Introducing Bipartisan Legislation to Commemorate the Life of Nell Patten Roquemore
Last week, I introduced a bipartisan resolution to rename the U.S. Postal Office in Lakeland, GA, the "Nell Patten Roquemore Post Office" after late constituent and former Lakeland Postmaster Nell Patten Roquemore.
Ms. Nell Patten Roquemore was a model public servant and an active member of the community. Her unwavering commitment to the people of Lanier County was evident in her involvement in numerous local initiatives and organizations. Renaming the post office in her honor is a small way to commemorate her legacy in Lanier County.
Read more here.
Advocating for Our Farmers
H-2A labor rates and regulations have become increasingly unaffordable and burdensome for our farmers.
The national average Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) has already more than doubled over the past two decades, making agricultural guest labor unaffordable for farm employers and resulting in higher consumer costs. While the AEWR varies by region, nearly half of all states are projected to have an AEWR between $17 and $19 per hour in 2024, in addition to rising housing and transportation costs.
I joined colleagues in sending a letter to House and Senate appropriations leaders requesting an H-2A visa guest worker wage freeze in upcoming funding legislation to ease the financial burden on our farmers.
Read more here.
Supporting Senior Access to Physicians
As the son of a physician, I know firsthand the obstacles that providers face to keep pace with inflation and rising practice cost expenses. On top of this, consistent Medicare reimbursement cuts leave many physicians with no choice but to shrink their practices and limit the number of Medicare patients they can accept, ultimately threatening our nation’s healthcare system at the expense of deserving seniors, especially in underserved and rural communities.
For these reasons, this week, I cosponsored H.R. 6683, the Preserving Seniors’ Access to Physicians Act. If enacted, this bill would protect patients from the harmful rule established by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), decreasing reimbursement for physician services by 3.4 percent in 2024.
Read more here.
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