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The House of Representatives passed legislation this week that I worked on in the Energy and Commerce Committee to ban robocalls.
Robocalls are not only annoying, they are also a security issue. They threaten to defraud consumers and disrupt America's health care system.
I spoke on the House floor ahead of this vote about the importance of the legislation. Click here to see my speech.
Even with all the partisanship in Congress right now, ending robocalls is something we can all agree on. I'm proud we moved this through our committee and now through the House.
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| Preventing the fraudulent use of social security numbers |
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I reintroduced legislation this week to prevent fraudulent use of Social Security numbers by illegal immigrants.
During an audit of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Treasury Department's Inspector General found that over 1.4 million illegal immigrants could be working and operating fraudulently under the Social Security numbers of legal citizens. However, the IRS has refused to take action claiming they can't tell the difference between fraud or a mismatch due to an automated system.
It's unbelievable that the IRS knows illegal immigrants are using American's Social Security numbers but refuses to do anything about it. I've asked the IRS about this and I was told that they are not even in a position to notify victims that their Social Security number was stolen and is being used fraudulently. Then they just blame it on a computer system.
My legislation, the Tax Identity Protection Act, requires the IRS to address how they can better identify illegal immigrants who are fraudulently using the information of legal citizens to work in the United States. |
| from our nation's Capitol ccxxi |
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Monday, July 22, 2019: Yesterday, I was honored to address the Georgia Medical Directors Association at their annual meeting in Savannah and give them a federal health care update. This group, made up of medical directors, nurses and pharmacists, work together to promote quality patient care in post-acute and long term care facilities in Georgia. I’m in our Savannah office this morning and my first meeting is with representatives from Greenleaf Energy Conservation, a company that provides a product that reduces energy consumption due to inefficiencies in the power configuration and age of equipment on the grid.
Rep. Carter speaking at the Georgia Medical Directors Association annual meeting |
Next, I meet with a local business to discuss their concern with retaining employees who are trying to gain permanent residency. Afterwards, I head to the Savannah Downtown Rotary Club for their weekly meeting where we hear from Georgia Lottery President and CEO Gretchen Corbin as she shares with us the outstanding success story of the Georgia Lottery. Next, I head to the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport where I visit the local USO Savannah Center to tour their new location and upgraded facilities. Although their official ribbon cutting ceremony is tomorrow when I will be back in Washington, I am able to meet with local volunteer Rich Noel and Susan Cahoon, Chair of the USO Council of Georgia. This great location is stocked with snacks, soft drinks and free bottled water for active duty men and women as they wait for their next flight or van to their next location to continue their active service.
Tuesday, July 23, 2019: After an early morning flight to Washington, I head to Statuary Hall in the Capitol to record our newest production, Buddy’s Briefings. We will be posting these videos each week to share with constituents the events for the week. A link to last week’s Buddy’s Briefing can be found here. Next, I head to my office where I meet with representatives from Altria to discuss their new IQOS heated tobacco system and afterwards I have an on-camera interview with WTOC to discuss robocalls and the Mueller hearings. A link to my interview can be found here.
Rep. Carter visiting Youth for Tomorrow |
Next, I travel to Manassas, VA, with other members of the Energy and Commerce (E&C) Committee for a tour of Youth for Tomorrow (YFT), a facility whose mission is to provide children and families with the opportunity to focus their lives and develop the skills, spiritual insight and moral integrity that will result in positive changes for the child, family and community. Founded in 1986 by former Washington Redskin’s coach and NASCAR team owner Joe Gibbs as a Christian group home for boys, YFT began an Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) program in 2012 in conjunction with the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). The E&C Committee has jurisdiction over ORR within the Department of Health and Human Services, and we are here to observe how the program is working. Three weeks ago, I traveled to the southwest border as a member of the Doctors Caucus to observe how the UAC were being processed and treated when they enter our country. Typically, UAC are processed within 48-72 hours and transferred to an ORR facility like YFT that we are touring today. Nestled on a 215 acre campus, YFT is a nationally accredited facility complete with shelter services, long term foster care, transitional foster care and home studies and post release services. After a program overview, we tour the beautiful campus that includes group homes, a Chapel, medical center, school, gymnasium and much more. YFT is an excellent program, offering excellent care and facilities to UAC. Once back at the Capitol, we have our weekly staff briefing after which I meet with representatives from different pharmacy associations.
Rep. Carter hosts a telephone town hall with special guest Rep. Garret Graves |
Next, I have a telephone town hall with special guest Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA) who is the ranking member of the Select Committee on Climate Change. After heading to our weekly Whip Team meeting, I head to the House Chamber for our first vote series of the week. After votes, I remain in the House Chamber where I pay tribute to the Waycross Theater Company. A link to my tribute can be found here. Next, while still in the House Chamber, I participate in a special order with the House Energy Action Team (HEAT). A link to my comments can be found here.
Wednesday, July 24, 2019: Our weekly GOP Conference meeting is this morning and afterwards, I head to the House Chamber where I pay tribute to Marion Johnson, a resident of the First Congressional District who 50 years ago worked on the spaceflight for Apollo 11. Next, I pay tribute to Sam Weinrich who is celebrating his 100th birthday in August and finally to Robert and Cheryl Williams who are retiring as publisher and owner of the Blackshear Times. A link to my tributes can be found here. Afterwards, I head to an E&C Environment Subcommittee hearing on decarbonizing the economy.
Rep. Carter speaking to WSAV about robocalls and the Mueller hearings |
Next, I head to an E&C Consumer Protection and Commerce (CPAC) Subcommittee hearing on how to make cars in America safer. Later, I head to the Capitol plaza where I have an on-camera interview with WSAV on robocalls and the Mueller hearing before heading to the Cannon Rotunda for another on-camera interview on the same subjects with WJCL in Savannah. Next, I head to my office where I meet with representatives from the railroads on smart transportation before heading to the House Chamber where I speak during debate on the robocalls bill. A link to my comments can be found here. Afterwards, I head to the Rayburn room next to the House Chamber where I meet with my good friends from the Camden Partnership including Sheila McNeil and St. Marys Mayor John Morrisey before meeting with representatives from the Federal Corrections Institute (FCI) in Jesup. Next, I head back to the House Chamber for our first vote series of the day after which I have a phone interview with Breitbart News on the Mueller hearings and legislation I am introducing to prevent fraudulent use of Social Security numbers by illegal immigrants. Afterwards, I head to the Washington studios of NBC where I have an on-camera interview with 11 Alive in Atlanta on my role on the Select Committee on Climate Change. Once back at the Capitol, I head back to the House Chamber where we have our second vote series of the day. Later in the evening, I head back to the House Chamber where I manage the floor on three bills from the E&C Committee, including the PAST Act, a bill to stop the soring of horses.
Thursday, July 25, 2019: After a meeting of the Doctors Caucus where we hear from CMS Administrator Seema Verma who gives us an update on work in her office, I head to an E&C full committee member day hearing where we invite house members who are not on the committee to present and explain their legislation that will come before us.
Rep. Carter with Washington summer interns |
Later in the afternoon, I head to the House Chamber where we have our first vote series of the day and afterwards have an interview with the Savannah Morning News to discuss the opioid epidemic and the actions we have taken in the E&C Committee to combat this national epidemic. Next, I head back to my office where I meet with the Congressional Research Service (CRS) to review information I am gathering on health care before heading to a Select Committee on Climate Change hearing on resiliency. Later, I head back to the House Chamber for our second and final vote series of the day and afterwards have a picture taken on the Capitol steps with our interns this summer, Noah Maxwell, Evan Lee and Matthew Murdock. My final stop is at the E&C offices where I record a video on legislation we worked on in our committee to ban robocalls. |
| 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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