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April is National Volunteer Month in recognition of those who dedicate their time to volunteer and to encourage others to participate.
Many citizens across the First District of Georgia and across the nation volunteer their time to their local communities. Local food banks, after school programs, shelters and many other organizations run on the hard work and dedication of volunteers.
This week, I visited Frank Callen Boys and Girls Club, Urban Hope, and America's Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia to meet with some of the wonderful volunteers in our community. I am grateful for the opportunity to both thank and work alongside the volunteers at these great organizations.
Rep. Carter at America's Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia |
Thank you to all the volunteers in GA-1. |
| From our Nation's Capitol CLVII |
Monday, April 2, 2018: He is Risen! Yesterday, along with Christians throughout the world, my family and I celebrated Easter Sunday and the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Along with our youngest son Travis, Amy and I attended our home church, Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church located on Calhoun Square in Savannah. The service was outstanding with a packed house, a great message and phenomenal music. This morning I’m at the airport bright and early as I travel to Atlanta where I am participating in the 2018 National Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit today and tomorrow.
Rep. Carter presenting at the 2018 National Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit |
This annual gathering of local, state and federal agencies, business and academia, is for stakeholders to discuss what’s working in prevention and treatment of prescription drug abuse and heroin use. Before the summit begins, I meet with representatives from the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons to discuss issues important to their profession before participating in a phone call with representatives from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to discuss the sodium bicarbonate injection shortage facing our country. Sodium bicarbonate injection is commonly used in critical care settings during advanced cardiac life support (ACLS). Next, I have a call with representatives from the Savannah Law School as they bring me up to date on the situation surrounding their closing that was announced last month. Afterwards, I have a call with the Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health, Dr. Pat O’Neal, to discuss issues with the Georgia Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP). Finally, I meet with the Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Dr. Nora Volkow, who I have worked with closely over the past few years, to discuss pending legislation in Congress.
Tuesday, April 3, 2018: My first meeting this morning is with the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr. Robert Redfield, to discuss what CDC leadership is doing to fight the opioid epidemic. Next, I have a live radio interview with Scott James in Valdosta, who is actually in Atlanta doing his show remotely at the summit. Afterwards, I head to the main auditorium where I address the roughly 3,000 attendees and bring them up to date on what we are doing in Congress at this time in regards to opioid addiction and abuse. Before leaving the summit, I have two more meetings, the first with Sheila Pierce from the Georgia Public Health Department who is the director of the PDMP. I sponsored the legislation creating Georgia’s PDMP while I was a member of the Georgia State Senate in 2009, and now Sheila brings me up to date on the changes to the program since that time.
Rep. Carter at Frank Callen Boys and Girls Club |
My final meeting is with representatives from Kaleo, a manufacturer of Naloxone auto-injector, to learn more of their access model program. Naloxone is a medication used to block the effects of opioids and is especially useful in cases of overdose.
Wednesday, April 4, 2018: I’m back in Savannah today and I start my day with a tour of America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia at their facility on President Street in Savannah. Second Harvest serves as the food safety net for tens of thousands of children, senior citizens, low-income families, and people with disabilities who are at risk for hunger throughout Southern Georgia. After my tour, I have the opportunity to volunteer and help pack boxes of food to be delivered throughout the area. Next, I head to Gateway in Savannah to tour their facility and learn more about the work being done here by the Community Service Boards (CSBs) in our state. The CSBs are responsible as service providers for citizens with mental illness, developmental disabilities, and/or addictive diseases in our state. Afterwards, I attend the Savannah Area Republican Women’s Club monthly meeting where I am the keynote speaker and bring them up to date on current issues in Washington. Next, I head to my Savannah office for a series of meetings beginning with a meeting with Douglas Washington to learn more about the ROTC scholarship program he represents. My next meeting is with my good friend, Roger Moss, co-founder and Executive Director of the Savannah Children’s Choir, followed by a meeting with another good friend, Tybee Island Mayor Jason Buelterman, who brings me up to date on issues involving this great coastal city.
Rep. Carter at Urban Hope |
My final meeting is with representatives from DaVita Dialysis as they update me on legislation currently being offered in Congress dealing with dialysis patients. Next, I head to Frank Callen Boys and Girls Club in Savannah where I have a tour of the facility and have an opportunity to volunteer and help some of the students with their math homework. (Wow! Math sure has gotten a lot harder since I was in school!) Afterwards, I head to Urban Hope, an afterschool program at St. Paul’s CME Church in Savannah and meet with the staff and students. This delightful group of inquisitive students has plenty of questions and I thoroughly enjoy my visit.
Thursday, April 5, 2018: I’m back in my Savannah office this morning and my first meeting is with Hadassah of Savannah, a Jewish women’s organization interested in legislation currently before Congress dealing with Israel. Next, I meet with Jerry Archer to discuss industrial technical training in our area and what we can do to improve upon this much needed area.
Rep. Carter at Coast Guard Station Brunswick |
Finally, I meet with my good friend, Mike Walters to discuss alternatives to the Affordable Care Act and then head to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynn County where I meet with the new director, Tom Walters. After a great individual meeting with the new director, I meet with him and other members of his leadership team before meeting with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Tom Homan who happens to be visiting the facility today. Afterwards, I head to Coast Guard Station Brunswick where I tour their facilities and have the opportunity to board one of their vessels for a tour of the harbor. Next, I head to my Brunswick office where I have two meetings with constituents to discuss the opioid epidemic and security at the port. Finally, I head to Tybee Island where I have the honor of introducing my good friend, Mayor Jason Buelterman, as he gives his Tybee State of the City address.
Friday, April 6, 2018: I’m up very early this morning as I’m on Hilton Head Island at 7:00 a.m. for a speech to the National Health Care Corporation as I bring them up to date on health care issues being discussed in Washington.
Rep. Carter meeting with Irish Ambassador Dan Mullhall |
Afterwards, I head back to Pooler where I meet with Irish Ambassador Dan Mullhall and tour Kerry, Inc., a great Irish company with operations in America that makes food ingredients. After my tour, I have the opportunity to meet with Ambassador Mullhall to discuss Irish-American business relations. Next, I have a phone interview with Breitbart to discuss the upcoming Energy and Commerce (E&C) meeting with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Later in the afternoon, I am honored to be invited to the grand reopening and 50th year anniversary celebration of Dan Vaden Chevrolet in Savannah where I bring greetings to the crowd and participate in the ribbon cutting. Afterwards, I have a phone interview with WJXT in Jacksonville regarding protestors who slipped onto the Kings Bay Submarine Base and vandalized some signs. |
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