Good News for the Port of Savannah

This week we received good news for the Port of Savannah as the United States Trade Representative announced the Chinese imports that will include an additional tariff of ten percent. After working with the Georgia Ports Authority and United States Trade Representative Lighthizer, we were able to ensure the exemption of the ship to shore cranes purchased by the Georgia Ports Authority for the Port of Savannah from these additional tariffs.

The Port of Savannah is the fastest growing and third busiest port complex in the United States. The new cranes are critical to ensure the port is able to keep up with this continued growth.

I applaud President Trump for putting America first and working to correct the unfair trade practices against the United States. However, adding tariffs to the purchase of these cranes would be detrimental to the port, therefore it would be detrimental to the jobs and economy in our area and the entire nation.

From our Nation's Capitol CCXXIX

Monday, August 12, 2019: This past weekend, I attended the annual STAND event at the Savannah Civic Center sponsored by Kenny Grant Evangelistic Ministries. STAND is a free, one-day event for high schoolers and college students that prepares students to STAND in their Christian faith, regardless of pressure from peers or professors. The program included food, drink, high energy music and drawings for free cars, and, most importantly, testimony from trained counselors and local area pastors on practical ways for young people to defend their faith.

Rep. Carter at the STAND Event

This morning I’m in downtown Savannah where I have the honor of speaking to the Georgia Council for Rural Housing and Development. The United States Department of Agriculture-Rural Development (USDA-RD) has over 400 apartment properties in Georgia that provide much needed affordable homes to more than 50,000 Georgia residents in rural communities. Unlike public housing, this is an example of public/private partnerships that provide homes to those in need in over 140 Georgia counties. Afterwards, I head to Jesup in Wayne County where I have the privilege of speaking at the Wayne County GOP monthly meeting before heading further west to Alma in Bacon County where I tour the Universal Leaf Tobacco Company. After meeting with company officials to better understand how the company procures and processes flue-cured, burley, dark-fire, and oriental leaf tobacco for manufacturers of consumer tobacco products, I am led on a tour of the huge warehouse facility that receives, processes, blends, and stores leaf tobacco for tobacco farmers before it goes to tobacco product manufacturers. After the tour, I meet with about 40 tobacco farmers and Farm Bureau members from the area to hear their concerns with issues including low prices and tariffs. Next, I head to Macon for a meeting with the Georgia Chamber of Commerce (COC).

Tuesday, August 13, 2019: I’m in Macon this morning to attend the annual Georgia COC Congressional Luncheon at the Macon Marriott City Center. My day begins with a meeting with the Georgia COC Board of Directors as I join my fellow Georgia delegation member Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-GA) on a panel moderated by the Chair of the COC Government Affairs Council for a federal update. Among the issues that we discuss are the recent two year budget deal that passed Congress and was signed into law by the President as well as my work on the Energy and Commerce Committee and Select Committee on Climate Change.

Representatives Carter and Ferguson speak at the Georgia Chamber of Commerce event

Afterwards, I join other members of the Congressional delegation as we have a meeting with Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao to discuss infrastructure issues in Georgia and throughout the country. Next, I head to the COC luncheon where I am honored to participate in the program by delivering the invocation. We are also fortunate to hear from Georgia Senator David Perdue (R-GA) as well as Secretary Chao, who brings the group up to date on transportation issues in our nation. After the luncheon, I participate in a breakout session where I am on a congressional panel focusing on the economic impacts of infrastructure in Georgia. As to be expected, most of my focus and comments are on the Ports in Savannah and Brunswick, particularly regarding the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP). Afterwards, I keep going north as I head to Atlanta to the offices of the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC) where I have a sit down interview with their health care reporter to discuss our work in Congress on issues such as surprise billing, prescription drug pricing and the opioid epidemic. Next, I meet with their political reporter to discuss other important work in Washington.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019: I’m at my old stomping grounds this morning as I visit the State Capitol where I meet with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger followed by a meeting with Governor Brian Kemp. Both of these good friends are doing an outstanding job in their new roles and we are fortunate to have them serving in their respective positions.

Rep. Carter with Governor Brian Kemp

Afterwards, I head to WSB-TV studios for an on-camera interview on various subjects including immigration, gun control, opioid grants, robocalls and surprise billing. Next, I head to Righteous Guitars in Alpharetta, where I meet with my good friend Brian Martin to learn more about his successful business. Afterwards, I head to the national headquarters of Rheem Water Heating Division where I learn more about this market leader in heating, cooling, water heating and commercial refrigeration products. I also have the opportunity to tour their impressive innovation learning center located here that is used to educate plumbers and contractors from around the southeast.

Rep. Carter visiting the national headquarters of Rheem Water Heating Division

Next, I head to the Georgia Council on Substance Abuse in Atlanta to learn more about the great work this dedicated group of substance abuse experts are doing in our state. There are over 800,000 people in recovery in Georgia and this group serves as their voice by representing them, their family and their friends. They partner with numerous state health agencies and provide training, guidance and resources to counselors throughout the state who help people in their communities in recovery. My last meeting is in downtown Atlanta as I meet with members of the Medical Association of Georgia (MAG) to discuss surprise billing and recent legislation that passed out of the Energy and Commerce (E&C) Committee that I serve on.

Thursday, August 15, 2019: I’m still in Atlanta this morning and my first stop is at the Children’s Hospital of Atlanta (CHOA) newly opened Center for Advance Pediatrics (CAP) campus that serves families in every county in Georgia as well as many outside the state. This massive outpatient, non-emergency facility brings together multiple pediatric clinics, programs and specialists under one roof to provide easy access to specialized, coordinated, state of the art care for children. After a short briefing on the facility I take a tour of the beautiful facility to see first-hand the research and development, endocrinology, and treatment of eating disorders programs that they offer.

Rep. Carter at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

We are truly fortunate to have this great facility located in our state. Afterwards, I head to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and on the way have a phone interview with Well Service Magazine, the magazine of the Association of Energy Service Companies, to discuss energy issues. Once at the CDC, I meet with my good friend Dr. Robert Redfield, who is doing an outstanding job as director of the agency, as he outlines his major priorities and gives me an update on the opioid crisis as well as on Ebola. Next, we have a domestic preparedness roundtable discussion as we are joined by Dr. Nancy Messonnier and Dr. Jim Pirkle, two of the many outstanding experts here at one of the most important health agencies in the world. My final stop at the agency is a tour of the Antibiotic Resistance Laboratory to see the important research work they are doing to combat this growing threat of drug-resistant germs.