Dear Friend,
I hope this e-newsletter finds you and your family well! I've enjoyed making several stops in the Third District this month and have received valuable feedback from many of you and learned more about the needs of our community.
I kicked off the August district work period by joining the Harris County Chamber Legislative Advocacy Breakfast in Hamilton. I gave a legislative update on the work being done in Washington, D.C. and took questions from constituents.
Below are a few pictures from the event: |
After the Harris County Chamber Legislative Advocacy Breakfast, I joined State Representative Richard Smith at Global Payments Inc. in Columbus to meet their new president and CEO, Cameron Bready. I appreciate Global Payments Inc. having me and learning about their work assisting businesses in operating more efficiently across a variety of channels around the world. |
After the visit to Global Payments Inc., I stopped over at Pratt & Whitney to learn more about its recently announced investment of $206 million. This investment will expand the Columbus Engine Center, and will create around 400 new jobs! |
On August 8th, I joined the Georgia Chamber Congressional Luncheon hosted by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. In the morning, I participated in a breakout session with Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs Christopher Nunn. We discussed the housing shortage in Georgia and policies at the state and federal levels that can help drive down costs and address this pressing issue. |
After the breakout session, I participated in a discussion with Kim Greene, the President and CEO of Georgia Power Company. The discussion covered a number of topics including Georgia’s energy landscape and the broader U.S. goal of achieving an independent energy future. We especially focused on the exciting developments in our state with Plant Vogtle’s Unit 3 now fully operational and Kia’s recent announcement of the EV9 production at the West Point facility. |
On Wednesday, August 9th, I started the day by meeting with business and community leaders at the Fayette Chamber of Commerce breakfast. I gave a legislative update and took questions from folks in attendance. Thanks for having me – and for your leadership in our community! |
Following the Fayette Chamber meeting, I met with Chairman Tom Wilson and the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency Board at the Roosevelt Institute in Warm Springs. The work they do to assist disabled Georgians in gaining employment and achieving independence is commendable and incredibly important to helping the disabled in our communities become active members of society. |
Last week, I met with City of Hope in Newnan. Formerly Cancer Treatment Centers of America, the City of Hope does important work focused on treating cancer, and provides state-of-the-art options for treating patients. |
I also met with the folks at Bonnell Aluminum in Newnan. Their manufacturing plant produces high quality custom fabricated and finished aluminum, and provides many jobs in our local community. Thanks for having me! |
The Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters in Georgia affected by the severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding which occurred March 25–27, to apply for physical damage disaster loans by the August 28, 2023 deadline. The declaration covers Troup County and the adjacent counties of Coweta, Harris, Heard and Meriwether. |
On August 7th, we honored National Purple Heart Day. Purple Heart Day is an important reminder of the true meaning of bravery and selflessness – and we express our deepest gratitude to the brave individuals who've been awarded the Purple Heart. Their courage, sacrifice, and resilience is an inspiration to us all. |
On Wednesday, July 26, the House Committee on Ways and Means held a full committee markup of H.R.4822, the Health Care Price Transparency Act, and H.R.3284, the Providers and Payers COMPETE Act. A key issue addressed by these bills is vertical integration – a significant problem happening at every level in our healthcare system. More than 1,800 hospital merger announcements have occurred in the past two decades. This level of consolidation leads to higher medical costs and decreased access to care for patients. Additionally, market-dominating pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) use anticompetitive practices to limit patient access and stifle competition. This essentially forces independent medical practices to integrate with larger healthcare systems. As a former medical practitioner in rural Georgia, I understand the hugely negative impact that these practices have on rural practices and patients.
Competition no longer exists in much of America’s healthcare marketplace and vertical integration and other uncompetitive practices are the driving force. As an original co-sponsor, I was proud to offer H.R. 3284, the Providers and Payers COMPETE Act, during the mark-up. The bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to submit an annual report on the impact of certain Medicare regulations on provider and payer consolidation. The legislation passed out of Committee by a vote of 23 – 17.
Pursuing solutions that promote competitiveness and price transparency will foster a fair healthcare marketplace and ensure that Americans are receiving care that fits their needs. I remain committed to finding solutions that will reduce healthcare costs, increase access to care, and put medical decisions in the hands of patients.
Click here to watch my remarks. |
On Thursday, July 27, the Joint Economic Committee held a hearing on the economic impact of diabetes. Diabetes is one of the cruelest diseases in America, and often, it does not receive the attention it deserves. There are millions of Americans that have diabetes, so this was a crucial hearing to understand the impacts of this health crisis.
As a practicing dentist for 25 years, I often ran into the effects that diabetes had on my patients. However, those with diabetes and their families know the symptoms of this disease extend far beyond just oral health. In order to correct this epidemic, we need to address the many items in our food supply that have high sugar content and pursue healthcare innovations that will lead to improved treatment for patients.
I asked the witnesses about the timeline of the exponential growth of diabetes in our country, how policy changes impact the nutrition of our food supply, and what policies Congress should consider to address this health crisis.
Click here to watch my remarks. |
Thank you to the American Retirement Association for meeting with me at the end of July. We had a productive discussion about strengthening social security. |
I'd like to thank my second session summer interns – Jacob, Madeleine, and George – for their hard work that made a lasting impact on our constituents. Thank you for your service and I wish you the best in your future endeavors. |
Congressman Ferguson Visits Fayette Chamber August 16, 2023 | By Brigitte Greer
Fayette County Chamber of Commerce hosted its latest “Pancakes and Policy” series breakfast on Wednesday, Aug. 9, featuring Congressman Drew Ferguson, representative of Georgia’s Third District.
During his presentation, Ferguson discussed the current working environment for elected officials in Washington D.C., and the policies and bills in the works that will affect small businesses. Additionally, he touched on the importance of the government’s duty to uphold national defense and funding the military.
Ferguson also discussed the impact of inflation on families, interest rates, and small businesses. He touched on the environment he feels is needed for the economy and small businesses to thrive moving forward.
“If you’re an American business, you want the right tax environment, you want the right trade environment, you want the right regulatory environment,” Ferguson said. To conclude his presentation, Ferguson held a question-and-answer session with attendees. |
WRBL gets exclusive tour inside Ralston Tower as the downtown building gets city of Columbus nod to reopen August 15, 2023 | By Chuck Williams
Two years after it was closed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Ralston Tower got a certificate of occupancy from the city today.
That means the historic century-old hotel turned into a low-income housing complex is on the verge of reopening.
WRBL got an exclusive tour of the renovated Ralston from the Atlanta-based owner/developer on Monday. The building is opening under new ownership.
The Ralston originally opened in 1914 as a 100-room upscale hotel. The last couple of decades have not been glamorous.
Two years ago, amid political pressure from Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson and Congressmen Sanford Bishop and Drew Ferguson, HUD closed the Ralston.
It was project-based Section 8 housing. Infinity Capital Partners of Atlanta purchased it. And they are bringing it back as HUD project-based housing.
Click here to read the full article. |
I hope to see you around the Third District this month! Remember to keep an eye on my website and check out my Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts to stay up-to-date with the latest news from the Third District and Washington.
If you are having issues with a federal agency or have a casework question, don’t forget to reach out to my Newnan District office at 770-683-2033. |
|
Sincerely,
|
|
|
|
|
|
Drew Ferguson
Member of Congress
|
|
|
|
