Congressman Austin Scott is in his sixth term as the U.S. Representative for Georgia's Eighth Congressional District. His committee assignments include the House Armed Services Committee and the House Agriculture Committee, both vitally important to Georgia and the Eighth District. He is known as a respected voice on national security and agriculture issues and a fierce fighter for Georgia’s military installations and rural communities.
I am proud to be pro-life and am committed to protecting the lives of the unborn. I believe that life begins at conception, and developments in science continue to confirm that truth. Knowing your interest in this issue, below is an update on my efforts to defend the sanctity of human life.
Throughout my time as your Representative, I have been an ardent supporter of pro-life legislation. I am proud of the 100% rating that National Right to Life has given me and remain fully committed to the truth that life begins at conception. I was sworn in to the 112th Congress on January 5, 2011, and cast my first vote to defund Planned Parenthood just a little more than a month later on February 19, 2011. I have been fighting the battle to protect the unborn at all stages of life since I came to Washington and will continue to support pro-life legislation throughout my time in Congress.
Legislation Congressman Austin Scott has voted for and co-sponsored since coming to Washington:
H.R. 3762 Reconciliation bill
H.R. 3762 Reconciliation bill (defund Planned Parenthood)
H.R. 3495 Women’s Public Health and Safety Act (Medicaid state flexibility)
H.R. 3134 Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015
H.R. 3197 The Protecting Life and Taxpayers Act of 2015
H.R. 217 Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act
H.R. 281 Every Child is a Blessing Act
H.R. 816 Life at Conception Act
H.R. 426 Sanctity of Life Act
H.R. 3504 Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act
H.R. 3134 Defund Planned Parenthood Act (one-year moratorium on any federal funding going to Planned Parenthood except upon the certification that no abortions will be performed by entity)
H.R. 36 Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (20-week abortion ban)
H.J. Res. 43 To block the D.C. "Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Act" (RHNDA)
H.R. 7 No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act
Blackburn amendment to H.J. Res. 59 (Continuing Resolution) (Delay for one year Obamacare subsidies for health insurance and implementation of HHS rule mandating contraceptive coverage under Obamacare)
H.R. 1797 Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (protect unborn at 20 weeks)
H.R. 3541 Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA) (ban on sex-selection abortions)
H.R. 358 Protect Life Act (Amended Obamacare to repeal/modify components relating to abortion coverage)
Foxx amendment to H.R. 1216 (Prohibited use of federal funds from being used to perform abortions or train doctors to perform abortions)
H.R. 3 No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act
H. Con. Res. 36 - Black amendment to H.R. 1473 (Cut off federal funds to Planned Parenthood in full year appropriations bill)
Pence Amendment to H.R. 1 (Cut off federal funds to Planned Parenthood in House-Passed Full year appropriations bill)
As the largest and oldest industry in Georgia, agriculture has deep roots in our state, and the Eighth District is no exception. The Eighth District is blessed with some of the most fertile soil and technologically advanced agricultural operations in the United States. As a member of the House Committee on Agriculture, I work tirelessly to advocate on behalf of our ranchers and farmers in rural America. Promoting successful agriculture production is not only critical to the Eighth District of Georgia, but also to the United States and the rest of the world.
Washington continues to spend at unsustainable levels. That is why I voted against H.R. 8, the American Taxpayer Relief Act when it passed Congress on January 1, 2013. This plan does not address the real driver of our debt – spending. President Obama's unwillingness to address this continues to cripple our efforts to find a long-term solution. We cannot tax our way out of this fiscal situation.
The President himself has said on multiple occasions that spending cuts must be part of the solution. In fact, on April 13, 2011 he remarked, "So any serious plan to tackle our deficit will require us to put everything on the table, and take on excess spending wherever it exists in the budget." However, his words have seldom matched his actions.
We owe it to our children and grandchildren to make the tough choices and devise a long-term solution that gets our economy back on track and reduces our deficits. I remain hopeful that the President will join us in this effort.
BALANCE BUDGET AMENDMENT
The proposed balanced budget amendment would require the federal government to balance its expenditures with its revenues. Unlike most states, the U.S. Constitution does not require Congress to pass a balanced budget, which remains one of the many reasons why our deficit is out of control. The Constitution explicitly grants Congress the power to borrow money on the credit of the United States. Unfortunately, the borrowing is currently at unsustainable levels and our country has entirely too much debt.
I am a proud co-sponsor of H.J.Res. 1, which proposes a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. We need to take serious measures to reduce deficit spending and balance the federal budget while simplifying the tax code to allow businesses and households to thrive.
DEBT CEILING
I voted against the Budget Control Act of 2011 on August 1, 2011. With a national debt that currently stands at $14.3 trillion, we needed a plan that solved the problems posed by both a potential default and Washington's spending habits. I concluded that many parts of this plan insisted upon by the President and Senate leadership took the easy way out, resulting in a compromise without real solutions.
The final bill did not include enough of the elements of my preferred "Cut, Cap and Balance" bill. "Cut, Cap and Balance" as well as the "Boehner Plan" required more immediate spending cuts, and that a Balanced Budget Amendment be passed and sent to the states before allowing the President to raise the debt limit a second time. Unfortunately, this requirement was left out of the compromise.
Additionally, the original "Boehner Plan" specified that defense cuts could not exceed three percent. However, the President insisted that as much as 50 percent of the cuts included in this bill could fall on defense, while failing to include spending reforms in the areas that are the true drivers of our deficit spending. The uncertainty surrounding the President's defense cuts could negatively impact Middle Georgia. I couldn't vote for a plan that might force our community to suffer and still kicks the can down the road.
As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I understand how important it is to have the best equipped and trained military in the world. Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution makes clear that one the major duty of Congress is to provide for the common defense. The 8th District is home to Robins and Moody Air Force Bases, two bases that are vital to America's security. I am extremely proud of our installations and the thousands of veterans, military families, and Department of Defense civilian employees that I represent.
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE
Robins AFB is home to the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex (WR-ALC), the Headquarters of the Air Force Reserve Command, 5th Combat Communications Group, and the E-8C Joint Surveillance Targeting Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) unit. The Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex is one of the Air Force's three depots. I am a strong proponent of maintaining the Air Force's organic depot capability, and I have worked to advance policies in Congress that protect and strengthen the WR-ALC.
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE
Moody AFB is home to the 23rd Wing and the 93rd Air Ground Operations Wing. The 23rd Wing employs A-10C, HC-130P, HH-60G aircraft and trains and prepares personnel for combat operations. The Air Force's biggest A-10C fighter group is based at Moody AFB.
Our national debt is one of the greatest threats to the economic security of the United States. Years of uncontrolled spending have left us with nearly $16 trillion in debt – much of that having accrued in just the last few years. I believe that we must reverse this trend. Reducing our spending and working towards a balanced budget has been one of my top priorities since coming to Congress.
In the past Congress, I have voted consistently for much-needed spending cuts. Additionally, I have cosponsored H.J. Res. 1 requiring the President to submit a balanced budget to Congress each year. Furthermore, I cosponsored and voted in favor of the Cut, Cap, and Balance, which requires a Balanced Budget Amendment to be sent to the states for ratification. While many of these efforts have been thwarted by the U.S. Senate, I will continue to work with my colleagues in the House of Representatives to reduce spending and enact a Balanced Budget Amendment. These are necessary steps that we must take to preserve the economic opportunities, personal freedoms, and individual liberties of our children and grandchildren.
As the son and brother of public school teachers and father of a child in public school, quality education is an issue that is very important to me. For most of the educators and administrators I know, teaching is not just a job, it is a passion. Therefore, I believe that the teachers and administrators who actually work with students understand the needs of those students far better than a bureaucrat in Washington, D.C.
Teachers back home in the 8th district tell me that overbearing Washington regulations hinder their abilities more than they help. Despite tripling overall pupil funding since 1964, academic performance has not improved. Throwing more money at the problems isn't the solution. True positive education reform will involve restoring control at the local level, empowering parents to take an active role in their child's education, and taking our cues from the educators in the classroom–not the bureaucrats in Washington.
We need to reduce the number of federal programs and leave those matters in the hands of local communities so that they can succeed. I am committed to using my voice in Congress to promote that success and I hope that you will continue to share your ideas with me as we work to improve education for the next generation.
It is crucial that we reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Our national security and economy both depend on a new national energy policy that does not include sending billions of dollars a year to foreign countries. We must develop an energy supply that is reliable, protected, and affordable.
To achieve this we must explore all of our options. There is not a single solution to our nation's energy requirements. That is why I believe in an energy policy that includes increased domestic oil exploration, increased refining capacity within the United States and increased production of domestic oil, natural gas and clean coal. We must also free private industry to research and develop promising new energy resources and technologies.
ISRAEL
As your Representative of Congress, a top priority of mine will always be ensuring the safety and security of our great nation. Central to this belief is the recognition that the national security of the United States is directly tied to the strength and security of the State of Israel.
My commitment to the security of Israel has been unwavering. In recent months, we have witnessed a succession of mass protests and turmoil in many Middle East nations. This regional upheaval clearly underscores the importance of Israel as the preeminent, stable democracy in the Middle East and America's strongest democratic ally in the region.
Therefore, I believe that ensuring Israel's continued qualitative military edge in the region and completing the U.S.-Israel 10-year Memorandum of Understanding for military assistance remains a key American national security priority. Israel currently faces threats from escalating instability in Egypt, Hezbollah rockets in Lebanon, Hamas terrorists in Gaza and the existential danger posed by Iran's nuclear program. U.S. security assistance to Israel, including supporting Israel's acquisition of the Iron Dome rocket defense system, has never been more important for our own national security interests.
UN
The United States currently provides more funding to the UN than any other country. Corruption runs rampant in the organization and many countries fail to pay their dues. I believe that cooperation with other nations to promote peace and democracy remains important. However, I strongly believe that we should act in our own best interest and not be subject to foreign authority, especially one with as many problems as the UN. While we should strive for bilateral agreements, we should always do what is best for our country first. The United States needs to retain military dominance in order to defend freedom and liberty on our soil and around the world.
The UN continually fails to confront terrorism as well as true enemies to democracy and world stability. As your Representative, I pledge to support the United States' prestige on the global scale and will do my best to not allow other countries to undermine us.
A majority of Georgians opposed a government takeover of our health care system and the billions in new spending and taxes required to pay for it. Despite overwhelming opposition to the entire process, President Obama and the Democrats in the last Congress ignored the will of the people and pushed through a bill giving the government control of one-sixth of our economy. I was disappointed that the Supreme Court could not, in the Court's opinion, find just cause to overturn the law.
This new law forces job-killing mandates on our state, gives bureaucrats in Washington control of health care decisions, undermines pro-life protections in place for 30 years, and creates a new entitlement program that threatens Medicare funding.
Our health care system needs to be improved, but this is not the solution. The American people deserve common sense, market-based reforms that lower costs, increase access to more affordable care, and give citizens more control over their health care decisions. I co-sponsored and voted for H.R. 2 to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. I have also voted for a number of other bills that help bring true reform to our broken healthcare system.
MEDICARE
On April 15, 2011, House Republicans passed a budget that provides a blueprint for returning our country to fiscal solvency and economic stability. An important element in this blueprint is a plan to save and strengthen our Medicare system. Unfortunately, under the current setup, mandatory spending on programs like Medicare and Medicaid will quickly overtake the budget in the near future and endanger the entire system. If future taxes hold at these levels, spending on these programs will consume all tax revenue by 2052, forcing drastic and harmful cutbacks and changes to the programs. The Republican budget sets out a plan that will save Medicare from this fate.
Under the Republican plan, Americans who are 55 years or older will see no changes in their Medicare coverage. In the future, beneficiaries will receive a premium subsidy from the government to purchase a Medicare-approved health plan of their choice.
Medicare spending will continue to grow every year. However, the rate of growth will slow in order to preserve this important program for future generations. The House Republican plan for saving and strengthening Medicare is based on the same plan that Members of Congress currently have. This plan will encourage competition and help keep health care costs in check.
Looking for more information on a certain bill?
House Schedule:
The House Majority Leader publishes the House Calendar, which you can find HERE.
You can also see what bills are being debated on the House Floor HERE.
House Proceedings:
To find archived video of past sessions, click HERE.
For live House proceedings, visit C-SPAN's website HERE.
For transcripts of recent House Floor proceedings, you can search the Congressional Record HERE.
Votes:
For more information on how to reac votes and to view my voting record, click HERE.
Like most Americans, I am deeply concerned about illegal immigration and I recognize the danger it poses to our society and our economy. Our country is a nation of immigrants and I believe that we should welcome immigrants that seek to come to this country through lawful channels to live, work or study. However, illegal immigration is an issue that must be addressed. We must first secure our borders, remove the illegal immigrants currently in our country and enforce our existing immigration laws before we attempt to implement any type of immigration reform.
Illegal immigrants living in our country today are placing an unacceptable burden on the American taxpayer. Illegal immigrants place great strain on our prison system, healthcare system, and educational system. It is because of this reason that this is one of the most important domestic issues facing our nation today. Should legislation concerning immigration reform come to the House floor for a vote, I will consider it with your thoughts in mind.
The Founding Fathers valued the right to bear arms so much that it was included as the Second Amendment to the Constitution. I believe that our right to keep and bear arms is as important today as it was then. I also believe that it is unwise to blame lawful gun ownership for criminal acts. Congress cannot remove evil from this world through legislative action. We can fight crime by holding criminals accountable for their actions, not by disregarding the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and adding layers of gun control that would do little to nothing to protect our citizens.
I will continue to support and protect our rights afforded under the Second amendment which allows us to secure the safety of our homes and families.
Millions of retired Americans depend on Social Security for their retirement. We must take steps to preserve, protect and strengthen the system for current retirees as well as future generations. Years of reckless spending in Washington have put Social Security in jeopardy and the first step to solving Social Security's problems is to get spending under control and the economy back on track. As we continue to work to halt Washington's spending spree, both parties should forge meaningful, bipartisan reform for the Social Security system that protects the promise of Social Security for the American people for generations to come.
We have an obligation to protect Social Security for those Americans at or near retirement who have paid into the system for decades while also preserving the system for our children and grandchildren. I believe that we can find solutions that do both and look forward to working with my colleagues from both parties address the challenges facing Social Security.
Having grown up in South Georgia, hunting and fishing are much more than hobbies for me; they’re a way of life. I am excited to share that I currently serve as House Co-Chair of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus. I serve alongside my friend and colleague Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX-33) and U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M).
In recent years, the bipartisan Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus has grown into one of the largest and most effective caucuses in the United States Congress with nearly 300 members of the House and Senate representing almost all 50 states.
I look forward to continuing to protect the rights of America’s sportsmen and women and advance not only hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting legislative priorities but also the conservation of our nation’s wildlife habitats.
As you may know, the last time Congress passed a bill that updated the tax code was 1986. I was playing high school football then, and cell phones were the size of bricks. Since that time, our nation’s tax code has ballooned to 70,000 pages and has been in need of major reform.
On December 22, 2017, President Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1) into law. For families across Georgia and the country, this bill means more jobs, more take-home pay, and more money in their own pockets. H.R. 1 is the first major overhaul of the tax code in over thirty years – and there is still work to be done – but this is a great first step to getting our economy back on track towards its full potential. Rest assured, I will continue to advocate for legislation that expands our economy, grows wages, and eases burdensome federal regulations.
I am a supporter of free and fair trade because it is crucial to economic success and job creation in Georgia. International trade affects forty-two percent of our jobs here in the United States. Americans produce the world's best products, and opening international markets to our businesses will benefit our economy and create jobs.
An essential element to any trade agreement is that it be fair to our industry and workers. Some past trade agreements failed on this account and I will only support agreements that ensure that we compete on a fair playing field. Trade yields many benefits for the Georgia economy, but we must hold our trading partners accountable.
Taking care of our veterans starts with making sure they receive the benefits they have earned and the respect they deserve. My Grandfather, a B-17 pilot and a German POW for 18 months during World War II, spent over five years having to prove to the VA that he had been a POW and was wounded in battle – despite the fact that he was awarded five air medals and a Purple Heart. Stories like this are too common and completely unacceptable. We have too many veterans still waiting for care, too many VA employees are not being held accountable, and the VA cannot get a handle on its budget. The VA should work for you, not against you.
The House of Representatives is working hard to correct these issues and inject additional reforms and oversight into the VA. In the 116th Congress, the House has passed and President Trump signed into law several bills aimed at improving services and care for our veterans including:
Additionally, this Congress, I have been pushing two bills to better serve our veterans:
Congress has also been committed to addressing and treating the invisible scars of war by providing more resources for mental health services, suicide and substance abuse. If you or someone you know is in need of immediate assistance, the Veterans Crisis Line is a free, confidential resource available 24/7. You can chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net, by calling 1-800-273-8255, or by texting 838255.
I also want to take a moment to highlight some of the things my office can do to help veterans and their families. Our staff can assist veterans with compensation and medical benefits, survivor benefits, vocational rehabilitation, military medals, and education benefits, among other things. You can reach my Tifton District Office at (229) 396-5175 or my Warner Robins Office at (478) 971-1776. You can also send me an email through my website by clicking here.
As we work through the 117th Congress, you can rest assured that I will continue to fight for commonsense changes at the VA to better assist our veterans and their families. You have served our country honorably, and we owe you a lifetime of gratitude.
I am proud to be pro-life and am committed to protecting the lives of the unborn. I believe that life begins at conception, and developments in science continue to confirm that truth. Knowing your interest in this issue, below is an update on my efforts to defend the sanctity of human life.
Throughout my time as your Representative, I have been an ardent supporter of pro-life legislation. I am proud of the 100% rating that National Right to Life has given me and remain fully committed to the truth that life begins at conception. I was sworn in to the 112th Congress on January 5, 2011, and cast my first vote to defund Planned Parenthood just a little more than a month later on February 19, 2011. I have been fighting the battle to protect the unborn at all stages of life since I came to Washington and will continue to support pro-life legislation throughout my time in Congress.
As the largest and oldest industry in Georgia, agriculture has deep roots in our state, and the Eighth District is no exception. The Eighth District is blessed with some of the most fertile soil and technologically advanced agricultural operations in the United States. As a member of the House Committee on Agriculture, I work tirelessly to advocate on behalf of our ranchers and farmers in rural America. Promoting successful agriculture production is not only critical to the Eighth District of Georgia, but also to the United States and the rest of the world.
Washington continues to spend at unsustainable levels. That is why I voted against H.R. 8, the American Taxpayer Relief Act when it passed Congress on January 1, 2013. This plan does not address the real driver of our debt – spending. President Obama's unwillingness to address this continues to cripple our efforts to find a long-term solution. We cannot tax our way out of this fiscal situation.
The President himself has said on multiple occasions that spending cuts must be part of the solution. In fact, on April 13, 2011 he remarked, "So any serious plan to tackle our deficit will require us to put everything on the table, and take on excess spending wherever it exists in the budget." However, his words have seldom matched his actions.
We owe it to our children and grandchildren to make the tough choices and devise a long-term solution that gets our economy back on track and reduces our deficits. I remain hopeful that the President will join us in this effort.
As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I understand how important it is to have the best equipped and trained military in the world. Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution makes clear that one the major duty of Congress is to provide for the common defense. The 8th District is home to Robins and Moody Air Force Bases, two bases that are vital to America's security. I am extremely proud of our installations and the thousands of veterans, military families, and Department of Defense civilian employees that I represent.
Our national debt is one of the greatest threats to the economic security of the United States. Years of uncontrolled spending have left us with nearly $16 trillion in debt – much of that having accrued in just the last few years. I believe that we must reverse this trend. Reducing our spending and working towards a balanced budget has been one of my top priorities since coming to Congress.
In the past Congress, I have voted consistently for much-needed spending cuts. Additionally, I have cosponsored H.J. Res. 1 requiring the President to submit a balanced budget to Congress each year. Furthermore, I cosponsored and voted in favor of the Cut, Cap, and Balance, which requires a Balanced Budget Amendment to be sent to the states for ratification. While many of these efforts have been thwarted by the U.S. Senate, I will continue to work with my colleagues in the House of Representatives to reduce spending and enact a Balanced Budget Amendment. These are necessary steps that we must take to preserve the economic opportunities, personal freedoms, and individual liberties of our children and grandchildren.
As the son and brother of public school teachers and father of a child in public school, quality education is an issue that is very important to me. For most of the educators and administrators I know, teaching is not just a job, it is a passion. Therefore, I believe that the teachers and administrators who actually work with students understand the needs of those students far better than a bureaucrat in Washington, D.C.
Teachers back home in the 8th district tell me that overbearing Washington regulations hinder their abilities more than they help. Despite tripling overall pupil funding since 1964, academic performance has not improved. Throwing more money at the problems isn't the solution. True positive education reform will involve restoring control at the local level, empowering parents to take an active role in their child's education, and taking our cues from the educators in the classroom–not the bureaucrats in Washington.
We need to reduce the number of federal programs and leave those matters in the hands of local communities so that they can succeed. I am committed to using my voice in Congress to promote that success and I hope that you will continue to share your ideas with me as we work to improve education for the next generation.
It is crucial that we reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Our national security and economy both depend on a new national energy policy that does not include sending billions of dollars a year to foreign countries. We must develop an energy supply that is reliable, protected, and affordable.
To achieve this we must explore all of our options. There is not a single solution to our nation's energy requirements. That is why I believe in an energy policy that includes increased domestic oil exploration, increased refining capacity within the United States and increased production of domestic oil, natural gas and clean coal. We must also free private industry to research and develop promising new energy resources and technologies.
As your Representative of Congress, a top priority of mine will always be ensuring the safety and security of our great nation. Central to this belief is the recognition that the national security of the United States is directly tied to the strength and security of the State of Israel.
My commitment to the security of Israel has been unwavering. In recent months, we have witnessed a succession of mass protests and turmoil in many Middle East nations. This regional upheaval clearly underscores the importance of Israel as the preeminent, stable democracy in the Middle East and America's strongest democratic ally in the region.
Therefore, I believe that ensuring Israel's continued qualitative military edge in the region and completing the U.S.-Israel 10-year Memorandum of Understanding for military assistance remains a key American national security priority. Israel currently faces threats from escalating instability in Egypt, Hezbollah rockets in Lebanon, Hamas terrorists in Gaza and the existential danger posed by Iran's nuclear program. U.S. security assistance to Israel, including supporting Israel's acquisition of the Iron Dome rocket defense system, has never been more important for our own national security interests.
A majority of Georgians opposed a government takeover of our health care system and the billions in new spending and taxes required to pay for it. Despite overwhelming opposition to the entire process, President Obama and the Democrats in the last Congress ignored the will of the people and pushed through a bill giving the government control of one-sixth of our economy. I was disappointed that the Supreme Court could not, in the Court's opinion, find just cause to overturn the law.
This new law forces job-killing mandates on our state, gives bureaucrats in Washington control of health care decisions, undermines pro-life protections in place for 30 years, and creates a new entitlement program that threatens Medicare funding.
Our health care system needs to be improved, but this is not the solution. The American people deserve common sense, market-based reforms that lower costs, increase access to more affordable care, and give citizens more control over their health care decisions. I co-sponsored and voted for H.R. 2 to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. I have also voted for a number of other bills that help bring true reform to our broken healthcare system.
House Schedule:
The House Majority Leader publishes the House Calendar, which you can find HERE.
You can also see what bills are being debated on the House Floor HERE.
House Proceedings:
To find archived video of past sessions, click HERE.
For live House proceedings, visit C-SPAN's website HERE.
For transcripts of recent House Floor proceedings, you can search the Congressional Record
Like most Americans, I am deeply concerned about illegal immigration and I recognize the danger it poses to our society and our economy. Our country is a nation of immigrants and I believe that we should welcome immigrants that seek to come to this country through lawful channels to live, work or study. However, illegal immigration is an issue that must be addressed. We must first secure our borders, remove the illegal immigrants currently in our country and enforce our existing immigration laws before we attempt to implement any type of immigration reform.
Illegal immigrants living in our country today are placing an unacceptable burden on the American taxpayer. Illegal immigrants place great strain on our prison system, healthcare system, and educational system. It is because of this reason that this is one of the most important domestic issues facing our nation today. Should legislation concerning immigration reform come to the House floor for a vote, I will consider it with your thoughts in mind.
The Founding Fathers valued the right to bear arms so much that it was included as the Second Amendment to the Constitution. I believe that our right to keep and bear arms is as important today as it was then. I also believe that it is unwise to blame lawful gun ownership for criminal acts. Congress cannot remove evil from this world through legislative action. We can fight crime by holding criminals accountable for their actions, not by disregarding the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and adding layers of gun control that would do little to nothing to protect our citizens.
I will continue to support and protect our rights afforded under the Second amendment which allows us to secure the safety of our homes and families.
Millions of retired Americans depend on Social Security for their retirement. We must take steps to preserve, protect and strengthen the system for current retirees as well as future generations. Years of reckless spending in Washington have put Social Security in jeopardy and the first step to solving Social Security's problems is to get spending under control and the economy back on track. As we continue to work to halt Washington's spending spree, both parties should forge meaningful, bipartisan reform for the Social Security system that protects the promise of Social Security for the American people for generations to come.
We have an obligation to protect Social Security for those Americans at or near retirement who have paid into the system for decades while also preserving the system for our children and grandchildren. I believe that we can find solutions that do both and look forward to working with my colleagues from both parties address the challenges facing Social Security.
Having grown up in South Georgia, hunting and fishing are much more than hobbies for me; they’re a way of life. I am excited to share that I currently serve as House Co-Chair of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus. I serve alongside my friend and colleague Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX-33) and U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M).
In recent years, the bipartisan Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus has grown into one of the largest and most effective caucuses in the United States Congress with nearly 300 members of the House and Senate representing almost all 50 states.
I look forward to continuing to protect the rights of America’s sportsmen and women and advance not only hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting legislative priorities but also the conservation of our nation’s wildlife habitats.
As you may know, the last time Congress passed a bill that updated the tax code was 1986. I was playing high school football then, and cell phones were the size of bricks. Since that time, our nation’s tax code has ballooned to 70,000 pages and has been in need of major reform.
On December 22, 2017, President Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1) into law. For families across Georgia and the country, this bill means more jobs, more take-home pay, and more money in their own pockets. H.R. 1 is the first major overhaul of the tax code in over thirty years – and there is still work to be done – but this is a great first step to getting our economy back on track towards its full potential. Rest assured, I will continue to advocate for legislation that expands our economy, grows wages, and eases burdensome federal regulations.
I am a supporter of free and fair trade because it is crucial to economic success and job creation in Georgia. International trade affects forty-two percent of our jobs here in the United States. Americans produce the world's best products, and opening international markets to our businesses will benefit our economy and create jobs.
An essential element to any trade agreement is that it be fair to our industry and workers. Some past trade agreements failed on this account and I will only support agreements that ensure that we compete on a fair playing field. Trade yields many benefits for the Georgia economy, but we must hold our trading partners accountable.
Taking care of our veterans starts with making sure they receive the benefits they have earned and the respect they deserve. My Grandfather, a B-17 pilot and a German POW for 18 months during World War II, spent over five years having to prove to the VA that he had been a POW and was wounded in battle – despite the fact that he was awarded five air medals and a Purple Heart. Stories like this are too common and completely unacceptable. We have too many veterans still waiting for care, too many VA employees are not being held accountable, and the VA cannot get a handle on its budget. The VA should work for you, not against you.
The House of Representatives is working hard to correct these issues and inject additional reforms and oversight into the VA. In the 116th Congress, the House has passed and President Trump signed into law several bills aimed at improving services and care for our veterans including:
Additionally, this Congress, I have been pushing two bills to better serve our veterans:
Congress has also been committed to addressing and treating the invisible scars of war by providing more resources for mental health services, suicide and substance abuse. If you or someone you know is in need of immediate assistance, the Veterans Crisis Line is a free, confidential resource available 24/7. You can chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net, by calling 1-800-273-8255, or by texting 838255.
I also want to take a moment to highlight some of the things my office can do to help veterans and their families. Our staff can assist veterans with compensation and medical benefits, survivor benefits, vocational rehabilitation, military medals, and education benefits, among other things. You can reach my Tifton District Office at (229) 396-5175 or my Warner Robins Office at (478) 971-1776. You can also send me an email through my website by clicking here.
As we work through the 117th Congress, you can rest assured that I will continue to fight for commonsense changes at the VA to better assist our veterans and their families. You have served our country honorably, and we owe you a lifetime of gratitude.