{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where state = \"GA\" and year = 2018 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletter-archive/washington-watch-123118", "Washington Watch - 12/31/18", "2018-12-31", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Rob Woodall", "W000810", "woodall.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "PRESERVING OUR NATION'S FOOD STAMP PROGRAM FOR THOSE IN NEED\nUnder the direction of President Trump, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is working on regulations that would increase the solvency of one of our nation's most important social safety net programs, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also commonly referred to as food stamps. SNAP benefits, which are intended to be used by those who are struggling to support themselves, including poverty-stricken parents and their children, the elderly, and the disabled, are too often being used by those who would otherwise not qualify for open-ended support, namely able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) who are age 18-49.\nCurrently, ABAWDs are required to work or receive workforce training for a minimum of 20 hours per week if they want to receive SNAP benefits beyond 3 months in a given three-year period. However, states are given the discretion to waive that requirement for certain areas within their jurisdictions, which incentivizes millions of ABAWDs to stay out of the workforce. In fact, by some estimates, nearly 2.8 million ABAWDs are receiving food stamps, but aren't working. This waiver does a disservice to both ABAWDs and the folks who desperately need the SNAP support, not to mention the fact that this also contributes to our nation's historically low productivity rate and record high job openings. That's why I'm so pleased that USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue is going to work hard within his agency to ensure that ABAWDs who could and should look for work, are encouraged to do so. The success in our food stamp program is not measured in the number of individuals we keep as beneficiaries, but the number of folks we have helped get back on their feet to support themselves.\n\nTRUMP ADMINISTRATION MOVES TO PROTECT 340B HOSPITALS AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS\nIn addition to the many steps the Trump Administration has taken to advance America's agricultural backbone, President Trump, with the help of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Administrator Seema Verma and Department of Health and Human Services' Secretary Alex Azar, has had tremendous success on the regulatory front when it comes to delivering common-sense and long overdue solutions to better our nation's health care system. From proposals to drive down prescription drug prices, to allowing states to operate their insurance markets with more flexibility, to increasing choice and competition for consumers, I have repeatedly expressed my support for the Administration's use of the regulatory tools at its disposal to bring solutions to our friends and neighbors.\nThat said, I want to take this opportunity to share with you a more recent regulatory action taken by the Department of Health and Human Services that will surely work to ensure that drug makers are held accountable for overcharging hospitals that participate in the 340B drug pricing program. For those not familiar with the 340B program, it's a federal program that requires pharmaceutical companies to provide outpatient drugs to certain covered entities, most notably safety-net hospitals and care providers that serve a high percentage of low-income patients, like Grady Hospital for instance, at discounted prices. The 340B program enjoys bipartisan support in Congress and has been wildly successful in not only helping our most vulnerable hospitals keep up with rising prescription drug prices, but also allowing these entities to stretch already scarce federal resources so that they can provide more care to additional patients. In fact, the Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration estimated that covered entities saved $3.8 billion on outpatient drugs through the program in fiscal year 2013, and $4.5 billion in fiscal year 2014.\nHowever, as much as our safety net hospitals rely on this crucial program, the program's integrity has been susceptible to bad actors ever since its inception in 1992. As such, while there's still much work to be done on the legislative front to protect and bolster the 340B program's integrity, and I certainly hope that the 116th Congress will work across the aisle to deliver much needed clarity and protection, I am pleased that the Administration has moved forward with finalizing the date in which pharmaceutical companies can begin to be held accountable for intentional wrongdoing. I believe such bold action is a step in the right direction.\n\nHOUSE PASSES MORE BIPARTISAN BILLS DURING SPENDING NEGOTIATIONS \nAmid the speculation and concern over the partial government shutdown, we in the House of Representatives rolled up our sleeves and continued working to deliver good public policy as the President and congressional leaders continued negotiating over the handful of remaining spending bills. We passed legislation to further crack down on human trafficking, to ensure the most vulnerable young girls in our society have access to educational opportunities, and to allow a process for more stakeholders to review key documents in cold case investigations that the FBI hasn't been able to solve. All of these bills were crafted with input from both Republicans and Democrats and were passed with overwhelming bipartisan majorities. A final bipartisan bill I want to highlight is the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act. Previously, we empaneled a cross section of experts to determine how Congress, in conjunction with executive agencies, could make better use of the reams of available data relating to federal programs designed to lift families out of poverty and into opportunity. Rather than measure success based on how many dollars are being spent, our goal is to measure success based on how many lives are changed for the better. Many of their recommendations were included in this new legislation, which will give Congress and the American people a whole new set of tools to examine these federal programs and discover where we can make improvements that further results rather than red tape.\n\nSECOND ROUND OF RELIEF FOR AMERICAN FARMERS\nEarlier this month, President Trump announced additional relief for farmers negatively affected by retaliatory tariffs as the Administration continues to iron out the details on new trade agreements with our neighbors abroad. This round of direct payments to farmers is intended to supplement the relief offered to farmers over the summer as a bridge during ongoing trade negotiations. Payments are being offered to almond, cotton, corn, dairy, hog, sorghum, soybean, sweet cherry, and wheat producers, many of whom are located right here in Georgia where agriculture is our number one industry.\nTalks looked promising after President Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 Summit in Argentina, after which President Trump announced a delay in planned tariffs on Chinese goods and a tentative deal for China to resume purchasing American goods. While the short-term effects of renegotiation may not be ideal, maintaining the status quo was no longer an option. I am optimistic that President Trump will deliver better and fairer trade deals for American farmers and businesses, and ones that our international partners will see as mutually beneficial.\n\nLOCAL PARENT STARTS NON-PROFIT ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY IN GWINNETT SCHOOLS\nWe are doers here in the Seventh District of Georgia. It's easy to talk about making a difference, but it takes a special kind of person to take the action needed to make the difference. Here at home we have example after example of folks doing just that: identifying a need and going about creating a way to address that need. It's inspiring every time. One of those examples is Alessandra Ferrara-Miller, a Suwanee resident, who had a realization when visiting her daughter's school for lunch. She had heard stories of children whose parents struggled to pay for school lunches, consequently leaving the students in a spot no child should have to endure. She looked around the cafeteria and knew similar situations existed for those in that room and school. She then set about doing something about it. She created and established All for Lunch, a non-profit organization intended to pay the school lunch accounts of those in need, and recently had the opportunity to present her first checks to certain Gwinnett County Schools!\nI feel so much pride in who we are as a community and the example we set. In every way, we set a standard of care and excellence that warms the heart and changes lives. It's all a byproduct of who we are as individuals, families, communities, businesses, and more. Our values and the way we live out those values sets us apart. It's not something we do once a year or just during a certain season. Throughout the year, on a daily basis, remarkable things are happening and I am so thankful to all of those like Alessandra who simply won't accept anything less than improving the life of a neighbor. I can't think of a better message to take into the New Year!\n\nCHAPTER 1030 VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA IN CUMMING SELECTS VETERAN(S) OF THE YEAR\nSettling on the most exemplary of our veterans in any given category is a very difficult task, so I can't say I fault the folks over at Chapter 1030 Vietnam Veterans of America for selecting two Veterans of the Year! Our veterans are special people. Service is a part of their character, and so often they continue to give to their communities in not just one, but so many ways. These two gentlemen were recognized for the work they're doing with Chapter 1030 to assist the homeless veteran population in Atlanta and North Georgia, and I'm grateful for their commitment to their brothers and sisters who have worn the uniform. If you'd like to learn more about how Chapter 1030 is making a difference across the region, you can visit their website and find information on upcoming events as well as some of their history. Congratulations once again to Tom Kirby and Steve Masak, and most of all, thank you both for all you continue to do for our community!\n\nHAPPY NEW YEAR; WELCOME TO THE 116TH CONGRESS\nWith 2018 coming to a close and the new year beginning soon, we all naturally take time to pause and reflect. This is a time to be thankful for friends and family, to reflect on our lives and all that transpired in 2018, and to set new goals for 2019. And in this time, we in Congress must do the same as we look back at all we have achieved and all that we still have left to do. While I am optimistic that when the 116th Congress begins on January 3rd that we will continue to make targeted efforts to address some of our nation's most pressing issues, including infrastructure reform, healthcare reform, and tackling our national debt, I can't pretend that addressing these challenges will be easy in a divided Congress. In fact, I know that it will be hard work. However, I know my colleagues and I are up to the task. As we have proven in these past two years, the most successful legislation has come from collaborative discussions from leaders and individuals back home and from all political persuasions, and I look forward to building on those efforts to better serve our state and our community in the years to come. With that said, I want to wish you all a Happy New Year!\nSincerely,    \n\tRob Woodall  \n\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/senate-fails-pass-government-funding-border-security-measure", "Senate Fails to Pass Government Funding, Border Security Measure", "2018-12-27", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Rob Woodall", "W000810", "woodall.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  The House has approved of a funding measure for the remaining federal agencies and departments not previously funded during the annual appropriation process, while also allocating more than $5 billion in funding for border security and barrier construction. U.S. Representative Rob Woodall voted in favor of the measure. The Senate has been unsuccessful in passing the measure, resulting in a partial federal government shutdown as of December 22.\nThis year, Congress  along with President Trump's Administration  made great strides in completing the appropriations process in a timely manner, and as a result, approximately 75% of funding has already been granted, but there is more work to do, said Woodall. The measure approved by the House addresses those shortfalls as well as provides the crucial resources requested by the White House to secure our southern border. The safety and security of the American people isn't a partisan issue, and it shouldn't be handled as such. I regret the decision of Senate Democrats, but am committed to finding a solution that maintains government operation while also investing the necessary resources in our southern border enhancements.\nCongressman Woodall represents the Seventh Congressional District of Georgia , which includes significant portions of Forsyth and Gwinnett counties, and currently serves as Chairman of the Rules Subcommittee on Legislative and Budget Process, as well as serving on the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, and Budget Committee. \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://dougcollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/collins-statement-improving-border-safety", "Collins Statement on Improving Border Safety", "2018-12-26", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Doug Collins", "C001093", "dougcollins.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONRep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) released the following statementconcerning safety at America's southern border.\nEvery parent's heart shudders when we learn of the deaths of seven- and eight-year-old children. This month's tragedies require us to search out what contributed to this loss of innocent life and how we can prioritize safety at the southern border. The dangers presented by the hostile terrain surrounding much of our border with Mexico and the coyotes and traffickers who victimize men, women, and children in those areas are well documented. Despite this, America's own legal loopholes put adults in a difficult situation by incentivizing them to risk their own safety and the safety of children on these dangerous treks.\nCustoms and Border Protection's officers and agents should and do deliver medical and humanitarian care to those in their custody, and they should be commended for doing this faithfully, even as each day stretches their resources further.\nIt remains Congress' responsibility to ensure that our laws support the CBP in their work and promote immigration processes that are fair, efficient and compassionate. People seeking to enter the United States should have every reason to believe that their best hope of entry is the safe, legal route. Unfortunately, several of our laws currently reward choices that endanger people, and children in particular. This reality is confusing, disturbing and unacceptable. The new year brings lawmakers the chance to improve our statutes so that they better reflect the value of all human life instead of incentivizing adults to put young lives at riskI hope we come together to take that opportunity.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletter-archive/washington-watch-122418", "Washington Watch - 12/24/18", "2018-12-24", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Rob Woodall", "W000810", "woodall.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "CONGRESS AND WHITE HOUSE STILL WORKING ON A PARTIAL GOVERNMENT FUNDING RESOLUTION\nAs I'm sure you all know by now, last week was quite interesting in Washington, D.C., and as a member of the House Rules Committee, I had a ringside seat to all that was happening. Months ago, the House and Senate began diligently working on the FY19 appropriations bills. And by the beginning of the fiscal year on October 1, 2018, we had passed into law 5 of the 12 annual spending bills, which account for roughly 75% of our total discretionary spending for the year. Since the end of September, we've been trying to find a compromise between the House, Senate, and White House on the remaining 25%, which includes money for border security, as most of you have probably heard. On Wednesday, the Senate passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund those parts of the government still awaiting their yearly appropriation. In what is called a clean CR, the Senate simply kicked the can down the road to February 8, 2019, making no changes to any current funding streams and leaving necessary funding for border security off the table.\nThe House and the White House were unwilling to simply go-along to get-along with the fecklessness of the Senate, and I was proud to support an amended CR in the House on Thursday that provided roughly $5 billion for border security, and maybe more importantly, nearly $8 billionin disaster aid for those affected by this year's hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and volcanoes, including our farmers in middle and south Georgia who were ravaged by Hurricane Michael. That disaster aid goes to crop and livestock producers, emergency highway repairs, flood control and storm damage reduction projects, and wildfire suppression, to name a few. This is essential money for Georgia, which saw $2.5 billion in losses from Hurricane Michael, and what's more,the bill provideda block grant optionfor aid that would have given Georgia's Agriculture Commissioner the power and flexibilityto use federal dollars in the most efficient way possible for our state's farmers.\nUnfortunately, the Senate once again took the easy road and refused to provide even $1 more for border security. Instead, the Senate has decided to recess until Thursday and begin working with the White House on a new measure that we all hope can get 60 votes in the Senate, be acceptable to the House, and be signed into law by the President.What this means for the American people, as you've probably heard on the news already,is that part of the government's operations will be temporarily closed. Of course, not everyone stops working. The Defense Department, Health and Human Services, Education, the VA, and the Department of Energy have already been funded, so their employees will continue working without interruption. And anyone in any other agency who is directly responsible for ensuring public health and safety will continue working without interruption. Yes, some federal employees will be furloughed for a short-time, but if you are one of those employees or know one of those individuals, please know that they -- and every other federal employee -- will certainly be paid for each hour of the shutdown that they worked or were supposed to be working once a new funding bill is passed.\nLet me be perfectly clear; I did not want a shutdown, I was not advocating for a shutdown, but I also could not support abdicating our duty to fund the government and allow the reins of government to be handed over to Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer without acting on President Trump's top legislative priority. I look forward to continuing the discussion about how we can appropriately fund the government and provide for our nation's border security in the days ahead, and I look forward to your counsel in this effort.\n\nBIPARTISAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMBECOMES LAW \nOne of the great legacies of our outgoing Governor Nathan Deal will be his successful reforming of our criminal justice system in Georgia. For years, our state has led a nationwide effort to better distinguish between dangerous criminals who must be removed from society and misguided men and women who have made mistakes, who have been trapped in circumstance, who may have lost hope, but who are willing to serve their time and prove that they deserve a second chance in life. I'm proud that Congress and President Trump have taken the lessons we've learned in Georgia to heart and passed a landmark criminal justice reform law that will apply those lessons throughout our federal criminal justice system. To be clear, this new law does not let criminals off the hook. For serious offenses, stiff penalties remain enshrined in law. But for nonviolent and low-level offenders, the First Step Act offers a lifeline for our sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, and neighbors in our community to right their wrongs and become contributing members of society. You can read a summary of this bill, which drew broad bipartisan support from faith leaders, law enforcement, governors, and attorneys general, by clicking here.\n\nHOUSE ADVANCES PUBLIC HEALTH BILLS TO THE PRESIDENT'S DESK\nLast week, both the House and Senate were busy pushing bipartisan bills through Congress that will surely work to make a difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans. While bills in myriad issue areas made their way from Capitol Hill to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for the President's signature, I want to take this opportunity to highlight some of the public health bills that I hope President Trump will swiftly sign into law.\nMost notably, Congress passed S. 2076, the BOLD Infrastructure Act, which supports critical public health programs for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias and seeks to ensure that states and communities have the proper tools and public health infrastructure in place to adequately meet the demands that Alzheimer's disease will surely place on them in due time. In fact, it is estimated that 190,000 Georgians will be diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2025  an increase of 50,000 individuals over a 7-year period. That's not to mention the 385,000 individuals in our state who have been identified by Georgia Memory Net as having self-reported cognitive impairment  80% of which have not yet been evaluated or treated. While I find that our great state of Georgia has already made significant investments to meet the demands of these terrible diseases, as Georgia is already home to five Memory Access Centers, I certainly understand that there is always an opportunity for us to do more and to do better when it comes to delivering solutions to individuals and families grappling with Alzheimer's  whether that entails bolstering early detection and assessment methods, improving care and education among providers who treat patients with Alzheimer's and related dementias, or working to accurately collect data from communities so that researchers can learn more about these diseases.\nMoreover, I heard from many constituents over the course of the past year about how they believe the BOLD Act will work to improve the lives of their families and loved ones, and I am certainly grateful to each person who shared their support and very personal story with me. I truly believe the BOLD Act made it across the finish line here in Congress due to the many constituent advocates across the county who made it their mission, and I was proud to partner with them in making passage a reality.\nIn addition to the BOLD Act, the House passed the following public health bills that look to improve our communities:\n Senate Amendment to H.R. 1222, the Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act of 2017, sponsored by Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) reauthorizes congenital heart disease research as well as enhances surveillance activities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); and\n\tSenate Amendment to H.R. 6615, the Traumatic Brain Injury Program Reauthorization Act of 2018, sponsored by Representative Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) reauthorizes the CDC's Traumatic Brain Injury initiatives and would allow researchers to study how many people have sustained a brain injury, in turn, providing us with better insight to this problem that both young and old Americans face too often.\n CLICK HERE to read moreabout what the Alzheimer's Association had to say about the landmark BOLD Infrastructure Act. \n\nLOCAL MANUFACTURER LEADING THE WAY ON ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY \nIn past newsletters, I've shared with you the great things happening in our local small business and manufacturing community, and Metcam is no stranger to that success! As of last week, though, they now have another accolade to their name by winning a Manufacturers of Distinction and Leadership Award in the environmental sustainability category for Forsyth County. In April, they'll have the opportunity to compete for the statewide award, and I feel good about their chances! You may recall that last year Metcam, Inc. was named Georgia's Small Manufacturer of the Year by Governor Deal.\nI've been fortunate to visit their operation before and visit with their team. I can tell you that they take their commitment not only to their customers, but to the community in which they reside, very seriously. It doesn't surprise me at all that they continue to find success and lead on issues like environmental sustainability. It makes me so proud to see this kind of initiative here at home precisely because it was their own vision, action, and continued commitment that has produced these results. It wasn't a Washington mandate that was the driving force behind their business model, but rather their individual and team character. When I tell the story of the Seventh District to colleagues on Capitol Hill, it's one rife with examples like Metcam and so many others. That reality makes our collective voice so much stronger as we work to craft policies that partner with men and women like this to be successful. Thank you all for what you do, and please don't hesitate to contact me if I can be of assistance to you or your business.\n\nMERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY! \nI know we all say it  but it's hard to believe Christmas is here once again already! While it may be hard to believe, it is exciting! Just a day away, families are making final preparations and maybe even making a last-minute gift run or two! There's no shortage of things to do before trips and visits commence  not to mention a new year to anticipate  but I hope you all have an opportunity to relax and enjoy this special holiday with your loved ones as well.\nAs we share time, meals, and presents with family and friends, I hope we'll remember those who are missing loved ones during the holiday as well. Whether military service members, first-responders, those who have lost someone, or whatever the circumstances may be, Christmas and the holiday season can also be a challenging time. Please join me in remembering those experiencing difficulty in your thoughts and prayers, and by reaching out to anyone you may encounter who needs a kind word or warm invitation.\nIrrespective of how you celebrate, I wish you all a Merry Christmas! It is a time of hope and new beginnings, and I can't think of a more fitting message to precede the celebration of the New Year.\nSincerely,    \n\tRob Woodall  \n\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.perdue.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-david-perdue-this-is-the-second-schumer-shutdown-this-year", "Senator David Perdue: This Is The Second Schumer Shutdown This Year", "2018-12-23", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "David Perdue", "P000612", "www.perdue.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Skip to primary navigation Skip to content\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t    \n\t      \n\t      \n\t        \n\t       \t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Meet David\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Connect\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Helping You\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  News", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://dougcollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/president-trump-signs-first-step-act-law", "President Trump Signs First Step Act into Law", "2018-12-22", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Doug Collins", "C001093", "dougcollins.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONPresident Donald Trump has signed the First Step Act into law.\nThe bipartisan justice reform bill introduced by Reps. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) and Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) represents one of the most significant overhauls of the federal criminal justice system in a generation.Collins spoke with the president in the Oval Office about why this legislation is historic.\nBackground:\nMay 7, 2018:Collins introduces the First Step Actin the House.\nMay 22, 2018:TheHouse passes the First Step Actby a vote of 360-59.\nDecember 18, 2018:The Senate passes an updated First Step Act.\nDecember 20, 2018:The House passes the updated First Step Act,sending it to the president's desk.\nDecember 21, 2018:President Trump signs the First Step Act into law.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://johnlewis.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-john-lewis-government-shutdown", "Rep. John Lewis on Government Shutdown", "2018-12-22", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "John Lewis", "L000287", "johnlewis.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Early this morning, the Democratic leaders of the House and Senate issued the forwarded statement regarding the shutdown of the federal government. Republicans run the House, Senate and the White House. That means without one Democratic vote, they have the power to pass federal funding legislation. Their conference is split, unable to keep the government open, and the American people are paying for it.\n\nThousands of American families will come up short during this holiday seasonplans will be cancelled, bills will be left unpaid, and some families teetering on the brink will slip into poverty. In Atlanta, in particular where many hundreds of federal employees work, and throughout Georgia, all regional federal agriculture services will cease, regional Department of Justice employees, IRS and Treasury workers, National Park Service workers, public-private partnership program workers like those in the Georgia Council of International Visitors, federal housing employees and thousands more cannot return to work until the government is funded.\n\nThis is the bitter result of an unwillingness to compromise. Instead of building a coalition of consent, the president has decided to hold Americans hostage to force funding of an albatrossa $5 billion border wall he said Mexico would pay for. When will Republican leaders face what history has already taught us that peaceful diplomacy, fair trade agreements, and humane foreign policy is the strongest form of border security.\n\nIt is my hope that our government will come to its senses and that Republican leaders will act swiftly and responsibly to reopen the federal government.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3723", "Carter Supports Border Wall, Secures Critical Blueberry Disaster Assistance", "2018-12-21", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Buddy Carter", "C001103", "buddycarter.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Earl L. \"Buddy\" Carter (R-Ga.) supported legislation last night which provides important funding for President Trump's border wall. The federal funding legislation passed by the United States House of Representatives provides $5.7 billion for the wall.\"Over the past few days I've heard from many residents in the First District loud and clear,\"said Carter.\"I've been hearing a loud 'build the wall' and I couldn't agree more. I have been to the Southwest border and I have seen the threats we face firsthand. There are illegal drugs, human trafficking, gang members and terrorists coming across our border. It is critical to our national security that we secure our border and it is great news that the House approved this funding to secure our border. Additionally, after months of negotiations by Carter, the legislation includes critical disaster relief for an important part of the First District of Georgia's agricultural community. The federal funding legislation authorizes and directs the United States Department of Agriculture to provide disaster assistance to Georgia's blueberry farmers. This will assist in their recovery from the devastating winter in 2017. \"I am thrilled this legislation includes disaster assistance these growers need and deserve,\"said Carter.\"Blueberries are a billion dollar industry in Georgia and the commodity is the backbone of some of our communities. These growers and communities need and deserve this support.I have been fighting for this assistance since I first learned of the situation. A Farm Bill, a spending bill, or any other bill was not going to be good enough until it included assistance for blueberries. It is great news that this relief is one step closer to reaching our growers.\" \"I strongly urge Senate Democrats to come to the table and support our national security as well as America's farmers and others who need this disaster funding. Congress cannot and should not leave town without finishing this job. Support this bill.\" The Continuing Resolution passed the United States House of Representatives with Carter's support. The legislation will now be considered by the United States Senate.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hankjohnson.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletters/congressman-hank-johnsons-holiday-e-newsletter", "Congressman Hank Johnson's Holiday E-Newsletter", "2018-12-21", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Hank Johnson", "J000288", "hankjohnson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friends,\n\nI want to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa and a Happy New Year. I hope everyone had a Happy Hanukkah. May the gift of love, peace and happiness be yours this season.\n\nOFFICER'S FUNERAL: This week, I attended the funeral of slain DeKalb County Police Officer Edgar Isidoro Flores, who was shot and killed while making a routine traffic stop in DeKalb County. I was honored to present a U.S. Citizen of Distinction recognition for Officer Flores to his family at the service. Officer Flores would have turned 25 this week. He was engaged to be married and is being remembered as a hero. For more, click HERE.\n\nGOOGLE: Last week, as the Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet (IP), I questioned Google CEO Sundar Pichai on the importance of consumers' digital privacy. For more on my exchange, click HERE. To watch the video, click HERE.\n\nIMMIGRATION: I also had some time to question Kirstjen Nielsen, Secretary of Homeland Security, about the death of Jakelin Caal, a seven-year-old girl who died this month in Customs & Border Patrol custody. I also had some hard-hitting questions on family separation and the administration's failure to properly track the children and reunite them with their families. For more, click HERE.\n\nACA: Since the Affordable Care Act was established in 2010, residents of the great state of Georgia  and America  have benefited from the law. Here's what it does:\n\n Provides lifesaving protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions;\n Prevents insurers from imposing lifetime limits & annual caps on health care;\n Women cannot be charged more for health coverage just for being women;\n It expands Medicaid so it can cover 15 million more people;\n Creates marketplace tax credits that help up to 9 million more people;\n Puts in place tax credits for small businesses to provide health coverage;\n Children and young adults can remain on their parents' insurance until age 26;\n It helps seniors pay for prescription drugs;\n Extends the life of the Medicare Trust Fund;\n Insurance companies cannot charge seniors with an unlimited age tax.\n\nDespite the latest legal assault on the law, the Affordable Care Act and all of its protections remain the law of the land. When Democrats take the gavel, the House of Representatives will move swiftly to uphold the law and its life-saving protections for people with pre-existing conditions.\n\nRUSSIA TARGETS AFRICAN AMERICANS: We know from a new report from the Senate Intelligence Committee that Russia was working hard via social media and other online channels to suppress the African-American vote. Not only are forces within our country and state actively pursuing policies that suppress and depress African-American turnout, but foreign nations are doing it as well. While this next Congress gives both Democrats and Republicans an opportunity to address election security, my colleagues and I call upon the President to take the security of our elections seriously and work with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the FBI to stop foreign election meddling efforts. We would also like to hear directly from Mark Zuckerberg at Facebook, and CEOs of other companies whose platforms were weaponized, about what they knew, and concrete steps they will implement to address future attempts at disinformation campaigns. We cannot allow the deceit and misinformation that characterized the 2016 elections to be repeated in the future. For more, click HERE.\n\nOPEN HOUSE: At the beginning of the New Year and new Congress (116th), my Washington, D.C., staff and I are holding an open house so constituents visiting Capitol Hill can stop by. Our office is the people's office -- it belongs to the people -- so please visit 2240 Rayburn Building on January 3rd from 3-5 p.m. We look forward to seeing you. For more, click HERE.\n\nPOSSIBLE SHUTDOWN: Republicans control the House, the Senate and the White House for the remainder of 2018. They have both the responsibility and the power to keep government open  instead of shutting down the government and hurting people in the middle of the holiday season and a time of great economic uncertainty. But President Trump has declared that he'd be proud to shut down the government, saying I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down if he cannot force American taxpayers to spend billions of dollars on an immoral, ineffective and expensive wall. If Republicans steer our nation into a Trump Shutdown, however, in January 2019 the House Democratic Majority will swiftly pass the appropriation bills with a CR for Homeland Security to re-open government. For more on what a shutdown might mean, click HERE.\n\nSAFETY FIRST: The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) urge everyone to have a safe holiday season. There are about 200 decorating-related injuries each day during the busy holiday season. CPSC estimates that from 2013 to 2015, there was an annual average of about 100 Christmas tree fires, resulting in 10 deaths, 10 injuries, and $12 million in property damage. To avoid fires and other decorating hazards, please click HERE.\n\nThank you for allowing me the opportunity to represent you in Congress, and I look forward to seeing you soon. Please have a safe and prosperous New Year.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hankjohnson.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/dem-hank-johnson-asks-kirstjen-nielsen-if-she-thinks-illegal-immigrants-are", "Dem Hank Johnson Asks Kirstjen Nielsen if She Thinks Illegal Immigrants Are Human or Sub-Human", "2018-12-21", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Hank Johnson", "J000288", "hankjohnson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen testified before the House Judiciary Committee, and while Nielsen continued to deny the existence of the family separation policy that Trump ended under tremendous public pressure, she did generously allow that illegal immigrants are humans.\nRead More", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://loudermilk.house.gov/news/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=1579", "House Passes Retirement Savings Tax Incentives, Obamacare Reforms, and Tax Relief for Disaster Victims", "2018-12-21", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Barry Loudermilk", "L000583", "loudermilk.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) issued the following statement after the House passed the Retirement, Savings, and Other Tax Relief Act, H.R. 88: This vote reaffirms House Republicans' continued commitment to alleviate the tax burdens placed on the American taxpayer. This package of bills will provide some retirement savings tax incentives, as well as tax relief for victims of disasters, specifically hurricanes Florence and Michael, in addition to the California wildfires. Among other provisions, Republicans voted to permanently repeal the Obamacare tanning tax and delay the Obamacare medical device tax, the health insurance tax, and the Cadillac tax. This legislation also makes several technical corrections to the 2017 tax reform law, which businesses in Georgia's 11th Congressional District desperately need, and requires the IRS to develop a customer service strategy - something I have long advocated for. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to quickly consider its importance, and how it will improve the lives of America's hardworking taxpayers.  Summary of H.R. 88:\r\n  \r\n Provides tax relief for Americans in disaster-stricken areas by relaxing restrictions on withdrawal of funds from retirements accounts, and temporarily suspending limits on charitable giving  Makes it easier for Americans to save for retirement by removing burdensome regulations on pooled retirement plans  Delays several harmful Obamacare taxes, including delaying the medical device tax for five years, delaying the health insurance tax, delaying the Cadillac tax, and permanently repealing the tanning tax  Corrects several drafting errors in the 2017 tax reform law, so taxpayers can take full advantage of the tax savings in the law  Places the IRS Independent Office of Appeals into permanent law, so taxpayers will have the ability to have their tax issues fully addressed  Requires the IRS to establish a strategy for improving service to taxpayers", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-center?ContentRecord_id=92512F18-C29C-41C1-BA6C-3BD7DDC33D9F", "The latest from the Senate", "2018-12-21", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Johnny Isakson", "I000055", "www.isakson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear friends,\r\nAs of the time we distributed this newsletter on Friday afternoon, the leaders of the Senate and House were still negotiating with the president on a path forward to fund the rest of the federal government and avoid a partial government shutdown.\r\nCriminal Justice ReformOn Tuesday, I voted for bipartisan legislation to reform the criminal justice system in the United States and make our communities safer. The First Step Act of 2018 passed the Senate by a vote of 87-12. After passing the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, the legislation was signed into law by President Trump today.In addition to lowering crime rates, enhancing prison security and improving officer safety, the First Step Act of 2018, also reforms mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines and prepares inmates for a successful return to society.In Georgia, we've already seen positive results from our criminal justice reform efforts led by Governor Nathan Deal, and I'm glad to see this push at the federal level, because we know it can work. Representative Doug Collins deserves real credit for this bipartisan effort, which has earned widespread support in Congress, from our state and law enforcement officials, our churches and faith communities. These reforms can help change lives and help ensure a better long-term outcome by focusing on rehabilitation of low-level, non-violent offenders so that they can become productive members of our society.Record Two Years of Accomplishments for Veterans  On Wednesday, I was pleased to see the Senate pass a package of 18 pieces of veterans' legislation to improve veterans' education and burial benefits, prevent veteran homelessness, and improve the transition process for veterans and their families. The passage of this legislation caps off a remarkable two years in Congress. We have passed significant reforms to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to improve the daily lives of our nation's veterans.During this 2017-2018 Congress, the Senate passed 25 pieces of legislation, which have all been signed into law or await the president's signature, to reform veterans' health care and benefits and to make the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) more responsive to the veterans it serves. Of those bills, some of the most significant reforms include the VA MISSION Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017, and the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017.At the start of this Congress in January 2017, we set political party differences aside and vowed to find common ground on behalf of veterans. We now have significant, positive results to show for it. I look forward to continuing our efforts into the new year by working with my colleagues in Congress, President Trump and VA Secretary Wilkie to meet these challenges head on and transform the VA into a department worthy of our veterans.\r\n\r\nIn Other News\r\n\r\n\r\nOn Wednesday, I spoke on the Senate floor to honor two-term Governor Nathan Deal and thank him for his eight years of leadership that have led to positive results for Georgia. Governor Deal, First Lady Sandra Deal, and his chief of staff Chris Riley have made a huge difference for our state  the eighth largest in population, and the number one state for business. Their leadership will be missed.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThis week, Senator Lamar Alexander announced his retirement in 2020. Senator Alexander's decision to retire in 2020 is a great loss to me personally, because he has been a great friend. More importantly, he has been a great son of Tennessee, U.S. secretary of education, president of the University of Tennessee and a committed public servant. I can't thank Lamar enough for his work, and I look forward to continuing to work together with him during the next two years.\r\n\r\n\r\nWhat's on Tap?\r\nDianne and I wish everyone celebrating a blessed Christmas and a happy New Year. The next Congress is scheduled to convene on Jan. 3, 2019.\r\nSincerely,\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn Case You Missed It", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.perdue.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-david-perdue-another-continuing-resolution-is-totally-unacceptable_", "Senator David Perdue: Another Continuing Resolution Is Totally Unacceptable", "2018-12-21", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "David Perdue", "P000612", "www.perdue.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", null, 0, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.perdue.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-david-perdue-president-trump-is-willing-to-negotiate-", "Senator David Perdue: President Trump Is Willing To Negotiate", "2018-12-21", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "David Perdue", "P000612", "www.perdue.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Skip to primary navigation Skip to content\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t    \n\t      \n\t      \n\t        \n\t       \t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Meet David\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Connect\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Helping You\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  News", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://allen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1653", "Criminal Justice Reform Bill Heads to the Presidents Desk", "2018-12-20", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Rick Allen", "A000372", "allen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Congressman Rick W. Allen (R-Ga-12) released the following statement today after the House of Representatives passed S. 756, the legislative vehicle for the First Step Act, by a vote of 358-36, with Congressman Allen's support. The First Step Act is a bipartisan overhaul of our federal criminal justice system that will better support prisoners in their effort to return to society, find gainful employment, and reduce recidivism. Earlier this week, the U.S. Senate passed the measure with bipartisan support, clearing the way for House passage and President Trump's signature. \r\nToday's passage of the First Step Act is a historic achievement for our nation's criminal justice system after years of negotiation and debate, said Congressman Allen. This legislation ensures that our communities remain safe and protected, while also incentivizing those who have made life-altering mistakes to successfully transition and reintegrate themselves back into society through reentry projects such as academic classes, career training and more. By affording individuals with the dignity and respect that comes with a good job, we can effectively reduce the risk of recidivism significantly and provide a new sense of hope for many families and communities throughout our nation.\r\nThe state of Georgia has implemented a number of initiatives to assist prisoners with their re-entry into society, and I am thrilled that our federal criminal justice system will mirror some of these successful programs. I applaud my colleague in the Georgia delegation, Representative Doug Collins, and the Trump Administration for their hard work on this effort, and I look forward to seeing the First Step Act become the law of the land. \r\nThe First Step Act accomplishes the following: \r\n \r\n    Creates an assessment system that assesses a prisoner's risk of re-offending\r\n \r\n \r\n    Provides proven, effective programs in recidivism-reduction, such as group and individual activities like social learning, academic classes, vocational training, faith-based classes, and prison jobs, that can be used to serve remaining sentences on home confinement\r\n \r\n \r\n    Does not allow violent and high-risk criminals to take advantage of time credits that can be used toward home confinement\r\n \r\n \r\n    Reduces federal mandatory minimum prison sentences for nonviolent drug offenders\r\n \r\n \r\n    Expands a safety valve option which can be used to impose a shorter sentence than the mandatory minimum if certain conditions are met, while maintaining safeguards to ensure violent criminals cannot benefit from reduced sentences\r\n \r\n \r\n    If possible, requires that inmates be imprisoned within 500 miles of their residence\r\n \r\n \r\n    Prohibits solitary confinement in juvenile facilities\r\n \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://allen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1654", "President Trump Signs 2018 Farm Bill into Law", "2018-12-20", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Rick Allen", "A000372", "allen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Congressman Rick W. Allen (R-Ga-12) issued the following statement today after attending the White House signing ceremony for the 2018 Farm Bill. Congressman Allen played an integral role in drafting this legislation as a member of the House Agriculture Committee, as well as working closely with members of the House and Senate to finalize the Conference Report after being selected as a member of the Farm Bill Conference Committee. Last week, the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate both passed the Conference Report to H.R. 2, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, clearing the way for President Trump's signature.\r\nToday is an exciting day for our farmers, ranchers, and consumers in Georgia's 12 district, in the state of Georgia as a whole, and throughout the nation, said Congressman Allen. This five-year farm bill has been a work in progress since I was elected to Congress in 2014, and after several years of negotiations, hearings, and a number of district-wide farm tours aimed at gathering input from those who are directly affected by this legislation, I can confidently say that we have delivered a new sense of certainty for rural America. \r\nAs law of the land, the 2018 Farm Bill will strengthen the farm safety net, provide more flexibility for our producers, protect and expand crop insurance, improve the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) including program integrity, strengthen our efforts to provide quality broadband in rural areas, and much more. I'd like to thank President Trump for his continued commitment to rural America throughout this process and for signing this farm bill into law today. \r\nCongressman Allen also said the following in response to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue's announcement today to change the waiver rule for able-bodied adults without dependents currently on SNAP.\r\nI applaud Secretary Perdue and the Trump Administration for taking meaningful action to assist Americans currently receiving SNAP benefits in securing gainful employment, while also protecting our most vulnerable communities. With over seven million available jobs throughout the country, we must ensure that we provide able-bodied adults without dependents a pathway out of poverty to prosperity. The 2018 Farm Bill allowed the Administration more flexibility in SNAP policy, and I hope to see this new rule come to fruition in the near future so that we may get America back to work.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://austinscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-austin-scott-statement-cr-vote", "Rep. Austin Scott Statement on CR Vote", "2018-12-20", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Austin Scott", "S001189", "austinscott.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHIGNTON, DC  Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08) today released the following statement upon the House of Representatives passing a short-term continuing resolution (CR) which would fund the government through February 8, 2019. The legislation now heads to the U.S. Senate for a final vote.\nFor years, we have promised the American people that we would fix security and manpower issues along the southern border that have allowed not only illegal immigration, but also drug, weapon and human trafficking to occur. Thankfully, the House has successfully amended the Senate CR to include $5 billion the President has continuously requested to protect our country from criminal activity along our southern border.\nFurthermore, Georgia families, as well as families in Florida, Alabama, the Carolinas and California, desperately need federal assistance to recover from catastrophic weather events this year. I am thankful that after a long fight we were able to include funding in this CR that begins to help farmers and families get back on their feet following devastating losses. I will continue to press my colleagues and the White House for additional resources when we reconvene after the holidays.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://austinscott.house.gov/press-releases?ID=20DE4246-4BC6-4006-AF3A-CACEDC31E3D3", "Rep. Austin Scott Statement on CR Vote", "2018-12-20", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Austin Scott", "S001189", "austinscott.house.gov", "austinscott", "https://austinscott.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHIGNTON, DC \u2013 Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08) today released the following statement upon the House of Representatives passing a short-term continuing resolution (CR) which would fund the government through February 8, 2019. The legislation now heads to the U.S. Senate for a final vote.\n\n\u201cFor years, we have promised the American people that we would fix security and manpower issues along the southern border that have allowed not only illegal immigration, but also drug, weapon and human trafficking to occur. Thankfully, the House has successfully amended the Senate CR to include $5 billion the President has continuously requested to protect our country from criminal activity along our southern border.\n\n\u201cFurthermore, Georgia families, as well as families in Florida, Alabama, the Carolinas and California, desperately need federal assistance to recover from catastrophic weather events this year. I am thankful that after a long fight we were able to include funding in this CR that begins to help farmers and families get back on their feet following devastating losses. I will continue to press my colleagues and the White House for additional resources when we reconvene after the holidays.\u201d\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:11:43Z"], ["https://bishop.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-bishop-statement-on-continuing-resolution-0", "CONGRESSMAN BISHOP STATEMENT ON CONTINUING RESOLUTION", "2018-12-20", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Sanford Bishop", "B000490", "bishop.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), Ranking Member of the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, delivered the following statement on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on the continuing resolution considered earlier this evening. Congressman Bishop opposed the legislation. The bill passed in a 217 to 185 vote by the full U.S. House of Representatives.\n\nAs a legislative body, one of Congress's core responsibilities is to keep the government open and working for the people. Another core responsibility is to help communities struck by disaster to recover and rebuild. \n\nThe continuing resolution before us is not a sufficient response to these vital needs. It includes only token disaster relief for rural communities and farmers in Middle and Southwest Georgia that were devastated by Hurricane Michael and other disasters that occurred in 2018. \n\nIt does not include a number of provisions that were being negotiated:\n \n\t\tIt includes only $8 million for impacted rural communities, instead of $150 million;\n\t\n\t\n\t\tIt does not change the percentage recovery for crop losses from 85% for those with crop insurance to 90% and from 65% for those without crop insurance to 70%;\n\t\n\t\n\t\tIt includes less than half of the estimated need for the Emergency Forest Restoration Program ($200 million instead of $480 million)\n\t\n\t\n\t\tIt does not include the lower threshold for pecan tree mortality of 7.5% but leaves it at the current law level of 15%, making the Tree Assistance Program unusable;\n\t\n\t\n\t\tIt does not include the most recent estimate for Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Disaster Nutrition ($8.5 million instead of $9.3 million); and\n\t\n\t\n\t\tFinally, it does not include any of the $600 million needed for Puerto Rico nutrition assistance.\n\t\n Unfortunately, it does include significant funding for a misguided and wasteful wall on our southwestern border. This wall would do nothing to improve our nation's security and is a serious misallocation of taxpayer dollars. It should have been stripped from this important funding legislation and considered separately. Congress has already provided almost $2 billion for border wall funding over two years, but the administration has only used 6% of these funds.\n\nFurthermore, this legislation is dead on arrival in the Senate.\n\nWe must do better. We must meet the significant needs of my Georgia constituents and Americans across the country that are still rebuilding from Hurricane Michael and other recent disasters. And we must pass a government funding bill that would avoid the significant damage that would be caused by a government shutdown.\n\nGoverning by deadline is no way to govern. We must come together and finalize a long-term appropriations measure that provides certainty to Americans across the country.\n\nAs Chairman-Designee of the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture for the 116th Congress, I look forward to working with my colleagues to craft disaster assistance legislation that more adequately addresses the needs of our farmers, ranchers, foresters, agribusinesses, consumers, and rural communities.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3722", "Carter Supports Bipartisan Criminal Justice Reform", "2018-12-20", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Buddy Carter", "C001103", "buddycarter.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Earl L. \"Buddy\" Carter (R-Ga.) voted today in support of bipartisan legislation to reform America's criminal justice system.\"In the Georgia General Assembly, I was proud to work with Governor Nathan Deal on this important issue,\"said Carter.\"Georgia has been a leader and an example for the rest of the nation in effective criminal justice reform. I'm glad to see the federal government has followed Georgia's lead today. This legislation will work to reduce recidivism and reform some sentencing laws while increasing community safety. Our criminal justice system should work to rehabilitate citizens so they can again become productive members of society and this legislation will work towards that goal.\" TheFirst Step Actpassed the United States House of Representative today and will now go to President Trump to be signed into law. TheFirst Step Actis supported by many law enforcement, religious and conservative organizations. This includes the Fraternal Order of Police, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National District Attorney's Association, Former Federal Prosecutors, FreedomWorks, Faith & Freedom Coalition, Prison Fellowship, American Conservative Union, American Correctional Association, Americans for Prosperity, Charles Koch Institute, Heritage Action, Right on Crime, Texas Public Policy Foundation, American Enterprise Institute, and more. According to the House Judiciary Committee, the legislation will: Reduce Recidivism and Increase Public Safety:The bill creates a risk and needs assessment system that will ensure each prisoner's risk of re-offending is assessed.\r\n \r\n    Provides evidence-based recidivism reduction programming for federal prisoners;\r\n    Provides incentives to federal prisoners for participating in First Step programming, including the earning of time credits towards a pre-release custody at a halfway house or home confinement; and\r\n    Excludes violent and high risk criminals, including fentanyl traffickers, from using time credits.\r\n \r\n\r\nReform Select Sentencing Laws:Under the First Step Act, sentencing is made fairer through narrow reforms.\r\n \r\n    Clarifies that enhanced penalties for using a firearm during a crime of violence or drug crime should be reserved for repeat offenders of such crimes;\r\n    Reduces the three-strike penalty for non-violent drug offenses from life imprisonment to 25 years;\r\n    Broadens mandatory penalties for serious violent offenders;\r\n    Expands the existing federal safety valve to include more low-level, non-violent offenders and maintains safeguards to prohibit violent criminals from potentially benefitting from reduced sentences.\r\n \r\n\r\nReauthorize the Second Chance Act of 2007:The First Step Act reauthorizes and streamlines eight Second Chance Act programs and repeals four that have not been funded by Congress.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://dougcollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-sends-bipartisan-first-step-act-presidents-desk", "House sends Bipartisan First Step Act to President's desk", "2018-12-20", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Doug Collins", "C001093", "dougcollins.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONThe House of Representatives today passed the First Step Act with overwhelming support, after the Senate approved the bill 87-12 this Tuesday.\nThe bipartisan justice reform bill introduced by Reps. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) and Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) represents one of the most significant overhauls of the federal criminal justice system in a generation and now heads to President Trump to be signed into law.\n\"The First Step Act invests in what Americans value most fiercelypeople. We know that lives can be redirected and redeemed, and we're committing to doing that with tools that are proven to work. With the partnership of leaders like Chairman Grassley, Whip Cornyn, Whip Durbin and Senator Perdue across the Capitol and Chairman Goodlatte, Ranking Member Nadler, Congressman Sensenbrenner and Speaker Ryan in the House, we were able to look at the human faces woven into the lines of this bill and vote to help them rebuild their lives. Jared Kushner never lost sight of those faces. His courage to take the political path less traveled has been instrumental in delivering us here today. We have the opportunity to make communities safer and more whole through the First Step Act, and we wouldn't have that without the courage of my friend and valuable partner, Hakeem Jeffries. For 31 years, my father served his neighbors as a Georgia state trooper. Like him, this bill shows us that reverence for human life is fundamental to justice, and I'm thankful that so many of my colleagues stand here united in that same confidence today,\"said Collins.\nPassage of the FIRST STEP Act is a victory for all Americans who believe in justice and the power of redemption. This bill will transform lives by providing access to the mental health counseling, education, vocational services and substance abuse treatment needed to help incarcerated individuals get back on their feet and become productive members of society. It also provides retroactive relief for the shameful crack cocaine sentencing disparity that unfairly destroyed lives, families and communities. The FIRST STEP Act is not the end. It's not even the beginning of the end. It's simply the end of the beginning of a bipartisan journey to eradicate the mass incarceration epidemic in America. Representatives Collins, Richmond, Bass and Nadler, along with those in the Senate and White House should be commended for their commitment and effort in this regard,said Jeffries.\n\"We can all agree that America needs criminal justice reform. The First Step Act will help control corrections spending, manage the prison population, reduce recidivism, and ensure our system works more efficiently and justly, while also protecting our citizens from violent criminals. Passage of the First Step Act has truly been a bipartisan and bicameral process, of which I am proud to be a part. Thank you again to Doug Collins for introducing and shepherding this bill through Congress. I also want to thank our Senate counterparts; we are proud to deliver the First Step Act to the President's desk,\"said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.).\nI'm proud to support to the First Step Act, an important bill that will advance criminal justice reform. I applaud my colleagues, Reps. Jeffries and Jackson Lee, for their steadfast efforts to make this a reality. This bill includes critical changes to our sentencing laws that will reduce the impact of some mandatory minimum sentences, notably with retroactive application of the reduced crack cocaine sentences under the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010. The bill's reauthorization of the Second Chance Act is also a measure that is long overdue. We will continue to work in Congress to oversee the implementation of these reforms as well as the new system to allow some federal prisoners to earn early entry into pre-release custody. There is still more work to be done to ensure our criminal justice system is fair and just for every American. However, this bill is a positive first step,said House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.).\nRepublicans and Democrats coming together to pass criminal justice reform is a monumental victory for the American people, and I'm proud to have been a leader of this effort that has been years in the making. I'm also proud to note that this bill reauthorizes the Second Chance Act, which has been instrumental in healing communities by helping those who have paid their debts to society to rejoin their families and live a productive life. I thank Chairman Goodlatte, Congressman Collins, and the many others who carried this bill across the finish line,said Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), Chairman of the Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.\nI am pleased that our diligent efforts in the House allowed a fruitful yield in the inclusion of sentencing reform to the First Step Act. I am also pleased that my amendment to create an Independent Review Committee that will oversee the implementation of the risk assessment tools and the bill generally, was also included in the final version of this bill. I look forward, in the next Congress, to expanding upon this preliminary progress,saidRep. SheilaJackson Lee (D-Texas), Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hankjohnson.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/well-done-weve-got-it-here-emotional-funeral-held-dekalb-officer", "'Well done. We've got it from here': Emotional funeral held for DeKalb officer", "2018-12-20", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Hank Johnson", "J000288", "hankjohnson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - DeKalb County Officer Edgar Flores paid the ultimate price when he was shot and killed in the line of duty.Today, the community honoredhis sacrifice, one day after he would have turned 25.\nRead More", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hankjohnson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-johnson-questions-sec-nielsen-death-child-border", "Rep. Johnson Questions Sec. Nielsen on Death of Child at Border", "2018-12-20", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Hank Johnson", "J000288", "hankjohnson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman asks hard-hitting questions on family separation, administration's failure to properly track the children and reunite them with their families\nWASHINGTON, D.C.  Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04), the Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet (IP), today questioned Kirstjen Nielsen, Secretary of Homeland Security, about the Death of Jakelin Caal, a seven-year-old girl who died on Dec. 8 in Customs & Border Patrol custody. He also had some hard-hitting questions on family separation and the administration's failure to properly track the children and reunite them with their families.\nTo watch video, click HERE.\nChairman Goodlatte: The chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia for five minutes.\nRep. Johnson: Thank you. Ma'am, when did you first learn of the death of 7-year-old Jakelin Caal?\nSecretary Nielsen: I believe my front office staff was notified on the 7th and then commissioner gave me a full readout e-mail on the 13th.\nRep. Johnson: The 13th?\nSecretary Nielsen: Yes, sir.\nRep. Johnson: Did you inquire between the seventh and the 13th?\nSecretary Nielsen: As you know, the facts continued to come to light now, but yes, sir.\nRep. Johnson: What actions did you take between the 7th and the 13th?\nSecretary Nielsen: Some of it is just to understand what happened. As you know, this was an extraordinarily remote location. So, we've begun investigations, and the IG (Inspector General) is looking into it among others but try to understand what other options might have been available.\nRep. Johnson: Thank you. How many children 17 years old or younger have died in DHS (Department of Homeland Security), ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), or CBP (Customs & Border Patrol) custody since you took office?\nSecretary Nielsen: I will get back to you. What I can tell you.\nRep. Johnson: How many have died?\nSecretary Nielsen: I understand your question, sir. I'll get back to you.\nRep. Johnson: Can you give me an approximate figure?\nSecretary Nielsen: I will get back to you. I'm not going to guess under oath.\nRep. Johnson: Do you view those who you call illegal aliens to be human or subhuman?\nSecretary Nielsen: Illegal aliens are human, sir.\nRep. Johnson: Do you believe these illegal aliens approaching our southern border are in search of safety and security primarily or primarily in search of a job?\nSecretary Nielsen: What we find with the flow, the most current flow over the last couple of years, are the vast majority either economic migrants or they're looking to reunify with their families.\nRep. Johnson: Do you believe that DHS was prepared to implement your family separation policy when it went into effect?\nSecretary Nielsen: Sir, we never had a policy for family separation. What we did do is applied the law equally to anybody who broke it and if you were an illegal crosser of the southwest border, to the extent we could, refer you for prosecution.\nRep. Johnson: You're aware that both the DHS Inspector General and GAO (Government Accountability Office) concluded that DHS was inadequately prepared to implement the family separation policy in an organized and efficient manner? Are you familiar with that report?\nSecretary Nielsen: I'm familiar with parts of the report, yes, sir.\nRep. Johnson: Do you agree with it or disagree?\nSecretary Nielsen: I don't agree with the premise of the question. We never had a policy nor do we now separate families as a policy.\nRep. Johnson: Let me ask you a simple question. When the decision was made to prosecute parents, it was DHS that physically separated the parent from his or her children. Is that correct?\nSecretary Nielsen: If the parent was referred to prosecution and was going to a criminal setting, we do not send the children with the parent at that time.\nRep. Johnson: How is it possible that your agency performed a separation policy when it did not have an ability to keep adequate records for eventual reunification of parent and child?\nSecretary Nielsen: So, each parent in our custody did have access to communicating with their children.\nRep. Johnson: How was it that you were able to implement the policy without having a means of being able to reunite children with their parents?\nSecretary Nielsen: We did have a means. What we have done is improved it so it's much more expedited and the technical system.\nRep. Johnson: At one point, DHS and HHS announced the existence of a central database containing location information for separated parents and minors. You're familiar with that announcement?\nSecretary Nielsen: We have updated all of our systems.\nRep. Johnson: Well, are you familiar with that announcement when it was made?\nSecretary Nielsen: There's quite a few systems. You might be referring to the one from June.\nRep. Johnson: The IG found no evidence that a database ever existed.\nSecretary Nielsen: There is a database. We knew where all the children and parents were. >>\nRep. Johnson: Do you disagree with that IG report?\nSecretary Nielsen: I don't have the language in front of me. I'm happy to get back to you specifically. What I can tell you is ice has a database, CBP has a database and the Department of Health and Human Services also has a database.\nRep. Johnson: But there was no database containing location information for separated parents and minors?\nSecretary Nielsen: Again, we did know with each individual agency.\nRep. Johnson: Are you trying to say that there has been no problem with your agency reuniting parents and children separated at the border in accordance with your separation policy?\nChairman Goodlatte: The time of the gentleman has expired. The witness will be permitted to answer the question.\nSecretary Nielsen: We've worked very closely with the court.\nRep. Johnson: You've avoided answering my questions.\nChairman Goodlatte: The time of the gentleman has expired. The time of the gentleman has expired.\nRep. Johnson: I would note for the chairman.\nChairman Goodlatte: Regular order.\nRep. Johnson: Every other member has been allowed to proceed with their questionings for more than the five minutes that I was given and so I take it as a compliment that (you've cut me off).\nChairman Goodlatte: The gentleman's time has expired. Just say that's true of everyone before you except for me, and I'm going to enforce it. Now, we gave you the opportunity to ask your question beyond your time.\nRep. Johnson: I want the record to reflect I was not able to get a specific answer to any of the questions that I asked.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hice.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2568", "Rep. Hice Supports Historic Criminal Justice Reform", "2018-12-20", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Jody Hice", "H001071", "hice.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Hice Supports Historic Criminal Justice Reform \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        December 20, 2018\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congressman Jody Hice (R-GA) today released the following statement after S. 756, the FIRST Step Act, passed the U.S. House of Representatives:\r\nWith the passage of S. 756, the First Step Act, we are taking important action in reforming our criminal justice system while saving taxpayer dollars and ensuring second chances for those who rehabilitate and re-enter society through training and skill development, said Representative Hice. Programs, like drug and accountability courts, and working to reduce recidivism rates in the prison systems are commendable, and I look forward to seeing more meaningful strides toward reform while ensuring that the rule of law is upheld and strengthened. Throughout this process, I'm proud Governor Nathan Deal, the State of Georgia, and Congressman Doug Collins have served as vanguards for criminal justice reform and helped work this bill through the federal level to emulate our state's record of achievement. Today is a win for both redemption and public safety.\r\n##\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://johnlewis.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-john-lewis-gives-floor-speech-support-passage-taxpayer-first-act", "Rep. John Lewis Gives Floor Speech to Support Passage of Taxpayer First Act", "2018-12-20", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "John Lewis", "L000287", "johnlewis.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONRep. John Lewis made the following statement on the House floor today to bolster support for the legislation he authored as Ranking Member on the Ways & Means Subcommittee on Oversight. The Taxpayer First Act (H.R. 7227) creates an independent means for taxpayers to appeal actions of the IRS and limits the capacity of private debt collectors to target low-income citizens, among other provisions. Lewis has spearheaded efforts to reign in abuses by private debt collectors and this bi-partisan bill, in part, grew out of his work on that issue. The bill is scheduled for a vote in the House today on suspension and is expected to pass. It has yet to pass the Senate. (Video and bill text are linked to this release)\n\nMr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 7227. I am proud of the product and the process.\nLet me begin by thanking the Chairman (Mr. Brady) for his tireless work and commitment on this bill. From start to finish, he worked with us to advance good, responsible policy. \nThis morning, I again thank him, the Gentlelady from Kansas, Ms. Jenkins, and the Gentleman from Florida, Mr. Buchanan,for serving as partners in leading this effort.\nI would also like to thank our staff again for their good and great work. You refused to give up; you refused to give in. You worked together on the behalf of American taxpayers, and you did a great job.\nThe IRS is a complex organization that is responsible for a core function of government. Every person in this body agrees on the importance of quality taxpayer service  whether it is online, over the phone, or in person. \nFor over a year, the Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee hosted hearings and roundtables. We listened and asked questions. We asked Democratic and Republican Members to share their concerns and ideas. We reached out to taxpayers and advocates. We negotiated. We took our time, and Mr. Speaker, I believe that we did it right. \nTogether, we developed a bill that improves the independent appeals process and taxpayer services. We worked together to ensure that taxpayers  especially those who are low-income, disabled, and senior citizens  receive fair, quality, and timely help and support. \nFor these reasons, I am especially proud of our work to prevent private debt collectors from excessively targeting low-income taxpayers. As a result, our bill will ease the burden on those who are already struggling to keep a roof over their head and food on the table. \nFrom the beginning, we committed to bipartisanship, and we refused to abandon our course. I believe that this experience took our Subcommittee and our institution back to our roots. Mr. Speaker, at every crossroad, we remembered the lessons from the past and chose to put the taxpayer first. Through it all, we set aside our differences about the tax code and came together on the behalf of the taxpayer. As a result, our final bill includes solutions from Members on both sides of the aisle and the dome. \nFor these reasons, I hope that the Senate will find a way to pass this important, common-sense bill  before the end of the 115th Congress. Time is of the essence. Every minute, every day, every week of delay is a disservice to American taxpayers. This is good work  necessary work  and it puts the people before politics. The process was transparent and inclusive, and the product is strong and timely.\nFor these reasons, Mr. Speaker,I urge all of our colleagues to vote Yes on H.R. 7227, and I yield back the balance of my time.\n\n  ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://johnlewis.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-john-lewis-passage-first-step-act", "Rep. John Lewis on Passage of First Step Act", "2018-12-20", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "John Lewis", "L000287", "johnlewis.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "For too long, our nation's criminal justice system has broken lives and ravaged communities across America. People of color and people without means are too often unfairly caught in a tangled web of over-policing and severe, unyielding punishment. Our laws are meant to protect all American citizens and give those who do offend an opportunity to rehabilitate themselves and redeem their lives. Far too often, we have fallen short of these goals.\nWe have created a system that is, at times, insensitive to the truth and is so difficult to navigate that many who are innocent plead guilty just to be released from its snares. We have a moral obligation to end this cycle of injustice and the inhumanity of mass incarceration that has destroyed millions of American families.\nThe First Step Act demonstrates some recognition of these failures and begins correcting them. It reforms the discrepancy between the penalties in crack and powder cocaine offenses. It gives those behind bars more credit for good behavior to hasten their release. It relaxes some mandatory sentences and allows judges greater latitude in the sentencing of non-violent offenders.\nThis good progress is the reason why I supported the amended bill on the House Floor today, but Congress needs to do much, much more to deal with the core issues of criminal justice reform. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the 116th Congress to continue to make more progress on behalf of the millions of Americans struggling with the burdens of the criminal justice system.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://loudermilk.house.gov/news/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=1573", "Rep. Loudermilk Meets with President Trump to Discuss Funding for Government and Border Security Amid Talk of Government Shutdown", "2018-12-20", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Barry Loudermilk", "L000583", "loudermilk.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) issued the following statement after he met with President Trump at the White House about funding for the federal government, disaster relief for Georgia, and security at our southern border:Today, I met with President Trump and House leadership to discuss the urgency of securing our southern border. The President agrees it is of paramount importance to end the flow of drugs, illegal weapons, human trafficking, and terrorists entering our country. I believe Congress should not leave Washington, D.C. without completing our job, and many of my Republican colleagues in the House agree we should stay in town and continue to fight for the American people.  In addition to discussing problems at our southern border, I also advocated for disaster relief for Georgia and the other states affected by Hurricane Michael and other natural disasters this year.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://tomgraves.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399010", "Rep. Graves Supports Bipartisan Criminal Justice Reform Bill", "2018-12-20", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Tom Graves", "G000560", "tomgraves.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Contact: Garrett Hawkins\n                        202-225-5211\n                    \n            \n        \n        \n            \n                \n            \n        \n        \n            \n                \n                    Rep. Graves Supports Bipartisan Criminal Justice Reform Bill\n                    \n                    \n                        \n                    \n                    \n                    \n                    \n                    \n                        \n                            WASHINGTON,\n                            December 20, 2018-\n                        Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-14) today voted for and the House passed by an overwhelming vote of 358 to 36 the First Step Act (S. 756), bipartisan legislation reforming the federal prison system. The bill now heads to President Trump's desk. The bill passed the Senate earlier this week by a vote of 87-12.First, I want to commend Rep. Doug Collins for leading the effort on prison reform in the House, said Rep. Graves. Today the work paid off! This legislation, which is similar to the successful criminal justice reforms Gov. Nathan Deal signed into law in Georgia, is a major victory for justice. Among its significant reforms, the bill prioritizes rehabilitation for non-violent, low-risk offenders. It gives judges more latitude in mandatory sentencing for low-level crimes. And it allows prisoners to start saving money for their expenses after they're released. The First Step Act will go a long way toward ending the revolving door in our criminal justice system. According to the Senate Judiciary Committee, here are some of the bill's highlights:\r\n\r\n    Allows certain prisoners to earn time in pre-release custody  such as a residential reentry center or home confinement  through successful participation in recidivism-reduction programs \r\n    Permits inmates to save money in an escrow account for pre-release expenses, such as housing\r\n    Requires that prisoners are housed within 500 miles of family\r\n    Prohibits handcuffing during child birth\r\n    Reduces the mandatory minimum for some non-violent offenses from life imprisonment to 25 years for a third conviction and from 25 to 15 years for a second conviction\r\n    Gives federal judges more discretion in the mandatory sentencing for some low-level crimes\r\n    Changes sentencing guidelines so offenses involving crack and powder cocaine are treated equally\r\n    \r\n\r\n###\n                \n            \n        \n    \n    \n        Print version of this document", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=FC7A3E34-4073-4A66-9690-BC0BF3AB2E1E", "Senate Sends Bipartisan Veterans Package to President, Capping Off Record Two Years of Accomplishments", "2018-12-20", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Johnny Isakson", "I000055", "www.isakson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "ATLANTA  U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, applauded the unanimous Senate passage of a package of 18 pieces of veterans' legislation to improve veterans' education and burial benefits, prevent veteran homelessness, and improve the transition process for veterans and their families.\r\nI am proud that the Senate has acted on this package of legislation to help our veterans, said Isakson. Today's passage caps off a remarkable two years in Congress. We have passed significant reforms to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to improve the daily lives of our nation's veterans. This legislative package will help improve veterans' education and burial benefits, address veteran homelessness and help engage the community in providing a seamless transition for veterans and their families.\r\nThe Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018, S.2248, includes 23 individual bipartisan provisions incorporating language from a number of previously introduced House and Senate bills.\r\nFollowing Senate passage on Dec. 19 and a unanimous voice vote by the U.S. House of Representatives on Dec. 10, the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018 now heads to the president's desk for his signature.\r\nSpecifically, S.2248, as amended, will:\r\n \r\nHelp protect student veterans when the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is late making payments to schools.\r\nImprove burial access to national and tribal cemeteries for family members of active duty service members and veterans.\r\nRequire the VA to provide standardized debt notices to veterans.\r\nProvide protection to Gold Star Spouses.\r\nExpand benefits and support to military spouses and families.\r\nExpand eligibility for the Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Program.\r\nStudy best practices among community programs providing transition assistance for veterans.\r\n \r\nA section-by-section summary of the S.2248, as amended is available here.\r\nClick here to read the full list of Senate-passed bills.\r\n###\r\nThe Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs is chaired by U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., in the 115th Congress. Isakson is a veteran himself  having served in the Georgia Air National Guard from 1966-1972  and has been a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs since he joined the Senate in 2005. Isakson's home state of Georgia is home to more than a dozen military installations representing each branch of the armed services as well as more than 750,000 veterans.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.perdue.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-david-perdue-its-time-to-get-the-job-done", "Senator David Perdue: It's Time To Get The Job Done", "2018-12-20", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "David Perdue", "P000612", "www.perdue.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Skip to primary navigation Skip to content\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t    \n\t      \n\t      \n\t        \n\t       \t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Meet David\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Connect\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Helping You\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  News", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.perdue.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-david-perdue-talks-funding-and-trade-on-cnbc-1", "Senator David Perdue Talks Funding & Trade on CNBC", "2018-12-20", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "David Perdue", "P000612", "www.perdue.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Skip to primary navigation Skip to content\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t    \n\t      \n\t      \n\t        \n\t       \t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Meet David\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Connect\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Helping You\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  News", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-center?ContentRecord_id=3E0F156F-B6EB-49BF-A9C8-B4B5C5DEEF65", "Isakson Highlights 2017-2018 Accomplishments for Veterans", "2018-12-19", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Johnny Isakson", "I000055", "www.isakson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Wednesday, December 19, 2018\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tU.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, today spoke on the Senate floor to highlight the Senate's bipartisan victories for our nation's veterans in the 115th Congress, which began on Jan. 3, 2017.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=F7EB3BF2-42AE-4A11-B94B-BFD4FA4E44B1", "Isakson Honors Georgia Governor Nathan Deal", "2018-12-19", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Johnny Isakson", "I000055", "www.isakson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., spoke on the Senate floor on Tuesday to honor two-term Governor Nathan Deal and thank him for his eight years of leadership that have led to positive results for Georgia.\r\nIsakson also thanked First Lady Sandra Deal and Deal's longtime chief of staff, Chris Riley, calling the trio the A-Team who have overseen a successful administration since 2011.\r\nUnder Deal's tenure, Georgia has been named number one for business for a historic six consecutive years. Georgia has led the way in criminal justice reform and economic growth, among other highlights. Due to term limits for the office in the state, Deal will depart in January 2019 at the end of his second term.\r\nIsakson's remarks may be viewed online, and the full text of his remarks follow below.\r\nMr. President, I am here to do something every senator does at one time or another in their career, and that is pay tribute to another politician, one back in my home state of Georgia who is retiring at the end of this year after serving two terms as governor of the state of Georgia.\r\nI am going to say great things about him because he is a great guy, he is a personal friend, and he has done a wonderful job, but I will tell you what else I am going to do. I am going to do something a little different.\r\nWhen we elected Nathan Deal in Georgia, we had no idea at the time that it was a three-for-one.\r\nWhen Nathan, his wife, Sandra, and his chief of staff, Chris Riley, came, the three of them were a new A-Team in Georgia. Do you remember the A-Team on television? When you had a real disaster coming and you needed real help, you would call these guys, and they would come in from nowhere and solve your problem. They were tough. They were smart.\r\nWell, Nathan is that way too. He is tough, and he is smart. He is also crafty enough to realize that your wife always knows better, and he gave her a role in education in Georgia, and she has improved it a lot.\r\nChris Riley, his chief of staff and his pilot and a good friend, did a tremendous job and was a great liaison to all of government, whether it was other states or Congress, the Senate and the House.\r\nNathan has been a great governor of our state. Georgia is now the number one place in the country to do business. We have been selected six consecutive years as the best place in America to do business.\r\nGeorgia is thought of by many people as Gone With the Wind' and the old south, but Georgia is now the 8th largest state [in population] in the United States of America, having moved under his administration from 10th to 8th. Our votes in the electoral college are now prized, our role in politics is rising, and our influence in the country is rising--all because of that.\r\nHe has also brought new jobs to Georgia--not just repeat jobs or old jobs where we have added on but new jobs. Nathan was smart enough to realize that, when America started investing in cyber technology and when we found out that Fort Gordon, which is in Augusta, Ga., was going to be the cyber command of the United States of America, our governor didn't sit there and say, Isn't that great?' and go brag about what we were doing in the federal government; he established a cyber center in Augusta, Ga., and invested $50 million initially to get it started.\r\nToday, there are young people who are starting careers in Georgia in cyber technology, which is going to be a proving ground for jobs in the future, all because of Nathan's realization that if you build it, they will come. And if we built Fort Gordon, which the federal government did, and if the cyber command represented by the U.S. Army and the Signal Corps is going to be our cyber watchdog, then if we have cyber educational tools, like STEM subjects, in our elementary and high schools in our state, we will be so much better off.\r\nNathan did something else that very few governors do. He built on another governor's success and made it even better. Zell Miller, a former member of this body and the person I succeeded after he left, created the HOPE Scholarship of Georgia, which everybody has heard about.\r\nIn Georgia, most of our kids [from our state] who enter a college go on a full scholarship paid for by the Georgia Lottery. It is called the HOPE Scholarship. Running for governor on that proposal, Zell beat me, and he made me a big believer.\r\nIt has worked great, but Nathan said: You know, that is not good enough. We don't want to just help the top students who have B' averages or better; we ought to bring up the bottom students so they have a chance to go and grow and maybe one day go to college. So he created something called REACH. REACH is a program he designed to reach out and bring in those who were not getting the help they should get. It stands for Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen, and it is scholarships that go to kids who had no chance of having it happen, who subscribed to building themselves up and making themselves better.\r\nNow, in Georgia, we have a lot of kids on the HOPE Scholarship, but 1,800 of those on the REACH Scholarship are kids who might have never been in college under a scholarship otherwise. His wisdom, his knowledge, and his ability to bring that REACH Program together is building future contributors who otherwise might have been future wards of the state.\r\nIronically, we are now debating the criminal justice system in the Senate. We are going to have some votes later on today on that and big debates about it all day long. We have been talking about both sides of the issue. Are you letting them out too early? Are you not letting them out too early?\r\nNathan Deal was the originator of reform of the criminal justice system to see to it that those who were getting ready to get out anyway--let me repeat that--those who were getting ready to get out anyway had an opportunity that when they got out, they would have more of an education or better preparedness for work because of the programs created by Governor Deal so that they could volunteer in prison if they wanted to, not just as a bribe for them to study or do something well, but to give them a chance and sell them on the promise of a job and a future rather than just being a recidivist on early release.\r\nBy doing so, there are some amazing statistics that have happened in our state in terms of the number of people who have gotten released who are getting jobs who weren't before and the increase in the number of African Americans in prison who are getting out and going to work rather than going back to prison. People he has reached out to in our prison system--we have had a decrease in our [prison] population not because we didn't convict them, not because they aren't serving their time, but because those who, when they got out under the other programs we have, they got an education in their last couple years in prison and got out and made something of their lives.\r\nThat is the way you do things. It is easy for any of us to take the easy thing to do, but the hard thing to do is something a lot of politicians won't reach out for, but Nathan Deal has.\r\nSomething else hard to do is getting kids to read. I have three children and eight grandchildren. I was chairman of the board of education in my state, and I know some kids love to read, but a lot of them hate it. I used to always tell kids: You know, if you can't read, you can't do anything. If you can read, you can do everything.\r\nNathan's wife, Sandra, who is one of the most wonderful women you could ever possibly hope to meet, dedicated her services as first lady to reading comprehension for kids. In eight years, she visited 1,000 schools in our 181 school systems and 159 counties. The reading scores in our state have gone up, not down. The focus on reading has gone up in our schools. Because of Sandra's leadership and her example, because she got in and did it, they are doing wonders.\r\nWhen the federal government came out with our program on parks--you know the little passbook you get now when you go to a federal park and you get it stamped, kind of like a passport--she did the same thing for our state parks, partnering with the federal government to increase the use by our kids and our families of the parklands they pay for as taxpayers.\r\nI could go on and on and on, but to do so might be to talk too much. But you can't say too much about somebody who has contributed eight years of their life to their state and brought home so many things--first in economic development, first in job creation, first in really making a difference in education, first in reforming the criminal justice system, first in getting cyber technology as the main heart and soul of Georgia's focus in the future--all those things.\r\nAnd his two partners on the A-Team--Chris Riley, his chief of staff, and his wife, Sandra--deserve equal credit with Nathan. I know I am supposed to brag about just Nathan, but I want to brag about all of them because I know them and worked with them daily. Those three as a combination make a great team.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.perdue.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-david-perdue-another-continuing-resolution-is-totally-unacceptable", "Senator David Perdue: Another Continuing Resolution Is Totally Unacceptable", "2018-12-19", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "David Perdue", "P000612", "www.perdue.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Skip to primary navigation Skip to content\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t    \n\t      \n\t      \n\t        \n\t       \t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Meet David\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Connect\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Helping You\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  News", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://ferguson.house.gov/media/press-releases/columbus-post-office-be-named-after-fort-benning-unit", "Columbus Post Office to be Named After Fort Benning Unit", "2018-12-18", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "A. Ferguson", "F000465", "ferguson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON D.C. U.S. Representatives Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.) and Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.) and U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) and David Perdue (R-Ga.), applaud House and Senate passage of their bill to designate a United States Post Office in Columbus, Georgia, as the Richard W. Williams, Jr., Chapter of the Triple Nickles (555th P.I.A.) Post Office.\nThis bill was introduced in honor of Columbus-area veterans who served in military units that originated from the Army's first all-black parachute unit, which was activated at Fort Benning in December 1943. After passing the Senate on November 15, 2018 and the House on December 11, 2018, the bill now heads to President Trump's desk to become law.\nUnder Captain Richard W. Williams's leadership, the 555th Triple Nickles Parachute Infantry Battalion bravely defended our nation during World War II, said Congressman Ferguson. It is an honor to be a part of the effort to honor their legacy, and I am proud of the Georgia delegation's work to commemorate the Triple Nickles' service and sacrifice. I look forward to seeing President Trump sign this bill into law.\nI am honored to join my fellow Georgians and colleagues in Congress in honoring 555th Triple Nickles Parachute Infantry Battalion, said Congressman Bishop. The 555th Triple Nickles Parachute Infantry Battalion was the Army's first African-American parachute unit that was commanded by Captain Richard W. Williams, Jr. These brave men persevered through the most challenging training during the most trying times of our nation. Despite racism on the home front, they persisted and overcame every hardship and challenge that came their way in service of our nation. They remain American heroes and pioneers on behalf of many African-Americans that followed in service.\nAs the nation's first all-black parachute unit, the heroes of the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion courageously protected and defended our country throughout the 20th century, and this post office will demonstrate our thanks to the Triple Nickles Unit for their selfless actions and distinguished service, said Senator Isakson, chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs.\nThe Triple Nickles, America's first all-black parachute group, went above and beyond the call of duty, serving in more airborne units than any other parachute group in history, said Senator Perdue, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. They trained at Fort Benning and remain a key part of Georgia's proud military tradition. Columbus and the Fort Benning community have always embraced our veterans and their families, and we are honored to recognize their service with this fitting tribute.\nThe 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion, commonly known as the Triple Nickles, was deactivated in December 1947, and its members went on to serve in other military units during the Korean War. Notably, many members of the Triple Nickles also went on to form the Army's first and only all-black Ranger unit, the 2nd Ranger Company Airborne, which trained at Fort Benning and saw action in the Korean War. Ultimately, members of the Triple Nickles served in more airborne units, in peace and war, than any other parachute group in history.\nThe Richard W. Williams, Jr., Chapter of the Triple Nickles currently has a membership of approximately 61 veterans in Columbus, Georgia, and the surrounding area who served in various military units that were built from the Triple Nickles, including the 173rd Airborne, 2nd Ranger Company Airborne, 1st Cavalry Division, and the 24th Infantry Division.\nThe Post Office to be renamed is located at 120 12th Street Lobby, Columbus, Georgia.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://ferguson.house.gov/media/press-releases/ferguson-praises-usda-rural-broadband-initiative", "Ferguson Praises USDA Rural Broadband Initiative", "2018-12-18", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "A. Ferguson", "F000465", "ferguson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.) last week attended a United States Department of Agriculture event announcing a new rural broadband pilot program through U.S. Department of Agriculture. The pilot, funded by Congress earlier this year, will offer up to $600 million in loans and grants to help build broadband infrastructure in rural America.\nRural broadband is critical to ensuring that all Americans have access to 21st century educational and career opportunities, said Ferguson. One of my priorities is addressing structural barriers to economic vitality in rural America, and there is no doubt that expanding access to broadband is critical to helping rural communities compete in the global economy.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://ferguson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=141", "Columbus Post Office to be Named After Fort Benning Unit", "2018-12-18", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "A. Ferguson", "F000465", "ferguson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", null, 0, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://ferguson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=29", "Ferguson Praises USDA Rural Broadband Initiative", "2018-12-18", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "A. Ferguson", "F000465", "ferguson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", null, 0, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/floor-and-committee-statements?ContentRecord_id=7C0AF53A-450A-44E4-B62F-012E6698A282", "Floor Speech Honoring Georgia Governor Nathan Deal", "2018-12-18", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Johnny Isakson", "I000055", "www.isakson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Mr. President, I am here to do something every senator does at one time or another in their career, and that is pay tribute to another politician, one back in my home state of Georgia who is retiring at the end of this year after serving two terms as governor of the state of Georgia.\r\nI am going to say great things about him because he is a great guy, he is a personal friend, and he has done a wonderful job, but I will tell you what else I am going to do. I am going to do something a little different.\r\nWhen we elected Nathan Deal in Georgia, we had no idea at the time that it was a three-for-one.\r\nWhen Nathan, his wife, Sandra, and his chief of staff, Chris Riley, came, the three of them were a new A-Team in Georgia. Do you remember the A-Team on television? When you had a real disaster coming and you needed real help, you would call these guys, and they would come in from nowhere and solve your problem. They were tough. They were smart.\r\nWell, Nathan is that way too. He is tough, and he is smart. He is also crafty enough to realize that your wife always knows better, and he gave her a role in education in Georgia, and she has improved it a lot.\r\nChris Riley, his chief of staff and his pilot and a good friend, did a tremendous job and was a great liaison to all of government, whether it was other states or Congress, the Senate and the House.\r\nNathan has been a great governor of our state. Georgia is now the number one place in the country to do business. We have been selected six consecutive years as the best place in America to do business.\r\nGeorgia is thought of by many people as Gone With the Wind' and the old south, but Georgia is now the 8th largest state [in population] in the United States of America, having moved under his administration from 10th to 8th. Our votes in the electoral college are now prized, our role in politics is rising, and our influence in the country is rising--all because of that.\r\nHe has also brought new jobs to Georgia--not just repeat jobs or old jobs where we have added on but new jobs. Nathan was smart enough to realize that, when America started investing in cyber technology and when we found out that Fort Gordon, which is in Augusta, Ga., was going to be the cyber command of the United States of America, our governor didn't sit there and say, Isn't that great?' and go brag about what we were doing in the federal government; he established a cyber center in Augusta, Ga., and invested $50 million initially to get it started.\r\nToday, there are young people who are starting careers in Georgia in cyber technology, which is going to be a proving ground for jobs in the future, all because of Nathan's realization that if you build it, they will come. And if we built Fort Gordon, which the federal government did, and if the cyber command represented by the U.S. Army and the Signal Corps is going to be our cyber watchdog, then if we have cyber educational tools, like STEM subjects, in our elementary and high schools in our state, we will be so much better off.\r\nNathan did something else that very few governors do. He built on another governor's success and made it even better. Zell Miller, a former member of this body and the person I succeeded after he left, created the HOPE Scholarship of Georgia, which everybody has heard about.\r\nIn Georgia, most of our kids [from our state] who enter a college go on a full scholarship paid for by the Georgia Lottery. It is called the HOPE Scholarship. Running for governor on that proposal, Zell beat me, and he made me a big believer.\r\nIt has worked great, but Nathan said: You know, that is not good enough. We don't want to just help the top students who have B' averages or better; we ought to bring up the bottom students so they have a chance to go and grow and maybe one day go to college. So he created something called REACH. REACH is a program he designed to reach out and bring in those who were not getting the help they should get. It stands for Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen, and it is scholarships that go to kids who had no chance of having it happen, who subscribed to building themselves up and making themselves better.\r\nNow, in Georgia, we have a lot of kids on the HOPE Scholarship, but 1,800 of those on the REACH Scholarship are kids who might have never been in college under a scholarship otherwise. His wisdom, his knowledge, and his ability to bring that REACH Program together is building future contributors who otherwise might have been future wards of the state.\r\nIronically, we are now debating the criminal justice system in the Senate. We are going to have some votes later on today on that and big debates about it all day long. We have been talking about both sides of the issue. Are you letting them out too early? Are you not letting them out too early?\r\nNathan Deal was the originator of reform of the criminal justice system to see to it that those who were getting ready to get out anyway--let me repeat that--those who were getting ready to get out anyway had an opportunity that when they got out, they would have more of an education or better preparedness for work because of the programs created by Governor Deal so that they could volunteer in prison if they wanted to, not just as a bribe for them to study or do something well, but to give them a chance and sell them on the promise of a job and a future rather than just being a recidivist on early release.\r\nBy doing so, there are some amazing statistics that have happened in our state in terms of the number of people who have gotten released who are getting jobs who weren't before and the increase in the number of African Americans in prison who are getting out and going to work rather than going back to prison. People he has reached out to in our prison system--we have had a decrease in our [prison] population not because we didn't convict them, not because they aren't serving their time, but because those who, when they got out under the other programs we have, they got an education in their last couple years in prison and got out and made something of their lives.\r\nThat is the way you do things. It is easy for any of us to take the easy thing to do, but the hard thing to do is something a lot of politicians won't reach out for, but Nathan Deal has.\r\nSomething else hard to do is getting kids to read. I have three children and eight grandchildren. I was chairman of the board of education in my state, and I know some kids love to read, but a lot of them hate it. I used to always tell kids: You know, if you can't read, you can't do anything. If you can read, you can do everything.\r\nNathan's wife, Sandra, who is one of the most wonderful women you could ever possibly hope to meet, dedicated her services as first lady to reading comprehension for kids. In eight years, she visited 1,000 schools in our 181 school systems and 159 counties. The reading scores in our state have gone up, not down. The focus on reading has gone up in our schools. Because of Sandra's leadership and her example, because she got in and did it, they are doing wonders.\r\nWhen the federal government came out with our program on parks--you know the little passbook you get now when you go to a federal park and you get it stamped, kind of like a passport--she did the same thing for our state parks, partnering with the federal government to increase the use by our kids and our families of the parklands they pay for as taxpayers.\r\nI could go on and on and on, but to do so might be to talk too much. But you can't say too much about somebody who has contributed eight years of their life to their state and brought home so many things--first in economic development, first in job creation, first in really making a difference in education, first in reforming the criminal justice system, first in getting cyber technology as the main heart and soul of Georgia's focus in the future--all those things.\r\nAnd his two partners on the A-Team--Chris Riley, his chief of staff, and his wife, Sandra--deserve equal credit with Nathan. I know I am supposed to brag about just Nathan, but I want to brag about all of them because I know them and worked with them daily. Those three as a combination make a great team.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-center?ContentRecord_id=5B2D55FA-BB40-4581-BDB0-370586276FD6", "Isakson Pays Tribute to Georgia Governor Nathan Deal", "2018-12-18", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Johnny Isakson", "I000055", "www.isakson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., delivered remarks on the Senate floor to pay tribute to departing Georgia Governor Nathan Deal, who will be leaving at the end of his term.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=AB6BCDC2-D154-4618-BED1-C1211D83B1E1", "Isakson Votes for Reform of Criminal Justice, Prison System", "2018-12-18", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Johnny Isakson", "I000055", "www.isakson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today voted for bipartisan legislation to reform the criminal justice system in the United States and make our communities safer. The First Step Act of 2018 passed the Senate by a vote of 87-12. The legislation will now head to the U.S. House of Representatives for a vote.\r\nIn addition to lowering crime rates, enhancing prison security and improving officer safety, the First Step Act of 2018, S.3649, also reforms mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines and prepares inmates for a successful return to society.\r\nIn Georgia, we've already seen positive results from our criminal justice reform efforts led by Governor Nathan Deal, and I'm glad to see this push at the federal level, because we know it can work, said Isakson. Representative Doug Collins deserves real credit for this bipartisan effort, which has earned widespread support in Congress, from our state and law enforcement officials, our churches and faith communities. These reforms can help change lives and help ensure a better long-term outcome by focusing on rehabilitation of low-level, non-violent offenders so that they can become productive members of our society. I'm pleased to see this legislation advance.\r\nTo rehabilitate prisoners and help prevent future offences, the First Step Act allows prisoners to earn time credits for pre-release custody through participation in vocational training, educational coursework, or faith-based programs that will help them successfully reenter society.\r\nThe First Step Act targets a specific population of federal prisoners who will eventually be released. It ensures that violent and high-risk criminals convicted of certain serious offenses are ineligible for sentencing reduction and other portions of the programing, including those who are convicted of crimes related to terrorism, murder, sexual exploitation of children, espionage, violent firearms offences, or those who are organizers, leaders, managers or supervisors in the fentanyl and heroin drug trade, along with those who are subject to a final order of removal under the Immigration and Nationality Act.\r\nThe bill would also makes a number of improvements to prison conditions, such as prohibiting the use of restraints on pregnant inmates, requiring that inmates be housed within 500 miles of their home, and extending compassionate elderly early release provisions.\r\nU.S. Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga.-09, introduced an earlier version of the Formerly Incarcerated Reenter Society Transformed Safely Transitioning Every Person Act, or FIRST STEP Act, in the U.S. House of Representatives, where it passed on May 22, 2018. Collins has been selected as the lead Republican on the House Judiciary Committee for the next session of Congress beginning in January 2019.\r\nThe First Step Act has been endorsed by the National Fraternal Order of Police and other law enforcement officials and organizations, the National Governor's Association, and a broad coalition of conservative, progressive and faith groups. President Trump has also indicated that he supports the measure.\r\nThe full text of the bill can be found online here, along with a fact sheet and a section-by-section breakdown of the measure.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.perdue.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-david-perdue-supports-bipartisan-first-step-act", "Senator David Perdue Supports Bipartisan First Step Act", "2018-12-18", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "David Perdue", "P000612", "www.perdue.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Skip to primary navigation Skip to content\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t    \n\t      \n\t      \n\t        \n\t       \t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Meet David\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Connect\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Helping You\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  News", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://allen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1652", "Allen Legislation to Rename Statesboro VA Clinic Signed Into Law", "2018-12-17", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Rick Allen", "A000372", "allen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Allen Legislation to Rename Statesboro VA Clinic Signed Into Law \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        December 17, 2018\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n      \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      U.S. Congressman Rick W. Allen (R-Ga-12) issued the following statement after President Donald Trump signed H.R. 3946 into law, legislation sponsored by Congressman Allen to rename the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) community-based outpatient clinic in Statesboro, Georgia, the Ray Hendrix Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic.\r\nSergeant Major Ray Hendrix committed his life to serving our nation and defending the freedoms that we, as Americans, are so blessed to have, said Congressman Rick Allen. After forty-two years of fearless and dedicated service, Sergeant Major Hendrix made it his duty to give back to the veterans' community in Georgia by being an effective and valued board member of the State Veterans Service Board, fighting to establish the Statesboro VA Clinic, serving as an active voice in the American Legion, and much more. I can think of no one better to have their name honored at the local VA clinic in Bulloch County.\r\nI am thrilled that we were able to get this legislation across the finish line to officially rename this facility to the Ray Hendrix Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic and I have no doubt that Ray Hendrix's name and legacy will live on for generations to come with the quality care that this clinic will continue to provide to our nation's bravest.\r\n ###  \r\n\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hankjohnson.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/judge-struck-down-obamacare-nationwide-heres-how-it-could-affect-georgia", "A judge struck down Obamacare nationwide. Here's how it could affect Georgia:", "2018-12-17", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Hank Johnson", "J000288", "hankjohnson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Lithonia, stressed the popularity of the law's protections as a reason Democrats won back control of the House.\nThis 2018 campaign, which yielded Democrats 40 more seats, was premised upon in large part protecting and improving the protections of the Affordable Care Act, and I expect that's what the House of Representatives under Democratic leadership is pass legislation to do just that, he said. He called the decision a fit of judicial activism.\nRead More", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://johnlewis.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-john-lewis-faulty-texas-obamacare-ruling", "Rep. John Lewis on Faulty Texas Obamacare Ruling", "2018-12-17", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "John Lewis", "L000287", "johnlewis.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The court's decision in Texas v. United States was purely political, and it has been rejected by legislators and commentators on both sides of the health care debate. It changes nothing for now and many believe it will certainly be will appealed. I cannot imagine the rollercoaster many families and patients are on who had finally gained health care for their children and those with chronic illnesses through the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, only to have partisan attack dogs try to dismantle it.\nParty politics should not come into play when people's lives hang in the balance. I hope for the sake of 27 million people who are living in doubt about their access to healthcare that Congress will take action on this matter and secure health coverage for all Americans, but especially the most vulnerable. I've said it before, healthcare is a right that should not depend on the size of a wallet or the digits in a zip code. Everyone should have access to affordable healthcare. Democrats will stay in the struggle until that mandate becomes a reality.\n####", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://johnlewis.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-john-lewis-offers-houses-congratulations-atlanta-united", "Rep. John Lewis Offers House's Congratulations to Atlanta United", "2018-12-17", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "John Lewis", "L000287", "johnlewis.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives congratulates Atlanta United FC and its dedicated fans on winning the 2018 Major League Soccer Cup championship; recognizes the contributions of the Atlanta United FC players, coaches, and leadership of the organization; and joins with the people of Atlanta and soccer fans everywhere in celebrating Atlanta United FC's first championship victory.\nThat is the text of a resolution authored by Rep. John Lewis and signed by the entire Georgia House delegation, except one, to offer Congressional recognition to the Atlanta United for delivering the first national championship title Atlanta has received in 23 years and the first of this century. The resolution was introduced last week. The House was out of session the week before the parade due to commemorations for the late President George H.W. Bush.\nWinning a national championship at any time is wonderful, said Rep. Lewis, but winning it during this period of bitter partisanship is a blessing. Sports helps bridge all kinds of barriers that people set against each other.It brings the city and even the state together to rally around something that we all agree is good. It's a great way to head into the holiday season with a spirit of joy, happiness, and goodwill to all humankind. And it reminds my colleagues here what is possible when people of different persuasions work together toward one meaningful goal. I hope the United win will serve as an inspiration to us all.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletter-archive/washington-watch-121718", "Washington Watch - 12/17/18", "2018-12-17", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Rob Woodall", "W000810", "woodall.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "FARM BILL APPROVED BY CONGRESS; WILL SOON BECOME LAW\nAfter months of negotiations, Congress has sent the 2018 Farm Bill to President Trump's desk for his signature; the last step needed to provide stability and predictability to Georgia's number one industry, agriculture, for the next five years. The measure garnered overwhelming bipartisan support, easily passing the Senate by a vote of 87-13, and with my support, it passed the House by a vote of 369-47. As you may recall from my newsletter back in June, this was no easy effort, as it took two tries to get it across the House floor back then, but now that we've gotten to this point, I'm excited for this bill to begin delivering for Georgia farmers, especially those who have been devastated by this year's hurricanes. This bill will strengthen the safety net programs they depend on to produce and support an industry we all depend on to put dinner on the table and clothes on our backs.\nI'm incredibly proud of the work of House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX) and Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN), as well as our fellow Georgians, Representatives Austin Scott, Rick Allen, and David Scott, to build consensus in addressing the priority needs of America's farmers and ranchers. In Washington, D.C., we may struggle sometimes to find ways in which we can work across party lines to provide the solutions Americans need and deserve, but I am pleased that we were able to set our differences aside last week to do our job and pass a good bill for food producers and consumers.\n\nHOUSE SUPPORTS DEMOCRACY AND HUMANITARIAN AID AROUND THE WORLD\nAs the leader of the free world, the United States of America has both a self-interest and a moral obligation to promote universal values abroad, especially the values of a free and open press and religious freedom. And last week, I had the opportunity to vote for a number of bills that move the needle further in the direction of freedom. For instance, we called on Burma to release two journalists imprisoned for reporting on the government's military attacks on civilians, reaffirmed our alliance with South Korea, condemned the Assad regime in Syria for continuing to support crimes against humanity, opposed the completion of a pipeline intended to make Europe more reliant on Russian energy, and established a policy framework to improve transparency, accountability, and partnership with the Indo-Pacific region. Many of the bills we voted on are now headed to President Trump's desk to be signed into law, and I am proud that even in the midst of tense, high-stakes spending negotiations, the House of Representatives is making it a priority to get this important work done as the year winds to a close.\n\nCONGRESS PASSES SEXUAL HARRASSMENT REFORM MEASURE\nAs 2018 comes to a close, we're starting to see year-end recaps and reviews in magazines and on television that highlight the trends, movements, and big events that will forever denote 2018 in the history books. From relocating our Israeli embassy to Jerusalem, to delivering solutions to families grappling with opioid addiction, to the Atlanta United Soccer team winning the city's first championship since the Braves won the World Series in 1995, there has been a lot to track this past year. Notably, there were also several social movements that sparked discussions and raised awareness about issues and topics in our communities and workplaces. The dialogue that coincided with these movements never once fell on deaf ears in Congress, and I can assure you that Congress is always looking for ways to appropriately respond to the American people. With the rise of the Me Too and Time's Up movements, we have seen how powerful the voice of the people can be by putting a spotlight on those who have perpetuated sexual assault and by bringingthem to justice. I am proud that Congress has acted in the movement against sexual assault and harassment by passing legislation to combat and prevent sexual assault right here on Capitol Hill.\nIn fact, many of you may recall that the House and Senate passed resolutions earlier in the 115th Congress requiring each Congressional office toadoptananti-harassment and anti-discrimination policy, and requiringeach Member, officer, and employee in Congress to completemandatory anti-harassment and anti-discrimination training during each session of Congress. That said, Congress recently took its commitment even further, as both the House and Senate passed last week a series of reforms to the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995. Specifically, these reforms willrevise the administrative and judicial dispute resolution procedures in Congress to create a fairer, more efficientadjudicationprocess and to better accommodatevictimsof sexual harassment. While sexual assault and harassment are complicated issues that cannot necessarily be solved by legislation, I hope that the steps Congress has taken will encourage all employers to take every necessary step to combat sexual harassment and maintain a safe, healthy working environment for all.\n\nCONSTITUENT SPOTLIGHT: THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM\nWith the Farm Bill's passage last week, I heard from many constituents who were concerned about nearly every portionof the massive bill, from prioritizing conservation to protecting local markets to preventing animal cruelty. The most popular concern came from folks who cared about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), popularly known as food stamps. What was unique about their concern, however, was that it wasn't about SNAP benefit changes for American families, but it was in support of expanding the program to allow benefits to be used to purchase food for pets. Nearly 200 constituents sent the following petition to my office:\nEach year, over 40 million low- or no-income people in the United States rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to help purchase food for themselves and their families. It is the most wide-reaching program in the domestic hunger safety net, helping keep millions of families from starving. Unfortunately, SNAP benefits cannot be used to buy pet food, leaving poor families with pets in a difficult position. I have signed a Care2 petition because I think SNAP benefits should extend nutrition assistance to include pet food! Some argue that people should not keep pets if they cannot afford them, but the fact is that an individual or family's financial status can change at any time. Should someone be forced to give up a pet they've had for years just because they hit a financial rough patch? Or should they be able to utilize federal aid to continue feeding their pet? Pets are also important for emotional support. Being poor is hard enough without being expected to give up your companion. For most people, pets are considered family, not property.\n______________________________________________________________________________\n\nWhile I wholeheartedly share their passion for ensuring the welfare of pets across the nation, I hope that each one of those 200 constituents knows about the many non-governmental organizations in Georgia and throughout the country which dedicate themselves to providing financial and other assistance to pet owners in need. The Humane Society of the United States' website, for example, has a long list of organizations that will provide free or reduced price pet food to those in need. Given the private sector's assistance in this area, and the limited resources the federal government has available for SNAP, I do not believe it would be responsible to divert any SNAP funds from the 42 million Americans who are depending on those benefits for basic food security.\nThat said, I do agree we can do more to improve the SNAP program. The Farm Bill included some important reforms to allow the program to better provide these benefits to those truly in need. Making up around 80 percent of the Farm Bill's total cost, the nutrition section includes provisions to prevent fraud in the SNAP program by expanding the Department of Agriculture's National Accuracy Clearinghouse to share data between states, ensuring that individuals do not double dip and receive SNAP benefits in multiple states. Further, the bill also increases support for SNAP job training programs to help SNAP beneficiaries learn skills that can lead to steady employment; thereby moving them off SNAP and into well-paying, full-time work.\nWhile I certainly believe there is more that can be done improve the SNAP program and lift those in need from poverty to prosperity, these improvements are a good step in the right direction. I look forward to partnering with you all in the coming Congress to give our neighbors in need a helping hand.\n\nSHARING HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS, BUILDING UNITY\nHanukkah came to a close one week ago, but in case you missed this wonderful story from right here at home, I wanted to share it with you  and encourage you to take part in this great community celebration next year! Forsyth County and the Seventh District is such a welcoming, diverse place to call home. You can feel that unity in so many ways! I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to get to know Rabbi Mentz and so many in Congregation Beth Israel and Chabad Forsyth. Their commitment to making our community second to none in the way we embrace one another regardless of background or differences is inspiring and invaluable. To quote Rabbi Mentz, we need to see ourselves as menorahs; those that every day add light. Always adding in goodness and kindness and light, always finding more ways to make this world a better place. I couldn't agree more, and I couldn't be prouder that this is the kind of message that resonates through our places of worship, businesses, organizations and homes. I hope this holiday season has been, and will continue to be, a wonderful time for you all!\n\nREMEMBERING OUR REMARKABLE NON-PROFITS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON\nGenerosity is embedded into who we are in the Seventh District. There's no doubt about that. At the individual level, community level, throughout remarkable non-profit organizations and beyond, we take care of each other. While we have an abundance of generosity, the reality is there is also a great deal of need that the holidays can accentuate. Our non-profit and charitable organizations do such a fantastic job of leading the service effort, but as is always the case, they need a strong partnership with those of us in the community who are able to share our time and resources. With the holiday and Christmas season now in full swing, there is a tremendous opportunity to leverage that partnership even more to make a difference in the lives of families across the region. At every turn, we have men and women leading by example now and throughout the year. I've been fortunate to witness first-hand what so many service-oriented groups are doing, and I never cease to be moved by the passion with which neighbors are helping neighbors in so many ways. By remembering those less fortunate, we make the place we call home an even better place. Thank you all for what you do!\n\nTHE WEEK AHEAD\nThis week, as the House is expected to finish its work for the 115th Congress, I hope that we will be acting on an end of the year funding package to allow those federal agencies currently operating under a Continuing Resolution to receive the rest of their FY19 money. As you know, there is significant discussion on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, from the Capitol to the White House, about how much money is enough money for an additional installment of border security funding. While those discussions will continue into next year and beyond, I hope that we can come together on a reasonable plan to provide the Department of Homeland Security with needed funds to ensure that our border is more secure and that border security agents are empowered to keep criminals out of the United States.\nAlong with that year-end funding package, I also expect that the House will pass additional legislation that members from both sides of the aisle have been working to get across the finish line for month or even years in some cases. You can always CLICK HERE to see a full list of legislation to be considered on the House floor.\n  \n\tSincerely,    \n\tRob Woodall  \n\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=5173E4B5-C63A-4E30-99F9-D4344009511E", "Isakson Statement on Senator Lamar Alexander", "2018-12-17", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Johnny Isakson", "I000055", "www.isakson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., issued the following statement after Senator Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., today announced his retirement in 2020. Isakson sits on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions where Alexander serves as chairman. The senators have long worked together on policy, and in particular in the area of education.\r\nSenator Alexander's decision to retire in 2020 is a great loss to me personally, because he has been a great friend. More importantly, he has been a great son of Tennessee, U.S. secretary of education, president of the University of Tennessee and a committed public servant of the United States.\r\nI can't thank Lamar enough for his work, and I look forward to continuing to work together with him during the next two years.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-center?ContentRecord_id=F829F0EF-E6BE-4187-AB15-6340EB975A16", "Investing in Georgians", "2018-12-14", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Johnny Isakson", "I000055", "www.isakson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear friends,On Tuesday, I was pleased the Senate passed the bipartisan Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, known as the Farm Bill. The legislation will help strengthen our agricultural economy in Georgia and the United States over the next five years. After being passed by both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives this week, it now moves to the president's desk to be signed into law.The 2018 Farm Bill will provide certainty and predictability to farmers and ranchers by improving crop insurance coverage and reauthorizing farm and conservation programs. It also provides assistance to rural communities through expansion of broadband, opioid addiction treatment programs, and support for agriculture programs for veterans.As the senior senator from the state of Georgia where agriculture is our leading industry, I was proud to support the Farm Bill to help our farmers today and in the long term. Our nation's farmers face near-constant uncertainty in their day-to-day operations as they work to feed the world. This bill anticipates future challenges and helps ensure that our policies reflect the needs of our farmers. More Help for Georgia Farmers  On Tuesday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers signed a revised Waters of the United States rule, which would provide much-needed clarity to Georgia farmers and landowners and prevent overreaching federal regulation of private and state waters under the rule previously implemented by the Obama administration.I have long argued that the previous administration's overreaching rule allowed the federal government to regulate nearly all private and state waters in the United States, including thousands of streams, creeks, wetlands, ponds and ditches.This action by the Trump administration is a relief to Georgia's farmers and our agriculture industry. This new commonsense definition will restore state and private property rights while preserving the appropriate role of the federal government in protecting waterways that cross state lines. In Other News\r\n\r\nLast week, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced that Georgia's highway system will receive a federal grant to assist with an interchange project in Barrow County, Ga. The Georgia Department of Transportation will receive an award of $24,821,050 for a project at the intersection of State Route 316 (SR 316)/U.S. Route 29 and State Route 11 (SR 11) to improve traffic flow and accommodate future widening of SR 316. I was glad to help support this project, and I appreciate the attention and leadership shown by Secretary Chao and President Trump to prioritize Americans' needs through investments in our infrastructure that will help hardworking families and our economy.\r\n\r\n\r\nI was very proud the Senate passed a resolution on Tuesday night that I introduced with Senator David Perdue to recognize the 40th anniversary of Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, located in Camden Co., Ga.\r\n\r\n\r\nBoth chambers of Congress have now passed a bill I introduced along with Sen. Perdue and Reps. Sanford Bishop and Drew Ferguson to rename a Columbus, Ga., post office the Richard W. Williams, Jr., Chapter of the Triple Nickles (555th P.I.A.) Post Office in honor of Columbus-area veterans who served in military units that originated from the Army's first all-black parachute unit, which was activated at Fort Benning in December 1943. The measure now moves to the president's desk to become law.\r\n\r\n\r\nSenate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch will be retiring at the end of the year after seven terms in the U.S. Senate. The longest-serving Republican in the Senate, Senator Hatch has been a great chairman, friend and example for our country. I thanked him for his years of service, mentorship and friendship during our committee hearing on Tuesday.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSenator Dean Heller is one of a kind and someone I am very proud to have served with on the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. On Wednesday, I delivered remarks on the Senate floor to pay tribute to him as he departs the Senate at the end of his term. He will be greatly missed, but I wish him all the best in his next endeavor.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nI appreciate America's Essential Hospitals for presenting me with the Congressional Leader Award for my work on behalf of hospitals, including upholding the current level of Medicaid funding for disproportionate share hospitals.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIt's an honor to have earned the 2018 Champion of Aid Reform from the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network along with such leaders as Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Senator Bob Corker and Senator Chris Coons for our work to improve the effectiveness of U.S. foreign assistance.\r\n\r\n\r\nWhat's on Tap?\r\nThe Senate continues to work on funding for seven of 12 areas of government funding for 2019.\r\nSincerely,\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn Case You Missed It", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=138FC55F-B01C-45D4-9487-886131F308DA", "Isakson, Perdue Honor 40th Anniversary of Kings Bay", "2018-12-14", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Johnny Isakson", "I000055", "www.isakson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "ATLANTA  U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and David Perdue, R-Ga., applauded Senate passage of a resolution Wednesday honoring the 40th anniversary of Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, which was established on July 1, 1978, in Kings Bay, Ga. \r\nNaval Submarine Base Kings Bay is a critical player in our nuclear deterrence strategy, which is key to our national defense and to protecting Americans from the threat of nuclear war, said Isakson, chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. I'm proud that the Senate has recognized this incredible Georgia-based installation and the men and women who work there each day as we celebrate its 40th anniversary this year. \r\nCongratulations to Kings Bay and the Camden County community on this major milestone, said Perdue, member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. As home to the Atlantic fleet of the Ohio-class submarine, Kings Bay plays an integral role in our national defense and strategic deterrence. It's an honor to help recognize The Camden Partnership and the coastal Georgia community for their strong support of Kings Bay through the years. As they say, every day in Camden County is military appreciation day.' \r\nThere is a close knit relationship between Kings Bay and the Camden County community, said Sheila M. McNeill, President of The Camden Partnership. We are proud to be a part of this great base and honored to help celebrate its 40 successful years. The Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guard who are stationed here are an integral part of this community, and it gives us all great pride to support the Defense Department's number one mission. \r\nIn 1954, the U.S. Army began to build a military ocean terminal to ship ammunition in case of a national emergency. Since there was no immediate operational need for the installation, the base was placed in an inactive ready status. After evaluating more than 60 sites along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, the U.S. Navy selected Kings Bay as the new home of Submarine Squadron 16. The base was transferred from the Army to the Navy, and on July 1, 1978, Naval Submarine Support Base Kings Bay was established in a developmental status. \r\nToday, Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay is home to six ballistic missile submarines and two guided missile submarines. Kings Bay is responsible for $1,142,000,000 in total economic output to the Camden County area. In 2007, Kings Bay was named the top military installation in the Department of Defense. \r\nRead the full text of the resolution here. \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.perdue.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senators-perdue-isakson-honor-40th-anniversary-of-kings-bay", "Senators Perdue, Isakson Honor 40th Anniversary Of Kings Bay", "2018-12-14", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "David Perdue", "P000612", "www.perdue.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Skip to primary navigation Skip to content\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t    \n\t      \n\t      \n\t        \n\t       \t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Meet David\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Connect\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Helping You\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  News", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://dougcollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/collins-perdue-work-improve-recreation-northeast-georgia", "Collins, Perdue Work To Improve Recreation In Northeast Georgia", "2018-12-13", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Doug Collins", "C001093", "dougcollins.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONRep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) and Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) applaud passage of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest Land Adjustment Act in the 2018 Farm Bill, which now heads to President Trump's desk to become law. This provision will allow the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to better manage Georgia's forests so that residents can enjoy these natural resources.\nNortheast Georgians have always been thoughtful stewards of their beautiful landscape, and the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest Land Adjustment Act will expand their opportunities to hunt, fish, hike and care for local forests. On behalf of the Georgians who spend their time and make their living using our state's forests, I'm thankful that my friend David Perdue and I were able to bring these improvements to land management over the finish line,said Collins.\nThis is an important step toward making the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest more manageable for park rangers and more accessible to the community,said Perdue, member of the Senate Agriculture Committee.Updated park boundaries will improve opportunities for hunting, fishing, and hiking in northeast Georgia while making better use of taxpayer money. This was one of my top priorities for the 2018 Farm Bill, and I'm glad Doug Collins and I were able secure these solutions for our forests during final negotiations.\nThe passing of this Act is a historic moment for Georgia, and it will provide more opportunities for hunting, fishing, hiking and outdoor enjoyment,said Andrew Schock, Georgia State Director for The Conservation Fund.We thank U.S. Senator David Perdue, U.S. Representative Doug Collins, and the other members of the Georgia congressional delegation that cosponsored these bills, for their commitment to enact a smart and sustainable solution for Georgia's Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests, both a natural treasure and a critical economic generator.\nThanks to the leadership of Senator Perdue and Representative Collins, the passage of this Act is a conservation win for Georgia,said Deron Davis, Executive Director of The Nature Conservancy in Georgia.The money generated from the sales of these small areas of land will be put towards buying more critical lands for conservation and recreation, a result that benefits all Georgians.\nSen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) and Reps. Rick Allen (R-Ga.), Sanford Bishop(D-Ga.), Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.), Tom Graves (R-Ga.), Karen Handel (R-Ga.), Jody Hice (R-Ga.), Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), Austin Scott (R-Ga.) and Rob Woodall (R-Ga.) co-sponsored this bill.\nBackground on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest Land Adjustment Act:\nCurrently, the USFS owns many tracts of Georgia land that exist as small, isolated parcels. As Georgia grows, its development has left some of these spaces disconnected from the core lands of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest.\nInstead of wasting taxpayer resources maintaining lands that most Georgianscan't access, the USFS has identified critical pieces of land that could be added to federal forests in order to connect existing public tracts, streamline land management, better protect wildlife and increase the recreational opportunities found in northeast Georgia's forests.\nWith this in view, the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest Land Adjustment Act would allow the USFS to sell these isolated parcels of largely unusable land and use the proceeds of those sales only to buy critical land inholdings from willing sellers in Georgia.This legislation would not allow the USFS to expand the forest beyond its current boundaries.As a result, Georgians can enjoy greater recreational options and the more than $1 billion in annual revenue that those opportunities yield.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://dougcollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/postal-service-ignores-residents-green-street-relocation", "Postal Service Ignores Residents in Green Street Relocation", "2018-12-13", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Doug Collins", "C001093", "dougcollins.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "GAINSEVILLE, Ga.The United States Postal Service (USPS) has apparently disregarded its own regulations in its efforts to relocate its facility at364 Green St NE in Gainesville, Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) has learned.\nResidents have been advocating for the relocation of the Green Street post office for decades, and the Postal Service has turned a deaf ear to these requests since 1975. Now, it appears that the Postal Service has decided to forgo community input related to where the post office should make its new home,said Collins.\nGainesville residents depend on the Postal Service to help their businesses and households run smoothly, and it's outrageous that bureaucrats would circumvent community voices in this process.I will do everything in my power to ensure that the Postal Service plays by its own rules and collaborates with the city of Gainesville to ensure this relocation serves residents.\nBackground:\nThe USPS opened the Green Street post office in 1967, and, eight years later, the city of Gainesville unanimously voted to request that the USPS relocate the Green Street facility due to safety concerns. Despite this, the USPS purchased the Green Street building 16 years later.\nIn January 2018, a representative of the USPS came to the Gainesville City Council meeting and noticed that the USPS would consider relocating the Green Street facility. With Collins' support, the USPS announced its decision to relocate the facility and proceed with consideration of new locations in March 2018.\nAccording to USPS regulations, once the agency decides to relocate an existing facility, the USPS must advertise for potential sites to house the new facility and then advise local officials in writing of all contending sites as well as explanations behind sites that are not being considered. The USPS must then seek public comments from local officials and the community for 30 days, during which the USPS cannot make a decision on the relocation site.\nInstead of following these regulations, which Collins asked the agency to respect on multiple occasions, the USPS seems to have disregarded them comprehensively by failing to advertise for potential sites and existing buildings, to identify sites in consideration and advise local officials in writing of the contending sites and to seek community feedback on those proposed sites. In doing so, it seems the USPS has purposefully and willfully ignored what is best for the people of the Ninth District of Georgia.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/floor-and-committee-statements?ContentRecord_id=79D54EE8-AD94-4EE6-94A4-BBCB54407BEB", "Floor Speech Paying Tribute to Departing Senator Dean Heller", "2018-12-13", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Johnny Isakson", "I000055", "www.isakson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Madam President, as chairman of the Veterans Committee, for the last four years I have had the privilege of working with Dean Heller from Nevada.\r\nIn his opening remarks in his farewell speech, he spoke about his compassion for veterans. I have seen it up close and personal. His value as a member of that committee to me is invaluable. I could not have had a better member.\r\nWe had a lot of tough votes that had to be taken. A lot of times I had to count noses, and I knew I could count on him when it got to committee. This is a guy you could count on 100 percent of the time, every day.\r\nHe cares about what he is doing. He knows what he is doing. He is an affable person who is fun to be with, even if you disagree on things. Dean is one of a kind, in my opinion, and someone I am very proud to have served with on the committee. I wish he were going to be there for my last two years as chairman so that I could count on him a little bit more.\r\nDean is the real deal. He is the guy you can put money in the bank on. He has helped a lot.\r\nI wish him the very best. His service to the country is invaluable. I served with him in the House and in the Senate. For the whole 20 years he has been here, I have been here too. I have seen him in countless tough votes. Whether it is Part D of Medicare or whatever it might be, he has always been there to be counted on.\r\nHe has stood up for the state of Nevada, whether the issue was nuclear energy, nuclear storage, nuclear waste, or nuclear bombs.\r\nNevada is a great state. This is a great Senate, and we have a great country. One of the reason we do is we have great individuals like Dean Heller.\r\nGod bless you, and I wish you the best.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=9538BADD-2C1E-4124-A44A-2D8C84B9346A", "Isakson Condemns Murder of Jamal Khashoggi", "2018-12-13", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Johnny Isakson", "I000055", "www.isakson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, today joined his Senate colleagues in introducing a Senate joint resolution holding Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and columnist for the Washington Post. The resolution was adopted by the full Senate by voice vote on December 13.\r\nThe resolution condemns Khashoggi's killing and insists on accountability for those involved in his death. The resolution was led by U.S. Senator Bob Corker, R-Tenn., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and cosponsored by Isakson along with Senators Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, John Boozman, R-Ark., Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Pat Toomey, R-Pa., Cory Gardner, R-Colo., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio.\r\nText of the resolution is below and available online here.\r\nTitle: Supporting a Diplomatic Solution in Yemen and Condemning the Murder of Jamal Khashoggi.\r\nWhereas the ongoing civil war in Yemen has exacerbated that country's humanitarian crisis, in which nearly 12,000,000 people are suffering from severe hunger, according to the United Nations' World Food Programme;\r\nWhereas there is no military solution to the conflict;\r\nWhereas the United States-Saudi Arabia relationship is important to United States national security and economic interests;\r\nWhereas the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has, in recent years, engaged in concerning behavior, including its conduct in the civil war in Yemen, apparent detention of the Prime Minister of Lebanon, undermining the unity of the Gulf Cooperation Council, expulsion of the Canadian ambassador, suppression of dissent within the Kingdom, and the murder of Jamal Khashoggi;\r\nWhereas misleading statements by the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia regarding the murder of Jamal Khashoggi have undermined trust and confidence in the longstanding friendship between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; and\r\nWhereas such erratic actions place unnecessary strain on the United States-Saudi Arabia relationship, which is an essential element of regional stability: Now, therefore, be it\r\nResolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Senate\r\n(1) believes Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi;\r\n(2) acknowledges the United States Government has sanctioned 17 Saudi individuals under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act (subtitle F of title XII of Public Law 114328; 22 U.S.C. 2656 note) for their roles in the murder;\r\n(3) calls for the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to ensure appropriate accountability for all those responsible for Jamal Khashoggi's murder;\r\n(4) calls on the Government of Saudi Arabia to release Raif Badawi, Samar Badawi, and the Saudi women's rights activists who were arrested as political prisoners in 2018;\r\n(5) encourages the Government of Saudi Arabia to redouble its efforts to enact economic and social reforms;\r\n(6) calls on the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to respect the rights of its citizens and moderate its increasingly erratic foreign policy;\r\n(7) warns that the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's increasing purchases of military equipment from, and cooperation with, the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China, challenges the strength and integrity of the long-standing military-to-military relationship between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and may introduce significant national security and economic risks to both parties;\r\n(8) demands that all parties seek an immediate cease-fire and negotiated political solution to the Yemen conflict and increased humanitarian assistance to the victims of the conflict;\r\n(9) condemns the Government of Iran's provision of advanced lethal weapons to Houthi rebels, which have perpetuated the conflict and have been used indiscriminately against civilian targets in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the Bab al Mandeb waterway;\r\n(10) condemns Houthi rebels for egregious human rights abuses, including torture, use of human shields, and interference with, and diversion of, humanitarian aid shipments;\r\n(11) demands that the Saudi-led coalition and all parties to the Yemen conflict seek to minimize civilian casualties at all times;\r\n(12) supports the peace negotiations currently being managed by United Nations Special Envoy Martin Griffiths and encourages the United States Government to provide all possible support to these diplomatic efforts;\r\n(13) declares that there is no statutory authorization for United States involvement in hostilities in the Yemen civil war; and\r\n(14) supports the end of air-to-air refueling of Saudi-led coalition aircraft operating in Yemen.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.perdue.senate.gov/news/press-releases/columbus-post-office-to-be-named-after-fort-benning-unit", "Columbus Post Office To Be Named After Fort Benning Unit", "2018-12-13", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "David Perdue", "P000612", "www.perdue.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Skip to primary navigation Skip to content\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t    \n\t      \n\t      \n\t        \n\t       \t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Meet David\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Connect\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Helping You\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  News", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.perdue.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-perdue-congressman-scott-secure-funding-for-hbcu-agriculture-scholarships", "Senator Perdue, Congressman Scott Secure Funding For HBCU Agriculture Scholarships", "2018-12-13", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "David Perdue", "P000612", "www.perdue.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Skip to primary navigation Skip to content\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t    \n\t      \n\t      \n\t        \n\t       \t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Meet David\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Connect\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Helping You\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  News", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://davidscott.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398123", "Congressman David Scott Floor Remarks Supporting Bipartisan 2018 Farm Bill Conference Report", "2018-12-12", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "David Scott", "S001157", "davidscott.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today Congressman David Scott (GA-13) delivered the following remarks on the House Floor in strong support of the Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 2  Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. \r\n\r\n\r\n    \r\n        \r\n            \r\n        \r\n    \r\n\r\n\r\nClick here to watch video of Congressman Scott's remarks. \r\n\r\n\"Thank you very much Mr. Speaker. Ladies and Gentlemen this is a great farm bill. There's so much in it, so many great things. But in this farm bill is perhaps the absolute best example of bipartisanship at its best. To have Democrats and Republicans working together to give $80 million dollars to African American 1890s Land Grant Colleges and Universities. I just want to say a big thank you. I want to thank our Ranking Member Mr. Peterson, and I want to thank Mike Conaway, who started with me on this journey. God bless you Mike, thank you so much for your help. And I want to thank our friends over on the Senate side. I want to thank Senator David Perdue, who took the reins over there and helped put the money back in. I want to also thank Sen. Roberts, the Chairman of the Senate committee. I want to thank my staffer, Ashley Smith, my Legislative Director, who worked night and day with me on this bill.  And I want to thank God Almighty. Ladies and Gentlemen, God had his hand on this: to pull Democrats and Republicans together, to give $80M to badly needed African American Land Grant Colleges and Universities. Only God could pull this together. We thank God for this blessing and for touching the hearts and the souls, and the spirits of all of my colleagues who will vote for this bill.  I want to thank also the staff of both the Senate Agriculture Committee as well as the House Agriculture Committee. Thank you all for the work that you did in this bill.  I thank you for all the people in America who are grateful for this. But especially the African American community thanks you for opening up these opportunities for their light to shine as well. Thank you.\r\n\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://davidscott.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398126", "Congressman Scott, Senator Perdue Secure Funding For HBCU Agriculture Scholarships", "2018-12-12", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "David Scott", "S001157", "davidscott.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Representative David Scott (D-GA-13) and U.S. Senator David Perdue (R-GA), both members of the Bipartisan Congressional Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus, have secured funding in the 2018 Farm Bill for agriculture-focused scholarships at Historically Black Land-Grant Colleges and Universities across the country.  This is Historic. A glorious example of bipartisanship, Democrats and Republicans, working together, said Congressman Scott, member of the House Agriculture Committee. I am especially proud of the $80M we have secured in funding for new scholarships for students attending the 19 African American 1890's land-grant colleges and universities across the nation. These scholarships will play a critical role in providing greater assistance for beginning farmers, and providing financial scholarships to bring more young people of all races who attend these outstanding universities for careers in the wonderful, and exciting, and growing world of agriculture businesses. I thank Senator David Perdue for his help getting the scholarships in the Senate bill. This is a great blessing from God and we are thankful. As a member of the HBCU Caucus, one of my top priorities is increasing opportunities for all students to pursue the skills they need to succeed, said Senator Perdue, member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Agriculture is Georgia's number one industry and a major reason why our state continues to be the best state in the country in which to do business. In order to secure the future of farming in Georgia and across the country, we have to find ways to encourage diverse and qualified leadership and ownership in our agricultural community. These scholarships will help young farmers become the nation's next agriculture leaders. I am very grateful for Congressman Scott's commitment and perseverance in supporting our HBCUs in Georgia. Background on the amendment secured by Congressman Scott and Senator Perdue:\r\n \r\n    In the Second Morrill Act of 1890, the 1890s Land grant institutions must receive funding through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) every 5 years. \r\n    Currently, these funds can be used for three purposes: research, education, and extension as authorized by the Farm Bill. Senator Perdue and Congressman Scott's amendment will add a fourth purpose  student scholarships  and will provide an additional $19 million dollars of funding annually for the 19 Historically Black Land-Grant colleges and universities. \r\n    The additional funds will be distributed by USDA and will apply to students with agriculture-focused studies, such as agribusiness, food production, distribution and retailing, clothing industries, and farming in marketing, finance, and distribution.\r\n \r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://allen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1635", "Allen: This Farm Bill is About Securing a Brighter Future for Rural America", "2018-12-12", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Rick Allen", "A000372", "allen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Congressman Rick W. Allen (R-Ga-12) released the following statement today after the House of Representatives passed the Conference Report to H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, better known as the farm bill. In July, Congressman Allen was selected as one of two conferees to represent the House Education and Workforce Committee during the farm bill conference process, where he worked closely with members of the House and Senate to finalize the Conference Report, which passed in both chambers this week.\r\nAt the end of the day, this farm bill is about securing a brighter future for rural America, said Congressman Allen. Facing a nearly 50% decline in net farm income over the past five years, our farmers and ranchers in Georgia and nationwide have had their backs against the wall for far too long. I can confidently say that today's legislation sets us on a brighter path moving forward. As a member of the Farm Bill Conference Committee, I believe the agreement we have reached will strengthen the farm safety net and provide a sense of certainty and flexibility for those who feed and clothe our nation. \r\nYet, this legislation is not perfect. I was hopeful that the bill would go further to provide those currently enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) with valuable opportunities to prepare for gainful employment. However, we made meaningful progress in improving program integrity and preserving the Administration's flexibility to enhance SNAP policy in the future and put Americans back to work. This bill was a culmination of the hard work we have done on the Agriculture Committee since I first came to Congress, and I was happy to offer my support for the Agriculture and Nutrition Act today so that it may go to the President's desk and reinvigorate rural America.\r\nKey wins in the Conference Report to H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act, are as follows:\r\n \r\n    Reauthorizes and strengthens the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) options through 2023\r\n \r\n \r\n    Provides certainty and flexibility to allow producers to make an annual decision between ARC and PLC\r\n \r\n \r\n    Improves and expands credit for farmers and ranchers\r\n \r\n \r\n    Includes over thirty improvements to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)\r\n \r\n \r\n    Improves SNAP integrity by addressing existing data and auditing shortfalls \r\n \r\n \r\n    Protects and enhances crop insurance\r\n \r\n \r\n    Strengthens our efforts to provide quality broadband to rural America\r\n \r\nChairman on the House Agriculture Committee, Congressman Mike Conaway (TX-11), said the following:\r\nHouse Republicans refused to stop fighting for rural America and we've reached a deal that sets us on a better path  for producers, for rural communities and for American consumers. Rick has been a strong advocate and critical voice for production agriculture in this farm bill conference process and I'm thankful for his leadership, which helped get this across the finish line.\r\nTo view Congressman Allen's remarks on the House floor, please CLICK HERE.\r\nTo view the full text of the Conference Report to H.R. 2, please CLICK HERE.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://austinscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/farm-bill-passes-house-includes-rep-scott-provisions-bring-broadband", "Farm Bill Passes House, Includes Rep. Scott Provisions to Bring Broadband Investment to Rural America", "2018-12-12", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Austin Scott", "S001189", "austinscott.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHIGNTON, DC  Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08), a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy and Credit, today released the following statement upon the House of Representatives passing the Conference Report to the 2018 Farm Bill, sending it to the President's Desk to be signed into law.\nIncluded in the major legislation which contains annual spending for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and provisions concerning crop insurance, rural development, specialty crops and research, extension and education programs, were two amendments offered by Rep. Scott to bring modernization and accountability to broadband services and spur broadband infrastructure investment in rural America.\nI want to first thank Chairman Mike Conaway and Ranking Member Collin Peterson for their leadership during this process, as well as Senator David Perdue, Congressmen Rick Allen and Congressman David Scott, for their part in this process and for their continued support for Georgia farmers, said Rep. Scott. For the last several years, Members on both sides of the aisle have worked to make sure our nation's primary agriculture policy works for, not against, America's producers. I am confident that this bill delivers reforms our farmers and industry stakeholders desperately need to keep our producers and rural communities growing and innovating for the 21st century.\nHouse Republicans refused to stop fighting for rural America and we've reached a deal that sets us on a better path  for producers, for rural communities and for American consumers, said Rep. K. Michael Conaway (TX-11), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. Austin has been a strong advocate for rural broadband and critical voice for production agriculture in this farm bill conference process and I'm thankful for his leadership, which helped get this across the finish line.\nAs Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy and Credit, Rep. Scott has oversight of USDA's rural development programs that meet the health, infrastructure, and economic development challenges facing rural America. His two broadband amendments address:\n Outdated Broadband Systems: This amendment would authorize the USDA Secretary to deem projects that have received Rural Utilities Services (RUS) grants as unserved if they do not meet the minimum broadband speed of ten megabits per second download and one megabit per second upload, unless they have begun or already constructed broadband facilities in that area which would meet the minimum standard.RUS grants for broadband projects have been offered in the past, but unfortunately, they were built to speeds that did not meet expectations and now residents in those communities are stuck with less than adequate access. This amendment corrects this issue and will help to ensure that RUS grants are used for broadband projects that are forward-thinking.\n\tMiddle Mile Infrastructure: This amendment would authorize USDA to make loans and grants to middle-mile broadband projects, which link rural regions to the internet backbone connections needed to provide high speed internet. Middle mile is often the most expensive and riskiest investment for broadband deployment, and this amendment will ensure greater infrastructure investment and connectivity.\n Through negotiations, Rep. Scott was also able to secure provisions to maintain the current commodity policy provisions for peanut producers, maintain the commodity policy for seed cotton, improve and expand credit for farmers, and prioritize research and development of additional risk management policies for specialty crops like peaches and pecans.\nThis was Rep. Scott's second time to serve on a conference committee for the Farm Bill, which brokers final deliberations to sort out differences between the House and Senate versions of the legislation. Written about every five years, the Farm Bill is our nation's primary agriculture policy tool. The current farm bill, the Agricultural Act of 2014, funds farm programs through 2018.\nYou can click here to read the full text of the Conference Report.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://austinscott.house.gov/press-releases?ID=C25F3CB5-81D8-4F88-B017-5347F2601A28", "Farm Bill Passes House, Includes Rep. Scott Provisions to Bring Broadband Investment to Rural America", "2018-12-12", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Austin Scott", "S001189", "austinscott.house.gov", "austinscott", "https://austinscott.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08), a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy and Credit, today released the following statement upon the House of Representatives passing the Conference Report to the 2018 Farm Bill, sending it to the President\u2019s Desk to be signed into law.\n\nIncluded in the major legislation which contains annual spending for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and provisions concerning crop insurance, rural development, specialty crops and research, extension and education programs, were two amendments offered by Rep. Scott to bring modernization and accountability to broadband services and spur broadband infrastructure investment in rural America.\n\n\u201cI want to first thank Chairman Mike Conaway and Ranking Member Collin Peterson for their leadership during this process, as well as Senator David Perdue, Congressmen Rick Allen and Congressman David Scott, for their part in this process and for their continued support for Georgia farmers,\u201d said Rep. Scott. \u201cFor the last several years, Members on both sides of the aisle have worked to make sure our nation\u2019s primary agriculture policy works for, not against, America\u2019s producers. I am confident that this bill delivers reforms our farmers and industry stakeholders desperately need to keep our producers and rural communities growing and innovating for the 21st century.\u201d\n\n\u201cHouse Republicans refused to stop fighting for rural America and we\u2019ve reached a deal that sets us on a better path \u2013 for producers, for rural communities and for American consumers,\u201d said Rep. K. Michael Conaway (TX-11), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. \u201cAustin has been a strong advocate for rural broadband and critical voice for production agriculture in this farm bill conference process and I\u2019m thankful for his leadership, which helped get this across the finish line.\u201d\n\nAs Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy and Credit, Rep. Scott has oversight of USDA\u2019s rural development programs that meet the health, infrastructure, and economic development challenges facing rural America. His two broadband amendments address:\n\nOutdated Broadband Systems: This amendment would authorize the USDA Secretary to deem projects that have received Rural Utilities Services (RUS) grants as unserved if they do not meet the minimum broadband speed of ten megabits per second download and one megabit per second upload, unless they have begun or already constructed broadband facilities in that area which would meet the minimum standard. RUS grants for broadband projects have been offered in the past, but unfortunately, they were built to speeds that did not meet expectations and now residents in those communities are stuck with less than adequate access. This amendment corrects this issue and will help to ensure that RUS grants are used for broadband projects that are forward-thinking.\n\nMiddle Mile Infrastructure: This amendment would authorize USDA to make loans and grants to middle-mile broadband projects, which link rural regions to the internet backbone connections needed to provide high speed internet. Middle mile is often the most expensive and riskiest investment for broadband deployment, and this amendment will ensure greater infrastructure investment and connectivity.\n\nThrough negotiations, Rep. Scott was also able to secure provisions to maintain the current commodity policy provisions for peanut producers, maintain the commodity policy for seed cotton, improve and expand credit for farmers, and prioritize research and development of additional risk management policies for specialty crops like peaches and pecans.\n\nThis was Rep. Scott\u2019s second time to serve on a conference committee for the Farm Bill, which brokers final deliberations to sort out differences between the House and Senate versions of the legislation. Written about every five years, the Farm Bill is our nation\u2019s primary agriculture policy tool. The current farm bill, the Agricultural Act of 2014, funds farm programs through 2018.\n\nYou can click here to read the full text of the Conference Report.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:11:43Z"], ["https://bishop.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/ranking-member-bishop-lauds-passage-of-farm-bill", "RANKING MEMBER BISHOP LAUDS PASSAGE OF FARM BILL", "2018-12-12", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Sanford Bishop", "B000490", "bishop.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), Ranking Member of the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, released the following statement on today's passage of the Farm Bill by the House of Representatives in a vote of 369 to 47. Congressman Bishop supported the legislation. The Senate passed the legislation yesterday by a vote of 87-13, and it now heads to the President's desk for signature.\n\nToday, I gladly provided my support for the 2018 Farm Bill. After months of negotiations, I am pleased that many of the harmful, short-sighted provisions of the original House bill, that I initially voted against in June, were dropped. From the beginning of this process, I have stressed the need to strengthen the farmer safety net, invest in rural development, maintain conservation programs, and adequately fund our food and nutrition programs. This bill does those things, and more, and most importantly, it provides stability and certainty to those who rely on its vital programs.\n\nThe bill extends commodity protections for agriculture products including peanuts, cotton, soybeans, corn, wheat, oats, rice, and grain sorghum. The bill largely maintains and builds on the farmer safety net programs from the 2014 Farm Bill by making improvements to the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) that allow farmers greater choice. It improves farmers' cash flow and access to credit by increasing marketing loan rates. For the purpose of payments and benefits, it expands the definition of actively engaged in farming to include first cousins, nieces, and nephews. The bill does not include reductions to payment limits and did not adopt a provision to reduce the Adjusted Gross Income limitation to $700,000 from $900,000.\n\nThe bill allows farmers to update their average crop yields with USDA, which increases the amount of support they can receive. And while I was disappointed that the Senate amendment to provide $18 million for blueberry and peach losses in 2017 was not included, I am nonetheless pleased that the bill increased the cost reimbursement for beginning farmers, ranchers, and veterans under the Tree Assistance Program to 75 percent, which covers pecans and other tree crops. On the forestry front, the bill also maintains forest pest and disease treatment programs, administered by the U.S. Forest Service.\n\nThe agreement is also a big win for rural communities. It reauthorizes rural water and wastewater programs, and authorizes an additional $350 million for broadband infrastructure, which is a stark reminder that too many people in rural America still lack adequate broadband. Additionally, the bill includes provisions to combat the opioid epidemic, improve rural hospital financing, and promote rural entrepreneurship. The bill also establishes a rural health liaison that will be responsible for working with stakeholders and other agencies to effectively respond to rural health needs.\n\nThe agreement kept the structure of the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), which helps farmers to address soil health, water quality, and other environmental issues on their land, as well as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), a voluntary program that incentivizes farmers to implement conservation practices. The agreement also increased the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) by 3 million acres to 27 million acres.\n\nEarlier this year, I urged my colleagues to invest in agriculture research. I am happy that the grant program that awards scholarships to students at 1890 Land-Grant institutions received $40 million in mandatory funding and another $40 million in discretionary authorization, which will help young African-Americans pursue a career in agriculture. The bill also creates three centers of excellence at 1890 land-grants to focus on food security and rural quality of life. Additionally, the bill increases research into automation and mechanization for fruits and vegetables. With these important investments in research, American agriculture will remain unparalleled in the world.\n\nThe agreement also includes mandatory funding for the promotion of U.S. agricultural exports, through such programs as the Market Access Program. It also provides for the availability of marketing agreements and orders for pecans and cherries. Many farmers and ranchers remain concerned about retaliatory tariffs and these programs will help farmers explore new markets and opportunities. \n\nAdditionally, the Farm Bill includes funding that I requested for the newly established Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach Program. This new program merges the Beginning Farmer and Ranchers Development Program (BFRDP) and the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers (OASDVFR), which will allow USDA to more effectively reach and invest in these groups to ensure their success.\n\nFinally, the agreement does not include new, onerous work requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients. Instead it increases job training opportunities to help people find work. Last year, SNAP helped more than 42 million people, and some 1.6 million Georgians. It is widely considered an efficient and successful safety net that offers desperately needed support to those in need.\n\nI thank my colleagues in the House and Senate for their diligent work on this legislation, and I urge the President to quickly sign the Farm Bill into law.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3709", "Carter: Farm Bill Does Not Support Georgia Growers", "2018-12-12", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Buddy Carter", "C001103", "buddycarter.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Earl L. \"Buddy\" Carter (R-Ga.) voted against legislation today that fails to support a critical part of the First District of Georgia's agricultural community. After months of negotiations by Carter, theAgriculture Improvement Act, also known as the Farm Bill, did not include the adequate crop assistance Georgia's blueberry farmers need to recover from the devastating winter in 2017.\"I certainly wanted to vote in support of the Farm Bill today,\"said Carter.\"As Georgia's top industry, the hard work of our farmers, ranchers and producers contributes to the safest, most abundant and most affordable food supply in the world. Our agricultural community needs and deserves the long-term certainty of a sound Farm Bill. Unfortunately, the Farm Bill brought to the House floor today was not one I could support. It simply does not support Georgia growers. \"Georgia has risen to become one of the top blueberry producing states in the nation. Now, the commodity is a $1 billion industry in our state and is the backbone of some of our rural communities. However, in 2017, blueberries were hit with a devastating freeze combined with warm winter weather which dramatically harmed the crops. This is not only debilitating for our growers, but also the local economies that depend on them. \"I have been fighting for assistance for these growers and communities since I learned of the situation. I had planned to vote yes on this Farm Bill today, but without this critical assistance that we have been fighting for and have been promised, I could not in good faith lend my support. \"Now, the fight is not over. I will continue working to secure assistance for one of our largest commodities in the First District, while also continuing to support our entire agricultural community.\"  \r\n\r\nThe Farm Bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives today.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hankjohnson.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/georgia-water-rollback-divides-property-rights-vs-environment", "In Georgia, water rollback divides on property rights vs. environment", "2018-12-12", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Hank Johnson", "J000288", "hankjohnson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON Some of Georgia's top Republican elected officials, agricultural organizations and business development groups cheered the Trump administration's move Tuesday to roll back a sweeping Obama-era clean water regulation aimed at protecting tributaries to navigable waterways.\nGeorgia hashelped lead opposition to the 2015 rule, known as Waters of the U.S., in federal court, arguing that it is overly strict and costly and hurt state sovereignty. And supporters of President Donald Trump framed Tuesday's joint action by the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a win for local farmers and ranchers, even as environmental groups raised safety concerns.\nThe administration is seeking to limit the federal government's authority to regulate pollution from certain types of tributaries that feed into larger bodies of water, effectively gutting one of former President Barack Obama'ssignature environmental regulations.Environmental groups warned that the proposal could have a harmful impact on the water pouring from the spigots of millions of Georgians while also having a detrimental effect on more than half the state's streams.\nObama's 2015 rule maintains that rivers used for drinking, recreation and fishing can only be clean if pollution from creeks and other bodies of water feeding into them  including ditches, wetlands and ephemeral streams that are created by rainfalls  is regulated. It cites authority from the Clean Water Act, which states it's illegal to pollute waterways without a permit.\nThe rule  which was never implemented after it was halted by a federal judge  prompted swift backlash from the agriculture industry, real estate developers, and oil and gas interests, who argued it was impractical, expensive and constituted an undue regulatory burden. Farmers, for example, said it would require them to seek federal permits for farming operations such as fertilizing near drainage ditches and building small structures near waterways.\nThis rule erodes our private property rights for our farmers and ranchers across this country. It regulates ditches and low-lying areas that don't even come close to the definition of navigable waters, Zippy Duvall, then the president of the Georgia Farm Bureau, said in November 2015. Duvall has since moved up to become the head of the American Farm Bureau Federation, and he said Tuesday that Trump's proposed rule was rooted in common sense.\nFull-on assault'\nEnvironmentalists warned that the Trump administration's action could harm the tap water of up to 117 million Americans, including nearly 5 million Georgians. The group Environment Georgia estimated that nearly 40,000 miles of the state's streams, or roughly 57 percent, could be adversely affected.\nThe rivers that make our state so special  the Chattahoochee, the Altamaha, the Savannah and more  rely on hundreds of small streams and wetlands. If you strip away protections for those clean water workhorses, you threaten Georgia's most iconic and economically important resources, said the group's director, Jennette Gayer, who vowed to fight the action every step of the way.\nU.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Lithonia, was one of only two Georgia congressmen who voted in favor of Obama's proposal after GOP leaders moved to reject it. He described the Trump administration's plans to scale it back as just another hit from President Trump's full-on assault on our environment.\nBy reversing progressive steps forward in environmental safety, this administration is putting Americans' health, the stability of our water treatment infrastructure and the beauty of our country at risk, he said.\nAndrew Wheeler, the acting EPA administrator, said the Trump administration's proposed actions would lead to cost savings for farmers and reduce barriers to business development by more clearly defining what's covered under federal and state clean water laws. The new rules would be largely focused on bodies of water that are adjacent to navigable waterways or directly connected above ground.\nOur simpler and clearer definition would help landowners understand whether a project on their property will require a federal permit or not, without spending thousands of dollars on engineering and legal professionals, Wheeler said.\nAnother vocal defender of Trump's proposed plan was Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. The former Georgia governor said he's heard about the issue constantly while on the road meeting with farmers.\nCourt fights\nGeorgia Attorney General Chris Carr, who hasquarterbacked the state's legal push to kill Obama's Waters of the U.S. rule along with other mostly Republican states, said Tuesday that he was reviewing Trump's proposed replacement.\nWith Georgia having led a multi-state coalition fighting against the 2015 WOTUS Rule for nearly three years, we look forward to reviewing the newly proposed rule and hope that it returns to protecting the States' traditional role as the primary regulators of land and water resources, Carr said in an emailed statement, using an acronym for the clean water regulation.\nStill, Carr's office said it would continue to fight Obama's original 2015 rule in court to make sure there was no chance of the older, stricter version making it onto the books.\nA hearing on Georgia's motion to block implementation of the 2015 rule is slated for Friday in a Brunswick federal courtroom.\nGeorgia also sued the Obama administration over its carbon emission rules, which the Trump administrationmoved to kill earlier this year.\nThe EPA and the corps will accept public comments on the new clean water proposal for 60 days. They could then revise the plan before finalizing it, likely sometime next year.\nSeveral environmental groups said they would likely sue to stop the action, which follows up on one of Trump's top campaign pledges.\nBig polluters could not have crafted a bigger free pass to dump if they wrote it themselves, said Blan Holman, an attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center. In the face of this serious threat, SELC and our partners will fight this dangerous proposal in court.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hankjohnson.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/google-ceo-sundar-pichai-answered-congressional-questions-china-privacy", "Google CEO Sundar Pichai Answered Congressional Questions On China, Privacy, Political Bias And More", "2018-12-12", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Hank Johnson", "J000288", "hankjohnson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) followed up on Jordan's line of questioning about whether Google had paid for such efforts. Pichai categorically denied that it provides any partisan election features.\nRead More", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hankjohnson.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/technology-202-google-hearing-previews-house-democrats-plans-rein-big-tech", "The Technology 202: Google hearing previews House Democrats' plans to rein in Big Tech", "2018-12-12", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Hank Johnson", "J000288", "hankjohnson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Another issue likely to be top of mind for Democrats: Tougher mandates for companies to notify consumers when they are breached.Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) asked Pichai how Americans can trust their personally identifiable information is safe with Google -- whichannounced on Monday it had a security bug on its Google service that may have affected the personal information of about 52 million people.\nRead More", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://johnlewis.house.gov/media-center/federal-grant-announcements/rep-john-lewis-announces-108m-5th-district-grants", "Rep. John Lewis Announces $108M in 5th District Grants", "2018-12-12", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "John Lewis", "L000287", "johnlewis.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Periodically, Rep. John Lewis is notified that organizations within the 5th Congressional District have been selected to receive a variety of federal grants. This federal grants announcement will advise press and constituents of these notifications. This announcement details about $108, 579, 618 in federal grants coming to the 5th Congressional District. \nWhat is the funding process for federal grants?\nThere are two basic ways the federal government awards funds, through mandatory funding or discretionary funding. Members of Congress vote on authorizing legislation that funds the mandatory commitments of the federal government for programs like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment insurance and SNAP. Also every year, levels of discretionary funding are determined during the Congressional appropriations process. Rep. Lewis and all other members of Congress work to ensure that federal programs which provide key services within their districts are funded at levels requested by local government authorities and constituents they represent. \nThe federal grants announced by this release fall mainly in the discretionary category. The money appropriated by Congress is sent to the federal agencies, such as the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) or of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which then disburse it directly to the states and local governments. Sometimes federal agencies issue requests for proposals which place states, cities, and local organizations in competition with others around the country for the opportunity to gain federal support for a local project. This is where the efficacy of city and state organizations are tested to determine whether they can compete effectively to receive those funds. Rep. Lewis often meets with and advises city, state or local agencies to help them strategize effective methods of engaging the federal agencies throughout the grant process.\nPell Grants, Byrne Justice Assistance, veterans' services, LIHEAP home heating support, early education, COPS, YouthBuild, Jobs Corps, the CDC, minority health programs, TIGER, critical disease research initiatives, tenant and fair housing assistance all stem from Congressional discretionary funding. Recent successful discretionary grant efforts from the 5th Congressional District of Georgia include the Atlanta Streetcar, the Multimodal Passenger Terminal, the Atlanta BeltLine, and the UTC. Through his District Office, Rep. Lewis offers grants assistance and workshops to explain the federal grants process. Please call 404-659-0116 if you are interested in participating in one of these workshops.\nFollowing is the list of the most recently granted federal funds to the 5th Congressional District. If you are seeking more information about any one of these federal grants, please consult the granting information for more details on their selection process. Grants over $500,000 are highlighted.\nThis is to inform you that the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the Administration for Children and Families, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Office of Head Start, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Department of Transportation, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Health Resources and Services Administration will be announcingthe following grant award(s) to recipient(s) within your Congressional district and state.\n\n\nGrant Notifications\nNational Cancer Institute \nGrant Recipient: Georgia Institute of Technology\nGrant Project Title: Cancer Treatment Research\nAmount: $318, 341\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 13, 2018 and an end date of July 31, 2023 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nGrant Recipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Big Data: IA: Collaborative Research: TIMES: A tensor factorization platform for spatio-temporal data\nAmount: $950, 337\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of October 1, 2018 and an end date of September 30, 2022 (Estimated).\n\nNational Institute of Environmental Health Sciences \nGrant Recipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Biological Response to Environmental Health Hazards\nAmount: $388, 428\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2018 and an end date of June 30, 2019 (Estimated).\n\nNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases \nGrant Recipient: Georgia State University\nGrant Project Title: Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolic Research\nAmount: $430, 760\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 03, 2018 and an end date of June 30, 2021 (Estimated). https://www.niddk.nih.gov/research-funding/funded-grants-grant-history\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNational Institute on Aging \nGrant Recipient: Clark Atlanta University\nGrant Project Title: Aging Research\nAmount: $462, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 1, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2021 (Estimated). http://www.nia.nih.gov/research/grants-funding\n\nNational Science Foundation \nGrant Recipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: GOALI: Collaborative research: Biochar-catalyzed microbial reductive degradation of emerging organohalides\nAmount: $90, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of October 1, 2018 and an end date of September 30, 2021 (Estimated). https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ohs/funding\n\nAny questions regarding this notification should be addressed to Georgia Tech Research Corporation Office of Sponsored Programs at (404) 894-4819.\n\nNational Science Foundation \nGrant Recipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: CPS: Medium: Collaborative Research: Building Information, Inhabitant, Interaction and Intelligent Integrated Modeling BI5M\nAmount: $479, 932\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of October 1, 2018 and an end date of September 30, 2021 (Estimated).\n\nAny questions regarding this notification should be addressed to Georgia Tech Research Corporation Office of Sponsored Programs at (404) 894-4819.\n\nNational Science Foundation \nGrant Recipient: Spelman College\nGrant Project Title: Spokes: MEDIUM: SOUTH: Collaborative: Integrating Biological Big Data Research into Student Training and Education\nAmount: $150, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of October 1, 2018 and an end date of September 30, 2021 (Estimated).\n\nAny questions regarding this notification should be addressed to Georgia Tech Research Corporation Office of Sponsored Programs at (404) 894-4819.\n\nNational Science Foundation \nGrant Recipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: EAGER: Pilot Study on Bias and Trust in AI Systems\nAmount: $74, 529\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of October 1, 2018 and an end date of September 30, 2021 (Estimated).\n\nAny questions regarding this notification should be addressed to Georgia Tech Research Corporation Office of Sponsored Programs at (404) 894-4819.\n\n\nCenter for Mental Health Services\nGrant Recipient: National Mental Health Association of Georgia, Inc.\nGrant Project Title: The Mental Health Academy Training Program\nAmount: $125, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2018 and an end date of September 29, 2021 (Estimated).\n\nAny questions regarding this notification should be addressed to Georgia Tech Research Corporation Office of Sponsored Programs at (404) 894-4819.\n\nNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute \nGrant Recipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Perivascular cell function during zebrafish heart regeneration\nAmount: $390, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 15, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2019 (Estimated). https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/grants-and-training/funding-opportunities-and-contacts\n\nAny questions regarding this notification should be addressed to Georgia Tech Research Corporation Office of Sponsored Programs at (404) 894-4819.\n\nCenters for Disease Control and Prevention / CDC -OSTLTS Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support (OTGrant) \nRecipient: National Foundation for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\nGrant Project Title: Category C: Community-Based Organizations\nAmount: $1,200,000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of August 1, 2018 and an end date of July 31, 2023 (Estimated).\n\nAny questions regarding this notification should be addressed to Georgia Tech Research Corporation Office of Sponsored Programs at (404) 894-4819.\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: PFI-TT: Translation of a Micro coil-Based Stimulating Array for Cochlear Implants\nAmount: $200, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 15, 2018 and an end date of February 29, 2020 (Estimated).\n\nAny questions regarding this notification should be addressed to Georgia Tech Research Corporation Office of Sponsored Programs at (404) 894-4819.\n\n\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: CAPS: Hybrid Instruction for Equity in Computing\nAmount: $297, 343\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of October 1, 2018 and an end date of September 30, 2020 (Estimated).\n\nAny questions regarding this notification should be addressed to Georgia Tech Research Corporation Office of Sponsored Programs at (404) 894-4819.\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: CHS: Small: Collaborative Research: Tools for Mental Health Reflection: Integrating Social Media with Human-Centered Machine Learning\nAmount: $284, 808\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of October 1, 2018 and an end date of September 30, 2021 (Estimated).\nhttps://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1816403\n\nAny questions regarding this notification should be addressed to Georgia Tech Research Corporation Office of Sponsored Programs at (404) 894-4819.\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: TRIPODS+X: RES: Collaborative Research: Scaling Up Descriptive Epidemiology and Metabolic Network Models via Faster Sampling\nAmount: $120, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of October 1, 2018 and an end date of September 30, 2021 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: Collective Dynamics and Collaborative Killing: Synergistic Elimination of Bacteria by Immune Cells and Viruses\nAmount: $537, 617\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 15, 2018 and an end date of September 30, 2021 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Big Data: IA: Collaborative Research: TIMES: A tensor factorization platform for spatio-temporal data\nAmount: $773, 528\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of October 1, 2018 and an end date of September 30, 2021 (Estimated).\n\n\nGeorgia Family Planning Services \nRecipient: Office of Public Health and Science / Office of Family Planning\nGrant Project Title: Georgia Family Planning Services\nAmount: $ 5,528,000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 1, 2018 and an end date of March 31, 2019 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia Tech Applied Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: Planning IUCRC at Georgia Institute of Technology: Center for Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies Advancing Food Safety and Security (CAFSS)\nAmount: $15, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 1, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2019 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia State University Research Foundation, Inc.\nGrant Project Title: Neurobiologically-informed risk assessment: An empirical examination\nAmount: $ 538, 827\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 1, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2021 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: CRI: CI-EN: Collaborative Research: mResearch: A platform for Reproducible and Extensible Mobile Sensor Big Data Research\nAmount: $ 225, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of October 1, 2018 and an end date of September 30, 2021 (Estimated).\n\nCenters for Disease Control and Prevention / CDC -OSTLTS Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support (OT)\nRecipient: Task Force for Global Health Inc.\nGrant Project Title: Strengthening Public Health Systems and Services Through National Partnerships to Improve and Protect the Nation's Health\nAmount: $ 3,458,505\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of August 1, 2018 and an end date of July 31, 2023 (Estimated).\n\nCenters for Disease Control and Prevention / CDC-NCCDPHP National Center for Chronic Diseases Prevention & Health Promotion (DP)\nRecipient: County of DeKalb\nGrant Project Title: Local Efforts towards Addressing Disparities in DeKalb (LEAD DeKalb)\nAmount: $ 792, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2018 and an end date of August 29, 2023 (Estimated).\n\nAdministration for Community Living / AOA - Administration on Aging Regional Commission (ARC)\nRecipient: Georgia State University, University Foundation, Inc.\nGrant Project Title: Double Blind Randomized Control Trial on the Effect of Evidence-Based Suicide Intervention Training on the Home Delivered and Congregate Nutrition Program through the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC)\nAmount: $ 249, 831\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 1, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2020 (Estimated).\n\nOffice of Public Health and Science / Office of Adolescent Health\nRecipient: The Morehouse School of Medicine, Inc.\nGrant Project Title: President's Academy for Successful Students (PASS)\nAmount: $375, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2018 and an end date of September 29, 2020 (Estimated).\n\nNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases \nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: The function of lysophosphatidic acid receptor LPA5R in intestinal inflammation and epithelial damage\nAmount: $ 507, 002\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 20, 2018 and an end date of May 31, 2023 (Estimated).\n\nNational Institute on Aging \nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Computational Prediction and Functional Validation of Novel Epigenetic Risk Loci in Alzheimer's Disease\nAmount: $ 788, 285\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2019 (Estimated). http://www.nia.nih.gov/research/grants-funding\n\nNational Institute on Drug Abuse\nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Evaluating the combination of the Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach and medication-assisted treatment in young adults with severe opioid use disorder\nAmount: $ 195, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2020 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Spelman College\nGrant Project Title: Excellence in Research: The impact of online comparison websites on the remittance industry\nAmount: $ 299, 797\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 15, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2021 (Estimated).\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Morehouse College\nGrant Project Title: Pairing Atlanta High School Teachers with HBCU Computer Science Students to Train Them on AP Computer Science Principles\nAmount: $ 299, 621\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of January 1, 2019 (no end date on website).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Collaborative Research: NCS-FO: Discovering Dynamics in Massive-Scale Neural Datasets Using Machine Learning\nAmount: $ 621, 897\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of October 1, 2018 and an end date of September 30, 2021 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: CHE/DMS Innovation Lab: Learning the Power of Data in Chemistry\nAmount: $ 225,450\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 1, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2019 (Estimated).\n\nAny questions regarding this notification should be addressed to Georgia Tech Research Corporation Office of Sponsored Programs at (404) 894-4819\n\n75 / HRSA Program Headquarters Office\nRecipient: EGLESTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AT EMORY UNIVERSITY, INC.\nGrant Project Title: Children's Hospitals Graduate Medical Education Payment Program\nAmount: $ 2,474,755\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of October 1, 2017 and an end date of September 30, 2018 (Estimated).\n\nCenters for Disease Control and Prevention / CDC-NCCDPHP National Center for Chronic Diseases Prevention & Health Promotion (DP)\nRecipient: Georgia Department of Public Health\nGrant Project Title: Improving the Health of Georgians through Prevention and Management of Diabetes and Heart Disease and Stroke\nAmount: $ 1,973, 450\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2018 and an end date of June 29, 2023 (Estimated).\n\nNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases \nRecipient: Georgia State University\nGrant Project Title: Hippocampal Modulation of Energy Intake\nAmount: $ 430, 760\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 3, 2018 and an end date of June 30, 2021 (Estimated).\nNational Institute on Aging \nRecipient: Clark Atlanta University\nGrant Project Title: Molecular mechanisms of the age-related re-growth of the prostate\nAmount: $ 462, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 1, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2021 (Estimated).\n\nNational Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases\nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Identification of Chromatin Architecture at the RUNX1 locus that regulate bone formation and mineralization\nAmount: $183, 057\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 1, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2020 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: Living Interfaces: Exploring Synthetic Biology and Evolution for the Development of Next-Generation Biomaterials\nAmount: $50, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 1, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2019 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: Planning IUCRC at Georgia Institute of Technology: Center for [Digital Composite Joining and Repair]\nAmount: $15, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 1, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2019 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: Collaborative Research: Enabling rational design of MOF-polymer mixed matrix membranes for liquid separations through understanding of microscale and macroscale properties\nAmount: $215, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of October 1, 2018 and an end date of September 30, 2021 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: CPS: Medium: Collaborative Research: Certifiable reinforcement learning for cyber-physical systems\nAmount: $329, 670\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 15, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2021 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: Planning Grant: ERC for Control of Urban Thermal Environments (CUTE)\nAmount: $ 100, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 1, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2019 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: Screening and implementing universal ligands for immunoglobulins\nAmount: $345, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 1, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2021 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: NeTS: Small: Location, Location, Location: Maximizing Network Performance in the mmWave Era\nAmount: $499, 995\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of October 1, 2018 and an end date of September 30, 2021 (Estimated).\n\nEunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development \nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Improving statistical methods for small area estimates of public health indicators and demographic characteristics\nAmount: $ 556, 446\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 13, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2021 (Estimated). https://www.niams.nih.gov/grants-funding\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Spelman College\nGrant Project Title: TRIPOS+X:EDU: Collaborative Education: Data-Driven Discovery and Alliance\nAmount: $ 99, 092\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of October 1, 2018 and an end date of September 30, 2020 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: Collaborative Research: Community Planning for Scalable Cyberinfrastructure to Support Multi-Messenger Astrophysics\nAmount: $ 26, 589\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of October 1, 2018 and an end date of September 30, 2019 (Estimated).\n\n\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: CPS: Small: Multi-Human Assisted Learning for Multi-Agent Systems using Intrinsically Generated Event-Related EEG Potentials\nAmount: $ 500, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of January 1, 2019 and an end date of December 31, 2021 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: TRIPODS+X: VIS: Creating an Annual Data Science Forum\nAmount: $ 200, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of October 1, 2018 and an end date of September 30, 2020 (Estimated).\n\nCenters for Disease Control and Prevention / CDC-NCIRD National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (IP)\nRecipient: Task Force for Global Health Inc.\nGrant Project Title: The Partnership for Influenza Vaccine Introduction, a public private partnership to introduce and expand influenza vaccination programs in low and middle-income countries\nAmount: $ 3, 700, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2016 and an end date of September 29, 2021 (Estimated).\n\nCenter for Substance Abuse Prevention\nRecipient: Atlanta Harm Reduction Coalition, Inc.\nGrant Project Title: Atlanta Harm Reduction Coalition, Inc. (AHRC) and Street Smart Youth Project, Inc.\nAmount: $ 281, 904\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2018 and an end date of September 29, 2023 (Estimated).\n\nHRSA Grant Service Office\nRecipient: The Family Health Centers of Georgia, Inc.\nGrant Project Title: FY 2018 Capital Assistance for Hurricane Response and Recovery Efforts\nAmount: $ 337, 400\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 01, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2020 (Estimated).\n\nHRSA Grant Service Office\nRecipient: Health Education, Assessment and Leadership, Inc.\nGrant Project Title: FY 2018 Capital Assistance for Hurricane Response and Recovery Efforts\nAmount: $ 337, 400\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 01, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2020 (Estimated).\n\n\n\nHRSA Grant Service Office\nRecipient: Southside Medical Center, Inc.\nGrant Project Title: FY 2018 Capital Assistance for Hurricane Response and Recovery Efforts\nAmount: $ 337, 400\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 01, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2020 (Estimated).\n\nHRSA Grant Service Office\nRecipient: Meridian Education Resource Group, Inc.\nGrant Project Title: FY 2018 Capital Assistance for Hurricane Response and Recovery Efforts\nAmount: $ 337, 400\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 01, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2020 (Estimated).\n\nHRSA Grant Service Office\nRecipient: National Foundation for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\nGrant Project Title: CDC Foundation: Strengthening the U.S. public health systems response to emergencies\nAmount: $ 705, 971\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 01, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2020 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: CRCNS Research Proposal: Randomness and systematicity in neural codes for motor exploration\nAmount: $1,000,000.00\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 01, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2022 (Estimated).\n\nNational Library of Medicine \nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Search and Social Media Mining to Develop Indicators of Exposure to Urban Air Pollution\nAmount: $207, 556\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 11, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2020 (Estimated).\n\nNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute \nRecipient: Georgia Institute of Technology\nGrant Project Title: Bacterial regulatory evolution during adaptation to chronic infections\nAmount: $501, 147\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 15, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2019 (Estimated).\n\n\n\nNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Recipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Novel strategies for mapping the emotional neural circuitry using human brain stimulation\nAmount: $234, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 15, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2020 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation \nGrant Project Title: FMitF: Collaborative Research: Synergies between Program Synthesis and Neural Learning of Graph Structures\nAmount: $450, 001\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of January 01, 2019 and an end date of December 31, 2022 (Estimated).\n\nCenters for Disease Control and Prevention / CDC -OSTLTS Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support (OT)\nRecipient: Georgia Department of Public Health\nGrant Project Title: Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant 2018\nAmount: $ 5, 206, 353\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of October 01, 2017 and an end date of September 30, 2019 (Estimated).\n\nCenters for Disease Control and Prevention / Coordinating Office of Global Health (CGH)\nRecipient: Task Force for Global Health Inc.\nGrant Project Title: GH15-1619, PIO/HQ \"Strengthening Applied Epidemiology and Sustainable International Public Health Capacity through the Field Epidemiology Training Programs\nAmount: $ 5, 863, 146\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 01, 2015 and an end date of August 31, 2020 (Estimated).\n\nCenters for Disease Control and Prevention / CDC-OPHPR Coordinating Office for Trism Preparedness & Emergency Response (TP)\nRecipient: Georgia Department of Public Health\nGrant Project Title: Cooperative Agreement for Emergency Response: Public Health Crisis Response  2018\nAmount: $ 3, 210, 455\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 01, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2019 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia State University Research Foundation\nGrant Project Title: Imaging Convective Patterns On AGB Stars\nAmount: $ 250, 977\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 15, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2021 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: Collaborative Research: Elements: Software: NSCI: Constitutive Relation Inference Toolkit (CRIKit)\nAmount: $ 299, 136\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 01, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2021 (Estimated).\n\nNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute \nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Catalytic Nano therapies to Treat Lung Disease\nAmount: $ 383, 851\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 01, 2018 and an end date of July 31, 2022. (Estimated).\n\nNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke \nRecipient: Georgia Institute of Technology\nGrant Project Title: Non-Invasive Methods to Drive Neural Activity with Millisecond Precision and to Recruit the Brain's Immune Cells\nAmount: $ 330, 406\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 15, 2018 and an end date of June 30, 2023. (Estimated).\n\nNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute \nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Redefining Clinical Viscosity in Sickle Cell Disease by Leveraging Microfluidic Technologies\nAmount: $ 791, 236\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 1, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2022 (Estimated).\n\nNational Institute of Mental Health \nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Genetic and Molecular Drivers of the Schizophrenia-Associated 3q29 Deletion\nAmount: $ 671, 961\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 5, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2019 (Estimated).\n\nNational Institute of Mental Health National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Recipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: A pragmatic evaluation of a secure web-based platform for hospital-dialysis provider communication to improve hospitalization outcomes among dialysis patients\nAmount: $ 394, 356\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 01, 2018 and an end date of July 31, 2021 (Estimated).\n\n\nCenter for Substance Abuse Treatment\nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD)\nAmount: $ 1, 054, 360\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2018 and an end date of September 29, 2021 (Estimated).\n\n75 / HRSA Program Headquarters Office\nRecipient: Georgia Department of Public Health\nGrant Project Title: Ryan White Part B Supplemental\nAmount: $ 2, 060, 818\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2013 and an end date of September 29, 2019 (Estimated).\n\nNational Cancer Institute \nRecipient: Georgia Institute of Technology\nGrant Project Title: Deep Ovarian Cancer Metabolomics\nAmount: $ 410, 432 \nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 20, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2023 (Estimated).\n\nNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases \nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Autophagy modulates liver injury and inflammation through cell signaling effects\nAmount: $ 454, 380\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of April 01, 1992 and an end date of August 31, 2019 (Estimated).\n\nNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases \nRecipient: Georgia Institute of Technology\nGrant Project Title: New computational, transcriptional, and genome editing approaches to the biology of inflammatory bowel disease\nAmount: $ 170, 260\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 19, 2018 and an end date of May 31, 2022 (Estimated).\n\nFood and Drug Administration \nRecipient: Georgia Institute of Technology\nGrant Project Title: Data Enabled Automation for the Improved Efficiency, Yield, and Reproducibility of the Manufacturing of Human Umbilical Cord Tissue Mesenchymal Stromal Cells for Clinical Therapeutic Use\nAmount: $ 600, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 20, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2021 (Estimated).\n\n\n\n\nU.S. Department of Labor \nRecipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: Susan Harwood Training Grant Program\nAmount: $74, 994\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 27, 2018.\n\nU.S. Department of Education \nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Program\nAmount: $ 114, 888\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2018 and an end date of March 31, 2020 (Estimated).\n\nAdministration for Community Living / National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, & Rehabilitation Research\nRecipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: RERC on Technologies to Support Successful Aging in Place with Long-Term Disability (TechSAge RERC II)\nAmount: $ 924, 997\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2018 and an end date of September 29, 2023 (Estimated). \n\nAdministration for Community Living / CIP - Center for Consumer Access and Self-Determination\nRecipient: Georgia Department of Human Services\nGrant Project Title: Georgia's Business Case Development for the No Wrong Door System\nAmount: $ 502, 154\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 01, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2020 (Estimated).\n\nCenters for Disease Control and Prevention / CDC -OSTLTS Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support (OT)\nRecipient: ASSN/ST/TERR/CHRONIC DIS/PROG/ DIRECTORS\nGrant Project Title: Preventive Health and Health Services - Strengthening Public Health Systems and Services through National Partnerships to Improve and Protect the Nation's Health\nAmount: $ 22, 871, 809\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of August 01, 2018 and an end date of July 31, 2023 (Estimated).\n\nNational Eye Institute \nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Exercise-induced Retinal Neuroprotection\nAmount: $ 521, 653\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2022 (Estimated). \n\n\n\nNational Institute on Aging \nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Emory Specialized Center of Research Excellence (SCORE) on Sex Differences\nAmount: $ 1, 515, 145\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2018 and an end date of May 31, 2023 (Estimated).\n\nNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases \nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Mechanisms of phenotypic antibiotic resistance in Gramnegative bacteria\nAmount: $ 437, 629\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 24, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2023 (Estimated).\n\nAdministration for Children and Families / ACYF - Family and Youth Services Bureau\nRecipient: The Morehouse School of Medicine, Inc.\nGrant Project Title: Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) Program\nAmount: $ 445, 772\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2018 and an end date of September 29, 2021 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Morehouse College\nGrant Project Title: Excellence in Research: Evaluating the Use of Virtual Mentoring for HBCU Undergraduates in Computer Science\nAmount: $ 992, 892\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of October 01, 2018 and an end date of September 30, 2021 (Estimated).\n\nNational Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research \nRecipient: Georgia Institute of Technology\nGrant Project Title: Access to Preventive Dental Care for Children in the United States\nAmount: $ 379, 240\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 7, 2018 and an end date of May 31, 2022 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: Planning Grant: Engineering Research Center for Edge Intelligence\nAmount: $ 100, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 1, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2019 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: TRIPODS+X:EDU: Collaborative Education: Data-driven Discovery and Alliance\nAmount: $ 99, 976\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of October 1, 2018 and an end date of September 30, 2020 (Estimated).\n\nCenters for Disease Control and Prevention / CDC -OSTLTS Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support (OT)\nRecipient: National Foundation for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\nGrant Project Title: Technical Assistance for Response to Public Health or Healthcare Crises - 2018\nAmount: $ 11, 988, 859\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2018 and an end date of September 29, 2019 (Estimated).\n\nCenters for Disease Control and Prevention / Research-CDCNCIPC National Center for Injury Prevention & Control (CE)\nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Promoting Recovery in Children Who Sustain a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: The TBI Evaluation and Management (TEaM) Toolkit\nAmount: $ 549, 766\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2018 and an end date of September 29, 2022 (Estimated).\n\nNational Science Foundation \nRecipient: Georgia Tech Research Corporation\nGrant Project Title: I-CORPs: Kalmed Healthcare\nAmount: $ 50, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of January 15, 2019 and an end date of June 30, 2019 (Estimated).\n\nNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases \nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Structural and Chemical Analysis of Highly Potent ALLINI Platform\nAmount: $ 403, 750\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 24, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2023 (Estimated).\n\nNational Institute on Aging \nRecipient: Georgia State University\nGrant Project Title: Meaningful Engagement and Quality of Life among Assisted Living Residents with Dementia\nAmount: $ 683, 835\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2018 and an end date of May 31, 2023 (Estimated).\n\nNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases \nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: CD8 T cell suppression of HIV latency establishment and maintenance in virally suppressed individuals\nAmount: $ 390, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 24, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2023 (Estimated).\n\nNational Institute on Aging \nRecipient: Georgia State University\nGrant Project Title: Innovative Glycomic/Glycoproteomic Investigation on Alzheimer's Disease\nAmount: $ 782, 675\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2019 (Estimated).\n\nNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke \nRecipient: Georgia Institute of Technology\nGrant Project Title: Circuit and Synaptic Mechanisms of Visual Spatial Attention\nAmount: $ 547, 154\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2018 and an end date of July 31, 2023 (Estimated).\n\nNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke \nRecipient: Emory University \nGrant Project Title: The molecular mechanism and therapeutics in axon regeneration\nAmount: $ 341, 250\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2018 and an end date of June 30, 2023 (Estimated).\n\nNational Institute on Aging \nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Computational Prediction and Functional Validation of Novel Risk Loci of Alzheimer's Disease\nAmount: $ 788, 200\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2019 (Estimated).\n\nNational Institute on Aging \nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Synaptic accumulation of misfolded proteins and neurodegeneration\nAmount: $ 488, 920\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of May 01, 2001 and an end date of August 31, 2019 (Estimated).\n\nNational Cancer Institute \nRecipient: Sophia Bioscience, Inc.\nGrant Project Title: Development of Novel Targeted Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma\nAmount: $ 300, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 20, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2019 (Estimated).\n\n\nNational Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering \nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Improved Whole-Brain Spectroscopic MRI for Radiation Treatment Planning\nAmount: $ 813, 062\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 22, 2018 and an end date of July 31, 2021 (Estimated).\n\nCenters for Disease Control and Prevention / CDC-NCCDPHP National Center for Chronic Diseases Prevention & Health Promotion (DP)\nRecipient: Georgia Department of Public Health\nGrant Project Title: Innovative State and Local Public Health Strategies to Prevent and Manage Diabetes and Heart Disease and Stroke\nAmount: $ 800, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 30, 2018 and an end date of September 29, 2023 (Estimated).\n\nNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases \nRecipient: Emory University\nGrant Project Title: Role of Calcineurin Isoforms in Renal Regulation of Blood Pressure\nAmount: $ 186, 040\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 20, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2021 (Estimated).\n\nAdministration for Community Living / AOD - Administration on Disabilities\nRecipient: Georgia State University, University Foundation, Inc.\nGrant Project Title: Increasing Access to Youth Mental Health Awareness Training in Hispanic Communities in Georgia\nAmount: $ 50, 000\nAdditional Details: This award has a start date of September 01, 2018 and an end date of August 31, 2019 (Estimated).\n\nAny questions regarding this notification should be addressed to the National Service Hotline at 1 (800) 942-2677.\n\n####", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://tomgraves.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399008", "Rep. Graves Supports America First Agriculture Bill", "2018-12-12", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Tom Graves", "G000560", "tomgraves.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Graves Supports America First Agriculture Bill\n                      \n                    \n                        \n                    \n                    \n                    \n                    \n                    \n                        \n                            WASHINGTON,\n                            December 12, 2018-\n                        Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-14) today voted for and the House passed the Conference Report to Accompany the Agriculture Improvement Act (H.R. 2)  commonly referred to as the Farm Bill. This legislation, which addresses differences between the House and Senate's previously-passed versions of the bill, sets policy for agriculture and nutrition programs for the next five years.  Georgia's number one industry is agribusiness, which contributes more than $73 billion to our state's economy, said Rep. Graves. Today's vote sends a pro-farm, America-First agriculture bill to the president's desk. It strengthens the programs that protect and support the Georgians who work hard every day to put food on our tables. It also cuts and streamlines regulations to ensure our farmers and ranchers are competitive in the global marketplace.  Additionally, this legislation builds on the reforms we made in 2013 to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, Rep. Graves continued. I look forward to Agriculture Department Secretary Sonny Perdue's implementation of regulations that help more people move from welfare to work in President Trump's booming economy. I also want to commend Secretary Perdue, Georgia's former governor, for his hard work on this important legislation. Highlights of the bill include:\r\n \r\n    Providing regulatory relief by clarifying the central role of state agencies in implementing pesticide regulations, and streamlining the review and approval process concerning the impact of pesticides on endangered species;\r\n    Strengthening investment in America First trade initiatives by building upon the nation's $140 billion in annual agricultural exports, which represents a rare trade surplus for the United States.\r\n \r\nThe bill is strongly supported by Georgia's agriculture community, including:\r\n \r\n    Georgia Agribusiness Council\r\n    Georgia Bankers Association\r\n    Georgia Cattlemen's Association\r\n    Georgia Cotton Commission\r\n    Georgia Farm Bureau\r\n    Georgia Forestry Association\r\n    Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association\r\n    Georgia Peanut Commission\r\n    Georgia Poultry Federation\r\n    Georgia/Florida Soybean Associations\r\n \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congress-approves-agreement-5-year-agriculture-and-nutrition-act", "Congress Approves Agreement for 5-year Agriculture and Nutrition Act", "2018-12-12", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Rob Woodall", "W000810", "woodall.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  Today, the U.S. House passed the Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 2, the Agriculture Improvement Act to reauthorize and reform multiple programs that support America's farmers and agricultural communities. The measure extends our farm safety net through 2023, and brings with it much sought-after certainty for many across the country, including Forsyth County and Seventh District farmers. Seventh District U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall had previously led debate on the measure, and supported its passage today. The measure will now head to the President to be signed into law.\nI'm proud of the work done in reaching consensus on this bill that is good for farmers, Georgians, and America, and I'm pleased to support its passage today, said Rep. Woodall. For most of us, we aren't aware of the challenges our local farmers face on a daily basis, but we absolutely benefit from their efforts every time we visit the grocery store or sit down to a meal. Forsyth County and the State of Georgia has a very robust agriculture industry. Those families assume great risk and work tremendously hard to ensure the availability of products we often take for granted. So whether it's the crop insurance, loan programs, investment in agricultural research, or much more contained in the bill we passed today, we owe them that same commitment in providing long-term policy certainty.\nFarming is Georgia's largest and oldest industry, contributing an estimated $73 billion to the state's economy annually, with over 42,000 farms in operation statewide. In the Seventh District  with a heavy emphasis in Forsyth County  a robust farming community includes a poultry industry that, in 2016, was responsible for as much as $2.65 billion in total economic activity, creating or supporting as many as 11,476 total jobs. Those within the farming industry often times find themselves at the mercy of Mother Nature, and increasingly, in competition with global markets rife with foreign subsidies and trade barriers. H.R. 2 addresses many of these uncertainties for American families.\nThe American people count on Georgia's farmers; and they should be able to count on us in return. The partnership that culminated in passage of this important bill is worth noting. We don't always hear about our shared successes, but they happen daily, concluded Woodall.\nCongressman Woodall represents the Seventh Congressional District of Georgia , which includes significant portions of Forsyth and Gwinnett counties, and currently serves as Chairman of the Rules Subcommittee on Legislative and Budget Process, as well as serving on the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, and Budget Committee. \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-center?ContentRecord_id=0665E0F7-CFF5-4C6D-A312-67D91A8DD1CF", "Isakson Pays Tribute to Senators Joe Donnelly and Heidi Heitkamp", "2018-12-12", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Johnny Isakson", "I000055", "www.isakson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Wednesday, December 12, 2018\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tU.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., delivered remarks on the Senate floor to pay tribute to U.S. Senators Joe Donnelly, R-Ind., and Heidi Heitkamp, R-N.D., who are departing at the end of this term.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=819DCA94-2FD3-43FC-BB42-52C06083C7EE", "Columbus Post Office to be Named After Fort Benning Unit", "2018-12-12", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Johnny Isakson", "I000055", "www.isakson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and David Perdue, R-Ga., and U.S. Representatives Sanford Bishop, D-Ga.-02, and Drew Ferguson, R-Ga.-03, applauded House and Senate passage of their bill to designate a United States Post Office in Columbus, Georgia, as the Richard W. Williams, Jr., Chapter of the Triple Nickles (555th P.I.A.) Post Office.\r\nThis bill was introduced in honor of Columbus-area veterans who served in military units that originated from the Army's first all-black parachute unit, which was activated at Fort Benning in December 1943. After passing the Senate on Nov. 15, and the House on Dec. 11, the bill now heads to President Trump's desk to become law.\r\nAs the nation's first all-black parachute unit, the heroes of the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion courageously protected and defended our country throughout the 20th century, and this post office will demonstrate our thanks to the Triple Nickles Unit for their selfless actions and distinguished service, said Isakson, chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. The Triple Nickles, America's first all-black parachute group, went above and beyond the call of duty, serving in more airborne units than any other parachute group in history, said Senator Perdue, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. They trained at Fort Benning and remain a key part of Georgia's proud military tradition. Columbus and the Fort Benning community have always embraced our veterans and their families, and we are honored to recognize their service with this fitting tribute.\r\nI am honored to join my fellow Georgians and colleagues in Congress in honoring 555th Triple Nickles Parachute Infantry Battalion, said Congressman Bishop. The 555th Triple Nickles Parachute Infantry Battalion was the Army's first African-American parachute unit that was commanded by Captain Richard W. Williams, Jr. These brave men persevered through the most challenging training during the most trying times of our nation. Despite racism on the home front, they persisted and overcame every hardship and challenge that came their way in service of our nation. They remain American heroes and pioneers on behalf of many African-Americans that followed in service.\r\nUnder Captain Richard W. Williams's leadership, the 555th Triple Nickles Parachute Infantry Battalion bravely defended our nation during World War II, said Congressman Ferguson. It is an honor to be a part of the effort to honor their legacy, and I am proud of the Georgia delegation's work to commemorate the Triple Nickles' service and sacrifice. I look forward to seeing President Trump sign this bill into law.\r\nThe 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion, commonly known as the Triple Nickles, was deactivated in December 1947, and its members went on to serve in other military units during the Korean War. Notably, many members of the Triple Nickles also went on to form the Army's first and only all-black Ranger unit, the 2nd Ranger Company Airborne, which trained at Fort Benning and saw action in the Korean War. Ultimately, members of the Triple Nickles served in more airborne units, in peace and war, than any other parachute group in history.\r\nThe Richard W. Williams, Jr., Chapter of the Triple Nickles currently has a membership of approximately 61 veterans in Columbus, Ga., and the surrounding area who served in various military units that were fathered by the Triple Nickles, including the 173rd Airborne, 2nd Ranger Company Airborne, 1st Cavalry Division, and the 24th Infantry Division.\r\nThe Post Office to be renamed is located at 120 12th Street Lobby, Columbus, Ga.\r\nView the bill here.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://allen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1634", "Rep. Allen Applauds EPA Announcement on WOTUS Rule", "2018-12-11", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Rick Allen", "A000372", "allen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Allen Applauds EPA Announcement on WOTUS Rule \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        December 11, 2018\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n      \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      U.S. Congressman Rick W. Allen (R-Ga-12) issued the following statement today after the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) announcement to significantly scale back the definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS). In 2015, under the Obama Administration, the EPA finalized a joint rule with the Army Corps of Engineers to expand the definition of WOTUS under the Clean Water Act, broadening the federal government's regulatory authority of virtually any place where water flows across the country. Congressman Allen has been a vocal opponent of the WOTUS rule and introduced legislation last year to have the rule repealed. \r\nThe harmful and severely flawed WOTUS rule, finalized under the Obama Administration, was never in the best interest of our states, local governments and landowners, said Congressman Allen. Simply put, we do not need Washington bureaucrats overregulating smaller waterways such as backyard streams and puddles. The agencies' proposed rule will serve as a breath of fresh air for our farmers and ranchers in Georgia and throughout the country and I am eager to see the positive impacts this proposal will have on rural America. I thank the Trump Administration and acting EPA Administrator, Andrew Wheeler, for following through on the commitment to significantly scale back the WOTUS rule. \r\nTo read more about the new proposed WOTUS definition, please CLICK HERE.\r\n ###  \r\n\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://austinscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/farm-bill-conference-report-heads-house-floor-rep-scott-s-support", "Farm Bill Conference Report Heads to the House Floor with Rep. Scotts Support", "2018-12-11", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Austin Scott", "S001189", "austinscott.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHIGNTON, DC  Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08), a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy and Credit, today released the below statement after yesterday signing the Conference Report to the 2018 Farm Bill, sending the bipartisan, bicameral legislation to the House Floor to be voted on by the full Chamber.\nRep. Austin Scott signs the Conference Report to the 2018 Farm Bill.\nIt was a privilege to sign the Conference Report to the 2018 Farm Bill yesterday. Drafting a new Farm Bill has been a long process involving countless meetings, hearings, roundtables and site visits, and I am glad to see our nation's ag policy on the cusp of major reform for the first time in nearly five years. I am confident that this bill delivers the necessary policy our farmers desperately need to keep our producers and rural communities growing and innovating for the 21st century, said Rep. Scott. I will continue to press my colleagues on the importance of our farm communities and rural America and will advocate for this bill until it passes both Chambers and is sent to President Trump to be signed into law.\nThrough negotiations, Rep. Scott was able to maintain the current commodity policy provisions for peanut producers, maintain the commodity policy for seed cotton, improve and expand credit for farmers, and prioritize research and development of additional risk management policies for specialty crops like peaches and pecans.\nIncluded in the major legislation which contains annual spending for the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and provisions concerning crop insurance, rural development, specialty crops and research, extension and education programs, were two amendments offered by Rep. Scott to bring modernization and accountability to broadband services and spur broadband infrastructure investment in rural America.\nThis is Rep. Scott's second time to serve on a conference committee for the Farm Bill. Written about every five years, the Farm Bill is our nation's primary agriculture policy tool. The current farm bill, the Agricultural Act of 2014, funds farm programs through 2018.\nYou can click here to read the full text of the report.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://austinscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-austin-scott-statement-new-proposed-wotus-rule", "Rep. Austin Scott Statement on New Proposed WOTUS Rule", "2018-12-11", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Austin Scott", "S001189", "austinscott.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08), a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, today released the following statement after the after the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) announcement to significantly scale back the definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS). In 2015, under the Obama Administration, the EPA finalized a joint rule with the Army Corps of Engineers to expand the definition of WOTUS under the Clean Water Act, broadening the federal government's regulatory authority of virtually any place where water flows across the country.\nThe last Administration's WOTUS rule was overreaching and detrimental to American farmers. I'm very glad to see EPA's new proposed Waters of the United States' rule and a roll back of burdensome regulations that stifled production and did little to further protect our natural resources, said Rep. Scott.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://austinscott.house.gov/press-releases?ID=1EDD39B9-13DE-4FA0-8C94-3847F11F80EC", "Rep. Austin Scott Statement on New Proposed WOTUS Rule", "2018-12-11", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Austin Scott", "S001189", "austinscott.house.gov", "austinscott", "https://austinscott.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08), a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, today released the following statement after the after the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s (EPA) announcement to significantly scale back the definition of \u201cWaters of the United States\u201d (WOTUS). In 2015, under the Obama Administration, the EPA finalized a joint rule with the Army Corps of Engineers to expand the definition of WOTUS under the Clean Water Act, broadening the federal government\u2019s regulatory authority of virtually any place where water flows across the country.\n\n\u201cThe last Administration\u2019s WOTUS rule was overreaching and detrimental to American farmers. I'm very glad to see EPA's new proposed \u2018Waters of the United States\u2019 rule and a roll back of burdensome regulations that stifled production and did little to further protect our natural resources,\u201d said Rep. Scott.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:11:43Z"], ["https://austinscott.house.gov/press-releases?ID=268E7612-DDBE-4B00-8A79-EFC79E4E146E", "Farm Bill Conference Report Heads to the House Floor with Rep. Scott\u2019s Support", "2018-12-11", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Austin Scott", "S001189", "austinscott.house.gov", "austinscott", "https://austinscott.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHIGNTON, DC \u2013 Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08), a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy and Credit, today released the below statement after yesterday signing the Conference Report to the 2018 Farm Bill, sending the bipartisan, bicameral legislation to the House Floor to be voted on by the full Chamber.\n\n[[{\"fid\":\"539\",\"view_mode\":\"full\",\"fields\":{\"format\":\"full\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false},\"link_text\":null,\"type\":\"media\",\"field_deltas\":{\"1\":{\"format\":\"full\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false}},\"attributes\":{\"height\":3578,\"width\":5367,\"style\":\"height: 350px; width: 525px;\",\"class\":\"media-element file-full\",\"data-delta\":\"1\"}}]]\n\nRep. Austin Scott signs the Conference Report to the 2018 Farm Bill.\n\n\u201cIt was a privilege to sign the Conference Report to the 2018 Farm Bill yesterday. Drafting a new Farm Bill has been a long process involving countless meetings, hearings, roundtables and site visits, and I am glad to see our nation\u2019s ag policy on the cusp of major reform for the first time in nearly five years. I am confident that this bill delivers the necessary policy our farmers desperately need to keep our producers and rural communities growing and innovating for the 21st century,\u201d said Rep. Scott. \u201cI will continue to press my colleagues on the importance of our farm communities and rural America and will advocate for this bill until it passes both Chambers and is sent to President Trump to be signed into law.\u201d\n\nThrough negotiations, Rep. Scott was able to maintain the current commodity policy provisions for peanut producers, maintain the commodity policy for seed cotton, improve and expand credit for farmers, and prioritize research and development of additional risk management policies for specialty crops like peaches and pecans.\n\nIncluded in the major legislation which contains annual spending for the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and provisions concerning crop insurance, rural development, specialty crops and research, extension and education programs, were two amendments offered by Rep. Scott to bring modernization and accountability to broadband services and spur broadband infrastructure investment in rural America.\n\nThis is Rep. Scott\u2019s second time to serve on a conference committee for the Farm Bill. Written about every five years, the Farm Bill is our nation\u2019s primary agriculture policy tool. The current farm bill, the Agricultural Act of 2014, funds farm programs through 2018.\n\nYou can click here to read the full text of the report.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:11:43Z"], ["https://bishop.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-bishop-announces-714-million-head-start-grant-for-macon-bibb", "CONGRESSMAN BISHOP ANNOUNCES $7.14 MILLION HEAD START GRANT FOR MACON-BIBB COUNTY ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL INC", "2018-12-11", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Sanford Bishop", "B000490", "bishop.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "MACON, GA  Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) is pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded a $7.14 million grant to the Macon-Bibb County Economic Opportunity Council, Inc. to support Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Georgia. Head Start programs promote quality school readiness for children from birth to five years old who come from low income families through education, health, social and other services.\n\nI am very pleased with the generous Head Start grant awarded to the Macon-Bibb County Economic Opportunity Council, Inc., said Congressman Bishop. A strong learning foundation is vital for the future success of our nation's children. This grant will help ensure this foundation by providing crucial resources to disadvantaged children and families to combat economic and social barriers throughout the Macon-Bibb county area.\n\nFounded in 1965, the Head Start program has served 30 million children and families in urban and rural areas across the nation and U.S. territories. The program is administered by HHS's Office of Head Start within the Administration for Children and Families. Additional information on the program can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://bishop.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-bishop-statement-on-the-abrupt-closure-of-virginia-college", "CONGRESSMAN BISHOP STATEMENT ON THE ABRUPT CLOSURE OF VIRGINIA COLLEGE AND THE AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES FOR IMPACTED STUDENTS", "2018-12-11", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Sanford Bishop", "B000490", "bishop.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) released the following statement on the closure of schools under the umbrella of the Education Corporation of America, which includes Virginia College with locations in both Columbus, GA and Macon, GA.\n\nI am disappointed with the immediate closure of Virginia College and its campuses located in both Columbus and Macon. I have already reached out to the Department of Education and the Department of Veteran Affairs to ensure they are doing everything they can to assist students.This was an unexpected announcement, and I will continue to do everything in my power to provide students affected by this closure assistance in overcoming this hardship.\n\nThe U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs have provided the following resources for impacted students. These resources provide guidance on the potential discharge of federal student loans and other options for impacted students:\n\n The U.S. Department of Education's official fact sheet for the closure of Education Corporation of America can be found here.\n\n The U.S. Department of Education's official website for closed school federal loan discharge can be found here.\n\n The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' website for the restoration of GI Benefits is can be found here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hankjohnson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-johnson-discusses-consumers-digital-privacy-google-ceo", "Rep. Johnson Discusses Consumers Digital Privacy with Google CEO", "2018-12-11", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Hank Johnson", "J000288", "hankjohnson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04), the Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet (IP), today questioned Google CEO Sundar Pichai on the importance of consumers' digital privacy in the online ecosystem. The following is a transcript of his exchange in Judiciary Committee hearing: Transparency & Accountability: Examining Google and its Data Collection, Use, and Filtering Practices.\nTo watch video, click HERE.\nChairman Goodlatte: The chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia for five minutes.\nCongressman Johnson: Thank you. Have you ever heard talk of this e-mail you were just asked about sent by your head of multicultural marketing?\nMr. Pichai: Not at that time, but later when there were expressions made about it.\nCongressman Johnson: Is it true she sent that e-mail or could that be fake news? (laughter)\nMr. Pichai: My understanding is there were e-mails sent.\nCongressman Johnson: But it's your testimony today that Google did not configure features to get out the Latino vote in key states?\nMr. Pichai: We don't build partisan features with any goals around affecting elections in those ways. We focus efforts on helping people register to vote and we reach users across the United States. Any time we do these efforts informing people where to vote, these are used in a very distributed way widely across the entire country.\nCongressman Johnson: Thank you, sir. Google's collection and use of consumer's data in its record of protecting consumers and their data are appropriate areas of congressional oversight, but sadly this committee has neglected consumer protection as an area of oversight choosing instead to squander their oversight responsibility and use its power to bully Google and other technology companies into minimizing negative news and comments about Republicans and most importantly the Trump Administration. Yesterday, Google disclosed that private profile data of over 52 million users may have been exposed. I understand you're phasing out the Google Plus platform, but many Americans trust your e-mail platform and countless other products with their personal information. And you admit that you collect private data for use in advertising. How can we be assured, considering this new breach, that our personally identifiable information of consumers is safe with you?\nMr. Pichai: Building software has bugs associated as part of the process. We undertake a lot of efforts to find bugs and so we find it and fix it and that's how we constantly make our systems better and the biggest area of risk we normally see for our users is around security. That's how we work hard. We have an advanced protection program. It allows a second layer of protection, which makes it much harder to get your account misappropriated in any way.\nCongressman Johnson: Thank you. Yesterday, The New York Times published an in-depth investigation of your location-tracking applications that identified our personally identified data. Google has said that it doesn't sell data, but as a corporation deeply involved in the business of consumer data use in advertising, your company benefits from applications that track consumer locations. How do you differentiate what Google does with geolocation on data from companies with applications that track and sell the data?\nMr. Pichai: As a company, we do not sell user data. That would be against our principles.\nCongressman Johnson: How do you differentiate what you do with the geolocation data from companies that do sell the data?. How do you differentiate what you do with that data versus what these applications that do track and sell the data do?\nMr. Pichai: An important source of differentiation. We would never sell user data. We give consumers preferences about how their data is used for advertising. Most of our user experience is we make our advertising relevant based on the key words you type in. You can control your ad settings and change the use of personal data as well.\nCongressman Johnson: As my time expires, do you believe Google has done enough to be transparent in its data collecting policies?\nMr. Pichai: We always think there's more to do. It's an area of ongoing effort for us. But we have enlisted a lot over the years, and we make it transparent and encourage users to check it out. 20 million users go and check it. Over the last month, 170 million users did check it.\nCongressman Johnson: Thank you. I yield back.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hice.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2550", "Hice Legislation to Preserve America\u2019s Battlefields Clears House", "2018-12-11", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Jody Hice", "H001071", "hice.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.  Congressman Jody Hice (R-Ga.), a member of the House Natural Resources Committee, today praised the House passage of H.R. 6108, the Preserving America's Battlefields Act. This bill reauthorizes the Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants Program, a successful dollar-for-dollar grants program that protects the preservation of Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War battlefields.\r\nHice delivered remarks on the U.S. House Floor on Monday, December 10, 2018, urging his colleagues to support this legislation. The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives by unanimous consent.\r\n\r\n\r\n    \r\n        \r\n            \r\n        \r\n    \r\n\r\n\r\nRep. Hice delivers remarks on H.R. 6108, the Preserving America's Battlefield Act\r\nSince the inception of this program, Battlefield Land Acquisition grants have been used extensively to preserve portions of dozens of battlefield sites that played roles in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the American Civil War, said Congressman Hice. These dollar-for-dollar matching land grants have saved more than 30,000 acres of battlegrounds across 20 states. Just this year, in my own district, this program assisted in securing 180 acres of battlegrounds surrounding the site of Kettle Creek Battlefield, the site of the only significant Patriot victory in Georgia during the Revolutionary War. My bill would reauthorize this successful bipartisan federal grants program and would dedicate a portion of that authorization for educational purposes and for the restoration and interpretation of high-priority battlefield sites.\r\nThis will help to make these battlegrounds beautiful, historic, and educational tourist destinations, Hice continued. This program has been one of the most successful and efficient land grant programs in our Nation's history, continually receiving bipartisan support. Both former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama supported the program's authorization and subsequent reauthorization, respectively. I am very proud to say that my bill has continued this rich tradition of bipartisan support here in this 115th Congress.\r\nHouse Natural Resources Chairman Rob Bishop (R-Ut.) also praised the legislation on the House Floor:\r\nThis is one of those bills that makes an old history teacher's heart fill with joy, said Chairman Rob Bishop. It's one of the right things to do. We're talking about areas that are living memorials to the heroism, to the sacrifice of those people who made this country what it is. This bill is about preserving our history, helping us to know and understand and retain the story of who we are as a Nation, and also how we arrived there as a Nation. All of that is significant. \r\n\r\n\r\n    \r\n        \r\n            \r\n        \r\n    \r\n\r\n\r\nWatch Chairman Rob Bishop's full remarks on H.R. 6108, the Preserving America's Battlefield Act\r\nCompanion legislation, S.3505, has been introduced in the U.S. Senate by U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss).\r\n ##", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=2932BFF0-A421-4D2B-BF5F-684D0608DF7D", "Isakson: 2018 Farm Bill Anticipates Needs, Aids Georgia Ag Community", "2018-12-11", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Johnny Isakson", "I000055", "www.isakson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today praised the Senate's final passage of the bipartisan Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, H.R.2, known as the Farm Bill. The legislation codifies agriculture policy for the next five years to strengthen our agricultural economy in Georgia and the United States. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 87-13. It will now be considered by the U.S. House of Representatives.\r\nThe Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 will provide certainty and predictability to farmers and ranchers by improving crop insurance coverage and reauthorizing farm and conservation programs. It also provides assistance to rural communities through expansion of broadband, opioid addiction treatment programs, and support for agriculture programs for veterans.\r\nAs the senior senator from the state of Georgia where agriculture is our leading industry, I am proud to support the 2018 Farm Bill to help our farmers today and in the long term, said Isakson. Our nation's farmers face near-constant uncertainty in their day-to-day operations as they work to feed the world. This bill anticipates future challenges and helps ensure that our policies reflect the needs of our farmers.\r\nI also appreciate each member of the House and Senate negotiating teams who hammered out the details in the final legislation, including Georgia's U.S. Representatives Rick Allen, R-Ga.-12, Austin Scott, R-Ga.-08, and David Scott, D-Ga.-13.\r\nContributing an annual $73 billion to Georgia's economy, agriculture remains the state's leading industry. Additionally, Georgia is home to a larger variety of agricultural industries than almost any other state.\r\nSignificant to Georgia farmers, the legislation maintains funding levels for the main crop insurance program used in Georgia, Price Loss Coverage, at current funding levels.\r\nGeorgia is the second largest cotton-growing state in the United States, and cotton, which is the largest crop by acreage in Georgia, contributes an estimated economic value of more than $1.6 billion to Georgia's economy.\r\nLegislation passed earlier this year made cotton eligible for Title I commodity programs. The 2018 Farm Bill will allow increased coverage if five-year crop price averages escalate significantly.\r\nAt Isakson's urging, these safety net programs were maintained to protect cotton farmers in the 2018 Farm Bill. Isakson sponsored an amendment included in the legislation to extend funding for an important program that helps modernize and protect U.S. textile factories while also promoting the use of domestic-produced cotton. The program is now fully funded. \r\nThe majority of cotton produced in Georgia is exported to other countries. Therefore, the industry is greatly dependent on open trade relationships with key markets.\r\nTrade promotion programs are fully funded in the legislation, and several major trade and assistance programs were consolidated to streamline operations.\r\nThe legislation also encourages conservation by the agriculture community. The Conservation Stewardship Program remains in place, and funding was increased for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, which incentivizes and contributes to smart conservation practices on farms.\r\nThe specialty crop industry contributes $4.5 billion in total economic impact in Georgia and provides over 31,000 jobs throughout the state. The legislation prioritizes research and development of additional risk management policies for specialty crops like peaches and pecans.\r\nGeorgia is consistently ranked as the top forestry state in the nation, and it tops every other state in the nation in terms of pure volume of timber harvested. The 2018 Farm Bill also includes key provisions from the Timber Innovation Act, which Isakson cosponsored, providing funds for research and development of wood-building construction as well as wood innovation grants. Additionally in Georgia, the legislation included the Chattahoochee Oconee Land Adjustment Act, which was cosponsored by Isakson and gives U.S. Forest Service the tools they need to better steward North Georgia's only national forest, improve recreational opportunities and save taxpayer dollars.\r\nThe bill also helps ensure safety for farm animals and the food supply through funding of the National Animal Disease Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Program and establishes the new National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=A40108D6-E243-44BA-A02E-6F26776711E9", "Isakson Praises New Water Rule That Helps Georgia Farmers", "2018-12-11", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Johnny Isakson", "I000055", "www.isakson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today praised the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers on the signing of a revised Waters of the United States rule, which would provide much-needed clarity to Georgia farmers and landowners and prevent overreaching federal regulation of private and state waters under the rule previously implemented by the Obama administration.\r\nToday's action by the Trump administration is a relief to Georgia's farmers and our agriculture industry, said Isakson. This new commonsense definition will restore state and private property rights while preserving the appropriate role of the federal government in protecting waterways that cross state lines.\r\nIsakson has long argued that the previous administration's overreaching rule allowed the federal government to regulate nearly all private and state waters in the United States, including thousands of streams, creeks, wetlands, ponds and ditches.\r\nIn 2017, President Trump signed an order to require the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency to review and reconsider the Waters of the United States rule.\r\nRelated:Isakson, Perdue Praise Rollback of Government Takeover of WaterwaysIsakson Applauds President's Efforts to Reverse Takeover of WaterwaysSenators Isakson, Perdue Introduce Resolution to Reverse Obama Administration's Harmful EPA RegulationSenators Isakson, Perdue Denounce Obama's Move to Allow New EPA Land Grab\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.perdue.senate.gov/news/press-releases/2018-farm-bill-passes-senate-one-step-closer-to-president-trumps-desk", "2018 Farm Bill Passes Senate, One Step Closer To President Trumps Desk", "2018-12-11", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "David Perdue", "P000612", "www.perdue.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Skip to primary navigation Skip to content\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t    \n\t      \n\t      \n\t        \n\t       \t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Meet David\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Connect\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Helping You\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  News", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.perdue.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-david-perdue-acts-to-protect-farmers-and-businesses-private-data", "Senator David Perdue Acts To Protect Farmers and Businesses Private Data", "2018-12-11", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "David Perdue", "P000612", "www.perdue.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Skip to primary navigation Skip to content\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t    \n\t      \n\t      \n\t        \n\t       \t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Meet David\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Connect\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Helping You\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  News", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.perdue.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-david-perdue-on-trump-administrations-rollback-of-water-overregulation", "Senator David Perdue On Trump Administrations Rollback Of Water Overregulation", "2018-12-11", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "David Perdue", "P000612", "www.perdue.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Skip to primary navigation Skip to content\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t    \n\t      \n\t      \n\t        \n\t       \t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Meet David\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Connect\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Helping You\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  News", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletter-archive/washington-watch-121018", "Washington Watch - 12/10/18", "2018-12-10", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Rob Woodall", "W000810", "woodall.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "SERVING THOSE IN NEED THIS HOLIDAY SEASON\nThis time of year is certainly busy for most, from wrapping up the year's end to preparing for the next, to the holidays in between that are celebrated in countries around the world, the month of December can certainly feel a bit overwhelming. What's more, many of you are probably either preparing your home to welcome family and friends or you are planning to travel to be with your loved ones. There is nothing more special than being present with those you love and catching up on what has happened in the lives of those you cherish since you last visited with them, and I hope that you'll be doing just that and enjoying all that our community has to offer this time of year.\nThat said, while it's my sincere hope that all your conversations are filled with joy and happiness, we all know too well that some troubles might be aired. You might even learn that a family member is having trouble with a federal agency. Unfortunately, bureaucratic red tape knows no boundaries, even during this special time of year, and these challenges can consume the minds and weigh on the hearts of those individuals who are seeking the services promised to themby the government.\nWhether it's your father-in-law who is having an issue with Medicare, your cousin who is trying to obtain military service records, or your daughter who is trying to navigate the immigration system to secure a student visa so she can study abroad this coming summer, our office is here to help! Resolving problems constituents are having with federal agencies is my Georgia office's number one focus. I have a dedicated team of caseworkers who are familiar with the rules, regulations, and inner-workings of these agencies, allowing us to use their expertise to help solve issues you or a family member may be having.\nSo as you gather around with friends and family in the coming weeks, please know that my team and I want to give the gift of peace of mind to any of your coworkers, neighbors or family members who are grappling with federal bureaucratic red tape this season. My office works each and every day to ensure that the federal government works better to serve all Americans, and I look forward to partnering with you to bring solutions home this year!\n\nCONGRESS PASSES SHORT-TERM SPENDING BILL\nLast week, Congress sent a short-term spending bill to President Trump's desk, extending the FY19 funding deadline to December 21st. Much of the funding negotiations were postponed out of respect for the Bush family and for all Americans to honor and remember the life of President George H.W. Bush. This extra time will allow us to iron out the last few remaining details in the FY19 package that includes funding for the Department of Agriculture, State, and Homeland Security, to name a few. A major point of contention lies with funding for border security. While the House provides the Department of Homeland Security with $5 billion for border funding, the Senate version would only provide $1.6 billion. Both, however, are an increase from the current level which is at $1.3 billion.\nAdditionally, we are also discussing a disaster relief package for folks who have been affected by the wildfires in California and the several hurricanes that hit the southeast of the United States. Hurricane Michael in particular devastated our farmers in south Georgia, uprooting pecan trees, leveling timber forests, and destroying poultry houses, which is why I signed a letter along with the entire Georgia delegation to House leadership urging them to include disaster relief funding for all those affected.\nSending aid to Georgia farmers is important. Funding security measures at our southern border is important. Ensuring federal agencies have the resources they need to operate is important. All of these issues and more can and should be resolved in the coming days.\n\nU.S. CAPITOL CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTS UP THE NIGHT \nFor the past 55 years, families from across the nation have joined Members of Congress for a time-honored tradition: the lighting of the Capitol Christmas Tree, also known as The People's Tree. This year's tree is an 80 foot tall noble fir that made the long journey from Oregon's Willamette National Forest to the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol. Last Thursday, Speaker Paul Ryan, with the help of Brigette Harrington, a 9-year-old elementary school student from Hillsboro, Oregon, flipped the switch to kick-off the holiday season in our nation's capital. Brigette was chosen for this honor after her poem was selected out of more than 1,200 entries from 4th grade students from across Oregon who were asked to write about what they loved about Oregon's great outdoors. As you can tell from her poem, Brigette loves all the natural grandeur that Oregon's wilderness has to offer. I only hope that one day a great Georgia pine will adorn the Capitol grounds!\nIf you're going to be in Washington, D.C., for a holiday trip, you'll be able to see the tree illuminating the Capitol's west lawn through January 1st. If you can't make it to D.C., however, you can watch the Capitol Christmas Tree's journey by CLICKING HERE. And you can click the picture below to see Speaker Ryan and Brigette light the tree!\n\nCONSTITUENT SPOTLIGHT: THE ONGOING CONFLICT IN YEMEN\nRecently, the Senate voted to advance a measure that would require the President to remove U.S. troops not authorized by Congress from taking part in hostilities in Yemen, thereby renewing our national debate on where and when our military should be operating. It is likely that the resolution will be brought before the Senate this week. Here is a sample of what I have heard from Georgia Seventh District constituents about the conflict in Yemen:\nTae from Cumming:\nThe war that is destroying Yemen and threatening the death by starvation of millions of children is dependent on both the participation of the U.S. military (picking targets and refueling bombers) and U.S. weapons sold to Saudi Arabia. As a constituent, I insist that you must do the only decent thing and support legislation to end U.S. participation in the war (S.J.Res. 54 and H.Con.Res.138) and to block any further weapons sales from the United States to the Saudi government. Please speak out publicly and lobby your colleagues. There are many lives in the balance.\nElizabeth from Sugar Hill:\nGood Evening, I'm writing in regards to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. I've read that 85,000 children have starved to death, partially due to our involvement. We should not be involved in this war which has caused immeasurable suffering, but should instead be providing humanitarian aid. My heart is broken for these children and their families. Please act to end our involvement in this war, and to fund aid for these people. Thank you.\n______________________________________________________________________________\nThe ongoing crisis in Yemen, similar to the conflict in Syria, is a civil war involving nation states and terrorist organizations that has deepened into a severe humanitarian crisis. Further, the country's woes now serve as an all too familiar proxy battle between Saudi Arabia and Iran. For nearly four years, the Saudi-backed government of Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi has fought the Iranian-supported Houthis in a conflict shattering the lives of the Yemeni people. The United States has sought to end the conflict though political means and has been the largest contributor of aid to Yemen, with over $1.46 billion in financial assistance since 2015, but it has also played a military role by providing arms and support to the Saudi-led coalition forces and by conducting counter-terrorism operations against Al Qaeda affiliates in Yemen.\nI agree with Tae and Elizabeth that any use of military force, in this conflict or any other, which is requested by the President should be approved by Congress first. In fact, I recently joined with over 100 of my colleagues in sending aletterto Speaker Paul Ryan asking that the House begin debating and vote on a new Authorizations for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) regarding the ongoing deployment of U.S. forces throughout the Middle Eastand expressing that the President seek approval from Congress before taking any additional military action in the region. Our military has been operating under the authority of a nearly two-decades-old AUMF that has authorized operations in 14 different countries since 2001. It is past time that we craft a new AUMF to address the current situations we face.\nIn addition to requesting the consideration of a new AUMF, I supported the passage of H.Res. 599, which explicitly stated that Congress has not authorized the use of military force in Yemen.I also supported measures in the FY18 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and the FY19 NDAA restricting the use of funds for supporting certain operations in Yemen.\nSuch a complex conflict demands a comprehensive strategy in order to guarantee a successful peace, and it is imperative that Congress be involved in that debate from the very beginning. There may be good news on the horizon as the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels agreed recently to resume a United Nations-brokered peace process, but until that process is restarted and the peace is won, I am eager to see what my colleagues in the Senate decide to do this week and how we can work to end this conflict without further loss of life.\n\nHONORING GWINNETT'S TOP HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS\nWhen folks discuss healthcare nowadays, it is one of those topics that can often be broad in nature and bogged down in policy details, but at its core, it's really neither of these things. Healthcare is personal, it should be patient-centered, and it requires skilled and dedicated professionals to deliver it. Without these men and women, we would all be in a very precarious situation. Their contribution to our community is not something we can fully quantify, but each of us in our own way has felt it through the care they have provided to us individually or to a loved one. It comes as no surprise that here in the Seventh District, once again, we have some of the very best the industry has to offer, and their excellence was on full display last week as the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce recognized nearly 90 finalists and 12 winners at the annual Healthcare Excellence Awards.\nI've often said that one of the things I value about our community is not only that we have the very best any given industry or profession has to offer, but we make an effort to acknowledge their hard work and all that they do for us. Whether it's our educators, our first-responders, our small business owners, or in this case our healthcare professionals, we make a special effort to honor excellence  and to say thank you to our neighbors giving so much of themselves to make our home an even better place to live. Congratulations to each of the honorees, and thank you for all you do in service to others!\n\nFORSYTH MANUFACTURERS RECOGNIZED, ADVANCE TO STATEWIDE COMPETITION\nWhat some may not know about the Seventh District is that Forsyth County  and the Seventh District in general  has one of the most robust manufacturing communities in the state and region! I've been fortunate to visit with so many of them over the years, and the input they provide is so important to making our voice stronger in Washington. If I haven't visited your place of business to this point, please reach out to me and we'll make it happen! I always welcome the opportunity to learn more about what you do and the challenges you face. I'll never know as much about your industry as you do, but by investing your time and knowledge in me, we can partner to make a difference  not just on the big things, but in fact, often on one small issue at a time. When you solve one small problem today, do the same tomorrow, and so on, you can make a huge impact in a month, a year, and a Congress.\nNo one does this better than our community, and that example serves as a model for success to others. For the second year in a row, the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce and the South Forsyth Rotary Club hosted the Forsyth County Manufacturers of Distinction and Leadership (MODL) awards last week, and recognized outstanding local manufacturers for their contributions. Winners in respective categories included Hansgrohe, Manufacturing Resources International, American BOA, and Scientific Games, with last year's Manufacturer of the Year, Metcam, receiving a new award for environmental sustainability! Leading by example is what we do here at home, and it makes me proud to see the type of corporate citizenry we have in the Seventh District time and again. Congratulations to each of these companies, and best of luck in the state competition!\n\nTHE WEEK AHEAD \nCongress is expected to move forward with consideration of a bipartisan Farm Bill this week that will provide much-needed support for our nation's farmers as well as ensure that Americans who are struggling with hunger are able to get the short-term food assistance that they need. Members on both sides of the political aisle and from both chambers have been hammering out the details of the Farm Bill for months now, and I'm so pleased that we are finally coming together with a measure that can be signed by the President before the end of the 115th Congress.\nThe House is also hoping to pass a slate of important health care bills this week, including measures to help prevent maternal deaths, provide greater resources for mothers and premature babies, and improve research and treatment of sickle cell disease, to name a few. To see a complete list of the bills that the House will vote on this week, please CLICK HERE.\n  \n\tSincerely,    \n\tRob Woodall  \n\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.perdue.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-david-perdue-announces-support-for-improved-first-step-act", "Senator David Perdue Announces Support For Improved First Step Act", "2018-12-10", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "David Perdue", "P000612", "www.perdue.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Skip to primary navigation Skip to content\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t    \n\t      \n\t      \n\t        \n\t       \t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Meet David\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Connect\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Helping You\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  News", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-center?ContentRecord_id=62C3E769-DFA0-407C-AC65-A2EF6D653EBA", "The best of America", "2018-12-07", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Johnny Isakson", "I000055", "www.isakson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear friends,It was with heavy hearts that we returned to work on Monday mourning the loss of the 41st president of the United States, George H.W. Bush, who passed away at his home in Houston, Texas, on Dec. 1, at the age of 94.President Bush's passing is a loss not only for America, but for all mankind who love freedom and liberty. He sacrificed for the country he loved in every way one could. As a solider, a public servant and a patriarch, President Bush represented the best of America.\r\n\r\nWe spent much of the week paying tribute to this American patriot and selfless public servant. On Monday, I joined the Bush family, Vice President Mike Pence, cabinet members, justices of the Supreme Court and my Congressional colleagues to pay final respects to President Bush at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, where he lain in state until Wednesday morning.On Tuesday, I honored the life of President Bush in a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate. I talked about the patriotism and strong character of the late president as well as my personal relationship with him, including the numerous occasions that he campaigned for me during my political career.President and Mrs. Bush were and always will be an unforgettable first family. I was honored to serve and work with them. Dianne and I extend our deepest sympathy and condolences to the Bush family. Robins Air Force Base Breakfast  On Tuesday, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, U.S. Representative Austin Scott and I welcomed our friends from Middle Georgia to the third annual Robins Air Force Base congressional breakfast in Washington, D.C.Robins Air Force Base is home to the Air Force Reserve Command, the 78th Air Base Wing and Air Logistics Complex, and the entire U.S. fleet of Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) aircraft. Robins Air Force Base plays a critical role in our national security and as a part of Georgia's military strength.We've received good news this year about the future of Robins, with new hiring initiatives to fill the necessary jobs, and I appreciate the issues set forth and the attendance by so many stakeholders. We're going to make sure that our mission is enhanced and that we fully utilize that mission, and we are here to help.\r\n\r\nIn Other News\r\n\r\nOn Tuesday, Senator Jon Tester and I sat down with Montana Radio's News Talk 730 to talk about the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs accomplishments in 2017-2018 and what lies ahead for 2019. As the lead Republican and Democrat on the committee, we work tirelessly to make important bipartisan progress for our nation's veterans who deserve nothing but the best.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOn Tuesday, I also sat down with the Library of Congress to talk about my time in the Georgia Air National Guard for the Veterans History Project. Learn more about how you can help the Library of Congress preserve veterans' histories here.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOn Tuesday, I also paid tribute to retiring Disabled American Veterans director Garry Augustine for his service to our country and steadfast commitment to veterans along with Senator Jon Tester. We wish him well in retirement and thank him for his lasting legacy of advocacy for veterans.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOn Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs helped collect toys for the U.S. Marine Corps' Toys for Tots, which provides gifts to deserving families across the country. We were so pleased with the turnout and appreciate all of the gifts received for this special holiday program.\r\n\r\n\r\nWhat's on Tap?\r\nThe Senate continues to work with the U.S. House of Representatives on the Farm Bill, as well as on funding for seven of 12 areas of government funding for 2019.\r\nSincerely,\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn Case You Missed It", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://ferguson.house.gov/media/press-releases/ferguson-hold-mobile-office-hours-fayetteville-0", "Ferguson to Hold Mobile Office Hours in Fayetteville", "2018-12-06", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "A. Ferguson", "F000465", "ferguson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  Congressman Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.) today announced that a member of his staff will be in Fayetteville, Georgia on Thursday December 13th to meet with constituents.\nWHO: Member of Congressman Ferguson's staff\nWHAT: Availability to meet with constituents, assist any constituents experiencing a problem with a federal agency\nWHEN: Thursday December 13, 2018 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.\nWHERE: Fayette County Chamber of Commerce, 600 West Lanier Avenue #205, Fayetteville, Georgia 30214\n  \n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://ferguson.house.gov/media/press-releases/ferguson-hold-mobile-office-hours-lagrange", "Ferguson to Hold Mobile Office Hours in LaGrange", "2018-12-06", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "A. Ferguson", "F000465", "ferguson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  Congressman Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.) today announced that a member of his staff will be in LaGrange, Georgia on Thursday December 13th to meet with constituents.\nWHO: Member of Congressman Ferguson's staff\nWHAT: Availability to meet with constituents, assist any constituents experiencing a problem with a federal agency\nWHEN: Thursday December 13, 2018 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.\nWHERE: LaGrange-Troup Chamber of Commerce, 111 Bull Street, LaGrange, Georgia 30240\n  \n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://ferguson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=41", "Ferguson to Hold Mobile Office Hours in Fayetteville", "2018-12-06", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "A. Ferguson", "F000465", "ferguson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", null, 0, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://ferguson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=44", "Ferguson to Hold Mobile Office Hours in LaGrange", "2018-12-06", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "A. Ferguson", "F000465", "ferguson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", null, 0, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=74800A08-0BEE-488F-AD8F-81F9DF786251", "Isakson, Perdue Welcome Federal Investment in Georgia Highway System", "2018-12-06", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Johnny Isakson", "I000055", "www.isakson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "ATLANTA  U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and David Perdue, R-Ga., today applauded the announcement by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) that Georgia's highway system will receive a federal grant to assist with an interchange project in Barrow County, Ga. The Georgia Department of Transportation will receive an award of $24,821,050 for a project at the intersection of State Route 316 (SR 316)/U.S. Route 29 and State Route 11 (SR 11) to improve traffic flow and accommodate future widening of SR 316.\r\nAn estimated 30,000 cars and trucks travel along SR 316 daily, and nearly 10,000 cars a day pass through the intersection on SR 11. A bridge will be built to allow SR 316 traffic to continue over SR 11. The work on SR 11 will extend for approximately 0.4 miles. On SR 316, the work will span approximately 1.1 miles.\r\nThis construction investment is made available through U.S. Department of Transportation's Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) grants program.\r\nThis investment is welcome news for the thousands of Georgians who commute daily on Highway 316 where there is increased congestion caused by tremendous growth in the area, said Isakson. I was glad to help support this project, which will improve traffic flow and safety. I appreciate the attention and leadership shown by Secretary Chao and President Trump to prioritize Americans' needs through investments in our infrastructure that will help hardworking families and our economy.\r\nAs a business guy, President Trump knows the federal government needs to prioritize infrastructure projects that will have the greatest return on investment, said Perdue. Thousands of Georgians travel on Highway 316 every day, and this project will help reduce traffic delays, while supporting the additional growth in the area. President Trump and Secretary Chao continue to make Georgia's infrastructure needs a priority. \r\nThe Georgia Department of Transportation is truly grateful to the USDOT for providing Georgia a $24.8M BUILD grant to build an interchange at SR 316 and SR 11 in Barrow County, said Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry. This grant is significant and aids in our efforts to improve safety and operations along SR 316 from I-85 to Athens while enhancing quality of life and Georgia's economic competitiveness along this critical corridor. The BUILD grant award also recognizes the USDOT's focus on transportation investment in rural America. We are very grateful for the strong support of both Senators Isakson and Perdue on this project and their focus on Georgia's transportation infrastructure. \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.perdue.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-david-perdue-acts-to-relieve-regulatory-burdens-on-farmers-business-owners", "Senator David Perdue Acts To Relieve Regulatory Burdens On Farmers, Business Owners", "2018-12-06", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "David Perdue", "P000612", "www.perdue.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Skip to primary navigation Skip to content\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t    \n\t      \n\t      \n\t        \n\t       \t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Meet David\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Connect\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Helping You\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  News", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.perdue.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senators-isakson-perdue-welcome-federal-investment-in-georgia-highway-system", "Senators Isakson, Perdue Welcome Federal Investment in Georgia Highway System", "2018-12-06", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "David Perdue", "P000612", "www.perdue.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Skip to primary navigation Skip to content\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t    \n\t      \n\t      \n\t        \n\t       \t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Meet David\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Connect\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  Helping You\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t  News", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://loudermilk.house.gov/news/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=1564", "A National Day of Mourning: Remembering George H.W. Bush", "2018-12-05", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Barry Loudermilk", "L000583", "loudermilk.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "A National Day of Mourning: Remembering George H.W. Bush  \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        December 5, 2018\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n      \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Rep. Loudermilk (R-GA) issued the following statement in honor of today's National Day of Mourning in remembrance of former President George H.W. Bush: Today marks a National Day of Mourning in remembrance of former President George H.W. Bush, but in reality we celebrate a man's life spent dedicated to public service. From an early age, his life story almost reads like a great fiction novel. From the time he enlisted in the Navy as a young man, after the attack on Pearl Harbor during WWII, to his days spent dedicated to humanitarian efforts across the world after his political career, President Bush's life is to be honored, studied, and celebrated.  And on days like today, I often find myself praying and looking to the future in the hopes I catch a glimpse of what God has in store for us. And while our nation seems to be stuck in a perpetual state of turmoil, those visions can often be bleak and troublesome; but then I remember a life like former President Bush's, and I'm reinvigorated with hope and optimism. I cannot help but believe there are young, selfless, patriotic individuals awaiting their turn to make an indelible mark on the world just like former President George H.W. Bush. May he rest in peace.  \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=48C9A41B-7413-4B31-8A73-C6E143BEAD28", "Georgia Delegation Hosts Third Annual Robins Air Force Base Breakfast", "2018-12-05", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Johnny Isakson", "I000055", "www.isakson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and U.S. Representative Austin Scott, R-Ga.-08, welcomed U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment Bob McMahon at the third annual Robins Air Force Base congressional breakfast Tuesday morning in Washington, D.C.\r\nRepresentatives from the offices of Senator David Perdue, R-Ga., and Representative Sanford Bishop, D-Ga.-02, were also in attendance.\r\nRobins Air Force Base plays a critical role in our national security and as a part of Georgia's military strength. We've received good news this year about the future of Robins, with new hiring initiatives to fill the necessary jobs, and I appreciate the issues set forth and the attendance by so many stakeholders, said Sen. Isakson, chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. We're going to make sure that our mission is enhanced and that we fully utilize that mission, and we are here to help.\r\nRobins Air Force Base plays an essential role not only in Middle Georgia, but for our state and for the Air Force as a whole. The innovative technology and maintenance centers at Robins provide countless resources to the Air Force, as well as the surrounding communities, said Rep. Austin Scott. I'd like to thank all the federal, state, and local leaders who were able to attend this event, as well as those who continue to support Robins who were unable to make the trip to D.C. The commitment of the Warner Robins community and the base are an integral partnership in Middle Georgia, and I know with continued support this relationship will grow and prosper for many years to come.\r\nU.S. Secretary of Agriculture and former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue, originally of Bonaire, Ga., also participated in the breakfast and delivered greetings from Sen. David Perdue, who was unable to personally attend this year's breakfast due to a funeral in Georgia.\r\nYou may know that I grew up in Bonaire, right there in middle Georgia, I've lived near Robins Air Force Base all my life and know how important it is to the community, to Georgia generally and what it contributes to the overall economy, said Secretary Perdue. I'm honored to be a hometown boy and an ardent supporter of Robins at its mission, not only for the economy certainly  that's a benefit  but for the national security of our nation and what it's contributed to the men and women there who so willingly serve and deploy in an ongoing basis for the safety of our troops and the safety of our nation.\r\nSecretary Perdue recognized Assistant Secretary of Defense McMahon's background at Robins Air Force Base. He also thanked the attendees for coming to share the message of Robins and reinforced the importance of the Robins mission.\r\nWe are fortunate to have some of our nation's best and brightest headquartered in Georgia at Robins Air Force Base, said Senator Perdue. Growing up in Warner Robins, I learned early on what an important role Robins plays in our national defense. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I am committed to making sure all of our Georgia military bases have what they need to fulfill their missions. With the new Advanced Battle Management System mission on the horizon and the recent announcement of 1,200 new jobs over the next 12 months, this is an exciting time for Robins. Thank you to General Kubinec, the 21st Century Partnership, and the Middle Georgia community for your hard work to further Robins' critical role in our national security strategy.\r\nI am grateful for the partnership with my colleagues in Congress from the Georgia Delegation in support of the operations at Robins Air Force Base, said Rep. Sanford Bishop. Robins Air Force Base is a vital piece of the overall national security of our nation, and an important part of the fabric of Middle and Southwest Georgia. It provides vital command and control and battle management capabilities for our armed forces, and I will continue to do all I can, in close cooperation with Congressman Scott, Senator Perdue, Senator Isakson, and our colleagues in Congress, to ensure Robins remains an integral part of our nation's national security posture.\r\nAssistant Secretary McMahon provides oversight of logistics policies, practices, and efficiencies to enable readiness across the Department of Defense and manages over $170 billion in logistics operations. McMahon retired as a General from the U.S. Air Force in 2012, after more than 34 years of service. He served as Commander of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, as the Director of Field Operations and Site Lead of the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III Integrated Sustainment Program at Robins Air Force Base, and as chief executive officer of the 21st Century Partnership in Warner Robins, Ga.\r\nRobins Air Force Base is home to the Air Force Reserve Command, the 78th Air Base Wing and Air Logistics Complex, and the entire U.S. fleet of Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) aircraft. Robins Air Force Base plays a vital role in our national defense and provides support to all branches of the military throughout the world.\r\nIn February, the U.S. Air Force announced that Robins Air Force Base will begin doing overhaul maintenance on the C-130s flown by the Navy and Marine Corps. On Aug. 15, the delegation applauded leadership of the Robins Air Force Base Air Logistics Complex in Warner Robins, Ga., in launching a new hiring initiative to bring 1,200 new jobs to the area in the next 12 months. This direct hiring initiative will help fill jobs more quickly across a spectrum of the logistics and aircraft sustainment mission at Robins Air Force Base.\r\nMore than 100 participants were in attendance at Tuesday's Washington, D.C., event including Brigadier General John Kubinec, Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex Commander; Hap Arnold, senior research analyst, Office of the Secretary of Defense; Colonel Will Ball, former secretary of the U.S. Navy and member of the Governor's Defense Initiative; Lieutenant General Richard Scobee, Commander, Chief, Air Force Reserve and Commander, Air Force Reserve Command; Major General Joseph Jarrard, Adjutant General of Georgia; and other Robins Air Force Base officials.\r\nRegional leadership included Robins Regional Chamber of Commerce President April Bragg, Perry Chamber of Commerce President Darlene McLendon, 21st Century Partnership President Chrissy Miner, Warner Robins Mayor Randy Toms, Centerville Mayor John Harley, and Fort Valley Mayor Barbara Williams, along with additional representatives from business and municipal leaders from the region, the 21st Century Partnership, Robins Regional Chamber of Commerce Aerospace Industry Committee, and the Association of Old Crows, in addition to other community representatives and local elected officials from Warner Robins, Ga.\r\nRobins Air Force Base directly employs approximately 23,000 people and contributes more than $2.87 billion to the Georgia economy annually. Robins Air Force Base and its community partners have focused on education in Middle Georgia to help shape Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) development throughout Georgia and the country.\r\nThe John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, signed into law on Aug. 13, provided the first on-time appropriations in ten years for the Department of Defense, again prohibited the retirement of any E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, and invested in the next generation Advanced Battle Management System, which the Air Force has already announced will be hosted at Robins Air Force Base.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=5596DD04-2885-4D79-A4C3-0CFB094EA7AB", "Isakson Honors President George H.W. Bush on Senate Floor", "2018-12-05", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Johnny Isakson", "I000055", "www.isakson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., honored the life of President George H.W. Bush in a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate on Tuesday. Bush, the 41st president of the United States, passed away at his home in Houston, Texas, on Dec. 1, at the age of 94.\r\nIn his remarks, Isakson highlighted his personal relationship with President Bush, including the numerous occasions that Bush campaigned for Isakson during his political career, and discussed the patriotism and strong character of the late president.\r\nWe all know he has a resume equal to none. But we also know, those of us who knew him, that as a public servant he was a passionate, compassionate, get the job done, common sense, conservative leader who wanted to see not just the promises made, but the promises kept, said Isakson. George Herbert Walker Bush did everything he thought was the right thing to do, for the right reasons, even if the final decision was not good for him politically.\r\nIsakson joined with the Bush family, Vice President Mike Pence, cabinet members, justices of the Supreme Court and his Congressional colleagues to pay his final respects at the arrival ceremony at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on Monday, Dec. 3, where Bush has been lying in state until 7:00 a.m. this morning. A memorial service was held at the Washington National Cathedral today.\r\nA video of Isakson's remarks can be found here. A transcript of Isakson's remarks follows:\r\nMr. President, I am honored to follow the senator from Texas [in making these remarks] and to have shared time with President Bush as he has, and I appreciate very much his service to this Senate and to this country.\r\nYou know, the hardest thing they ever ask us to do in public office is eulogize someone's funeral that you don't even know. Because you're a senator and everybody back home thinks that's a good idea. Well, it's the hardest thing for a senator to do.\r\nThe easiest thing to do is to be asked to eulogize somebody you love and know, because you don't have to look up things and read things and do a biography. But that, too, is also very hard because it's hard to keep the tears back when you talk about the experiences you had with someone who's gone on to a better place.\r\nThat's kind of the role I'm in today.\r\nGeorge Herbert Walker Bush did so many things for me in my lifetime that I can't begin to count them or recount them all for you.\r\nBut I'm going to tell a few of the stories because you've all heard how many times he was at the [Central Intelligence Agency] (CIA), how many planes he shot down [in World War II], how many times he did whatever else he did. You've heard all of it.\r\nWe all know he has a resume equal to none. But we also know, those of us who knew him, that as a public servant he was a passionate, compassionate, get the job done, common sense, conservative leader who wanted to see not just the promises made, but the promises kept.\r\nHow did I meet George Herbert Walker Bush? I'll tell you how I met him. He was [president] of the United States of America on Air Force One, riding from St. Augustine, Fla., to Atlanta, Ga., to do a fundraiser for me when I was running for governor of Georgia. I knew him by reputation and by name obviously -- but I didn't know him as a person.\r\nHe said, Why don't you fly down to St. Augustine and meet me there, bring your family with you on the airplane? Let's have some fun and get you elected governor of Georgia.'\r\nWe had a ball. That was not hard. Winning the governorship was more difficult, but a lot easier to try when the president of the United States came out to put his name on the line for me.\r\nI really didn't understand how he could risk for his career doing that, until I realized nobody cared who I was anyway. But he cared who I was because I was a potential governor, someone that was liked and admired and somebody he wanted to help and work for.\r\nSo my family and I piled Air Force One, flew into Atlanta, went to the Waverly Hotel, raised three-quarters of a million dollars in a fundraiser and it was over in a flash of an eye.\r\nBut I can still smell the room and recognize the lights that were on the banners we had and the speech he made that night, because he was an overpoweringly impressive guy.\r\nWhen he stood there and made a speech, and Lee Greenwood followed him with how great it was to be an American, you knew you were among royalty and a special person.\r\nHe wanted me to work for him in his [92] presidential campaign and I said, Mr. [President], I will be more than happy to do that,' and I did.\r\nNow, I didn't run it. I was not the top dog by any stretch. Paul Coverdell, the United States Senator here was his [Georgia] campaign manager.\r\nFred Cooper was his financier and the one who helped raised the money. They did a lot of help in getting him elected, but we did help him get elected when he won that race.\r\nAnd 1989 when he was sworn in, he started out on a journey as president of the United States after he had already been CIA director, congressman, ambassador to the United Nations, and vice president; after he had already been every other thing you could be.\r\nBut now he was taking on the prize job of them all, the presidency of the United States of America.\r\nI polled well as I was running for governor. In fact, halfway through his first term, halfway through it, when they did a poll, I was doing pretty good. I wasn't winning, but doing pretty good, and everybody attributed it not to me but to the fact that the president came down and helped me.\r\nAnd he was doing real well, too. In fact, if you'll remember George Herbert Walker Bush in 1991 had an 89 percent favorable rating.\r\nWhen he lost two years later, he was down in the high 30s. What happened? How could this guy who was so great, gracious and wonderful, fall so fast?\r\nI've answered that question many times because I've wanted to try and rationalize it myself. I watched that fall when I saw George H.W. Bush do what he thought was right, even though what he did might be [politically] wrong for him.\r\nAnd I want to explain that. The speech he made in New Orleans to get the nomination in 1988, he used a simple little line. He talked about a foundation. He talked about the [Points of Light] Foundation... He talked about helping others who didn't have as much as they should have. He talked about giving a little back to your country. He made his speech the equivalent to John Kennedy's Peace Corps speech or to great speeches made by other presidents.\r\nHe was a caring man.\r\nHe also made the speech where he said, Read my lips: no [new] taxes.' Now I have never seen or heard anyone who took credit for giving him that statement. Because that statement probably led to his most difficult time in his reelection campaign.\r\nBut at the time he made it, he made it because George Bush knew he might have to do that. And he wasn't going to continue the race for president without saying, Look, I don't want to raise your taxes, but it's something we think might happen.'\r\nAnd it did happen and it cost him the election. But he did what was right for the country, although it may not have been right for George H.W. Bush.\r\nBut he was that kind of guy. He always did what was best for the people and what was best for the country.\r\nIf you listen to many of the stories about the Iraqi War when we first sent troops in, George Bush was the first one to do that. I remember riding home from my office in Atlanta thinking when the news broke that the president was about to do a press conference.\r\nWhen I turned the radio on, he was making the announcement that he was going to send troops into Iraq from Kuwait and go after Saddam Hussein and make him give up his weapons of mass destruction.\r\nWe still have troops in Iraq today. We have troops in Afghanistan today. We're fighting the ultimate war between good and evil, of terrorism versus the American way and peace and prosperity. That was a war engaged by George Bush, not because he liked war but because he loved peace.\r\nNot because he wanted to fight but because he wanted to demonstrate through strength that we could negotiate a settlement through diplomacy far easier and with less damage.\r\nGeorge Herbert Walker Bush did everything he thought was the right thing to do, for the right reasons, even if the final decision was not good for him politically.\r\nYou can ask no more of an American politician. You can ask a politician anything you want, but no more of them than to do what is right regardless of the consequences.\r\nI know I love Mark Twain's quote, When you are confronted with a difficult decision, do what's right. You'll surprise a few, but you'll amaze the rest.'\r\nGeorge Herbert Walker Bush was an amazing man. Someone whose life will always indelibly be in my heart and my memory. For all the things he did for me and my children, grandchildren and all the things he has done for you and all of us as Americans.\r\nTo his son, 43, he was a great chip off the ol' block. He's probably as good as his dad but nobody will ever be nicer than his dad.\r\nGeorge H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and the entire Bush family, I send my sympathy and support during this time of trial. I thank you for the sacrifice you've made for our country and for your family.\r\nAnd I will always pledge to be as close as I can, I'll never make it, but I'll do as much as I can to try to be as good as George H.W. Bush was.\r\nI hope when I die and the papers report on that, if there is any, that they'll be as kind to me as they've been to George H.W. Bush, because what they've done with him is tell the truth.\r\nNot talk about any failures where there may have been a few, but his victories. They've talked about his passions, they've talked about his love, and most of all they've talked about this great country, the United States of America. It is today great and will always be, because of men like George Herbert Walker Bush.\r\nMay God bless his soul, and thank him for the service he has brought to our great country.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://johnlewis.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-john-lewis-attend-funeral-late-president-george-hw-bush", "Rep. John Lewis to Attend Funeral of Late President George H.W. Bush", "2018-12-04", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "John Lewis", "L000287", "johnlewis.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. John Lewis will attend the services for the 41st President of the United States, George H.W. Bush, tomorrow at the Washington National Cathedral. Though they differed at times on issues, Rep. Lewis seeks to pay homage to this late president, to acknowledge the devotion showed to him by many Georgians and millions of Americans, and to pay his respects to a president he engaged on several occasions in service to the people of this nation.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 1611, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"state\" = :p0 and \"year\" = :p1 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "GA", "p1": "2018"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=GA&year=2018", "results": [{"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 1304, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=GA&year=2018&party=Republican", "selected": false}, {"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 307, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=GA&year=2018&party=Democrat", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=GA&year=2018", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 1611, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=GA&year=2018&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=GA&year=2018", "results": [{"value": "GA", "label": "GA", "count": 1611, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?year=2018", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=GA&year=2018", "results": [{"value": "2018", "label": "2018", "count": 1611, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=GA", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2018-12-04,https~3A~2F~2Fjohnlewis~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fmedia-center~2Fpress-releases~2Frep-john-lewis-attend-funeral-late-president-george-hw-bush", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=GA&year=2018&_next=2018-12-04%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fjohnlewis~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fmedia-center~2Fpress-releases~2Frep-john-lewis-attend-funeral-late-president-george-hw-bush&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 273.9664912223816, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}