(Round Rock, TX) – On Friday, Congressman John Carter (TX-31) and over 100 House members sent a letter to House and Senate leadership urging reauthorization and additional funding for the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in the next Coronavirus response package.

“There is a lot of fear and uncertainty amongst Americans right now, and for the victims of domestic violence, there is even more fear because of these stay-at-home orders,” Representative Carter said. “There are already reports detailing the rise of domestic violence since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, so it’s extremely important that resources and funding are available to protect those at risk. As Congress continues to work on Coronavirus response efforts, I encourage House and Senate leadership to include measures to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act and include funding to keep crucial programs running to support victims of domestic violence. As we work to provide for our health care professionals, small businesses and American families to end this pandemic, we must remember to protect those who are not safe in their own homes and give them resources to safely shelter-in-place.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 27, 2019

CONTACT:
Amy O’Donnell, Director of Communications
512.477.1244
amy@texasallianceforlife.org

By U.S. Rep. John Carter

In response to the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries placing an oil embargo against the West in 1973, President Nixon graced TV screens and promised the American people that the United States would be energy independent in just 10 years.

However, progress toward energy independence crept forward at a snail’s pace over those 10 years, and over the next few decades, America experienced several oil crises due to tumultuous global politics.

Almost 41 years after Nixon’s original promise, the U.S. is finally at the cusp of energy independence — that is, if politics doesn’t spoil it.

Due to consistently growing demand, the U.S. has been forced to rely on importing oil and gas to meet the needs of Americans. This demand had left us subject to the whims of Russia and members of the OPEC, including Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran.

Not only have these key players experienced turbulent political times, we’ve seen before that they’ve used their status to manipulate the oil marketplace by implementing embargoes, creating shortages and sending prices skyrocketing. America’s reliance on foreign oil has been a threat to our economy and national security.

But now something amazing is happening. The U.S. energy sector is experiencing revolutionary growth and is reclaiming its spot as the world’s energy superpower.

According to Global Witness, a “staggering 61% of the world’s new oil and gas production over the next decade is set to come from one country alone, the United States.” Output from America’s new oil and gas fields is estimated to be eight times greater than Canada, 20 times greater than Russia, and more than 1.5 times the output of all other countries combined.

Additionally, of the world’s top 10 oil and gas producers, seven are U.S. states.

A statistic that’s even more impressive: projections indicate that Texas will be responsible for 28 percent of new global production. This unprecedented level of output is tremendous news for the Texas economy, and for the hundreds of thousands of Texans employed in the energy industry.

The U.S. is positioned to benefit greatly from its transition into a net exporter of energy. First and foremost, affordable oil and gas prices result in a healthier economy.

As the largest producer, the U.S. will have access to a reliable supply of energy, which will provide more stable energy prices for consumers, and lastly, a large oil reserve will create a safety net for the U.S. economy, which is susceptible to high energy costs resulting from oil shortages.

While energy independence is a boost for our economy and national security, recent pushes to pass restrictive legislation, such as the Green New Deal, and promises by Democratic presidential candidates could prove disastrous for both the energy sector and economy, especially in Texas. In fact, at a recent CNN climate town hall, various candidates said they’d ban offshore drilling, the export of fossil fuels, and phase out combustion engine cars and commercial air travel.

U.S. senator and presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren recently stated that on her first day in office she “will sign an executive order that puts a total moratorium on all new fossil fuel leases for drilling offshore and on public lands,” fundamentally destroying jobs and energy stability in one flick of a pen.

While I believe in the development of new technologies that are grounded in science, and an “all of the above” energy strategy, the left’s approach to throw the baby out with the bath water would have significant negative effects on our state’s economy and Texans’ quality of life.

Instead, everyone should realize that being a world energy superpower introduces stability in energy pricing and improves our nation’s geopolitical influence — an important effect that cannot be understated in a world that is increasingly unstable.

The U.S. is on stable ground with our energy production, and it’s important that we stay on this path for our own national security, energy security and economy. Right now, America is in a good place with energy production, but in order to stay there, we need smart, pro-growth policies, not the hasty one-size-fits-all suggestions that are currently being discussed in the political arena.

(Round Rock, TX) – Representative John Carter (TX-31) will have knee replacement surgery on Monday, July 29.

“After decades of running around the great state of Texas, traversing thousands of miles across Bell and Williamson Counties as your representative, and coaching countless hours of little league practice as a father and grandfather, there is no choice but to upgrade to bionic knees that can keep up with me. With the exceptional care of the doctors and nurses at Baylor Scott & White, I’ll be back to work in Texas’ 31^st Congressional District in no time,” said Rep. Carter. “I look forward to a smooth recovery and returning full speed ahead to bring more Texas to Washington.”

By: U.S. Rep. John Carter

During my two decades as a district court judge in Williamson County, thousands of cases from civil issues to truly horrific murders came through my courtroom. I’ve put killers, kidnappers, rapists and abusers behind bars, and I believe the world is a better place for it.

Recently, presidential candidate and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said something that I couldn’t believe, and as a former judge, I certainly disagree with.

During a CNN town hall, a Harvard student asked Sanders if he thought felons should be allowed to vote while they’re incarcerated. When the student pressed whether it was appropriate to empower sexual offenders — or those convicted of truly heinous crimes, like the Boston Marathon Bomber — with the right to choose their elected officials, Sanders responded that “yes, even terrible people” should have the right to vote in prison.

One of the most shocking cases I ever had in my courtroom was Genene Jones. She is a murderer believed to be responsible for several infant deaths. Jones was convicted for the death of a 15-month-old girl, Chelsea McClellan. She injected the infant with a fatal dose of succinylcholine chloride, a drug typically used to help with tracheal intubation that causes temporary paralysis. The little girl stopped breathing and was unable to be revived by medical professionals.

Genene Jones is just one example of the evil that came through my courtroom during my time on the bench. Her crimes are monstrous, as are the Boston Marathon Bombers that were referred to in the question posed to Sanders. The Tsarnaev brothers killed three and injured hundreds. Somehow, Sanders still believes that people like Jones and Tsarnaev, truly evil people, deserve the right to vote.

When these individuals committed their crimes, it was a voluntary action. They, along with every other criminal, understood that they could be punished by the criminal justice system, and that punishment can range on severity. It could be probation, prison time or even the death penalty in some states.

Nobody forces a criminal to commit a crime. It was a decision, and that decision has consequences in a just system. Not being able to participate in our democracy should be one of those consequences.

If you murder your fellow man, abuse a child, commit a terrorist act or commit any other crime that has landed you in prison, you should not have the ability to vote while serving your time.

Currently, there are two states, Vermont and Maine, that allow convicted felons to vote while incarcerated. That means murderers, sexual abusers and violent criminals can vote for the people who write the laws.

Besides that fact, Maine and Vermont’s decision to allow offenders to maintain their voting rights while incarcerated goes against the entire point of prison. It is supposed to be a consequence resulting in a loss of freedom and liberty, and that should include the loss of voting abilities.

Our democracy truly is one of the great inventions of all time. It puts decision making into the hands of the people by allowing them a direct say in who represents their interests at the local, state and federal level. Granting felons the ability to participate in our democracy and make decisions on behalf of our communities and our country is a mistake. It’s giving influence to a group of individuals that aren’t actively in the community and do not experience the consequences of their vote.

Democracy is the greatest human experiment, and terrorists like the Boston Marathon bomber should not be able to participate in it.

(Washington, DC) – Representatives John Carter (R-TX) and Rick Larsen (D-WA) yesterday introduced the Children of Fallen Warriors AMT Relief Act, legislation that would change tax law to count Survivor Benefit Plan annuity paid to a minor beneficiary as earned income, so the payments are not subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax.

“In the aftermath of a tragedy, the families of America’s fallen heroes should not be burdened with unjustly high taxes due to their loss,” Rep. Carter said. “The current tax system has unintendedly taxed some survivor’s benefits under the Alternative Minimum Tax rate. The AMT was meant for the ultra-wealthy, not for grieving military families. The men and women in uniform and their families sacrifice greatly for our nation, and we need to ensure that our laws are not placing an undue financial burden on a tragic situation.”

“Survivor benefits are not unearned income. These children have endured sacrifice and loss,” said Larsen. “This bipartisan legislation will fix an injustice in the tax code so military families are not unfairly penalized.”

The Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) was designed so that wealthy families can’t avoid paying taxes, but it’s had unintended consequences when it comes to families of fallen service members receiving annuities from the Uniformed Services Survivors Benefit Plan (SBP). In some cases, taxable SBP incomes can subject grieving families to the higher tax rates under AMT. Congressman Carter’s legislation would ensure that families of America’s fallen military would no longer have their survivor benefits taxed at AMT rates designed for the ultra-wealthy.

Rep. Carter represents Texas District 31, which includes Fort Hood, the largest active duty armored military installation in the free world. He serves as co-chairman of the Congressional Army Caucus and Ranking Member of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Appropriations.