Nan and Jason Carter Fire Back at the Governor's Office Over Hope Scholarship
Check out this recent story on WSB-TV about how Nan and Senate Democrats are fighting to save the HOPE Scholarship.
Go here to open up the WSB media player and click on the video titled "Dems fire back at Governor over HOPE"
Don't Forget to Register to Vote!
The deadline to register to vote in Georgia's presidential primary is February 6, 2012.
Election Day is March 6, and the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. If you don't know which precinct you're zoned for, check your Voter Precinct Card or call 404-730-7072
To Register to Vote, You Must:
Be a citizen of the United States.
Be a legal resident of the county.
Be at least 17 1/2 years of age to register and 18 years of age to vote.
House Democrats Hold Public Hearing On Economic Security
February 2, 2012
House Democrats held a public hearing on Thursday to promote economic security, highlighting their legislative plans to create good jobs and a strong economy, promote rural recovery and help small businesses.
House Democrats were joined by advocates for residents impacted by the Great Recession and the failure of HB 87.
Representative Virgil Fludd, author of the Georgia Buy American Act, emphasized the devastating impacts of the dual hits on Georgia families and farmers and highlighted his targeted legislation to create good jobs and a strong economy.
Representative Pat Gardner, author of the Georgia Healthcare Relief Act, laid emphasis on her targeted legislation towards helping small businesses grow.
Along with aiming to require the establishment of small business healthcare exchanges, the House Democratic Caucus hopes to require any company bidding for state funds show that they will provide jobs for Georgians.
“Our 2012 legislative agenda began with a conversation about the kind of Georgia we want for our families,” said Rep. Quincy Murphy, author of the Georgia Jobs Matter Act. “By starting with the basics of determining how government must help where it can and get out of the way when it should, I have introduced this bill to provide better economic security for Georgia employees. This legislation will not cost the state a single dollar, but it will be transparent to citizens who want to see their tax funds spent well and spent on improving our employment rates.”
More information about the House Democratic Caucus legislative package can be found at www.gahousedems.com.
Watch Nan at a Press Conference about the 2012 Democratic Legislative Agenda
January 23, 2012
Nan talks about the need to keep jobs in Georgia, creating a health insurance marketplace and launching a blue ribbon commission to study age related policy issues.
Huffington Post Names Senator Nan Orrock One of Immigration's Top Ten Heroes of 2012 along with Chuck Schumer and Michael Bloomberg
January 17, 2012
"Earlier this year, when Georgia proposed an immigration law modeled after SB 1070, Nan lead the opposition. Nan said that we need policies "based on the real world, not based on political rhetoric," and that anti-immigration types "crafted a bill that insists on demonizing people of brown skin and with Spanish accents." She knew that the anti-immigration proposal would hurt Georgia's economy (she was right). Of course, since the copycat law was passed, Georgia farmers have been decimated, and are estimated to lose $250 million this year alone -- that's jobs lost, the economy hurt, and consumers paying more at the store. Nan Orrock stood up for Georgia's working families by fighting against this anti-immigrant legislation."
Senator Nan Orrock and Georgia Democrats Fight for the Affordable Care Act
The Georgia House and Senate Democratic Caucuses held a press conference on Friday, January 13th to support the Affordable Care Act. They filed an amicus breif with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the healthcare reform law and are proposing legislation to create healthcare exchange in order to extend healthcare coverage to uninsured Georgians.
“The new federal health reform law is already making a difference here in Georgia,” said Sen. Orrock. “The law has brought relief to roughly 43,500 young individuals in Georgia who can now have quality affordable coverage through their parents. And nationally, one million young adults have gained health insurance thanks to the new law.”
"We are sending a strong message today by signing this amicus -- friend of the court -- brief that more than 500 legislators support the constitutionality of this law."
The Page program provides students a first-hand opportunity to observe and participate in your state government. As a Senate Page, you will serve the Senators by delivering important information and messages to them in the Senate Chamber during the Legislative Session day. While paging, you will work for the full legislative day. You must be at least twelve (12) years old to participate in this program.
Thank you for your generous support and for joining me at our campaign reception at the newly-opened Wrecking Bar in Little Five Points (with special thanks to owners Bob and Christine Sandage – a beautiful venue with delicious food and drink!). It was great to gather with so many friends and supporters and to have your renewed support for my legislative service. Your enthusiasm in energizing! We’ll be working hard together for our shared goal to get Georgia back on track, put Georgians back to work, and unite our state to move forward, not backward!
Thanks,
Nan
Special thanks to our great host committee:
Sen. Steve Henson, Sen. Vincent Fort, Sen. Doug Stoner, Sen. Horacena Tate, Sen. Gloria Butler, Sen. Jason Carter, Sen. Emanuel Jones, Rep. Stacey Abrams, Rep. Margaret Kaiser, Rep. Simone Bell, Rep. Pat Gardner, Chairman John Eaves, Commissioner Joan Garner, Councilmember Michael Julian Bond, Councilmember Carla Smith, Councilmember Kwanza Hall, Councilmember Joyce Sheperd, Elaine and Miles Alexander, Midge and John Sweet, Brooke Jackson Edmond and Rod Edmond, Holly and Will Hazleton, Alan Landis and Ritchie Crownfield, Sandy Evans and Carson Pease, Sheri and Steve Labovitz, Lana and Jimmy Hardy, Rod and Bobbie Paul, Ann and Jeff Cramer, Jerry Gonzalez and Ray Deeb, Ken Britt, Paul Horning, Howard Kaplan, Jess Crawford, Rob Teilhet, Krista Brewer, Barbara Meyer, Danny Orrock, Bill Clark, Sally McDaniel, Mtamanika Youngblood, Bryan Markowitz, Sharon Gay, Kevin Perry, Jim Tudor, Steve Lomax, Walter Andrews, Ben Myers, Eric Robertson, Mary Lou Waymer, Howell Keown, Sam Zamarripa, Doug Hopkins, Jason Rooks, Aubrey Villines, Don Cargill, Michael Culbertson, Brandee Bickle, Melissa Mullinax, Debi Starnes, Ralph Green, Verna Jennings Cleveland, Mickey Gillmor and Henry Kahn, Charles Huddleston, Paul Bolster, Tom Boller, Wayne Reece, Stan Jones, Trip Martin, Fred Kitchens, Tom Holder, Ted Bradford, Walter Jospin, Bob and Christine Sandage, Mike Birdsong, Sally Bethea, Michael McPherson, Calvine Rollins, and Elizabeth Appley
WiLL President Senator Nan Orrock Named "Local Hero" Thursday, August 25, 2011
Congrats to WiLL President Senator Nan Orrock for being named a "Local Hero" by Immigrants' List for her work toward immigration reform.
Georgia Senator Nan Orrock has long been a passionate supporter of civil rights and continues this work by challenging anti-immigrant agendas. She voted against the "papers, please" law modeled after the anti-immigrant Arizona laws and has sought to protect working families from political machinations. She argued that anti-immigration laws are not only discriminatory toward a group of people but are also damaging to Georgia's economy. Although the controversial immigration reform bill HB87 passed in Georgia, Senator Orrock has established herself as an important community leader in the fight for immigration reform and for policies that benefit working families.
Watch Nan Argue Against HB87 on the Floor of the Senate
April 11, 2011 Part1:
April 11, 2011 Part 2:
April 14, 2011 Part 1:
April 14, 2011 Part2:
Senator Nan Orrock and Representative Virgil Fludd Call for Hearings on Economic Impact of Immigration Reform
From the Savannah Daily News Dec. 22, 2010
Anticipated legislative proposals from the Georgia General Assembly's Joint Legislative Committee on Immigration Reform are raising serious concerns about the impact on Georgia's fragile economic recovery outlook.
In the face of Congressional failure to address immigration reform, the threat of job killing measures such as those that passed in Arizona loom over the upcoming legislative session. Sen. Nan Orrock (D-Atlanta) and Rep. Virgil Fludd (D-Tyrone) call for comprehensive hearings that will look at the problem and demand a solution to protect Georgia's security and economic recovery.
Agriculture is the backbone of Georgia's economy. U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) has estimated that our nation's agricultural workforce is 50-70 percent undocumented workers. The Georgia Farm Bureau last week weighed in on this issue, opposing any consideration of an Arizona-type anti-immigrant law for our state and demanding that Congress act. Clearly, given the devastating impact on agriculture of threatening this workforce, the Georgia Legislature should not consider passage of the kind of legislation that would negatively impact our leading industry.
Georgia's economic recovery strategies include significant efforts to attract and retain foreign investment. Legislators were briefed earlier this week at the Biennial Session in Athens about the deepening project for the Port of Savannah that expands its capacity and as a deep water port in order to remain competitive and grow our economy. This massive undertaking has significant support from our state's leadership, and has been identified as a high priority for the state's economic growth plans. A legislative proposal which would paint Georgia as a state unwelcoming to people of other nations would hamper Georgia's efforts to attract foreign investment at a critical time.
Moreover, Georgia relies heavily upon our tourism, convention and sports industries in places like Atlanta, Savannah, Macon and other great destinations in Georgia. Any legislation that would create a negative perception of Georgia around the world could harm Georgia's competitiveness in our global economy.
Georgia State Representative Virgil Fludd, expressing concern with the failure of the current Immigration Reform committee to fully investigate the critical facts, said, "Given the need for job protection and creation at this perilous economic time, we call on other concerned colleagues to join with us in convening a hearing process that will address immigration issues in a comprehensive way."
Senator Nan Orrock, a member of the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee, indicated that "Balanced investigative hearings must address the potentially serious economic consequences of any legislation proposed during the upcoming legislative session."
Experts on immigration, Georgia's economy, the agricultural industry, and working members of our state's diverse communities should be included in the hearings to bring testimony to more fully outline the economic role and impact of Georgia's immigrant workforce and to propose legislative measures that spur job growth and strengthen Georgia's economy.
Given the fact that immigration is a complex issue requiring an understanding of economics, federalism and American history and Constitutional law, it is important that the legislative investigation and hearing process is complete and unbiased. The legislators expressed their commitment to a full and fair examination of the issues that will lay the groundwork to bolster Georgia's economic vitality and promote our state's economic engine as a welcoming and prosperous place.
Watch Senator Nan Orrock and Representative Virgil Fludd at a Press Conference on Immigration Reform
December 15, 2010
Working Families Legislative Caucus Sounds Alarm
on Budget Crisis, Calls 4 CommonSense
Thursday, March 25, 2010 at 9:30pm
ATLANTA (March 25, 2010) – Sen. Nan Orrock (D-Atlanta), Rep. Virgil Fludd (D-Tyrone) and Rep. Debbie Buckner (D-Junction City) joined members of the Working Families Legislative Caucus today to sound the alarm on Georgia’s budget crisis and call for common sense remedies that provide relief. In the face of current budget proposals that balance the state budget on the backs of Georgia’s working families, children, sick, the elderly, people with disabilities, students, teachers and public servants, caucus members called for strategies to raise more than $1 billion to avoid cuts threatening millions of vulnerable Georgians.
“In Fiscal Year 2009, we passed a balanced budget of over $20 million based on state revenues alone,” said Orrock. “Due to declining revenues in FY 2010 and FY 2011, we are facing an annual shortfall of over $4.5 billion, with proposals to cut more than $2 billion in essential state programs and servi
Please join your friendsfor a reception to support
“For decades, Nan Orrock has been a voice for women’s health in Georgia, staunchly defending access to health care and a full range of reproductive choices. Without leadership like Nan’s, Georgia would have turned back the clock on women’s rights many years ago.”
--Elaine Taylor-Klaus, Pine Hills
“Nan has shown me time and time again that she has a clear grasp of what is important to me as an Atlanta intown resident and she doesn't let the extraneous noise of State Capital politics divert her attention away from hearing and addressing the needs of her constituents. I support her 100%!”
--Anna Copello, Poncey-Highland
“Nan Orrock is committed to building stronger families and prosperous communities in Atlanta.”
