Buddy Carter

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the life of Ms. Clair Wofford Frazier, who passed away on December 23, 2019, at the age of 58, after a battle with cancer. Ms. Wofford Frazier dedicated her life to serving her alma mater, Young Harris College. A member of the Board of Trustees for over a decade, she served on a number of different committees that impacted daily campus life, including committees on academic affairs, development, and student affairs. She also created the Wofford-Frazier scholarship to help a Young Harris education be as accessible as possible for deserving students. A testament to her work, the executive board room at the college is named in her honor, and she won the Susan B. Harris Award from the Alumni Association in 2008. Similar to her generosity with the college, those who knew her remember that Ms. Wofford Frazier was always the first person to offer help to someone in need. My thoughts and prayers will be with Ms. Wofford Frazier's family during this most difficult time.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ms. Betty Gillis, who is retiring after 41 years serving as supervisor of Ware County's Board of Elections and Registration. Throughout the past 4 decades, Ms. Gillis has done an exceptional job in the First Congressional District, ensuring that Ware County's elections are both robust and fair. Looking back on her time, she remembers that she has enjoyed every minute of it, and she has come to think of her colleagues as extended family. In her retirement, Ms. Gillis is planning to spend more time with her family. However, it will simply be impossible to replace a public servant as dedicated and excited about her role as Ms. Gillis. Thank you for your service to the First Congressional District of Georgia, Ms. Gillis. Congratulations on a retirement well-deserved. Honoring the Life and Legacy of Clair Wofford Frazier

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the International Seafarers' Center in Brunswick, Georgia, for all of their work throughout the First Congressional District of Georgia. Operating in coastal Georgia for the last 38 years, the International Seafarers' Center strives to provide spiritual, emotional, physical, and material support to mariners passing through our area. Currently, the Port of Brunswick, alone, receives 16,000 seafarers annually who have very little access to the conveniences of home while they are at sea. The International Seafarers' Center is guided by its Christian faith, and with their two hospitality centers, they have done an exceptional job of serving those mariners from all walks of life, different religions, countless languages, and diverse races. One of the most notable examples of their work includes their effort to provide clothing and food to 20 crew members of the Golden Ray cargo ship that had capsized off the coast of St. Simon's Island in September of 2019. I cannot thank everyone involved with the International Seafarers' Center enough for making the First Congressional District of Georgia such a welcoming place for seafarers to pass through during their time at sea. Keep up the good work. Honoring the Service of Betty Gillis

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the life of Georgia State Senator Greg Kirk, who passed away on December 22 at the age of 56 after a battle with cancer. A former pastor, Senator Kirk was first elected to the State senate in 2014. Representing Americus in southwest Georgia, he spent his 6 years in the State senate working hard for rural Georgians: spurring job creation, protecting life, and always putting God first. His colleagues in the State senate remember him as an exceptional public servant who was always a champion for doing what is right, making him one of the State's most fervent and gracious leaders. One of his most important pieces of legislation included a bill that would legally protect people who broke into a vehicle to help rescue a child that had been left unattended in hot weather. His presence, leadership, and passion for service will be dearly missed in the Georgia State senate. Senator Kirk's family and friends will be in my thoughts and prayers during this most difficult time. In Recognition of International Seafarers' Center

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ms. Cindy Kelley and the Chatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless for their work in the Tiny House Project for Homeless Veterans. In November 2019, phase one of the Tiny House Project was officially completed. In this part of the project, Chatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless provided 23 veterans, two spouses, and five pets with places to live. Phase two of the project began on December 1 and will house an additional 24 veterans. Unfortunately, veteran homelessness is one of the most persistent issues facing those who risked their lives to serve our country. I could not be more proud than to have a project like this one in the First Congressional District of Georgia with such an innovative solution to ensure our veterans are taken care of when they return home. Along with Ms. Kelley and the Chatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless, I would like to thank the other members of our community that were integral in this project, including the Home Depot Foundation, Chatham Foundation, Nine Line Foundation, Dustcom Limited, Hansen Architects, Thomas & Hutton, Better Life Properties, Joe Marchese Construction, Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church, Sydney Rangeley, Tom Taylor, and Henry and Suzanne Croci.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4500, the Promoting United States Wireless Leadership Act of 2019. Make no mistake; the United States is in a race to modernize and build out the next generation of wireless infrastructure. As with countless other industries, we have seen how American leadership can benefit not only Americans, but consumers around the globe. This bill, sponsored by my good friend and colleague, Mr. Walberg of Michigan, would ensure Federal and private coordination and cooperation when it comes to American participation in standards-setting bodies. We all know by now the potential concerns associated with technology that we can't fully trust. By ensuring that we have representation on essential standards-making bodies, such as the International Organization for Standardization, we will have a seat at the table to help guide these policies in a helpful and secure direction. As many of my colleagues in this body would agree, a forward-leaning effort in this space will have positive effects long down the line. I thank my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee for their work on this, and I urge all of my colleagues to support the underlying legislation.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the Democrats' sham process, which makes a mockery of the rules of the House and is, frankly, dangerous to this country. Since day one, the Democrats have made it clear that they wanted to move toward impeachment well before any of the accusations took place. What Democrats, unfortunately, don't recognize is the damage that this will cause for our political institutions and America's trust for years to come. Every American should be concerned that Speaker Pelosi doesn't trust our citizens to let them decide who should lead our great country. This impeachment process isn't focused on strengthening and protecting our political foundations but, rather, shaping public opinion. I ask you: Is it worth that? Not only is the process alarming, but it is wasting taxpayer dollars and valuable time that elected officials could be using to move our country forward. That includes: securing our borders, addressing student loan debt, and bringing down the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues, while considering these articles, to ask themselves whether this is truly being done for the good of the country.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Pierce County High School competition cheerleading squad for winning the 2019 AAA State championship. Located in the First Congressional District of Georgia, this is the fifth straight year that Pierce County has won the State championship. It is the seventh time the team has posted a 97.5-point performance. This year was a unique challenge for a team that lost nine seniors from the previous year and had 12 new members on the 2019 squad. However, they proved they were up to the challenge on the State's largest stage. Congratulations, Pierce County. You have made the First Congressional District of Georgia proud.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding. We have a situation here where we all want the same thing. We all want to bring down prescription drug prices. We want the same thing. We need the same thing. We can achieve the same thing. We can achieve the same thing without taking the risk of drugs not coming to the market. Physicians take an oath when they graduate from medical school, it is called the Hippocratic Oath. It says, ``first, do no harm.'' Now, whether you believe the Congressional Budget Office that it will be eight to 15 drugs, or whether you believe the Council of Economic Advisers that it will be over 100 drugs, even if it is one drug, that is one drug too many. It is simply a chance we cannot afford to take. Every one of us in this body knows a story, knows someone who has suffered from that awful disease Alzheimer's. It is an awful disease. Barbara Lutz tells the story about her husband, Richard, who suffered from that disease. She tells the story about how she and her family suffered through that with him. Oftentimes, it is the caregivers who suffer so much. Finally, Richard has succumbed to that disease after a 7-year fight. Now, people who are diagnosed or who have family and loved ones who are diagnosed with Alzheimer's come up to Barbara and ask her: ``What do I do? What do I do?'' Barbara simply told me: ``All I can tell them is to pray for a cure.'' This is not a Republican-Democratic issue. This is our issue. This is America's issue. We have to solve it together, and we can do that.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember the life of Mr. Cameron Walters, who passed away at the age of 21 on Friday, December 6, during the barbaric attack on Naval Air Station Pensacola. Originally from Richmond Hill in the First Congressional District of Georgia, Mr. Walters was a pilot in training at the naval air station. He had recently passed an exam in order to stand watch over the entrances to the station, and when the shots rang out, it was his first time on guard duty. Before the tragic attack, Mr. Walters joined the Navy to follow in his father's footsteps and build a better sense of purpose in life. His father remembers that when he graduated boot camp, the grin on his face said it all. He was so proud to have the opportunity to earn his wings as a Navy airman. For his friends and classmates, his bright personality and sense of humor could light up any room he walked into. It is truly devastating that Mr. Walters' life was cut so short by this tragic event, a life which had so much enthusiasm to serve his country and make this world a better place to live. Mr. Walters' family and friends will be in my thoughts and prayers during this most difficult time.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Madam Speaker, that is true, and I thank the gentleman for bringing that up. And I thank him for his expert witness testimony about the constitutionality of H.R. 3, because we both know that it is not. Madam Speaker, we are very limited for time here right now, and with your permission, I want to end with this story: Madam Speaker, again, we are talking about real people. We are talking about people like Richard Lutz. Richard Lutz was a store manager who could be regularly found refereeing youth football, basketball, and baseball games around my hometown of Savannah, Georgia. Richard started having memory problems at 62 years of age. He was prescribed Aricept to slow down the effects of Alzheimer's, but before too long, he needed to have someone with him at all times. His wife, Barbara, worked as a nurse, but they couldn't afford for her to stop working, too. So Barbara and her four kids did as much as they could to rotate as caregivers, and they eventually hired another nurse to help out as well. Eventually, Richard's memory deteriorated to the point where he lost his ability to converse. For the last 11 months of his life, he could only respond to his family members with, I love you, too. After a 7-year fight with Alzheimer's, Richard Lutz passed away at the age of 69. Today, Barbara hears from neighbors and friends when they find out someone they know and love gets diagnosed. They reach out to her and they ask: What do I do? What do I do? Barbara told me: All I can tell them is pray for a cure. Pray for a cure. Madam Speaker, we want the same thing. We need the same thing. We can achieve the same thing. And we can do it without giving up hope for a cure for Alzheimer's or all the other diseases that are out there. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Madam Speaker, just very quickly. Pharmacy benefit managers are a big part of the problem. What we have to have in the drug supply chain is transparency, and that is what we don't have now. PBMs bring no value whatsoever to the system. They don't do research and development. All they do is take from the system, so it is a big problem.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his excellent points, very well-expressed. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Griffith), another valuable member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for the invaluable experience that he brings to Congress. That is another example of one of the fine physicians that we have in Congress. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Schweikert).

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman. At this time, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joyce), another valued member of our Doctors Caucus.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Madam Speaker, just one important point to the gentlewoman, really quick: You are right, whether you believe the CBO who says that H.R. 3 will result in 8 to 15 drugs not coming to market, or whether you believe the Council of Economic Advisers, who says over 100 drugs won't come to market, even if it is just one drug, that is one too many. And I thank the gentlewoman. Madam Speaker, I recognize one of the members of our Doctors Caucus. We are very blessed in this Congress to have a number of fine physicians. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Kansas, (Mr. Marshall).

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I guarantee you that every person who has the honor and privilege of serving in this august body has a story just like that and knows someone or has a family member who has been impacted by a disease and whose quality of life has been improved by the fact that we have had medications available--everyone in this Chamber, everyone who has the honor and privilege of serving in this Chamber. Again, as I have said all along, we all want the same thing. We all need the same thing. As Representative Guthrie said earlier, we can have the same thing without stopping innovation and without stopping research and development. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks), who is another invaluable member of the Energy and Commerce Committee. Representative Brooks is a gentlewoman who brings, again, an outstanding portfolio of experience, and we appreciate her very much.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman especially for making the point that is true: We can have both. We can lower drug costs; we can continue with innovation; and we do not have to stymie innovation. We can achieve what both sides want to achieve without stymieing innovation and without cutting out research and development. Madam Speaker, I want to bring up another situation in which modern medicine has played a role. I will give you an example of where research and development has resulted in miracle cures. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is another terrible disease that predominantly impacts males and is a result of a genetic mutation that inhibits the body from producing the chemical needed to make your muscles work. As with the other diseases that we are going to mention tonight, it has a significant impact on those who are affected. But, fortunately, we have a drug to treat it. Exondys is a drug developed to treat a particular group of people suffering from Duchenne, and it was the first treatment of its kind approved by the FDA. That means that these people for whom this was developed would be able to have their bodies develop the protein necessary to stimulate muscle development and activity. In other words, it can help to improve the daily lives of these people with that particular type of muscular dystrophy. Once again, I can't stress how much of an impact these incredible cures that I have witnessed during my lifetime have. During my professional practice, I have seen nothing short of miracles of people being able to get their lives back and being able to extend their lives and live a healthy life. This therapy that we are talking about right here, Exondys, is not available in any other country if you needed it. You have to come to the United States, Madam Speaker. That is the only place that it is available. It is not available in these other countries. The gentleman from Kentucky just mentioned about all these medications that aren't available in other countries. This is an example of one that we are talking about right here. Our focus has to continue to be on the cutting edge of drug development. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs. Rodgers), who is my good friend and a valuable member of the Energy and Commerce Committee. Representative Rodgers brings an outstanding portfolio of experience, and we appreciate her very much.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I am thankful to have this opportunity tonight. Obviously, the subject matter that we have been discussing here, prescription drug prices, is something that is very important to all Americans, and I am very happy that we are finally getting around to this. Madam Speaker, as a practicing pharmacist for most of my career, I take the issue of drug pricing very personally. In fact, it is one of the primary reasons that I wanted to come to Congress, to do something about it. I had the honor and privilege of practicing pharmacy for over 30 years. I was the one at the front counter who had to tell the patient how much the medication was. I was the one who witnessed the mother in tears because she couldn't afford the medication for her child. I was the one who witnessed the senior citizens trying to make decisions between whether they were going to buy their medications or buy their groceries. I was the one on the other side of the counter. I committed myself to do something about that once I became a Member of Congress, and I am glad to see that we are finally doing that. I want to preface my remarks by saying this: I truly believe that those on the other side of the aisle and we on this side of the aisle want the same thing. I truly believe that. I truly believe that we all want to lower prescription drug prices, and I truly believe that we can do just that. I truly believe that we need to do just that. However, there are some differences here. Those experiences that I had on the other side of the counter have driven me to work hard on bipartisan solutions to lower drug costs for patients since coming to Congress, but particularly during this last year. However, it seems that every time I get my hopes up that we will work together to pass meaningful policies to help the American people afford their medications, the Democrats have put politics over progress. In the spring, I was proud to work with my friend Congressman Schrader, in a bipartisan way, on the BLOCKING Act to increase generic competition in the marketplace. Again, both of us wanted the same thing. We worked on this together, in a bipartisan fashion. But what happened? Speaker Pelosi paired our bipartisan drug pricing bill up on the floor with political poison pills. Politics over progress. This summer, I worked with Congresswoman Schakowsky to strike a deal to pass a comprehensive drug transparency bill, the METRIC Act. Unanimously, it passed out of committee. Republicans and Democrats voted for it. But what happened? Different versions of these policies we had struck a bipartisan agreement on were added to the Speaker's bill before us today. Politics over progress. This fall, Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans were close to striking a bipartisan deal with our friends across the aisle to cap out-of-pocket spending for seniors on Medicare. What happened? Our Democratic colleagues walked away from those bipartisan negotiations to double down on a partisan bill that we know is dead on arrival in the Senate. Politics over progress. This holiday season, Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans introduced a bill, H.R. 19, the Lower Costs, More Cures Act, to make one last, earnest effort to pass good, bipartisan drug spending policies that could be signed into law this year and immediately help patients--immediate help for patients. My hope is that we can come together because, as I said before, we all want the same thing. We all need the same thing. My hope is that we can come together and support the Walden amendment and pass the bipartisan Lower Costs, More Cures Act instead of this deeply partisan H.R. 3. My hope is that my Democratic colleagues stop putting politics over progress and join us to pass bipartisan drug pricing reforms that actually can be signed into law and will help patients. Madam Speaker, we have a number of people here today who want to speak on this. I know that I am going to have some personal stories that I want to share, and I think some of my colleagues are going to have some personal stories as well, real-life situations, real people, real problems, real diseases. This is what we are talking about here. There is no reason in the world that this should be a partisan issue. Never, in my over 30 years of practicing pharmacy, did I ever go to the counter and say: Okay, are you a Republican or are you a Democrat? No, never did that happen, and it should not happen. And it should not happen in the Halls of Congress, either. There is no excuse, no reason, that should ever happen. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie), a gentleman on the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Madam Chair, this is too important. This should not be partisan. Thank goodness we have H.R. 19, a bipartisan bill. Everything that is in H.R. 19 is bipartisan--everything. And it brings down the cost of medication without stymieing innovation, without ruining research and development. Madam Chair, I encourage Members to support H.R. 19.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding. You know, I find myself in a situation here where I am both excited and I am sad. I am finally getting the opportunity to address something that was one of my major initiatives coming to Congress, and that is to do something about prescription drug pricing. As the ranking member noted, I am the one, for over 30 years, who was at the front counter telling patients how much their medication was going to be. I am the one who watched a mother in tears because she couldn't afford her child's medication. I am the one who watched a senior citizen try to decide between buying medication and buying groceries. Yet, never did it enter into my mind that this was a Republican or a Democrat thing. No. It never was, and it should not be now. This is about Americans and about Americans trying to get medications. Now, I will tell you, in my career, in my pharmacy career, I have witnessed nothing short of miracles in the way of new drugs. I can remember a time when, if you were diagnosed with hepatitis C, you were going to die. That is all there was to it. Now, think about it. We can actually cure it with a pill. How phenomenal is that? That is what research and development has done for us. Now, do pharmaceutical manufacturers need to do a better job with their pricing? Yes, they do. But I am here to tell you where the real problem lies. I have been saying it ever since I have been here for 5 years, and that is in the middleman, in the fee PBMs, the pharmacy benefit managers, the ones who hide behind the curtain and are causing this, that bring no value whatsoever to the system. Yet H.R. 3 is going to do away with research and development. And, yes, you have heard it. Even if it is 8, even if it is 15, even if it is 100, even if it is 1, that is one too many that doesn't come to market. What if it is the one for Alzheimer's?

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the life of Mr. Craig Harney, who passed away on November 30 at the age of 65 after battling cancer. Mr. Harney was a stalwart of Savannah journalism--unbelievably dedicated to his craft at WTOC--and largely responsible for making WTOC the Southeast news leader. He began at the news station 40 years ago, while a student in college, with a part-time job answering the phone. By the end of his career, he had worked his way up to become WTOC's creative director and, at different points, held nearly every position at the station. His colleagues remember that he knew how to get to the heart of the story and that he was interested in doing everything he could to help shine a light on what made our community so special. It was this effort and talent that he put into his stories, which made our area a better place to live and exemplified Mr. Harney as a true Savannahian. His vibrant personality, always meandering throughout our communities in search of stories to highlight, is simply irreplaceable. My thoughts and prayers will be with his family, friends, and all of his colleagues at WTOC during this most difficult time.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 151, the Pallone-Thune TRACED Act. The Energy and Commerce Committee has prioritized combating the scourge of robocalls for quite some time now. In May, the Senate passed their robocalls legislation, and in July, the House nearly unanimously passed the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act. Last year, Americans saw nearly 50 billion robocalls. Those robocalls come morning, night, and noon, often interrupting important life events. This year, we are on track to see a high number of robocalls again. Unfortunately, nearly everyone in the United States has been on the receiving end of dozens and dozens of robocalls. It is time we finally take action to empower telecom providers to help put a stop to this and to hold those responsible accountable for these actions. That is why this bill, which builds upon the bipartisan work of the Energy and Commerce Committee, is so important. I want to thank my colleagues in the Energy and Commerce Committee for working with our friends in the Senate to get this completed. Mr. Speaker, I urge everyone to support this bill.