When was the last time you checked your passport? Do you know when Tax Day is this year?

Almost daily, our office hears from worried passengers who realized, too late, that their passport is expired. And if you’re still waiting on your 2020 tax return, you’re not alone.

We want to help you avoid a similar fate. Here’s what you need to know so you can take that summer vacation and collect your tax return with ease:

Passports

Visit the Department of State’s website, www.travel.state.gov, before planning an international trip.

This website details how to apply for passports and provides important information for the country you plan on visiting. Even if your passport is valid, some countries require that your passport be valid for as much as six months from the day of your flight.

The State Department’s website will help you navigate these international regulations, as well as any COVID-19 restrictions you need to be aware of.

Current routine processing times for passports are 8-11 weeks. When you send your passport application off, you can pay an extra $60 to expedite it. It currently takes about 5-7 weeks to process an expedited passport.

Passport appointments are never guaranteed, so it is important to think ahead and make sure you have a passport that meets the country’s requirements before planning a trip.

Tax Filing

Monday, April 18^th is Tax Day.

Filing your taxes electronically will ensure that they are processed in a timely manner. Mailing your tax return will delay its processing.

The IRS is still experiencing backlogs due to the pandemic shutdown. However, they have made significant progress as they are regularly processing tax returns.

If you are experiencing issues obtaining your tax return from the IRS, there are ways that our office can help. The Taxpayer Advocate Service, which advocates on behalf of taxpayers to resolve issues with the IRS, will start accepting congressional inquiries for 2021 tax returns on May 17^th.

While we cannot file your taxes or issue you a new passport, we do have staff  available to help you navigate this sea of bureaucracy. Our contact information is below – happy filing and safe travels!

In this week's edition of Buddy's Briefings, we're celebrating the completion of the dredging for the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project, which has been decades in the making. 

BRUNSWICK NEWS - During my 35 years working as a pharmacist, there was hardly a day that went by where I was not asked by a concerned parent to identify an unknown pill they found in their child’s possession. For many years I consoled them, assuring these parents that the risks were minor. That changed after I went to the first funeral.

Early reports indicate that 2021 was the deadliest year on record for overdoses here in Georgia [...]

As a member of Congress, I am calling on President Biden and Speaker Pelosi to permanently schedule fentanyl analogues and secure our southern border. And if you are a parent reading this, or a friend of someone who might be at risk, I encourage you to go to your local pharmacy and purchase naloxone.

Read the full letter here. 

Monday, March 21, 2022: Last night I was on St. Simons Island in Glynn County attending the Taste of the Vine fundraiser benefitting the Coastal Coalition for Children, a group whose mission is to promote child wellbeing by giving families the tools they need to create safe, stable, and nurturing homes. Among the programs this great coalition supports are First Steps, a program that supports any parent expecting a child and any caregiver of a child less than five-years-old, Healthy Families, a child abuse prevention and home visitation program, and Grandparent Connection, a program that supports grandparents who are the legal guardians of minor children.

Afterwards, I went to St Marys in Camden County where we are having our staff retreat this year. Every year we bring our Washington and district staffs together to review the previous year and set our goals and priorities for the upcoming year. We try to alternate the retreats between Washington and the First District. This year, we chose beautiful St Marys. For some of our staff, this is their first visit to this area and to the District. For those who have joined our staff since our last retreat, it is an opportunity to meet other staff in person for the first time.

We begin our retreat this morning by having each department- legislative, communications, casework, etc...- review their work from the previous year. Later in the afternoon, we set our goals and priorities for the upcoming year. These sessions are extremely important and are dependent on participation from each team member.

After running a small business for over 32 years, I understand the importance of surrounding yourself with good people and am blessed to have a great team serving with me in Washington and the First District.

Wednesday, March 23, 2022: We wrap up our retreat this morning with a closing session where we review our work, goals, and priorities for the year. While a few Washington staff members head back to D.C., most stay in Georgia for the rest of the week for additional meetings.

I head to Ponte Vedra, FL, where the House GOP Conference is having our yearly retreat and, once there, have a live interview on Fox Business’s Cavuto Coast to Coast to discuss energy independence in our country and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Later, I have an interview on One America News Network (OANN) where I discuss the same issues before attending the first general session of the conference where we hear from range of speakers discussing the political landscape.

Later, we hear from former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich as he shares with us his perspective.

Thursday, March 24, 2022: I’m still in Ponte Vedra, FL, this morning and at our opening session of today’s GOP Conference retreat, we hear from Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) and Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY).

Afterwards, I head out early to take a flight to Phoenix, AZ, where I will be speaking at a national pharmacy organization’s conference tomorrow.

Friday, March 25, 2022: After a phone interview with the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC) to discuss infrastructure needs in the State of Georgia, I have a virtual call with Georgia Advancing Communities Together (Georgia ACT) to discuss the need for affordable housing in our state.

Next, I head to the Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding conference where I am honored to be their keynote speaker this year.

Afterwards, I head back to the airport for a flight to Memphis, TN, where I will be speaking to another pharmacy organization tomorrow.