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Amy and I wish you and your family a happy and blessed Easter.
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How tax reform is benefiting a local savannah business |
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Tax reform is directly benefiting hardworking Americans and small businesses in the First District. Click here to see how tax reform is benefiting a local Savannah business, Nine Line Apparel.
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| From our Nation's Capitol CLVI |
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Monday, March 26, 2018: Yesterday, I flew from Savannah to the West Coast and this morning I wake up in the City of Angels, Los Angeles, California. I am here with the Ripon Society to participate in their annual bipartisan Los Angeles Main Street Policy Tour to visit some of Hollywood’s most reputable studios and learn more about the entertainment industry, what Congress can do to promote it, and how important the industry is to Georgia or, as they refer to us in Hollywood, “Yallywood.” As a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, it is important that I understand this industry as we have jurisdiction over all of their regulations. Our first stop this morning is the iconic Paramount Pictures studio lot where we see demonstrations on sound and post-production editing. We also have studio tours and discussions on taxes and government regulations with executives. Our next stop is at Sony Pictures Studios, formerly Columbia Pictures, one of the leading film studios in the world and a member of the so-called Big Six. As we did at Paramount, we meet with studio executives here to discuss taxes and government regulations. Our final visit of the day is to 21st Century Fox and the Fox Sports broadcast center where we get an in-depth look at the technology and investment that goes into producing high-quality sports programming. This visit is different from the first two of the day as most sporting events are filmed live and, while the technology at all the studios is unbelievably impressive, the technology here is massive. Because of this, cybersecurity is a huge concern and we have an extended conversation with studio executives regarding this.
Tuesday, March 27, 2018: This morning we visit the NBC Universal studios where we begin with an in-depth discussion on online piracy with technology and policy experts from the company. Pirated movies and shows is a serious problem in this industry and one that is threatening the many jobs and working families it supports. While they have had some cooperation from certain search engines, others have not cooperated and are compounding the problem. This is a system wide problem that is shared by all the studios and, while they do not necessarily want government intervention in the way of new laws, they do want us to be familiar with the problem and help encourage solutions. Next, we visit Walt Disney Studios where we have an extensive discussion with some of their executives regarding the recently passed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the impact that it has had on their business both domestically and internationally. We also have an animation presentation to learn more about how this ground breaking company has evolved over the years and is still using cutting edge technology. Our final visit is to Warner Brother’s studios where we visit a working sound stage and witness first-hand the behind the scenes filming of a television show. We also have an extensive presentation from studio executives explaining how series are sold and syndicated. This is the last of our studio tours and the visit has proven to be invaluable. Some of the things I have learned in the last two days are:
1) The number of people working in this business is enormous. In fact, the motion picture and television industry supports 2.1 million jobs and paid $135 billion in total wages in 2016.
2) Tom Cruise does all his own stunts. Recently, during the filming of Mission: Impossible 6, he injured his ankle doing a stunt.
3) Georgia is a major player in the industry with 92,100 jobs and nearly $4.6 billion in total wages. In 2016, 51 movies and 67 TV series were filmed in Georgia.
4) The animated movie “Frozen,” which my granddaughters love, was a surprise blockbuster for Disney- no one expected it to do as well as it has.
5) The industry is a nationwide network of small businesses. Comprised of over 93,000 businesses total- located in every state in the country- 87% employ fewer than 10 people.
6) Clint Eastwood writes almost all of the background music to the movies he stars in or directs. After my visit I have a newfound appreciation for the “minor” Oscars such as best sound editing or best visual effects. The work these professionals do is amazing.
7) The industry generates a positive balance of trade in virtually every country in which it does business. In 2016, the industry exported four times what it imported.
8) It takes almost five years of shows for a TV series to make it into syndication. The vast majority of shows never make it that far.
9) Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) companies paid $775 million to 6,648 vendors in Georgia in 2016.
10) Walt Disney ordered a Gulfstream II (made in Savannah) in 1965 but died in 1966 before it was delivered and never got to fly in it. A model of the plane still sets on his desk in his museum.
Rep. Carter at Kite Pharma |
Wednesday, March 28, 2018: The pharmacist in me never misses an opportunity, so this morning I visit Amgen Pharmaceuticals in Thousand Oaks to tour their facility and learn more about their research and development work. Amgen is the world’s largest independent biotechnology firm and their facilities are on the cutting edge of technology. Next, I head to Kite Pharma, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company involved in the development of cancer immunotherapy products. Using T cell therapy to restore the immune system’s ability to recognize and destroy tumors, Kite Pharma, a division of Gilead Sciences, is fighting to cure cancer. Before heading to the airport for my long trip back to the East Coast, I have a phone interview with Breitbart News to discuss legislation I am sponsoring to control fraud, waste and abuse in Medicaid.
Rep. and Mrs. Carter with Bonnie and Jerry Loupee |
Thursday, March 29, 2018: Although I’m suffering from jetlag today, I’m glad to be home and my first meeting is with the Coalition for Georgia Forestry as we discuss the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the positive impact it has had on forestry. Georgia is the number one forestry state in the country and is a major industry in our district. Afterwards, I stop by my Savannah office to catch up on a few things and meet my wife, Amy, before we head out to visit our good friends and longtime supporters, Bonnie and Jerry Loupee. The Loupees have been in Savannah for the past 27 years and are moving back home this weekend to Iowa. We will miss this wonderful couple.
Friday, March 30, 2018: After attending my Band of Brothers bible study this morning in Garden City where we had a special Passover Sedar meal service led by Rabbi Jude, I head to Lewis Frasier Middle School in Hinesville to participate in their quarterly recognition of honor roll students.
Rep. Carter at Lewis Frasier Middle School |
Under the leadership of Principal Jermaine Williams, this great school and phenomenal students are achieving great heights. Afterwards, I speak to a group of students at the school who are participating in the Capitol Hill Challenge Stock Market Game. To help these students learn financial literacy, they are given $100,000 in an online portfolio and invest in real stocks, bonds and mutual funds. Afterwards, I head to McAllister Elementary School near Richmond Hill in Bryan County where I speak to four separate fourth grade classes and explain to them what my job is and answer their great questions. Without a doubt, this is my favorite part of my work. Afterwards, I head down to Brunswick in Glynn County to the Marshes of Glynn Library and present them with a copy of the Women in Congress book in honor of Women’s History Month. Next, I keep heading south to Woodbine in Camden County where I present a copy of the same book to the Woodbine Women’s Club. |
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