[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 214 (Thursday, December 17, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H7236-H7237]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CELEBRATING ATLANTA-BASED BUSINESSES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Hall) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HALL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate several businesses 
and issues essential to Georgia's Fifth Congressional District and to 
greater metro Atlanta.
  As many in this Chamber likely know, my district is home to 
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. As many also know, 
the coronavirus pandemic has ravaged air travel, an industry critical 
to my district.
  Which is why this morning I am proud to celebrate Delta Airlines and 
Hartsfield-Jackson for the inaugural quarantine-free, COVID-free flight 
from Atlanta to Rome, Italy.
  As former chair of the international committee in the Atlanta City 
Council, I challenge the House Foreign Affairs Committee to facilitate 
measures that encourage more of this.
  My responsibilities attendant to the Fifth Congressional District 
prevented me from joining this group on this delegation, but I hope to 
be on later flights.
  I also rise to raise attention to the need for renewed support of the 
former OPIC-like activities via the DFC, the Development Finance 
Corporation. Attention to developing nations in Africa, like Nigeria, 
Ghana, and Ethiopia; the Caribbean; South and Latin American countries, 
such as Brazil and Colombia; Central Asia and Asia are in need of 
support.
  This morning, I also want to celebrate Home Depot, the world's 
largest home improvement store, with more than 2,200 stores, employing 
400,000 individuals. Under the vision of Arthur Blank, the Home Depot 
supports countless lives and families and continues their unwavering 
support of veterans.
  We know that the COVID pandemic has affected many industries, 
including home improvement. Many employees in industries all across the 
country have been deeply affected by the economic toll caused by the 
pandemic, which is why the stimulus discussions occurring in the 
Capitol, if reports are to be believed, are still somewhat 
insufficient. We simply cannot be content with $600 payments. $600 per 
person is not enough. Frankly, my flights

[[Page H7237]]

here are about $300. So I am sure we can do better.
  Mr. Speaker, as we enter the holiday season, I also want to spotlight 
other Atlanta organizations for their support of those in need. I want 
to celebrate Tyler Perry Studios for telling uplifting and inspiring 
stories and using their state-of-the-art facilities to support 5,000 
families with food this past Thanksgiving.
  I also want to acknowledge two nonprofit organizations--Caring for 
Others and Hosea Feed the Hungry--that are both helping to fill the 
gaps during this pandemic.
  We, in Congress, also need to do our part. As I stated earlier, we 
can do better than the $600 being discussed in this stimulus proposal. 
It is a good start, but it is not enough.
  There are other Atlanta-based companies that are doing notable work 
that merit recognition: UPS, which has been critical in the 
disbursement of the COVID vaccine; and other companies, like Global 
Payments and Equifax.
  Later this week, I also plan to introduce legislation to advocate for 
the continuation of the John Lewis Loop and Campbellton Road. Also in 
need of inclusion is Old National Highway, Fulton Industrial Boulevard, 
Candler Road, Camp Creek, and Martin Luther King Drive. They all need 
relief now. They are critical to job creation in our community and need 
investment.

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