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This week, the House passed the Republican budget for the coming year with my support. The proposal would balance the budget in 10 years without raising taxes, strengthen our national defense, improve the sustainability of Medicare, work to rein in Washington's spending by instructing 11 committees to achieve $203 billion in mandatory savings and reforms, and aim to reduce government-wide improper payments by $700 billion.
I have long said that the national debt is the single greatest threat to our national security. It is past time for Washington to finally learn how to balance a budget just like hard working families, small businesses, and local governments do every day.
Our proposal also paves the way for tax reform. It includes reconciliation instructions to allow tax reform legislation to move through Congress in a fast-track process. Passage of this budget is the first step in an important process to finally reform our tax code and deliver relief to all Americans.
To read our tax reform framework, click here. |
| Extending Protections for the Unborn |
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The House passed legislation this week with my support that would ban abortions nationwide 20 weeks or more after conception except in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother.
There is overwhelming scientific evidence proving that precious babies are capable of feeling pain after 20 weeks. As a health care professional, father, grandfather, and Congressman, I am proud to support this legislation to put a necessary end to the excruciating abortion methods used in late term pregnancies.
This is a great win in the fight to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves, but it does not end here. It's past time to pass permanent federal legislation to protect the sanctity of human life from conception and I look forward to the day we can finally protect innocent lives at any stage of gestation. |
| From our Nation's Capitol CXXXIV |
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Monday, October 2, 2017: The Coastal Georgia Resource Conservation and Development Council (RC&D) is a great organization that provides many services to farmers, ranchers and forest landowners wanting to make conservation improvements to their land. This past weekend I had the honor of addressing this group and bringing them up to date on rural development and the upcoming Farm Bill.
Rep. Carter speaking to the Georgia Resource Conservation and Development Council |
I also had the honor of addressing my former colleagues in the Georgia State Senate Republican Caucus at their meeting in Savannah. Last night, I traveled to Sea Island where I had the opportunity to address the American Gas Association at their executive conference. This morning, I have a phone interview with my good friends Bill Edwards and Laura Anderson with WTKS in Savannah to discuss tax reform and the tragedy in Las Vegas. Before boarding a flight to Washington, I have another phone interview, this time with WTOC in Savannah to discuss the reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) that we will be taking up this week in the Energy and Commerce Committee. Once back at the Capitol, we have our weekly staff briefing in the office before I head to a member’s only meeting of the Energy and Commerce Committee to discuss our upcoming CHIP bill markup and other issues before heading to our weekly Whip Team meeting to discuss the upcoming legislative week. Afterwards, I head to the House Chamber where we have our first vote series of the week.
Tuesday, October 3, 2017: My first meeting this morning is with the Doctor’s Caucus where we meet with the President of the American Medical Association as well as the Chair of the Board of Trustees to discuss health care issues. Afterwards, I head to our weekly GOP Conference meeting where we discuss, among other things, the budget vote that will be occurring on Thursday of this week. Next, I head to a meeting of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee for a hearing on “Examining Patient Access to Investigational Drugs.”
Rep. Carter meeting with representatives from the Council of Prisons |
A link to my questions can be found here. Afterwards, I head to a meeting of the Energy and Commerce Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee where the Chairman allows me to sit in and ask questions on the hearing “Oversight of the Equifax Data Breach: Answers for Consumers.” A link to my questions can be found here. After a meeting with representatives from Medisca, a compounding pharmacy company, I head to a meeting with representatives from Southern Company before heading back to my office for a meeting with representatives from the Council of Prisons. Afterwards, I head to the House Chamber for our first vote series of the day and then have a phone interview with McKnight’s Long-Term Care News. After getting back to my office, I have a series of meetings, starting with representatives from the American Pharmacy Cooperative, Inc. (APCI) followed by the Georgia Association of Community Services, Rayonier and my good friend Mike Bell, and the Arthritis Foundation. Afterwards, I head to the House Chamber for our second and final vote series of the day after which I stay and deliver a one minute speech in honor of Shaw Carter, a graduate of Young Harris College who died recently at the age of 24 from a heart ailment. A link to my speech can be found here.
Wednesday, October 4, 2017: I’m at the White House first thing this morning to assist constituents form Waycross to gain access to a tour before heading back to the Capitol and the House Chamber where I deliver a series of one minute speeches. Next, I head to a meeting of the Energy and Commerce Environment Subcommittee where we have a hearing on “Air Quality Impacts of Wildfires: Perspectives of Key Stakeholders.” A link to my questions where we discuss the recent West Mims fire in the Okefenokee Swamp can be found here. After filming a public service announcement regarding the opioid epidemic and the work we will be doing in Energy and Commerce in the next few weeks, I attend a meeting of the conservative Republican Study Committee before heading to a markup of ten bills in the full Energy and Commerce Committee that starts at 1:00 p.m. and, with a few breaks in between, lasts until 11:15 p.m. Among the ten bills that we markup is the reauthorization of CHIP, which is known in Georgia as PeachCare, a very successful and popular program in our state. During this marathon markup we break twice for votes in the House Chamber, once at 1:30 p.m. and again at 8:45 p.m., and also for a classified Members’ only briefing on Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Section 702 surveillance where we are briefed on the program by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Director of the FBI Christopher Wray and others.
Thursday, October 5, 2017: We have another Doctor’s Caucus meeting this morning where we meet with the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force to hear from the Acting Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Richard Baum, and others about this epidemic in our country. After our first vote series of the day, I head back to my office where I meet with representatives from the Forest Resources Association. After a phone call with representatives from RiteAid to discuss their initiatives on combatting the opioid epidemic, I return to the House Chamber for our second and final vote series of the day where we pass the FY18 Budget that will be used as a vehicle for reconciliation for tax reform. Next, I head to the airport where I fly to Jacksonville and then drive to Saint Simons Island where I speak to the Georgia Restaurant Association Board of Directors at their meeting before heading home to Pooler.
Rep. Carter participating in PreK Week at Richmond Hill Montessori Preschool |
Friday, October 6, 2017: For the ninth year in a row, I celebrate PreK week in Georgia by visiting the Richmond Hill Montessori Preschool where I read to PreK classes and this year they have chosen a great book that I thoroughly enjoy- The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Afterwards, I head to my Savannah district office where I meet with Savannah State University Chemistry and Forensic Science Professor Kaie Shen to hear about his exciting research on Gulf War Illness and pain medications. After meeting with a constituent regarding health care insurance issues, I head to the JC Lewis Primary Health Care Center in downtown Savannah to learn about the highly successful MedBank program, a Savannah-born nonprofit organization that provides approximately $11 million worth of prescription medications to residents of Southeast Georgia each year by accessing pharmaceutical companies’ existing assistance programs. Afterwards, I tour the Telfair Museum and their facilities to learn more about this historic jewel that we have in our district. Next, I visit the new, impressive Bouhan Falligant Law Offices in Savannah before traveling to Port Wentworth to tour the Savannah Water Treatment Facility and the recently completed Critical Workforce Shelter. |
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