Local officials and citizens in the area had the opportunity to listen to an update on congress and ask Representative Hank Johnson, congressman of Georgia’s Fourth Congressional District, questions on Saturday at a meet and greet held at the historic courthouse.

Johnson discussed tax codes, a shrinking middle class, and the recent oil spill in Arkansas, which spilled thousands of barrels of oil in Little Rock.

Johnson also took questions from the audience during the meet and greet. One question asked was if he was willing to give back 5 percent of his salary along with other officials who pledged 5 percent of their annual salary to charities in solidarity of government workers who were forced to take unpaid leaves as a result of spending cuts? Johnson answered that he would not.

"I think it’s a shame and unnecessary," he said. "I disagree with the concept of cutting in the federal system. I think they should look at some other economic theories."

Another focus of the meet and greet was to inform residents of services the Congressional office provided.

Those services included help with Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, foreclosure prevention, equal employment opportunity commission, immigration, grants, veteran’s benefits and a list of others.

Informational sheets with a list of services and contact information for Johnson’s Washington, D.C. and Lithonia offices were available to everyone who attended the event.

Georgia’s Fourth Congressional district includes parts of DeKalb, Rockdale, Gwinnett and Newton counties.