Dear john,

Have you heard the news? The President recently signed my legislation renaming the Atlanta Post Office at 3900 Crown Road in honor of my friend, mentor, and predecessor Congressman John Lewis. Congressman Lewis often used this post office, and with this tribute he will continue to serve the people of Atlanta in perpetuity.

Left: Congresswoman Nikema Williams and Speaker Nancy Pelosi sending the bill to rename the Atlanta Post Office to President Biden's Desk. I heard from the letter carriers union that works in the facility and they told me Congressman Lewis was a friend of the letter carriers over the years. They are proud to have their workplace honor Congressman Lewis. We are proud to welcome the John R. Lewis Post Office, and I look forward to sharing details about the official unveiling celebration soon.

Speaking of celebrations, I was excited to join Atlanta’s 2021 World Series Champions at the White House. Georgia showed up for the home team, and I even got a picture with the championship ring. A few days later, I had the opportunity to join my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus in cutting the ribbon to open the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 51st Annual Legislative Conference. It was wonderful to return to an in-person convening to focus on solutions to the issues facing Black communities!

I hosted two important discussions during the conference. First, I teamed up with the National Pan Hellenic Council for a town hall centering support for Black businesses. Later in the week, I hosted a panel discussion on increasing Black homeownership. Y’all, the Black-white homeownership gap is now wider than before the Fair Housing Act was passed 55 years ago. Special thanks to Warrick Dunn of Warrick Dunn Charities, David M. Dworkin, President of the National Housing Conference, Janaye Ingram of Airbnb and Nancy Flake Johnson, President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Atlanta for lending their time and expertise to this conversation!

This month I’ll be spending a lot of time in the Fighting Fifth for the October work period. But wherever the work takes me, remember that my office is always here for you. Be sure to give my office a call at 404-659-0116 if we can be of assistance.

Yours For the People, Congresswoman Nikema Williams Georgia's Fifth District

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Get Ready for Medicare Open Enrollment Medicare open enrollment for 2023 began October 15, 2022 and ends on December 7, 2022. During this time, if you are eligible for Medicare you can compare 2023 coverage options between Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Part D prescription drug plans. Low-income seniors and adults with disabilities may qualify for financial assistance from Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) For more information, please visit: medicare.gov.

Reproductive Rights An extremist Supreme Court stripped people of their right to healthcare when they overturned Roe v. Wade. Reproductive healthcare–including abortion–is essential. For more information on your rights and resources, visit ReproductiveRights.gov.

INTRODUCED

Breaking Down Barriers to the Ballot Box Our democracy requires every voice be heard on election day. In September, I led 118 of my colleagues to introduce legislation to make voting materials accessible for every constituent. The Expanding the VOTE Act supports jurisdictions with funding to translate voting materials into multiple languages. The Expanding the VOTE Act advanced out of the Judiciary committee on a bipartisan vote, and now heads to the House floor.

Providing for Safer Firearm Storage I grew up in rural Alabama where I shot my first gun at six-years-old and became an expert marksman by high school. Fast forward to today, where I send my seven-year-old son to school each day fearful of a school shooting. We shouldn’t have to choose; I know we can protect our second graders and our second amendment at the same time. Responsibly storing guns will reduce the tragedy of gun violence in our country. My Securing All Firearms Effectively and Safely (SAFES) Act provides a 90 percent refundable tax credit (up to $500 for individuals and $1000 for couples) to purchase a gun safe to store firearms. This is just one of the many common sense steps we must take to end preventable gun deaths and injuries.

Expanding Internet Access for All People rely on high-speed Internet access for work, learning, and connecting with the community. When I hosted a broadband roundtable, I heard your voices loud and clear: getting your homes connected is too tough to begin with. I am committed to closing the digital divide, but that starts with knowing where the coverage gaps exist. I introduced the Home Internet Accessibility Act to gather information on all federally-assisted housing that lacks broadband capacity, then task the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development with creating an action plan to close service gaps across the country.

Commemorating the 1906 Atlanta Race Massacre On September 22, 1906, a violent white supremacist mob began terrorizing Black Atlantans in an attack that spanned two days and left at least 25 Black residents murdered. Not a single white person was held accountable for these actions.  I introduced a resolution this month to honor those murdered in the deadly massacre. Racial justice is long overdue in this country, and we can never truly move forward without first addressing the stains of our past.

PASSED

Help for Victims of Human Trafficking We must make sure that any victim of human trafficking, or anyone who notices a potential victim, knows where to turn for help. I voted to pass the Human Trafficking Prevention Act of 2022 to post the contact information for the National Human Trafficking hotline in all federal buildings and in the restrooms of U.S. airplanes, trains and buses; as well as airports, train stations, and bus stations.

House Democrats' Public Safety Legislative Package Everyone deserves to live in a safe community. Last month I voted to take a strong step towards saving lives, preventing crime, and advancing justice. House Democrats passed a package of four public safety bills that will: Help build stronger relationships between law enforcement and those they serve: The Mental Health Justice Act will help send unarmed mental health professionals to respond to mental health crises in our neighborhoods. With this legislation, we can reduce the occurrence of fatal encounters with armed police officers.  We also took steps to bolster community violence intervention. The Break the Cycle of Violence Act invests in evidence-based violence intervention programs, building on similar investments from the American Rescue Plan.  We have a long way to go to instill greater trust in law enforcement. The VICTIM Act strengthens the ability of police departments to solve violent crimes and advance justice for victims. Bring resources and accountability to policing: The Invest to Protect Act provides grants to small, local law enforcement agencies while investing in stronger accountability measures–including training for de-escalation and supporting survivors of domestic violence. I joined members of the Congressional Black Caucus in consulting with civil rights groups and advocates to ensure this legislation truly balances safety for all.

Letters Written

Calling for Medicaid expansion following Atlanta Medical Center Closure Announcement Last month, we learned the devastating news that Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center (AMC) is slated to close permanently on November 1. This is the second hospital closure in the district and will have enormous consequences for our community. The solution is simple: Georgia must expand Medicaid to provide much needed funding for hospitals struggling with the costs associated with an increased number of patients. That’s why I joined Democratic members of the Georgia Congressional Delegation in calling for Governor Brian Kemp to put a stop to this healthcare crisis by moving forward with Medicaid expansion. You can read the full letter here.

House Committee on Financial Services

Full Committee: “Holding Megabanks Accountable: Oversight of America’s Largest Consumer Facing Banks”

Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress

Full Committee: "Congressional Modernization: A Roadmap for the Future"

Meet our New District Director: Jared McKinley

Jared McKinley is the new District Director for Georgia’s Fifth Congressional District! He brings a wealth of experience to the job, having worked as my Constituent Services Manager and before then, 15 years in Congressman Lewis’ office. Jared succeeds Aaron Johnson who moved on to serve as Chief of Staff for Atlanta City Council President Doug Shipman.

Supporting Job Opportunities for Youth

I tried being a welder during my visit to the Georgia Building Trades Academy and while I think I did pretty well–I’m keeping my day job as your Congresswoman! The Georgia Building Trades Academy is one of the programs in YouthBuild which helps youth who are neither in school nor employed get educated and trained in a job. YouthBuild works and last year I led an effort to secure $99 million for YouthBuild. This year I’m requesting $193 for this life changing organization.

Honoring Veterans of the Fighting Fifth

It is important for me to honor veterans every day. Thank you to Atlanta American Veterans Post 9-1-1 for inviting me to your Military Stand Down Celebration. I'm using my voice in Congress to make sure our country keeps its promises of housing, healthcare, and support to all our veterans.

Celebrating Georgia Tech and the Technologies of Tomorrow

Georgia Tech is one of the world’s best universities, leading the way in developing the technologies of tomorrow, today. It is great having GT as a partner in the Fifth District and I am always thrilled to be on campus! Thank you for hosting me, Leslie, and Carter during Georgia Tech Government Leaders Day.

Caring for the Seniors at Quality Living Services (QLS)

Our seniors are the backbone of our communities and they deserve the best. Because they’ve spent so long caring for us, I take my responsibility to care for our seniors very seriously. I was happy to update my constituents at Quality Living Services of all the work I am doing for them in Washington.

Kicking off AIDS Walk Atlanta

The 51st Atlanta Aids Walk was a tremendous success and I was honored to kick off the weekend’s activities. Thank you to everyone keeping Atlanta’s legacy of activism alive for the health of our community.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month at Sara J. Gonzalez Park

Sara Gonzalez was a leader of Georgia’s Latino community and this park continues her legacy. The beautiful new youth soccer field will help the park build on her legacy by providing more service and better quality of life to the community it serves. And who knows? Maybe one of the kids perfecting their skills at the park will play at Mercedes-Benz Stadium during the 2026 World Cup!

Honored with the 2022 TORCH Award

It was a truly meaningful event receiving the TORCH Award from the RICE Awards Foundation. Atlanta has so many leaders working the people and I am proud to continue that legacy. Receiving the award is not a finish line, it is only the beginning because I plan on being your Congresswoman for years to come.

Opening the Power Rising Conference

When you look on the front lines of pretty much every movement for justice, Black women are right there leading the way. Many of those women leading the charge were at the Power Rising Convention in Atlanta. I left the meeting inspired to work even harder to build a more equitable and just country.

A Tribute to Archbishop Tutu in Atlanta, His Second Home

Archbishop Desmond Tutu often called Atlanta his second home. And because of that, Atlanta showed up to pay its tributes to the late Archbishop and civil rights advocate. I was in Washington D.C. for votes and represented by my press secretary, Ed at the tribute.

Team Nikema Welcomes Georgia USDA to Town!

The Fighting Fifth has great farmers. We need to find ways to support them and make sure people get the nutritious food they produce on their farmland. Georgia’s USDA leadership knows this and visited Luther J. Price Middle School as part of the kickoff tour highlighting urban agriculture in Georgia.

Say Hello to Georgia State University's New President

Congratulations to M. Brian Blake–who was officially invested as the eight president of Georgia State University and the school’s first Black president! I’ve enjoyed getting to know you since you first came to campus and can’t wait to see how you keep growing GSU!