releases: https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletter-archive/washington-watch-121718
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://woodall.house.gov/media-center/e-newsletter-archive/washington-watch-121718 | Washington Watch - 12/17/18 | 2018-12-17 | 2018 | 2018-12 | Republican | House | GA | Rob Woodall | W000810 | woodall.house.gov | legacy | FARM BILL APPROVED BY CONGRESS; WILL SOON BECOME LAW After months of negotiations, Congress has sent the 2018 Farm Bill to President Trump's desk for his signature; the last step needed to provide stability and predictability to Georgia's number one industry, agriculture, for the next five years. The measure garnered overwhelming bipartisan support, easily passing the Senate by a vote of 87-13, and with my support, it passed the House by a vote of 369-47. As you may recall from my newsletter back in June, this was no easy effort, as it took two tries to get it across the House floor back then, but now that we've gotten to this point, I'm excited for this bill to begin delivering for Georgia farmers, especially those who have been devastated by this year's hurricanes. This bill will strengthen the safety net programs they depend on to produce and support an industry we all depend on to put dinner on the table and clothes on our backs. I'm incredibly proud of the work of House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX) and Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN), as well as our fellow Georgians, Representatives Austin Scott, Rick Allen, and David Scott, to build consensus in addressing the priority needs of America's farmers and ranchers. In Washington, D.C., we may struggle sometimes to find ways in which we can work across party lines to provide the solutions Americans need and deserve, but I am pleased that we were able to set our differences aside last week to do our job and pass a good bill for food producers and consumers. HOUSE SUPPORTS DEMOCRACY AND HUMANITARIAN AID AROUND THE WORLD As the leader of the free world, the United States of America has both a self-interest and a moral obligation to promote universal values abroad, especially the values of a free and open press and religious freedom. And last week, I had the opportunity to vote for a number of bills that move the needle further in the direction of freedom. For instance, we called on Burma to release two journalists imprisoned for reporting on the government's military attacks on civilians, reaffirmed our alliance with South Korea, condemned the Assad regime in Syria for continuing to support crimes against humanity, opposed the completion of a pipeline intended to make Europe more reliant on Russian energy, and established a policy framework to improve transparency, accountability, and partnership with the Indo-Pacific region. Many of the bills we voted on are now headed to President Trump's desk to be signed into law, and I am proud that even in the midst of tense, high-stakes spending negotiations, the House of Representatives is making it a priority to get this important work done as the year winds to a close. CONGRESS PASSES SEXUAL HARRASSMENT REFORM MEASURE As 2018 comes to a close, we're starting to see year-end recaps and reviews in magazines and on television that highlight the trends, movements, and big events that will forever denote 2018 in the history books. From relocating our Israeli embassy to Jerusalem, to delivering solutions to families grappling with opioid addiction, to the Atlanta United Soccer team winning the city's first championship since the Braves won the World Series in 1995, there has been a lot to track this past year. Notably, there were also several social movements that sparked discussions and raised awareness about issues and topics in our communities and workplaces. The dialogue that coincided with these movements never once fell on deaf ears in Congress, and I can assure you that Congress is always looking for ways to appropriately respond to the American people. With the rise of the Me Too and Time's Up movements, we have seen how powerful the voice of the people can be by putting a spotlight on those who have perpetuated sexual assault and by bringingthem to justice. I am proud that Congress has acted in the movement against sexual assault and harassment by passing legislation to combat and prevent sexual assault right here on Capitol Hill. In fact, many of you may recall that the House and Senate passed resolutions earlier in the 115th Congress requiring each Congressional office toadoptananti-harassment and anti-discrimination policy, and requiringeach Member, officer, and employee in Congress to completemandatory anti-harassment and anti-discrimination training during each session of Congress. That said, Congress recently took its commitment even further, as both the House and Senate passed last week a series of reforms to the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995. Specifically, these reforms willrevise the administrative and judicial dispute resolution procedures in Congress to create a fairer, more efficientadjudicationprocess and to better accommodatevictimsof sexual harassment. While sexual assault and harassment are complicated issues that cannot necessarily be solved by legislation, I hope that the steps Congress has taken will encourage all employers to take every necessary step to combat sexual harassment and maintain a safe, healthy working environment for all. CONSTITUENT SPOTLIGHT: THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM With the Farm Bill's passage last week, I heard from many constituents who were concerned about nearly every portionof the massive bill, from prioritizing conservation to protecting local markets to preventing animal cruelty. The most popular concern came from folks who cared about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), popularly known as food stamps. What was unique about their concern, however, was that it wasn't about SNAP benefit changes for American families, but it was in support of expanding the program to allow benefits to be used to purchase food for pets. Nearly 200 constituents sent the following petition to my office: Each year, over 40 million low- or no-income people in the United States rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to help purchase food for themselves and their families. It is the most wide-reaching program in the domestic hunger safety net, helping keep millions of families from starving. Unfortunately, SNAP benefits cannot be used to buy pet food, leaving poor families with pets in a difficult position. I have signed a Care2 petition because I think SNAP benefits should extend nutrition assistance to include pet food! Some argue that people should not keep pets if they cannot afford them, but the fact is that an individual or family's financial status can change at any time. Should someone be forced to give up a pet they've had for years just because they hit a financial rough patch? Or should they be able to utilize federal aid to continue feeding their pet? Pets are also important for emotional support. Being poor is hard enough without being expected to give up your companion. For most people, pets are considered family, not property. ______________________________________________________________________________ While I wholeheartedly share their passion for ensuring the welfare of pets across the nation, I hope that each one of those 200 constituents knows about the many non-governmental organizations in Georgia and throughout the country which dedicate themselves to providing financial and other assistance to pet owners in need. The Humane Society of the United States' website, for example, has a long list of organizations that will provide free or reduced price pet food to those in need. Given the private sector's assistance in this area, and the limited resources the federal government has available for SNAP, I do not believe it would be responsible to divert any SNAP funds from the 42 million Americans who are depending on those benefits for basic food security. That said, I do agree we can do more to improve the SNAP program. The Farm Bill included some important reforms to allow the program to better provide these benefits to those truly in need. Making up around 80 percent of the Farm Bill's total cost, the nutrition section includes provisions to prevent fraud in the SNAP program by expanding the Department of Agriculture's National Accuracy Clearinghouse to share data between states, ensuring that individuals do not double dip and receive SNAP benefits in multiple states. Further, the bill also increases support for SNAP job training programs to help SNAP beneficiaries learn skills that can lead to steady employment; thereby moving them off SNAP and into well-paying, full-time work. While I certainly believe there is more that can be done improve the SNAP program and lift those in need from poverty to prosperity, these improvements are a good step in the right direction. I look forward to partnering with you all in the coming Congress to give our neighbors in need a helping hand. SHARING HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS, BUILDING UNITY Hanukkah came to a close one week ago, but in case you missed this wonderful story from right here at home, I wanted to share it with you and encourage you to take part in this great community celebration next year! Forsyth County and the Seventh District is such a welcoming, diverse place to call home. You can feel that unity in so many ways! I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to get to know Rabbi Mentz and so many in Congregation Beth Israel and Chabad Forsyth. Their commitment to making our community second to none in the way we embrace one another regardless of background or differences is inspiring and invaluable. To quote Rabbi Mentz, we need to see ourselves as menorahs; those that every day add light. Always adding in goodness and kindness and light, always finding more ways to make this world a better place. I couldn't agree more, and I couldn't be prouder that this is the kind of message that resonates through our places of worship, businesses, organizations and homes. I hope this holiday season has been, and will continue to be, a wonderful time for you all! REMEMBERING OUR REMARKABLE NON-PROFITS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON Generosity is embedded into who we are in the Seventh District. There's no doubt about that. At the individual level, community level, throughout remarkable non-profit organizations and beyond, we take care of each other. While we have an abundance of generosity, the reality is there is also a great deal of need that the holidays can accentuate. Our non-profit and charitable organizations do such a fantastic job of leading the service effort, but as is always the case, they need a strong partnership with those of us in the community who are able to share our time and resources. With the holiday and Christmas season now in full swing, there is a tremendous opportunity to leverage that partnership even more to make a difference in the lives of families across the region. At every turn, we have men and women leading by example now and throughout the year. I've been fortunate to witness first-hand what so many service-oriented groups are doing, and I never cease to be moved by the passion with which neighbors are helping neighbors in so many ways. By remembering those less fortunate, we make the place we call home an even better place. Thank you all for what you do! THE WEEK AHEAD This week, as the House is expected to finish its work for the 115th Congress, I hope that we will be acting on an end of the year funding package to allow those federal agencies currently operating under a Continuing Resolution to receive the rest of their FY19 money. As you know, there is significant discussion on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, from the Capitol to the White House, about how much money is enough money for an additional installment of border security funding. While those discussions will continue into next year and beyond, I hope that we can come together on a reasonable plan to provide the Department of Homeland Security with needed funds to ensure that our border is more secure and that border security agents are empowered to keep criminals out of the United States. Along with that year-end funding package, I also expect that the House will pass additional legislation that members from both sides of the aisle have been working to get across the finish line for month or even years in some cases. You can always CLICK HERE to see a full list of legislation to be considered on the House floor. Sincerely, Rob Woodall Member of Congress | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |