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Greetings,
I hope this message finds you well. It has been more than four weeks since Republicans shut down the government despite having full control of Congress. Instead of joining Democrats to address the health care crisis they created, Speaker Mike Johnson has once again chosen to extend the Republicans’ vacation by canceling votes and barring all legislative activity. The clock is running out to prevent Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits from expiring and stopping millions of Americans from seeing health insurance premiums spike when open enrollment begins this weekend.
As your U.S. Representative, I am working across Georgia’s thirteenth district to spread awareness of what’s at stake and who stands to lose if health premiums skyrocket under Republicans’ watch. I am also fighting to limit the impact of the Trump Administration’s disastrous policies on Georgia families, federal employees and farmers from illegal firings and lapses in government funding.
Read more to learn about what you may have missed during the month of October.
Republican Government Shutdown
As we enter the second month of the Republican shutdown, essential government agencies, services, programs will continue to be adversely impacted. The degree of this damage will be significantly exacerbated by the Trump Administration’s decision to illegally fire thousands of essential federal workers. We have seen these illegal reductions in force (RIF) targeting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Education Department (ED), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) staff which has directly affected families who rely on social safety-net programs. The fact that President Trump is weaponizing a shutdown to fire federal workers and deprive vulnerable families of the essential services these departments provide is wrong and anti-American.
In 2025, Georgia enrolled more than 1.5 million individuals in the ACA, 93% of whom depend on subsidies to make health coverage affordable. Without an extension, premiums are projected to jump an average of 75% and result in 340,000 more Georgians becoming uninsured. Thousands of families have already begun to receive notices of their health insurance rates going up because of Republican inaction. This in turn will raise premiums for the rest of us and further strain emergency rooms, free clinics, and community health centers as more uninsured patients show up for care sicker because they can’t afford primary and preventative care.
Open enrollment for the Georgia Marketplace begins November 1st and ends on January 15th, meaning we cannot afford to wait. In the meantime, please consider filling out this form and letting me know how healthcare price increases will impact you and your family. VIEW FORM HERE.
As we navigate this difficult time, please know my congressional offices in Washington D.C. and Stockbridge will remain open and available to help with constituent services. Do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions, comments, or to express concerns. VIEW SHUTDOWN FAQS HERE.
Demanding Congress Get Back to Work
I strongly oppose Speaker Mike Johnson’s decision to cancel votes for a fifth week and his refusal to call the House back into session. He has cancelled invaluable voting for no good reason while ignoring 14 failed votes in the Senate on a measure that does nothing to prevent the impending health care crisis. An overwhelming majority of Americans want their elected officials working to end this chaos and lower the cost of living. That is why I recently joined Georgia’s Democratic Congressional Delegation urging the Speaker to call the House of Representatives back to Washington to engage in good-faith bipartisan negotiations for reopening the government. Read More HERE.
Protecting Access to Food During Shutdown
As the Republican Shutdown continues, funding for programs that protect our most at-risk individuals will be impacted. I recently sent a letter to Governor Kemp urging his office take immediate action to ensure participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC, are not adversely impacted by the shutdown. In Georgia, there are over 245,000 women, infants, and children enrolled in WIC. USDA has made it clear that State agencies will be reimbursed for using state funds to cover WIC during a lapse of federal funding.
Georgia is well position to ensure that WIC participants do not lose access to benefits. Governor Kemp should make funding available to protect pregnant women and nursing mothers and ensure that children receive food, formula, and essential health screenings without interruption. Governor Kemp must guarantee that benefits are available for recipients, and no one mother or child is forced to go hungry. Read More HERE.
Protecting Our Nation’s Health
Our nation’s federal workers are under attack. The Trump administration has used this federal shutdown to arbitrarily fire thousands of workers. President Trump’s campaign against the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is devasting the world’s premier public health agency. With the most recent firings, the CDC has now lost nearly a quarter of its workforce. What causes more confusion is that nearly half of the employees fired recently – including the group of scientists working to contain the Ebola virus in Congo – were terminated “by mistake.”
Haphazard personnel decisions at the CDC are not new to this administration. In June, 400 CDC workers responsible for tracking and preventing infectious diseases were rehired after being terminated in a round of mass firings. The combination of this month’s RIF, earlier mass firings, and the constant roll back of public health guidance undermines the critical work of the CDC. It also undermines the scientists, public health experts, and civil servants that work tirelessly to keep American families safe. I recently called on Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and CDC Director James O’Neil to reinstate CDC employees who were wrongly terminated during the shutdown and demanded the release of internal deliberations that led to their firing. Read More HERE.
  Opposing Trump’s Bailout of Argentina
President Trump has once again betrayed his campaign promise to put America First. Bailing out a foreign nation with a history of financial mismanagement, like Argentina, using taxpayer money during a government shutdown is reckless. Doing so without clear enforceable conditions or protection from losses is appalling. That is why I led Democrats on the House Financial Services Committee in sending a letter to Treasury Secretary Bessent demanding full transparency and calling on President Trump to immediately reverse his reckless decision before it is too late. Read More HERE.
Protecting Access to Credit
I am deeply concerned with the Trump administration’s dismantling of the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund through illegal reductions in force (RIFs). The CDFI Fund and the institutions they serve are an essential source of capital in urban, rural, and underserved communities. During the pandemic, CDFIs were a lifeline to consumers and small businesses across the country. Currently, there are over 1,376 certified CDFIs which have financed more than 109,000 businesses and 45,000 homes. I sent a letter to Secretary Bessent urging him to rescind this attempt to undermine the CDFI Fund immediately. We must make sure that CDFIs and the communities that depend on them continue to thrive. Read More HERE.
Spring 2026 Internship Applications
Applications for Spring 2026 internships are open for my DC and Stockbridge offices. An internship in my office is a great way to learn about the policy making process, assist constituents, and gain valuable job experience. Apply HERE.
Thank you for staying in touch with me, and I look forward to continuing to serve you and your family. As always, feel free to call on me and my staff in Stockbridge and DC. Learn more at www.DavidScott.House.gov and follow me on X, Facebook, and Instagram.
David Scott
Member of Congress
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