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Congressman Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-Ga.) expressed his serious concerns after Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives attached a government funding bill with no additional border security funding to a critical disaster assistance package that was voted on in the House tonight. 

"This is unbelievable," said Carter. "My colleagues on the other side of the aisle refuse to come to the table and negotiate to end the shutdown. Instead, they attach a government funding bill with absolutely no additional funding for border security to this critical disaster package leaving it very likely dead on arrival in the Senate and the White House. Our farmers and the communities who desperately need this funding should not be held hostage while Democrats refuse to come to the table and legislate proper border security. While the government is partially shutdown, we should vote on a clean disaster package as soon as possible that will allow us to take care of the communities that have been hardest hit. Natural disasters don't see political parties while wreaking havoc. We should move forward with a disaster package that is devoid of any partisan efforts and bring up a clean disaster package. Now is the time to stop playing games."

Ahead of tonight's vote, Carter expressed his concerns with the legislation on the House floor and called on his colleagues to bring a clean disaster assistance bill to the floor as soon as possible. 


Full Transcript of Carter's Floor Remarks:

It’s no surprise that many of the communities we represent are in need of disaster assistance.

This past year, many areas of the country experienced devastating disasters that had significant impacts on communities and our constituents.

I have the honor and privilege of representing Coastal Georgia, a vibrant area that has suffered from a number of these incidents in recent years.

I was elected and sent here, like everyone else in this body, to look out for my constituents and their needs. 

That includes advocating for support following these devastating events.

In December, the House passed a supplemental appropriations package that encompassed disasters such as hurricanes, typhoons, wildfires, and other disasters.

That package would have brought about the relief we need.

Now, Democrats are holding disaster assistance hostage with this legislation.

We can’t afford to continue this partisanship when it comes to rebuilding our communities.

Whether it’s a wildfire or a hurricane, relief is needed urgently.

That includes Coastal Georgia.

For instance, our blueberry growers have taken some devastating losses over the last few years.

Those growers haven’t had time to properly recover and now we’re dealing with partisan games that will jeopardize their ability to receive much needed aid.

Agriculture represents the heart and soul of many of our rural communities and with them not only goes those communities.

Now is not the time to derail this desperately needed relief.

We need a clean disaster package that will allow us to take care of the communities that are hardest hit.

Hurricanes don’t see political parties and they certainly don’t discriminate on the damage they cause.

That is why we should move a package that is devoid of any partisan efforts and bring up a clean disaster package.

I say to my Democratic colleagues, now is the time to stop playing games.

Let’s move a bill that helps, rather than hurts, the ability of our communities to receive disaster relief.

I yield back.