url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at https://austinscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-austin-scott-statement-fy21-ndaa,Rep. Austin Scott Statement on FY21 NDAA,2020-12-30,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,GA,Austin Scott,S001189,austinscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"TIFTON, GA Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), released the below statement on his vote to override President Trump's veto of the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (FY21 NDAA), which authorizes spending for the Department of Defense. The NDAA is one of the most important pieces of legislation our body passes each year, as it pays our warfighters and provides them with the resourcesthey need to tackle their missions and return home safely. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee and as the grandson of a World War II POW, this is a task I take very seriously, said Rep. Austin Scott. President Trump ultimately vetoed the measure due the package not addressing concerns over Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which created federal immunity for providers and users of social media companies and generally prevents them from being held liable for hosting content that someone else created. While I believe the President is founded in his concerns over Section 230, it is in our nation's best interest to pass the NDAA to deliver much-needed resources to our men and women in uniform, including a 3% pay raise and critical resources for installations like Robins and Moody Air Force Bases in Georgia's Eighth District, said. Rep. Scott. Social media companies should be held accountable for their selective censorship and bias that in many cases impedes the First Amendment of American citizens, but this issue can and should be addressed separate from the defense bill. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress and President Trump to address this measure. In November, Rep. Scott was chosen to serve on a conference committee which was charged with working through differences of the House and Senate versions of FY21 NDAA to comprise a final bill for passage. The final bill provided resources for Robins and Moody Air Forces Bases in Georgia's Eighth District, as well as a 3% pay raise for troops and resources to help the Department of Defense combat COVID-19. Click here to read more. In July, Rep. Scott joined FOX and Friends First to discuss the FY21 NDAA and the President's intention to veto the legislation and the importance of deliver a defense bill for the Department of Defense. You can click here to watch the interview. -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://austinscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-austin-scott-votes-extended-covid-19-relief-small-businesses-georgia,"Rep. Austin Scott Votes for Extended COVID-19 Relief for Small Businesses, Georgia Families",2020-12-21,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,GA,Austin Scott,S001189,austinscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Today,Representatives Austin Scott (GA-08) released the below statement upon House passage of the Bipartisan-Bicameral Omnibus and COVID Relief Deal, which will provide extended relief for Georgia families and small businesses negatively impacted by COVID-19. After months of needless waiting, the American people can rest a little easier knowing that extended COVID-19 relief is on the way. This legislative package, which includes money for routine government operations as well as extended COVID-19 relief, is a bipartisan-bicameral compromise that meets many Republican priorities to help American families, small businesses, and states continue to combat COVID-19 and get our economy back on track. While not perfect, I'm satisfied with the package and will continue to work to provide resources for those struggling with the impacts of the virus, said Rep. Austin Scott. This COVID-19 relief package is approximately $900 billion, or a net of approximately $325 billion after rescinding $429 billion in Federal Reserve 13(3) authority and repurposing unused Paycheck Protection Program funds, compared to the $3.3 trillion spending in Heroes 1 (H.R. 6800) and $2.4 trillion in Heroes 2 (H.R. 925). Key COVID-19 relief provisions: Small Business Relief: Extends the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and adds deductibility for PPP expenses Gives businesses experiencing severe revenue reductions an opportunity to apply for a second draw PPP loan Includes 501(c)(6) organizations but excludes unions from eligibility $15 billion in funding for entertainment venues, movie theaters, and museums that are experiencing significant revenue loss Codifies federal rules that ensure churches and faith-based organizations are eligible for PPP loans Vaccine Assistance: $20 billion for purchase of vaccines that will make the vaccine available at no charge for anyone who needs it $8 billion for vaccine distribution $20 billion to assist states with testing $20 billion distribution from existing provider relief fund Stimulus checks: $600 for both adults and dependents Unemployment Assistance: Temporarily extends a number of unemployment programs created by the CARES Act (H.R. 748) that expire Dec. 31, 2020 and provides unemployed individuals an additional $300 per week for 10 weeks from December 26, 2020 through March 14, 2021 Schools and Childcare Centers: $10 billion for grants to childcare centers to help providers safely reopen $82 billion in funding for schools and universities to assist with reopening for in-person learning Housing: $25 billion in temporary and targeted rental assistance for individuals who lost their source of income during the pandemic and extends the eviction moratorium until January 31, 2021 Transportation and Infrastructure: $7 billion in broadband funding that includes: Nearly $2 billion to replace foreign manufactured broadband equipment that poses national security threats $300 million to build out rural broadband $250 million for telehealth $45 billion for transportation, including: $16 billion for another round of airline employee and contractor payroll support $14 billion for transit $10 billion for highways $2 billion for intercity buses $2 billion for airports $1 billion for Amtrak Food and Agriculture Assistance: Increases SNAP benefits by 15% for six months, but does not expand eligibility, and requires the Secretary of Agriculture to issue a report on redemption rate and unexpended balances Provides funding for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, a program that serves over 700,000 older Americans monthly $13 billion to support our farmers and agriculture sector Enhances assistance under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) to support specialty crop, non-specialty crop, livestock, dairy, and poultry producers Gives discretionary authority to the Secretary to support producers of biofuels, producers of organics or value-added products, and timber harvesting and hauling businesses Additional funding is directed to programs that support local producers and new and beginning farmers, dairy producers, dairy processors via reimbursement for donated dairy products, fisheries, textile mills, agricultural research, small and medium size meat processors, and to state departments of agriculture for farm stress programs Key Omnibus Provisions: Provides our military with the resources to defend our nation and advance U.S. national security Includes a 3% pay raise for the troops and provides the resources to continue rebuild our military, deter adversaries, and defend our national security interests Includes $11 million for the E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS), that are based at Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Georgia Provides the Trump Administration flexibility to build the wall and manage detention needs along the border $1.375 billion in new funding for the wall and additional funding for border security technology and enforcement $20 million for new border processing coordinators Protects the President's authority to use funds for immigration and border law enforcement actions Increases funding for House Republican priorities, such as continuing support for our law enforcement, NASA, maintaining our nuclear deterrent, and an all-of-the-above energy strategy Rejects Democrat efforts to defund the police and provides strong support for our nation's federal, state, and local law enforcement Prioritizes funding to protect national security interests, enhance school safety, advance scientific research and exploration, and combatting the opioid epidemic Preserves pro-life protections and other conservative riders in current law Prohibits federal funds from being used to pay for abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or life endangerment of the mother Prohibits the creation or destruction of embryos for research purposes Protects the Trump Administration's Title X Family Planning regulations Maintains the Hyde Amendment, Tiahrt Amendment, Helms Amendment, Dickey Amendment, and Kemp-Kasten Amendment Other Key Matters: Extends important public health programs for three years, including community health centers - eliminating several funding cliffs over next several years Ends surprise medical billing True and honest cost estimate for patients three days prior to scheduled procedure Arbitration independent dispute resolution process with no benchmark rate and multiple factors (but not government program reimbursement rates) which can be considered in arbitration process Supports Front Line Health Care Providers by injecting billions of dollars into Medicare physician pay in 2021 and heading off payment cuts due to be enacted next year Improves support for Rural and Underserved Health Care Energy package includes Republican priorities such as promoting carbon capture and utilization, ending reliance on critical minerals from foreign countries, and creating commercial opportunities for advanced nuclear technologies. -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/blog-posts/seventh-district-georgia-congressional-transition,Seventh District of Georgia - Congressional Transition,2020-12-15,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,GA,Rob Woodall,W000810,woodall.house.gov,,,legacy,"Hello, In preparation for the start of the new Congress in January, the House of Representatives has closed my office and begun to transfer all 7th District operations to our newlyelected Representative, Carolyn Bourdeaux, who will take office on January 3rd, 2021.It is my sincere wish that you will continue tocall on her as you have called on me to ensure our communities are best served. Forten years, the people ofGwinnett and Forsythhave trusted me with their voting card, and that has been one of thehighesthonors of my life.I am forever grateful forhaving had thisopportunityto serveyou, and I am thankful for your support, your instruction, and your encouragement every step of the way.I am truly sorry that I am unable to continue to serve you today. Unfortunately, because the House has closed my office, this is an automated reply and not the personal response that I wish I could provide.If your need is urgentand should not wait until Congresswoman-elect Bourdeaux takes office on January 3rd, please reach out to our U.S.Senators,David PerdueandKellyLoeffler, who remain in office and are available to serve you. Sincerely, Rob Woodall Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletter-archive/washington-watch-121420,Washington Watch - 12/14/20,2020-12-14,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,GA,Rob Woodall,W000810,woodall.house.gov,,,legacy,"BIPARTISAN, BICAMERAL SUCCESS ON MAJOR LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS The House had a busy legislative schedule last week as we considered a number of important bills that shared wide bipartisan support. This included the long-awaited Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), the sixtieth consecutive National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), and a short-term Continuing Resolution (CR) to give Congress a little more time to finalize negotiations about funding for FY21. As I have mentioned in previous newsletters, WRDA has tremendous importance for us in Georgia. From projects to deepen the Savannah Harbor to the maintenance of Lake Lanier and the Buford Dam, our state has a vested interest in ensuring the reauthorization and revision of WRDA. This year's bill, which was successfully negotiated between the House and Senate, shepherds in authorizations for new water projects, a reformed process for deauthorizing old ones, and modifications in how the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund is treated budgetarily. It passed the House by voice vote last Tuesday. The House also overwhelmingly passed the conference report to accompany H.R. 6395, the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for FY 21. The bicameral product came together as a bipartisan effort, exemplified by the bill being named after retiring House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Mac Thornberry. In addition to updates in military pay and benefits, this year's NDAA included provisions that will better position the United States against the continued threats posed by Russia and China, efforts to improve the efficacy and efficiency of the Pentagon as a whole, and updates to our acquisitions to improve military readiness. While each year's NDAA isn't perfect, they are important in securing ournation and providing our troops with the resources they both need and deserve. I was happy to vote in favor of the NDAA and with the Senate's passage last Friday, I look forward to it becoming law before the close of this Congress. Although Congress passed yet another short-term CR last week, there is reason to be fairly optimistic. While House and Senate appropriators could have easily punted government funding into the new Congress, this one-week extension demonstrates their desire to have it completed before the end of this session. I am hopeful that by the end of this week we will have sent an omnibus package to the president's desk. SENDING BIPARTISAN BILLS TO THE PRESIDENT'S DESK If you are a frequent reader of my newsletter, you know that each week the House is in session, Members work in a bipartisan fashion to pass bills under suspension of the rules a mechanism the House can use to expediate the passage of bills that have broader support from both sides of the aisle. However, with the end of the 116th Congress right around the corner, it is critical that we're not just ticking a box and increasing paperwork on the Senate's desk. It's about moving the ball down the court and putting points on the scoreboard, and that means sending legislation to the president's desk. That is why among the roughly 40 bills that the House advanced this past week, I want to highlight a few that have been referred to President Trump for his expected signature. In addition to the Water Resources Development Act that I mentioned earlier, this includes S. 578, the ALS Disability Insurance Access Act, which I have heard from several of you about over the past two Congresses. While in 2000 Congress previously took steps to remove the 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage for individuals with ALS who qualified for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), it did not eliminate the five-month waiting period for those individuals to be eligible for SSDI benefits. This bill eliminates that waiting period ensuring that individuals affected by this progressive, neurodegenerative disease can have more timely access to benefits and health care coverage. The House also passed S. 461, the HBCU PARTNERS Act to direct federal agencies to create agency plans to strengthen Historically Black Colleges and Universities' (HBCU) participation in federal opportunities. Georgia is home to several HBCUs, including Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Spelman College, and they have a long track record of offering enriching academic opportunities for African American students. Additionally, the House passed S. 134, the Combat Online Predators Act to strengthen federal sentencing in certain instances for those convicted of stalking minors, as well as directing the Attorney General to update Congress on efforts being made to combat stalking. This is particularly important as more and more children today have access to the Internet and apps online. You can read a full list of bills the House considered and advanced this week by clicking HERE. U.S. SANCTIONS HUMAN RIGHTS OFFENDERS Each year on December 10th, the United States and countries across the world recognize International Human Rights Day, a time to reflect and reaffirm our commitment to human dignity and the rights of all people. In upholding that commitment, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced sanctions on some of the most serious human rights abusers overseas last Thursday. Thursday's order constitutes a continuation of the Treasury's Global Magnitsky sanctions program, which is a policy that targets some of the most dangerous human rights abusers who actively support atrocities and state corruption. Pursuant to its Global Magnitsky policy, which was expanded by Executive Order in 2017, the Treasury's action on Thursday targeted a number of corrupt and abusive officials in Haiti, Russia, and Yemen. The three Haitian officials sanctioned are high-ranking government actors who planned and supported the 2018 La Saline massacre of over 70 Haitian civilians by armed street gangs, an attack which sought to intimidate and silence political dissenters in Haiti's capital of Port-au-Prince. The five Yemeni officials sanctioned are all members of the Houthi movement in Yemen, a rogue force which regularly detains and tortures innocent Yemeni civilians and members of religious minorities. Lastly, the Russian officials sanctioned include Ramzan Kadyrov, the Head of the Chechen Republic, and a number of his associates. Kadyrov is directly responsible for the extrajudicial killings of political opponents, activists, journalists, and members of the LGBT community. When other countries continue to undermine U.S. efforts around the world to support democracies and protect human rights, we must stand ready to denounce those abuses and protect the most vulnerable. These actions, along with actions earlier this year in the House to combat human rights abuses by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and those to increase transparency around CCP's financial dealings, are critical to combating continued abuses that threaten the rights of minority populations and U.S. domestic industries. LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVE GRANT FOR WORK TO COMBAT SUBSTANCE ABUSE The COVID-19 crisis has imparted numerous health and economic consequences on Americans and their families. This unfortunately includes increases in reported cases of mental health challenges, particularly among younger adults, minority populations, essential workers and caregivers, as well as increased rates of substance abuse. The Department of Health and Human Services recently awarded $250,000 in combined grant funding to two groups United Way of Forsyth's Forsyth County Drug Awareness Council and Pathways2Life in Berkeley Lake aimed at addressing substance abuse specifically in our community. This funding is awarded under the CDC's Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program, which is our nation's leading federally supported effort to mobilize coalitions in our community to prevent and reduce substance abuse among young people. The continued work of local support systems is critical to providing the individualized support and attention needed to help individuals suffering from addiction, and I am pleased that federal dollars addressing this need have made their way home. CONSTITUENT SPOTLIGHT: CALLING FOR A FINAL DEAL ON COVID-19 RELIEF As Congress enters the final stretch of this legislative session, I know there is one thing that is at the forefront of legislators' and the public's minds and that is the need to enact an additional COVID-19 relief package. We have continued to see the health and economic toll caused by this virus, especially over these last few months, as cases have risen nationally this November, slowing the momentum of our economic return. Below are some of the messages I have received from you all about the need for an additional federal relief package. Suman from Cumming: On behalf of retail businesses and the 52 million Americans that work in jobs supported by retail, we need your action now to save retail businesses. The CARES Act provided a much-needed bridge for businesses and financial aid for workers and consumers. However, retailers are struggling to survive and need additional support as the COVID-19 pandemic wages on. I ask Congress to come together and make a deal on a stimulus package. Leslie from Suwanee: I support the bipartisan COVID relief legislation and urge you to pass it before your upcoming recess. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ After months of standstill negotiations, and repeated calls from both rank and file Republican and Democratic Members to send individual bills across the finish line in absence of a wider deal, I was pleased last week to see a renewed interest from House and Senate leaders on reaching a final bipartisan deal on COVID-19 relief. As you may have heard, in an effort to get the ball rolling, a bipartisan, bicameral group of Members introduced a $908 billion proposal for COVID-19 relief, which Leslie mentioned. Following the release of its framework, that group unveiled additional details of the proposal last week, including a $300 weekly supplemental unemployment benefit and an extension of the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program,roughly $300 billion to provide relief to business through programs like the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), $7 billion in grants for contact tracing and testing, as well as funding for schools and hospitals. And with funding for state and local governments and the inclusion of liability provisions remaining the biggest sources of disagreement among leaders, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced his intention earlier in the week to leave out those disputed provisions so we can get a bill to the President's desk. It is disappointing that Speaker Pelosi has dismissed that good-faith effort, in favor of holding her party's line. After months of deploying these same tactics, it is frustrating to see this delay in further progress. Americans and their families are in need of relief, and with a Democrat-controlled House and a Republican-controlled Senate, it remains the case that compromise is the only way to deliver that. And as we have seen, the consequences of inaction only stand to harm Americans and their families. It means that the $134 billion remaining in PPP funds to cover payroll and other eligible expenses for businesses and nonprofits continue to sit idle. It means the federal PUA program, which provides up to 13 weeks of additional unemployment benefits and expanded UI benefits for individuals, like self-employed workers who are not traditionally eligible, expires at the end of the year. Without a deal, a host of COVID-19 tax relief provisions, including tax credits for paid sick and family leave due to the coronavirus, will end on December 31st. It secures no new funding for the Education Stabilization Fund which has supported students, K-12 learning institutions, and colleges and universities, nor provides new funding for vaccine development and distribution and food assistance. It has long been the time to provide additional COVID-19 relief, and with the opportunity to act on that need this week, I hope our leaders will honor the calls of their colleagues in Congress and those they serve back home to get it done. GWINNETT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS NAME 2020-2021 TEACHER OF THE YEAR It can't be said enough: the valuable role teachers play in providing academic instruction and setting our children on a path to being lifelong learners, especially at an early age, is critical to their success. We know that some of the best schools in the state and in the country call the Seventh District home, in large part because of all our hardworking teachers who work tirelessly to help students succeed in the classroom. And now, after months of deliberation, narrowing down its list of finalists from 139 to 6 teachers across elementary, middle, and high schools in the Gwinnett County Public School System, I am pleased to share the news that Sugar Hill Elementary's Ms. Katie Blum was named Gwinnett County Public Schools' districtwide Teacher of the Year! Ms. Blum, who has wanted to be a teacher since childhood, credited her family, mentors, and GCPS's investment in her development for her remarkable success. ""Katie is just a teacher that puts her students first all the time and you can just feel the energy and excitement when you walk in the classroom, said Sugar Hill Elementary Principal Nick Boyers. She just makes learning fun for her students and cares about each of her students deeply. I would like to congratulate Ms. Blum and all Gwinnett County Public Schools' Teachers of the Year for their dedication to each and every one of our GCPS students. Our district would not be the academic stronghold it is without their hard work and dedication. FORSYTH COUNTY ACTS OF SERVICE SPREAD HOLIDAY JOY TO LOCAL SENIORS Throughout my time in Congress, each week I have been proud to highlight stories from back home that recognize the good work of so many individuals and organizations who have given back to our community. While each congressional district shares a commonality, each serving roughly 700,000 people, no two are the same. In the Seventh District, we are so blessed to be surrounded by friends and neighbors who share that spirit of service to one another and take pride in the diversity of people and thought that make our community so special. Even amidst a difficult time for many in our community, individuals across our community have actively come together to provide fellowship and assistance to those most in need this holiday season. Last week, students from Haw Creek Elementary School and Helpings of Hope volunteers organized by Tam's BackStage gathered to celebrate the holidays with seniors in our community with singing, gifts, and plenty of food. The Haw Creek fifth graders took to decorating and filling stockings accompanied by Christmas Carol clips for residents at two local nursing homes, while the Tam's volunteers dressed in full holiday attire to serve over 200 meals to our neighbors in need. While all events were conducted with proper safety and social distancing, the holiday joy spread by our students and volunteers was clear. Along those at Haw Creek Elementary and volunteers at Tam's BackStage volunteers, for each one of you who has over the years, and during this time, made the day just a bit brighter for someone in need, please know your actions have directly made our community stronger. Thank you for all that you do. READYING FOR THE START OF THE 117TH CONGRESS Before I share with you what is expectedthis week in the halls of Congress, as the House and Senate approach what is expected to be the final days of this legislative session, that also means this marks my last congressional newsletter. In preparation for the start of the 117th Congress on January 3rd, the U.S. House of Representatives has begun transferring over office operations for newly elected and soon to be sworn in Members, which as you may know, includes the arrival of a new Representative for our Seventh District, Carolyn Bourdeaux. Forten years, the people ofGwinnett and Forsythhave trusted me with their voting card, and that has been one of thehighesthonors of my life.It has been humbling and rewarding to be the voice in Washington for a community as unique as ours. It has been a privilege to be that voice. Please know I could not have done it without your support, your instruction, and your encouragement every step of the way. I had the opportunity to chat recently with Matt Hyatt, the founder of Rocket IT Business Podcast based in Suwanee, to reflect on my start in Congress, the future of representation in Congress, the need for a renewed commitment to bipartisanship, and the importance of addressing constituents' needs with federal agencies through an efficient casework system. You can listen to our full conversation HERE. While political disagreements dominate the news cycle and seem as continual barriers to achieving our goals, I remain hopeful that legislators will be able to find common ground in the new year. More than 60 new House Members will take to the U.S. Capitol beginning in January, each with one shared goal: to ensure Americans are better off today than they were the day before. The beauty of the American experiment means we can disagree, and we can even be vocal about our disagreements. But let us continue to stand strong in our shared values of family, faith, and freedom, and continue to uplift one another as we work together to find the best path forward. It has been an honor to serve you this last decade, and may God bless you and your family. THE WEEK AHEAD As I mentioned earlier in this newsletter, Congress passed a short-term funding bill that expires at the end of this week in order to allow funding negotiators a little more time to finalize the details of the omnibus package. I remain hopeful that we will send the FY21 funding bill to the president's desk by the end of this week. Additionally, as mentioned in the spotlight, the on-again-off-again COVID-19 relief negotiations still have a possibility of producing a package this week. There has also been discussion about tying the relief package to government spending, however there are many factors working against that effort. Even still, I believe it is important that we provide relief for American families and businesses so that we can maintain the health of both ourselves and our economy. We must redouble our efforts to get a final deal done before the end of the year. I hope that my last vote in the House Chamber this Congress will be one to finally deliver on the relief that so many Americans and their families are waiting for, and one that follows through with our commitment to ensure government funding for the new year. Sincerely, Rob Woodall Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://austinscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-austin-scott-leads-push-protect-american-blueberry-growers,Rep. Austin Scott Leads Push to Protect American Blueberry Growers,2020-12-11,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,GA,Austin Scott,S001189,austinscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Today, Representatives Austin Scott (R-GA-08) and Al Lawson (D-FL-05) led several of their colleagues in sending a letter to the International Trade Commission (ITC) voicing support for a Section 201 safeguard investigation for the U.S. blueberry industry currently before the ITC. The members contend that extremely low pricing on rising imports during U.S. harvest periods have had a devastating impact on the domestic industry and request a prompt determination in the Section 201 case. Thousands of workers across the country have been laid off or not rehired.Scores of blueberry growers have gone out of business causing hardship on family farmers, economic harm to providers of packing and freezing services, and damage to the growers' local communities and tax bases.Grower profits have declined or vanished as prices have plummeted and blueberries have been left on bushes because it is uneconomic to harvest.In short, the effects of the import surge have been and remain devastating to the domestic blueberry industry, wrote the Members. As the Commission develops the evidentiary record in this case, it will be clear that imports are a substantial cause of serious injury to the domestic blueberry industry.We urge the Commission to promptly make an affirmative determination in this regard. In addition to the co-signers, the American Blueberry Growers Association and American Farm Bureau Federation support today's letter. Below is the text of the letter. You can also click here to read the letter. December 11, 2020 U.S. International Trade Commission 500 E Street, SW Washington, DC 20436 RE: Investigation No. TA-201-77 (Fresh, Chilled, and Frozen Blueberries) Dear Chairman Kearns and Commissioners: We write to express our support for the Commission's ongoing Section 201 investigation regarding fresh, chilled, and frozen blueberries. The significant surge of imports of blueberries in recent years, the timing of such imports during U.S. harvest periods, the extremely low pricing of the imports, and the targeting of the U.S. blueberry market by foreign exporters has had a devastating impact on the domestic blueberry industry. Current prices for blueberries are lower than they have been in years. Thousands of workers across the country have been laid off or not rehired. Scores of blueberry growers have gone out of business causing hardship on family farmers, economic harm to providers of packing and freezing services, and damage to the growers' local communities and tax bases. Grower profits have declined or vanished as prices have plummeted and blueberries have been left on bushes because it is uneconomic to harvest. In short, the effects of the import surge have been and remain devastating to the domestic blueberry industry. Blueberry imports have surged from a number of countries, especially Chile, Peru, Mexico, Argentina, and Canada, rising nearly 62 percent from 423 million pounds in 2015 to 684 million pounds in 2019. The blueberry market in these countries has been developed to expand exports to the United States rather than for domestic consumption. The large number of countries providing those exports indicates that a global solution is warranted and necessary to provide relief to the domestic blueberry industry. The United States is already heavily dependent on imports for a variety of important food crops and failure to control the surge of blueberries threatens to sharply reduce the number of U.S. blueberry growers and the volume of U.S. blueberries produced. Not only do these imports threaten domestic businesses and livelihoods, they also expose U.S. consumers to products from countries with poor or inconsistent product safety records. As the Commission develops the evidentiary record in this case, we believe it will be clear that imports are a substantial cause of serious injury to the domestic blueberry industry. We urge the Commission to promptly make an affirmative determination in this case. Sincerely, Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA-08) Rep. Al Lawson (D-FL-05) Rep. Rick Allen (R-GA-12) Rep. James Baird (R-IN-04) Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12) Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA-02) Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL-16) Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA-01) Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA-09) Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR-04) Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA-01) Rep. Val Demings (D-FL-10) Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL-25) Rep. Neal Dunn (R-FL-02) Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-GA-03) Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01) Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA-03) Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI-02) Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA-01) Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA-02) Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL-07) Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA-04) Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL-08) Rep. John Rutherford (R-FL-04) Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-OR-05) Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ-04) Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL-09) Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL-17) Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI-06) Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ-02) Rep. Ted Yoho (R-FL-03) -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://austinscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-austin-scott-fights-covid-19-tax-relief-small-businesses,Rep. Austin Scott Fights for COVID-19 Tax Relief for Small Businesses,2020-12-10,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,GA,Austin Scott,S001189,austinscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"TIFTON, GA Representative Austin Scott (GA-08) joined several of his colleagues in sending a bipartisan letteryesterday urging House leadership to ensure small businesses who utilized the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) are able to claim normal business expense deductions. Following the sending of the letter, Rep. Scott released the below comment: PPP has been a lifeline for millions of American small businessowners and their employees, including many in Georgia. If Congressional leadership doesn't include a substantive fix soon, small businesses who have been struggling to keep their doors open during the COVID-19 pandemic are estimated to pay over $120 billion in taxes on forgivable PPP loans. Any end-of-year legislation should include provisions that allow small businesses who participated in the Paycheck Protection Program to deduct necessary business expenses as Congress intended in the CARES Act. Without this change, I fear many more American small businesses could close for good, impacting our national, state, and local economies for years to come, said Rep. Austin Scott. Below is the text of the letter. You can also click here to read the letter. December 9, 2020 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi The Honorable Kevin McCarthy Speaker of the House Minority Leader U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives H-232, U.S. Capitol H-204, U.S. Capitol The Honorable Steny Hoyer The Honorable Steve Scalise Majority Leader Minority Whip U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives H-107, U.S. Capitol H-148, U.S. Capitol Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leader McCarthy, Leader Hoyer, and Whip Scalise, Thank you for your continued efforts to provide assistance to the American people through these challenging times. As we continue working on additional coronavirus assistance measures, we want to bring your attention to an important issue affecting small businesses across the United States and ask for your help in providing much-needed relief. Over the past few months, statewide shutdowns in response to the pandemic have had devastating effects on small businesses throughout the country. Thousands of small businesses have permanently closed, while capacity restrictions and reopening costs have drastically cut revenue streams for those that have remained open. In response to these dire economic conditions, Congress enacted the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to provide more than $600 billion for forgivable loans to small businesses to help keep employees on payroll and continue operating. Since its enactment, over 5 million loans have been made to businesses in all fifty states. This program has helped keep our economy from total collapse by providing a lifeline to small businesses with no alternative funding source. The PPP was intended to provide vital tax-free assistance for certain business costs in unprecedented economic circumstances. Congress specifically included Section 1106(i) in the CARES Act to exclude forgivable loan assistance from taxable income. On April 30, however, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Notice 2020-32 disallowing the deduction of forgiven expenses. As Chairman Grassley, Chairman Neal, and Ranking Member Wyden wrote in a letter to Secretary Mnuchin on May 5, 2020 , this notice is contrary to Congressional intent. Section 1106(i) of the CARES Act was put in place specifically to ensure forgivable loan proceeds would be tax free, stating that any amount which (but for this subsection) would be includible in gross income of the eligible recipient by reason of forgiveness described in subsection (b) shall be excluded from gross income. Notice 2020-32 essentially ignores this section and effectively makes forgivable loans taxable despite Congress's clear intent to allow the deduction of necessary business expenses. To make matters worse, on November 18, 2020, the IRS released Revenue Ruling 2020-27 stating that PPP recipients who had not even received or applied for forgiveness could not deduct normal business expenses if they reasonably expected their loans to be forgiven. These notices are not only contrary to Congressional intent, but in fact changed the terms of the loan after a majority of PPP applicants had already applied for and received funds. Over 84% of total PPP applications were submitted prior to April 17, when the program first expired. This unfairly changed the rules of the program after the overwhelming majority of participants had joined. Without Congressional action, small businesses are estimated to pay over $120 billion in taxes on forgivable PPP loans. At a time when many are struggling to keep their doors open each day, we cannot saddle small businesses with a massive surprise tax bill. For this reason, we ask that you include a fix to clarify that recipients of forgivable PPP loans can claim normal business expense deductions in any end-of-year legislation. Thank you for your consideration of this request. Sincerely, -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://austinscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-austin-scott-statement-final-passage-defense-bill,Rep. Austin Scott Statement on Final Passage of Defense Bill,2020-12-08,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,GA,Austin Scott,S001189,austinscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"TIFTON, GA Today, Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08), a senior Member of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), released the below statement upon House passage of the Conference Report for the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (FY21 NDAA), which authorizes funding for Department of Defense (DOD) programs. The NDAA is one of the most important pieces of legislation we pass each year, and I am glad we were able to deliver this critical legislation to provide for our warfighters and their missions, said Rep. Scott. While the FY21 NDAA certainly isn't perfect, it accomplishes many important goals, including a much needed 3% pay raise for our troops, resources for new programs across the DOD, and support for missions at Robins and Moody Air Force Bases in Georgia's Eighth District. I encourage the President to sign this Conference Report to ensure our ability to tackle the threats we face today while planning for those of tomorrow. In November, Rep. Scott was chosen to serve on a conference committee which was charged with working through differences of the House and Senate versions of FY21 NDAA to comprise a final bill for passage. The legislation passed today is the result of House-Senate compromises and authorizes funding DOD for FY21. The FY21 NDAA Conference Report includes the following provisions important to Georgia's Eighth District: PROVIDING FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS AT ROBINS: The Conference Report includes language authored by Rep. Scott to prohibit the retirement of 16 critically important E8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) aircraft at Robins, which provide airborne surveillance, intelligence, and command and control to our military through on-board radar and computer subsystems equipment that gathers and distributes detailed battlefield information. Rep. Scott was also able to secure an increase of $27 million above the President's budget request for much-needed modernization upgrades to the JSTARS aircraft to ensure the system can continue to support combatant commanders' needs. SUPPORTING MISSIONS AT MOODY: Also included in the legislation is a provision authored by Rep. Scott to prohibit the retirement of the A-10C Warthog aircraft, which provide close air support and combat search-and-rescue capabilities unmatched by any other aircraft in the Air Force's inventory. No other fixed-wing airframes are as proficient as the A-10 in operating in rugged environments, low visibility, and very low altitudes, and the A-10C has been instrumental in the fight against ISIS, in Eastern Europe and the Baltics in face of Russian aggression, and missions in the South China Sea after illegal Chinese military expansion in the region. Other highlights of the Conference Report passed today include: Provides our troops a 3% pay raise, authorizes extra pay for troops in combat zones, and supports their families with the care and benefits they deserve. Ensures DOD maintains a 30-day supply of PPE to ensure our troops have the diagnostic equipment and testing they need and provides health benefits to Guardsmen supporting the COVID-19 response. Continues to fund nuclear modernization to ensure our nuclear deterrent is safe and reliable. Establishes the Pacific Deterrence Initiative to fund emergent technologies, support our allies, and deter China and authorizes several new provisions to counter Chinese industrial espionage, support Hong Kong and Taiwan, and protect our defense supply chain. Continues to fund the European Deterrence Initiative to support our allies and counter Russian aggression. Increases investments into advanced weapons system, autonomous systems, AI, and RDT&E. Maintains prohibitions on the transfer of detainees from Guantanamo Bay. Continues to support missile defense cooperation with Israel and includes the United States-Israel Assistance Act. Includes the Senate-passed language that establishes a commission to study and recommend the renaming of bases named after Confederates within three years, compared to the House language which mandated renaming within one year. Does not include red flag gun control provision. Does not include provisions that would have curtailed the President's authority under the Insurrection Act or to deploy the National Guard. -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletter-archive/washington-watch-12720,Washington Watch - 12/7/20,2020-12-07,2020,2020-12,Republican,Senate,GA,Rob Woodall,W000810,woodall.house.gov,,,legacy,"HOUSE SKIPS COVID-19 RELIEF; PASSES MARIJUANA REFORM INSTEAD As many of you are aware, there are a number of pressing items that require Congress's attention before the end of the year, including a coronavirus relief package, funding for the government that runs out at the end of this week, completing consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act, reauthorizing the Coast Guard, and finalizing the Water Resources Development Act, to name a few. However, while the House didn't prioritize any of those items, the Democrat majority found time last week for the House to consider H.R. 3884, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act. Specifically, this bill would remove marijuana from the federal list of scheduled substances under the Controlled Substances Act and eliminate criminal penalties for those who manufacture, distribute, or possess marijuana. It would also create an Opportunity Trust Fund to assist those adversely impacted by the War on Drugs through a 5% sales tax on marijuana that would incrementally increase to 8% over five years. I don't fault the Majority for recognizing the need to reassess the federal government's role in regulating marijuana as states are ignoring federal law in increasing numbers. 36 states permit marijuana to be used for medical purposes, and 15 states allow for recreational use all in contravention of federal law while marijuana is still listed as a Schedule I substance. In fact, there is broad bipartisan support for addressing the wrong that is having two sets of rules for Americans to abide by. That said, setting timing issues aside, there are a number of flaws in the bill that my friends on the other side of the aisle did not take the time to address, again passing a messaging bill rather than legislation intended to become law. For example, the bill fails to include some commonsense protections for minors that we have for tobacco and vape products like banning flavored products that appeal to kids or teens, banning advertisements or public event sponsorships, and including a warning label from the Surgeon General regarding the health risks. The bill also fails to include general health and safety guidelines that exist for tobacco products governing pesticide use or heavy metal concentration in marijuana products. You can listen to my remarks when managing the rule last week for H.R. 3884 below. Rep. Rob Woodall Manages Rule Debate for H.R. 3884, the MORE Act While the MORE Act will not be brought up for consideration by the Senate before the end of the year, sending the bill back to the starting line, I am hopeful that the Members of the 117th Congress will take their time to carefully craft legislation that addresses all aspects of marijuana rescheduling. JOBS REPORT SHOWS SLOWED BUT CONTINUED GROWTH With the beginning of each month also comes the release of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' latest jobs report that serves as a snapshot of the state of our economy. For the month of November, the good news is that the unemployment rate continued its downward trajectory, edging down to 6.7 percent from 6.9 percent last month. The economy added 245,000 jobs, with notable gains made in transportation and warehousing, professional and business services, health care, and manufacturing. Other sectors, including government, saw declines, including declines in retail trade, reflecting less seasonal hiring. This latest report demonstrates just how dependent a strong economic return is on our ability to control the COVID-19 public health threat. With new cases of COVID-19 rising nationally this November and new restrictions enacted as a result, we can only expect our economy to slow if we don't work to limit the spread of this virus. And while vaccine candidates, whose reported trial data have been incredibly encouraging, are currently being evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), full deployment of any vaccine that is approved as safe and effective by the FDA will take time. It is clear that additional support is needed to strengthen our economy and support individuals affected, as public health officials anticipate the pandemic could worsen in the now winter months and with many CARES Act provisions set to expire by year's end. That is why I have continued to call on Speaker Pelosi to come to the table and reach an agreement with White House and Senate leaders on a bipartisan deal. I am glad to see renewed interest from Congressional leadership this past week about the need to get this done before the end of the year. It is imperative that we do. HOUSE PASSES BILLS UNDER SUSPENSION OF THE RULES As you know, the end of the 116th Congress is fast approaching, which is why I was pleased to see the House continue to advance bills that have garnered wider support among both Republicans and Democrats. The House considered and passed 27 bills under suspension of the rules last week a procedural mechanism that the House utilizes to bring legislation that is largely agreed upon to the floor. And while I can't say that each of these measures as drafted enjoyed overwhelming bipartisan support, nor were the most pressing considering the little time remaining this legislative session, I want to highlight a few of those notable bills below. The House passed several bills referred from the Senate, advancing these bills to President Trump's desk for his expected signature. Those include S. 4054 that re-authorizes the U.S. Grain Standards Act (USGSA) for five years, which provides for the efficient workings of our federal grain inspection system and ensures our grain supply chains run smoothly and our grain exports are of high quality. Additionally, the House passed S. 945, the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act. This bill requires the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to identify any publicly traded company with a foreign registered public accounting firm that cannot be inspected by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), due to the laws of that foreign jurisdiction. Those companies would be required to submit documentation demonstrating that they are not owned by that foreign nation's government, and the SEC would prohibit trade of securities on U.S. national indexes for organizations that do not meet auditing requirements. This would strengthen transparency surrounding the commercial and financial activities of foreign companies and governments, China in particular, which has long restricted U.S. regulators' access to information. You can read a full list of last week's bills HERE. As we enter what is likely to be the final legislative stretch this week, I hope you we can continue a trend of passing smart, targeted measures like these that have bipartisan support. CONSTITUENT SPOTLIGHT: PPP LOAN DEDUCTIONS Over 174,000 Georgians were supported through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which as many of you know, offers forgivable loans for many small businesses, nonprofits, and sole proprietors if those funds were used for eligible payroll and nonpayroll expenses. However, I have heard from several PPP recipients back home about their concerns with the tax treatment of these forgivable loans. You can read some of those messages below. Mike from Cumming: Congressman Woodall, please support H.R. 6821. The IRS has ruled that expenses paid for by forgiven PPP loans will not be deductible. This ruling effectively makes the amount of loan forgiveness taxable, contrary to the intent of the Cares Act. Please support H.R. 6821 to correct that error on the part of the IRS. We are still struggling to keep afloat! John from Buford: Please help pass the Small business Expense Protection Act so that expenses paid with PPP funds will be deductible when filing 2020 tax return. If we have to pay taxes on this it will devastate our financial reserves if they are even there at the end of the year. I truly believe a lot of people are or will be in this situation by the end of the year. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ While the CARES Act provided that PPP forgiven loan amountsare not to beincludedin the borrower's taxable gross income,the IRS'snotice issued earlier this year clarified that deductions are not allowed, pointingto InternalRevenue Code (IRC) Section 265(a)(1),whichstatesthat an expense that would otherwisebe deductible from gross income as a business or nonbusiness expense cannot be deducted if it is allocable to a class of income which is exempt from taxation.The IRS has further confirmed that interpretation in its subsequent revenue ruling this November, but also noted a safe harbor, that allows borrower to later deduct those expenses if not forgiven. Inlight of this, it has becomeclear that Congress would need to stepin,in order to allowforPPP recipients to also deductexpenses from these forgivable loans. To that end, several pieces oflegislationhave been introduced by Members from both sides of the aisle in both the House and Senate, including the Small Business Expense Protection Act that Mike and John mentioned, which wouldalsoallow forthe deductibility offorgivablePPP expenses. I certainly realize the critical role this program has played in supporting small businesses and workers greatly impacted by COVID-19, and I am receptive to ways we can provide greater relief in the wake of the financial burdens imposed by the spread of this virus. That is why if such a bill were brought totheHouse floor, I would beinclined to supportit.Additionally, I have continued to join my colleagues, in the absence of a wider COVID-19 deal, in urging Speaker Pelosi to allow a bill to come to the House floor, which would allow for the second draw of the roughly $134 billion remaining PPP funds that remain unused. Millions of American families and businessesare in need of relief, and I hope the Speaker will delay these efforts no longer. RAINBOW VILLAGE BUILDS ON DECADES OF SERVICE Rainbow Village in Gwinnett County, a nonprofit dedicated to breaking the cycle of homelessness, poverty, and domestic violence, has had a direct role in supporting individuals across our community for over a quarter of a century. This past week, they hosted their ""We Are Family Benefit Gala"" to help support that important mission. This year, that gala looked a little different than in years past, hosting a virtual event due to the ongoing pandemic, to raise awareness about Rainbow Village's important work and how volunteers and donors can become a part of the organization's efforts. And even with the challenges of the pandemic and transitioning its fundraiser to one that was free and conducted virtually, it should come as no shock to us that they continued to exceed expectations raising $220,000 to support its programming! I would like to thank everyone at Rainbow Village for continuing their good work, especially during this time, as well as all those who have gone out of their way to support their programs through volunteering, donations, or sponsorships. Over my tenure in Congress, I have had the great pleasure of visiting with the dedicated personnel at Rainbow Village, and I am truly in awe of the remarkable work of Melanie and her team in lending a helping hand and setting families on a path to independent living. And I am grateful to witness the tremendous support of all of you have furthered this important work. LAMBERT STUDENTS REWARDED FOR SERVICE TO CLASSMATES Here in the Seventh District, we are home to remarkable individuals who dedicate their time, focus, and energy to give back to others. This week, I want to recognize the students of Lambert High School's Youth Give Back Club, founded earlier this school year by freshman Mandy Yang, aimed at alleviating the strain of the pandemic on other students. The Club launched its first project the Learning Pals Program which encourages high school students to virtually teach younger members of our community, offering an opportunity for those younger students to learn about new subjects while also having a safe way to socialize and explore their passions. And now,just a few short months since that program began, it has over 180 registered students! In recognition of their hard work to serve students across our communities, Star 94 selected the members of the Give Back Club as the winners of the radio station's Give Back Giveaway Contest sponsored by Delta Credit Union, awarding them $10,000 for their hard work. Congratulations are certainly in order for Ms. Yang and her fellow student-teachers for their efforts to bring our community closer together through these educational opportunities. FORSYTH ANIMAL SHELTER WAIVES ADOPTION FEES FOR THE HOLIDAYS As we approach the holiday season, many of us are preparing to celebrate with our family and friends through traditions both old new. And for many of us, pets are simply part of the family and are included in many of the holiday traditions and family festivities we cherish year after year. That's why Forsyth County Animal Shelter has decided to make it that much easier to adopt a new member of the family by waiving their standard $85 adoption fee through January 2nd.This action will ensure that these fees do not prohibit these animals from finding a loving, forever home, and this initiative will surely help spread some holiday cheer to our community this year. THE WEEK AHEAD Some promising news was revealed last week as House and Senate leadership came closer to reaching a deal to provide coronavirus relief to American families and businesses. There are a number of items that must still be finalized, like state and local funding as well as liability protections, but the talks seem to be finding some success and we might be able to have a vote on the package before the end of the year. As I mentioned earlier, funding for the federal government runs out at the end of this week as both Chambers work to finalize a deal for FY2021. By mid-week, we should learn more about whether we will take up an omnibus package or short-term continuing resolution as negotiations continue. Finally, the conference committee has almost completed its work regarding the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which I am also hopeful we will be able to get to the president's desk. This will be Congress's 60th consecutive NDAA and I believe we will have the support to uphold this streak. Sincerely, Rob Woodall Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletter-archive/district-connection-113020,District Connection - 11/30/20,2020-11-30,2020,2020-11,Republican,Senate,GA,Rob Woodall,W000810,woodall.house.gov,,,legacy,"GEORGIA VOTE COUNTING CONTINUES BY THE BOOK In the state of Georgia, we saw record-setting voter turnout for the general election on November 3rd. However, due to the increased use of mail-in ballots, this also meant confirming the official results of many elections could not be done overnight. With election results in several states across the nation too close to call including here in Georgia several steps had to be taken following the initial results to ensure an accurate vote count. For example, in Georgia, the November 3rd election results yielded such incredibly close vote shares in both of the U.S. Senate races and in the U.S. Presidential race that Georgia election laws automatically triggered runoff elections for both of Georgia's U.S. Senate seats and also required Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to launch a state-wide risk-limiting audit, which included a hand count of all ballots, to ensure voting machines yielded the correct results. Following the conclusion of the audit the largest hand count of ballots in recent history Secretary Raffensperger reaffirmed the original outcome of the presidential race in favor of former Vice President Joe Biden and took action to certify those results on November 20th, meeting the statutory deadline set by Georgia election law. However, because former Vice President Biden's margin of victory over President Donald Trump was less than 0.5% in Georgia's certified election results, the Trump campaign is entitled to and requested a formal recount of Georgia's ballots, a process that began last Tuesday to re-scan every legal paper ballot in the state to further ensure the validity of the state's election results. As I said before, there is no higher electoral priority than ensuring the confidence of the American people in our voting systems. I applaud the diligent efforts of our state and local election officials who have worked tirelessly to make sure we get it right. Of course, when allegations of impropriety are raised, those must be investigated. And this election cycle has demonstrated the ways in which we can do better. With all eyes turning to Georgia in these next two months given Georgia's runoffs on January 5th, it is imperative that we do. TRANSITION PROCESS INITIATED Last week, General Services Administration (GSA) Director Emily Murphy announced the formal initiation of its role in making its services available to former Vice President Biden for this transition, and President Trump himself has asked that GSA move forward in its capacity as recounts continue. Ensuring a peaceful transition of power is a cornerstone of our democracy and is one that both Republicans and Democrats have always committed to, even formally this fall by nearly unanimously passing a resolution calling for that in both the House and Senate Chambers. While these election results paint a picture of a divided America, it also paints one of increased civic engagement and participation in our democracy, with roughly 5 million Georgians casting their ballot in 2020 compared to 4.1 million Georgian voters in 2016. Now more than ever, a willingness to engage with one another and push past our disagreements to find the best path forward will be necessary, and I hope we see that increased commitment to bipartisanship as the House and Senate returns next week for its likely final legislative stretch of the 116th Congress. COVID-19 VACCINE DEVELOPMENT MOVES FORWARD Since the onset of the COVID-19 public health emergency, both private industry and the federal government have aggressively pursued the development and deployment of diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines to combat this virus. In particular, I know many of you have been closely following the news of the development of a COVID-19 vaccine, which I recently discussed, highlighting Pfizer and Moderna's announcements about their vaccine candidates. Results from those Phase III clinical trials have been incredibly encouraging, reporting efficacy ratings of more than 90 percent, well-above the 75 percent efficacy rate that earlier this year stood as public health officials' end goal. There are multiple vaccine candidates in the process of clinical trials, and last week, Astra Zeneca announced preliminary results of its trial data indicating anywhere from 62-90 percent efficacy, depending on how the two doses are administered and has the advantage of being stored at refrigerated rather than freezer temperatures. As those studies continue, it is important to remember that our vaccine strategy is not singular, and the successful development of multiple vaccine candidates is needed to address the public health need. While federal leaders begin to outline distribution plans, with federal recommendations on how those should be distributed likely forthcoming, I will continue to call on Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader McConnell, and the White House to pass an additional relief package to ensure that a need for funding is not the roadblock in furthering our ability to diagnose, treat, and prevent the spread of COVID-19. CONSTITUENT SPOTLIGHT: EXPANDING ACCESS TO CARE THROUGH TELEHEALTH The COVID-19 public health emergency has demonstrated the increasingly important role technology and online services have played in providing for the continuity of operations. We have seen that in a number of ways from virtual learning in both K-12 and higher education, to shifts to remote work across large sectors of the economy. This also includes in the delivery of health care services, namely the increased adoption and utilization of telehealth which has played a critical role in preserving access to care when in-person services cannot be provided. Below are some of the messages I have received about telehealth utilization during this time. David from Sugar Hill: I urge you to take immediate legislative steps to make permanent many of the regulatory reforms instituted by federal agencies to fight covid-19. The crisis has exposed a tragic reality - harmful regulations often stand in the way of doctors, nurses, and medical researchers helping people. Amelia from Lawrenceville: Stories are coming in from all over the country from physicians and patients alike about the positive effects of expanding telehealth. It has allowed patients to continue to receive high-quality care using new digital tools. I strongly urge that telehealth services are covered and remain available as a viable option for patients during and beyond the COVID-19 public health emergency. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) took decisive action during the onset of the pandemic to promote access to telehealth services. These actions include lifting geographic and site of service restrictions to allow telehealth services to be delivered wherever a beneficiary is located, expanding the list of services that could be furnished remotely, and expanding the types of practitioners who can provide telehealth services. Truly, the COVID-19 crisis has served as the largest pilot program for many new public policies, telehealth included, and I am glad that these flexibilities have helped provide for continuity of care in a time when it is most critical. HHS's report issued this summer shows just how important a role telehealth services have played during this emergency, with telehealth utilization for primary care increasing by nearly 50 percent at its peak in April 2020. The benefits of telehealth, especially during this time, are evident. And I support the continuation of those policies, particularly as we are seeing increased rates of COVID-19 cases heading into the winter. Though with any broader or permanent extensions of these flexibilities, we must absolutely make certain that we maintain the robust privacy protections we have in place and ensure a high-quality standard of care for Americans and their families. I absolutely expect these enacted flexibilities expanding the utilization of telehealth to continue as national emergency persists. And as the health care debate continues into the next Congress, I am excited about the prospect telehealth services will play in addressing our emerging health care needs, particularly across rural and underserved communities. COMMUNITY MEMBERS HOST THANKSGIVING MEALS FOR THOSE IN NEED Time and again, I come across special members of our Seventh District community who commit themselves fully to the service of others. Last week, Suwanee resident Trenessa Beene Pearson and her nonprofit ministry, Transforming You, hosted its second annual Thanksgiving Day meal for individuals and families experiencing homelessness in our community. Pearson founded Transforming You to support and transform the lives of homeless women and children in our community, with the ultimate goal of opening a full-time shelter for those in need. Last week's Thanksgiving event, hosted in George Pierce Park, was held with the support of local businesses and individuals who helped fundraise, prepare, and serve food and much-needed toiletries and gift cards for the event's guests. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Pearson and her volunteers did not hesitate to continue their service, modifying this year's event to best protect those in attendance. After just a two-week hiatus at the start of the lockdown, Transforming You got right back to work. As Pearson said, Put the masks and the gloves on and let's go and we did. I would like to thank Ms. Pearson and all volunteers and supporters of Transforming You for their selfless service to those who are most in-need in our community. Your generosity will go a long way in ensuring that our neighbors do not have to go without this holiday season. ACTS OF SERVICE CONTINUE TO UPLIFT COMMUNITY As we head into the holiday season, I am continuously inspired by so many in our community who are working to give back to our neighbors in need. And for the past nearly three decades, the annual Buck Jones Toy Run has showcased the ways in which giving back is truly a product of the passions of our community. Through this event, over 400 bikers recently gathered for a record-breaking 29th annual Buck Jones Toy Run, riding from Cumming to Dahlonega to raise toys and money for local children. Started in 1991 by Forsyth County Police Chief Buck Jones, this year's rally was met with historic turnout and benefitted multiple charities, including Meals by Grace in Forsyth. I hope you will join me in recognizing this year's volunteers and bikers for their generosity and commitment to giving each child in our community the Christmas they deserve. THE WEEK AHEAD As I mentioned in last week's newsletter, there are still a number of legislative priorities that must be completed before the end of this Congress, including the National Defense Authorization Act which is currently in conference committee as both chambers begin to work out the differences between our two bills; government funding for FY2021 which the respective Senate and House Appropriations Committees have begun their discussions on how to move forward; and the ever-elusive COVID-19 relief package that has stalled these past few months. However, rather than take up any of these important bills, the House will be returning this week to vote on H.R. 3884, the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement Act, which would remove marijuana from the list of controlled substances and associated criminal statutes, in addition to establishing a trust fund to assist those who have been adversely affected by the criminalization of marijuana. While I welcome the debate on federal criminal statutes governing marijuana use, possession, and distribution, I believe it is the wrong time for the House to utilize such precious time discussing a bill with no path forward rather than delivering results for the American people who continue to struggle during this pandemic. Sincerely, Rob Woodall Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletter-archive/washington-watch-112320,Washington Watch - 11/23/20,2020-11-23,2020,2020-11,Republican,Senate,GA,Rob Woodall,W000810,woodall.house.gov,,,legacy,"HAPPY THANKSGIVING As we head into this year's holiday season, I want to wish you and your family a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. This year has been, without a doubt, a difficult one for so many in our country due to COVID-19. And celebrations around the dinner table will undeniably look different this year compared to most, with many families across the country opting to observe this day with one another virtually in order to best protect friends and loved ones. The CDC has issued updated guidelines on how to best observe Thanksgiving this Thursday, and I encourage you all to continue to follow public health and social distancing protocols to help prevent this virus' spread. Giving thanks in times like these can be difficult, yet we are all blessed in unique ways. Thanksgiving remains a time to reflect on those blessings. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve the Seventh District for the past ten years, and I am thankful for your support, your instruction, and your encouragement every step of the way. May God bless each and every one of you and your families this Thanksgiving season. HOUSE MISSES OPPORTUNITY FOR BIPARTISAN APPRENTICESHIP REFORM Members in the House returned to Capitol Hill this past week and brought forward a bill H.R. 8294 to update the National Apprenticeship Act. Over 80 years ago, Congress enacted the National Apprenticeship Act, which created the national registered apprenticeship (RA) system under the U.S. Department of Labor. Apprenticeships prepare workers for specific and highly-skilled occupations through paid on-the-job training and related educational instruction. At a time when more than 45 million Americans hold over $1.5 trillion in federal student loan debt, apprenticeships have and will continue to be an increasingly viable career option, creating an alternative pathway to high-paying jobs that ensure our workforce is well-trained and highly skilled. The National Apprenticeship Act serves a critical role in the apprenticeship space, graduating more than 80,000 apprentices last year in more than 1,200 recognized apprenticeable occupations. Most impressively, more than 94 percent of program graduates go on to retain their employment, virtually debt free, with an average starting salary of $70,000 a year. Republicans and Democrats overwhelmingly agree about the merits of this program, and I was pleased to talk about those merits when managing rule debate for H.R. 8294 on the House floor. However, it is clear that there is room for improvement to modernize the national registered apprenticeship program to meet our needs in the 21st century. We were within an inch of passing a truly bipartisan bill, and I am disappointed that the Majority failed to adopt, both in Committee and when offered on the floor, any Republican amendments to cut down on the bureaucratic hoops to register more apprenticeships in the federal program. Businesses need the ability to tailor these programs to meet their individual needs, and we had an opportunity to provide 21st century updates to this 20th century. Unfortunately, for reasons that I simply cannot explain, the majority choose to jam through a partisan bill that will now go nowhere instead of working on a bipartisan bill that could pass the Senate and be signed by the President. You can listen to my remarks by clicking the picture below. Rep. Rob Woodall Manages Rule Debate for H.R. 8294, the National Apprenticeship Act of 2020 In the time we have remaining in the 116th Congress, it is shame that our work continues to focus on pushing bills that have no future in the Senate and are ones that the President has indicated he won't sign. We need to focus on delivering for the American people, which means getting bills signed into law. As I said on the House floor, opportunities for that success exist in a bipartisan agreement on police reform, bipartisan appropriations bills for funding the government for Fiscal Year 2021, bipartisan support for COVID-19 testing and vaccines, and additional support for businesses and workers, including renewing the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). We can do better, and I will continue to call on Speaker Pelosi and the White House and Senate leaders to get it done. HOUSE RESOLUTIONS STRENGTHEN U.S. RELATIONS ABROAD While the American people wait on House Democratic leadership to come to the negotiating table to deliver COVID-19 relief for our hospitals and local businesses, my colleagues did come together to pass a number of bipartisan resolutions under suspension of the rules last week, a process which expedites the oftentimes cumbersome legislative process. I am always pleased to see Congress speak in a unified voice on some of the most critical issues of our day, including the rising threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and other key geopolitical issues. First, the House passed several resolutions condemning the CCP's draconian human rights record, especially with respect to the citizens of Hong Kong and Tibet. The first, H.Res. 1033, expresses solidarity with the people of Hong Kong and condemns the Chinese government's brutal crackdowns on peaceful protests there. The second, H.Res. 697, similarly expresses solidarity with the people of Tibet and their peaceful quest for real autonomy, despite brutal repression by the CCP. It is critical that the United States government continues to stand in support of human rights around the world, and I was encouraged to see both of these statements pass with resounding bipartisan support. I was also pleased to see the House come together by way of H.Res. 809 and H.Res. 1012 to express our support for the U.S. South Korea relationship, a geopolitical alliance that has, over time, strengthened into a true friendship based on shared ideals of democracy and respect for human rights. The former resolution also recognized the incredible contributions of Korean-Americans in our country. The U.S.-Korea relationship is truly unique, and I look forward to seeing the global impact this partnership will have in the years ahead. RECOGNIZING PANCREATIC CANCER AWARENESS MONTH Many of you may have seen friends and neighbors across our community, and across the nation, dawning purple these last few weeks as part of a coordinated effort to raise awareness about pancreatic cancer. That's because November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, and this past Thursday was World Pancreatic Day a time aimed at bringing renewed attention to combatting this cancer. Pancreatic cancer is projected to be the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States this year, and 2020 has reminded us why it is as important as ever to raise awareness and support to combat it. As many of you know, just this year, our nation lost my friend and colleague, Congressman John Lewis, to pancreatic cancer, along with roughly 47,000 Americans. With nearly 60,000 Americans diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year, a focus on basic research and early detection is needed, and I am proud of the increased commitment I have seen over the last decade in Congress in that endeavor. The bipartisan commitment we have seen to ensuring our leading federal research institutions like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are best equipped to fight this cancer, and the many other diseases and disorders that plague Americans, is significant. I was glad to join my colleagues in pressing for additional NIH funding, and I expect we will see increases again this year as Congress works to pass its final appropriations bills before the funding deadline on December 11th. CONSTITUENT SPOTLIGHT: ADVANCING BIPARTISAN BILLS THROUGH THE HOUSE While it is undeniably true that political disagreements stand in the way of achieving some of our collective legislative goals, it is also true that you hear less about those bills that have wide support from Members on both sides of the aisle. Below are messages I have received from individuals back home about targeted bills and issues they would like to see Congress address. Jamie from Peachtree Corners: As a constituent and a member of the food allergy community, I'm asking that you co-sponsor the (FASTER) Act (H.R. 2117), a bipartisan bill co-sponsored by over 90 House Members. This bill is crucial to me as it protects the estimated 1.5 million Americans allergic to sesame by requiring sesame to become the ninth allergen listed on food labels. James from Cumming: Each year, an estimated 8 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean -- the equivalent of a full garbage truck being dumped into the sea every minute. This plastic waste litters our beaches, contaminates waterways and threatens marine wildlife. I urge you to support forthcoming legislation and to do all you can to help move our country beyond plastic. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ As I described earlier, passing bills under suspension of the rules is a procedural mechanism that the House can deploy to bring legislation to the floor. Passage of these bills require two-thirds support of House Members and is used to advance those pieces of legislation that have broad, bipartisan support. While these bills are often smaller measures compared to the larger bills that pass through my desk on the Rules Committee, they comprise much of the House's bill load and are often common-sense, targeted fixes that can better serve Americans. Last week the House came together to pass more than 50 suspension bills, which you can read HERE. Among those bills passed this week was the bill that Jamie supported the H.R. 2117, the FASTER Act. This bill directs the Food and Drug Administration to add sesame the ninth most common food allergen to its list of eight major food allergens that are required to be identified on food packages. The bill also requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to expand the collection of information about food allergies in the United States. Additionally, as James mentioned, the desire to protect our oceans from harmful pollutants is a shared one, and the House passed H.R. 4636, the PLASTICS Act, which directs the State Department and USAID to further their pollution reduction programs to reduce plastic pollution globally. Lastly, I was glad to see the Chamber pass several bipartisan Transportation and Infrastructure bills, including H.R. 8408, the Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act, which I spoke about in a previous newsletter and will update Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) oversight, strengthening our aviation safety standards. With the end of the 116th Congress drawing near, it is good to see bipartisan action across multiple committees and areas of jurisdiction. I hope that trend continues when my colleagues and I return to Washington soon for our last legislative stretch. HONORING GEORGIA'S 2021 ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR The Seventh District truly is home to some of the most remarkable students, faculty, and staff in some of the best schools in the state of Georgia. That tradition of excellence means I am never short of opportunities to highlight that good work, including the recent announcement that Forsyth Central High School's Dr. Josh Lowe was recently named as Georgia's 2021 Assistant Principal of the Year. The Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals selected Dr. Lowe for this honor because of his long record of servant leadership in education. After 20 years as a teacher, coach, athletic director, and now as an assistant principal, Dr. Lowe is still as enthusiastic and service-minded as he was in the very beginning. From mentoring new administrators to working collaboratively with teachers, Dr. Lowe hopes to continue to build on Forsyth County Schools' outstanding record of academic excellence. We ask a great deal of our teachers and administrators who we task with our children's educational upbringing, especially during this time. When there is an opportunity to recognize those who go above and beyond in that mission, we must seize it and let those servant leaders among us know how much we appreciate them. That is why I hope you will join me in congratulating Dr. Lowe and his team at Forsyth Central High School on this great achievement. GWINNETT COUNTY LAUNCHES NEW EVICTION PREVENTION PROGRAM The efforts to address the harmful public health and economic effects caused by COVID-19 have demanded an all-of-government response that brings together federal, state, and local leaders to provide assistance. With federal support from the CARES Act's Coronavirus Relief Fund which provided $150 billion in assistance to state and local governments, Gwinnett County has launched Project Reset a program providing past due rent payments to help families facing eviction. Project Reset is a partnership between HomeFirst Gwinnett and the Gwinnett Magistrate Court, aimed at addressing the 400 active dispossessory filings currently in Gwinnett Magistrate Court where eviction for families is imminent. The second phase of the program will seek to help renters in the pre-eviction face and before eviction notices are filed. I encourage those of you in need of this assistance to call 770-847-6765 or emailMagistrateCourtProjectRESET@gwinnettcounty.com to learn what relief options may be available to you through this program. THE WEEKS AHEAD As Congress takes a brief recess for the Thanksgiving holiday, there is still much left for us to complete before the end of the year. In the coming weeks, we will hold a series of elections to determine committee leadership for the 117th Congress, which in our case will determine the new ranking members for committees that I have served, including Budget. Additionally, the House must take up a number of legislative items including the Water Resources and Development Act, funding the federal government for Fiscal Year 2021, complete our work to finalize the sixtieth consecutive National Defense Authorization Act, and potentially an additional, much needed COVID-19 relief package to address the increase in cases of Coronavirus, the anticipated rollout of vaccines and therapeutics, and assistance for small businesses as we enter the winter months of the pandemic. I believe all of my colleagues share the same desire to complete consideration of all these major bills before the end of the year, and I am hopeful we will take these next few weeks to hunker down and get it done. Sincerely, Rob Woodall Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://austinscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-austin-scott-leads-bipartisan-push-level-playing-field-georgia-s,Rep. Austin Scott Leads Bipartisan Push to Level the Playing Field for Georgias Specialty Crop Producers,2020-11-20,2020,2020-11,Republican,Senate,GA,Austin Scott,S001189,austinscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA-08) lead a bipartisan letter to U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer requesting a Section 332 investigation request to the International Trade Commission for cucumbers and squash to make a meaningful determination as to the impact of these seasonal imports on Southeastern markets. Joining Rep. Scott on the letter were Reps. Sanford Bishop (D-GA-02), Rick Allen (R-GA-12), and Buddy Carter (R-GA-01). Georgia growers testified at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative's (USTR) hearings in August regarding seasonal perishable fruit and vegetable imports. These fruit and vegetable imports from Mexico continue to dramatically impact U.S. markets and threaten the future of domestic farm production of perishable produce. As the fall season in Georgia is now in full swing, it appears that the problem is only getting worse, wrote the Members. A Section 332 investigation request to the International Trade Commission for cucumbers and squash is needed in order to make a meaningful determination as to the impact of these seasonal imports on Southeastern markets. These market changes occur quickly and can make or break a grower's season in a matter of days if import increases and the resulting price decreases coincide with harvest. On November 18, Senators David Perdue (R-GA) and Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) sent a similar letter to Ambassador Lighthizer requesting this investigation for cucumber and squash imports. You can click here to read their letter. The full letter can be found by clicking here or below. November 20, 2020 The Honorable Robert Lighthizer United States Trade Representative 600 17th St NW, Washington, D.C. 20006 Dear Ambassador Lighthizer: Georgia growers testified at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative's (USTR) hearings in August regarding seasonal perishable fruit and vegetable imports. These fruit and vegetable imports from Mexico continue to dramatically impact U.S. markets and threaten the future of domestic farm production of perishable produce. As the fall season in Georgia is now in full swing, it appears that the problem is only getting worse. Just as growers are beginning to harvest, many are finding that still increasing imports from Mexico are driving prices below the cost of production. We were pleased to see that USTR has requested a Section 332 for strawberries and bell peppers. However, we believe the inclusion of other commodities, such as cucumbers and squash, in the Section 332 request, would provide some assistance to growers as they continue to struggle with seasonal imports for the upcoming harvest season. In the last twelve months, we have seen further growth in imports across several vegetable products. For example, cucumbers' import value is at $894 million which is a 10% increase from September 2019 and August of 2020. Squash's import value at $473 million is a 27% increase during that same time period. Year to date load totals from Mexico for cucumbers, in 2020, have more than doubled from the same period in 2019. Likewise, bell pepper truck loads from Mexico have also more than doubled. Squash appears to be the next crop to follow suit with over 100 additional more loads having arrived at U.S. markets so far this year just as southeastern growers have begun their squash harvests. Price has followed supply and growers are now reporting tumbling prices across the board for vegetables. Prices are now well below U.S. production costs for several of these commodities and appear to correlate directly with increasing fall shipments from Mexico. Unfortunately, data and pricing available for national markets appears to be in direct conflict to the actual prices growers are receiving. A Section 332 investigation request to the International Trade Commission for cucumbers and squash is needed in order to make a meaningful determination as to the impact of these seasonal imports on Southeastern markets. These market changes occur quickly and can make or break a grower's season in a matter of days if import increases and the resulting price decreases coincide with harvest. We appreciate your efforts on behalf of our fruit and vegetable growers. Sincerely, Austin Scott Member of Congress Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. Member of Congress Rick W. Allen Member of Congress Earl L. Buddy Carter Member of Congress -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://austinscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-austin-scott-named-negotiator-defense-bill-1,Rep. Austin Scott Named Negotiator for Defense Bill,2020-11-18,2020,2020-11,Republican,Senate,GA,Austin Scott,S001189,austinscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Today, Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08), a senior Member of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), was chosen to serve on a conference committee for the House and Senate versions of the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (FY21 NDAA), which will work through differences in the House and Senate versions of FY21 NDAA. This morning, the conference committee held their first meeting to outline each Chamber's priorities for the final legislation. During the virtual event, Rep. Scott stressed the importance of continuing to support current systems which provide battle-proven capabilities around the world, like the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) and the A-10C Warthog, until there are systems in place which exceed the capabilities that these systems provide to the warfighter. Following today's announcement and the committee's first meeting, Rep. Scott released the following statement: I'm very honored to be chosen to serve on the FY21 NDAA Conference Committee. While the House's FY21 NDAA wasn't perfect, I believe we were able to accomplish many goals important to Georgia and the nation, including new investments in systems and platforms across the Department of Defense and a 3% pay raise for our troops. Over the coming weeks, I look forward to hammering out a final piece of legislation that meets the unique challenges we face in securing freedom and keeping Americans safe, said Rep. Austin Scott. Throughout his time serving his constituents in Georgia's 8th district, Austin has distinguished himself as a selfless leader who holds true to conservative principles and understands the importance of a strong and capable military. That is why he was hand-picked to serve as a conferee on this year's NDAA. His entrepreneurial expertise and work in risk management will help navigate the most important piece of legislation Congress takes on - the defense bill that supports our service members and keeps our military strong. With Austin on the team, I know we will have an outcome worthy of our incredible service members, said House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA-23). Rep. Scott receiving an update on COVID-19 response from leadership at Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Georgia, earlier this year. Rep. Scott has focused on ensuring our military remains equipped to combat COVID-19 while carrying out their important missions. The following Members of HASC were named to serve on the House-Senate Conference Committee: Ranking Member Mac Thornberry (TX-13) Ranking Member Mike Rogers (AL-03) Rep. Joe Wilson (SC-02) Rep. Mike Turner (OH-10) Rep. Doug Lamborn (CO-05) Rep. Rob Wittman (VA-01) Rep. Austin Scott (GA-08) Rep. Vicky Hartzler (MO-04) Rep. Elise Stefanik (NY-21) Rep. Trent Kelly (MS-01) Rep. Mike Gallagher (WI-08) Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) Rep. Jim Banks (IN-03) The following Members were named to serve on the House-Senate Conference Committee as outside conferees: Rep. Mike Conaway (TX-11), House Committee on Agriculture Rep. Chris Stewart (UT-02), House Committee on the Budget Rep. Brett Guthrie (KY-02), House Committee on Education and Labor Rep. Greg Walden (OR-02), House Committee on Energy and Commerce Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03), House Committee on Financial Services Rep. Michael McCaul (TX-10), House Committee on Foreign Affairs Rep. Mark Green (TN-07), House Committee on Homeland Security Rep. Rodney Davis (IL-13), House Committee on Administration Rep. Devin Nunes (CA-22), Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Rep. Greg Steube (FL-17), House Committee on the Judiciary Rep. Rob Bishop (UT-01), House Committee on Natural Resources Rep. James Comer (KY-01), House Committee on Oversight and Reform Rep. Mike Garcia (CA-25), House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Rep. Steve Chabot (OH-01), House Committee on Small Business Rep. Bob Gibbs (OH-07), House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Rep. Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Rep. Brad Wenstrup (OH-02), House Committee on Ways and Means -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletter-archive/district-connection-111620,District Connection - 11/16/20,2020-11-16,2020,2020-11,Republican,Senate,GA,Rob Woodall,W000810,woodall.house.gov,,,legacy,"EFFORTS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND DEPLOY COVID-19 COUNTERMEASURES The COVID-19 pandemic is first and foremost a public health crisis, and some of the most critical efforts to combatting this virus have centered on developing countermeasures, such as diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. There are several vaccine candidates in the process of clinical trials, and I know many of you may have seen Pfizer's recent announcement, which says its vaccine candidate has demonstrated a 90 percent efficacy rate based on results from its Phase 3 trial. As you may recall, earlier this summer the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced an agreement, as part of itsOperation Warp Speed, that would provide for the production and delivery of 100 million doses of this COVID-19 vaccine, with the ability to acquire 500 million additional doses, if it is proven safe and effective. Additionally, just this morning, Moderna announcedequally encouraging data from its Phase 3 trial, indicating a vaccine efficacy of 94 percent.These results are undeniably encouraging, but those trials are ongoing. Any vaccine candidate will still need to demonstrate set standards of efficacy and safety, as well as receive regulatory approval from the FDA, before wider distribution. Additionally, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for a new therapeutic treatment that has shown evidence to reduce hospitalization and emergency visits for COVID-19 positive patients at increased risk of severe illness from the virus. And last month, the FDA approved its first treatment, remdesivir, for use in health care settings for adults and children 12 and older who require hospitalization from COVID-19. The federal government will continue to play a critical role in advancing vaccines and treatments to fight COVID-19, and as these efforts continue, we must continue to do our part and follow public health recommendations. The health of our communities and our further economic recovery is dependent on it. KEEPING AMERICAN FAMILIES UNITED You would be hard-pressed to find someone who would tell you our immigration system is working as intended. In fact, it is more common to find someone to tell you how the onerous process had failed them by way of delays, misfiled paperwork, and more. The issues plaguing our immigration procedures have real consequences for families throughout the United States. One issue specifically was brought to my attention earlier this Congress by our neighbors representing American Families United. For those who fall in love, marry, and raise a family with a spouse who turns out to be undocumented, there is no path for those families to get right by the law. Rather, our laws unintentionally encourage those individuals to remain in hiding or else risk being separated from their families for three years, five years, or permanently as they are barred from ever returning to the U.S. While upholding our national security and safety of our citizens makes it necessary to keep some individuals from reentering the country, surely it was never intended to prevent American citizens from living in peace with their spouse. After working for over a year with Representative Veronica Escobar (D-TX), we were able to introduce H.R. 8708, the American Families United Act. For those cases that do not deal with security issues for the United States, this bill will enable immigration judges to use their discretion on a case-by-case basis to keep American citizens and their families together. Families belong together, and I believe the American Families United Act serves that mission. I am proud of the strong product we have put together and hope this bill will be taken up in the coming months. ALL VETERANS AND GOLD STAR FAMILIES GRANTED FREE ENTRANCE TO NATIONAL PARKS Many of you know that last Wednesday was Veterans Day a time of reflection, gratitude, and celebration of the honorable sacrifices that our nation's veterans have made to protect our country. We certainly owe our servicemembers a tremendous debt of gratitude, which is why I was pleased to learn that U.S. Secretary of the Interior Bernhardtrecently issued an order granting all Gold Star Families and military veterans free entrance to our national parks, refuges, and other public lands. A similar program is already offered to active duty military and their dependents, but expanding this benefit to Gold Star Families and veterans is truly symbolic of our lasting appreciation of their sacrifices. To benefit from the program, Gold Star Families or veterans simply need to present qualifying identification, such as a Military ID or a Driver's License with a veterans designation, providing access to the roughly 2,000 public locations spanning 400 million acres of land managed by the Department of the Interior, the National Forest Service, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It is only fitting that all of our nation's servicemembers, both past and present, should have free access to some of the very lands they strived to protect and defend. CONSTITUENT SPOTLIGHT: PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 In the early months of the COVID-19 public health emergency, there was much that we didn't know about the respiratory contagion that has since spurred an ongoing global health crisis. But as the days and months have gone on, the important role that face masks play in preventing the spread of COVID-19 has become increasingly clear. Here is what some of you have had so say about the subject: Mariah from Lawrenceville: I am writing you this letter concerning the use of masks due to the life-threatening pandemic that is occurring. The lack of mask usage should not be taken lightly because the lives of our fellow citizens are being jeopardized. I understand that social distancing can be a little difficult in public, especially with many people around, butmasks can prevent further spread of COVID. Susan from Suwanee: Mr. Woodall, it's time to let our kids, teenagers and young adults go back to normal. They have sacrificed enough for this virus. For those that interact with young people as part of their job or living situation, wear a mask. I am sad for all that our kids have lost. ______________________________________________________________________________ As you may recall, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) first implemented its mask guidance on April 3 of this year. Since then, the scientific community has found overwhelming evidence that properly worn masks help prevent the droplets carrying the COVID-19 virus from spreading person-to-person. As CDC Director Robert Redfield told lawmakers when testifying on Capitol Hill this fall, face coverings are the most important, powerful public health tool we have. In fact, as our scientific researchers continue their efforts to accelerate the development of a COVID-19 vaccine that is proven to be safe and effective, the use of face masks, social distancing protocols, and other public health measures have enabled businesses to reopen, children return to school, and our nation get back to work. As Susan said, the economic and mental toll levied on workers and families because of COVID-19 has been undeniable. But it cannot be said enough: our economic bounce back and return to normalcy is inextricably linked to our ability to control the public health threat posed by COVID-19. We will not have one without the other. As the winter months approach, and with people spending more time indoors in close proximity to others, we simply cannot afford to see a surge in new cases. To ensure compliance with the CDC's mask wearing guidance, some have suggested that the federal government pass a nationwide mask policy. While I think the sentiment beyond such calls to protect our friends and neighbors is universally shared, it remains the case that these policies should be state and locally implemented. Any policy is only as strong as its enforcement, and while our federal leaders should continue to let science be our guide when setting best practices, it is our states and localities that are ultimately tasked with enforcing any such policy. Of course, the importance of following public health protocols should be a message that is communicated at all levels of government. But as in many areas of public policy, our states and localities are the ones best equipped to assess their needs and determine how to specifically implement policies to best address them. To Mariah's concern, the good news is an increasing number of Americans are opting to wear masks. But with many states continuing to see increases in the number of confirmed cases, we must ensure we are continually adhering to these public health guidelines. Masks will continue to play a pivotal role in reducing transmission of this virus; let's continue to do our part to protect our friends and neighbors, particularly those with underlying health conditions who are most vulnerable. GWINNETT COUNTY SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS CONTINUE TO DEMONSTRATE EXCELLENCE Here in the Seventh District, we are home to some of the most outstanding schools in the state, and even with the challenges posed by COVID-19, our students continue to demonstrate a commitment to academic excellence. That's why this week, I would like to recognize Gwinnett County Public Schools for its success at increasing its student graduation rate, with 83.23% of students graduating from high school within 4 years. As we all know, this increased graduation rate would not have been possible without the hard work of our teachers in ensuring students in the classroom are receiving a quality education. As you may recall from my previous newsletter, Gwinnett County Public Schools earlier this fall named its 139 Teachers of the Year for each public school in the county. Now, 6 finalists have been selected out of 25 semifinalists. This year's finalists include: Lena Alonso from Lilburn Elementary, Katie Blum from Sugar Hill Elementary; Kelley Donovan from Coleman Middle School, Julianne Purnell from Five Forks Middle School; Philip Peavy from Paul Duke STEM High School; and Danielle Swaby from South Gwinnett High. The overall district winner is expected to be announced on December 10th. I surely don't envy the Selection Committee in making its final decision, and as we await word on this year's winner, I know we are all grateful for the hard work of all of our teachers during this time. These educators have worked tirelessly to adapt learning models to continue to provide instruction both in-person and virtually (and oftentimes both at the same time). Thank you for all that you do. FORSYTH COUNTY COMMUNITY HONORS SERVICEMEMBERS AND VETERANS As I discussed earlier, last week we observed Veterans Day to remember the bravery and sacrifice of those who have served to defend our country. Our military's heroic efforts have preserved our freedoms. It gives me such pride to see our community give back in honor of their service and to share examples of those acts of generosity with you. In Cumming, Dental Smiles collected 450 pounds of candy during their annual Halloween Candy Buyback by encouraging trick-or-treaters to donate some of their Halloween haul to Operation ShoeBox a nonprofit that sends Christmas care packages to troops serving overseas. And that's not the only business trying to ignite the Christmas spirit for our servicemembers. Another Forsyth business, Music Authority, is working with volunteers to create giftboxes through the Any Soldier program, gifting essential hygiene items to soldiers overseas along with handwritten notes to cheer on our military heroes. And while these and other businesses across our community have demonstrated a generous show of support for our active duty military overseas, our district has also come together to thank our local veterans by installing a new flagpole and monument in the Vickery Lake community. These acts of kindness are undeniably important during this time, and I would like to thank everyone who made this Veterans Day one of hope and celebration. And on behalf of our District, I would like to again thank our veterans and troops for their service and sacrifice. We celebrate that today, but may we remember it always. SEVENTH DISTRICT KICKS OFF THE HOLIDAY SEASON WITH A CHARITABLE SPIRIT With the holidays just around the corner, our community has been gearing up to make this holiday season that much more special for children and families in need. That's why I would like to highlight the efforts of Forsyth County Fire Department (FCFD) and The Place of Forsyth for their work to give our community a little extra holiday spirit. FCFD has kicked off its annual Aerial's House toy collection drive, and they are asking for new, unwrapped gift donations for children of all ages to be dropped off at their contactless donation bins at the Forsyth County Fire Station or the Fire Department Headquarters from November 9th through December 11th, or in the lobby of the Forsyth County Administration Building in December. The toys will be distributed with the help of the extraordinary folks at The Place of Forsyth, a nonprofit that has truly strengthened our community with their dedicated service, especially during this challenging year. In fact, The Place hopes to continue supporting members of our community in need by preparing its Holiday Assistance Program, including Thanksgiving meal kits for over 500 families who are in need. With these efforts to give to those in need additional support, the Forsyth County Fire Department and The Place of Forsyth have truly gone above and beyond to bring joy to our community this holiday season. Thank you to all of you who have already donated to assist our neighbors. Your acts of generosity and the enthusiasm in which you give back to our community are part of what makes our district so special. THE WEEK AHEAD Last week, Members-elect to the 117th Congress descended upon Washington, D.C. to begin new Member orientation sessions. Orientation will continue this week in addition to a number of organizational meetings for the Republican and Democrat conferences. That leaves us with a light load legislatively as we consider a number of bills under suspension of the rules and one bill under a rule, H.R. 8294, the National Apprenticeship Act of 2020. While the 80-year-old National Apprenticeship Act is in dire need of modernization, H.R. 8294 falls short of providing meaningful reform to empower employers and others to pursue work-based learning innovation. Although Democrats on the House Committee on Education and Labor rejected the Republican alternative offered by Representative Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) which would truly bring the National Apprenticeship Act into the 21st century, I am hopeful the House will have a second chance to consider this option as an amendment on the House floor. Sincerely, Rob Woodall Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletter-archive/district-connection-11920,District Connection - 11/9/20,2020-11-09,2020,2020-11,Republican,Senate,GA,Rob Woodall,W000810,woodall.house.gov,,,legacy,"2020 GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS Last week's record-shattering voter turnout across our great nation so much so that the vote count, primarily due to mail-in and absentee ballots has meant vote counting continues. While I know many were hoping to know all the final results by late Tuesday night, the increased use of absentee and mail-in ballots meant that just wasn't possible. We must ensure every vote that was legitimately cast is counted, and I am grateful for the state and local officials who have continued their thorough and diligent efforts to make sure the voices of the American people are heard. While it is likely that the close nature of these elections in many states, including our own, may mean these results will face legal challenges, there are at least two takeaways we know that are clear. First, absentee and mail-in ballots are likely to only grow in the future. Ensuring the confidence of the American people in these votes is vital to our democracy, and thus all allegations of impropriety must be investigated. There is no higher electoral priority than ensuring confidence in our system of voting. Second, we know that here in Georgia we will prepare to return to the polls on January 5th for a runoff election. All of America will be watching, and outside groups from across the nationand perhaps the worldwill be trying to influence our vote. I confess that I am comforted that the balance of power in Washington comes down to the vote of Georgia and Georgians. There is no group of voters that I trust more. JOBS REPORT SHOWS CONTINUED DECREASES IN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, JOBS ADDED Last Friday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its most recentjobs report for the month of October. Coming on the heels of the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis's report from last week that indicated real GDP increased by an annual rate of 33.1 percent in the third quarter, the latest jobs report continues to spell out good news for a further economic return. In October, the unemployment rate dropped one percentage point nationally, down to 6.9 percent from 7.9 percent. With the addition of 638,000 jobs last month exceeding economists' previous predictions the most considerable gains were seen in leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, retail trade, and construction. These latest numbers mean that roughly 55 percent of the jobs lost due to the COVID-19 crisis have since returned. The momentum is there for a strong economic return, but as much of our nation continues to grapple with increased cases of COVID-19, we cannot ease up. As we approach the holidays, the potential for increased rates of spread is undeniably present, and we must protect our family, friends, and neighbors by following social distancing guidelines and public health protocols. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ISSUES FINAL RULE ON HEALTH CARE PRICE TRANSPARENCY After announcing its proposed rule to enact price transparency requirements to increase competition and lower health care costs last year, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued its final rule late last month. Under this finalized rule, group health plans and health insurance issuers in the individual and group markets will be required to provide clear and easily accessible information about standard charges for the services they provide so that patients can better understand the casts of their care. This includes the costs of specific doctors, procedures, and prescription drugs, as well as the most accurate estimated out-of-pocket costs a patient could be responsible for. With increased awareness of the true costs of care, patients will have a better ability to shop and compare costs before receiving care, promoting competition between providers to offer the best price. Injecting transparency across our health care systems is just one of the tools at our disposal that may serve to address the high costs of health care in areas where multiple options for care exist, and while this rule is facing legal challenges in the courts, I hope that we can continue to work toward solutions that encourage choice and spur competition, driving down costs in the long run. CONSTITUENT SPOTLIGHT: REBUILDING AMERICA'S INFRASTRUCTURE Transportation and infrastructure development are issues that are important to folks on all ends of the political spectrum. As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I know just how critical it is to provide proper oversight and reauthorization to all that connects us in our community. Here is what some of you who've written to me about the topic have had to say: Adam from Suwanee: Infrastructure matters to me. Poor infrastructure is costing every family in the U.S. $9 every day and those costs will keep climbing without action. Congress needs to pass the Water Resources Development Act. Mark from Norcross: Ignoring the needs of America's aging and over-burdened infrastructure is not an option. If our nation is to remain prosperous, we must transform our infrastructure systems. As your voting constituent and a member of the construction industry, I understand firsthand the need for a significant, long-term infrastructure investment bill. ______________________________________________________________________________ As we head into the House's biennial lame duck session, my colleagues and I have a unique opportunity to advance bipartisan legislation, free from some of the political divisiveness which can permeate an election season. On the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I have witnessed firsthand how across-the-aisle cooperation has produced meaningful infrastructure development bills. As Adam and Mark rightly said, strong, bipartisan infrastructure legislation will benefit the day-to-day lives and financial wellbeing of every American family. Currently, there are a number of the Committee's transportation and infrastructure bills which I hope to see move forward during the remainder of this legislative session. First, I am hopeful the Senate will take up and pass H.R. 7575 the Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (WRDA). This year's version of WRDA, which passed the House in July, provides critical funding to rebuild our nation's ports, harbors, and inland waterwayspoints of entry where nearly 80% of the goods we consume enter our country. WRDA also authorizes projects to prevent flood and storm damage, an increasingly dangerous problem which we must combat in order to protect the health and safety of our communities. The numerous water infrastructure projects authorized under WRDA will help to create numerous well-paying jobs across the country. Several of my colleagues also recently introduced an important piece of bipartisan aircraft safety legislation, H.R. 8408 the Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act. Aircraft safety is critical to the well-being of air travelers and our nation's confidence in flying, and this bipartisan act, based on guidance from nonpartisan aircraft safety experts, will enact modernized Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) oversight, ensuring the highest standards of aviation safety. In a similar vein, my colleagues in the House negotiated and passed H.R. 3409 the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2019. Aside from reauthorizing the Coast Guard for FY20-FY21 and addressing personnel issues, the bill sets important boating and shipping safety policies, ensuring the safety of workers and recreational boaters alike. And while I was pleased to see a clean, yearlong surface transportation reauthorization included in the continuing resolution signed by the president back in September, I am hopeful House Democratic leadership will reconsider its partisan approach to pipeline safety reauthorization and take up the Senate's comprehensive and bipartisan measure that passed the chamber in August. As the 116th Congress comes to a close, I look forward to building on bipartisan infrastructure progress made on both sides of the Capitol and get this meaningful legislation across the finish line. HONORING THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED THIS VETERANS DAY This Wednesday, our nation comes together to honor each and every veteran who has risked their life to protect and defend the freedoms we are privileged to enjoy in this country. In my years in public office, I have found that our veterans represent the very best our Seventh District community has to offer. They are teachers, first responders, public servants, and business leaders. They are mothers, fathers, mentors and neighbors, and some of our most trusted friends. Even after their military service is complete, veterans are looked to by the American people for unity and strength. I am always humbledbut never surprisedto find our veterans continuing to give back to our community and country in so many incredible ways. While many Veterans Day celebrations and events were held this past weekend, Gwinnett and Forsyth Counties will each be holding events this Wednesday saluting our nation's heroes. Gwinnett County will begin its virtual Veterans Day Ceremony on November 11th at 11 AM, and the American Legion Cumming Post 307, in conjunction with the City of Cumming and our community's other veterans organization, will also begin its ceremony at the same time at the Cumming Veterans War Memorial. Attendance is free and open to the public, and guests are encouraged to wear masks and socially distance during the event. On behalf of a grateful nation, I want to extend my appreciation to all the veterans and their families across our community for their service to our country. While we honor that sacrifice today, may we remember it always. CELEBRATING DIWALI: THE HINDU FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS This Saturday, Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and those of other faiths across the world will celebrate the annual festival of Diwali the five-day celebration of the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. Last year, I had the honor of celebrating Diwali at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Lilburn, a truly unforgettable experience celebrated with so many good friends. While Diwali celebrations may look different this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 health emergency, the importance and symbolism of this festival is as important as ever. We are truly blessed to have such a vibrant and diverse community here in the Seventh District, and I want to extend my best wishes for a happy Diwali to all those observing this special time in our community. LOCAL TRAVEL NURSES CRUCIAL TO COMBATTING COVID-19 IN HIGH RISK AREAS As we face a potential surge in new cases of COVID-19 during the winter months, we continue to rely on our health care heroes to combat the virus on the frontlines. That's why this week I would like to commend a local group of nurses who have dedicated weeks and sometimes months on end away from their homes to travel to high-risk areas in need of nurses to treat those infected by COVID-19. In fact, more than 450 nurses working for Premier Healthcare Professionals in Cumming have gone to the frontlines in places with critical nursing shortages, including places as far away as New York City and Texas. These travel nurses have gone above and beyond to meet a critical need for nurses in places with both a history of nurse shortages and a high rate of COVID-19 infections, doing their part to protect all of us during this critical juncture in our history. I would like to thank the nurses from Premier Healthcare Professionals as well as everyone who has pitched in to fight COVID-19 on the frontlines. Your efforts throughout the year have certainly not gone unnoticed, and your hard work is invaluable to the many patients you have cared for. Thank you, once again, for your service during a time when it is most needed. FORSYTH COUNTY COMBATS DRUG ABUSE WITH NEW MONTHLY TAKE BACK DAY INITIATIVE It is remarkable to consider the outstanding health benefits that modern medications can have in treating various diseases, improving the lives of countless patients when they take their treatments and prescription medications safely and as directed. However, there is a global and national health and safety concern revolving around the misuse and abuse of prescription medications. That's why I am pleased to share an example of the good work that is being undertaken locally to combat the opioid epidemic. Forsyth County has registered three drop off boxes in Cumming, offering people a safe, reliable way to properly dispose of their prescription medications. In fact, the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners partnered with the Drug Awareness Council, the Youth Council, and the Sheriff's Office to launch the Take Back Day initiative, dedicating the third Saturday of every month to encourage anyone with unused medications to dispose of their prescriptions at one of the drop off locations in Cumming. You can now drop off your unused medications on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the North and South Precincts in Cumming, or in the county jail lobby 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In doing so, you can become a part of the solution to combat the growing issue of medication misuse and addiction in our community. I would like to commend the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners, as well as the Forsyth County Drug Awareness Council, Youth Council and Sheriff's Office for bring drug misuse awareness to our community as well as providing a way for everyone to take part in the responsible use and disposal of prescription medications. Sincerely, Rob Woodall Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/blog-posts/washington-dc-tour-update-november-2020,WASHINGTON D.C. TOUR UPDATE - December 2020,2020-11-02,2020,2020-11,Republican,Senate,GA,Rob Woodall,W000810,woodall.house.gov,,,legacy,"As you may know, several popular tourist sites continue to be closed to the public due to concerns about COVID-19. Although these sites have temporarily closed their doors to the public, many of these destinations can now be explored through virtual tours and other online educational opportunities. Please see below for more information. WHITE HOUSE The White House will be open for tours on Fridays and Saturdays between 8:00 AM and 11:00 AM with limited visitor capacity. As such, tour slots are rapidly being filled. Bookings must be submitted within three months before a prospective tour date and no sooner than 21 days beforehand. You can access virtual tours of the White House at https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/the-white-house. U.S. CAPITOL The House and Senate Sergeants at Arms have ordered limited access to the Capitol Complex. All tours of the Capitol Building have been cancelled through November 30, 2020. We do not know at this time whether the suspension of Capitol tours will extend beyond that date. We will post more information online when that is available. Although the U.S. Capitol Building is currently closed to the public, you can still explore the Capitol virtually at https://www.capitol.gov/#. BUREAU OF ENGRAVING AND PRINTING The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) is closed to the public until further notice. To learn more about BEP, please visit their website at http://www.bep.treas.gov/about.html. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS The Library of Congress buildings and facilities will be closed to the public until further notice. Additionally, all Library-sponsored public programs are postponed or cancelled until further notice. Please note, the Library of Congress is now offering virtual tours at https://www.loc.gov/visit/tours/online-tours/. You can also explore their online exhibits at https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/. SUPREME COURT The Supreme Court is closed to the public until further notice. You can access a virtual tour of the Supreme Court at https://www.oyez.org/tour. OTHER TOUR INFORMATION Information about the operating status of other D.C. tourist destinations (National Archives, Smithsonian Institution, National Park Service monuments, Arlington National Cemetery, etc.) can be found on the individual webpages of those institutions. If you have any questions regarding these closures, please do not hesitate to reach out to my staff at 202-225-4272.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletter-archive/district-connection-11220,District Connection - 11/2/20,2020-11-02,2020,2020-11,Republican,Senate,GA,Rob Woodall,W000810,woodall.house.gov,,,legacy,"ELECTION DAY 2020 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD Since 1845, the first Tuesday following the first Monday of November has historically marked Election Day in the United States, and tomorrow officially marks that time for the 2020 elections. Statewide, roughly 3.9 million Georgians have already cast their ballots, up from 2.3 million compared to this point in 2016 a truly historic turnout. I know many folks have a close eye on the presidential race, but the upcoming elections are also critical to deciding our leaders at not only the federal level, but at the state and local level as well. This year is especially unique for those of us in the Seventh Congressional District, as we choose to elect not only both of our Georgia senators, but also a new U.S. House Representative. As I said before, voting is essential to participating in our democracy and making your voice heard. No matter how you choose to cast your ballot, I hope you will choose to exercise this right and encourage your friends and family to do the same. Early voting in Georgia ended last Friday, and for more information about voting in-person on Election Day tomorrow, visit Georgia's My Voter Page to verify your registration status, find your polling location, and preview what's on the ballot. Remember to bring a valid state or federal government issued photo ID, and get in line before 7:00 PM when the polls close. Additionally, for those who have not yet returned your absentee ballots, please know that they must be postmarked and returned to your elections office by mail or delivered in person or at avalid drop box location by no later than 7:00 PM on November 3rd. I encourage you to ensure its delivery as soon as possible. For additional questions, please contact theGwinnett CountyorForsyth CountyElections office. RECORD GDP GROWTH SHOWS STRENGTH OF U.S. ECONOMY Last week, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis released its latest data on the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the third quarter, showing a record 7.4 percent increase from the previous quarter and a historic 33.1 percent annualized pace. These figures show a recovery of two-thirds of our economic output since shutdown began. While this still puts the economy 3.5 percent smaller than at the end of last year, what it does demonstrate is that even with limited businesses reopening throughout the country, there is still enormous potential for us to rebound once restrictions are lifted. This fact was further demonstrated by the U.S. Department of Labor report showing jobless claims are down by 40,000 from the previous week, bringing the total number to 751,000 a total we haven't seen since mid-March when the shutdownbegan. This too is good news, even with the understanding that the hardest hit industries are not yet operating at full capacity. These latest reports show that our economy is ready to spring back into action, but with COVID-19 infection rates increasing throughout the country, it is likely that further economic growth will be stymied. That is why it is important for Congress to do its work and support our nation's industries as we enter the winter months where many economists expect a contraction in the economy. Our country has waited too long for Speaker Pelosi to reach a compromise with the White House to provide relief to businesses and the American people. I remain hopeful that before the end of this Congress, I will be able to cast my vote in favor of a solution to help our nation weather the pandemic as we work to defeat the virus. SUPPORTING HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES PROVIDERS As we have all seen, the COVID-19 public health emergency has not impacted businesses and services in the same way. While some have been able to resume operations relatively quickly and adapt their business models to align with public health protocols, it remains a challenge for many others. This includes Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) providers, whose programming offers opportunities for qualified Medicaid beneficiaries to receive services in their own home or community rather than in institutional or other isolated settings. HCBS providers deliver a wide range of services ranging from personal care, educational, and support services to those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, mental illness, and older adults. However, these providers' community-based approach to care often means that these services must be provided in person. And while HCBS providers have continued to look for creative ways to continue to provide services, many are still unable to provide routine services because they lack the infrastructure to operate virtually or remotely. Without continued support, HCBS provider networks across the country remain at risk of collapse, and permanent closure could greatly impede individuals from receiving services in the future. That is why I led a letter, joined by Representatives Kathleen Rice (D-NY), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Debbie Dingell (D-MI), asking that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) continue to allow state agencies administering certain HCBS programming, who have received approval and elect to do so, to issue retainer payments to providers when routine services cannot be delivered. These payments cannot exceed payments for similar services, and funding from any additional sources cannot be used for the same purpose. This action is centered on the need to give states the flexibility to assess the continued public health threat in their area and determine what is best for them, removing federal time constraints that limit how long these payments can be utilized. Of course, we all want providers to be furnishing these services when possible. But if states make the determination that this relief option is necessary to keep their provider networks intact, federal rules should not stand in the way. If these providers close for good or more folks that normally receive HCBS services as a result of these closures are diverted to institutional care, this could increase costs in the long run. I hope CMS will act swiftly on our call-to-action to enact this flexibility. CONSTITUENT SPOTLIGHT: MUST-ADDRESS PRIORITIES IN THE 116th CONGRESS While on the eve of the 2020 elections that will determine representation across all levels of government, it's also true that the work of the 116th Congress is far from over. Apart from a final deal that remains to be reached on the next COVID-19 relief package, there are several must-pass items on the agenda for the remainder of this legislative session. Here are a few of the messages I have received about what lies ahead. Donald from Duluth: Dear Rob, please approve additional PUA. Hopefully the job market will improve, but that is not the current reality. Additional assistance is badly needed and critical right now. Georgians face dire consequences without additional support right now. Please vote to approve additional assistance during this crisis. Thank you in advance for your understanding! Gary from Buford: When Congress returns after the election and begins to craft omnibus spending bills that fund the federal government, it is essential that you begin to cut wasteful spending to prevent a major economic disaster. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ While I have continued to join my colleagues in urging Speaker Pelosi to move forward standalone relief bills in the absence of a wider relief bill, it's not the only priority that demands our immediate attention. As you may know, there are several significant funding authorizations that have expired or will expire soon that Congress must address before the end of the year. Of most pressing concern is the need to pass appropriations bills to fund the government for Fiscal Year 2021. While in September Congress passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) extending current funding levels, that CR only runs through December 11th. Among those programs that need to be reauthorized by December 11th include the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and the Child Care Entitlement to States, as well as a series of health care provisions, including authorizations for the mandatory Community Health Center Fund, the National Health Services Corps, and the Special Diabetes Program. Additionally, there are several programs and tax provisions that will expire if not reauthorized by the end of the year. As Donald mentioned, this includes the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program which provides up to 13 weeks of additional unemployment benefits and expanded UI benefits for individuals (self-employed, independent contractors, gig economy workers) not traditionally eligible. In addition, roughly 33 energy, business, and individual tax provisions and many COVID-19 tax relief provisions will expire after December 31st. Further, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which provides authorization of and establishes priorities for defense-related activities at the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy remains on the agenda. Each year for 59 years, Congress has passed a bipartisan NDAA, and House and Senate leaders must continue their work to negotiate a finalized product. Even as we approach a lame-duck session the period of time Congress finds itself in after the November elections and before the start of the new Congress in January a wait-and-see approach only hurts us in the long run. It is particularly important we work to reach a consensus on these priorities and provide greater certainty moving into 2021. And to Gary's point, our long-term fiscal outlook indicates that we can only expect more difficult days ahead if we don't make these funding decisions sooner rather than later. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BUILD MIDDLE SCHOOLER'S DREAM WHEELCHAIR When students in our community find an opportunity to do good for one of their classmates, I am never surprised to see them go above-and-beyond all expectations. Art students at Gwinnett Central High School recently came together to custom build an incredible Black Panther themed costume and wheelchair shell for DJ Johnson - a beloved student at Alton C. Crews Middle School in Lawrenceville. Part of the nationwide Magic Wheelchair program, the participating Gwinnett Central students not only got a chance to take part in a highly technical arts and engineering project, but also to create an unforgettable Halloween for DJ. Modeled after the Marvel Comic hero's Royal Talon Fighter, the wheelchair shell, equipped with a touch screen and over 200 LED lights, is awesome in the truest sense of the word, as DJ himself said. I hope you will join me in thanking all of this year's Magic Wheelchair student participants for their kindness and creativity. You set an incredible example for all of us in the Seventh District as we head into the holiday season. FORSYTH COUNTY BOOKMOBILE SET TO ARRIVE A commitment to lifelong learning is a cornerstone of our Seventh District community, and I am always eager to share the creative ways our community comes together to improve our educational infrastructure. This week, the Forsyth County Public Library's brand new, custom-built Bookmobile is set to arrive home after a long drive from Fort Lupton, Colorado, where it was built. By late November, the Bookmobile will be fully equipped with thousands of books, technological materials, and other resourcesbringing the library directly to our neighbors in across Forsyth County. At a time when access is limited for many due to the COVID-19 public health threat, I appreciate the incredible efforts of the team at Forsyth County Public Library to expand their reach and access to its books and services. I hope you will join me in commending the Forsyth County Public Library staff for turning the vision of a Bookmobile into a reality for our community. Your hard work will go a long way in ensuring that library services are accessible to all our neighbors, regardless of location or mobility. Sincerely, Rob Woodall Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://austinscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-austin-scott-epa-s-expansion-dicamba-registrations-gives-farmers,Rep. Austin Scott: EPAs Expansion of Dicamba Registrations Gives Farmers More Certainty in the Midst of COVID-19s Negative Impacts,2020-10-27,2020,2020-10,Republican,Senate,GA,Austin Scott,S001189,austinscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"TIFTON, GA Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08), a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, today released the below statement upon U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler announcing that EPA is approving new registrations for two dicamba products and extending the registration of an additional dicamba product. All three registrations include stringent control measures to protect the environment, including non-target plants, animals, and other crops not tolerant to dicamba. The announcement coincides with Administrator Wheeler and Regional EPA Administrator Mary Walker today visiting Cromley Farm in Brooklet, Georgia. Rep. Scott, as well as Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black, American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall, and U.S. Representatives Rick Allen (GA-12), Buddy Carter (GA-01) and Doug Collins (GA-09), joined the EPA officials for the visit. Click here to read more. Our farmers make the fiber, food, and fuel for the world, and without close partnerships with agencies like the EPA and risk management tools to plan operations, they would be unable to do so. I'm very glad to see this MOU between EPA and the Georgia Department of Agriculture, and the announcement to allow new registrations of dicamba products for cotton and soybeans two important crops in rural Georgia. This will balance environmental concerns while giving our farmers impacted by the effects of COVID-19 more certainty as they plan for the upcoming crop year. This move will better help farmers recover from market losses and collapses associated with the pandemic, and I look forward to seeing the positive impacts of this change for the industry and our rural communities who support agriculture, said Rep. Austin Scott, Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit. With today's decision, farmers now have the certainty they need to make plans for their 2021 growing season, said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. After reviewing substantial amounts of new information, conducting scientific assessments based on the best available science, and carefully considering input from stakeholders we have reached a resolution that is good for our farmers and our environment. The United States is the world's leading soybean producer and second-leading soybean exporter and also serves as the world's third-largest cotton producer and the leading cotton exporter. Today, there are limited cost-effective options to control herbicide-resistant weeds affecting these commodities. In 2018, approximately 41 percent of U.S. soybean acreage was planted with dicamba-tolerant (DT) seed and almost 70 percent of U.S. cotton acreage was planted with DT seed in 2019. Relative to alternative herbicide programs, postemergence dicamba may reduce weed control costs for some growers, possibly by as much as $10 per acre, or over five percent of net operating revenue, not accounting for all measures growers will have to take to control off-field movement of dicamba. Through today's action, EPA approved new registrations for two over the top (OTT) dicamba products XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology and Engenia Herbicide and extended the registration for an additional OTT dicamba product, Tavium plus VaporGrip Technology. These registrations are only for use on dicamba-tolerant (DT) cotton and soybeans and will expire in 2025, providing certainty to American agriculture for the upcoming growing season and beyond. The move was informed by input from state regulators, grower groups, academic researchers, pesticide manufacturers, and others. EPA reviewed substantial amounts of new information and conducted scientific assessments based on the best available science, including making an Effect Determination under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). With this information and input, EPA has concluded that these registration actions meet Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) registration standards. EPA believes that these new analyses address the concerns expressed regarding EPA's 2018 dicamba registrations in the June 2020 U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. After completing its Effects Determinations for dicamba uses on DT cotton and soybeans, EPA concluded that with the control measures now required on labels, these actions do not affect endangered or threatened species. In September, Rep. Scott joined several colleagues in requesting the extension of dicamba product registrations to help farmers better plan operations in the midst of COVID-19's negatively economic impacts. You can click here to read the letter. You can click here to read more on the announcement and Administrator Wheeler's visit to Georgia. -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletter-archive/district-connection-102620,District Connection - 10/26/20,2020-10-26,2020,2020-10,Republican,Senate,GA,Rob Woodall,W000810,woodall.house.gov,,,legacy,"VOTING UNDERWAY IN GEORGIA Nearly 60 million Americans are estimated to have already cast their ballot for the upcoming 2020 elections, and early voting in Georgia is well underway. As a fundamental civic duty, voting is a right that we must never take for granted. No matter how you choose to cast your ballot, I strongly encourage you to exercise this right. Before you vote, you can visit Georgia's My Voter Page to verify your voter registration status, find your polling place, view a sample ballot, or download an absentee ballot application (if you choose to vote by mail). Early voting ends on October 30th, and those looking to request an absentee ballot who have not already done so should submit an application as soon as possible, as that deadline is this Friday as well. Absentee ballots must be postmarked and returned to your elections office by mail or delivered in person or at a valid drop box location by 7:00 PM on November 3rd. If you choose to vote in person, be sure to bring a valid state or federal government issued photo ID, which you can learn more about HERE. For other questions, please contact the Gwinnett County or Forsyth County Elections office. You can also visit the Secretary of State's Voter Page to review helpful voter and election day information. PRESIDENT TRUMP ISSUES EXECUTIVE ORDER TO AID CONSERVATION EFFORTS As you may know, earlier this year, President Trump announced the United States' commitment to the World Economic Forum's One Trillion Trees Initiative aimed to better manage, conserve, and restore one trillion trees globally by 2030. And just last week, President Trump recently issued the Trillion Trees Executive Order, which creates the One Trillion Trees Interagency Council to coordinate federal forest conservation strategies with states, tribes, communities, non-profits, and the private sector. The Council will also assist in coordinating the United States' efforts with this global initiative. With over a third of the U.S. covered in forest, conservation of our American forestland can serve as a vital recourse to combat climate change through carbon sequestration, with studies estimating that nature-based climate solutions could provide up to one-third of the mitigation needed to keep global temperate rise to 2C by the end of the decade. As a Member on the Congressional Climate Solutions Caucus, I appreciate efforts aimed at not only restoring but better managing our forest lands and public lands. But I also know there is still much work to be done to ensure the utility and beauty of our natural world persists for generations to come. I am encouraged by the widespread commitment from government leaders, industry partners, and citizens to promote conservation, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to find solutions that both address the impacts of climate change and uplift not stifle our economic growth, particularly as our long-term fiscal outlook demands that we do so. SUPPORTING CRITICAL INVESTMENTS IN RURAL ELECTRIC INFRASTRUCTURE As you may recall from last week's newsletter, addressing disparities that exist in broadband internet access has been a continued priority across our nation, particularly among our rural communities. Last week, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue announced $3.1 billion in new funding made available through one such program that works to close the telecommunications gap - the Electric Loan Program. These loans provide much-needed capital so that rural electric cooperatives and utilities can make investments in crucial electric infrastructure projects that increase the access and availability of affordable power and telecommunication services, includingbroadband internet. This supports the delivery of affordable power to not only residential homes but to commercial and agricultural sectors as well. I am pleased that a portion of this infrastructure development will occur right here in Georgia, as this funding will support roughly $218 million in projects across our state. This program plays a critical role in supporting an efficient and reliable electric grid, and that is why each year Congress, in a bipartisan fashion, continues to ensure that funding is made available through this program. In Secretary Perdue's own words, these kinds of infrastructure projects are the cornerstone to prosperity and I am encouraged by the continued commitment in Congress and through our federal agencies to provide for Americans' critical telecommunications needs. FUNDING HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT We all are aware of the important role our health care professionals play in providing quality care to Americans and their families. Amid the COVID-19 public health emergency, we have seen first-hand how critical it is to have a workforce that is equipped to address emerging health needs, particularly in areas where that need is the greatest. Federally-supported workforce programs play a critical role in ensuring that we have a dedicated and skilled workforce, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced half a billion in congressionally appropriated funding will be made available to support the recruitment and retention of health care professionals. This new funding will be distributed through federal workforce development programs, including the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and the Nurse Corps, whose members have served on the frontlines for communities with high-need, particularly during the battle against COVID-19. Nearly 19 million patients receive care from NHSC and Nurse Corps clinicians throughout the United States, and their efforts are critical to increasing access to primary care and substance abuse treatment two emerging health needs that plague our health care systems. This funding will support these workforce development programs, as well as loan repayment and scholarship opportunities to strengthen our health care workforce. I am pleased to see this funding come through in support of our health care professionals so they can provide the best possible service to our nation during this critical time. CONSTITUENT SPOTLIGHT: PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM LOAN FORGIVENESS As you know, a critical line of support created through the CARES Act was the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) which offers forgivable loans for many small businesses, nonprofits, and sole proprietors if those funds were used for eligible payroll and nonpayroll expenses. In June, Congress enacted reforms to add flexibility to the PPP, and with many borrowers now approaching the end of the extended covered period, here are some of the messages I have received from you about the forgiveness process for these loans. Earl from Duluth: When can we expect our banks to give us instructions regarding PPP-Loan forgiveness with the repayment terms beginning this December? Martha from Grayson: Nearly seven months into the pandemic and small businesses across the country continue to do everything they can to withstand its economic impact. But for many small businesses that applied for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, facing a complicated forgiveness process will add insult to injury and will push an additional administrative burden onto them at a time when they are still trying to recover. Congress has the opportunity to make it easier for small businesses that took PPP loans and pass S. 4117/H.R. 7777, streamlined PPP loan forgiveness legislation. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Since the creation of the PPP, Congress has allocated $659 billion in funding to the PPP to keep businesses afloat due to the harsh economic impacts caused by the COVID-19 public health emergency. Over5.2 million loans have been approved through the PPP, with roughly 80% of those loan amounts totaling $100,000 or less a strong indicator of how this program has been able to serve as a lifeline for those small businesses most in need. A total of 174,000 loans amounting to $14.6 billion were approved in Georgia, but the program expired on August 8th and Congressional action would be needed to allow for the second draw of PPP loans. I regret that so much uncertainty continues to exist surrounding the future of Congress' next COVID-19 relief package. And in the absence of a wider deal, I have continued to join my colleagues in urging Speaker Pelosi to bring forth standalone bills to address Americans' continued need for relief. That is why I have also signed on to a discharge petition that would bring H.R. 8265 to the floor for consideration to further the PPP, if it can garner 218 signatures from Members of Congress. As I previously discussed, H.R. 8265 would allow for the second draw of the roughly $134 billion remaining PPPfunds that remain unused for businesses with 300 employees or fewer and demonstrate at least a 25 percent reduction in gross revenues. And to Martha's point, that bill would, similarly to H.R. 7777, streamline the forgiveness process for loans under $150,000 while ensuring the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has the continued capability to review and audit these loans to guard against fraud. But as congressional action remains stifled, borrowers should review current guidance from the SBA and the U.S. Department of Treasury on documentation that is required to apply for loan forgiveness. For example, just this month, SBA issued its new streamlined 3508S Forgiveness application form that can be used by eligible borrowers who received a PPP loan of $50,000 or less. Most importantly, borrowers should know that they are not immediately required to submit an application as soon as their covered period ends, with this guidance noting that as long as a borrower submits its loan forgiveness application within ten months of the completion of the covered period, the borrower is not required to make any payments until the forgiveness amount is remitted to the lender by SBA. Also, some banks are in the early stages of accepting PPP forgiveness applications, and many have only now just begun setting up their systems. Be sure to check with your lender; they may have their own requirements in place as it relates to this process. FORSYTH COUNTY STUDENTS EARN TOP ACT SCORES IN STATE Time and again, students in our communities reach outstanding academic milestones which I am honored to share with you. For the sixth consecutive year, Forsyth County students have achieved the highest ACT scores in Georgia, boasting an average score of 24.9well above the state and national averages. The foundation of our students' success is our district's commitment to family and education, values which I know will live on in this next generation of student leaders as they head off to college. As Forsyth County Schools Superintendent Jeff Bearden said:We are committed to ensuring that our students can lead and succeed in the world. I would like to commend not only our outstanding Forsyth County Schools, but also our parents, guardians, and support systems who provide the love and encouragement necessary for our students to succeed in the classroom. Continuous achievements like this one reflect how truly special our Seventh District community is. GWINNETT COUNTY HOLDS ANNUAL GREAT DAYS OF SERVICE One of the things I greatly admire about our district is that individuals and organizations are not only answering the call to help our friends and neighbors when assistance is most needed, but they are also proactively looking for ways to give back to our community. Last week, Gwinnett County mobilized for its annual Great Days of Service, bringing together thousands of volunteers from across our district to gather, sort, and deliver food and supplies to those in need. Dozens of local organizations like Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful held food and supply drives to meet the needs of those struggling in our area, coming together to improve the lives of individuals and families one donation at a time. Gwinnett Great Days of Service has an incredible track record of successlast year, 26,000 volunteers gathered to collect and donate over 50,000 items. I look forward to hearing about this year's achievements in the coming days. I would like to thank all Gwinnett Great Days of Service volunteers and sponsors for their generosity and time dedicated to making our community a better place to live. Your service will go a long way in making sure that all our neighbors are taken care of in this time. THE WEEK AHEAD After Thursday's vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee to advance the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court, the full Senate is set to vote today to confirm her nomination. As political fanfare continues to grip the Chamber, I regrettably expect the final vote for Judge Barrett's confirmation to fall largely on party lines. While I am disappointed in how this confirmation has taken place, I am pleased that Justice Barrett will be joining the highest court in the land. Also, this week, we will be waiting to hear on the long, drawn-out negotiations to provide Americans relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both the Speaker and the White House have indicated a deal is right around the corner, however, differences on both sides remain. I am hopeful we will be able to deliver for our constituents soon. Our nation is in need of relief and we must get serious about getting a deal done. Sincerely, Rob Woodall Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dougcollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/collins-gaetz-stand-against-limitations-second-amendment,"Collins, Gaetz Stand Against Limitations on the Second Amendment",2020-10-22,2020,2020-10,Republican,Senate,GA,Doug Collins,C001093,dougcollins.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Reps. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) and Matt Gaetz (R-Fl.) wrote a letter to the Acting Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Regina Lombardo, calling out the ATF's decision to limit Americans' Second Amendment rights by prohibiting the manufacturing and marketing of the Honey Badger Pistol. ""Recently, several Members of Congress have inquired with the ATF as to its determination regarding braces similar to the Honey Badger Pistol, they wrote. However, your agency has ignored these questions and, in doing so, has taken action hostile to citizens' Second Amendment rights and due process."" The ATF claims their decision is justified under the National Firearms Act (NFA) and Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA). However, the Honey Badger Pistol is defined as a pistol, not a short-barreled rifle, so it falls outside the regulatory scope of both the NFA and GCA, as well as outside the ATF's enforcement authority. ""The ATF's strong-arming of small businesses around the country into complying with arbitrary criteria in what your agency holds out as a voluntary classification process is bureaucracy at its worst, and the short-sighted determinations of your agency hold real-life implications for Americans trying to navigate the bureaucratic process around owning and using firearms, they continued. Read the full letter here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletter-archive/district-connection-101920,District Connection - 10/19/20,2020-10-19,2020,2020-10,Republican,Senate,GA,Rob Woodall,W000810,woodall.house.gov,,,legacy,"WEEK OF HEARINGS CONCLUDES FOR SCOTUS NOMINEE BARRETT While a holiday for some, last Monday kicked off a series of hearings in the Senate Judiciary Committee to perform its Constitutional obligation of advice and consent to advance President Trump's nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court. Although the hearings were marked at times with feckless procedural motions to delay the confirmation process, the occasion was largely civil and constructive. In fact, Ranking Member Diane Feinstein (D-CA) even praised the hearings as fair and one of the best set of hearings she's been a part of. Senator Feinstein's comments were a welcome reprieve from the partisan hyperbole surrounding the nomination of Judge Barrett and the judicial nomination process at large, where overblown statements about fairness and demonization of an individual's character dominated the conversation. It is true that the loss of the 60-vote threshold on judicial nominees has compromised the Senate's ability to work thoughtfully and collectively, but it is also true that the loss of the filibuster in this process was a direct cause of hyper-partisanship. The rules governing the Senate are what make it the world's greatest deliberative body, and I am hopeful that we will be able to return to a place where level heads prevail. At the conclusion of the final hearing, Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) scheduled the committee vote to advance Judge Barrett's nomination for Thursday this week, with full Senate consideration to immediately follow. LOCAL CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE MEET WITH FEDERAL LEADERS The good work our local Chambers of Commerce do has been perhaps no more evident than during this time. They have continued to provide leadership, assistance, and counsel to businesses across our communities who have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. A full economic return is dependent on strong state and local leadership ensuring that conditions are in place to both properly protect public health and support businesses as they reopen operations. I appreciate the efforts of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce and the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce's in that endeavor. And I am grateful to know that even during this difficult time, our state's local chambers are continuing to look for ways to connect with federal leaders and move forward their ideas to better serve our communities. Last week, the Gwinnett and North Fulton Chambers had the opportunity to discuss some of the most important issues facing our communities with leaders across the federal government, including U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao and Dr. Dana Meaney-Delman, who co-leads the Vaccine Task Force at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. I had the pleasure to speak with the Chambers, alongside Representatives Jody Hice and Hank Johnson, about federal efforts to address the impacts of this crisis, as well as the need to maximize the utility of every dollar and investment in the long-term, given our nation's troubling fiscal outlook. Opportunities like these that connect local and federal leaders yield some of our most fruitful policy ideas and discussions. I appreciated the opportunity to continue our dialogue, and I am grateful for their work to serve organizations across the state of Georgia. HRSA AWARDS $2 BILLION FOR RYAN WHITE HIV/AIDS PROGRAM The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program plays a critical role in our nation's public health response to the HIV epidemic, providing grant funding to states, cities, counties, and local community-based organizations to provide essential medical care and support services for uninsured and under-insured individuals affected by HIV/AIDS. Approximately 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV, and roughly half of those diagnosed have received support in some manner through the Ryan White Program. This program is a key component of the Trump Administration's initiative to drastically reduce HIV domestically by 2030, with the goal of reducing the number of new infections by 90 percent over the next decade. Earlier this year, as part of that Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for Americainitiative, the Health and Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the CARES Act awarded $117 million and $90 million, respectively, to bolster the program's offerings. And this month, HRSA awarded $2.24 billion in Fiscal Year 2020 grant funding to expand the program's reach even further. This funding will support medical and early intervention services for individuals who need that support the most, including at Positive Impact Health Centers (PIHC) in Duluth. The Ryan White program has continually demonstrated a track record of success, and I have no doubt that the providers supported with this funding will continue its 28-year legacy in improving health outcomes and reducing HIV transmission rates. MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD BEGINS FOR 2021 If you are enrolled in Medicare, you are likely aware that October 15th each year historically marks the beginning of the open enrollment process. During this period, Medicare beneficiaries can review their health and drug plans and make changes to their coverage before the new plan year begins in January. Or if you are happy with your current plan, you can elect to keep your current plan and make no changes at all. However, it is important to review 2021 plan materials, including the Evidence of Coverage and Annual Notice of Change, even if you plan to remain in the same plan to make sure that your needs will continue to be met. The enrollment period runs through December 7th. Whether you are looking to alter your Medicare Advantage plan, switch to Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage Plan, or change your Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, there are several resources available to help you navigate this process. You can use the Medicare Plan Finder atmedicare.govto compare coverage options and estimate plan costs. Additionally, the GeorgiaCares Program, which is part of a national program that offers assistance to ensure people with Medicare understand their benefits and coverage options, offers free, personalized counseling. You can contact them at 1-866-552-4464 or you may visit theirwebpagefor more information. CONSTITUENT SPOTLIGHT: INCREASING ACCESS TO BROADBAND As our country continues to spend a record amount of time and money online, the importance of access to fast and reliable Internet has been increasingly visible in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. Here are some of the messages I have received from you all on the topic: Robert from Cumming: Dear Congressman, as you know, Covid-19 has forced many of us to work from home. Fortunately, the Internet has allowed us to continue our employment. Our service was tolerable before the pandemic but now that we are working from home, we are finding it woefully inadequate. We have a vital need for better Internet service to keep our jobs and allow children to attend school. Alice from Buford: Over the past few weeks people have been told to stay home to stay safe. But without affordable, reliable Internet access this becomes increasingly harder. I'm writing to demand Congress pass funding to ensure Internet access for everyone. ______________________________________________________________________________ The COVID-19 public health emergency has brought to light countless social and economic trends and issues, one of those being the important role access to broadband Internet places in connecting our communities. As we have seen, online services have been increasingly utilized during this time. Telehealth visits, virtual learning in both K-12 and higher education, and large shifts across multiple sectors to remote work have provided for continuity of operations in a time when doing so is critical to lowering the spread of COVID-19. Messages like those from Robert and Alice demonstrate that access to reliable Internet is indeed a critical need, but unfortunately, the COVID-19 crisis has also illuminated where disparities in access exist for millions of Americans, particularly across rural and low-income communities. The most recent data in our state indicates that more than 1 million Georgians (500,000 homes and businesses) lack access to high-speed Internet service, with 70 percent of those residing in rural areas. Now, some of you may be asking what qualifies as the benchmark for broadband speed. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) defines this as a minimum 25 megabits per second (Mbps) download / 3 Mbps upload speed a threshold that was set by the FCC in 2015. The agency notes this speed is one generally sufficient to provide for the average user to utilize email, web browsing, streaming HD video, video conferencing, and other basic functions. I am proud of recent federal efforts to bridge the digital divide, including provisions in the CARES Act aimed at expanding broadband access and deployment. Specifically, the CARES Act included $100 million for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's ReConnect Loan and Grant program which provides funds for the costs of construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment to provide broadband in rural areas, as well as $200 million for the FCC's new COVID-19 Telehealth Program to assist medical providers in delivering telehealth services. Additionally, while the CARES Act allows states and local governments to utilize funding they received through the Coronavirus Relief Fund to support temporary Internet programs, as I recently discussed, I have joined my colleagues in urging House Leaders to ensure that those funds can be used for permanent broadband infrastructure construction as well. The issue of broadband deployment is also one that has also been a key focus of our state leaders, most notably through the Georgia Broadband Deployment Initiative (GBDI) launched in 2018 by the Department of Community Affairs, the Georgia Technology Authority, and partnering agencies to expand broadband infrastructure and services in Georgia. In fact, the data I mentioned earlier is a result of GBDI's work in our state, and this July, Governor Kemp announced the publication of Georgia's Broadband Availability Map to more accurately map where those broadband disparities exist in Georgia. Expanding broadband access has wide, bipartisan support across the nation, and I hope that Congress will continue its efforts at the federal level to provide for high-speed Internet deployment and its utilization. GWINNETT COUNTY ROTARIANS RAISE $25,000 FOR NONPROFITS When it comes to supporting our Gwinnett and Forsyth County nonprofits, there are many civic organizations who never fail to step up to the plate. Last week, the Rotary Club of Sugarloaf in Duluth raised nearly $25,000 at their annual Gwinnett Duck Derby in support of organizations like the Lawrenceville Boys & Girls Club, the Gwinnett Medical Center Foundation, the Gwinnett County Library Foundation, and other local nonprofits. About 6,000 raffle ducks were purchased at the Duck Derby a truly incredible turnout and show of support from our community. I hope you will join me in recognizing the Rotary Club of Sugarloaf and all of the Derby's participants and sponsors for their commitment to supporting our local nonprofits. I never cease to be impressed by the spirit of generosity that is embraced in our District. FORYSTH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AWARDED TRAFFIC SAFETY GRANT I am always grateful to hear of new and collaborative ways our state and local governments work together to keep our communities safe. The Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety awarded the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office with a traffic safety grant of over $120,000, which will be used to directly combat car accidents on our roadways. The Sheriff's office plans to use the grant to monitor impaired and reckless drivingissues which, according to Sheriff Ron Freeman, are one of our citizens' most prevalent complaints. Traffic safety is a critical public safety issue, and I look forward to hearing about the improvements to highway safety that this grant program will directly support. THE WEEK AHEAD With the Senate Judiciary Committee set to vote on Judge Amy Coney Barrett's nomination to the Supreme Court this week, likely followed by a full vote in the Senate Chamber, the House remains in recess but eagerly awaiting movement on negotiations between House, Senate, and White House leaders on the next COVID relief package. I regret that the progress surrounding this relief package continues to remain clouded in uncertainty, and I disagree with Speaker Pelosi's hard-line position in negotiations, ignoring calls from her own party to move forward a larger relief bill or allow standalone relief bills to come to the floor. Undeniably, there are areas where agreement remains yet to be reached, but there is ample opportunity to come together and act on those things which we do agree. An it's my way or the highway approach only continues to delay much-needed relief, and I will continue to press to consider a bill that can pass both the House and Senate and make it to the President's desk for approval. Sincerely, Rob Woodall Member of Congres",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dougcollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/collins-biggs-introduce-resolution-push-nancy-pelosi-s-removal-speaker,"Collins, Biggs Introduce Resolution to Push for Nancy Pelosis Removal as Speaker of the House",2020-10-16,2020,2020-10,Republican,Senate,GA,Doug Collins,C001093,dougcollins.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Reps. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) and Andy Biggs (R-Az.) today formally introduced a resolution expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Nancy Pelosi is unable to adequately serve as Speaker of the House and should therefore be removed from her position. ""Speaker Nancy Pelosi's unwillingness to abide by the Constitution, combined with her recent actions, call into question her own mental fitness, said Collins. It's critical that the House of Representatives demand her removal from the line of succession."" ""Nancy Pelosi has politicized and tarnished the historic role of Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and she must be removed from this position, said Biggs. Speaker Pelosi has used her privileged capacity to launch repeated vitriolic attacks upon the duly elected president of the United States and against fellow Members of Congress. I commend Congressman Doug Collins for introducing this important resolution, and I call on my colleagues to support our efforts to remove Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House."" This comes as Speaker Nancy Pelosi introduced legislation last Friday to create a commission that would allow Congress to oust a president from office using the 25th Amendment, after she accused President Trump of being in an altered state."" Original cosponsors include Reps. Paul Gosar (R-Az.), Jody Hice (R-Ga.), Ted Budd (R-NC), and Jeff Duncan (R-SC). The text of the resolution can be found here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dougcollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/collins-scott-work-increase-international-market-access-us-pecans,"Collins, Scott Work to Increase International Market Access for U.S. Pecans",2020-10-16,2020,2020-10,Republican,Senate,GA,Doug Collins,C001093,dougcollins.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) joined Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) and 31 of their colleagues in sending a letter with bipartisan support to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer encouraging the Administration to prioritize reducing India's tariffs on American pecans as trade negotiations continue. ""As you may know, American pecan producers have faced many challenges due to rising imports from Mexico, Chinese tariffs, natural disasters like Hurricane Michael, and the COVID-19 pandemic, they wrote. Gaining access to new markets for pecans will help ease the pain while orchards are replanted and a trade deal is negotiated with China."" India's current tariff rate for U.S. pecans is 36%, much higher than its 10% rate for pistachios and almonds. Lowering these high tariffs will allow American pecan farmers to compete in this important market. ""Lowering the tariff on pecans would provide the Indian people with more economical access to tree nut varieties, while providing a much-needed economic boost to rural America, they continued. Read the full letter here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://austinscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-austin-scott-leads-bipartisan-push-increase-international-market,Rep. Austin Scott Leads Bipartisan Push to Increase International Market Access for U.S. Pecans,2020-10-15,2020,2020-10,Republican,Senate,GA,Austin Scott,S001189,austinscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08), a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, along with 32 colleagues, today sent a bipartisan letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer encouraging the Administration to prioritize reducing India's tariffs on American pecans as trade negotiations continue. As you may know, American pecan producers have faced many challenges due to rising imports from Mexico, Chinese tariffs, natural disasters like Hurricane Michael, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Gaining access to new markets for pecans will help ease the pain while orchards are replanted and a trade deal is negotiated with China, wrote the Members. Lowering the tariff on pecans would provide the Indian people with more economical access to tree nut varieties, while providing a much-needed economic boost to rural America. You can click here for a copy of the letter or read the text below. October 15, 2020 The Honorable Robert Lighthizer United States Trade Representative 600 17th St NW Washington, DC 20006 Dear Ambassador Lighthizer: We write to you about ongoing negotiations between the Office of the United States Trade Representative and the Government of India. As you continue discussions with Prime Minister Modi's Administration to reach a trade deal and potentially reinstate India's Generalized System of Preference Status, we would like to stress the importance of removing existing barriers to the export of U.S. agricultural products, specifically pecans. As you may know, American pecan producers have faced many challenges due to rising imports from Mexico, Chinese tariffs, natural disasters like Hurricane Michael, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Gaining access to new markets for pecans will help ease the pain while orchards are replanted and a trade deal is negotiated with China. The growing middle class in India has demonstrated its desire for consumer-oriented agricultural products, like tree nuts, and the Indian market represents one of the most dynamic and fastest growing in the world. Unfortunately, the current high tariff (36 percent) that India charges on pecan imports makes it difficult for American producers to compete in this important market. In contrast, we understand that the current Indian tariffs on U.S. pistachios and almonds is much lower (10 percent), which highlights how disproportionately high the pecan tariff is. Lowering the tariff on pecans would provide the Indian people with more economical access to tree nut varieties, while providing a much-needed economic boost to rural America. The pecan industry contributes over $3.57 billion to the economies of the 15 pecan producing states in the United States. Over the last ten years, exports alone have pumped an additional $1.25 billion in economic activity into rural America. Reducing trade barriers into India is an opportunity to strengthen the economy of rural America. Thank you for your work to expand access for American agricultural products around the world. Sincerely, U.S. Representative Austin Scott (R-GA-08) U.S. Representative Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA-02) U.S. Representative Ralph Abraham (R-LA-05) U.S. Representative Robert Aderholt (R-AL-04) U.S. Representative Rick Allen (R-GA-12) U.S. Representative Bradley Byrne (R-AL-01) U.S. Representative Buddy Carter (R-GA-01) U.S. Representative Michael Cloud (R-TX-27) U.S. Representative Tom Cole (R-OK-04) U.S. Representative Doug Collins (R-GA-09) U.S. Representative Rick Crawford (R-AR-01) U.S. Representative Dan Crenshaw (R-TX-02) U.S. Representative Neal Dunn (R-FL-02) U.S. Representative Drew Ferguson (R-GA-03) U.S. Representative Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX-15) U.S. Representative Garrett Graves (R-LA-06) U.S. Representative Michael Guest (R-MS-03) U.S. Representative Deb Haaland (D-NM-01) U.S. Representative Jody Hice (R-GA-10) U.S. Representative Will Hurd (R-TX-23) U.S. Representative Hank Johnson (D-GA-04) U.S. Representative Doug LaMalfa R-CA-01) U.S. Representative Frank Lucas (R-OK-03) U.S. Representative Ben Ray Lujn (D-NM-03) U.S. Representative Markwayne Mullin (R-OK-02) U.S. Representative Greg Murphy (R-NC-03) U.S. Representative Tom Rice (R-SC-07) U.S. Representative David Scott (D-GA-13) U.S. Representative Greg Stanton (D-AZ-09) U.S. Representative William Timmons (R-SC-04) U.S. Representative Xochitl Torres Small (D-NM-02) U.S. Representative Filemon Vela (D-TX-34) U.S. Representative Rob Woodall (R-GA-07) -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletter-archive/district-connection-101320,District Connection - 10/13/20,2020-10-13,2020,2020-10,Republican,Senate,GA,Rob Woodall,W000810,woodall.house.gov,,,legacy,"CBO RELEASES LONG-TERM BUDGET OUTLOOK The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is Congress' non-partisan scorekeeper, and each year, CBO publishes a report on the United States' long-term budget outlook. CBO's most recent report is the most troubling that I have seen. Driven by COVID-related spending, by the end of 2020, federal debt held by the public will equal 98 percent of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). That will grow to 107 percent by 2023, the highest level ever recorded in our nation's history. And even though revenues are expected to rise, our overall financial situation is expected to decline. Our debt situation is projected to be so serious that by 2050, we'll be spending more on interest payments to service our debt than we will spend on all of Social Security. What a tragedy to see that amount of money going to debt service rather than being invested in the American people. We all know that the COVID-19 emergency has required more spending than anyone could have imagined, and I don't begrudge the government spending money when it is necessary. But, CBO's report shows us that every dollar counts, and we must make sure that we are using each precious dollar for its best and highest use. We know that sacrifices must be made in the future to ensure the U.S. Treasury is in a healthier place equipped to weather future, unknown economic storms. You can read the entire 2020 CBO Long-Term Budget Outlook HERE. EFFORTS TO ADRESSS MENTAL HEALTH AMID COVID-19 PANDEMIC Last week, President Trump issued an Executive Order that directs Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar and Brooke Rollins, Acting Director of the Domestic Policy Council, to form a Coronavirus Mental Health Working Group. The group will initiate an all-of-government approach to address the mental health impacts of COVID-19, including examining ways to maximize federal support through agencies like the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) which was allocated $425 million in emergency funding, to provide for those in need. The Executive Order also directs the Working Group to support at-risk groups who may be disproportionately affected including veterans, minority populations, seniors, individuals with disabilities, and others. I am glad the Administation is continuing to look for ways to address the emotional and mental toll levied on millions of Americans during this time, and I also appreciate that focus on improving mental health has continued in Congress as well. While I previously discussed some of the bipartisan mental health measures the House passed, we also recently advanced H.R. 1109, the Mental Health Services for Students Act, H.R. 7293, the STANDUP Act, and H.R. 2519, the Improving Mental Health Access from the Emergency Department Act. Collectively, these bills expand federal support providing grants for mental health services in schools, require certain federally-supported entities to implement school-based student suicide awareness and prevention policies, and direct grant funding to increase access to follow-up care for emergency room patients who experience an acute mental health episode. I hope the Senate will begin to consider some of these, and other mental health-focused bills, that have garnered larger, bipartisan support. These efforts, coupled with the increased support from family, friends, and our surrounding communities that we have seen at this time, surely stand to better serve those in need. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FURTHERS RELIEF EFFORTS Over the course of the public health emergency, I have commonly discussed many of the efforts, both at the federal level and across our communities, to serve families in need. We have seen some of the most significant federal efforts to provide relief through programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), like through its Farmers to Families Food Box Program. The mission of that program was two-fold, to provide an outlet for farmers whose normal food distribution supply chains were disrupted and to direct fresh, healthy foods to those facing increased food insecurity, many unsure of where their next meal may come from. The USDA recently announced that it has surpassed more than 100 million food box distributions through the program since its upstart only five months ago! And we must remember, the issue of food insecurity isn't just a domestic one; it's also a global one, with estimates indicating that an additional 130 million may face insecurity by the end of this year because of the COVID-19 crisis. As we recognize World Food Day this Friday, I am proud of our country's longstanding partnerships to end hunger and malnutrition, and the generosity of the American people to support families across the globe. Additionally, USDA recently announced a second round of payments for agricultural producers through its Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), dubbed CFAP 2. These funds will be used to support producers whose commodities have experienced sharp declines and those in need of additional support. Undeniably, the COVID-19 crisis has, in many ways, illuminated the need to strengthen the integrity of our food supply chains, and I hope Congress will continue to evaluate how we can be most successful in achieving that goal as discussions about long-term reforms move forward. PROVIDER RELIEF FUND CONTINUES TO SUPPORT MEDICAL PROVIDERS The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced an additional $20 billion in funding through the Provider Relief Fund to support health care providers serving on the frontlines during the continued public health emergency. As you may recall, one of the key components of the CARES Act was the creation of this Fund to reimburse providers for health care related expenses or lost revenues that are directly attributable to COVID-19. This new announcement follows the more than $100 billion in relief already distributed through the Fund, which has supported a variety of Medicare and Medicaid-supported health care providers, including skilled nursing facilities, rural hospitals, children's hospitals, safety net hospitals, and hospitals in high-impact areas. HHS has also said that this new ""general distribution"" has been expanded to include those mental health providers who have not yet been supported. As we all know, with many states continuing to see a rise in new COVID-19 cases, we must continue to do our part to support healthcare providers by following public health guidelines and social distancing protocols. We cannot afford to overwhelm our hospital system and jeopardize care for the sickest, hospitalized patients. CONSTITUENT SPOTLIGHT: DENOUNCING CALLS TO PACK THE SUPREME COURT As the Senate Judiciary Committee continues its hearings this week on President Trump's nominationof Judge Amy Coney Barrett to serve as the newest Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, many of you may have heard about calls from legislators and others to reform the Supreme Court. One of the most pervasive and troubling proposals is to increase the number of Justices serving on our nation's highest court. Allowing the politicalparty that is in control of the White House and Senate to ""pack"" the Supreme Court with more than nine Justices distorts other judicial viewpoints and casts aside over 150 years of precedent. Here is what I heard from some of you on the topic. Kevin from Lilburn: Court packing shouldn't be a partisan issue. Instead, it would divide the country even more than previously, and it would ruin the Court's legitimacy and cause everyone to see it as merely a political tool. Jennifer from Peachtree Corners: We demand that Congress and the States pass the Keep Nine constitutional amendment specifying that the ""Supreme Court shall consist of nine members."" We believe this constitutional amendment is vital to preserve the checks and balances at the heart of our system of government. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ As some of you may know, the number of Supreme Court Justices is not defined in the U.S. Constitution, and that number has fluctuated anywhere from six to ten throughout the earliest days of our nation's history. However, the1869 Judiciary Act, signed by President Ulysses S. Grant, established for the last century and a half the longstanding precedent of a nine-justice Supreme Court. Since then, only one President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, in response to the Court striking down pieces of his New Deal legislation, has tried to push legislation that would pack the Court beyond its current-numbered bench. That move, which would have added up to a total of 15, was widely criticized at the time not only by members of the President's party, including the Vice President, but also by then Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Evan Hughes. Even Justice Louis Brandeis, the influential judicial activist cited as a major influence on the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, opposed President Roosevelt's measure, which harbored a clear politically-motivated intent. To explain, packing the Supreme Court could turn the bench into a political battering ram for the Majority party, permanently ending the Court's status as an incorruptible body and as an institution that is devoid of the most pervasive types of political pressue that are all too common across our other two branches of government.Eventhough a Roosevelt-packed Court would likely have served Justice Brandeis' own interests, he chose to stand for the Court's integrity and independence over the gamesmanship of his own party. I agree with Kevin, Jennifer, and the late Justice Brandeis that the Court's nine-justice bench ought to be preserved. Politicizing the Supreme Court has and will always jeopardize the integrity of our judicial system. The credibility of the Supreme Court and the faith the American people have in its decisions are dependent on the vast reservoir of institutional legitimacy that the Court has vested over time, which I believe, in part, can be reflected in the fact the number of justices has long remained unchanged and immovable from the political whims of the day. GWINNETT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS RECOGNIZE TEACHERS OF THE YEAR Time and again, the Seventh District is recognized for having some of the best schools in the countryan achievement that is only made possible by our incredible teachers. Last week, Gwinnett County Public Schools named 139 Teachers of the Year for each public school in the county. Nominated and selected by their peers, 25 of these outstanding educators will soon be named semi-finalists, and one will then be named District Teacher of the Year for 2020. That honor will be announced on December 10th in a virtual ceremony. I would like to congratulate each of the Gwinnett County Public School Teachers of the Year for their outstanding work and service to our students. Our children's futures are brighter because of your incredible dedication to their learning and growth, particularly at a time when providing for that instruction is not without its challenges. Thank you for all that you do. FORSYTH COUNTY NONPROFIT RAISES $1 MILLION FOR CANCER RESEARCH When it comes to tackling some of our country's most difficult problems, I am never surprised to see members of our community leading the charge. Recently, the Forsyth County nonprofit Purple Pansies raised over $1 million for pancreatic cancer research at their first virtual galaan incredible testament to the generosity of our community and a powerful contribution to the fight against this cancer, one which has recently taken the life of two of our prominent leaders in government, Representative John Lewis (D-GA) and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, along with nearly 50,000 Americans each year. Founded in 2009, Purple Pansies partnered with Kroger for this year's gala, and funding from the event will go directly towards research and clinical trials to treat patients fighting pancreatic cancer. I hope you will join me in recognizing Purple Pansies and all of this year's donors for their contribution to the fight against pancreatic cancer. Individuals across our communities never fail to answer the call to support those in need. Sincerely, Rob Woodall Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dougcollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/fox-news-rep-doug-collins-introduces-resolution-push-pelosi-removal,Fox News: Rep. Doug Collins introduces resolution to push for Pelosi removal as House speaker,2020-10-12,2020,2020-10,Republican,Senate,GA,Doug Collins,C001093,dougcollins.house.gov,,,legacy,"Brooke Singman Fox News October 12, 2020 Rep. Doug Collins on Monday introduced a resolution to push for the removal of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, claiming she does not have the mental fitness to lead the House of Representatives. ""Speaker Nancy Pelosi's unwillingness to abide by the Constitution, combined with her recent actions, call into question her own mental fitness, which is why it's critical that the House of Representatives demand her removal from the line of succession, Collins said in a statement to Fox News. A draft of Collins' resolution, obtained by Fox News, argues that Pelosi is unable to adequately serve as Speaker of the House of Representatives and should therefore be removed from her position."" The resolution states that Pelosi has spent the majority of the House of Representative's time pursuing baseless and fruitless investigations against President Trump and his administration, including launching an impeachment inquiry against him in the fall of 2019. The resolution continues: On October 31, 2019, Speaker Nancy Pelosi oversaw the first party-line vote to begin an impeachment inquiry into a president in the history of our country."" The House of Representatives, in December, voted to adopt two articles of impeachment against the president: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. At the center of the inquiry was Trump's efforts to press Ukraine to launch politically related investigations regarding former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter's dealings in Ukraine, as well as issues related to the 2016 presidential election. The president's request came after millions of dollars in U.S. military aid to Ukraine had been frozen, which Democrats argue shows a quid pro quo arrangement. Trump has denied any wrongdoing. The president was acquitted on both articles of impeachment by the Senate in February. But Collins' resolution also states that Pelosi ripped up the State of the Union speech delivered by the president in February before the American people, referencing when Pelosi tore her printed copy of the speech immediately after Trump wrapped his remarks at the 2020 State of the Union. The resolution also states that Pelosi visited a shuttered hair salon in San Francisco where she received a blow-out without wearing a mask in violation of San Francisco's laws concerning the coronavirus; and cast blame on the salon's owner for setting her up.' Fox News first reported last month that Pelosi visited a San Francisco hair salon for a wash and blowout, despite local ordinances keeping salons closed amid the coronavirus pandemic. Over her tenure of her speakership, Speaker Nancy Pelosi has started to demonstrate a decline in mental fitness, calling into question her ability to adequately serve the House of Representatives and the American people, the resolution states. Collins' resolution referenced an interview on ABC News, saying Pelosi appeared confused and exhibited bizarre behavior by blurting out randomly Good Morning, Sunday morning.'"" During the interview, Pelosi's answer to a question seemed disjointed, saying: Good morning, Sunday morning. A spokesman for Pelosi did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment on the Collins resolution. Collins' resolution comes after Pelosi, last week, announced legislation to create a commission that would allow Congress to oust a president from office, using the 25th Amendment, just a day after she accused President Trump of being in an altered state from his coronavirus treatment. ""This is not about President Trump, Pelosi said Friday. He will face the judgment of the voters. But he shows the need for us to create a process for future presidents."" Pelosi denied that the timing of the legislation had anything to do with the election and argued that setting up a commission on presidential capacity is needed to give some comfort to people on the stability of the government. Under the 25th Amendment, Congress, the cabinet and vice president can strip powers from a president if for some reason he or she is declared unfit under dire circumstances. But that requires a 2/3 vote of both houses. Section 4 of the 25th Amendment also states that a majority of such other body as Congress may by law determine if the president cannot discharge the powers and duties of his office. The 25th Amendment was ratified in 1967, and Rep. Jamie Raksin, D-Md., who appeared with Pelosi last week, said it's time for Congress to set up this body."" Raskin's bill, which would have to be passed by both chambers of Congress and signed by the president, would set up the Commission on Presidential Capacity to Discharge the Powers and Duties of the Office."" The 17 members of the bipartisan commission would work with the vice president to determine whether the president is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office due to physical or mental incapacity. Prospectively, that commission would adjudicate the need for a transfer of power. While such a bill may pass the Democrat-controlled House, it would seem extremely unlikely to pass the Republican-held Senate unless there was a significant development in Trump's health. However, it introduces a new political narrative just weeks before Election Day. Pelosi was asked Friday if she thought Trump has met the threshold for the 25th Amendment to be invoked. ""That's not for us to decide, she said. This article was published on Fox News and can be found on their website here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dougcollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/collins-presses-atlanta-va-lack-dental-care-georgia-veterans-midst-covid,Collins Presses Atlanta VA on Lack of Dental Care for Georgia Veterans in the Midst of COVID,2020-10-09,2020,2020-10,Republican,Senate,GA,Doug Collins,C001093,dougcollins.house.gov,,,legacy,"GAINESVILLE, Ga. Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) wrote a letter to the Atlanta VA Health Care System Director Ann R. Brown demanding answers after hearing from several Georgia veterans who have expressed concern for their dental health and wellbeing as a result of the VA's failure to provide eligible veterans with dental care in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. ""Our veterans deserve the highest standard of care we can offer and the VA's exclusion of many dental treatments due to the coronavirus is requiring veterans to seek care elsewhere, Collins wrote. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the only dental care currently available to eligible veterans is urgent/emergent, a narrow category that excludes many necessary components of dental care. However, dental needs left untreated inevitably turn into emergency dental issues, causing complication and suffering for our veterans. ""It is my hope that the VA can reach a positive resolution for our veterans continuing to suffer with dental issues left untreated by the VA, Collins continued. In the letter, Collins requested the VA provide a detailed response explaining what dental services are currently being offered by VA medical facilities and what processes are in place that would allow a veteran to receive dental care outside the VA while maintaining their VA benefits. To read the full letter, click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dougcollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/collins-joins-buck-releasing-antitrust-report-presents-third-way-take,Collins Joins Buck in Releasing Antitrust Report that Presents a Third Way to Take on Big Tech,2020-10-06,2020,2020-10,Republican,Senate,GA,Doug Collins,C001093,dougcollins.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) today joined Reps. Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), and Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) in releasing a report detailing solutions to rein in Big Tech's anticompetitive behavior. ""The Third Way: Antitrust Enforcement in Big Tech"" serves as a response to the majority staff's report on the year-long Big Tech investigation conducted by the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law. ""This report offers a third way forward that will ensure our antitrust regulators have the tools and resources they require to conduct proper oversight and bring effective antitrust enforcement cases,"" the report reads. ""It's clear that the ball is in Congress' court. Companies like Apple, Amazon, Google, and Facebook have acted anticompetitively. We need to rise to the occasion to offer the American people a solution that promotes free and fair competition and ensures the free market operates in a free and fair manner long into the future."" ""For too long, Big Tech has abused its dominance to engage in anticompetitive behavior and censor conservative voices, and it's time Congress take back its Article I authority to ensure the marketplace of ideas is working for every American, said Collins. By implementing these recommendations, we can ensure our antitrust laws already on the books are fostering free and fair competition in the digital marketplace and work best for both consumers and innovators. I'm proud to have been one of the four members who launched the Committee's investigation into Big Tech, and I want to thank Rep. Ken Buck for his hard work and thoughtful solutions to protecting competition in the digital market. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to hold Big Tech accountable and ensure our antitrust laws are working to keep the market competitive."" ""While I do not support the recommendations presented in the subcommittee's majority report, I fully support and am open to working with Chairman Cicilline to find a solution that reins in Big Tech and their anticompetitive behavior, said Buck. Antitrust enforcement in Big Tech markets is not a partisan issue, I support the ongoing, bipartisan investigations of these companies. But an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cureI would rather see targeted antitrust enforcement over onerous and burdensome regulation that kills industry innovation. I want to thank Reps. Collins and Gaetz for joining me in this effort, it is so important that conservatives stand for antitrust enforcement in the Big Tech marketplace. Their thoughtful and bold decision will help hold Big Tech accountable."" ""Today's subcommittee report shows, with clear, convincing, and exhaustive evidence, that the Obama administration's weak enforcement of antitrust laws allowed big tech companies like Google and Facebook to achieve near-monopoly status, said Gaetz. These predatory companies have used their vast size to unfairly harm competition and consumers. This has had many negative effects, including the widespread censorship of conservative voices, which is only possible due to the sheer size and scale of these companies. While I do not agree with all of the legislative remedies proposed in the majority's report, Rep. Ken Buck's Third Way shows that there is a great deal of common ground that can be found. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to address these important antitrust issues, which affect all Americans, regardless of political orientation."" ""The Judiciary Committee must continue to work in a bipartisan fashion to put an end to big tech tyranny, said Biggs. I applaud Representative Buck for his leadership in producing this report, and I look forward to continue working with my Republican and Democrat colleagues on the Committee to protect ALL voices against the tech overlords of Silicon Valley."" A copy of the report is linked HERE.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletter-archive/washington-watch-10520,Washington Watch - 10/5/20,2020-10-05,2020,2020-10,Republican,Senate,GA,Rob Woodall,W000810,woodall.house.gov,,,legacy,"SEPTEMBER JOBS REPORT SHOWS MODERATE BUT CONTINUED GAINS The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its most recent jobs report last Friday, revealing gains in sectors that were among the hardest hit during the pandemic earlier this year, including retail, health care, and leisure and hospitality. With the addition of roughly 661,000 jobs in September, the national unemployment rate dropped from 8.4% to 7.9%, and 11.4 million jobs have now returned since the beginning of the public health emergency. However, the report also indicates a 0.3 percent decline in the labor force participation rate, which some economists attribute to an increase in at-home schooling amid the start of the new school year. While it will continue to take time to fully recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis, we must remember the important role that adherence to public health guidelines will play in furthering our economic recovery. Particularly as the fall season moves forward which also historically marks the beginning of flu season, following public health guidelines will not only ensure the health and safety of the most at-risk among us, it will ensure businesses can continue to operate and reopen for the long-term. EFFORT IN HOUSETO RESTART PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM As many of you may have heard, Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA) recently filed a discharge petition, a tool in the House thatif it can garner 218 signatures from Members of Congressbrings a bill to the floor for consideration. H.R. 8265 provides for the second draw of the roughly $134 billion remaining Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds that sit idle for businesses that have no more than 300 employees and demonstrate at least a 25 percent reduction in gross revenues compared to that of 2019. Additionally, it would expand the PPP to include certain 501(c)(6) organizations and would set aside $25 billion specifically for entities with 10 or fewer employees. I have signed the discharge petition, but it still remains short of the 218 signatures needed. As congressional leaders still remain at an impasse on reaching a larger bipartisan COVID relief deal, we cannot continue to let that inaction mean none at all. I hope more of my colleagues will join me in signing on to this effort to support businesses and individuals who remain in need of additional relief. HOUSE CONTINUES TO MOVE BIPARTISAN BILLS ON SUSPENSION CALENDAR While bigger bills remain mired in partisan fights, smaller bills are having more success. Last week, I discussed some of the bipartisan bills that the House was able to move forward, and I am glad that trend continued into this week. While you can read a full list of the more than 50 pieces of legislation the House advanced HERE, I want to highlight some bills in particular, many on which I heard support for from folks back home. Included among those bills that the House passed this week was legislation I cosponsored, H.R. 4439, the Creating Hope Reauthorization Act, which permanently authorizes the rare pediatric disease priority review voucher program at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This program incentivizes the pharmaceutical industry to develop treatments for rare childhood cancers and diseases. Another bill which I cosponsored, along with 261 of my Republican and Democrat colleagues, that was included was H.R.1754, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act. This bill designates a new, independent Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority to implement and enforce safety and anti-doping standards to better ensure the safety of equines and strengthen the integrity of this industry. The House also passed H.R. 4764, the TRANSPLANT Act to reauthorize the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program, which supports patients with leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell anemia, or other metabolic disorders who are in need of life-saving bone marrow transplants. To follow, the House passed H.R. 6813, the Promoting Alzheimer's Awareness to Prevent Elder Abuse Act which strengthens our ongoing efforts under the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act that Congress passed and the President signed into law in 2017, by ensuring training materials developed under this act prepare law enforcement and first responders to recognize and manage abuse cases involving Alzheimer's and dementia patients. Additionally, the House passed a resolution reaffirming our commitment to the peaceful transition of power after Presidential elections, a cornerstone of our Constitution and democratic system, following the Senate's unanimous passage of a virtually identical measure in its Chamber last week. Lastly, the House considered and approved H.R. 5912, the Expediated Delivery of Airport Infrastructure Act, which allows funds dedicated to the Airport Improvement Program, which provides grants to public agencies for public-use airports, to be used to make incentive payments for the early completion of airport construction projects that can be completed quickly and safely. This follows models already being deployed for other existing transportation projects, helping airports reduce costly delays and saving taxpayer dollars. As you can see, from bills ranging on the topics of health, to judiciary, to transportation and infrastructure, there is more opportunity than fewer to set politics aside for progress. Bills like these demonstrate that the House's commitment to the American people can and must supersede partisan politics. MEANINGFUL AIRCRAFT CERTIFICATION REFORM PASSES COMMITTEE Last week, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed a series of bipartisan bills to send to the House floor, including H.R. 8408, the Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act, legislation that was crafted in response to the two Boeing 737 MAX crashes that killed over 300 people. The bill includes a number of reforms to the Federal Aviation Administration's aircraft certification process for all aviation manufacturers, and a number targeted to Boeing specifically to ensure their previous missteps are not repeated. It also bolsters whistleblower protections, increases transparency and accountability, and limits conflicts of interest between industry and oversight officials. I am pleased the Committee was able to work across party lines to craft such comprehensive reforms to ensure we are employing the safest standards for aircraft that fly our skies and protect airline passengers for years to come. Additionally, the Committee considered bills to improve the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This included H.R. 8266 which would amend the federal cost share formula when providing disaster relief to states and localities impacted by multiple catastrophic events. Another, H.R. 4358, would help to improve FEMA's preliminary damage assessment process and foster better relationships and communication between the agency and target aid organizations. Both of these bills provide common-sense solutions to addressing our nation's disaster response and readiness, and I'm hopeful we will see these on the House floor soon. CONSTITUENT SPOTLIGHT: SUPPORTING OUR MEDICAL PROVIDERS This August, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its proposed rule for 2021 implementing certain changes under Medicare's Physician Fee Schedule which determinates payment for physician services under Medicare Part B. Below are some of the messages I have received from individuals and medical providers across our community about those proposed changes. Alexis from Cumming: I am very concerned that the dramatic rate reductions included in the CY 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule will result in decreased access to care and services for older adults and individuals with disabilities who rely on Medicare. I am contacting you to ask that you please add your signature to a Dear Colleague Congressional sign-on letter to the HHS and CMS regarding the significant cuts to the 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS). Mohammad from Snellville: Recently, CMS recently finalized a major rule that will increase reimbursement rates for evaluation and management (E/M) services. These services are the foundation of primary and cognitive care and are critical in diagnosing, treating, and managing patients with chronic conditions like Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer's. It has been widely accepted across the house of medicine that E/M services have been long undervalued in the Medicare physician fee schedule, limiting access to care for the most vulnerable patients. I strongly urge you to support its implementation without delay. ________________________________________________________________ This year's proposed Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), that upon issuance of a final rule would go into effect beginning January 2021, includes increased payments for office and outpatient Evaluation and Management (E/M) visits,additions to the telehealth services list,and new payment rates for immunization administration services, among others. However, the annual budget neutrality requirement in the PFS means that payment increases for certain services must be coupled with equal reductions to others, which inevitably results in some provider groups benefiting and others facing cuts. Annual adjustments to the PFS is surely no easy task, and I appreciate the efforts of CMS each year to evaluate formulas for payment and do its best to balance the needs of multiple provider groups and patients in determining coverage for services. However, I absolutely recognize the immense financial strain that providers, including procedure-oriented providers, many of whom would face cuts under the 2021 PFS, are under during the continued COVID-19 public health emergency. It is critical that these changes do not jeopardize these providers' ability to keep their doors open to continue to provide care. As Molly referenced, I joined a bipartisan group of members in sending aletter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and CMS asking that they, where possible, use their authority to mitigate the impacts of cuts on these providers while moving forward with their proposals to increase payments for primary care and other practitioners, like Mohammad, who are largely reimbursed under E/M visits. I am glad that more than 160 Members joined in that effort. While I am eager to hear CMS's response to this congressional effort, it is also important to remember, as with any proposed rule, these suggested changeswill be subject to rigorous review, debate, and public feedback. The good news is that this is the rulemaking process working as intended, and I hope HHS and CMS will continue their work to support providers and medical professionals across our community during this time. RECOGNIZING GEORGIA'S 2020 NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS The Department of Education recently announced its National Blue Ribbon School award winners for 2020, recognizing the extraordinary work of 367 public and private schools across the country serving grades K-12. Since 1982, the U.S. Secretary of Education has given this award to schools based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps between student groups. This year, nine schools in the state of Georgia were named as Blue Ribbon Schools, including Cornerstone Christian Academy in our district. I would like to congratulate Cornerstone Christian Academy and all our Georgia schools on this recognition for their hard work and dedication to their students' long-term success. Well done, and keep up the good work! CUMMING SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT RAISES MONEY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT FAMILIES Time and again, individuals across our communities find fun and creative ways to give back to those who dedicate their lives to serving others. Residents across Cumming recently gathered at Central Park for a day of softball and charity to benefit B.A.D.G.E., a Forsyth County nonprofit dedicated to supporting Sherriff's Office employees and their families in times of need. Honorary Mayor Charlie Westbrook threw the first pitch, and teams from the fire department, local government, Sheriff's Office, and school district came to play. By the day's end, the Back the Blue Tournament had raised $60,000 for B.A.D.G.E.an incredible accomplishment and a well-deserved gift to our Forsyth County Sherriff's Office families. I would like to thank B.A.D.G.E. and all the softball tournament players and donors for taking the time to give back to those who serve us. Our district never fails to exceed expectations when it comes to supporting our first responder families. LAWRENCEVILLE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB RECEIVES STEM KITS FOR VIRTUAL LEARNING Gwinnett and Forsyth Counties have so much to be proud of when it comes to our students, which is why it comes as no surprise that some of our nation's largest businesses are investing in our kids' education. Last week, Amazon announced that it will be donating $20,000 to support Lawrenceville Boys and Club participants who are engaged in virtual learning. That donation will provide these students with at-home STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) kits to explore and engage with. With Amazon's Gwinnett County Fulfillment Center that is estimated to bring 1,000 jobs to our area set to open soon, the company took a keen interest in investing in our young people. You become a part of a community by embracing the people, the needs, and the spirit of that community, said Andy Ngo, the general manager of the new center. STEM is a critical building block of early education, and I want to thank the efforts of all our Boys and Girls Clubs who are working to supplement instruction and provide educational programming so that students can continue investing in their education. Your continued support at a time when that is most needed is critical and appreciated. HOUSE LEADERS CHOOSE PARTISAN COVID-19 BILL OVER BIPARTISAN RELIEF As you have undoubtedly read or heard, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has reached out directly to Speaker Nancy Pelosi to try once again to craft a compromise, bipartisan COVID-19 legislative package than can pass the House, the Senate and receive the President's signature. While everyone hoped they would find that still-elusive compromise last week to provide additional support for small businesses, schools, individual workers, and healthcare institutions continuing to face COVID-related economic difficulties, that wasn't the case. Instead, the Speaker brought to the floor and jammed across another partisan COVID bill. Actually, it was virtually the same partisan COVID bill that she forced across the floor earlier this year, but it was revised to reflect an October passage that only slightly lowered its price tag. Perhaps what was most disappointing is that this $2.2 trillion package wasn't a sincere effort to reach a bipartisan compromise, but was simply another reiteration of the same partisan messaging priorities, including a laundry list of liberal priorities that have no COVID nexus, like benefitting blue states by eliminatingthe state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap and expanding opportunities for marijuana dealers in western states. We have seen this liberal wish-list before, and Senate leaders had already indicated earlier this year it would not consider the bill and the President had already indicated he would not sign it into law. Thus, moving the bill again was simply another partisan charade. The only thing bipartisan about the bill was the opposition to itas every Republican and 18 Democrats voted against it. THE WEEK AHEAD I know millions of Americans are praying for President Trump and his family this week, after the President and First Lady recently tested positive for COVID-19. The news from the White House is very encouraging, and the conversations between the President and House leaders continue to focus on COVID relief and encouragement to Get it done! The official House Calendar does not show any voting days this week, but Secretary Mnuchin is still trying to bring Speaker Pelosi to the negotiating table. I hope that his work succeeds, and if it does, the House will vote on the measure as soon as it is ready. Georgia's businesses large and small and the workers those businesses employ need action. Many cynical commentators are suggesting that the House leadership doesn't want to solve any problems before the election. But while that certainly seems true, I simply do not believe it. When families and family businesses are suffering, I believe everyone wants to help. That is why we had a big bipartisan vote against Speaker Pelosi's messaging exercise this past week, and why we will have a big bipartisan vote in favor of a negotiated solution. Stay tuned. Sincerely, Rob Woodall Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://tomgraves.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401355,Farewell Statement from Representative Tom Graves,2020-10-02,2020,2020-10,Republican,Senate,GA,Tom Graves,G000560,tomgraves.house.gov,,,legacy,"Farewell Statement from Representative Tom Graves Washington, October 2, 2020- Today, Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-14) sent letters to officials in the U.S. House of Representatives and Governor Brian Kemp (R-GA) to say he would be stepping down from Congress effective Sunday, October 4, 2020, at 11:59 p.m. Rep. Graves also entered the following farewell statement into the Congressional Record today: When I was young, my Dad always used to tell me that if I dreamed big and worked hard, I would achieve much. Dream Big, Work Hard, Achieve Much. I have carried that advice with me my entire life. Those words fueled my ability to go from the hall of a single-wide trailer to the halls of Congress. I write that today as I reflect on what makes America so special: the ability to chart your own course and achieve any dream. My heart is filled with gratitude for our country and the enduring experiment of democracy that has allowed someone like me to end up in the U.S. House of Representatives for the past decade. Serving as the Representative of Georgia's 9th and 14th districts has truly been the honor of my life. This privilege was made possible by the sacrifice and support of so many wonderful people. First and foremost, my parents Big Tom and Penny; my wife, Julie; my children, Josephine, John, and Janey. My family has supported me every step of the way on this path of public service. My wife and children bore a burden that often goes unrecognized in politics. There are many precious days of life that we spent apart. Knowing their sacrifice motivated me every day to do the very best I could. Now it's time to shift the focus to them, and support their journeys and dreams, just as they supported mine. For my final words entered into the Congressional Record as a member of Congress, I want to share the most essential lesson learned over the past decade: the importance of relationship building. Tone, rhetoric and civility are crucial to opening doors to new and unexpected relationships with lawmakers from across the political spectrum. Often the best policies are the product of broad perspectives and creativity, with input from people who bring experience from different walks of life. I can think of no better embodiment of that ideal than the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. Committee members hail from opposite sides of the country, with different professional backgrounds and life experiences. Regardless of our political and personal differences, our commitment to those we serve - our constituents - came first. The way our committee operated should serve as a model for this institution. Our bipartisan collaboration resulted in 97 recommendations to make the legislative branch work better. I hope that this work continues, because the American people deserve an institution that is as forward thinking and innovative as they are. Bipartisan relationships are at the heart of anything that can become law, and the American people are far better off when we connect over shared goals and work together to accomplish them. Serving on the Select Committee is the perfect capstone to my career in public service. I am grateful to my partner, Chair Derek Kilmer of Washington, for his outstanding leadership. Nothing the committee produced would have been possible without Chair Kilmer's bipartisan approach and boundless passion for our work. I am also grateful to Leader Kevin McCarthy of California for appointing me Vice Chair of the committee. It was truly an honor to be chosen from the pool of talented members I serve alongside. I am also filled with gratitude for my staff, who have delivered incredible service to my constituents and the country. These are people with a heart for public service, who truly care for our nation. I saw tremendous sacrifices made: long hours, late nights, the burden of stress and pressure that comes with the weight of the work, whether it was securing life-saving veterans benefits for one person or passing a policy that affects millions of Americans. My team carried themselves in such a way that it was clear they knew the honor and privilege of working for the U.S. House. In my tenure, I had two chiefs of staff: Tim Baker and John Patrick Donnelly. They led our teams in Washington and Georgia, which included the following people: My current staff, Bud Whitmire, Jason Murphy, Sam Mahler, Danielle Stewart, Ryan Diffley, Kristin Fillingim, Rachel Black, Max Berry, Diane Menorca, Tracey Bartley, Valerie Jones, Ashley Langston, Travis Loudermilk, Linda Liles and Jackie Mooney. My former staff, Josh Finestone, Jason Lawrence, Bo Butler, Drew Ferguson, Garrett Hawkins, Shivani Vakharia, Rebecca Anderson, Morgan Joyce, Maggie Newton, Kate Bell, Ansley Rhyne, Alicia Stafford, Matt Hodge, Paige Davies and Ericka Pertierra. Appropriations and Modernization Committee staff, John Martens, Jake Olson, Tim Monahan, Jenny Holmes, Dena Baron, Marybeth Nassif, Kelly Hitchcock, Ariana Sarar, Amy Catherine Murphy, Brad Allen, Allie Neill, Shalanda Young and Lisa Molyneux. These are just some of the many extraordinary people who contributed to our work over the years. Now, it is time for the next season in life. I will be forever grateful for the incredible privilege of serving my country and my community as a member of Congress. May God bless every person in this institution, those serving now and those who serve in the years to come, with the wisdom, strength and compassion to advance this great and glorious cause we call the United States of America. God bless America, and God bless Georgia. Go Dawgs! The Washington, DC, office and the Dalton and Rome offices of Rep. Graves will continue to serve the people of the 14th Congressional District under the supervision of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. Specific details and services will be announced next week. While there will be a website transition, constituents of the 14th district will be able to call the same phone numbers to request assistance without any pause in operations, starting as usual at 9:00 a.m. on Monday.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://austinscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/icymi-rep-austin-scott-slams-democrats-resolution-regarding-irwin-county,ICYMI: Rep. Austin Scott Slams Democrats for Resolution Regarding the Irwin County Detention Center,2020-10-01,2020,2020-10,Republican,Senate,GA,Austin Scott,S001189,austinscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08) today spoke on the House Floor in regards to a whistleblower complaint filed with the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Office of the Inspector General (IOG) which alleged mass hysterectomies were being performed on detainees at the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla, Georgia. The complaint also cited a lack of adherence to COVID-19 safety precautions. On September 26, several Congressional Democrats visited the center in Georgia's Eighth District. Today, they brought a resolution to the House Floor condemning the facility, DHS, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and themedical staff named in the allegations. Rep. Scott contends that House Democrats should wait for the allegations to be investigated by DHS, as requested by Rep. Scott and several Members of Congress from both parties, before asserting them as true. On September 25, Rep. Scott and Rep. Doug Collins (GA-09) sent a letter to Joseph Cuffari, DHS Inspector General, urging the OIG to consider recently reported facts disputing the allegations and the radical agenda of Project South, the non-profit at the center of the claims, while conducting their investigation into the complaint. You can click here to read their letter. You can click here or the image below to watch Rep. Scott's remarks. Rep. Austin Scott speaks on the House Floor in response to allegations made against the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla, Georgia. Below is a transcript of Rep. Scott's remarks edited for clarity: I'd like to thank my colleague and all my colleagues, and Madam Speaker. I'd like to focus my comments on the attacks on the Irwin County Hospital and the staff at the Irwin County Hospital. One of the things that I'd like to make very clear is, while I was not invited to the event at the Irwin County Detention Center that my colleagues had even though it is in my district I was on the telephone with people who were there at the time, including our local hospital administrator. I have been to that facility, and one of the things I want everybody in this Congress to understand is that the surgical procedures are not done at the Irwin County Detention Facility. They're not. They are done at the Irwin County Hospital, and so when you talk about procedures being done at the Irwin County Detention facility, it's just false. They're done at the Irwin County Hospital. The detention facility is not set up to do surgical procedures. The question is, how do we get here?' There was a whistleblower complaint filed by a group named Project South on September 14 of 2020. I have a copy of the complaint. The complaint focuses on COVID and challenges they may or may not have had with COVID, and every facility in the United States including this Congress had challenges with personal protective equipment and COVID and how we were handling those issues. Now, in this complaint, which focuses predominantly on COVID, they make an allegation of hysterectomies. I want to read to you from one of the AP articles: A lawyer who helped file the complaint said she never spoke to any women who had hysterectomies. Staff attorney at the advocacy group told the Washington Post she included the allegations because she wanted to trigger an investigation to determine if they were true.' The investigation has been triggered. We all want the investigation to go forward, and we want the facts to come out. Nobody wants the facts to come out more than those of us who live in that area. Nobody wants the facts to come out more than the doctor and the hospital and the staff at that hospital and the people who work at the detention facility. I'd like to share with you a couple of quotes from some other articles. This is from the Washington Post: the advocacy group that filed the complaint, Project South, did not make the hysterectomy allegations the focus of its September 14 complaint to DHS, a complaint that alleged there is poor medical care and novel coronavirus risk at the ICE facility.' Further: Priyanka Bhatt, the attorney at Project South who was the lead investigator for the complaint, said in an interview with the Washington Post that she did not speak to or identify any women who had undergone a hysterectomy.' I would like to have submitted for the record this article [from the Washington Post]. Another article from Reuters: the Mexican Foreign Minister said on Thursday that the government has not yet found any proof of forced sterilization of Mexican women being held at the detention facilities in the United States.' I would like to submit this for the record. Now, somewhere between September 14 and September 25, House Resolution 1153 was drafted. I think that that date is extremely important because, you see, the resolution was drafted before [House Democrats] even went to the ICE Detention Facility in Irwin County. It was drafted before [they] even got on the site to see what was actually happening, and on the 26th the hospital administrator was there. A couple of things I want to point out are that the hospital administrator is a lady a good lady and good hospital administrator and the doctor is an immigrant. Now, everyone who came to that facility had the opportunity to meet with the hospital administrator. Every single one of [them] refused the opportunity to get the facts from the hospital administrator. Never mind the facts. You wonder why people hate us up here. I have a statement, Madam Speaker, I'd like to read from the Irwin County Hospital who wants a complete and thorough investigation: The Irwin County Hospital is aware of various allegations of misconduct against individuals being detained at the Irwin County Detention Center. The hospital is committed to the safety and welfare of everyone in our care, including patients referred for care from Irwin County Detention Center. From 2017 to the present, two individuals in detention at the Irwin County Detention Center were referred to Irwin County Hospital for hysterectomies.' [Democrats] have made accusations of mass sterilization. [They] should be embarrassed by [their] conduct. [They] don't want an investigation because [they] don't want the facts. From 2017 to the present, two individuals in detention at the Irwin County Detention Center were referred to the hospital for hysterectomies. The MD performed these procedures. He's a long time member of the medical staff and has been in good standing to the community. Irwin County Hospital is and will continue to cooperate with any and all regulatory investigations related to health care services provided at Irwin County Hospital. Dr. Ramin has performed two hysterectomies in 3.5 years on detainees at the hospital. This has been confirmed by independent reviews, and independent peer review confirmed those cases were medically necessary. Irwin County Hospital is the closest hospital facility to the Irwin County Detention Center. The CEO of the hospital was available to the Hispanic Caucus during their visit to the detention center. The warden made the Caucus aware of her presence at the facility and availability, and no questions or interactions way were made by the caucus. [They] absolutely refused to even speak to the lady that runs the local hospital because [they] don't want the facts. I yield the remainder of my time. -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dougcollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/collins-condemns-democrats-partisan-attack-irwin-county-detention-center,Collins Condemns Democrats Partisan Attack on Irwin County Detention Center on the House Floor,2020-10-01,2020,2020-10,Republican,Senate,GA,Doug Collins,C001093,dougcollins.house.gov,,,legacy,"Urges Colleagues to Vote No' on H. Res. 1153 WASHINGTON, DC Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) today spoke on the House floor in opposition to H. Res. 1153, House Democrats' partisan attack on the employees and doctors at the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla, Georgia. Over the last several weeks, House Democrats have repeatedly accused the Center of conspiring with local doctors to systemically sterilize illegal aliens, despite the abundance of evidence contradicting the allegations. Last week, Collins and Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) sent a letter urging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) to consider the recently reported facts disputing Dawn Wooten and Project South's allegations regarding the treatment of detainees at the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla, Georgia. To read the full letter, click here. To watch Collins' floor speech, click here or on the image below. Remarks as prepared: Madame Speaker, for weeks now, this Majority has embraced the absurd and baseless accusation that employees and doctors at the Irwin County Detention Center in my home state of Georgia are engaged in a conspiracy with local doctors to systemically sterilize illegal aliens. They have proven to the American people that no story is too outlandish to use in furtherance of their radical agenda. It would be a completely different situation if we were standing here today to take action on substantiated claims of mistreatment, but we are not. We are here today so that the Majority can attempt to squeeze one last bit of value out of the false claims propagated in Project South's complaint about the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla, Georgia. The Left knows these complaints aren't true but they're hoping we'll ignore the mountain of evidence to contradict them. I have news for them: we won't. If the claim of mass hysterectomies were true or if it were even substantiated by the smallest amount of evidence it would absolutely call for swift action. But, to the contrary and to the dismay of my Democrat colleagues the claims of mass hysterectomies were quickly proven false mere days after the complaint was released. In fact, just days later, both the hospital and the detention center confirmed that only two such hysterectomies had been performed since 2017. In the complaint, Ms. Wooten called a doctor at the Center a uterus collector, saying that she had spoken with several inmates who have had hysterectomies. Even more sensationalized, Ms. Wooten stated everybody he sees has a hysterectomy just about everybody."" Project South alleges that a detainee at the facility had talked to five different women detainedbetween October and December 2019 who had a hysterectomy done. But both the detention facility and the local hospital have clear evidence directly contradicting this hearsay: records showing that only two detainees have had hysterectomies since 2017. Let that sink in: only two hysterectomies have been performed on detainees at this facility since 2017. So how can these claims of mass hysterectomies performed by the uterus collector be true? Simple answer: They aren't. In fact, Project South's attorney and lead investigator for the complaint admitted to the Washington Post that she had not even spoken to or identified any detainee claiming to have undergone a hysterectomy. The group providing these claims has no evidence to back them up, but nonetheless, the Left is embracing them and is continuing to perpetuate falsehoods. As the facts have come out to disprove these absurd claims, did Democrats acknowledge they were wrong? No. They conveniently shifted their argument to claims of uninformed consent and expanded the allegation to medical procedures generally and a lack of adequate translation services to try to strengthen their faulty allegations. But even those fail. According to employees at the facility, the Center has 24-hour access to interpreters for virtually every language which they consistently utilize. In fact, they even have several remote medical interpreters which specialize in relaying medical terms and advice to non-English speakers. Clearly, the Majority does not care about the credibility of their witnesses and their whistleblowers, as long as they espouse claims that allow them to continue their attacks on the President and on law enforcement. We saw it during the sham impeachment, and we are seeing it here today. Democrats have already expended a lot of time and effort trying to make the claims in this complaint true writing letters to the DHS IG and traveling to Ocilla. In fact, just two days after the release of Project South's complaint, 173 Democrats wrote the DHS IG urging an investigation centering their call almost entirely on Ms. Wooten's debunked claims of mass hysterectomies. In their quest for the truth, however, they conveniently failed to update the DHS IG and the American public that their claims of a eugenics conspiracy in South Georgia have been proven false. They also conveniently failed to mention that, according to its website, Project South is committed to ending the use of local police to enforce what they characterize as the federal government's draconian and racist immigration policies. Further, the group boasts a goal of shutting down immigration centers and is a frequent user of the hashtag #abolishICE. To set the record straight, Rep. Austin Scott and I wrote the DHS IG to shed light on the developments that followed Project South's complaint and the group's anti-law enforcement, anti-Trump agenda. In their quest to further their radical agenda, the Left has cast a shadow over an entire town in Georgia and disparaged a respected doctor in the community, an Indian American immigrant who provides free medical services to low-income patients, simply for political gain. This doctor has been viciously slandered by the Left's accusations that he carried out mass hysterectomies. Frankly, he should sue these organizations. It's truly sad to see the lengths the Majority is willing to go to advance their own misguided policies and they should apologize to the doctor and to the Center. It is clear to me that Project South has ulterior motives, and it is dangerous that Democrats are permitting this group's complaint to serve as the foundation of a resolution when so many of its claims have already failed under scrutiny and the credibility of the entire complaint is shattered by Project South's anti-ICE motives. Despite Democrats' wishes, the American people deserve to know the truth and they deserve to see the motives behind the claims: Project South is an anti-law enforcement organization that has a stated mission of shutting down detention facilities that included patently false claims in their complaint to the DHS IG. Detention facilities like Irwin County Detention Center serve an important purpose in upholding our nation's immigration laws and efforts like this one to disparage them and shut them down by choosing to ignore facts in favor of fiction is disgraceful. I urge my colleagues to oppose this misguided and ill-informed resolution. I yield back.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dougcollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/collins-intercountry-adoption-act-passes-senate-headed-president-s-desk,"Collins Intercountry Adoption Act Passes Senate, Headed to Presidents Desk",2020-10-01,2020,2020-10,Republican,Senate,GA,Doug Collins,C001093,dougcollins.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Last evening, the Senate passed Rep. Doug Collins' (R-Ga) Intercountry Adoption Information Act, sending it to President Trump's desk to be signed into law. Collins introduced the bill (H.R. 1952) back in March 2019 to remove obstacles for American families pursuing overseas adoption. The Intercountry Adoption Information Act passed the House unanimously in May 2019. ""Millions of children at home and abroad are in need of a loving home, and families all across the globe are eager to provide them with the care and support they deserve,"" said Collins. ""As international restrictions have tightened in light of COVID-19, it is especially critical now more than ever that we remove any additional obstacles for families pursuing adoption overseas. The Intercountry Adoption Information Act will help bring families together by ensuring parents pursuing overseas adoption have access to the information required to navigate the international adoption landscape, and ultimately, to bring their children home. I want to thank Senator Burr for shepherding this bill through the Senate, and I'm encouraged it is finally headed to President Trump's desk to be signed into law."" Collins first introduced the Intercountry Adoption Information Act in 2018 to help parents like Pam and Mark Romano, a family in Northeast Georgia. The Romanos were in the process of adopting two brothers from Russia when the country suddenly halted all adoptions to the United States in 2012. The Intercountry Adoption Information Act requires the Secretary of State include in its annual report information on countries that have carried out a new policy or law that has reduced or prevented adoptions involving immigration to the United States. Further, the Department of State would be required to include information on efforts to encourage the resumption of stalled or halted adoption proceedings within these countries. These requirements will ensure families have access to consistent, up-to-date information about the adoption policies of foreign countries and how they affect adoption proceedings.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dougcollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/collins-sends-letter-fbi-director-christopher-wray-urging-him-resign,Collins Sends Letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray Urging Him to Resign,2020-09-30,2020,2020-09,Republican,Senate,GA,Doug Collins,C001093,dougcollins.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) today sent a letter to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray urging him to resign. ""I urge you to do the right thing for this country and resign, Collins wrote. Read the full letter here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dougcollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/collins-introduces-constitutional-amendment-prohibit-court-packing,Collins Introduces Constitutional Amendment to Prohibit Court Packing,2020-09-29,2020,2020-09,Republican,Senate,GA,Doug Collins,C001093,dougcollins.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) today formally introduced an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to prohibit a change to the number of seats on the U.S. Supreme Court until 10 years after enactment of any legislation to alter the size of the Court. ""Democrats' latest threat to pack the Supreme Court throws our nation's history to the wayside in pursuit of political gain and threatens the very foundation of our democracy, said Collins. Since 1869, the Supreme Court has held exactly nine seats. To make a change during such a tumultuous time in our history diminishes the integrity of our nation's highest court and sets an extremely dangerous precedent. By passing a Constitutional Amendment to prohibit any changes to the number of justices until 10 years after any such legislation is signed into law, we can protect our nation's highest court from becoming a political football."" This move comes as a number of Democrats have threatened to pack the Supreme Court if the U.S. Senate confirms Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court before the November election. Original cosponsors include Reps. Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.), Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Rick Crawford (R-Ark.), Austin Scott (R-Ga.), Rick Allen (R-Ga.), Michael Waltz (R-Fla.), Randy K. Weber (R-Texas), Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), John Rose (R-Tenn.), Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio), and Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.). The text of the amendment can be found here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dougcollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/collins-receives-torchbearer-award-religious-freedom,Collins Receives Torchbearer Award for Religious Freedom,2020-09-28,2020,2020-09,Republican,Senate,GA,Doug Collins,C001093,dougcollins.house.gov,,,legacy,"GAINESVILLE, Ga. Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) today received the Torchbearer Award from the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty for his commitment to fighting for the religious freedom of our nation's servicemembers. ""It's an incredible honor to be presented with the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty's Torchbearer Award. As a pastor and an Air Force chaplain, I'll always fight to protect each and every Americans' right to freely exercise their religion, Collins said. ""Representative Collins has been a stalwart defender of religious liberty, often working behind the scenes, to ensure military members may worship God freely, President of Chaplain Alliance and retired Navy Chaplain Capt. Craig Muehler said. ""Representative Collins happens to be my personal Representative, so it is a great pleasure to present this award to him here in his hometown. Representative Collins has never refused a call for help when religious liberty has been threatened, Col. Ron Crews, Executive Director of Chaplain Alliance said. ""Representative Collins has committed his life to the cause of religious freedom for our military, first as a chaplain, and then as a Member of Congress. He personifies the kind of tireless warrior who is deserving of the Torchbearer Award, General Counsel for First Liberty Institute Mike Berry said. The Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty is an organization made up of faith groups that provide chaplains for the U.S. military and other agencies. This organization represents over 2,600 chaplains serving the armed forces. Collins is a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve and the only military chaplain serving in Congress.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dougcollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/collins-statement-president-trump-nominating-judge-amy-coney-barrett,Collins Statement on President Trump Nominating Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court,2020-09-28,2020,2020-09,Republican,Senate,GA,Doug Collins,C001093,dougcollins.house.gov,,,legacy,"GAINESVILLE, Ga. Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) issued the following statement after President Donald J. Trump nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the United States Supreme Court. ""By nominating Amy Coney Barrett, President Trump is reaffirming his steadfast commitment to fight for the unborn. Judge Barrett is a strong conservative and an outstanding jurist who will protect unborn children, stand up for the Second Amendment, uphold religious liberty, and strictly adhere to the Constitution. ""We're facing a pivotal time in our nation's history, and the Supreme Court has a chance to forever change the outlook of our country. With Judge Barrett, we finally have a chance to overturn Roe v. Wade and give millions of unborn babies a chance to live. Amy Coney Barrett is the perfect pick, and I look forward to her swift confirmation.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletter-archive/washington-watch-92820,Washington Watch - 9/28/20,2020-09-28,2020,2020-09,Republican,Senate,GA,Rob Woodall,W000810,woodall.house.gov,,,legacy,"OBSERVING YOM KIPPUR G'mar Chatima Tova! To all those in our Jewish community observing Yom Kippur today, may you have an easy fast and a day of meaningful reflection. JUDGE AMY CONEY BARRETT ANNOUNCED AS SUPREME COURT NOMINEE As many of you may have heard, President Trump announced Judge Amy Coney Barrett as his nominee to succeed the late Justice Ginsburg as an Associate Justice ofthe Supreme Court. Judge Barrett currently serves as a federal judge on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals serving Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. She has an established history as a scholar of the law, serving as a judicial law clerk for the late Justice Antonin Scalia and as a professor at the University of Notre Dame for 15 years, teaching federal courts, constitutional law and statutory interpretation, before being confirmed to the federal judiciary by the Senate in October 2017. Now that President Trump has named his nominee to serve on our nation's highest court, as you know, the Constitution vests the Senate with the responsibility of vetting and confirming Article III judicial nominees in carrying out its advice and consent role under the Constitution. As I said back in 2016 when President Obama nominated Merrick Garland to succeed Justice Scalia on the Supreme Court, I disagree with those who argue that there is a Presidential responsibility to refrain from nominating a new Supreme Court justice in an election year. As elected officials, our responsibility is to the Constitution, and I remain in the Constitutionalist camp that says the President's job is to name nominees and the Senate's job is to have hearings on those nominees. With an election on the horizon, I certainly understand there is abundant debate among folks about who they would like to see succeed a long-tenured Justice like Ruth Bader Ginsburg. But I worry that we have become so focused on the politics that we are ignoring the Constitutional responsibilities that our elected officials have taken an oath to uphold. Let's return our confirmation process to one grounded in the framework that the Constitution has set in place.The President made his nomination. Now the next steps rest wholly with the United States Senate. HOUSE PASSES SHORT-TERM FUNDING BILL AFTER DELAY Earlier this month, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin agreed to avoid a government shutdown and planned for a clean continuing resolution to provide short-term funding for the government. All parties held to the agreement until last week when Speaker Pelosi, pressured by the more liberal factions of her party, decided to renege on her side of the deal by excluding an important and previously debated farm provision from the final bill. Though this political stunt delayed the bill, after hearing from frustrated members of her own party who represent farmers, the Speaker returned to the previously agreed upon deal, which was swiftly passed on the House floor. It is disappointing to see yet again how divisive politics can get in the way of common-sense policymaking, as demonstrated by this needless delay in government funding. While I prefer to vote on twelve separate appropriations bills that have gone through regular order, I recognize the need to avoid any scenario that would deny veterans their healthcare, limit children's access to nutritious food, or jeopardize our nation's national security especially in the midst of a global pandemic. I am pleased we were able to come together in the end, but Congress must do better and get back on track to deliver for the American people. MODERNIZATION COMMITTEE MEETS FOR FINAL TIME Over the past two years, I have had the pleasure of being a member of the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, a truly bipartisan group tasked with putting forward recommendations to bring this institution into the 21st Century. On Friday, we met for our last business meeting to vote on our remaining recommendations to the House. These included recommendations to reclaim Article I responsibilities that empower Congress and increase accountability; improve the Congressional schedule and calendar so that we have more working days in Washington; reform the budget and appropriations process to make it function as intended; and enhance Congressional capacity through changes in staff recruitment and retention. In all, the Modernization Committee has issued 97 recommendations to the House. It was the first committee of its kind to issue its findings on a rolling basis, and I was pleased to see some of those reforms already taken up by the Chamber. That said, there is still so much work to be done, and I am hopeful that the 117th Congress will pick up where we left off to provide lasting improvements to the Legislative Branch. To watch the Modernization Committee business meeting, click HERE. EXAMINING THE DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM Last Wednesday, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee held a hearing entitled Driving Equity: The U.S. Department of Transportation's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program, to evaluate the program's success and identify ways we can make improvements. For those who are unfamiliar with the DBE program, it was established 37 years ago as a way to give a hand up to women and minority-owned small businesses that had been shut out of the transportation construction and airport concession industries. During this hearing, we heard from experts who shared data with us that demonstrated the continued need for the DBE program, and business owners who shared personal stories about how the DBE program gave them access to contracts that they would be traditionally overlooked for. I'm pleased that my colleagues took the time to ask thoughtful questions about what the future of the program should look like. I also had a chance to ask the panel about their metrics for success in graduating DBE program participants. You can watch my line of questioning by clicking HERE. HARTSFIELD-JACKSON AIRPORT TO HOST COMMUNITY BRIEFINGS As you may know, with over 100 million passengers typically coming through the airport each year, Georgia's Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has been the world's busiest airport and one of Georgia's largest employers for years. Not only does the airport provide work for roughly 63,000 employees, including many hardworking members of our community, it also supports roughly half a million jobs throughout the southeastern United States and produces $50 billion annually for the Metro Atlanta region. Unfortunately, like so many of our great American industries, those across the aviation sector including airlines, aircraft manufacturers, and contractors - have seen significant revenue losses since the public health emergency began in March, and even now, as rates of air travel remain at significantly lower levels compared to 2019. A resurgence in air travel is dependent on our ability to keep travelers both safe amid continual spread of the virus and confident in the protocols that facilities have in place. That is why I appreciate that the Department of Aviation at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport is hosting a series of briefings to keep the public updated on its safety protocols so that passengers can be best informed when traveling. This series of weekly 60-minute briefings will be held virtually to address concerns related to traveling and will include input from Hartsfield-Jackson's leadership, as well as from representatives of partnered airlines. The first briefing will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, September 29th, from 10-11 a.m., and I encourage those of you who have questions, concerns, or ideas about creating conditions for safe air travel to register HERE. And don't worry if you can't make it to this first briefing session, there will be more briefings held on October 6th, October 13th, and October 20th. CONSTITUENT SPOTLIGHT: ADDRESSING PARTISANSHIP IN CONGRESS In a divided government in which Republicans control the Senate and Democrats control the House, it is all the more true that Congress only works when both parties work together. Here is what some of you had to say about partisanship in Congress: William from Grayson: Being a Republican or a Democrat shouldn't matter to your representation of all your constituents. This partisan mess must stop as the country is too divided. I urge you to work with your colleagues to better our nation. Kathleen from Suwanee: Americans are looking for leadership from Washington, but with a few notable exceptions, they are getting finger-pointing,partisangamesmanship, and a legislative debate dominated by arguments over the price tag of competing bills, as if money alone can solve the problem, instead of actual solutions. It's time for Congress to get its act together. I urge you to focus on solutions that could actually help our country. ______________________________________________________________________________ I share William and Kathleen's sense of frustration. As a legislator, what is perhaps the most disappointing for me are the times when we miss opportunities to come together to act on those things that unite us in favor of political messaging bills that divide us. As I mentioned earlier, divided government requires that we be successful in working across party lines to move forward good ideas and, when we disagree, engage in good faith efforts to reach a compromise. While opportunities were missed this week to move forward larger reforms, including a bipartisan energy package that acts on our shared goals to support alternative energies while also decreasing American reliance on foreign energy sources, there were successes in moving a number of smaller, bipartisan reforms that I hope we will soon see on the President's desk. Passage of these bills often don't make the front page, but they are indeed an important part of our work in Congress to enact targeted reforms, where often a simple fix or idea can stand to serve Americans in a meaningful way. Among the roughly 60 bills passed by the House this week, which you can find HERE, were a series of bills aimed at combatting suicide among both our veterans and individuals nationwide. Those include S. 785, which creates new requirements and grants at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to address veteran suicide and mental health, and S. 2661, which I heard from many of you on, designates the 9-8-8 dial code nationwide as the number to reach the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. I am pleased that those two bills are on their way to the President for his signature. The House also came together last week to address another critically important public health issue for states like ours: maternal health in rural areas. Georgia unfortunately ranks among the states with the highest maternal mortality rates, which is why I was glad to see the House move forward a bill that helps to address the lack of obstetrics infrastructure in rural areas by directing the Health Resources and Services Administration to provide grant money to train and support physicians and medical professionals to provide care in those areas. And just as important as addressing maternal mortality is the need to address infant mortality. Another bill I have heard from several of you throughout this Congress was H.R. 2271, which provides funding to local governments and entities who are actively working to research and combat Sudden Infant Death Syndromethe tragic death of an infant with no clear cause. Lastly, I was also glad the House voted to move forward my friend Congressman Buddy Carter's (R-GA) bill that ensures that Medicaid continues to cover non-emergency medical transportation for individuals with no other means of transportation so that they can continue to get the care that they need. As you can see, issues like these have broad, bipartisan interest, and I am glad that Members in Congress worked to move them forward. While I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues across the aisle on issues and bills like these, we mustn't stop there. A bipartisan approach to legislating is needed to pass larger reforms as well, most critically a COVID-19 relief package, and I will continue to call on Speaker Pelosi and House Leaders to double down on the commitment to serving the American police and delay that relief no longer. GWINNETT COUNTY IS HOME TO 2020'S GEORGIA HISTORY TEACHER OF THE YEAR We have remarkable schools in our community, with teachers, faculty, and staff who consistently go above and beyond what is asked of them to give our students the best possible education. With such dedicated educators, I'm sure none of us are surprised to hear when those successes are recognized in a big way, including the recent news that this year's Georgia History Teacher of the Year works right here in the Seventh District. Karen Slaten, a U.S. History teacher at Central Gwinnett High School, was selected out of all history teachers across our state in grades K-12 to receive this honor. Ms. Slaten's extraordinary efforts to impart the importance of history and civics education on her students to foster the next generation of leaders caught the attention of students, parents, and her colleagues who nominated her to receive the award. I hope you will all join me in congratulating Ms. Slaten on this well-deserved recognition! SAWNEE EMC ROUND UP PROGRAM FURTHERS SUPPORT FOR LOCAL NONPROFITS AND CLASSROOMS Here in the Seventh District, we have seen countless good works benefiting the most vulnerable among us, particularly over the last few months as our community came together to overcome the challenges posed by COVID-19. We've seen local charitable organizations work harder than ever to use finite resources to help those who have even less, and we have seen countless examples of schools, businesses and individuals going the extra mile to support service initiatives throughout our district. One such example I mentioned earlier this year, Sawnee EMC's round-up program, has continued to play a critical role in our community, donating over $32,000 to nine classrooms and to five local charitable organizations during the last quarter. With such dedication from those participating in this program to ensure that our district can meet the greatest needs of our community, I am sure that we will continue to grow stronger together as we recover from the negative impacts of the pandemic. THE WEEK AHEAD This week the House will be in session beginning on Tuesday instead of Monday in order for Members and staff to observe Yom Kippur. While all of the measures that we will consider this week are still unclear, we do know that the House will consider H.R. 6270, the Uyghur Forced Labor Disclosure Act, and likely a few dozen bills on the suspension calendar. A full list of all the legislation that will be on the floor this week can be found by CLICKING HERE. In addition, you've probably read news reports about the possibility of the House passing another COVID-19 package this week. While many members of Speaker Pelosi's Democratic Caucus are calling on her to pass a compromise COVID-19 bill that can be signed by the President and provide immediate relief to small businesses struggling to make payroll and keep the doors open, the Speaker has yet to come to the negotiating table. My hope is that the more moderate members of the Democratic Caucus will be able to prevail upon the Speaker that it's more important to help American families than to win an imaginary, partisan war with Republicans in the Senate or President Trump. The stakes are too high for the Speaker to recess the House for the entire month of October thinking only about how refusing to compromise across the aisle will help at the ballot box, instead working together this week to make Americans' lives better at their workplaces, schools, and with their families. Sincerely, Rob Woodall Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dougcollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/collins-scott-question-credibility-irwin-co-detention-center,"Collins, Scott Question Credibility of Irwin Co. Detention Center Whistleblower Claims",2020-09-25,2020,2020-09,Republican,Senate,GA,Doug Collins,C001093,dougcollins.house.gov,,,legacy,"Shed Light on Project South's Radical, Abolish ICE Agenda WASHINGTON, DC Reps. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) and Austin Scott (R-Ga.) sent a letter urging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) to consider the recently reported facts disputing Dawn Wooten and Project South's allegations regarding the treatment of detainees at the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla, Georgia. ""Project South's complaint, which relied on several unsubstantiated, secondhand accounts and Ms. Wooten's own view of operations at the Center, was quickly refuted by individuals at both the Irwin County Hospital and Immigrations and Custom Enforcement (ICE) who have made clear that the group's claim of mass hysterectomies is unsupported by hospital and ICE records, they wrote. Despite these facts, Democrat Members of Congress and the media have seized on Ms. Wooten's claim that the doctor in question is a uterus collector' who takes all their uteruses out or he's taken their tubes out', leading congressional leaders to accept Project South's claims as fact, despite the increasing evidence demonstrating Ms. Wooten's claims are, at best, exaggerated and, at worst, completely fabricated."" Collins and Scott also requested the DHS OIG consider the radical agenda of Project South, the non-profit at the center of Wooten's claims. ""Given the fact that Project South openly characterizes the U.S. government's immigration laws as draconian' and racist', it is safe to assume this organization has a vested interest in furthering Ms. Wooten's allegations in an effort to shut down the facility, they continued. In fact, Project South boasts a goal of shutting down immigration centers', including their effort starting in 2017 to reiterate the demand for both' the Stewart Detention Center and the Irwin County Detention Center what they believe to be two of the worst immigration detention centers in the country' be shut down. Project South's website also boasts their free legal representation' of immigrants under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Joint Terrorism Task Forces and their abolish ICE' agenda. Given their mission, it is abundantly clear that Project South's number one objective is to bring attention to any claims despite the fact that such claims may be fabricated that may further their radical, anti-law enforcement agenda."" Click here to read the full letter.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/blog-posts/hartsfield-jackson-international-airport-community-briefings,Hartsfield Jackson International Airport Community Briefings,2020-09-25,2020,2020-09,Republican,Senate,GA,Rob Woodall,W000810,woodall.house.gov,,,legacy,"____________________ Lawrenceville, GA 30046-6935 Phone: (770) 232-3005 Fax: (770) 232 -2909",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dougcollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/collins-statement-arrest-13-korean-foreign-nationals-working-sk-battery,Collins Statement on the Arrest of 13 Korean Foreign Nationals Working at SK Battery Plant,2020-09-24,2020,2020-09,Republican,Senate,GA,Doug Collins,C001093,dougcollins.house.gov,,,legacy,"COMMERCE, Ga. Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) released the following statement after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 13 Korean foreign nationals illegally working at the SK Innovation Battery Plant in Jackson County. ""These arrests confirm what we suspected all along: for months, SK and their contractors have been engaged in an ongoing scheme to illegally employ Korean foreign nationals at their facility in Northeast Georgia.These jobs were promised to hardworking Georgians, and SK's illegal and immoral actions have been nothing but a betrayal to Georgia taxpayers who have invested heavily in SK's development in our state. I want to thank ICE for acting swiftly in response to my calls to deport this illegal workforce and for their commitment to enforcing our immigration laws."" The state of Georgia gave SK over $300 million in tax breaks, grants, and land to encourage them to bring their battery factory to the state. However, these arrests prove the jobs SK once promised for hardworking Georgians were instead being given to Korean foreign nationals. In mid-August, Collins sent a letter to ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requesting a full investigation into SK's ongoing scheme after Collins was contacted by a constituent who had observed firsthand Korean nationals illegally working at the facility. One week later, Collins wrote a second letter to ICE and CBP urging swift action on the investigation into SK after Collins received new information on the company's ongoing effort to illegally employ foreign nationals at their facility. This came after Collins learned that local officials discovered over 200 Korean foreign nationals were training for on-the-job welding at a non-operational chicken farm just five miles from SK's construction site.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/blog-posts/washington-dc-tour-update-outdoor-capitol-tours,WASHINGTON D.C. TOUR UPDATES,2020-09-22,2020,2020-09,Republican,Senate,GA,Rob Woodall,W000810,woodall.house.gov,,,legacy,"As you may know, several popular tourist sites continue to be closed to the publicdue to concerns about COVID-19. While the White House recently opened for tours on Fridays and Saturdays with limited visitor capacity, the U.S. Capitol Building, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Library of Congress, and Supreme Court remain closed to the public until further notice. My staff and I miss welcoming visitors from the Seventh District, and together we have explored safe and creative ways to welcome our friends and neighbors back to Washington as it begins to reopen. To accommodate the Capitol's COVID-19 safety guidelines, I would like to officially announce the launch of outdoor tours of the Capitol Hill grounds. Visitors will have the chance to see and learn more about the history of Congress and the U.S. Capitol in an hour-long outdoor tour led by a member of my personal staff. The tour will be conducted using appropriate social distancing, mask wearing, and hand sanitizing procedures. There is truly no better way to learn about our government than a visit to Capitol Hill, which is why I look forward to safely welcoming visitors back to DC in the coming days. If you would like to request a tour of the White House or Capitol Hill grounds, please visit the tour page on my website. If you have any questions regarding this update, please do not hesitate to reach out to my staff at 202-225-4272.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://austinscott.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-austin-scott-encourages-farmers-impacted-covid-19-s-economic-toll,Rep. Austin Scott Encourages Farmers Impacted by COVID-19s Economic Toll to Sign Up for Extended USDA Relief,2020-09-21,2020,2020-09,Republican,Senate,GA,Austin Scott,S001189,austinscott.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC On Friday, September 18, President Donald Trump and Sonny Perdue, Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announced an additional $14 billion dollars for agricultural producers who continue to face market disruptions and associated costs because of COVID-19. Signup for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP 2) begins today, September 21, and will run through December 11, 2020. Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08), a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, released the below statement encouraging farmers negatively impacted by COVID-19 to sign up as soon as possible: As we continue to work through the impacts of COVID-19, ensuring the stability of our food supply chain remains a top priority for Congress and the Administration. USDA listened to feedback from producers and crafted a second program to better meet the needs of our farmers struggling through the negative economic impacts of COVID-19, including market and labor disruptions and other unforeseen costs associated with the virus. I'd encourage farmers whose operations were negatively impacted by COVID-19 to apply for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2, which runs through December 11, 2020. More information can be found atwww.farmers.gov/cfap,said Rep. Austin Scott. USDA will use funds being made available from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act and CARES Act to support farmers in need. USDA has incorporated improvements in CFAP 2 based from stakeholder engagement and public feedback to better meet the needs of impacted farmers and ranchers. CFAP 2 payments will provide eligible producers with financial assistance that gives them the ability to absorb some of the increased marketing costs associated with the COVID-19 outbreak. Eligible commodities for CFAP 2 include row crops, wool, livestock, specialty livestock, dairy, specialty crops, floriculture and nursey crops, aquaculture, broilers and eggs, and tobacco. Producers can apply for CFAP 2 at USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) county offices. Additionally, USDA and FSA will host a CFAP 2 Producer Webinar on September 24 at 3:00 PM EDT. Farmers interested in participating can register at www.farmers.gov/cfap. -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dougcollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/fox-news-rep-doug-collins-introduce-constitutional-amendment-prohibit,Fox News: Rep. Doug Collins to introduce constitutional amendment to prohibit Supreme Court packing,2020-09-21,2020,2020-09,Republican,Senate,GA,Doug Collins,C001093,dougcollins.house.gov,,,legacy,"'We can protect our nation's highest court from becoming a political football,' Collins said Brooke Singman Fox News September 21, 2020 Rep. Doug Collins says he plans to introduce a constitutional amendment to prohibit a change to the size to the Supreme Court until 10 years after enactment of any legislation that would alter the number of seats on the high court. The legislation, which Collins, R-Ga., is set to roll out this week, comes after Democrats have threatened to pack the Supreme Court if President Trump nominates a pick to fill the vacancy left by late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ahead of the 2020 presidential election. ""Democrats' latest threat to pack the Supreme Court throws our nation's history to the wayside in pursuit of political gain and threatens the very foundation of our democracy, Collins said in a statement Monday. There's a high bar to passing an amendment: In order to pass, a constitutional amendment must receive approval from two-thirds of the House and Senate, as well as ratification from three-fourths of all states, or 38 out of 50. Collins noted that since 1869, the Supreme Court has held exactly nine seats."" ""To make a change during such a tumultuous time in our history diminishes the integrity of our nation's highest court and sets an extremely dangerous precedent, Collins said. By introducing a Constitutional Amendment to prohibit any changes to the number of justices until 10 years after any such legislation is signed into law, we can protect our nation's highest court from becoming a political football."" Collin's comments and proposal comes after House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., over the weekend said the incoming Senate should immediately expand the high court. ""If Sen. McConnell and @SenateGOP were to force through a nominee during a lame duck session before a new Senate and President can take office then the incoming Senate should immediately move to expand the Supreme Court, Nadler tweeted over the weekend. Filling the SCOTUS vacancy during a lame duck session, after the American people have voted for new leadership, is undemocratic and a clear violation of the public trust in elected officials."" Nadler added: Congress would have to act and expanding the court would be the right place to start."" Just hours after learning of Ginsburg's passing on Friday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., vowed that a Trump nominee to the Supreme Court ""will receive a vote on the floor of the United States Senate."" The president has also urged Senate Republicans to move forward in confirming his eventual nominee without delay, and told Fox News during an exclusive interview Monday that the confirmation should be complete before Election Day. But Democrats in both chambers of Congress are threatening to implement a strategy and pack the Supreme Court if they take control of the White House and the Senate. ""If he holds a vote in 2020, we pack the court in 2021, Rep. Joe Kennedy III, D-Mass., tweeted Saturday. It's that simple."" ""Mitch McConnell set the precedent. No Supreme Court vacancies filled in an election year. If he violates it, when Democrats control the Senate in the next Congress, we must abolish the filibuster and expand the Supreme Court, Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., tweeted. The idea of packing the court with extra justices attempted unsuccessfully by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1937 to force through parts of his New Deal that were ruled unconstitutional by the high court has bubbled away on the fringes of the party for years. But it began to seep into the mainstream after Republicans refused to hold hearings for Merrick Garland President Barack Obama's 2016 pick to replace Justice Antonin Scalia because it was an election year. Consequently, the seat was held open until after the 2017 inauguration of President Trump, who nominated now-Justice Neil Gorsuch. Many Democrats saw the seat as stolen as a result. The Garland controversy has been cited by Democrats again now that Republicans are moving to fill Ginsburg's seat in an election year. They say that because Republicans refused to fill a seat in 2016, they should decline to fill this one in 2020. Republicans, however, have said that the precedent is when the Senate is controlled by an opposition party to the White House. This article was published on Fox News and can be found on their website here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletter-archive/washington-watch-92120,Washington Watch - 9/21/20,2020-09-21,2020,2020-09,Republican,Senate,GA,Rob Woodall,W000810,woodall.house.gov,,,legacy,"SUPREME COURT JUSTICE GINSBURG PASSES AWAY AT AGE 87 This past Friday, I was saddened to hear the news that Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away after a long-fought battle with pancreatic cancer. Small in stature, but a giant among her peers, Justice Ginsburg was undeniably a trailblazer, with a unique ability to reach our youngest generations with a fervor that matched that of our oldest. She served for nearly three decades on our nation's highest court, where herimprint won't soon be forgotten. My thoughts and prayers remain with Justice Ginsburg's family, friends, colleagues, and those across the nation mourning this profound loss of a leader who was an icon to so many. RECOGNIZING FIRST RESPONDERS IN WAKE OF HURRICANE SALLY Last week, Hurricane Sally made landfall as a Category 2 Hurricane, bringing significant and devastating flooding to large parts of Alabama, Florida, and even here in Georgia, as the slow-moving storm continued its path through the Carolinas and much of the Southeast. President Trump has approved emergency declarations for states including Florida and Alabama which were the greatest impacted, having received up to 30 inches of rain in areas along the Gulf Coast. FEMA is continuing its work to offer assistance, and as relief efforts continue, we must not forget to highlight the incredible efforts of our first responders, linemen, and volunteers who have worked to rescue individuals from areas with significant flooding, restore power to homes, and donate their time and resources to serving those affected. Thank you for all that you do. CALLING FOR BIPARTISANSHIP DURING HOUSE FLOOR DEBATE While I'm disappointed that our work in the House Chamber last week wasn't one to move forward a COVID-19 relief package, I had hoped we would come together to move forward the pieces of legislation that were brought to the floor in a bipartisan manner. And to some extent, last week the House did a better job of that than other times in recent memory. For example, one bill the House considered and debated this week H.R. 2694, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act -- which you can read more about in the constituent spotlight below -- was the product of good faith negotiations between Republicans and Democrats to work together to strengthen protections for pregnant workers. However, opportunities to move forward in a bipartisan fashion two of the other bills brought to the floor from the House Committee on Education and Labor H.R. 2574 and H.R. 2639 were simply yet another missed opportunity. For example, instead of dooming H.R. 2639 to largely partisan passage in this Chamber that will stop well short of being enacted into law, Republicans joined to support an amendment offered by Representative Allen (R-GA) that would have expanded an existing federal grant structure the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (SSAEG) established under the Every Student Succeeds Act to allow school districts to use funds to reduce racial or socioeconomic isolation in schools. These grants are already authorized on a bipartisan basis, and the SSAEG received $1.21 billion in Fiscal Year 2020 funding. When managing the Rule for the bills being considered this week, I echoed those calls to join together to do what we were sent here to do: send bills to the President's desk. While the Allen amendment was ultimately not adopted, allowing for its merits to be discussed on the House floor was a welcome step. I hope House leadership will continue to allow for more free and open discussion amongst the whole House by allowing for amendments to be offered and debated on the floor. Rep. Rob Woodall Manages Rule Debate for H.Res. 1107 which provided for consideration of H.R. 2574, H.R. 2639, H.R. 2694, and H. Res. 908 HOUSE CONDEMNS ANTI-ASIAN BIAS AMID COVID-19 PANDEMIC As frequent readers of this newsletter willrecall, I joined my colleagues in leading aletterto U.S. Attorney General William Barr requesting that the Department of Justice stands firmly against the uptick of anti-Asian discrimination in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and provide the House with the latest data on anti-Asian attacks across the country. Our friends and neighbors of Asian-American heritage have been wrongly associated with the spread of COVID-19 and have been victims of discrimination and violent incidents as a result. In an effort to combat this trend and set the record straight, the House voted last week onH.Res. 908, to condemn all forms of anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID-19. I was pleased to join my colleagues in voting for this resolution and standing against all discrimination against our brothers and sisters of Asian heritage. GULF STATES FORMALIZE RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL Back in August, I hadshared with youthe news that Israel and the United Arab Emirates had agreed to formalize diplomatic relations a historic move that made them only the third Arab state to do so since Israel's founding. Since then, the Abraham Accords as they are referred to have since added another nation to that list, the Kingdom of Bahrain. This agreement, facilitated by President Trump, was commemorated at a signing ceremony at the White House last week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani, and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan. The hopes I shared previously that the Abraham Accords would precipitate further formalization of relations with Arab states have already culminated with the addition of Bahrain, which makes me even more hopeful that more nations in the region will follow suit. This agreement should serve as an encouraging moment in history, setting us on a pathway for peace in the Middle East. CONSTITUENT SPOTLIGHT: STRENGTHENING PROTECTIONS FOR PREGNANT WORKERS As I mentioned earlier, the House considered H.R. 2694, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act last week, a bill aimed at ensuring pregnant women in the workplace are better protected against discrimination. Over the course of the 116th Congress, I have heard from many of you on this topic, and I want to share a few of the messages I have received below. Laura from Duluth: No one should be forced to choose between a healthy pregnancy and a paycheck. It is time for Congress to recognize the stakes for pregnant workers and their families and pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act without delay. Donald from Lilburn: Far too often, pregnant workers are fired and discriminated against simply for asking to have reasonable workplace accommodations like an extra bathroom break or a bottle of water. It is imperative that we close the loopholes that jeopardize pregnant workers' livelihoods and civil rights. ______________________________________________________________________________ No woman should face discrimination at work for bringing a new life into our community. While in 1978 Congress passed the Pregnancy Discrimination Act to provide protections to female employees for this exact purpose, the implementation and interpretation of this law over time has created an unclear framework and complicated burden of proof that has led to confusion amongst both employers and employees. H.R. 2694 would remedy that confusion by requiring employers with 15 or more employees, as similarly defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), to provide reasonable and temporary accommodations to pregnant employees who have expressed the need for them. And on an issue as important as this, I am grateful that my Republican and Democrat colleagues on the House Committee on Education and Labor engaged in a good faith negotiations to improve upon this bill and iron out concerns with the legislation as it was initially proposed. Evidence of those extensive negotiations can be seen throughout the Committee process. The changes, which include ensuring that employers who act in good faith to make reasonable accommodations will not be liable for damages, are example of the ways in which this bill works to better serve both the employer and employee, and are evidenced by the larger support this bill has gained among organizations throughout the business community. While there was one missed opportunity to make this bill a truly bipartisan effort - the adoption of the Republican Motion to Recommit which I supported that would have added an amendment certifying protections for religious entities it is important to remember the bill does not eliminate longstanding religious protections already in place under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (CRA) for religious entities. As evidenced by the over 100 Republican Members who joined me to support this measure, H.R. 2694 is an example of what the legislative process should look like. Its larger, bipartisan passage would not have been possible without Republicans and Democrats working hand in hand to make the final product the best it could be, and I was glad to support it. I hope we will see more examples of this approach to legislating in the days and weeks to come. HIGHLIGHTING FOOD ASSISTANCE EFFORTS IN OUR COMMUNITY Our community has always been home to countless service-minded individuals and organizations who never fail to recognize when their neighbors are in need of a helping hand. As I mentioned in last week'snewsletter, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently extended flexibilities for certain child nutrition programs through the end of 2020. That flexibility has allowed Gwinnett County Schools to offer food assistance to anyone ages 18 or younger who is in need. Additionally, there are a number of nonprofit and charitable organizations in our community committed to the noble cause of addressing hunger in our communities. FoodFinder - one such nonprofit with roots in our community whose efforts I recently highlighted in a previous newsletter - has now caught the attention of Lay's thanks to its efforts to direct people to resources for food assistance closest to the them. As part of the Smile with Lay's campaign, benefitting the international charity Operation Smile, FoodFinder's CEO Jack Griffin has beenrecognized as one of 30 "" 'ordinary' people doing extraordinary things in their communities"" who will be featuredon the bags of several Lay's chips in grocery stores across the country. In these most challenging times, it has been a great honor to witness the selfless work that the people of the Seventh District offer to our community. Thank you to all of you who have made life easier for those struggling through this pandemic, including the excellent efforts of Gwinnett County Public Schools and the FoodFinder team. FORSYTH COUNTY MOTHER AND DAUGHTER RECOGNIZED FOR DEDICATION TO GEORGIA SPECIAL OLYMPICS If there's one thing we certainly don't lack here in the Seventh District, it's dedicated individuals who aren't afraid to put in some hard work to produce incredible results. That's why I am honored to congratulate Maranda Way and Tina Hillmer for winning Georgia Special Olympics Female Athlete of the Year and Volunteer of the Year awards, respectively. Typically, these awards are given at the opening ceremony for the Georgia Special Olympics, but these games were cancelled due to concerns about COVID-19. Instead, to reward both remarkable women for their achievements, Special Olympics Forsyth County Coordinator Linda Fitzpatrick organized a drive-by parade and awards ceremony to honor the mother-daughter duo for going above and beyond to demonstrate their commitment to the program over the last few years. Ms. Way has been a Special Olympics athlete for eight years, participating in powerlifting, aquatics and equestrian events with guidance and coaching from Special Olympics volunteers, including her mother, Ms. Hillmer. Although Ms. Hillmer works full-time both as a parent and a real estate agent, she has dedicated her free time to coaching and supporting Special Olympic athletes and has become a go-to volunteer for Special Olympics events. I know my colleagues in Congress recognize the value of this program in strengthening our community, and I was glad to join a bipartisan letter to House appropriators earlier this year calling on further federal support for Special Olympics programming in Fiscal Year 2021. I am confident that our final FY21 funding bill will heed that call for continued support. Congratulationsonce again to this outstanding mother-daughter pair. Your dedication to the Special Olympics program has brought great pride not only to your family and your home district, but also to the state of Georgia. Truly, a job well done! THE WEEK AHEAD This week the House is expected to consider a massive, $135 billion energy package,H.R. 4447,that rings in at almost 900 pages! It covers almost every corner of the energy sector from requirements for energy efficient buildings to wind, solar, transportation, and nuclear energy, but unfortunately, it's a grab-bag of proposals with no discernable sense of direction. And what's more, it ignores the need to update permitting and licensing requirements for financing, building, expanding, and modernizing energy infrastructure. Supporting new types of energy production is short-sighted if we aren't updating our infrastructure to move that energy to where it's needed. We need bipartisan energy legislation, but I'm afraid H.R. 4447 isn't the right answer. Finally, the House is going to consider two bills related to supporting the Uyghur minority that is persecuted by the Chinese government. Since 2017, 1.8 million Uyghurs, Kazaks, Kyrgyz, and other members of Muslim minority groups have been arbitrarily detained in internment camps and subject to forced labor and political indoctrination by the Chinese government. As a freedom-loving people who hold our right to practice our religion as we each see fit, it is critical that we support those who are being denied that right. As such,the first billwould ban the importation of items produced or manufactured in China using forced labor, in particular, items from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China where the Uyghur minority is routinely oppressed. It also requires the President to impose sanctions on individuals engaging in or contributing to the forced labor of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in China.The second billrequires public companies to file disclosures with the SEC regarding activities relating to Xinjiang and whether any manufactured goods originated in forced labor camps, along with the nature and extent of the commercial activity related to each such good or material, the gross revenue and net profits attributable, and whether the issuer intends to continue with such importation. I have some concerns about using the SEC's required disclosures for this purpose, but I hope that Republicans and Democrats can work together to figure out the best disclosure method and hold the Chinese accountable for their treatment of Muslim minorities. Sincerely, Rob Woodall Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://dougcollins.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/collins-calls-justice-department-prosecute-netflix-distributing-child,Collins Calls on the Justice Department to Prosecute Netflix for Distributing Child Pornography,2020-09-18,2020,2020-09,Republican,Senate,GA,Doug Collins,C001093,dougcollins.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) joined Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) and 32 of his colleagues in sending a letter to Attorney General William Barr recommending the Department of Justice bring charges against Netflix, Inc. for the distribution of the film Cuties, which contains child pornography. ""The First Amendment protects corporations and individuals from obscenity law if they can prove artistic expression, but this protection rightfully does not apply to child pornography, they wrote. Cuties is child pornography and its distributors should be prosecuted accordingly."" United States federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor, and that conduct does not need to specifically depict sexual activity to qualify. As noted in the letter, Cuties meets this definition in several scenes. ""Cuties' defenders claim that the film intends to criticize the objectification of young girls, they continued. The reality is that Cuties does depict minors engaged in sexually explicit acts. It's visual fodder for pedophiles and its message is beside the point."" To read the full letter, click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z