Buddy Carter

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the positive effects the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is already having on individuals and businesses in the First Congressional District of Georgia. Two weeks ago, I traveled the First District and visited high school students, university students, senior citizens, small businesses, big businesses, and more to get their feedback on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The results from my trip and the benefits that the First District is already reaping were, frankly, astounding. For example, Lee Container Company in Homerville said that the new tax law has allowed them to purchase at least three machines a year and to fully amortize them, allowing their company to grow at a substantial rate. Businesses like Lee Container and the large number of individuals in Homerville that they employ are a reason it was so important to pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. With the new tax law, businesses can employ more people, increase salaries, invest in their business and communities, and help our economy to thrive.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Michael Kenny for being named the 2018 grand marshal of the Savannah St. Patrick's Day Parade, the second largest St. Patrick's Day Parade in the United States. It is important for everyone in Savannah, but most specifically, it is important for the Savannah Irish. Savannah has a historically large Irish community, integral to the fabric of our city, and the St. Patrick's Day Parade is a direct result of this impact. The first public observance of the holiday began in 1824, and now the parade has around 280 bands, families, soldiers, and floats, all marching through the streets of Savannah. A family affair, the Kenny family owns a successful local roofing company and has worked with the parade for over 40 years. His father, Nicolas Kenny, Jr., was the grand marshal in 1978. In past years, the committee has chosen between many candidates for grand marshal, but this year, Mr. Kenny was the only person nominated, a testament to the support and respect he maintains throughout Savannah. Mr. Speaker, I know that Mr. Kenny will do a great job with this year's festivities, and I look forward to the celebration.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act. This legislation was introduced by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), a colleague and good friend, to address a very serious issue. Congenital heart disease is the leading cause of infant mortality and is the most common birth defect found in young children. These children grow up facing a wealth of health issues that will have a tremendous impact on them for the rest of their lives. They often require specialized care, including cardiac care, and are subjected to a lifetime of risk for disability or premature death. This legislation enhances research and surveillance at the CDC to ensure that our medical community and the research to support their efforts are the best available for treatment. It also establishes grants to further study congenital heart disease so that we can better combat this disease and the harm it causes in so many people's lives. Mr. Speaker, this is a terrible disease that leaves people never knowing when it could strike. Like other diseases, we need to better understand how it develops and impacts people so that we have a better chance of fighting it and saving lives. I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for getting this legislation passed through the Energy and Commerce Committee, and I support its passage.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for not only doing this but allowing me to be a part of it. Mr. Speaker, I am a relatively new member of the committee, as the chairman is aware. I have only served on it for about 13 months now. I have only been in Congress for 3 years. One of the most frequent questions that I get asked when I go back home is: What is the most surprising thing that you have discovered since you have become a Member of Congress? I tell them the truth: The most surprising thing is also the most encouraging thing, and that is that there really are a lot of good people in Congress. There are a lot of people serving in Congress, a lot of good people who work with staff and work as staff, who are good people who truly want to do the right thing and who truly want to move this country forward. Yes, that is somewhat surprising. But more than anything, it is encouraging. Sometimes I feel like as Members that we get kind of a bad rap, that we are dysfunctional, that we don't get along, and that we are not getting anything done. I get frustrated by that. But I think about people like Ray Baum, and I think: If they only knew somebody like this, somebody who is truly dedicated, who is truly trying to do the right thing and to move this country forward, then they would understand better. You are not going to see that on the news. This is not going to be reported that, oh, we have lost one of the good guys. That is not what sells papers. That is not what drives up ratings. But it is what keeps us going. I really appreciate Chairman Walden's friendship with Ray and his earlier going over the history because that is important. I really appreciate the opportunity to add just a few words about, again, one of the good guys. In our lives, there are people and places that we remember. I know that I will always remember Ray. He helped me when I became a Member. It is tough being the new guy on the block, the low man on the totem pole, but he was a great help to me and a great help to the committee. We need more people like Ray Baum. We need more people like that up here. He was really one of the good ones. I thank Chairman Walden for giving me this opportunity to do this tonight. This is special, and I want to just offer my thoughts and prayers to the family and to the friends. He was indeed a good man.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 150th anniversary of Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church in downtown Savannah, Georgia, just off of Calhoun Square. On January 19, 1868, 54 people formed the original congregation, meeting in an old school building. This small congregation formed the very beginning of the church that today is a monument to John and Charles Wesley, the founders of Methodism. Construction on its current design began in 1875, and finances were contributed from across the world, truly making this a church that belongs to all methodists no matter where they are from. Through a yellow fever epidemic, two fires, and more, the congregation and its gothic-style building have endured. Today, around 500 people worship each Sunday and enjoy services that embody a rich music heritage at Wesley Monumental and some of the best sermons in town. This current congregation truly has a great responsibility to care for this historic place. I am confident that they are up to the task. On a personal note, Mr. Speaker, my wife and I have been members of this church since 1980. We have raised three sons in this church, and it has truly been a blessing to my family.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this spending measure under consideration and what it means for our country and our constituents. This continuing resolution we are considering includes a number of extremely important health provisions that are desperately needed. Under this legislation, we will see a 2-year extension of federally qualified health centers that employ nearly 190,000 people and serve over 24 million people across the country. There is also a 2-year extension of public health programs such as the National Health Service Corps, the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education, Family-to-Family Health Information Centers, and the Sexual Risk Avoidance Education Program. Additionally, this helps hospitals by eliminating the $5 million in reductions for Disproportionate Share Hospitals that were included in the ACA. Many of the good bills my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee have worked on are included in this legislation to improve public health and make reforms to Medicare. Finally, this legislation pushes through a permanent repeal of the Medicare payment cap for therapy services, meaning that patients will have better access to important medical devices. All of these efforts wouldn't be possible without the work of Chairman Walden, Chairman Burgess, and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the Energy and Commerce Committee. Mr. Speaker, now is the time to work together to ensure that these bills are passed into law, and that is why I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my good friend Mrs. McMorris Rodgers' bill, the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act. This legislation would make commonsense reforms to menu labeling and help ease the burden on businesses, while providing consumers with the information that they need. The regulations, finalized by the Obama administration in 2014, presented incredible challenges to businesses and would cause some insurmountable challenges for them to be in compliance with the law. This bill would allow for a more targeted approach and provide relief, while ensuring people have the nutritional information they need to make educated decisions about their health. Let's take a second to look at how exactly this bill benefits people across the country. This directs restaurants and food establishments to disclose visible information on calorie counts, the number of calories per serving, and accounts for online ordering with remote-access labeling directions. Self-service establishments will need to place signage with nutritional information for each food item. Finally, it ensures that the nutritional disclosure of food contents would need to comply with current standards, ensuring that restaurants will adhere to a guideline that they know they can trust. While this is good for consumers, it also makes important reforms for the establishments. It sets out protections to prevent frivolous lawsuits. It puts forth a good faith threshold so that businesses aren't ultimately penalized for what could be a small error from one of their employees. It gives establishments the flexibility in labeling that may not maintain the same item list at all of their locations. This legislation is about ensuring integral parts of our communities aren't subjected to unfeasible regulatory expectations while providing transparency to customers. I am proud to cosponsor this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support the underlying legislation.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the immediate benefits that H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, is already delivering for American families. Soon after it was signed into law, a number of large companies had already announced large bonuses for their employees, crediting the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. For example, American Airlines, AT&T, JetBlue, Nationwide, and Southwest Airlines all announced $1,000 bonuses for their hardworking employees. Other companies that announced bonuses include AFLAC, Wells Fargo, and SunTrust, and I expect more to join this list. With an administration and Congress that support American businesses, we are not only seeing numbers of high consumer confidence and low unemployment, but we are watching the direct benefits that our policies are having on American families. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to seeing how our Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will continue to benefit Americans throughout 2018.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the immediate benefits that H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, is already delivering for American families. On January 11, the Treasury Department released its updated withholding tables for 2018. These tables work to implement the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the tax reform package passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump just before Christmas. With the implementation of these new withholding tables, the Treasury Department has estimated that 90 percent of wage earners will experience an increase in their take-home pay. A married couple with two children, making $75,000 a year, would see a $1,350 wage increase per year. I am thrilled to see what closing unfair loopholes, simplifying the Tax Code, and getting the Federal Government out of the way does to boost the financial stability of American families.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the decision to attach a 6-year extension of the Children's Health Insurance Program, as this is much overdue. CHIP, which is known as PeachCare for Kids in Georgia, has been a very successful program in covering the medical needs in our State. However, this isn't the first time we have tried to extend this program that is so vital to children all across our country. We passed legislation out of the Energy and Commerce Committee addressing a long-term fix in October. We then passed it in the House in November. We funded a short-term fix in December. It is time our colleagues across the aisle quit holding children's healthcare hostage. Now is the time to pass this and continue discussions on community health centers, graduate medical education programs, and other extenders. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Walden, Chairman Burgess, and my colleagues from the Energy and Commerce Committee for their work. I urge my colleagues to pass this and help our Nation's children.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the life of Mr. Stanley John Kaczorowski, who passed away on December 23 at the age of 78. Mr. Kaczorowski dedicated much of his life to public service in our Nation's judicial system. Originally from New Jersey, Mr. Kaczorowski graduated from Seton Hall University Law School before being hired as the assistant prosecutor for Union County, New Jersey. As assistant prosecutor, he tried his first murder trial at the age of 25. After a number of years with the prosecutor's office in New Jersey, he moved with his family to Georgia's First Congressional District, specifically Skidaway Island. Here, he continued his dedication to public service by serving on the Chatham County Board of Elections. He is survived by his wife, Carole, of 30 years, along with a number of children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Mr. Kaczorowski will be missed.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the life of Mr. Billy Lee, who passed away on December 21 at the age of 85. Mr. Lee owned McDonough's, the oldest Irish pub in Savannah; and the upstairs restaurant, Billy's Place. Mr. Lee and McDonough's are iconic in Savannah. McDonough's has been voted the best karaoke in town for 8 straight years and is an immensely popular watering hole for all Savannahians. Mr. Lee never met a stranger in McDonough's and he had an extremely sharp memory for its patrons. His kindness is fondly remembered by all who frequented McDonough's, including times when he purchased blankets for the homeless, allowed folks to use his business for charity events, and opened his building for Hurricane Irma evacuees from Florida. Mr. Lee has commented on his restaurant and bar: That's the story of what we do here. We help people. Mr. Lee's kind spirit will be missed in Savannah, and I hope that people will continue to learn from his example for years to come.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the winning team for the 2017 Congressional App Challenge for the First District of Georgia: Cole Goldhill, Luca Dichiera, Joseph Kim, and Ryan Cranford. Over the last 4 months, 190 Members of Congress hosted the Congressional App Challenge in their districts, where students compete to code original apps. 4,100 students participated, submitting over 1,000 original apps. The winning team in Georgia's First Congressional District is from Richmond Hill Middle School and created the app, ``Wing Finder.'' This app enables individuals who enjoy viewing butterflies to find more information about those butterflies, comparing their wing colors to a database containing numerous facts about them. I am proud of these students in Richmond Hill for doing such a great job coding and creating this app. Seeing what these students can achieve through technology truly gives me great hope for the future of our country.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the longtime editorial page editor of the Savannah Morning News, Mr. Tom Barton, who officially retired on January 5, after 39 years of service. He began his time in Savannah writing for the former Savannah Evening Press covering crime and police stories. His first stories included a murder trial of an elderly woman and a man who violated city code by killing a chicken and leaving its remnants on city sidewalks. These stories quickly taught Mr. Barton lessons in journalism while his gripping, clear, and insightful writing helped him become an influential and trusted writer and editor in Savannah. Since those first stories, he has covered the most important topics in Savannah over the past decades, including interviews with the infamous Jim Williams, photos of running back Herschel Walker, and stories about political elections. Mr. Barton not only knows the unique character of Savannah better than anyone in our area, but he has also contributed greatly to its development over the last 39 years. His regular contributions to the Savannah Morning News will be missed. I thank him for his dedication to making Savannah a better place to live.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mayor Sandra Martin from Flemington, Georgia, for more than 30 years of public service. Mayor Martin is a talented public servant who has truly made Flemington, in Georgia's First Congressional District, a better place to live. Flemington is located near Hinesville, Georgia, which is home to the Fort Stewart military base, and being the mayor here comes with unique challenges. Under her leadership, Flemington took these challenges and ran with them. Flemington built its first-ever city hall for meetings and events. Before that time, citizens needed to search around town for a city council member to speak with. The city also went from being an inconspicuous town on the side of the highway to advertising itself and coaxing visitors to come in and experience its hospitality. I am proud to have a city official like Mayor Martin who is immensely dedicated to our area in the First Congressional District. Other mayors could learn from her example of good government.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the life of Mrs. Agnes Doster, who passed away on Monday, December 4, at the age of 79. Originally from Forsyth, Georgia, Mrs. Doster worked for 40 years in the Secretary of the Senate's office in the Georgia State Capitol. She served in a number of different capacities there with dedication since 1968, always making the Georgia State Capitol run more efficiently, while promoting good government. Outside of her time working as a civil servant, Mrs. Doster was very active in the First Baptist Church of Snellville for over 45 years. There, she sang in the choir, played hand bells, directed weddings, and taught the 2-year-old Sunday school class. She is survived by family all over the State of Georgia, including her husband, sister, children, grandchildren, and 30 nieces and nephews. Mrs. Doster's bright spirit will surely be missed by everyone around the Georgia State Capitol.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of Dr. Lester Johnson, Jr., who passed away on November 29, 2017, at 91 years of age. Dr. Johnson's work to provide a high-quality education to all students in Savannah, Georgia, has truly made our community a better place to live. His teaching career spanned 43 years, with 20 of those years teaching at Alfred E. Beach High School, a place where he was a student himself. Dr. Johnson passionately taught industrial arts and mathematics classes, and he received the Beach High School Teacher of the Year Award in 1961. In 1969, Dr. Johnson began to teach students at Savannah State University, where he later received the university's Distinguished Teaching Award in 1991. Dr. Johnson's accomplishments don't stop with education. A few of his many accomplishments include being a former State representative and the first African-American Eagle Scout in Savannah. Dr. Lester Johnson's students leave his legacy throughout the First Congressional District and the rest of our Nation. He will truly be missed.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the life of former Georgia State Representative John Yates, who passed away on December 11 at the age of 96. Representing Griffin, Georgia, just south of Atlanta, he was first elected to the Georgia General Assembly in 1988, and over time became one of the most inspiring officials in the State. When he retired from government, Representative Yates was the only World War II veteran serving in the Georgia General Assembly. He was drafted into the Army in 1942, and flew a Piper Cub airplane, a small plane with a top speed of less than 100 miles an hour. He flew 200 missions adjusting artillery fire on the enemy, including at the Battle of the Bulge, earning six Air Medals and four battle stars. After the war, he went back to school to earn his college degree and embarked on a 35-year journey with Ford Motor Company, eventually becoming a depot manager. Representative Yates served the State of Georgia with the most humble attitude and went to great lengths to help Georgia's veterans. Anyone who was lucky enough to know Representative Yates could learn from his attitude, knowledge, and experience. Mr. Speaker, I had the honor and privilege of serving with Representative Yates. He was a great American, a true American hero, and a fine man. He will be missed.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of Mr. William Adamcak, who passed away on November 23, 2017, at 98 years of age. Mr. Adamcak was a true patriot and an American war hero, serving in World War II, the Korean war, and the Vietnam war. He received the Purple Heart for his service in D-day during World War II. Even though he and the rest of the Allied forces faced heavy Nazi resistance, Mr. Adamcak led his men through the infamous Omaha Beach and into the French uplands, where they dug foxholes. Huddled in their foxholes, they faced heavy mortar attack from the Germans. But through Mr. Adamcak's bravery, training, and leadership, he led his men to a successful completion of their mission. Mr. William Adamcak was a living legend and hero, and I could not be more honored to recognize this man from the Greatest Generation on the House floor today. He will truly be missed.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a very important song to the history of the State of Georgia, ``Kumbaya.'' The first known recording of ``Kumbaya'' took place in 1926 near Darien, Georgia. The original name was ``Come By Here,'' but now the song is internationally known as ``Kumbaya.'' While the exact origin of the song is uncertain, scholars believe it originated with the Gullah Geechee people, who are descendants of enslaved African Americans who lived on the Sea Islands in the coastal regions of Georgia. It is largely believed that the song was a plea for God's intervention for this group of African Americans, asking Him to relieve them from a number of different hard times in the community: a sick family member, oppression, and more. Robert Winslow Gordon, a staff member and eventually founder of the Library of Congress' Archives of Folk Song, was temporarily living in Georgia in 1926 and took the first recording of ``Kumbaya'' on a wax cylinder recorder numbered A839, still located in the Library of Congress today. He recorded a person in the Gullah Geechee community named H. Wylie, who sang the lyrics: `` . . . need you Lord, come by here. Somebody need you, Lord, come by here . . . '' This recording of ``Kumbaya'' is one of the earliest items located in the Library of Congress' Archive of Folk Song. Today, Robert Winslow Gordon is buried in Darien, Georgia, home of that first recording of ``Kumbaya.'' Scholars think that ``come by here'' simply sounded like ``kumbaya'' to some listeners, a nonexistent word at the time that evolved into the song that we have here today. Other scholars think that the original song was not even ``come by here,'' but instead ``come by ya.'' Since that time, the song has spread throughout our Nation and the world. Recordings can even be found sung by Americans throughout all different times in our Nation's history. There are 1930s recordings from central Texas and in Florida, while many Americans were finding solace during the Jim Crow period. In the 1950s and 1960s, ``Kumbaya'' was sung by Pete Seeger; Peter, Paul, and Mary; and Joan Baez. The song has even been traced to Angola, transported by missionaries. Even today, ``Kumbaya'' means something different to different groups of people, but we should never forget the original meaning of the song and who we believe may be the original creators of the song, the Gullah Geechee people. The Gullah Geechee people live on the southeastern coast, from St. Augustine, Florida, up through Georgia and South Carolina, to their northernmost area of Wilmington, North Carolina. Most of these areas refer to the people as Gullah, but in Georgia, we call them Geechee. They are the direct descendants of enslaved Americans who arrived here from west and central Africa to produce rice for slaveholding Americans. There are many aspects of their culture that are unique, complex, and beautiful. Their language is based in creole and is the only distinctly African creole language in the United States. The Gullah Geechee people make sweetgrass baskets designed for rice production as a craft passed down to both men and women. Although this culture and their traditions have modernized since the 19th century and early 20th century in America, today you can still see the Gullah Geechee people weaving sweetgrass baskets and living their culture in other ways if you drive through coastal Georgia. I cannot overstate the importance this group of people has had on the development and history of the First Congressional District of Georgia, and I want to thank them for their contributions to this area. Further, as creators of the song ``Kumbaya,'' they have changed lives and have been a significant force not only in the First Congressional District of Georgia, but across the world and throughout American history. To recognize just how widespread this song has become, the Georgia General Assembly passed a resolution officially stating the impact this song has had on our State. I hope you all will join me in our Nation's Capitol by also recognizing the importance of this song. I am very proud that it originated in the First Congressional District of Georgia, a district that I have the honor and privilege of representing. It is also an honor to have members of the Gullah Geechee community from my district here at the Capitol today. Welcome to our Nation's Capitol. Thank you for your contribution to our Nation's history.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the life of Mr. Gary Lewis who passed away on November 20 at 65 years of age. Mr. Lewis was well known in Jesup, Georgia, for serving his community with his dentistry practice. For years in Jesup, he served all corners of his town with quality dental care, and, after his retirement, Dr. Hugh Armstrong continued his legacy of dentistry. Mr. Lewis' dedication to his community is exemplified by his work with Help a Child Smile Mobile Dental Program. In this program, Mr. Lewis would go into schools and use his expertise as a dentist, free of charge, to serve students whose parents may not have the funds, the time, or the ability to regularly take their child to a dentist. Outside of dentistry, Mr. Lewis enjoyed hunting and fishing and was an active member of the Jesup Primitive Baptist Church. I know the entire Jesup community will miss Mr. Lewis' bright spirit and helping hand.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Larry Hanson's 42 years of public service, including 22 years as the longest serving city manager for Valdosta, Georgia. Members of the Valdosta City Council say that appointing Mr. Hanson to city manager was one of the most important events in recent history for the community. One of Mr. Hanson's first initiatives after becoming city manager was to hire a new police chief, fire chief, city engineer, and reorganize the entire city marshal office. A testament to his efforts, he received countless awards, including Outstanding Public Official and Georgia Trend Magazine Excellence in Public Service. On December 8, Mr. Hanson will officially retire from his position as Valdosta city manager. The next city manager will certainly have large shoes to fill. In Mr. Hanson's next move, he will become the executive director for the Georgia Municipal Association, overseeing 500 Georgia cities, which I am sure will benefit from his assistance. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Larry on his years of public service, and best wishes for his future endeavors.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize World Series Champion Josh Reddick and all of his efforts to give back to his hometown in the First Congressional District of Georgia. Baseball fans across America know Mr. Reddick as the Houston Astros' right fielder. But to Rincon, Georgia, Mr. Reddick is a friend and a volunteer who works to improve every corner of his community. Namely, he founded the Josh Reddick Foundation with its most recent project to build an artificial turf baseball field designed specifically for children with special needs. He donated $1 million for the project, which will have smooth fields for wheelchairs, a dugout designed for easy access, first class stadium seating, a 10-foot by 36-foot scoreboard, and more. Groundbreaking for the field will begin on November 18. I am proud that World Series Champion Josh Reddick is from the First Congressional District of Georgia, but I am even more proud to see how this fine young man is giving back to his community.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my legislation, H.R. 3071, the Federal Acquisition Savings Act of 2017. This legislation seeks to modernize our government's outdated acquisition strategies, while simultaneously acting as good stewards of valuable taxpayer dollars. My bill would simply require Federal agencies to consider renting as a cost-effective alternative in equipment acquisition, giving the government options that the private sector has undertaken and has seen success and cost savings with. As previously reported by the Government Accountability Office, the GAO, the Federal Government spends more than $200 billion, on average, either purchasing or leasing equipment. Of those acquisition decisions, purchasing of equipment accounts for more than 99 percent of that share. Federal agencies are instructed to consider the cost-effectiveness of these strategies as they move through the process, but even that has been found to be lacking. The GAO has found that, in many instances, Federal agencies don't even bother to undertake these analyses. That means that the taxpayers are the ones who lose out as Federal agencies sidestep these responsibilities and undertake what is, many times, the easiest but most expensive route--purchasing. This is an issue the committee and this body have been looking at for years. In 2012, the GAO issued a report finding that contracting officials from the Air Force and Department of the Interior did not perform the lease-versus-purchase analysis for many of the contracts awarded. In July of 2013, GSA issued an RFI seeking to determine if there is a distinction between leasing and renting of equipment. The overwhelming response to the RFI indicated that amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation, the FAR, to include renting would be pertinent. However, the GSI did not act on that recommendation. These actions have resulted in this legislation and the good-faith effort to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and that the Federal requirements for Federal acquisition are followed. Under subpart 7.4 of the FAR, agencies are directed to conduct a case-by-case evaluation of the cost between leasing and purchasing. As I mentioned earlier, many of those analyses aren't conducted. Amending this part of FAR will open up new avenues and will allow them to pursue successes and cost savings being used in the private sector. For instance, the Texas Department of Transportation reported savings of $10.8 million within the fleet operations division. These savings are realized when the additional costs of ownership are factored, including maintenance, transportation, and other areas. In addition to this example, the Mississippi Department of Transportation commissioned a study finding that they could find significant cost savings per unit if they utilized renting equipment as an option. Rental agreements are often thought of as short-term transactions with no fixed duration. This gives the renter--in this case, the Federal agencies--more say in how the equipment is used and the duration of the need for that equipment. For instance, specialized equipment that is only needed several times a year or is needed in varying locations can be sourced via renting to reduce overhead costs. As this body continues to pursue meaningful legislation to reduce the burden on our constituents and streamline the government, this is a great step forward. My bipartisan legislation will reduce waste in the Federal Government while giving them the opportunity to pursue new and innovative ways to source equipment. Too often, we see areas of mismanagement within the Federal Government that can and should be addressed, and this is a chance to help correct the ship one step at a time. This bipartisan legislation passed the Oversight and Government Reform Committee with overwhelming support, and I thank my colleagues on the committee and on this bill for their support and persistence in addressing shortfalls in the Federal Government. Mr. Speaker, please join me in support of this legislation and help us ensure future acquisition decisions are done with the taxpayers in mind.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding and for his outstanding leadership on this very important committee. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to implore my colleagues to put politics aside for the sake of the 232,000 children in my State of Georgia and the 8.9 million children across our Nation who are counting on us to reauthorize CHIP. Twelve States will run out of CHIP funding before the end of this year. So the idea of waiting around another 2 months before acting on CHIP is simply unacceptable. Let's be clear why we are here today. Instead of having this discussion 2 months ago, we had to delay the Energy and Commerce Committee markup of the CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act, the CHIP bill, because the other side of the aisle refused to even consider reasonable offsets to pay for the program. I ask my colleagues on the other side of the aisle: How was that objection related to fighting for the middle class? Even President Obama supported the change for high-income Medicare beneficiaries in his annual budget. How are we supposed to look parents in the eye back home and tell them that we choose politics instead of choosing to relieve their concerns about coverage? Mr. Speaker, let's do our job and let's reauthorize CHIP.