One of my favorite parts of June is Juneteenth, which commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas finally received word of their freedom. Juneteenth affords us an opportunity to celebrate our progress and recharge for the continued work towards freedom and justice for all. | This Juneteenth I joined a conversation with the Du Bois Freedom Center on the clear link between our voting rights and our freedoms. We discussed among other things, the continued fight for the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. I am grateful to the Du Bois Center and their visiting scholar on democracy, Michael Blake, for inviting me to join an engaging evening of “Reflections on Democracy.” | This Juneteenth also brought a major milestone for my Abolition Amendment to eliminate the slavery loophole that currently exists in the 13th Amendment. We reached over 100 co-sponsors shortly after Juneteenth. This is a testament to the momentum growing for this important change–people around the country are making their voices heard and voting for state level measures to remove slavery language from their state constitutions. It’s time for Congress to follow suit at the federal level. | As always, I am proud to be your Congresswoman and here to serve. You can reach my District office at 404-659-0116 or my Washington D.C. office at 202-225-3801. Yours for the People, | Nikema Williams Member of Congress | Congressional App Challenge | Y'all, the Congressional App Challenge is HERE! I'm calling all middle and high school students in the #FightingFifth to create and submit their original apps for a chance to win the Congressional App Challenge. Students can enter individually or in groups. Winning apps will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building for a year. You have until October 24, 2024, to submit your app, so don't delay! #CodeYourFuture Click here to learn more about the Congressional App Challenge! | Service Academy Nominations | Interested in attending a Military Service Academy? The nomination process for my office is officially open! In order to receive a nomination, you must fill out the form below and turn it into my office by October 28th, 2024. The honor of attending a service academy comes with the commitment to serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduation. Best wishes as you pursue your goal of serving our country. Click here to find out more. Click here for the Military Service Academy form. | Keeping Our Drinking Water Infrastructure Resilient | I am committed to doing everything I can to ensure the safety and resilience of our water infrastructure. Clean water is essential. Following the water infrastructure challenges at the end of May, it was important to take all actions at the federal level to clear the way for resources to support the long-term upgrades needed. To start, alongside Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock and Senator Jon Ossoff, I secured more than $990,000 for a comprehensive review of Atlanta’s aging water infrastructure by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. I also introduced legislation to designate additional funds for the Army Corps of Engineers to make improvements to our water system–in both the City of Atlanta and East Point. The first bill would authorize $100 million for the City of Atlanta, and the second would authorize $20 million for East Point. These bills mirror language the Congresswoman fought successfully to include in the Water Resources Development Act of 2024, which was passed out of committee recently. The passed WRDA 2024 language also includes a provision to authorize the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to do a flood risk management study in College Park. | June was gun violence awareness month, a somber reminder of the uniquely American crisis of gun violence. Did you know that 2023 was the worst year on record for unintentional shootings by children? As a mama to my eight-year-old Carter Cakes, I will always fight for policies that keep our children safe. In June, I reintroduced the Storing All Firearms Effectively and Safely (SAFES) Act. This legislation offers a 90% refundable tax credit up to $500 for individuals (or $1,000 for couples) to purchase gun safes, ensuring responsible firearm storage. By promoting safe storage practices, we can significantly reduce unintentional shootings, firearm thefts, and other gun-related incidents. Endorsed by organizations like GIFFORDS and March for Our Lives, the SAFES Act is a critical step towards making our communities safer for everyone. We must work together to protect our children and communities. Read the one pager here. | Kicked off the month of June by celebrating the first day Pride with Georgia Equality at the 20th Annual Evening For Equality. We celebrated Atlanta’s LGBTQ+ community while affirming a commitment to equality. | Congratulations to the Home Team, Atlanta News First (NAB Awards!) | I presented awards at the National Association of Broadcasters Service America Awards to Atlanta News First and the Cox Media Group. Great to see them get recognized for all they do to keep us informed. | ACLU Biennial Leadership Conference | I spoke on a panel with Ambassador Andrew Young at the ACLU’s Leadership Conference, highlighting how the Civil Rights Movement continues to influence my work in Congress, particularly in protecting the right to vote. | Celebrating the Legacy of Black Music | June is Black Music Month, and I celebrated at the 5th Annual Black Music Moguls Brunch with icons like TLC, T.I., Amina Diop, Leron E. Rogers, and John Rose. You can’t tell the story of Black Music without Atlanta. | Receiving the Atlanta Business League Catalyst Award | Building strong, successful Black businesses is key to closing the racial wealth gap! Big thanks to the Atlanta Business League for honoring me with the Catalyst Award. | Movie Night with Fulton Films | Enjoyed Family Night with my Carter Cakes at the Fulton County AirPort hosted by Fulton Films. | Helping an Atlanta Small Business Owner Secure Delayed IRS Funds | Mr. Taha reached out to our office for assistance with a delayed IRS refund. For seven months after submitting the return to the IRS, he heard no response or updates on the status of the refund. For a small business, refund delays can cause considerable strain on the financial resources needed to keep a business thriving. Our office was able to secure Mr. Taha’s refund of more than $280,000. Said Mr. Taha: “It has almost been a year since I submitted my return. [The Congresswoman’s] help was greatly appreciated in getting this result!” | | Do you need assistance with a federal agency? Call my office at (404) 659-0116 | | Washington, D.C.
1406 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3801 | Atlanta
100 Peachtree Street NW | Suite 1920
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: (404) 659-0116 | |
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