On Tuesday, I’m heading back to Washington D.C., marking the end of the August district work period. It’s been such a privilege to spend this past month in the district, getting to serve, listen to, and learn from you. This annual “recess,” as it is commonly known, is so critical for helping me be a better public servant for you, and I am excited to get back to Washington and restart the work of building a nation that is strong, free, safe, and accountable.
The biggest thing we have on our plate when we get back is the looming government funding deadline, which is on Sept. 30th. To avoid a government shutdown, Congress must pass its twelve appropriations packages or a continuing resolution, which is a temporary extension of the government’s current budget, by this deadline.
There’s a lot of talk right now about the merits of a government shutdown and whether it is a worthwhile step for the government to take if it means saving taxpayer dollars and defunding this administration’s woke, anti-American priorities. I think reasonable people can fall on both sides of this issue, but I do not believe a government shutdown is the best way to accomplish this goal. For one, restarting the government after a shutdown actually costs quite a bit of money, and with a deficit that tops $31 trillion, we need to be saving every dollar that we can. Closing down government agencies just to reopen them within days or weeks is practically flushing money down the toilet, which we can ill-afford to do.
Second, Congress has a constitutional duty to fund the government and that is something that my colleagues and I take very seriously. You elected us to lead, and shutting down the government is not productive leadership. But, you know what else isn’t leadership? Appropriating money that we don’t have to programs that we don’t need and passing the problem down for future generations to fix. That’s exactly what Washington Democrats want to do, and we cannot allow them to continue to get away with this irresponsible policymaking.
We need a budget that cuts spending, funds national security, fulfills the Commitment to America, and meets the needs of the American people. We can do that without a shutdown, and I encourage my Democrat colleagues to join Republicans in this process instead of passing the buck and reneging on their constitutional duty. |
In this week's edition of Buddy's Briefing, I'm thanking you for a great month in the district and looking forward to the work ahead in Washington. |
Buddy Carter is burning the midnight oil to catch up on technology policy to be better equipped as vice chair of the House Energy and Commerce panel overseeing those issues.
The five-term congressman admits tech is an unfamiliar territory. His usual turf is health care and budget policy — he ran his own pharmacy in south Georgia for more than three decades. Now Carter (R-Ga.) is branching out by taking the typically symbolic leadership role of vice chair on the Communications and Technology Subcommittee seriously.
“I spend an hour, an hour-and-a-half, every night just reading up because if you’re going to be in a hearing that’s nationally televised, you don’t want to embarrass your district, and you don’t want to embarrass yourself,” Carter told Bloomberg Government’s Oma Seddiq in this Tech Brief exclusive Q&A...
Carter is meeting with legislative staffers, outside experts, and the panel’s chair, policy wonk Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio) — who tapped him for the post at the start of this Congress — to engage more with the ever-changing tech landscape. He’s championed a GOP-led bill (H.R. 3557) to expedite broadband permitting reviews and launched a bipartisan caucus that examines data access for vehicles, such as delivery trucks and ambulances.
During the August recess, Carter started a weekly video series dubbed “Tech Talks,” breaking down topics, including spectrum and Section 230, in digestible 60-second clips for his constituents. |
Tuesday, September 5, 2023: On Saturday I, along with Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, joined Mobilize Recovery Across Georgia at Forsyth Park in downtown Savannah for their first of 48 planned stops throughout the state. In conjunction with National Recovery Month, Mobilize Recovery Across Georgia is launching a traveling bus tour that will cross the state of Georgia to bring attention to the 800,000 Georgians living in long-term recovery from a substance use disorder.
On Sunday, I joined Glynn County Commissioner Cap Findig and District Attorney Keith Higgins for Mobilize Recovery Across Georgia’s second stop at Mary Ross Waterfront Park in Brunswick.
After a great Labor Day yesterday, I’m back at it this morning as I have a conference call with my good friend, Scott Isaaks, VA Director of the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston, SC. In the First District of Georgia, we are served by three separate VA systems. Savannah and Hinesville are served by the Ralph H Johnson VA Health Care System in Charleston, SC, Brunswick is served by the Dublin VA Health Care System in Dublin, GA, and Waycross is served by the North Florida/South Georgia VA Health System out of Lake City, FL.
Afterwards, I head to Hinesville in Liberty County where I join the Hinesville Rotary at their weekly meeting and we hear from Brynn Grant, President and CEO of the United Way of the Coastal Empire regarding their upcoming campaign kickoff and the many programs that they support.
Next, I head to the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport where I fly to Houston, Texas, for the next couple of days to visit various energy companies to hear their concerns and share with them our work on the Energy and Commerce (E&C) Committee. My first meeting is shortly after I arrive this afternoon as I meet with a group of representatives from various energy companies as I hear from them their concerns with the lack of a defined energy policy here in the U.S.. |
Carter attends GA Recovers bus tour stop |
Wednesday, September 6, 2023: Houston, the fourth largest City in America, is often referred to as the ‘Energy Capitol of the World’ with access to 3 million workers and more engineers than any other U.S. metro region. Houston has more than 600 exploration and production firms, 1,100 oilfield service companies, and more than 180 pipeline transportation establishments. This morning, I visit the headquarters of IHI Energy Solutions, a world leader in critical carbon reduction technologies such as clean fuels, carbon capture, and thermal energy storage. IHI Energy Solutions is a group company of IHI Corporation, a multi-billion-dollar corporation.
Next, I head to Sapphire Gas Solutions, an infrastructure services and equipment provider to customers in the utility, pipeline, and asphalt markets. Sapphire Gas Solutions is focused on gas supply and energy transition solutions, including mobile LNG and CNG services across the country.
Afterwards, I head to Quanta Services, a group of companies that provides infrastructure services for electric power, pipeline, industrial and communications industries. As vice-chair of the Communications and Technology (C&T) subcommittee of E&C, I am very interested in the broadband communication services Quanta offers to its customers. While the infrastructure in Houston is to be commended, it is a sprawling city with a vast land area and travel can be challenging.
Next, I head to the Houston headquarters of Squire Patton Boggs where I meet with the office manager, Greg Wehrer, and we have a virtual call with Andy Zitterkopt, CFO and COO of Organic Exploration and Production at Epoch Energy Group to learn more about their work in exploration and field development.
Later, I am honored to be the guest speaker at the U.S. Energy Stream Leadership meeting at the Petroleum Club in downtown Houston. The U.S. Energy Stream is led by CEO Anthony Livanios and is a national energy transition intelligence advisory firm. My trip to Houston has truly been beneficial as I have gained firsthand knowledge of the challenges and obstacles facing our energy industry here in America, the need for permitting reform, and the need for a clear and concise energy policy here in the U.S. |
Thursday, September 7, 2023: My morning begins with a conference call with my colleague, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) who serves as Chair of the Education and Labor Committee, Dr. Drew Van Horn, President of Young Harris College, and Jenna Colvin, President of the Georgia Independent College Association.
Afterwards, I have a virtual call with staff from the E&C Communications and Technology (C&T) subcommittee to discuss details of the American Broadband Deployment Act (ABDA) that has passed committee and we hope will be on the House floor for a vote before the entire House.
Next, I have a virtual call with our staff communications team to discuss new ideas for our office before joining in on our all-staff conference call while on my way to the George Bush Airport in Houston for my flight home.
Once back in Savannah, I head to Darien in McIntosh County where I attend Taste of the Wild at Emma’s Driftwood Farm benefiting the Boys & Girls Club of Southeast Georgia. Located on 81 acres of picturesque marshland on the inter-coastal waterway, Emma’s is one of many hidden gems along the Georgia coast and First District. With 12 clubs in Glynn and McIntosh counties, the Boys & Girls Club offers academic, sports, and summer camp programs for area youths. |
Carter at benefit for Boys & Girls clubs of southeast Georgia |
Friday, September 8, 2023: I’m in the Savannah District office early this morning as I record this week’s edition of Buddy’s Briefing as well as some more of our popular Tech Talk videos. Afterwards, I head to the Savannah International Convention Center on Hutchinson Island in Savannah where I have the honor of addressing the Georgia Association of Realtors (GAR) at their annual conference and expo. With the combined challenges of high interest rates and low inventory, realtors play an even more important role in helping our citizens achieve the American dream of home ownership. |
Carter addresses Georgia Association of Realtors |
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