Buddy Carter

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Well, after you visited and after you talked to the Border Patrol agents, after you talked to the ranchers, after you talked to the local officials, you realize that in each sector, that is not necessarily the answer--that in certain sectors, yes, a fence is needed, but in other areas, in other sectors, that is not what is needed. We need more technology. We need boots on the ground. Those are the types of things we need in certain sectors, and that was eye opening. That was one of the takeaways that I had from this trip.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Thank you very much. Let me begin by complimenting you and applauding your efforts, the gentlewoman from Arizona. Your leadership in this has been invaluable. We appreciate it very much. You have taken a leading role in this. I also want to compliment and applaud the chairman of Homeland Security, Chairman McCaul, for his tenacity in assuring that this gets done. For most of us, when we go home and we talk about illegal immigration or we talk about the terrorists or the threat of terrorism or when we talk about drug smuggling, the one thing that our constituents say is: Secure the border. Secure the border. That is always the first thing they say, regardless of what we are talking about, whether it is illegal immigrants, whether it is terrorism, the threat of terrorism. They always say that first, and it is very important. Now, I will be quite honest with you. I am from south Georgia, and I don't get out a whole lot. In fact, quite honestly, this is the first time I have ever been to the southwest border. I have never been to California before I went on this trip. I have never been to Arizona. Although I have been to Texas, I have never been to the Rio Grande, so it was an eye-opening experience for me. Before I went there, I think that I was like most of my constituents and like many Americans. I would watch what is happening on TV, and I would holler at the TV: Build a fence. Build a fence.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Well, thank you. That was the first takeaway I had. The second takeaway I had from this trip was, for most of us, when we think of the southwestern border, we just think about illegal immigration, but it is much, much more than that. When you think about the drug cartels that are in Mexico, south of us, when you think about the drug smugglers that are bringing those drugs poisoning our children, poisoning families, ruining families, when you think about that, when you think about the terrorism threat we face as a nation, that shows you just how porous our borders are and just how important this issue is. Again, that is why this bill is so important--because it addresses that. Yes, it addresses fencing, and it calls for fencing where fencing is necessary. It addresses boots on the ground. It helps us to bolster the number of people and the number of agents that we have in certain areas, and we need that. It also takes into consideration technology. It utilizes the resources that we have. It is a smart bill. It is a good bill. It is a vital bill--a vital bill--to our national security. That is why I am glad I went on the trip. It was very educational, very eye opening to me. I am supporting this bill. I hope that my colleagues will support this bill. It is essential and vital to our national security. Again, thank you, the gentlewoman from Arizona, for the work that you are doing, and thank you to Chairman McCaul.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I stand before you in support of H.R. 596 for three reasons. First, of all, I am a member of the middle class. Secondly, I am an employer. I was an employer of a small business and had employees. Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, I am a health care professional, the only pharmacist in Congress. And I can tell you that the Affordable Care Act, ObamaCare, is destroying health care that I have worked in for over 30 years, and I refuse to step aside and let that happen. Mr. Speaker, the ACA has increased costs, increased deductibles, and decreased coverage for the middle class. That is not what it was supposed to do. For employers, it has increased costs and decreased the coverage for their patients and, most importantly, for health care, Mr. Speaker. What ObamaCare has done is to drive the free market out of health care. You don't see any more independent pharmacies. You don't see any more independent doctors. They are all members of health care systems or hospitals employed by them. There are only three or four major pharmacies now, and we are heading more toward that. You don't see patients having a say in their drug coverage anymore. Drug therapy is decided not by a pharmacist, not by a doctor, not by the patient, but by insurance companies and government. ObamaCare has to end.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 615, the Department of Homeland Security Interoperable Communications Act, introduced by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), the ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications. This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to include, among the responsibilities of the Department of Homeland Security's Under Secretary for Management, achieving and maintaining interoperable communications among the Department's components. H.R. 615 addresses the findings and recommendations of a November 2012 DHS Office of Inspector General report, which stated that the Department does not have the appropriate oversight or governance structure to ensure communications interoperability among its components. The Department has been in the forefront on working with stakeholders to provide our Nation's first responders with the resources and tools needed to have effective interoperable communications. Now the Department needs to practice what they preach. It is vital that the Department's components are able to effectively communicate day to day and, most importantly, during emergencies. Mr. Speaker, I recently visited our southwest border and met with men and women from the Border Patrol, Customs and Border Protection, and the Coast Guard who are on the front lines of our efforts to secure the border. It is vital that they have the ability to communicate with one another and personnel from other DHS components as they work to achieve their vital missions. In order to ensure the Department is taking the necessary steps to achieve and maintain interoperable communications capabilities, H.R. 615 requires the Department's Under Secretary for Management to submit an interoperable communications strategy to the Committee on Homeland Security no later than 120 days after enactment. I urge all Members to join me in supporting this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 615) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Under Secretary for Management of the Department of Homeland Security to take administrative action to achieve and maintain interoperable communications capabilities among the components of the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, it is vital that the various component agencies at the Department of Homeland Security be able to communicate on a daily basis and particularly in times of crisis. This bill will help to ensure these capabilities are implemented and maintained. I urge all Members to join me in supporting this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers. If the gentleman from New Jersey has no further speakers, I am prepared to close once the gentleman does.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the distinguished gentlelady from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks), the former chairman of the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, as I noted earlier, this bill enjoyed broad bipartisan support last Congress. I hope Members will once again express their support for the men and women who protect us every day by voting for this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 361) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to codify authority under existing grant guidance authorizing use of Urban Area Security Initiative and State Homeland Security Grant Program funding for enhancing medical preparedness, medical surge capacity, and mass prophylaxis capabilities.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time and am prepared to close.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), the sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 361, the Medical Preparedness Allowable Use Act, introduced by my colleague and the former chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications, Congressman Bilirakis. This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to make it clear that grant funds under the State Homeland Security Grant Program and the Urban Area Security Initiative may be used to enhance medical preparedness and purchase medical countermeasures. The grant guidance for these programs currently allows funds to be used for medical preparedness equipment and activities. This bill codifies those activities to ensure that they will continue to be allowable, and it will not cost any additional money to do so. We have seen the benefits that grant funds, including those used for medical preparedness activities, have provided when it comes to response capabilities. This was clearly demonstrated in the response to the Boston Marathon bombings. We know that the threat of a chemical or biological attack is real. We must ensure that our first responders have the tools and capabilities they need if such an event should occur. As a result of this bill, grant funds could be used for items such as predeployed medical kits for first responders and their families, caches of equipment, training and exercises, and planning activities. Identical language to H.R. 361 was approved by the Committee on Homeland Security last year by a bipartisan voice vote and passed the House by a vote of 391-2. Mr. Speaker, as a pharmacist and someone whose coastal district lives under constant threat of hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters, I know firsthand the benefits that these types of equipment and activities can provide for our first responders and the citizens that they protect. I urge Members to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. I thank the gentleman from Michigan for yielding this time and for his efforts in this most noble fight. I rise today, Mr. Speaker, in support of H.R. 469, the Strengthening Child Welfare Response to Trafficking Act of 2015, which directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and publish guidelines to assist State child welfare agencies in efforts to serve youth who are victims or who are, perhaps, most importantly, at risk of becoming victims of human trafficking. In addition, this bill amends the Foster Care and Adoption Assistance Act to require a State plan for foster care and adoption assistance to identify children who are victims of human trafficking. Mr. Speaker, as the father of three sons and as the grandfather of precious, precious twin granddaughters, nothing terrifies me more than the thought of a loved one's falling victim to human sex trafficking. However, families all across our country suffer this horrific situation every day. I believe all of my colleagues would agree that protecting every child in this country is our number one priority; yet children in State welfare systems slip through the cracks and go unnoticed every day. In the Georgia General Assembly, where I had the honor and privilege of serving for the past 10 years, I worked alongside my friend, State Senator Renee Unterman, to enact one of the Nation's toughest crackdowns on human trafficking by strengthening protections for the victims of these crimes and by increasing penalties for those who commit them. In fact, last year, we went a step further by requiring businesses to post information on a 24-hour, toll-free hotline for victims of human trafficking so that they could call for help. I hope the guidelines that have been established under this law will encourage other States to follow Georgia's lead. Our utmost priority should be providing to these children, who have suffered at the hands of evil, access to care and support. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding some of his time. This bill is necessary to make sure that the negative effects associated with the President's actions do not cause long-term damage to our country. As a new Member of Congress, I was sent to Washington to represent the people of southeast Georgia against the numerous harmful actions taken by the President and his administration. From the time that I have been here, I have been shocked by the actions of the President and the way he directly ignores the will of the American people, statutory law, and, most importantly, the Constitution of this country. This bill makes sure that no funds will be used to implement the President's executive order that allowed thousands of illegal immigrants to stay in this country. This bill also makes sure that no funds will go to implement any rule or regulation that has been issued by the administration over the last several years. It is time to stand up to the President and say, no more. No more, Mr. President. No more rewarding bad behavior. No more rules that ignore the will of the American people. No more ignoring statutory law. And most importantly, no more ignoring the Constitution of the United States. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. CARTER of Georgia

Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 3, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''