Dear editor: May is a month full of holidays; Memorial Day, the National Day of Prayer and that one special day set aside to acknowledge the strong and resilient leaders behind our families - mothers. This year’s celebration will take place on Sunday, May 12 so don’t forget to mark your calendars! Whether your mother is biological or adoptive, in-state or far away, I encourage you to take a moment to honor your mother for your upbringing and applaud her for getting through your teenage years. As we all know, each of us had our moments. Mothers are role models – they teach, inspire, nurture …

U.S. Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-14) issued the following statement in response to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s claim that Obamacare needs more funding: “I will work with every conservative in Congress to ensure that any attempt to bail out Obamacare is dead on arrival. Let’s be clear: the failure of Obamacare only hurts the politicians who forced it into law. It is important to let this big government mess collapse under its own weight so we can repeal it and save families and businesses from all the new taxes, mandates and headaches.” Graves is the author of the Defund Obamacare Act (H.R. …

On May 2, Americans across the nation will gather to celebrate the 62nd Annual National Day of Prayer. This year’s theme is “Pray for America” and based on Matthew 12:21, “In His name, the nations shall put their hope.” Not unlike the Israelites’ miraculous exodus out of Egypt, America’s Judeo-Christian founding was nothing short of a miracle. Instead of crossing over the Red Sea, these men and women journeyed across the Atlantic Ocean to escape religious persecution.  After years of searching and praying for deliverance from their oppressors, both the Israelites and early Puritans reached …

Dear Editor: Last time, we spent time highlighting bills that received final passage through the legislature and are traveling to the Governor’s desk for final approval or veto. In this week’s column, we will outline the final series of bills that are currently being reviewed, signed into law, or vetoed by the Governor for the first term of the 152ndLegislative Session: SB 142: Georgia Judicial Retirement System; board of trustees; authority to determine the time/circumstances of paying benefits; qualified plan under federal law SB 143: Retirement System; board of trustees of public …

Dear Editor: For the next several weeks, we will highlight bills that received final passage through the legislature and are traveling to the Governor’s desk for final approval or veto. The below list outlines all bills that are currently being reviewed, signed into law, or vetoed by the Governor for the first term of the 152nd Legislative Session: SB 1: Child's Health Insurance Information and Records; provide that both parents have equal access SB 11: Georgia Geospatial Advisory Council; reestablish; membership; duties SB 14: Georgia Alzheimer's and Related Dementias State Plan Task Force; …

Dear Editor: The Georgia General Assembly adjourned the first session of the 152nd biennial term on Thursday, March 28. Since this was the first term of a new biennial, any bill that did not pass both chambers is eligible for consideration during the second term in 2014. However, that does not mean that those bills will remain untouched until January. Throughout the year, study committees will meet to further review some of the most important issues at hand, while other bills will be revised into a better and more comprehensive form. Now that the final gavel has sounded and legislators are …

Last year, the Georgia legislature passed a bill – signed into law by Governor Deal – that would require online retailers like Amazon to begin collecting and remitting our state’s sales tax, but so far it has not worked. While some are following the law, Amazon still hasn’t collected a dime. It’s time for Congress to step up and pass the Marketplace Fairness Act, a federal fix for this expensive and totally unnecessary problem. There is no reason why Internet companies shouldn’t have to collect and remit sales taxes. Their Main Street competitors certainly do; even the smallest of local …

Dear Editor: The Legislature wrapped up its 2013 session at midnight Thursday, March 28.  Since January 14, the Senate cast 408 electronically recorded votes (plus an uncounted number of hand votes).  Forty one percent of those votes were cast this week in the final three days.  Nearly 1,000 bills were introduced this session purportedly aimed at enhancing public safety, providing a quality education for Georgia students and creating a fertile environment for job creation and economic development. At the time of this writing, it is still too early to tell how many bills actually received …

Dear Editor, Isn't it ironic that despite the First Amendment to the Constitution reading, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances," my U.S. Congressman, Tom Graves, of the 14th District of Georgia (formerly of the 9th District of Georgia) has restricted my access as one of his constituents to be able to express my disapproval of his actions and policies on his …

Dear Editor: As you’re well aware, one of the most important things the General Assembly does each session is pass a balanced state budget. In fact, it’s the General Assembly’s only constitutionally-mandated requirement, and for good reason. Passing a balanced budget is crucial for our state to maintain our high triple-A bond rating. A bond credit rating assesses the credit worthiness of a government or corporation. Just as a person with a high credit score is seen as financially sound and has an easier time obtaining loans and lower interest rates, a government with a high bond rating enjoys…

Dear Editor: Marking the 3rd anniversary of Obamacare, which was signed into law March 23, 2010, Reps. Tom Graves (R-GA-14) and Doug Collins (R-GA-9) co-authored an op-ed featured in this week’s Pickens County Progress about the Defund Obamacare Act (H.R. 1005) and why they will continue working to stop the law. Why We’re Still Working To Stop Obamacare By: Reps. Tom Graves and Doug Collins We remain optimistic that Obamacare can and will be repealed. While the 2012 election results and the Supreme Court decision might seem to suggest otherwise, it’s important to remember that the law has …

Dear Editor: Under Georgia law, the House and Senate must pass identical versions of the same bill before it can be sent to the Governor for his approval to become law. After Crossover Day, which fell on March 7 this year, any bills passed by either chamber for the first time are not considered by the other chamber of the legislature. This means that the House and Senate spend the last ten days of the Legislative Session considering bills previously passed by the opposite chamber. Once the House sends a piece of legislation to the Senate, it must still go through our committee process before …

Dear Editor The pace under the Gold Dome is quickly gaining momentum as we move closer to day 30 – the last day a bill may travel to the opposite chamber for consideration. With only three days left before the day 30 deadline, known as Crossover Day, we’ve now arrived at the critical juncture of the 2013 Legislative Session. In order for legislation to remain on the table for consideration, before moving to the House all Senate bills must report out of their respective committees and pass their final litmus test– the Senate floor. This week, SB 197 passed favorably out of committee. This bill…

Dear Editor, Our Gold Dome activities ended this week on Legislative Day 18 of the 2013 Legislative Session. This means we are only 12 legislative days away from Crossover Day, which is the last day for legislation to transfer to the opposite chamber for consideration. As we approach the halfway mark, we’re working hard to pass a balanced budget and work through the hundreds of bills being discussed in committees. Earlier this session, the Senate worked with the House to set an aggressive schedule for the first 29 days of the 40 day session.  This calendar saves taxpayers money and helps …

The General Assembly has now completed its third week since convening on Jan. 14. The Georgia Constitution allows the General Assembly to meet for up to 40 days each year. It also allows the General Assembly to adjourn at a later date if it so desires, so long as it doesn’t exceed the 40-day limit. So far, we have completed 9 of our 40 days. Ninety-one Senate bills have been introduced and three votes have taken place. It normally takes several legislative days before bills have made their way through the committees and to the floor for a vote. Since very little is happening legislatively, I …

The 2013 Georgia legislative session will not only dictate the story for this year, but for the next several years to come. With several issues needing immediate attention and federal spending threatening to impact state operations, it is safe to say the work is clearly cut out for state legislators. One of the first issues the Georgia General Assembly will need to tackle during the legislative session will be the state budget. This is a pretty complicated process that takes a lot of time because we have to make sure all state operations are properly funded without overspending. And it’s not …

With the passing of each year, we often spend time reflecting on the past and looking forward to the New Year. 2012 brought many challenges for our country, including natural disasters, economic uncertainty and national tragedies. While our nation has seen its fair share of pain and struggle, we’ve also witnessed some of the most heartfelt acts of kindness. When Hurricane Sandy ravaged the East Coast earlier this year, Americans across the country joined together to bring relief to storm victims. Likewise, when our precious school children were senselessly gunned-down at Sandy Hook Elementary…

What does Christmas mean to you? For the Heath family, Christmas is all about celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our family also enjoys the rich tradition of gathering together on Christmas Eve for a great meal and fellowship, which now has grown to include nieces and nephews. Though our children are grown, we still enjoy exchanging gifts among family members and celebrating the rich traditions of the holiday season. For many, the Christmas season brings back memories of attending church with family and friends, reading “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” before tucking…

Dear Editor, During the 2012 legislative session, the General Assembly passed a wide range of legislation, from bills strengthening our criminal justice system to protecting the life of the unborn. Although many of these initiatives have already been implemented, let’s focus on several pieces of legislation that will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2013. HB 1176 is a comprehensive sentencing and corrections reform bill that was signed into law on May 2 by Gov. Nathan Deal. The overall intention of HB 1176 is to strengthen penalties for violent and career criminals, while providing more effective …

Last month, the Georgia Water Coalition released its “Dirty Dozen” report highlighting the “most egregious offenses” to Georgia’s water resources. Gov. Nathan Deal’s administration, which was the target of much of the report, responded by calling the 185-member coalition of environmental, hunting and fishing, business, landowner and faith-based groups a “liberal interest group.” Label the messengers “liberal,” so the thinking goes in some quarters of this state, and the message will be ignored. But a careful look at the Water Coalition’s “Dirty Dozen” shows that the message is about dirty …