Support for SHEP

This week the entire Georgia House delegation joined me in urging the administration to make the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP) a top funding priority in fiscal year 2020.

In our request to Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, we asked for the funding required to keep the project on track towards completion.

This project has a benefit-to-cost ratio of 7.3 to one and will deliver $282 million in annual transportation savings to the nation upon completion. By every measure, SHEP is a project that will provide extraordinary value and benefits to our state, region and nation for decades to come. We must complete this project so these benefits can be fully realized.

To view our full request, please click here.

From our Nation's Capitol CLXXXVIII

Monday, November 12, 2018: Today is Veterans Day and although we celebrate this day only once a year, in reality, every day is Veterans Day! Every day we give thanks for the sacrifice and service that our Veterans have given to our country so that we can enjoy the many freedoms that we have in this country. I begin my day at my home church, Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church located on Calhoun Square in downtown Savannah, where I attend our annual Veterans Day Breakfast. This year we honor those veterans and active duty service personnel who have served during the Mid-East Wars. I am very proud of our church and very proud that we have this annual recognition of our country’s heroes. After addressing the group, I head to St. Simons Island for the annual Veterans Council of the Golden Isles Veterans Day parade and ceremony. As fate would have it, the rain stops just as the parade begins and a large crowd gathers along the roadway as we march down the streets of this island paradise honoring those who have sacrificed so much and served our great country.

Rep. Carter at the Veterans Day Celebration in St. Simons

Afterwards, we gather at the stage area near the St. Simons Pier for the annual Veterans Day ceremony where we hear from elected officials and I have the opportunity to address the large crowd as the clouds give way to sunshine. After honoring the 2018 Veteran of the Year, Lorin “Len” Taylor, and 2018 Outstanding Community Service Award winner, Katherine A. Trackwell, our keynote Speaker is Rear Admiral Jeffrey T. Jablon, United States Navy Submarine Group 10, St. Marys, who gives a great history and update of this vitally important part of our armed forces.

Tuesday, November 13, 2018: I’m up early this morning and at the airport grabbing a flight to Washington to get an early start to the week. After arriving in my office I’m able to at least make a dent in the mountain of paperwork that has accumulated on my desk over the past month spent in the First District before meeting with staff for our weekly briefing. After a series of meetings with my Chief of Staff, Legislative Director and Communications Director to catch up, my next meeting is with Bill Eley with the American Pharmacy Cooperative, Inc. (APCI), followed by a phone conference with the Army Corps of Engineers to discuss the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP) fish passage at the New Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam in Augusta.

Rep. Carter meeting with APCI

Next, I head to the Capitol where we have the leadership election candidate forum for the Republican Conference for the upcoming 116^th Congress. Later this week we will be choosing our Minority Leader, Minority Whip, Conference Chair, Conference Vice-Chair, Conference Secretary and Conference Policy Director. Today’s meeting is to hear from the candidates who are running for those offices. Afterwards, I head to the House Chamber where we have our first vote series of the week.

Wednesday, November 14, 2018: This morning I meet with other members of the Energy and Commerce Committee to discuss what legislation we want to try and push before the end of the year. We also discuss legislation that we have already passed out of the House that is over in the Senate and what we can do to get that legislation moving. Afterwards, I head to our weekly GOP Conference meeting as we are brought up to date on the schedule for the remainder of this session. Next, I head back to my office where I meet with members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters to discuss labor issues before having a phone interview with Inside Health Policy to discuss the 340b drug pricing program. Next, I meet with my good friend Rick Desai who is visiting from the Atlanta area before meeting with representatives from Ultimaxx Health to learn more about the work they are doing in OTC pain relief alternatives.

Rep. Carter meeting with Ultimaxx Health

Afterwards, I head to the conservative Republican Study Committee meeting where we hear from the candidates running for Chairman of the group before heading to the 116^th Republican organizing conference where we are joined by newly elected members and where we have elections for leadership positions for the next session. Later, I head to the House Chamber for our first and only vote series of the day and afterwards pay tribute on the floor to former Glynn County Police Chief Matt Doering, who passed in September. A link to my tribute can be found here.

Rep. Carter speaking to the Gulfstream Executive Development Program

My final stop of the day is downtown where I speak to the Gulfstream Executive Development Council members who are in town this week.

Thursday, November 15, 2018: My first meeting this morning is with farmers from Southwest Georgia as they bring me up to date on the devastation that they experienced during Hurricane Michael. The pictures and stories are horrendous and we discuss what needs to be done and our course of action in getting disaster relief funds to the area as soon as possible.

Rep. Carter meeting with farmers from Southwest Georgia

Next, I meet with members of the Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce who catch me up on the many fine things going on in this growing community before having a telephone interview with The Lancet to discuss health care issues for the next session. After meeting with the General Counsel of the Public Service Telephone Company in Taylor County, I head to another 116^th Republican organizing conference meeting and this time we vote on rule proposals. Later, I head back to my office where I host a TeleTown Hall, one of my favorite events. Tonight’s call is interesting in that that we seem to have more comments than questions and I find that very useful as that is what the call is for - to hear from constituents.

Friday, November 16, 2018: This morning I head to a meeting of the conservative Republican Study Committee where Mike Johnson (R-LA) is elected as the chairman for the upcoming session before heading to the House Chamber for our first and only vote series of the day. Afterwards, I pay tribute on the floor to Glynn County Middle School student Oran Yeargan, who, after serving as an assistant on the football team all year, overcame obstacles and scored a touchdown this year. A link to my tribute can be found here. Before heading to the airport for my return flight home, I have a call with my good friend Major General Leopoldo Quintas, Commander of the 3rd ID at Fort Stewart.

Rep. Carter speaking to the Richmond Hill High School football team

Once back in Savannah, I head to Richmond Hill in Bryan County where I have the opportunity to speak to the Richmond Hill Wildcat football team before their second round playoff game with Coffee County and also participate in the coin toss before kickoff. (I might add that I did my part- Richmond Hill won the toss!)

Saturday, November 17, 2018: I am delighted today to attend the public unveiling of the Owens-Thomas House and slave quarters free community restoration celebration in downtown Savannah. This great project is another example of the historic preservation that Savannah is so famous for and shows once more how much the citizens of our great city care about our history. Later in the evening, I head out to the UGA Marine Education Center on Skidaway Island to visit their impressive facilities.