Author: calendar

Your Washington – GA 1 – Desk

From Congressman Buddy Carter 

Rep. Carter Presses for Obamacare Misstep Answers

– Today, Congressman Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (GA-01) pressed for answers about serious recent Obamacare missteps, including the announcement last week from the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that they had sent out 800,000 incorrect forms that Americans who used Healthcare.gov will need to file their taxes. During questioning, Carter raised serious concerns of the continued failures, “my daddy used to tell me ‘son that’s why pencils have erasers,’ I hope y’all have invested in an eraser factory because you’re going to need a bunch.”

Continue Reading..

Your Washington – GA 14 – Desk

From Congressman Tom Graves

Rep. Tom Graves Joins Ga. House Republicans in Opposition to Obama Administration’s Ammo Ban Effort

 Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-14) joined his fellow Georgia House Republicans in opposition to the Obama administration’s new effort to effectively ban common ammunition for America’s most popular rifle, the AR-15. To accomplish this ban, the Obama administration’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives proposed a new “framework” that expands the “armor-piercing” ammunition ban to include 7N6 rifle ammunition, which is commonly used by sportsmen.

Voicing their opposition to the administration’s ammo-ban effort, Rep. Graves joined his Georgia House Republican colleagues in sending a letter to Todd Jones, the director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, demanding answers for this political and arbitrary proposal.

Rep. Graves and his colleagues wrote in the letter, “To us, the framework appears to be nothing but a brazen attempt to bypass Congress and the American people to enact President Obama’s gun control agenda…While we share your commitment to protecting law enforcement officers from ammunition designed and wielded to cause them harm, we are not willing to allow your agency to circumvent the legislative process by unilaterally banning ammunition primarily suitable for sporting purposes.”

Continue Reading..

Your Washington – GA 3 – Desk

From Congressman Lynn Westmoreland

Westmoreland Applauds New Army National Guard Cyber Protection Station in Georgia

On February 25, 2015, Army National Guard officials at the National Guard Bureau have announced that Georgia has been selected for one of the new 10 Army National Guard cyber protection stations. Georgia is already home to the U.S. Army’s Cyber Command Headquarters, located at Fort Gordon in Augusta, and this selection solidifies the state as a strong contributor to the United States’ cyber and intelligence efforts.Congressman Westmoreland applauds the Army National Guard’s decision.

“I would like to formally welcome the Army National Guard’s new cyber protection team to Georgia,” stated Westmoreland. “It is an honor to have our state selected for the cyber protection station, and it will be a great addition to the crucial cyber and national security work this state produces. The National Guard Bureau’s development of the cyber protection teams is a significant step towards improving state and federal cyber defense programs and capabilities, and will help grow the manpower needed to combat the new threat of cyberterrorism our nation faces every day. I look forward to working with and supporting the efforts of the National Guard Bureau on cyber issues to protect the citizens of our nation.”

Each of the 10 cyber stations will be staffed by specially trained National Guard citizen-soldiers to be qualified as Army Cyber Soldiers. The selection process was a highly competitive process; including the review of 45 states, territories and the District of Columbia, and the careful evaluation of 32 nomination packets.

Continue Reading..

Your Washington Desk

From Senator David Perdue

Senator David Perdue: The Internet Should Not Be Over Regulated By Unelected Federal Bureaucrats

U.S. Senator David Perdue released a statement on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)’s Internet regulations. The Internet is now reclassified from an information service to a telecommunications service. The FCC will now be able to exert more authority over Internet access. The regulations also include wireless access.

“The Internet should not be over regulated by unelected federal bureaucrats,” said Senator Perdue. “We deserve a more open Internet – not one that’s controlled and mandated by Washington. In fact, any policy coming out of Washington should promote our free enterprise system, innovation, and more competition. The FCC’s latest Internet regulation plan falls short of these marks.

“The FCC also left lawmakers in the dark throughout this entire process. The FCC’s lack of transparency is another example of why Georgians are furious with Washington.

Continue Reading..

Your Washington Desk

From Senator Johnny Isakson 

Isakson to VA Secretary: Priority One is Implementing Reforms to Provide Accessible, Quality Care for Veterans

‘We need to … get healthcare to our veterans in the most timely and seamless way we can, and I am going to dedicate and commit my service as chairman to doing just that.’

U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, today called on the Department of Veterans Affairs to improve accountability and transparency within the agency in order to best serve our nation’s veterans.

“We have had challenges with mental health, particularly with veterans’ suicide rates, and we have had a lot of problems with construction costs within the department, so you could look back and say this agency is a mess,” said Isakson. “We as a committee want to try and make VA and the Veterans Choice Act work as seamlessly as possible. We want the funding to be appropriate, but not in the excess. We want our attitude and the attitude of the department to be equally focused on the veteran and our veterans’ healthcare and not on ourselves.”

“The Veterans’ Choice Act was not designed to be a replacement, but it was designed to help deal with a problem that existed in the administration of delivering veterans’ healthcare — in appointments, in timeliness and in proximity to specialized care that veterans often times need,” Isakson continued.

At a committee hearing held today, Feb. 26, 2015, on the Fiscal Year 2016 Budget for Veterans’ Programs, Isakson raised serious concerns over the administration’s proposal to divert funds from critical reforms currently being implemented to improve access to care at VA health centers across the country.

Continue Reading..

Your Washington Desk

From Senator David Perdue

Senator David Perdue Votes Against Loretta Lynch Nomination For Attorney General

U.S. Senator David Perdue (R-GA), a member of the Judiciary Committee, today voted against the nomination of Loretta Lynch for Attorney General:

“Today, I voted against Loretta Lynch’s nomination to be Attorney General. As I stated a few weeks ago, Ms. Lynch’s resume is very impressive and is not what leads me to oppose her nomination. After years of mismanagement and politicization by Attorney General Eric Holder, the Department of Justice needs an Attorney General who is committed to putting the law above politics. I thoroughly reviewed Ms. Lynch’s record and testimony, and I am not convinced she can provide the kind of independent leadership required to make consistent law enforcement, not partisan politics, the Justice Department’s top priority once again.

“I strongly disagree with her support for President Obama’s executive amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants, which a federal district court found to be unlawful last week.

Continue Reading..

Your Washington Desk

From Senator Johnny Isakson and Senator David Perdue

Isakson, Perdue Pleased Georgia Will Gain More Cyber Defense Jobs

Pledge full support for critical 21^st century mission

U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and David Perdue (R-GA) congratulated Georgia on the announcement by the National Guard Bureau that the state will gain a new Army National Guard cyber protection team, and pledged their full support for its adequate funding.

The National Guard Bureau announced Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2015, that Georgia will be the location of one of 10 new Army National Guard cyber protection teams to be established over the next three years. When mobilized for federal active duty, the cyber protection teams will provide surge support to Army Cyber Command and support defensive cyberspace operations.

The specific location in Georgia of this new cyber protection team has not yet been announced.

“This new cyber protection team being established in Georgia is the perfect complement to our state’s role in cyber security, as Georgia is home to the Army’s newly formed Cyber Center of Excellence,” Senator Isakson said. “In this modern age of complex electronic threats, cyber security is vital to our homeland security. I am committed to ensuring that this new Georgia-based asset receives the support necessary to accomplish its mission.”

Continue Reading..

Your Georgia Desk

From Senate Majority Leader Bill Cowsert

Legislature Reaches Halfway Point of Session

Under the Gold Dome in Atlanta, we’ve just passed the half-way point in this year’s legislative session. While meeting with constituents, I’m often asked exactly what we do on a day-to-day basis.

Most people know that after a bill is introduced, it is referred to a committee, where public hearings are held to solicit input from citizens and other interested parties affected by the proposed law. Bills are discussed and often amended or changed in the committee process. Eventually the bills are either defeated or passed out of committee and sent to the Senate floor for a full vote. So far, only 23 bills out of 181 introduced have been passed on the Senate floor. The remaining bills are under consideration in various committees.

There are 27 Senate committees ranging from Agriculture to Judiciary, from Education to Retirement. The committee process utilizes the input of our many Senators’ varied backgrounds – and we have a wide variety of backgrounds in the Georgia State Senate. This is the advantage of Georgia’s citizen legislature. We are part-time public servants who hold real jobs in the real world. This gives each of us tangible experience that we can bring to the Capitol to help us enact sound policy.

It is in the committees where the personal, professional, and educational expertise of the various committee members is best utilized to fine tune bills into what will become effective laws. Many people feel that the Georgia Capitol is filled with lawyers – and nine of the 10 members of the Judiciary Committee, for example, are lawyers. But when you look at the Senate as a whole, only 10 of 56 Senators are lawyers. About half of the Senators are business executives with expertise in construction, insurance, the automotive industry, etc. We have six farmers, two of whom – Sen. Bill Heath and Sen. Frank Ginn – are also engineers. We have two physicians and a dentist; two car dealership owners, several home builders, and an underground utilities contractor. A great example of our varied backgrounds is freshman Sen. Greg Kirk, who holds a master’s degree in psychology, is a real estate businessman, and an ordained minister.

Continue Reading..

Your Georgia Desk

From Representative Allen Peake

Medical Cannabis Legislation Passed by House

The Georgia House of Representatives today passed House Bill 1, or the Haleigh’s Hope Act, by a vote of 158-2. HB 1, sponsored by State Representative Allen Peake (R-Macon), would decriminalize the possession of medical cannabis in Georgia.

“Today, we have passed a bill that will begin to reunite families who have been torn apart in their pursuit of medical treatment,” said Rep. Peake.  “When I began this journey, I made a promise to bring those families home and to give Georgians a chance to obtain medical cannabis oil in our state without fear of prosecution.  I thank my colleagues in the House for their support and Governor Deal for his leadership as we worked toward today’s vote.”

“I congratulate Rep. Peake on the passage of Haleigh’s Hope Act, the medical cannabis oil bill, that will bring relief to Georgia families with loved ones suffering from seizures and other illnesses,” said Speaker of the House David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge).  “Rep. Peake passionately pursued his goal of helping others while listening to all involved stakeholders and working collaboratively to arrive at the legislation passed today.”

HB 1 would provide immunity for the possession of cannabis oil for individuals with certain medical conditions who have obtained cannabis oil legally in another state.  Qualifying conditions under HB 1 include Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Seizure disorders, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Crohn’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, mitochondrial disease, sickle cell disease, and Fibromyalgia. These individuals would only be allowed to possess cannabis oil with a maximum of 5 percent THC and a maximum amount of 20 fluid ounces of cannabis oil. HB 1 would also require that potential patients register with the Georgia Department of Public Health and be placed on the “Low-THC Oil Patient Registry.”  These individuals will receive a registration card that exempts them from prosecution in Georgia for possession of medical cannabis oil that has been legally obtained in another state and meets the aforementioned requirements.

Continue Reading..

Your Washington – GA 7 – Desk

From Congressman Rob Woodall

Woodall Reacts to President Obama’s Veto of Keystone XL Authorization

U.S. Representative Rob Woodall issued the following statement in reaction to the presidential veto of S. 1, authorizing construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.

“By vetoing the Keystone XL pipeline authorization today, President Obama said “no” to the American people; as well as to the jobs, energy security, and reduction in daily living costs that the bill would provide,” said Rep. Woodall.  “Republicans and Democrats alike came together and found a way to say “yes,” but sadly the President chose not to join us.  America’s new Congress is committed to getting things done on behalf of the American people, and while I do not know whether the Senate has enough votes to override the President’s misguided veto, I hope that it will try in the near future.”

Continue Reading..