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| Improving Telehealth for Veterans |
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This week the House unanimously approved my legislation to improve and increase access to telemedicine for veterans.
The VA Mission Act, signed into law in June 2018, reformed a wide range of veteran health care issues, but the telemedicine portion of the law includes an error that prohibits trainees from using the telemedicine system.
These trainees are typically interns, residents, fellows, or graduate students who are working with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to gain necessary experience to become doctors and/or work full-time with the VA.
Without this necessary experience, these individuals will not be getting important training in this area and may use the system for the first-time only when they become a licensed doctor, creating a delay in training and the potential for more mistakes.
My legislation, the VA Mission Telemedicine Clarification Act, ensures trainees who are satisfying professional training program requirements are able to use the telemedicine system.
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| the State Strategic Stockpile Readiness Act |
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Also this week, the House unanimously approved my legislation to establish and expand state strategic stockpiles to prepare for future events like the COVID-19 pandemic.
The legislation establishes a pilot program to award dollar-for-dollar federal matching grants to states to expand or maintain a strategic stockpile of commercially available drugs, medical equipment, personal protective equipment, and other medical products deemed essential in the event of a public health emergency.
The state stockpiles will be acquired, managed, and distributed by the state, and will serve to supplement the federal Strategic National Stockpile.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made it very clear that we need to be better prepared for future health emergencies.
During the pandemic, some states were not prepared to deal with the large influx of patients needing ventilators and other medical products.
We also saw countries like China and India withhold therapeutics and pharmaceutical ingredients.
This will make sure states are prepared and able to respond quickly by having their own stockpile ready, in addition to the federal strategic stockpile. |
| National Small Business week |
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During National Small Business Week, Small Business Administration Administrator Jovita Carranza visited the First District to hear directly from small business owners who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. I am grateful that the Administrator took the time to visit to learn how the Administration can continue to assist our small businesses during these challenging times.
We discuss her visit and fighting for small businesses in this episode of Buddy's Briefing.
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| from our nation's capitol CCLXXXIII |
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Monday, September 21, 2020: I begin my week with our daily all-staff conference call which I join in on while I am headed to beautiful Jekyll Island in Glynn County where I have a tour of Cherry Street Energy Solar Array. Jekyll Island is located within the chain of the Golden Isles off of the Georgia Coast and has partnered with Cherry Street Energy, a solar power company that provides renewable power to large-scale clients, to turn a former landfill into a 1 megawatt array that produces enough electricity to power more than 100 homes.
Rep. Carter visits the Cherry Street Energy Solar Array |
This week is National Clean Energy Week and I have chosen to start the week with this visit at the invitation of Conservatives for Clean Energy of Georgia (CCEGA) as well as Clean Cities Georgia (CCG). After a great visit with this innovative project, I head to our Brunswick office where I have a recorded interview with WJXT Action News Jax in Jacksonville before having a virtual conference with hospital and pharmacy administrators at Augusta University Hospital to discuss recent action taken by pharmaceutical companies regarding the 340B program. The 340B program is a drug discount program offered to safety net hospitals that has received much attention lately from Congress and from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Afterwards, I head to American Legion Post 9 in Brunswick where I attend their monthly Veteran’s Council meeting and introduce them to our new staff member who is a wounded warrior and will be working out of the Brunswick office concentrating on veteran’s issues.
Tuesday, September 22, 2020: I’m at the Savannah airport bright and early this morning as I head to Washington for the remainder of the week. Once back in my office on Capitol Hill, I have a virtual call with researchers from Georgia Tech, City of Savannah and Chatham County personnel to review the sea level sensor project that they are working on. Both Sustainability for Savannah and Chatham County Emergency Management personnel are involved in this great project that is bringing invaluable information to our District. After joining in on our daily all-staff conference call, I head to the House Chamber where I speak on H.R. 3228, the VA Telehealth Clarification Act that I am the lead sponsor on and have been working on for many years now. A link to my comments on this very important legislation can be found here. Once back in my office, I have a virtual call with ASKM Urology to discuss their initiatives and later head back to the House Chamber for our first vote series of the week.
Rep. Carter speaking about the Strengthening America’s Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) Act |
After votes, I head to a press conference outside the Capitol where I speak on the Strengthening America’s Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) Act, a bill that I was a lead Republican co-sponsor of and that passed on the House floor by a unanimous voice vote. Next, I have a virtual call with representatives from Amazon before having a call with the Savannah Meridian Clinical Research Clinic to discuss their vaccine trial. Afterwards, I head to the Congressional Visitors Center (CVC) auditorium for a Whip Team meeting where we have an update from Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar and his staff on Operation Warp Speed (OWS), the public-private partnership to develop a vaccine, therapies and tests for COVID-19.
Rep. Carter pays tribute to Chatham County Commissioner James Holmes |
Next, I head to our second vote series of the day and afterwards stay in the House Chamber where I pay tribute to Chatham County Commissioner James Holmes who recently passed. A link to my tribute can be found here.
Wednesday, September 23, 2020: I’m at a GOP Conference this morning where we discuss the business of the week and, immediately afterwards, we convene into a special conference meeting to discuss a proposal to introduce legislation to have Speaker Pelosi vacate the chair. This is legislation that is rarely used and signifies a lack of confidence in the Speaker to lead the House. Afterwards, I head to an Energy and Commerce (E&C) Health Subcommittee hearing on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the COVID-19 pandemic. A link to my questions can be found here. After joining in on our daily all-staff conference call, I head to a meeting of the Region IV (Georgia and South Carolina) steering delegation before heading to the House Chamber for our only vote series of the day.
Rep. Carter speaks on H.R. 4447 |
Afterwards, I stay in the House Chamber where I speak on H.R. 4447, the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act. A link to my comments can be found here. My final meeting of the day is with the conservative Republican Study Committee (RSC) where we hear from White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dr. John Fleming regarding the Administration’s plans to release a new health care plan.
Thursday, September 24, 2020: I’m glad to join my good friend Scott James with Talk 92.1 in Valdosta for an early morning radio interview today as we discuss a variety of topics including immigration. Afterwards, I head to a meeting of the Georgia Congressional Delegation before heading to an E&C Consumer Protection and Commerce (CPAC) Subcommittee hearing on extremism on social media. A link to my questions can be found here. After our daily all-staff conference call, I head down to the House Chamber for a vote series consisting of five total votes and lasting most of the afternoon. Afterwards, I have a conference call with representatives from the Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association before meeting with representatives from the Horse Racing Association followed by a meeting with representatives from the American Council for Engineering Companies. Later, I head to the airport for my return trip home to Savannah.
Friday, September 24, 2020: I begin my day with an early morning radio interview with my good friend Bill Edwards from WTKS NewsRadio 97.7 in Savannah where we discuss the upcoming supreme court nomination and other news from Washington.
Rep. Carter with Jovita Carranza, Administrator of the Small Business Administration |
Afterwards, I head to Progressive Wound Care Technologies in Savannah where I meet Jovita Carranza, Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), who is in the District to visit small businesses and find out their experiences with the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that was an integral part of the coronavirus relief package passed by Congress. After a great visit with this professional wound care provider, we head to Advertising Specialty Services where my good friend, owner Diana Morrison, gives us a tour of her company and shares how they benefited from the PPP. Next, we head to Vic’s on the River, a great restaurant in downtown Savannah where we hear how their business benefited from the PPP. Afterwards, we head to the Georgia Ports Authority in Garden City where the Administrator holds a roundtable discussion with various small business owners from the area to hear of their experiences with the PPP.
Rep. Carter with Small Business Administrator Jovita Carranza at the Georgia Ports Authority |
Afterwards, I join the Administrator for a tour of the port before joining her for a press conference to discuss her visit today. Afterwards, I film this week’s edition of Buddy’s Briefing before recording a video for one of my retiring colleagues in the Georgia delegation, Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA). |
| VOTES IN THE HOUSE THIS WEEK |
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| Click here for this week's vote sheet in the House. |
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