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    Correspondence Replied To

Congressman Rob Woodall

Representing the 7th District of Georgia

District Connection - 11/27/17

November 27, 2017
E-Newsletter Archive

CONTINUE SUPPORTING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES

I hope that you all enjoyed a blessed and festive Thanksgiving with your friends and families, and for many of you, that probably included a trip to the stores on Black Friday or Small Business Saturday to begin your search for the perfect gift. For the next few weeks, the shopping will certainly continue, and as it does, I hope that you will consider spending a little more of your money at our local Forsyth and Gwinnett businesses. The hard-working merchants in our communities are the lifeblood of our neighborhoods. I have had the pleasure of visiting many of these businesses over my years serving you as your Congressional representative, and it’s my hope that we can extend Small Business Saturday beyond one day, and into the rest of the year.

 

SENATE POISED TO BEGIN DEBATE ON TAX REFORM

While the House passed our version of tax reform – H.R. 1 – before Thanksgiving, the full Senate is expected to begin debate on its version of tax reform this week. Like the House Ways and Means Committee a few weeks ago, the Senate Finance Committee held a four-day markup of the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” that considered scores of amendments, incorporating 35 additional amendments from Democrats and Republicans in Chairman Orrin Hatch’s (R-UT) modified bill. Now, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will bring the Finance Committee’s bill to the floor for extensive debate and hopefully passage before the end of the week. Once the Senate passes its bill, then more work will need to be done in a joint House-Senate Conference Committee where we will work out the differences between our two bills and come to a consensus that members in both chambers can support. 

I’ve heard from many residents of the 7th District over the past few weeks who have been concerned about certain aspects of the tax reform bill. Some of those concerns have already been addressed by the House – like retaining the adoption tax credit and maintaining the mortgage interest deduction for mortgages under $500,000 – and I know that more concerns will be addressed by the Senate and by both chambers in Conference Committee. I will certainly keep you informed about the progress of tax reform through the newsletter, and I encourage you to continue sharing your thoughts with our Georgia Senators and with me as we move through this process. 

 

REP. WOODALL WORKS WITH LOCAL MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAM

As so many families prepared for Thanksgiving last week and filled their tables with food, we should all remember those among us who have trouble meeting their daily nutrition needs. During the holiday season, where abundance tends to be the order of the day, I had the great privilege of going on the road with the Norcross Meals on Wheels program. For too many seniors in our community, maintaining their daily nutrition standards is far more difficult that it should be. And that’s where the Meals on Wheels program comes in. This program is helping hundreds of our neighbors every week through food deliveries, but even more than that, each delivery comes with a kind smile, a warm heart, and a new friendship.

What you may not know about the Norcross program is that it does not receive federal funds.  Long ago, the volunteers at the Norcross program made a decision to serve both the elderly and the disabled.  The Federal program—funded through the Older Americans Act—funds only those 60 and older, so the Norcross program had to choose between the mission that is was committed to and the restrictions coming out of Washington, D.C.  Not surprisingly given the problem-solving nature of our community, Norcross chose its mission and thus fully supports itself with private funds.

 
Rep. Rob Woodall works with Norcross Meals on Wheels volunteers

Often, people will ask me, “Rob, how can I help to make a difference?”  The answer is as diverse as our community.  We have so many opportunities to make a difference for one another.  If you feel called to help nurture your homebound neighbors, you can CLICK HERE to connect with Norcross Meals on Wheels. Thank you to all the volunteers at Norcross Meals on Wheels who shared their stories with me.  You make our community strong!  

 

HOUSE AND TRUMP ADMINISTRATION RECONSIDER WOTUS RULE

Since the Obama Administration initially announced its approval of the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule in 2015, it has been met with a number of legal challenges from sectors of the economy that will be greatly harmed by an expansion of federal jurisdiction over water resources and infrastructure that have always been governed by state and local entities. The WOTUS rule has already been stopped by a federal court, and just last week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, proposed a further, two-year delay of the WOTUS rule. I hope that this delay will give the Trump Administration ample time to ensure that the WOTUS rule can either be entirely repealed – which would be my preferred option – or significantly refined to ensure that state and local water resources agencies and private landowners aren’t irrevocably harmed by federal overreach. 

And the best way to ensure a positive outcome is for Congress to stay involved in the process, and that’s exactly what the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee is doing. This Wednesday, the Subcommittee on Environment will be holding a hearing – The Future of WOTUS: Examining the Role of the States – to hear from stakeholders across the country about how we can work together with the Administration to keep our nation’s waterways clean and safe, without unnecessary federal red tape. 

 

THE WEEK AHEAD

This week the House Rules Committee will be meeting to bring four bills to the House floor: H.R. 1699, the “Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act of 2017,” H.R. 3017, the “Brownfields Enhancement, Economic Redevelopment, and Reauthorization Act,” H.R. 3905, the “Minnesota’s Economic Rights in the Superior National Forest Act,” and H.R. 4182, the “Ensuring a Qualified Civil Service Act of 2017.” I say it often, but the best part about being on the Rules Committee is that Committee Chairman and Ranking Members come before our committee and have an in-depth discussion about each bill, detailing its pros and cons, and working out our differences.  No matter the issue, through this Committee, our community has a chance to a difference in every piece of legislation that comes to the floor.  Thank you for your partnership in making sure that we bring the very best ideas and solutions every day!  

Sincerely,

Rob Woodall
Member of Congress

Issues: 
District Outreach