Congressman Chaka Fattah Sworn in to 11th Term in House

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA), a top Democratic appropriator, was sworn in to his 11^th term in the House of Representatives today, the first legislative day of the 114^th Congress. As he enters his 21^st year in Congress, Fattah, who is credited as the leading Congressional champion for brain research and youth mentoring, pledged to work with all his colleagues to pass legislation that will improve the life chances of America's hardworking families and children.

"I am privileged to have the opportunity to serve my country and my hometown of Philadelphia in the United States Congress in my 11^th term," Congressman Fattah said. "Coming off one of my most effective years ever, I look forward to new opportunities in this Congress to produce and pass legislation that will build America's middle class, graduate more young people from high school and college, and increase our country's competitive edge."

In the 114^th Congress, Fattah plans to continue building on the success of his five legislative priorities: neuroscience, youth mentoring, manufacturing, cooperatives, and GEAR UP, the college access program he created that was signed into law in 1998.

Congressman Fattah added, "2014 was an incredibly productive year; millions were helped as a result of my initiatives, but we have much more to accomplish, both in the Philadelphia region and around the country. I'm excited to return to work, serving the people of Pennsylvania's 2^nd Congressional District, while advancing my legislative priorities and working in partnership with my colleagues and the current Administration."

Among his many accomplishments in the 113^th Congress, Congressman Fattah:           

• Expanded the Fattah Neuroscience Initiative, a non-incremental policy initiative designed to make progress in understanding the human brain and find cures and treatments for brain disease and disorder by elevating  brain research a top federal priority
• Secured funding for GEAR UP, which includes $29.1 million for the School District of Philadelphia and $22.1 million for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and $301.6 million overall in the 2015 spending bill
• Helped secure passage of the Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA), which included key components of Fattah's Urban Jobs Act bill
• Passed legislation to name the Philadelphia Veterans Medical Center after Medal of Honor recipient Corporal Michael J. Crescenz, and legislation to rename Philadelphia's 30^th Street Station in honor of the late Congressman William H. Gray III
• Increased funding for national youth mentoring programs to $90 million in the 2015 federal spending bill
• Introduced America's FOCUS Act, bipartisan legislation that would increase the United States' global competitiveness through increased investments in our youth, our health, and our communities, and the bipartisan REDEEM Act to reform the country's criminal justice system; Fattah will re-introduce both bills in the 114^th Congress
• Unveiled the Schuylkill Banks Boardwalk in Philadelphia, completed with millions of federal grants he helped to secure since the path's inception in 2006
• Joined in the groundbreaking of the Queen Lane Apartments, a new affordable housing development made possible by Fattah's vision in 1990 to find alternatives to high-rise public housing  
• Supported the President's call for a permanent extension of the American Opportunity Tax Credit, a piece of legislation created by Fattah that has benefitted at least 9.4 million families each year since 2011
• Received the Edwin C. Whitehead Award for Medical Research Advocacy from Research!America, the Congressional Leadership Award from the National Urban League, the President's Award from the U.S. Dream Academy, and the Congressional Champion of Mentoring Award from MENTOR
• Secured more than $260 million in grant funding to support public and nonprofit organizations in Pennsylvania's Second Congressional District
• Traveled to Israel and Ireland to speak and participate in international neuroscience conferences while promoting global brain research collaboration on behalf of the United States
• Championed the new federal guidelines for educational equity released by the Department of Education, a document that stems from Fattah's creation of the Equity and Excellence Commission
• Helped lead the call that resulted in a successful renewal of contributions by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to the National Housing Trust Fund, an entity that will increase the supply of affordable rental housing across the U.S.

Serving constituents will remain a top priority for Congressman Fattah's Washington and Philadelphia offices.  Starting this month, the Congressman's staff will offer mobile office hours at locations around the district to better reach residents who may not be able to visit the Philadelphia office.

SOURCE Office of Congressman Chaka Fattah

Related Links

http://www.fattah.house.gov