Swiss Cheese Policies

SWISS CHEESE POLICIES

How soon are we going to fire Border Czar Kamala Harris? The answer is not soon enough.

We got a cruel reminder this week of the cost of the Biden-Harris border policies, and it is lighting a fire under the House Republican Conference to deliver conservative wins for the American people and hit the ground running come January.

This week, Laken Riley’s killer, the illegal immigrant who took a U.S. taxpayer-sponsored flight to Georgia courtesy of the Biden-Harris Administration, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

I’m not going to waste any more oxygen on this monster other than to say good riddance.

My thoughts and prayers continue to be with the Riley family, the Athens community, and everyone whose lives have been forever changed by migrant crime.

Americans nationwide are asking the same question: how on earth was this man allowed to roam freely in the United States in the first place? The answer is as straightforward as it is concerning: our border is not secure, and it’s costing us our lives.

I’ve been to the border eight times since I’ve been a member of Congress. The most recent time was earlier this year, and it was the worst I’ve ever seen it. Clear as day, you can see where the Obama Administration started the wall, where the Trump Administration continued the wall, and where the Biden-Harris Administration stopped it. The holes where a wall should be are a reminder that this administration’s border policies are as secure as a slice of Swiss cheese.

Fortunately, this is about to change.

President Trump has nominated a strong conservative, Governor Kristi Noem, to lead the Department of Homeland Security in the second Trump Administration. She is very strong on border security and will right the wrongs committed by the current administration. Together with Border Czar Tom Homan, and under the leadership of President Donald Trump, I am confident Governor Noem will reestablish our border security and return us to the safety and security we had during the first Trump Administration.

Border security is national security. It’s time to make America safe again.

Buddy's Briefing

In this week's edition of Buddy's Briefing, we are talking about a special visitor we had in our community this week, Miss America Madison Marsh!

From our nation's capitol cdlxxxv

Monday, November 18, 2024: After an early morning flight back to Washington, I’m in our office and my first meeting is with my fellow Georgia delegation member and good friend, Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA) as we discuss upcoming committee assignments. Next, I have our weekly scheduling meeting followed by our weekly legislative staff meeting. Next, I have an interview with Capitol Spotlight, a podcast that features conversations with Members and staff about who they are outside of politics. The podcast was started by David Tennent, who was formerly with our office and who, while working here, came up with the idea of Buddy’s Briefing that is now a weekly feature of our office. Afterwards, I meet with Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) representatives to discuss reform of the 340b program. Next, I have a phone interview with Bloomberg to discuss the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and changes that will potentially be made to it next session under a Republican administration. After attending our weekly Whip team meeting, I head to the House Chamber where we have our first vote series of the week and, afterwards, remain in the Chamber to pay tribute to Dr. Brittany Mobley, Principal at Frances Meeks Elementary School in Richmond Hill in Bryan County, who has recently been selected as the Georgia 2024 National Distinguished Principal by the Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals (GAESP).

Rep. Carter honors Dr. Brittany Mobley

Tuesday, November 19, 2024: After our weekly GOP conference where we discuss our upcoming business, I head back to our office where I have a live interview on NewsNation to discuss President Trump’s nominees for cabinet positions. Afterwards, I have a phone call with Mercer University President Bill Underwood to discuss education legislation currently being considered in Congress. Next, I have a meeting with our communications team before meeting with representatives from the Conservative Energy Network to discuss the importance of enacting bipartisan permitting reform, followed by a meeting with the CEO of Heckler & Koch (H&K), a manufacturer of small arms for the military and law enforcement. My next meeting is with Hims and Hers, an American telehealth company providing prescription medications, over-the-counter medications and personal care products. Next, I head off Capitol Hill for a meeting with SpaceX to discuss their next ventures, before heading to the Capitol to meet with Ways and Means Chairman Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO) to discuss HR 655, The Disaster Reforestation Act, that I have introduced and am hoping to have included in the disaster relief package. After our first vote series of the day, I head back to our office where I have a virtual interview with WJCL-TV in Savannah to discuss Georgia’s Promise Scholarship before joining in on our all-staff conference call. Next, I head back to the House Chamber for our second vote series of the day and remain in the Chamber afterwards to pay tribute to Jeff Kole and Diana Morrison who have recently been inducted into the Savannah Business Hall of Fame. Once back in our office, I have a phone interview with Inside Climate News to discuss upcoming changes to the IRA before heading off Capitol Hill to speak at the Roosevelt Conservation Caucus annual awards banquet. Along with Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), I serve as co-chair of the Roosevelt Conservation Caucus. My final meeting of the day is also off Capitol Hill as I have the honor of addressing the Medical Association of Georgia (MAG) attendees at their annual Washington fly-in.

Rep. Carter meets with Hims and Hers

Wednesday, November 20, 2024: After each election and before the beginning of a new session, our Republican Conference adopts new regional maps to guide us through the steering and policy committees’ election process. States are aligned according to region and the number of Republican members who are representing those states. The goal is to have as much of a balance of representation as we can. In the past few sessions, Georgia has been combined with South Carolina but for the next session we are going to be combined with Alabama. This morning, we hold an election with the Georgia and Alabama Republican members to elect a steering committee member and a policy committee member. I am honored to nominate my good friend Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) as our region’s steering committee representative and he is unanimously elected. Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) is elected as our region’s policy committee member. Afterwards, I head back to my office where I have a virtual call with district staff before heading to the House Chamber where I pay tribute to Mark Stroud, long time coach at Calvary Day School in Savannah who is retiring and to Josie Tatum-Carlson from Blackshear in Pierce County who was tragically killed in an automobile accident recently. Once back in our office, I speak virtually to members of Professional Compounding Centers of America (PCAA) to bring them up to date on pharmacy compounding legislation before having a series of meetings in our office beginning with Inseparable, a mental health provider. Next, I meet with Guardant Health to learn of their new non-invasive blood test that screens for colorectal cancer followed by a meeting with a group promoting a revolutionary cell therapy to treat Degenerative Joint Disease and then a meeting with the energy groups Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) and Energy Security Leadership Council (ESCL). After a series of meeting off Capitol Hill, I head to downtown Washington where I am honored to speak at a Battery Materials and Technology Coalition (BMTC) roundtable before heading to the Canadian Embassy where I participate in a panel discussion sponsored by Center Forward and focused on U.S./Canada relations. Once back in our office, I record this week’s edition of Buddy’s Briefing and Material Minute before heading to the House Chamber for our only vote series of the day. Afterwards, I remain in the House Chamber and pay tribute to long time Chatham County District Attorney, Spencer Lawton, Jr., who recently passed, and later speak on the need for a disaster relief package during special orders.

Rep. Carter speaks on Disaster Relief

Thursday, November 21, 2024: I’m at the airport early this morning for my return trip home and once I land in Jacksonville, I head to Camden County High School where I welcome Miss America 2024, Madison Marsh, to our district. Madison is the first active- duty military officer to win the Miss America title, and after visiting the school, we head to Kings Bay Naval Base for the afternoon where we have a briefing and tour of the facility led by Captain Chris Bohner, Commander, Navy Region Southeast. Part of our visit is a tour of the USS Tennessee that includes a Dolphin Pinning Ceremony that Miss America and I have the honor of participating in. The ceremony is held when a U.S. Submariner earns their dolphins, signifying the completion of a challenging qualification process known as “Qualifying in Submarines.” The dolphins symbolize the submariner’s proficiency and readiness to serve on a submarine. We also have the pleasure of visiting the great Kids and Teen Center at the YMCA on base where I join Miss America in a question-and-answer session with the students. After a great visit, I head to Sapelo Hammock Golf Club in McIntosh County for the McIntosh Chamber of Commerce annual auction.

Rep. Carter with Miss America Madison Marsh at Kings Bay Naval Base

votes in the house this week

Click here to see this week's vote sheet in the House of Representatives.