POLITICAL ROUNDUP: Georgia’s U.S. senators help push health care legislation forward

July 27--ALBANY -- Both of Georgia's U.S. senators on Tuesday evening supported moving the health care reform legislation in the Senate forward for debate.

The vote to start debate passed by the narrowest margin possible -- a single vote, which was cast by Vice President Mike Pence. Pence, who serves as president of the Senate by virtue of his executive office, enabled the bill to move forward with a 51-50 vote after two Republican senators voted against it, along with all 46 Democratic senators and two independents who caucus with Democrats.

Sen. David Perdue, R-Sea Island, spoke at 11 p.m. Tuesday in the Senate against the Affordable Care Act, which Republicans want to repeal and replace, saying it has had a negative impact on Georgians.

"The premiums in my state of Georgia alone, going into next year, are going up 42 percent, and here's the untold truth," Perdue said. "In my state, 96 of 159 counties only have one carrier. That's a monopoly. They can pretty much do whatever they want. That's under Obamacare, not anything else we're talking about. That's the reality today."

Perdue addressed the issue further Wednesday morning on Fox Business Network's "Mornings With Maria" (Bartiromo), saying the ACA had to be replaced.

"You know what is dysfunctional is that there was a Democrat super-majority in 2009 and 2010 that crammed Obamacare down our throats, and now millions of people are hurting," he said. "If we could start over and not have to fix this mess, it would be a lot easier."

Perdue said failing to act was not an option.

"Right now," he said, "Obamacare lives and you see more and more people losing insurance every day. This thing is collapsing under its own weight. The reality is Congress has to do something, sooner rather than later.

"... Right now, people are afraid of losing access. Premiums have skyrocketed and people are losing their insurance because they can't afford it. We put Medicaid on a long-term sustainable path. And we protect pre-existing conditions. That's what we wanted to do, and that's what this Senate bill actually does."

EARLIER TUESDAY, U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Marietta, met with President Trump's newest appointee from Georgia, Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention based in Atlanta. They discussed the organization's priorities and future.

"Dr. Fitzgerald's work in Georgia in so many areas of both health and education is a true asset to the CDC," Isakson, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which oversees the CDC, said. "She shares my commitment to helping ensure that the CDC will continue to fulfill its mission of protecting Americans from dangerous diseases, like the Ebola and Zika viruses.

"It is critical that Congress continues to support and strengthen the work of the CDC, both domestically and abroad. Through our long history of working together, I'm confident that Dr. Fitzgerald will bring exactly the type of leadership and expertise needed to secure the future of the CDC."

Fitzgerald, appointed to lead the CDC on July 7, was commissioner of Georgia's Department of Public Health.

TRADE WAS a concern Wednesday for U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, R-Tifton, a member of the House Agriculture Committee who participated in a committee hearing on renegotiating NAFTA. Scott stressed the importance of improving the North American Free Trade Agreement for America's farmers and ranchers.

"One of the biggest concerns I have while we renegotiate NAFTA," Scott said, "is the adjustment of existing frameworks to improve our nation's trade, in particular when it comes to achieving greater opportunities for poultry in Canada and specialty crops in Mexico without disrupting our current market access.

"I appreciate the conversations ... and look forward to working with my colleagues to craft an agreement that will work on behalf of our nation's producers and not against them."

Scott, who also serves on the House Armed Services Committee, released a statement upon the House's passage of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, which uses political and economic sanctions to hold North Korea, Iran and Russia accountable for aggressive acts, including ICBM tests, support for terrorist organizations, and interventions in neighboring countries.

"It's certainly no secret that we live in a world of ever-increasing threats, and in the wake of these increased security threats, it is as important as ever to ensure our critical security alliances continue to prosper," Scott said. "... House passage of stricter sanctions towards North Korea, Iran and Russia is a step forward in giving the United States critical leverage towards regimes that continue to threaten our interests and those of our friends and allies around the world."

In June, Scott was part of a congressional delegation to South Korea, Japan, Vietnam and Singapore. The purpose of the trip was to reassure other nations of the U.S. commitment to the East Asia region and its commitment to work on an international basis to try to solve problems with North Korea.

ON WEDNESDAY, Isakson, chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, applauded the bipartisan committee approval of the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017, legislation that he said would improve veterans' education benefits and enhance the post-9/11 G.I. Bill.

"This important legislation will make necessary improvements to the G.I Bill for reservists, veterans and their families," Isakson said. "This legislation has received broad support from our colleagues in the House and Senate as well as from veteran, military and higher education groups. I thank our committee for supporting this bipartisan, bicameral legislative package, and I urge the Senate to quickly approve this legislation to enhance educational benefits for our veterans."

Following Wednesday's voice vote, the legislation moves to the full Senate for a vote.

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