June 4, 2023

Dear Georgian,

Last week, I voted in favor of H.R. 3746, the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, which passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 314-117.

This legislation is far from perfect, but it rescinds roughly $28 billion in previously appropriated unused COVID funds, making it one of the only pieces of legislation signed into law that actually cuts spending.

This bill will avoid a default and cap spending levels. This legislation also makes the first significant reforms to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) since 1982, which will unleash energy production projects in our country, make it easier to build, and bring jobs to America.

It also institutes reasonable work requirements for programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to lift people out of poverty and rebuild a culture of work. This legislation also takes other responsible cost-saving actions like restarting student loan repayments, and rejecting all of the left’s proposed new tax increases.

As Congress takes steps toward fiscal responsibility, we have to make tough decisions in the appropriations process that stops wasteful spending and reduces our deficit.

You can read the full text of the legislation here.

As always, my staff and I are here to help. If you need assistance with a federal agency or have comments or concerns to share with me, please do not hesitate to call my Warner Robins, Tifton, or Washington, D.C. offices. To receive frequent updates, I encourage you to visit my website, like my Facebook page, follow me on YouTube, and follow me on Twitter.

Keep reading for the full update.

Sincerely,

Congressman Austin Scott

Attending a Change of Command Ceremony at Moody AFB

When I got back from D.C., I had the honor of attending a Change of Command Ceremony for the 74th Fighter Squadron at Moody Air Force Base.

After faithful service to this base, Lt Col Matthew Shelly relinquished command of the 74th Fighter Squadron to Lt Col Richard Olson.

Lt Col Olson will serve our base and country well!

Meeting with the Mayor of Lakeland

I also stopped by Lanier County and met with the Mayor of Lakeland.

He got me up to speed on some of the upcoming projects in the city, and we discussed the importance of stronger broadband access in rural areas.

Joining Mornings with Maria to Discuss the Fiscal Responsibility Act

The Peanut Grower | Peanut Industry Well Represented In Farm Bill Hearings

"The U.S. House Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management and Credit held a hearing on Tuesday, April 26, entitled 'Producer Perspectives on the 2023 Farm Bill.' Representing the U.S. Peanut Federation was Daniel McMillan of Southern Grace Farms in Enigma, Georgia...

Subcommittee Chairman Austin Scott (R-GA) opened the hearing, saying, 'Title I programs, specifically the Agricultural Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage, or ARC and PLC, were established in the 2014 Farm Bill and the reference prices used to determine assistance were set using 2012 cost of production data. Meanwhile, inflation has gone up significantly since 2012, and the price of most inputs have doubled or even tripled since 2021 alone. Farm sector debt is at record-high levels, and net farm income is expected to fall 16% from 2022 to 2023. These warning signs underscore the importance of our work in the 2023 Farm Bill.'"