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The Most Progressive Bill in History
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Dear Friends,
The Democrats have described their so-called COVID relief package as the “most progressive bill in history,” and last week, President Biden signed this bill into law. With descriptions like that, it's pretty easy to see that this legislation was never about COVID-19 relief. Given that 91 percent of the $1.9 trillion in this package is going toward progressive priorities unrelated to improving public health, reopening schools this year, or helping Americans get back on their feet, Georgians may be wondering where the money is coming from and what it’s going toward.
To be clear, by ramming this bill through Congress, Speaker Pelosi has silenced the voices of voters and forced House Democrats to fold like a cheap lawn chair to appease their radical base.
The package will rob Georgia of our resources and relief on multiple fronts. For starters, the formula in the bill distributes federal funds to states based largely on unemployment rates, which is a stark deviation from the typical methodology that focuses on population data. What that means for Georgia and other states that opened their economies earlier in order to prevent higher rates of unemployment is they will lose funds they otherwise would have received if they had been less proactive.
Thanks to this new formula, the Peach State will lose out on $1.2 billion to states like New York, California, and Illinois. An amendment offered during Senate consideration of the package would have tied funding received by states back to state populations but was defeated with the help of both of Georgia’s Senators.
Even worse, however, is that under the new structure included in this package, Georgia’s seniors will be hit with $11.5 billion in Medicare cuts over the next decade. Unbelievably, Georgia's Senators also voted in favor of this devastating blow to our seniors.
Moreover, we have heard from small businesses across Georgia that the extension of additional unemployment benefits that pay people more to stay home than go back to work is making it difficult to reassemble their workforces. According to the American Action Forum, 40 to 45 percent of workers could earn more on unemployment than by working thanks to the additional $300 per week that this bill greenlighted. And that's on top of state benefits they're receiving! This will have significant long-term impacts on our economy and Georgia businesses, jeopardizing the ability to rehire workers to full-time jobs. This short-sightedness is staggering, and these decisions will only hurt the vulnerable populations of our state for years to come.
On the tax side, Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats snuck in a provision that will ban states' autonomy in determining their own tax laws until 2024, directly prohibiting states from lowering taxes - even if states determine that tax incentives will help drive economic development and job creation. As the number one state in the country to do business for eight years running, Georgians know what’s best for our tax laws, not D.C. Democrats.
Ultimately with this package, Georgia was sold out for pricy pet projects in California and New York. Peach State Democrats kowtowed to their leadership and in doing so forced a radical left-wing agenda onto Georgians.
I fully support helping Georgia families and small businesses get back on their feet, getting vaccines distributed in rural areas, getting people back to work safely, and getting kids learning in the classroom this year. In fact, my Republican colleagues on the House Ways and Means Committee and I attempted to improve this package by offering 34 amendments during the mark-up — and over 200 amendments on the House floor — but every single one was rejected by the Democratic majorities in both chambers.
From the start, I have said that this package must be temporary, targeted, and directly tied to getting Georgians the help they need. This bill does none of those things. It is a lavish, hyperpartisan, and outrageously expensive package filled to the brim with progressive priorities. Georgia deserves better.
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Ferguson on the House Floor
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For weeks, Congressional Democrats have rushed through bill after bill to placate their progressive base. The latest example is the passage of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act), an overhaul of labor laws that would force workers into unions as a condition of employment, strip employees of secret ballot protections, mandate that employers share their workers’ personal information with unions, threaten the ability of independent contractors to compete, and make it easier for union bosses to harass employees.
No one should be forced to join a union as a condition of employment. This principle is rightfully enshrined in Georgia’s right-to-work law, but Democrats are targeting this protection. The PRO Act would invalidate safeguards against forced unionization in the Peach State and across the nation. Realities of this policy include paying dues or lose your job scenarios, coercive tactics in the workplace, and stripping workers of their privacy. The bill monopolizes power in the hands of big labor union bosses and destroys the ability of Americans to pursue new jobs and seek gainful employment on their own terms. It’s anti-worker and anti-opportunity, and that’s why I voted against it.
Other PRO Act Provisions include:
- Eliminating the ability of employees to choose whether or not to join a labor union or pay dues;
- Undermining the sovereignty of states by eradicating right-to-work laws;
- Threatening the ability of independent contractors and gig economy workers to compete by instituting federal mandates that make it increasingly difficult for companies to hire individuals as private contractors;
- Requiring employers to hand over reams of workers’ private, personal information to union organizers, including home addresses, cellphone and landline numbers, personal email addresses, and more—without the consent or even the knowledge of workers;
- Attacking the free-speech rights of employers by denying employers the opportunity to be heard before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on any matter pertaining to union representation; and
- Making union bosses more powerful but less accountable to workers, increasing the risk of union corruption and wrongdoing.
At the end of last week, Speaker Pelosi continued on her path of imposing her radical vision by trying to strip away Second Amendment rights. Instead of having an honest conversation about preventing violence in America, she is adamant about making it harder for Americans to defend themselves and exercise their liberties.
She advanced H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446, flawed legislation that would infringe on the Second Amendment, make criminals out of law-abiding citizens, hinder the ability of responsible Americans to protect themselves, and fail to make our communities safer. I was proud to vote against these bills, and I stand in favor of protecting our fundamental Second Amendment rights.
Ending senseless violence is a goal we all share, but these proposals do not address key aspects of mass violence, including mental illness, stopping criminals from illegally acquiring firearms, and breakdowns in law enforcement information sharing.
These misguided bills will erode the Second Amendment rights of responsible Georgians and Americans without actually keeping illegal firearms out of the hands of bad actors. This was unfortunately another political show vote from Democrat leadership. The majority even rejected an amendment that would have required ICE to be notified if an illegal immigrant tries to buy a gun.
Trampling on the Constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens is not a solution.
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Calling All GA-03 High School Students: Express Yourself
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The Congressional Art Competition allows high school students to expand their creativity and foster the development of critical artistic skills. Since 1982, over 650,000 folks from across the country have competed in this opportunity, and each year, I am more impressed by the quality of the art submitted by the talented students in Georgia’s Third District.
I’m thrilled to announce the launch of this year’s competition virtually. For complete details of the 2021 Congressional Art Competition, including information about how to submit a piece of artwork, please click here. If you know any students who might be interested in sharing their talents, please forward these details to them! All entries must be submitted to Jessica Eck at Jessica.Eck@mail.house.gov by Friday, April 23rd at 5:00 p.m.
2020 Congressional Art Competition Winner
“Legacy”
By: Emmanuel Romos from Villa Rica High School
Graphic, Charcoal, Conte Crayon
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Rental Resources
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The Georgia Department of Community Affairs recently announced financial assistance for renters, landlords, and utility providers who were negatively impacted due to the COVID pandemic. As part of a $552 million assistance fund from the U.S. Treasury's Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program, individuals, families, and landlords in Georgia are encouraged to check the online portal to see if they’re eligible.
Georgia Rental Assistance Program can serve renter households in Georgia who meet the following conditions:
- Qualified for unemployment benefits OR experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced other financial hardship due directly or indirectly to COVID-19;
- Demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability; and/or
- Have a household income at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI), with priority given to: 1) households below 50 percent of the AMI, or 2) households with one or more individuals who have been unemployed 90 days or longer at the time of application.
Click here to learn more about this program and determine if you're eligible.
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The Week Ahead
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On Thursday, the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight will hold a hearing with IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig to discuss this year’s tax filing season.
The House of Representatives will also consider the following pieces of legislation:
H.R. 1799 - PPP Extension Act of 2021
H.R. 1502 - Microloan Improvement Act of 2021
H.R. 1487 - Microloan Transparency and Accountability Act of 2021
H.R. 1490 - 504 Modernization and Small Manufacturer Enhancement Act of 2021
H.R. 1482 - 504 Credit Risk Management Improvement Act of 2021
H.R. 1528 - Promoting Transparent Standards for Corporate Insiders Act
H.R. 1602 - Eliminate Barriers to Innovation Act of 2021
H.R. 1395 - Housing Financial Literacy Act of 2021
H.R. 1532 - Improving FHA Support for Small Dollar Mortgages Act of 2021
H.R. 1491 - Fair Debt Collection for Servicemembers Act
H.R. 1565 - Senior Security Act
H.R. 1085 - To award three congressional gold medals to the United States Capitol Police and those who protected the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, as amended
H.R. 485 – CAPTA
H.R. 172 - United States Anti-Doping Agency Reauthorization Act of 2021
S. 578 - FASTER Act of 2021
H.R. 189 - John Lewis NIMHD Research Endowment Revitalization Act of 2021
H.R. 941 - TRANSPLANT Act of 2021
S. 164 - Advancing Education on Biosimilars Act of 2021
S. 415 - To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to the scope of new chemical exclusivity
H.R. 1215 - Fraud and Scam Reduction Act
H.R. 1460 - Nicholas and Zachary Burt Memorial Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act of 2021
H.R. 446 - Protecting Seniors from Emergency Scams
H.R. 1762 - Protecting Indian Tribes from Scams
H.R. 1766 - FTC Collaboration Act of 2021
H.R. 1002 - DEBAR Act of 2021, as amended
H.R. - Ensuring Compliance Against Drug Diversion Act of 2021
H.R. 1651 – COVID–19 Bankruptcy Relief Extension Act of 2021
H.R. 1652 – VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021
H.J.Res. 17 - Removing the deadline for the ratification of the equal rights amendment.
H.R. 1620 - Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2021
H.R. 6 - American Dream and Promise Act of 2021
H.R. 1603 - Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021
H.R. 1868 - To prevent across-the-board direct spending cuts, and for other purposes
As always, I’m here to serve you. Please contact my office with any questions, comments, or concerns. Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to keep track of upcoming legislation and events!
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Sincerely,
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| FOLLOW US |
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| In This Edition |
- The Most Progressive Bill in History
- Ferguson on the House Floor
- Calling All GA-03 High School Students: Express Yourself
- Rental Resources
- The Week Ahead |
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| Top News |
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Wake Up America – 3/10
Stimulus package
Simplecast: David Webb Show – 3/10
Relief package, HR8
Georgia lawmakers vote along party lines as federal COVID-19 aid gains final passage
Capitol Beat – 3/10
ATLANTA – As was the case with the entire U.S. House, Georgia’s congressional delegation voted along party lines Wednesday on President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package. “It’s nothing but a liberal wish list parading as pandemic relief,” added Rep. Drew FERGUSON, R-West Point. “This package is wrong for America, and it’s wrong for the state of Georgia.”
AMR Fund and Global Cohorts Working to Prevent Another Pandemic
BioSpace – 3/11
Policy makers in the US are also taking action to overhaul the antibiotics market. The PASTEUR Act, named after the famous microbiologist, Louis Pasteur, is a bipartisan bill that aims to limit the increase and spread of resistant infections. It was introduced in the Senate in September 2020 by Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Senator Todd Young (R-IN), and in the house in December by Congressional Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA) and Rep. Drew FERGUSON (R-GA).
Legislative Update: The PASTEUR ACT – Incentivizing Discovery and Development of Novel Antimicrobial Drugs
JDSUPRA – 3/11
With everything that was happening this past winter, it would have been easy to miss the introduction of S. 4760: The PASTEUR Act. On December 9, U.S. Representatives Mike Doyle (D-PA) and Drew FERGUSON (R-GA) introduced the Pioneering Antimicrobial Subscriptions to End Upsurging Resistance (PASTEUR) Act to encourage the development of critically needed antimicrobials and antibiotics.
Congressman Drew Ferguson announces 2021 Congressional Art Competition
Newnan Times-Herald - 3/13
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Drew FERGUSON (R-Ga.) today launched the 2021 Congressional Art Competition for high school students across the Third Congressional District. The annual competition, hosted each spring, empowers young people across the country to showcase their artistic abilities. The winning submission from the Third District will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building for one year alongside artwork from every participating Congressional District nationwide.
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