need for improvements to ensure the long term success of the Bank. The provision that directs the Secretary of the Treasury to look at the impact of the Bank's activities on private competition will provide the Ex-Im Bank and Congress with the information that is needed to ensure that the Bank's lending practices do not unintentionally benefit one U.S. industry at the expense of another. Also--and I think that most of my Republican colleagues will agree-- the provision that raises the Ex-Im Bank's lending cap by $40 billion is critically important to ensuring that the U.S. can continue to support American exporters by matching the unfair export financing activities of foreign nations such as China, and other non-OECD member countries. Re-authorizing the Ex-Im Bank is a win-win-win. It is a win for American workers, American businesses, and for the American taxpayers. Not one single tax payer dollar will be needed to re-authorize the Ex-Im Bank. In fact, since 2005, the Ex-Im Bank has generated more than $3.4 billion in profits that it has returned to the Treasury, including $700 million in Fiscal Year 2011. With a less than 2 percent borrower default rate since its inception, the Ex-Im Bank is, and has been, a revenue generator for the American taxpayer. The Ex-Im Bank is a prime example of government efficiency, and I for one am glad that we could come to a bipartisan compromise here in the House to re-authorize its charter, and I strongly urge my Senate colleagues to do the same. Again Mr. Speaker, I support the re-authorization of the Export- Import Bank and urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, Whereas, Fifty years ago, DeKalb County, Georgia, was blessed with an educational institution that continues today to uplift and assist citizens in gaining knowledge to enhance their lives and the lives of others by investing in dreams; and Whereas, In 1961, DeKalb Area Vocational School--now Georgia Piedmont Technical College--was founded to promote a student-centered environment for lifelong learning and development, encompassing academic and technical education for employment in a global community here in DeKalb County, Georgia, to service the citizens of DeKalb County and nearby communities; and Whereas, Georgia Piedmont Technical College has grown from one campus to nine campuses in DeKalb, Newton, Rockdale and Morgan counties; and Whereas, Georgia Piedmont Technical College continues to be a resource for citizens in DeKalb County and throughout the state of Georgia by providing excellent community service, educational opportunities and stellar leadership; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia is officially honoring, recognizing and congratulating Georgia Piedmont Technical College on its 50th anniversary as an anchor in our District; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby proclaim April 14, 2012, as Georgia Piedmont Technical College Day in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia. Proclaimed, this 14th day of April, 2012.