Congressman Barry Loudermilk, a Constitutional Conservative, represents northwest Georgia’s 11th Congressional District.
In the 117th Congress, Congressman Loudermilk serves as a member of the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, the Committee on House Administration, and the Joint Committee on the Library. He also serves as a member of the Republican Study Committee (RSC), a conservative caucus of House Republicans.
Before being elected to Congress in 2014, he was a small business owner for over 20 years. He also served in the Georgia State legislature for nine years.
The Article I Project (A1P) is a new network of House and Senate conservatives working together on a broad agenda of reform to strengthen Congress by reclaiming its constitutional legislative powers that are now being improperly exercised by the Executive Branch.
"The President is not a lawmaker-in-chief, despite how desperately he wants to be,” said Rep. Loudermilk. “Our Founders understood that government, when not properly constrained, would become corrupt and no longer represent the interests of the people. That is why they disseminated the powers of the federal government between three independent branches. Congress was given the majority of authority because they are the closest to the people, and directly accountable. However, over time Congress has abdicated that authority allowing for an unfettered growth of government, which has resulted in the rise of a fourth branch, the regulatory agencies.
“Through this coalition of Conservative members of the House and Senate, we are reclaiming the Article I powers of the Constitution. Through a series of legislative initiatives, our goal is to restore Constitutional government, reclaim the power of the purse, reduce the impact regulatory agencies and bureaucrats have on the American people, and restore a nation 'of the people, by the people and for the people.'
“My office has been focusing on ending the era of big regulation, eliminating our crippling debt, and reigning in the runaway executive branch. I am excited to be part of the Article I Project and our vision of restoring a nation that is free, safe and full of opportunity.”
Many states, including Georgia, operate under a balanced budget, and do not spend more than they take in. This responsible approach to budgeting should be mandatory at the federal level as well, especially as our national debt continues to climb toward $20 trillion. That is why I, and other conservatives, joined together in proposing a much-needed balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This ten-year plan gives Congress the time it needs to get its financial house in order and come up with long-term solutions to tackling our out-of-control spending. The time to turn the page on Congress’ reckless spending is now – not later, when our grandchildren are handed the bill.
As a nation, we’ve reached an economic tipping point that can only be reversed through bold, deliberative action that addresses the federal government’s out-of-control spending and historic debt. While this $19 trillion dollar debt was not created overnight, we must work together to ensure future generations are not stuck with a hefty tax bill from a government that wants to spend now and pay later.
As global tensions continue to escalate, balancing our budget is now a matter of national security. To secure America’s long-term economic independence, grow our economy, and ensure our national security, we must:
· Call for a simpler, fairer tax code
· Repeal Obamacare and replace it with patient-centered reforms
· Limit entitlement spending to preserve vital programs for future generations
· Prioritize defense spending to combat threats from around the globe
· Reign-in our national debt for the good of our children and grandchildren
Overview:
Background:
Why:
As a father of three and a new grandfather, I care deeply about the future of our education system. America must excel in education, and we must understand that, for every advance we make in bettering our education system, we also make huge strides in securing our economic future.
The Student Success Act, H.R. 5 (Voted in Favor)
Statement:
“Rep. Loudermilk believes the passage of the Student Success Act moves us in the right direction toward restoring power back to the states and allowing parents to choose what’s best for their children. Since no child is the same, parents and local school districts should have the flexibility to cater educational standards to the specific needs of each child. Students deserve better than an alphabet soup of federal mandates that remove parental and student control and require students to comply with nationalized testing standards."
“With an added amendment, this educational policy will be re-evaluated again in 2019, which will give Rep. Loudermilk and fellow House members’ time to work on further educational reforms to ensure every child has the opportunity to succeed. While this isn’t the perfect bill, Rep. Loudermilk believes this Act will begin to restore the states’ role in education and give parents and students the ultimate say over their educational decisions.”
A PLUS Act, H.R. 3421 (Cosponsor)
Local Control of Education Act, H.R. 524 (Cosponsor)
Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to prohibit the federal government from directly or indirectly mandating, directing, controlling, incentivizing, or conditioning federal support on a state's, local educational agency's (LEA's), or school's adoption of: the Common Core State Standards, any other academic standards common to a number of states, or any statewide or nationally recognized content standards; or any assessment, instructional content, or curriculum aligned to, or based on, specific academic standards.
“For seven years, Americans have lived through the reality that government bureaucracy – with its massive rules and regulations – is not the answer to ensuring Americans have access to quality health care. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) promised affordable health insurance and access to health care for everyone, but the result has been the exact opposite. Ronald Reagan best described the dangers of government bureaucracy as, ‘In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.’
“Today the House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act (AHCA), which begins the process of dismantling the bureaucratic red-tape that has forced premiums to skyrocket and made deductibles so high that many Americans found their insurance so costly it was unusable. This bill in itself doesn’t fix the entire problem, but it begins the process of fixing our broken health care system.”
As a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and as a former member of the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security, securing our national defense has always been one of my top priorities. While threats to our homeland have always existed, America now faces a new wave of threats, such as cyberterrorism, that seek to destroy our foundational principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
In order for America to remain free, safe, and full of opportunity, we must:
• Prioritize defense spending to ensure our military has the tools necessary to defend our freedom
• Strengthen America’s mutually-beneficial relationship with our international allies
• Remain vigilant and maintain an active role in the global fight against terror
• Increase our military’s readiness and ability to combat threats such as ISIS
• Restore our role as a leader in the global economy and maintain a competitive edge among our international peers
Homeland Security Committee
Following the devastating terrorist attacks on 9-11, the House Committee on Homeland Security was established to provide Congressional Oversight for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and better protect the American people against a possible terrorist attack. As a former member of the committee, I also served as a member of the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency.
The Committee on Homeland Security has six Subcommittees; each specializing in a subset of the Full Committee’s jurisdiction:
• Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security
• Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence
• Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection and Security Technologies
• Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response and Communications
• Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency
• Subcommittee on Transportation Security
Our Immigration system should benefit America while protecting American workers and wages. In order to support a system that works across all states and in varying terrains, we must employ a multi-faceted approach to securing our borders. This includes the use of specialized technology and other time-tested methods, such as increasing the presence of law enforcement and reinforcing the fences and walls along the U.S. border.
Once the borders are secured, we must focus our attention toward reforming our interior enforcement and legal immigration systems. Currently, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Catch and Release policies are demoralizing for the men and women who continually put their lives on the line defending our country at its borders, and for the immigrants who came to our country legally.
As a former member of the Committee on Homeland Security and one who’s witnessed firsthand the situation along our southernmost borders, I am opposed to blanket legalization for those who have illegally entered or illegally reside in this country. We need to make our immigration system more efficient and workable in order to avoid 10-15 year waiting periods and $15,000 legal bills for people who desire to become a U.S. citizen legally. This is the dream of so many around the world, and it is our duty to take our immigration policies seriously.
As a member of Science, Space, and Technology Committee and Chairman of the Committee on Oversight, my colleagues and I are working hard to prioritize science, space, and technology initiatives that strengthen America’s economic competitiveness and reinforce our position as a worldwide leader in innovation, research and scientific discovery.
Since the start of the 114th Congress in January, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, which I am a member of, has already taken action on the following key areas:
· Ensuring EPA regulations are based on sound science
· Holding the Obama administration accountable
· Prioritizing scientific research and ensuring taxpayer-funded research grants are of national interest
· Maintaining American leadership in public and private space exploration
· Promoting STEM education
· Protecting Americans from cyber attacks
Established in 1958, the Science, Space, and Technology Committee has jurisdiction over all non-defense federal scientific research and development. The Committee has jurisdiction over programs at the following federal agencies: NASA, the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Federal Highway Administration, the Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate, the U.S. Fire Administration, the United States Geological Survey, among others.
Over two centuries ago, our Founding Father’s helped establish the greatest nation on Earth. From the bonds of tyranny, they envisioned a land where men and women were free to choose their own destiny. Now it is up to us to preserve this right, so that our children and subsequent generations will understand what it means to be free.
Our nation’s veterans were all a part of this long line of Patriots whose unwavering commitment has preserved the rich legacy of freedom for future generations. While any country can experience freedom temporarily, enduring freedom must be fought for, protected, and passed down to each generation.
While most Americans are able to enjoy the everyday conveniences of civilian life, our service men and women have sacrificed precious time with family to live in distant lands far away from home. This is no small sacrifice, and it certainly does not go unnoticed.
Our veterans fought for our freedom, and they should have the freedom to choose their own doctor and receive the care and benefits they deserve.
Barry Loudermilk is a passionate representative of the people, who fights daily to ensure our children have a nation that is free, safe and full of opportunity. Barry believes that the best days for America are ahead of us, but only if we return to the basic values of hard work, honesty, individual liberty and respect for each other.
Barry’s father, a World War II veteran and a construction worker, impressed upon his children the idea you can change things if you stand up for what is right. “If there is something you don’t like,” his father said, “you have two choices…do something to change the situation, or just accept the status quo and go on with your life, but never just complain.” These words of wisdom inspired Barry to public service, and they’re what drives him to work to change the culture in Washington, DC.
Barry believes that the strength of America’s economy is with Main Street, not Wall Street. As a small business owner for over 20 years, Barry knows firsthand the impact high taxes and over regulation has on starting and growing a business. That’s why Barry has worked with the administration to not only cut taxes on our small businesses, but to roll back duplicative, irrelevant and overly burdensome regulations. In just the past year, Congress and the administration have eliminated 22 regulations for every 1 new regulation.
In 2017, Congress passed the largest tax cut for America in a generation, and Americans across the country are seeing the positive effects. Since passing this legislation, the economy has grown faster than was predicted and the job market has exceeded our available workforce.
For the first time in a very long time, Americans are more optimistic about their financial situation. People are happier and more optimistic about their future, and they once again can believe the best days of America are ahead of us.
When Congress was negotiating the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Barry fought tirelessly to ensure tax cuts extended to Georgia’s individuals, families and businesses. Barry strongly advocated for cutting taxes for all Americans, especially those in low and middle incomes. He also worked to ensure young families with children, and those just starting out in the workforce, received tax cuts and higher deductions to help them succeed.
Barry believes that our government is one of the people, by the people, and for the people – not a people who serve the government. Our government was designed to be small in size, limited in scope, and its primary role is to protect the rights endowed to us by God. Over the past several years, our federal government has grown in both size and scope, and is now intruding in basically every aspect of our lives. This rampant growth in federal government has weakened our state and local governments, and the cost of this massive government is unsustainable – and is what has led to a $21 trillion debt. That’s why Barry has been a persistent advocate for individual liberty, personal responsibility and government accountability at all levels.
Barry believes that there shouldn’t be two standards in America, one for the regular citizen and another for those in government. Working with the White House, and other members of Congress, Barry has been at the forefront of reigning in the overgrown federal government, exposing corruption, and holding government bureaucrats accountable.
Barry also believes in America’s workforce, and that it is the hardworking men and women of this country who are the strength of our economy. He believes everyone should be held responsible for their actions, and those who have positions in the federal government shouldn’t be given special treatment or held to a different standard for misconduct or poor performance. That’s why Barry authored the MERIT Act, which would hold government employees accountable to the same laws and standards as the rest of America’s workforce.
Trust in the federal government is at its lowest in the history of our country. Much of this is due to the way bureaucrats treat citizens who must deal with one of the numerous government agencies. Whether it’s the Veterans Administration, the IRS, or the Social Security Administration, most Americans are frustrated by the slow response, lack of respect, and inconsiderate treatment. That’s why Barry has authored a bill to establish a set of standards for all agencies – to ensure that when citizens have to deal with the government, they are given prompt and courteous customer service.
Our vast freedom is due to generations of Americans who have answered the call to duty and served our nation in the Armed Forces.
As an Air Force Veteran, Barry understands the challenges our veterans face getting health care, jobs and basic benefits. That’s why he has fought to put the Veterans Administration on a path of reform. Since serving in Congress, Barry and other veterans serving in Congress have worked together to bring needed change to the Veterans Administration.
In the past year, Barry has helped to pass several legislative initiatives to provide better care to our veterans and improve the responsiveness of the Veterans Administration. The Veterans Affairs and Whistleblower Protection Act, which was signed into law by President Trump, reformed the VA by creating a streamlined process to remove, demote or suspend VA employees for misconduct or poor performance (including improper care of veterans). It also expanded the protection from retribution of whistleblowers, who are a critical factor in rooting out corruption and misconduct within the administration.
Barry has also supported legislation to allow the VA to provide adult day health care, increase disability payments for service connected disabilities and provide additional funding, provide for a Veterans ID card for all who have served, and increased funding to bring the VA health records system up to date.
While there is still much work to do for our nation’s veterans, Barry remains committed to ensuring our veterans receive the best care and the most prompt service possible.
The cost of health insurance and healthcare has skyrocketed and continues to climb because of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) which put Washington bureaucrats in control of deciding what is best for individuals and their families.
Barry believes the individual should be empowered to decide what is best for their own healthcare, not some bureaucrat in Washington. In his short time in Congress, Barry has voted numerous times to repeal Obamacare and replace it with a system that allows insurance providers to provide innovative and new health insurance plans that are affordable and meet the needs of each individual, while ensuring those with pre-existing conditions have access to affordable health insurance plans.
Just in the past couple of years, insurance premiums have dramatically increased and many health insurance providers have pulled out of the market. This is creating a health insurance crisis in many parts of the United States, and we are on the verge of another dramatic increase this fall.
In the past year, Barry voted to repeal the Obamacare individual mandate – which forced Americans to buy health insurance plans that were prescribed by the government. As a result, Americans will no longer be forced by law to purchase policies they can’t afford and don’t provide the coverage they need.
Barry has supported, and is continuing to push for, major reforms that will lower premiums and deductibles – by eliminating unreasonable federal mandates and restoring the regulation of health insurance back to the state and local level.
Barry also supports allowing individuals the right to choose how they pay for health care; whether through private insurance, concierge services, group plans or paying cash for services.
As an Air Force veteran, Barry understands that peace comes only through effective diplomacy backed by a strong and effective military.
We live in a dangerous time, with rogue regimes that are rapidly developing nuclear weapons and terrorist organizations that are funded by foreign governments. Barry has voted to increase defense spending so our men and women in uniform will have the resources they need to defend our freedom. Our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and Coast Guardsmen deserve state-of-the-art weapons and equipment necessary to do their jobs.
We must also ensure that when our men and women in uniform are in action, they can be confident that their families are cared for and have the resources they need at home. Barry has fought for and supported a well-deserved pay raise for the members of our military.
National Security in the 21st century also includes the cyber battlefield, as well as in space. With over 20 years in the information technology sector, Barry understands the unique battlefield of cyberspace and is working to protect our vital intelligence and national security infrastructure, and to provide our military with the resources and training to counter these cyber threats.
Within weeks of taking office, Barry was appointed to a special task force to combat terrorism and foreign fighter travel. Through his tireless work, this task force uncovered numerous areas of vulnerability in our fight against radical Islamist terrorism. Immediately, Barry and the other members of the task force, began addressing these problems including closing holes in the State Department’s Visa Waiver Program, which could be exploited by foreign fighters trying to enter the U.S. Within months, Congress and the President acted on these recommendations, and the reforms are now law.
American citizens, the government, and our military are growing evermore dependent on technology, and it is important that support systems that provide connectivity and information; such as our cellular phone network, the Internet, weather and GPS satellites are state-of-the-art and protected from disruption of service.
Barry has consistently advocated that, before we can tackle the larger issue of illegal immigration, we first have to secure America’s borders and ports of entry. When serving on the House Homeland Security Committee, Barry traveled to our southern border to see first-hand how drug cartels, and human traffickers are exploiting our porous and open borders. Our vast borders are a hotbed of criminal activity and pose a real threat to our national security. That’s why Barry helped write legislation that will provide for more physical barriers along our borders, and increase the number of border patrol agents – to stop criminal activities and stop illegal crossing.
However, to effectively control illegal immigration, we must also end counterproductive policies such as catch and release which impairs our law enforcement from effectively stopping and deporting those who enter our nation illegally.
Once we have secured our border, we must reform our immigration laws by ending chain migration, stopping visa lotteries, and ensure those who are here on temporary visas return to their home countries when their visas expire.
Since serving in Congress, Barry worked to pass legislation that has once again enabled the United States to become the largest producer of oil in the world. Since passing legislation that repealed the forty year old ban on exporting oil from the United States, America quickly emerged as a major oil exporting nation – which has reduced the world’s dependency on oil from Middle Eastern nations. Since this repeal was signed into law, OPEC nations are no longer able to control the world oil markets by manipulating oil prices for political purposes.
While supporting advancements in alternative fuel technologies, Barry understands that petroleum products remain the lifeblood of America’s progress and economy. He believes we must continue to advance clean and responsible ways of harvesting this vast natural resource so we remain energy independent for future generations.
While the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provided significant tax relief for millions of Americans and businesses and stimulated the sluggish economy, we must continue to fight for an innovative tax system; such as the Simple Tax or the Fair Tax, that doesn’t punish hard work and success.
The Obama Administration’s IRS scandal testifies to how out of control the federal government has become. This abuse of power is perpetuated by a convoluted tax code that redistributes wealth and punishes individual achievement and places the full burden of funding the government on hardworking Americans.
True tax reform can only be achieved by innovative reforms that abolish the IRS and the current system of taxing wages, and replaces it with a simpler and equitable tax system such as the Simple Tax or the Fair Tax.
President John Quincy Adams stated, “The Declaration of Independence will tell you that the authors held for self-evident truth that the right to life is the first of the unalienable rights…”
Life is the ultimate right endowed by God, and it is the responsibility of a government to protect that right. Barry believes, and science has proven, that life begins in the mother’s womb and it is our responsibility to protect the life of our most vulnerable, our unborn children.
That’s why Barry has consistently fought to protect all innocent life – through legislation, and in voting to ban taxpayer dollars from being used for abortions.
As are most Americans, Barry has been horrified by the acts of evil perpetrated recently, especially on our children at school.
He has been the victim of gun violence, and experienced firsthand the trauma of being shot at with a semi-automatic rifle. Barry has been through the horror of witnessing friends and colleagues struggling for their lives after being shot. Barry has also been through the terror of being shot at without the ability to protect himself or others, because of restrictive laws that prohibited him from having a weapon to defend himself.
As an elected representative of the people, Barry has taken an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States; and the right to purchase and own a firearm is clearly specified as a right afforded to citizens of the United States.
Barry takes his oath of office very seriously and, while we must address the issue of violence in this nation, we have to focus on the actual source of the violence which, in every case, is the perpetrator of the crime, not the weapon they choose.
The safety and security of the people of this country is a core responsibility of our government, which, Barry believes, includes protecting every citizen’s right to protect themselves and their family. Barry remains a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, and opposes measures to restrict the rights of law abiding citizens to purchase and carry firearms.
However, Barry believes there are measures we can take to stop these perpetrators before they can carry out their acts of violence. Recent tragedies have highlighted gaps in our system that must be addressed, such as ensuring that our law enforcement appropriately responds to leads of individuals who have made threats or may be prone to carry out acts of violence.
In 1798, Thomas Jefferson wrote, “I wish it were possible to obtain a single amendment to our Constitution. I would be willing to depend on that alone for the reduction of the administration of our government; I mean an additional article taking from the Federal Government the power of borrowing.”
Our massive federal spending and monstrous debt is directly related to the rampant growth of the federal government. While defense of our nation is the primary role of the federal government, it is only a small fraction of government expenditures. To maintain the massive government growth and size of federal departments and agencies, Congress has continued to go deeper in debt.
The majority of Americans agree, that reducing our deficit spending and reigning in our national debt must be a priority of Congress and the President.
In just over three years in Congress, Barry has aggressively taken on the task of cutting the scope and size of government and worked on reigning in excessive and wasteful spending. That’s why Citizens Against Government Waste named Barry a “Taxpayer Super Hero,” for his relentless efforts to cut wasteful spending.
Barry has also worked with members of both the U.S. House and Senate to introduce a Balanced Budget Amendment requiring Congress to Balance the Federal Budget. The Loudermilk Balanced Budget Amendment (H.J. Res 29) requires Congress to balance the federal budget, limits spending to 18% of GDP, and rolls all federal revenues under Congressional control.