|
|
| This week on buddy's briefing |
This week on Buddy's Briefing, we discuss the Democrat's failed impeachment hearings, legislation I introduced to address maternal mortality and my vote against another short-term, stop-gap funding bill.
Click here to watch Buddy's Briefing.
|
| Addressing Maternal Mortality |
|
|
This week, we took important steps to address the high rate of maternal mortality in our nation.
Tragically, Georgia has the highest rate of maternal mortality in the entire country. This is unacceptable. That is why I've met with health care professionals and experts in this field to work to create solutions.
After meeting with these experts in the First District, I worked with my colleague Representative Katherine Clark to introduce the Birth Access Benefiting Improved Essential Facility Services Act, or BABIES Act, this week.
Currently, over half of U.S. counties have no hospital maternity unit. Freestanding, licensed birth centers can provide high quality care to women and families in low resource areas. Unfortunately, procedural obstacles disincentivize birth centers from accepting Medicaid beneficiaries, making it difficult for many women enrolled in Medicaid to access maternity care at these centers.
The BABIES Act creates a demonstration program using a new payment model to provide women and infants access to the essential care they need.
Additionally, I joined my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee this week to approve legislation I introduced with a bipartisan group of members.
Today, more than half of new moms are covered by Medicaid when they give birth but many lose Medicaid coverage just 60 days after giving birth. There is clear data showing 70 percent of new moms will have at least one health complication within a year of giving birth.
Our bill, the Helping Medicaid Offer Maternity Services (MOMS) Act, will help to ensure mothers have access to the care they need through the entire postpartum period.
|
| From our nation's capitol CCXLIII |
|
|
Monday, November 18, 2019: Today is U.S. Service Academy Day in the First District, a day that students interested in attending one of our nation’s military academies have been preparing for a very long time. Each member of Congress gets to nominate candidates for appointment to four U.S. Service Academies. These schools are the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.
Rep. Carter at Academy Day |
The fifth service academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, does not require a Congressional nomination for appointment. Needless to say, these students are the best of the best. Not only have they excelled academically, their extracurricular participation and community service are also exceptionally impressive. Because of the highly competitive nature of this process, I have an outstanding academy board consisting of members that have attended military academies, those with enlisted military experience and those without any military experience who interview the students and make recommendations to our office. This morning the interviews are held at the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force in Pooler and I stop by to speak to the students and to thank the board for their help in this rewarding but most difficult task. Afterwards, I head to our Savannah office where I have an on-camera interview with WTOC TV in Savannah to discuss a number of issues including the impeachment hearings. A link to my interview can be found here. After a great meeting in downtown Savannah with Chatham County Board of Elections member Antwan Lang, I head to the airport for my return trip to Washington. Once I arrive, I head to our weekly Whip Team meeting before heading to the House Chamber for our first vote series of the week.
Tuesday, November 19, 2019: I’m up early this morning for a full committee member meeting of the Energy and Commerce (E&C) Committee where we discuss upcoming issues before the committee. Afterwards, I head to our weekly GOP Conference before heading back to my office for our weekly staff briefing followed by a meeting with representatives from the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) to discuss prescription drug pricing legislation. Next, I head to an E&C full committee markup that will be stretched out over the next two days while we consider 18 bills. Although today’s markup lasts from 10:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m., we do have a break for our first and only vote series around 2:00 p.m. and before the markup starts back up I am able to meet with the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association to discuss environmental policies and have a phone interview with Connecting Vets to discuss veteran access to cannabis followed by a phone conference with The Pharmacy Solutions Alliance Group.
Rep. Carter speaks with WJCL-TV |
After the markup, I head to the Cannon Rotunda where I have an on-camera interview with WJCL-TV in Savannah to discuss the Helping Medicaid Offer Mothers Maternity Services (MOMS) Act that I am sponsoring that will combat maternal mortality and that is on the agenda to be marked up tomorrow. A link to my interview can be found here. My final stop of a very busy day is a special one as I head to the House Chamber to join my other Georgia delegation colleagues as we pay tribute to our beloved senior Senator, Johnny Isakson (R-GA), who will be retiring at the end of this year. A link to my tribute can be found here.
Wednesday, November 20, 2019: After an early morning radio interview with my good friend Bill Edwards with NewsRadio 1290 in Savannah where we discuss the impeachment hearings, I head to the House Chamber where I pay tribute to my good friends Jennifer Graham and Meg Heap, both dedicated Savannahians who add so much to our community and who were recently recognized for their work by Zonta, Inc., as well as recognizing November as National Skin Care Month and wishing a happy 95th birthday to my good friend, Howard Young of Savannah. A link to my tributes can be found here, here, here and here. Next, I have a call with a constituent in Savannah to discuss an issue with the Corps of Engineers before heading to an E&C Environment Subcommittee hearing on environmental justice and the impact of climate change on low income areas. A link to my questions in the hearing can be found here. Afterwards, I have a conference call with a group of pharmacy owners affiliated with Waypoint Pharmacy before having on-camera interviews with WSAV TV and WTOC TV in Savannah to discuss today’s impeachment hearings and my maternal mortality legislation. A link to my interview can be found here.
Rep. Carter meeting with Chatham Area Transit |
Next, I head to a Select Committee on Climate Change hearing on resiliency. A link to my comments can be found here. After meeting with Michael Brown, the Interim Executive Director and CEO of Chatham Area Transit (CAT) in Savannah, I meet with representatives from the National Association of Chemical Distributors and then head back to the E&C Committee room where the full committee continues our mark-up session from yesterday. While I must admit that a few of these bills are quite contentious and cause us to spend another long afternoon in committee, it is important to note that the majority pass by voice vote meaning that they have been worked out in a bipartisan manner. A link to some of my comments during the mark up can be found here.
Thursday, November 21, 2019: I’m up early this morning as I meet with members of the Doctor’s Caucus to discuss innovation and investment in health care before heading back to my office for a conference call with my good friend, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works R. D. James, to discuss a Corps of Engineers issue in our District.
Rep. Carter meeting with students from Effingham Middle School |
Afterwards, I head to the most beautiful building in America, the Library of Congress (LOC) where I film this week’s edition of Buddy’s Briefings before heading back to my office to meet with students from Effingham Middle School who are up visiting this week. Next, I head to the House Chamber where we have our last vote series of the week and afterwards head to the airport for my return trip home.
Friday, November 22, 2019: I’m in downtown Savannah in Chatham County this morning as I have the honor of speaking to the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association and bring them up to date on the budget process and the Continuing Resolution (CR) that was passed earlier this week that will carry us through December 20, 2019.
Rep. Carter at the Habersham School's Feast Day |
Afterwards, I head to the Habersham School’s Feast Day in midtown Savannah at the Gould Cottage and enjoy the great skits that the students put on and also meet with the State Champion Girls Volleyball team that I recognized earlier this month in the House Chamber in Washington.
Rep. Carter visiting Verizon |
My final stop of a very busy week is at the Verizon ODAS Shelter in Savannah where I tour their 5G facility that houses some of the most up to date wireless equipment available before visiting their Macro facility and cell tower to see more of their cutting edge technology.
|
| VOTES IN THE HOUSE THIS WEEK |
|
|
| Click here for this week's vote sheet in the House.
|
|
|
