SAVANNAH - Rep. Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-GA) joined Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA) today in a bipartisan push for disaster relief funding to prevent deep and lasting economic damage to the agricultural industry in the Southeastern United States.
Alongside Georgia’s entire congressional delegation, Carter worked with a bipartisan, bicameral group of 34 lawmakers from Southeastern states, urging congressional leadership to work with them and the Biden administration to ensure disaster relief resources are made available to agricultural producers following the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene for agriculture.
In the letter, the members write: “To prevent deep and lasting economic damage to the agricultural industry in the southeastern United States, it is imperative that Congress make appropriations as soon as possible upon the completion of damage assessments to fully fund unmet agricultural disaster relief needs in our states and across the nation."
The members continue: “Farmers and growers nationwide, not only those damaged by Helene, have now faced multiple growing seasons without sufficient federal support. Our constituents are counting on us to act swiftly.”
Joining Rep. Carter in signing the letter, led by Sen. Ossoff and Rep. Scott, are: Sens. Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Reps. Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA), Drew Ferguson (R-GA), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Nikema Williams (D-GA), Rich McCormick (R-GA), Lucy McBath (D-GA), Andrew Clyde (R-GA), Mike Collins (R-GA), Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), Rick Allen (R-GA), David Scott (D-GA), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Darren Soto (D-FL), Maxwell Frost (D-FL), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), Frederica Wilson (D-FL), Morgan McGarvey (D-KY), Don Davis (D-NC), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Greg Murphy (R-NC), Kathy Manning (D-NC), Dan Bishop (R-NC), Chuck Edwards (R-NC), Alma Adams (D-NC), Wiley Nickel (D-NC), Jeff Jackson (D-NC), and Diana Harshbarger (R-TN).
Last week, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a devastating Category 4 hurricane before making its way through Georgia and downgrading to a tropical storm affecting South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee — with deep, disastrous impacts across agricultural sectors.
“Federal agricultural disaster assistance is essential to help our States and our Nation recover. We urge you to work with the administration to ensure disaster relief resources are made available to our growers. Thank you for your support, and we look forward to working with you to secure these critical resources,” the members write.
Read the full letter here.
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