Dear john,
This week, the House advanced a continuing resolution to fund the government, and it now heads to the Senate. I am troubled by the reckless partisan spending bills currently being considered by the Republican majority, which slash federal investment in programs that keep Americans healthy and safe. Know that as your representative, I will champion legislation that protects families, keeps communities healthy, and ensures that no one goes without the care they need. Before heading back to Georgia for the weekend, I wanted to share three things from my week in Washington:
Together with my colleagues Representatives Erin Houchin (R-IN-09), Frank Mrvan (D-IN-01), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), I introduced a resolution designating September 14th through September 20th of 2025 as “National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week.” The resolution recognizes the importance of adult education, family literacy, and efforts to support an educated population with the literacy skills necessary to succeed in the 21st century. Education is the key to opportunity, and it is our hope that this resolution will highlight the need for increased investment in initiatives that help adults build the skills they need to support themselves and their families.
Representative Fitzpatrick and I also introduced bipartisan legislation to increase the recruitment and retainment of educators. H.R. 5476, the Preparing and Retaining All (PARA) Educators Act, will build career pathways, create professional development opportunities, and establish higher wages for school paraeducators. More than 1.2 million paraeducators nationwide provide essential support in our classrooms, and we must address staffing shortages to set up students for success.
On the House floor, I recognized the retirement of a National Park Service employee from my district. Congratulations to Ann Honious, Superintendent of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, on her retirement from federal service. I am grateful to Ann for her years of service to America's public lands and for protecting and preserving such a precious local treasure here in Atlanta. Enjoy your retirement, Ann!
