Rep. David Scott seeks re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives for Georgia's 13th District. Patch asked Scott about the District 11 race via email.

What piece of legislation are you most proud of from this term?

The National Flood Insurance Program was extended for five years.  I was able to change the law to allow flood insurance payments to be made in monthly installments instead of once a year. This change came out of concerns shared with me by a constituent after the big floods in Cobb and Douglas Counties. Soon, these communities will have updated flood maps and the installment payment plan will help ease the financial burden on those residents. 

What are the most important issues facing District 13 in the future?

 The two main issues in the 13^th District are housing and jobs. The drop in home values affects a family’s net worth, cuts real estate taxes for local schools, and vacant units are magnets for crime. Jobs are tied to housing in that if you are not working, then you cannot pay your mortgage or rent and then another home is lost. When jobs and housing improve, then there will be more resources to improve the local schools and address crime rates.

How do you plan to promote job creation and the economy in District 13?

This year I held a major jobs fair and a large mortgage counseling event.  Thousands of 13^th district residents were served at both events, but more needs to be done to create jobs and save neighborhoods. 

I fought to help homeowners while Congress was bailing out Wall Street.  Just a few of the programs working are mortgage modification programs like HAMP, vacant property programs like the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, and the assistance for unemployed homeowners from the Hardest Hit Fund. 

I am also working to bring more funds for roads and bridges, fight looming budget cuts to education programs and defense workers, and have voted for small business assistance such as allowing more “crowd sourcing” for start-up firms.

What's something you'd hoped to accomplish this term that you weren't able to and how will you accomplish it in the future?

This current Congress is one of the most polarized and uncompromising in history. A recent publication found that we will pass the fewest bills since the 1940s. Part of this is due to anxieties about the economy and part is due to irrational reactions to the election of President Obama. Either way, it is a dereliction of our duties to not find common ground on the major issues facing our country. I wish that we had been able to pass a bi-partisan jobs bill and education reform that will build America’s future.