Rep. Loudermilk Joins Georgia's Congressional Delegation Urging Swift Approval of State's Federal Disaster Declaration Request
Washington D.C. (September 30, 2024) | This week, Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA-11), joined Georgia's entire Congressional Delegation in a letter to President Biden urging swift approval of Georgia's request for a Major Federal Disaster Declaration, which would unlock key federal disaster relief funding for impacted families, businesses, and local governments from Hurricane Helene.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp formally requested President Biden declare a major disaster in the state of Georgia following Georgia's Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) completed disaster assessment across the state. Following the state of Georgia's formal request, Georgia's entire Congressional Delegation including U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Reps. Buddy Carter (GA-1), Sanford Bishop (GA-2), Drew Ferguson (GA-3), Hank Johnson (GA-4), Nikema Williams (GA-5), Rich McCormick (GA-6), Lucy McBath (GA-7), Austin Scott (GA-8), Andrew Clyde (GA-9), Mike Collins (GA-10), Barry Loudermilk (GA-11), Rick Allen (GA-12), David Scott (GA-13), and Majorie Taylor Greene (GA-14) urged President Biden to quickly approve Georgia's request, which would provide a range of critical federal assistance programs to counties impacted by the hurricane, including for both impacted individuals and public infrastructure.
“We write to convey full support for Governor Brian Kemp’s request for an expedited major disaster declaration for the counties in the State of Georgia significantly impacted by Hurricane Helene,” Georgia’s entire Congressional Delegation wrote. “We encourage your team to promptly consider Governor Kemp’s request for a major disaster declaration, and we stand ready to work with you and your Administration to support these critical recover efforts in Georgia.”
Lastly, Governor Kemp requested President Biden use his discretion under Section 403 and Section 407 of the Stafford Act to increase the Federal cost share of the eligible costs associated with Hurricane Helene.
President Biden approved Georgia's Major Federal Disaster Declaration on September 30th.
Click here to read the full Georgia Delegation's letter.
Rep. Loudermilk Joins Bipartisan, Bicameral Letter to Congressional Leadership Calling for Immediate Support for Farmers Impacted by Hurricane Helene
Washington D.C. (October 1, 2024) | This week, Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA-11), joined the entire Georgia Congressional Delegation and other Members of Congress from Southeastern states in a bipartisan, bicameral letter urging Congressional leadership to work with them and the Biden Administration to ensure disaster relief resources are made available to farmers and growers following the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene.
"To prevent deep and lasting economic damage to the agricultural industry in the southeastern United States, it is imperative that Congress make appropriations as soon as possible upon the completion of damage assessments to fully fund unmet agricultural disaster relief needs in our states and across the nation,” the Members wrote. “Farmers and growers nationwide, not only those damaged by Helene, have now faced multiple growing seasons without sufficient federal support. Our constituents are counting on us to act swiftly.”
Members of Congress on the letter include: U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Reps. Buddy Carter (GA-1), Sanford D. Bishop Jr. (GA-2), Drew Ferguson (GA-3), Hank Johnson (GA-4), Nikema Williams (GA-5), Rich McCormick (GA-6), Lucy McBath (GA-7), Austin Scott (GA-8), Andrew Clyde (GA-9), Mike Collins (GA-10), Barry Loudermilk (GA-11), Rick Allen (GA-12), David Scott (GA-13), Majorie Taylor Greene (GA-14), Darren Soto (FL-9), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), Frederica Wilson (FL-24), Morgan McGarvey (KY-3), Don Davis (NC-1), Deborah Ross (NC-2), Greg Murphy (NC-3), Kathy Manning (NC-6), Dan Bishop (NC-8), Chuck Edwards (NC-11), Alda Adams (NC-12), Wiley Nickel (NC-13), Jeff Jackson (NC-14), and Diana Harshbarger (TN-1).
“Federal agricultural disaster assistance is essential to help our States and our Nation recover. We urge you to work with the administration to ensure disaster relief resources are made available to our growers. Thank you for your support, and we look forward to working with you to secure these critical resources,” the members concluded.
Rep. Loudermilk Shares Hurricane Helene IRS Relief Information
Washington D.C. (October 1, 2024) | This week, Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA-11) shared critical information from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regarding tax relief for individuals and businesses in the entire state of Georgia affected by Hurricane Helene. Top highlights below:
Taxpayers in affected areas now have until May 1, 2025 to file various federal individual and business tax returns, or make tax payments. This includes returns and payments that would be due by April of next year. This critical relief applies to:
Individuals and businesses that have a 2024 return normally due during March or April 2025.
Individuals who had a valid extension to file their 2023 return due to run out on October 15, 2024.
However, the IRS noted that because tax payments related to these 2023 returns were due on April 15, 2024, those payments are not eligible for this relief.
Calendar-year corporations with valid extensions whose 2023 filing extensions run out on October 15, 2024.
This extension also applies to affected taxpayers whose returns or payments were already extended because of the Hurricane Debby disaster (previous declaration gave affected individuals until February 2025). Their new extended date is May 1, 2025.
If a taxpayer in the disaster area receives a late filing or late penalty notice from the IRS, and that notice is related to a filing, payment, or deposit due during the postponement period, the taxpayer should call the IRS using the telephone number on the notice.
Taxpayers with certain retirement plans may be eligible to take an emergency distribution without penalty. They should contact their retirement plan manager for more information if interested.
If taxpayers are contacted by a tax collector or auditor during this period, they should explain that they are in a disaster affected area.
Certain disaster relief payments from a government agency may be excluded from gross income.
Fees for copies of previous returns are waived for affected taxpayers. They should write the assigned FEMA declaration number "3616-EM" in bold letters at the top of their Form 4506/4506-T when submitting to the IRS to have the fee waived.
Click here or below to read the full IRS press release. If you have any questions, concerns, or need assistance with the IRS, please contact our district office in Woodstock at (770) 429-1776.
Rep. Loudermilk Cosponsors House Resolution Celebrating the Life and Legacy of President Jimmy Carter on his 100th Birthday
Washington D.C. (October 1, 2024) | This week, Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA-11), joined Reps. Buddy Carter (GA-1), Sanford D. Bishop Jr. (GA-2) and Nikema Williams (GA-5) in cosponsoring a House resolution honoring the life, achievements and public service of former President Jimmy Carter on his milestone 100th birthday. The resolution recognizes President Carter's numerous contributions to the state of Georgia, the United States, and the world.
Specifically, it highlights key moments from President Carter's life, including his early years growing up on a farm in Plains, Georgia, and his dedicated service to the U.S. Navy. It also acknowledges his time as Georgia's 76th Governor, our nation's 39th President, and his post-presidential humanitarian work.
To read the full text of the resolution, clickhere.
Rep. Loudermilk Joins 60+ Bipartisan Lawmakers in Calling for VA Secretary McDonough to End Efforts that Weaken Veterans Anesthesia Care Standards
Washington D.C. (October 2, 2024) | This week, Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA-11), joined Reps. David Scott (GA-13), Mike Turner (OH-10) and Andrew Garbarino (NY-2) in sending a bipartisan letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough alongside more than 60+ Members, expressing deep concerns with the VA's latest attempt to weaken veteran anesthesia care standards.
BACKGROUND
The VA's official policy, and the policy in 46 states including Georgia, requires a physician to lead a team of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) to jointly monitor patients and together provide safe anesthesia care. The VA is proposing to eliminate physician anesthesiologists from the team of doctors and replace them with a "nurse only" model of care, even though there is no rationale for diminishing the current standards.
Click here to read the full text of the bipartisan letter.
Rep. Loudermilk Cosponsors House Resolution Urging for the Immediate Release of Tigran Gambaryan from Imprisonment in Nigeria
This week, Rep. Barry Loudermilk (GA-11) joined Reps. Rich McCormick (GA-6) and French Hill (AR-2) in cosponsoring H. Res. 1348, a resolution urging the Nigerian government to immediately cease the wrongful detainment of Tigran Gambaryan. Gambaryan, a U.S. citizen and former Federal agent, has been detained in Nigeria since February 2024 on charges including tax evasion and money laundering.
BACKGROUND
Despite the expiration of the court order for his detention and concerns for his health, Gambaryan remains in custody at the notorious Kuje Prison in Nigeria. This resolution highlights the need for the Nigerian government to provide full consular access, medical care, and due process rights to Gambaryan. The resolution also expresses sympathy for the Gambaryan family, and all other citizens wrongfully detained abroad.
IN THE NEWS: HBO mum on why J6 documentary excluded footage of Pelosi admitting security failures
Just the News:
HBO eventually gave House Republicans video clips from filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi documentaries on the Jan. 6 riot, including her mother, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, taking "responsibility" for inadequate security, including the National Guard not being at the Capitol beforehand. But the cable TV network has still not given an answer about why those clips never made the final cut.
“We're calling the National Guard now?" Pelosi is seen saying in one of the videos, amid the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. "They should have been here to start out."
In another clip, also received this summer by the House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight, Pelosi is heard saying about those in charge of Capitol security, "I take responsibility for not having them just prepared for more."
....
The request for all of the video was made by committee Chairman Barry Loudermilk in a May 23 letter to David Zaslav president and CEO Warner Bros Discovery Inc., the parent company of Home Box Office.
The video was given to the committee days later. Loudermilk after having received it also also argues the Democrat-led select J6 committee never archived all of the video.
The committee "spent about $20 million just trying to put blame on Trump," he said.
IN THE NEWS: Key House chairman to ask Congress to repudiate Democrats' J6 findings in face of new evidence
Just the News:
....
The last two years of investigations by Congress and Just the News have whipsawed the original, official narrative of what transpired during the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.
Now the man who has helped uncover much of the contradictory evidence, House Administration Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., is planning to ask his colleagues to take the extraordinarily rare step of officially repudiating the December 2022 findings of the Democrat-led House Select Committee to Investigate the Attack on the U.S. Capitol led by Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and ex-Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyoming.
“My intention is to bring the House floor a resolution that lays out all the evidence that we found that contradicts the evidence that they supposedly or the narrative they put in their report because future generations need to know, do not use this document that the select committee produced as any reflection of a historical record,” Loudermilk told the "Just the News, No Noise" television show on Thursday night.
There is no known vehicle in Congress to formally retract an official report from an earlier session of the legislative body, so Loudermilk’s team is aiming to craft legislation that would ask the current members of Congress to repudiate and disown the prior work of the earlier committee.
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