Since I last wrote you, two significant tragedies have unfolded on the international scene – the fall of Afghanistan and the earthquake in Haiti.

The swift seizure of control over Afghanistan by the Taliban is tragic, but inevitable without continued American military presence. It is past time for America’s longest war to come to an end. My prayers are with the people of Afghanistan. We must do everything within our power to extract those who aided America and her allies during our military presence, get American personnel out as swiftly and safely as possible, and we must never forget the Afghan women and girls who have made such great progress and deserve human rights. I also salute all our men and women in uniform and their families for their service and sacrifices.

For more information on flights out of Afghanistan and security alerts, visit the U.S. State Department’s website and the  U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan. 

U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., is also working to help Georgians and all U.S. citizens in need of evacuation from Afghanistan by launching a new email hotline to connect them with U.S. State Department resources. All U.S. citizens needing assistance can e-mail afg-evac@ossoff.senate.gov or call 470-786-7800.

My prayers are also with the long suffering but resilient people of Haiti. The only country in history established by a slave revolt that defeated Napoleon in 1804, Haiti has historically been mistreated and neglected. Rather than aid filtered through nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), Haiti needs direct international assistance to help it recover from the recent natural and manmade disasters. All stand to gain by helping Haiti build basic infrastructure, which would enable it to withstand future natural disasters while uplifting the Haitian economy and create jobs for its people. For more on how to help Haiti, visit USAID.gov: https://www.usaid.gov/haiti.

On the home front, I have long supported reinstating the Voting Rights Act protections that were gutted by the Supreme Court. That is why I’m an original cosponsor of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would restore key protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) that were gutted by the Supreme Court in the 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision and more recently in the 2021 Brnovich v. DNC decision. The bill will protect voters from discrimination by restoring and strengthening the protections of the VRA. I look forward to voting that out of the House next week.

Speaking of our hero John Robert Lewis, the virtual kickoff event to create a tribute to him on the downtown Decatur Square aired live. Joining me were virtual appearances by: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi; U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus; U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock; DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond; former state Sen. Jason Carter; and Michael Collins, Rep. Lewis’ former chief of staff.

Last week, along with my Judiciary Committee colleague Ken Buck (R-CO), I introduced legislation that represents a bipartisan plan to rein in App Store monopolies. I’m pleased to be working with Congressman Buck to hold Big Tech accountable, level the playing field for small businesses and app developers and increase competition and innovation in the digital ecosystem all while offering consumers more choice. 

I also announced this week that I’m accepting applications from students seeking nominations and appointments to a U.S. Military Service Academy – Army, Air Force, Navy or Merchant Marines.

As the Delta variant of the coronavirus spreads, we must redouble our efforts to ensure everyone is vaccinated. County health departments are also in the early stages of providing booster shots to people with compromised immune systems. The DeKalb County Board of Health is also offering free walk-up COVID-19 vaccines at mobile clinics. No appointment, ID, proof of citizenship or health insurance is required. For Gwinnett, Rockdale and Newton County residents, visit: https://www.gnrhealth.com/.

If you have an issue with a federal government agency, need help with an eviction or a foreclosure, please don’t hesitate to call my district office at 770-987-2291. 

U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson represents Georgia’s 4th Congressional District, including DeKalb, Rockdale and Newton counties, in the U.S. House.