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July 2, 2009
As our Independence Day approaches and Washington, D.C., balloons with crowds, I am reminded of one of my favorite places lying just across the Potomac River—the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery. The Tomb contains the remains of unknown soldiers from both World Wars and the Korean War. The unknown soldier from the Vietnam War has been recently identified and laid to rest with his family. All of these soldiers were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor at the time of their interment. The Tomb is guarded by soldiers of the 3rd United States Infantry, also known as the “Old Guard.” I would like to commemorate this July 4th by leaving you with a quick message about those in the Tomb’s service.
A guard of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier takes twenty-one steps during his walk across the Tomb, pausing twenty-one seconds before he performs a sharp 90-degree turn to face the East, pausing another twenty-one seconds before performing yet another 90-degree turn to face the North, and then beginning his return walk—all done, of course, in allusion to the twenty-one gun salute, which is the highest honor given to any military or foreign dignitary.
Requirements for serving in the Guard include standing at a height between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet 4 inches with “proportionate weight and build.” The average tour of duty for a guard is two years, after which, he is eligible to receive a wreath-shaped pin demonstrating a flawless tour of service to the Tomb. This pin is not awarded to all soldiers who complete a tour, but only to those who pass a rigorous evaluation conducted by their superiors. There have only been 525 of these pins awarded to guards of the Tomb, making it the least awarded badge in the Army, second only to the Astronaut badge.
Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty. The guard’s shoes are specially made with exceptionally thick soles to keep the heat and cold from their feet. There are also metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to make a resounding snap as they come to a halt. The guarding of the Tomb is truly a marvel to watch as it is perhaps one of the finest examples I know of discipline and commitment. In fact, I keep a picture of one of these guards standing in the snow over my desk.
I’ll conclude with a story. As Hurricane Isabel was approaching Washington, D.C., in 2003, the Congress adjourned for two days in anticipation of the storm’s landfall. The evening news reported that because of the dangers produced by the oncoming storm, the military members assigned to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend their assignment. They respectfully declined the offer saying that their responsibility to the Tomb was not merely an assignment but the highest honor the military could give a serviceman, and proceeded to guard the Tomb in the pelting rain and hurricane winds. As such, the Tomb has been patrolled, continuously, 24/7/365 since 1937.
June 29, 2009
Last week in Washington ended on a terrible note. H.R. 2454, known by many as the “Cap and Trade Bill” and America’s largest tax bill ever, passed on Friday by a vote of 219-212 under the guise of an energy bill.
If you have not taken a look at my statement on the House Floor I encourage you to do so now by clicking here. You can also click here to read my official written statement. H.R. 2454 is a reprehensible piece of legislation that will prove detrimental to the American taxpayer by costing us billions of dollars in increased prices and ultimately spawning a global trade war between the U.S., European Union, India, and China.
June 12, 2008
The Governor’s office announced on Wednesday that the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) has issued the first non-drought water schedule for the state since June 2006. You can read Governor Perdue’s press release by clicking here. You can find the water use schedule for Summer 2009 by clicking here.
I have also included some links that include information about the current water situation in Georgia that I hope you will find useful:
FairTax Gains Fifty-Fifth Co-sponsor
I am pleased to announce that Representative Gresham Barrett (R-SC) has signed on as a co-sponsor to H.R. 25, the FairTax. This brings the total number of co-sponsors in the House to 55. When I originally introduced H.R. 25, on January 6, 2009, the bill had 34 co-sponsors. In just 6 months, 21 additional co-sponsors have been added to this fundamental tax reform legislation. I am excited about the positive momentum that the FairTax movement has gained and I am confident that together we can make the FairTax a reality.
You can read more about the FairTax by clicking here.
May 20, 2009
What should have occurred months ago is finally happening in less than three weeks. On June 12, 2009, there will be a nationwide transition to digital television (DTV). In preparation for this event, many local television broadcasters will be participating in DTV “soft tests” tomorrow, May 21. The testing will simulate what unprepared viewers will experience when the DTV transition occurs.
During these “soft tests,” broadcasters will interrupt regular programming to warn viewers currently watching television via analog signals that they are not prepared for the transition, and in order to avoid complete loss of service on June 12th, they must take immediate action.
According to Nielsen Media Research, approximately 3.3 million households remain unready for the DTV transition and Atlanta has been identified as a “hotspot” area where a significant number of households are not prepared for the transition.
To learn more about DTV and what you may need to do to get ready, click here.
May 15, 2009
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is now accepting applications for VA Education Benefits for the following programs:
· Post-9/11 GI Bill
· Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB)
· Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR).
· Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP)
· Post-Vietnam Era Veterans' Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)
If you think you are eligible for any of these programs, you may access the online application form by clicking here.
There are a few things to keep in mind while applying. First, the VA requires that individuals currently eligible for another education benefit make an irrevocable election from their existing program to the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Typically individuals who are eligible for more than one benefit may use a combined total of 48 months of entitlement. Therefore, if you are eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) program, and have entitlement remaining under the MGIB, the number of months of Post-9/11 GI Bill entitlement you will be eligible for will be equal to the number of months remaining under MGIB. However, if you exhaust all of your MGIB entitlement, then you may be entitled to a maximum of 12 additional months of entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
Upon submitting your application, you will receive a letter explaining VA’s decision regarding your eligibility for the program. Payments for the Post-9/11 GI Bill will not be processed until August 1, 2009.
As always, should you need assistance with any step in this process, my office is ready to help. Please contact Debra Poirot of my staff at (770) 232-3005 with your questions.
March 11, 2009
As spring break approaches, I want to make sure that students planning on traveling to Mexico, one of the more popular vacation destinations, are aware that the country has seen a significant increase in violence recently. While the greatest increase in violence has occurred near the U.S. border, it is not limited to that region and travelers should be aware of the risks, how best to avoid dangerous situations, and whom to contact if one becomes a crime victim. If you or a loved one is traveling to Mexico in the near future, please visit--and read thoroughly the travel advisory issued by--the US Department of State by clicking here. There you will find the most current information on travel to Mexico and the appropriate contact numbers if you are in need of assistance.
No matter what country you visit, it is important that you visit the official U.S. Department of State Visa Office website. From this site, you can access information on each country’s entry/exit requirements, safety and security conditions, travel alerts, and travel warnings.
January 29, 2009
I woke up this morning after last night’s vote on the stimulus and my mind turned to the classics. Specifically, this quote:
"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance." Cicero - 55 BC
The Democrats, who were elected to work for the people by serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, passed a $1 trillion “stimulus” package last night that will increase the size of this government to devastating extremes.
Read the Cicero quote again, read again this summary of how the money will be spent, and watch again the ominous words of the Director of the Joint Committee on Taxation. My question is, what have we learned in two millennia? Apparently, nothing.
Click here to read my official statement on last night’s vote.
Click here to watch my Floor statement on the stimulus.
January 27, 2009
Today, the House of Representatives will begin debate on H.R. 1, the "American Recovery and Investment Act of 2009," more commonly known as the new economic stimulus package.
If you are wondering how many jobs this nearly $1 trillion stimulus will create, the answer is—we don’t know.
Click here to watch the Deputy Director of the House Joint Committee on Taxation admit that he is not sure if this stimulus will create even one job in our flailing economy.
While the proposed stimulus bill does not guarantee jobs, the bill does include some outrageous spending provisions. Click here for a look at some of these spending projects that local radio host Jamie Dupree has picked out.
January 23, 2009
Yesterday marked the thirty-sixth anniversary of the legalization of abortion through the U.S. Supreme Court Decision of Roe-v-Wade. I am saddened at the thought of the over 49.5 million lives lost in the United States alone over the past thirty-six years. How much more enriched would our country and our world be if these lives existed? One cannot help but wonder about the contributions they would have made to some of today’s largest struggles. I am certain each child would have made an indelible mark.
As Americans, we all respect the value of life. The Constitution, the founding document upon which our nation stands, guarantees life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. There are groups and organizations that work tirelessly to preserve our environment and the thousands of different species within it. Surely with all the work we do to preserve and protect our world we can extend the constitutionally guaranteed right of life to the most innocent among us, the unborn.
To browse an archive of previous blogs, click here.