WASHINGTON — Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) and Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.) today introduced H.R. 1952, the Intercountry Adoption Information Act, to remove obstacles for American families pursuing overseas adoption.

“Millions of children at home and abroad are in need of a loving home, and families all across the globe are eager to provide them with the care and support they deserve,” said Rep. Collins. “The Intercountry Adoption Information Act will help bring families together by ensuring parents pursuing overseas adoption, like the Romano family, have access to the information required to navigate the international adoption landscape, and ultimately, to bring their children home.”

“Whether adopting at home or abroad, families looking to provide loving homes to children in need should have access to the information required to navigate the process successfully,” said Rep Langevin. “I am proud to join Rep. Collins in introducing the Intercountry Adoption Information Act so families who chose to pursue overseas adoptions are aware of how changing international adoption laws might affect them.”

American families hoping to adopt children from a foreign country often face many challenges. In 2012, Mark and Pam Romano –a family in northeast Georgia –were in the process of adopting two brothers from Russia when the country suddenly halted all adoptions to the United States.

“Willing, loving families in the United States and elsewhere long to have the chance to make the sacrifices necessary to extend their tender care to a child, or children, they themselves did not give birth to. I think I speak for every family in the process of adopting, or even considering adoption: Change is long overdue. Transparency and accountability are vital to any program that seeks to benefit the welfare of children. Accurate, honest information is power in its purest form,” said Pam Romano. “My family and I are greatly appreciative of Congressman Collins’ ongoing efforts to raise awareness regarding the multitude of intercountry adoption concerns. We continue to pray that ‘the least of these’ would lead the greatest amongst us to a world of positive change.”

The Intercountry Adoption Information Act requires the Secretary of State include in its annual report information on countries that have carried out a new policy or law that has reduced or prevented adoptions involving immigration to the United States. Further, the Department of State would be required to include information on efforts to encourage the resumption of stalled or halted adoption proceedings within these countries. These requirements will ensure families have access to consistent, up-to-date information about the adoption policies of foreign countries and how they affect adoption proceedings.

Senator Richard Burr (R-N.C.) has also introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

CLEVELAND, Ga. — Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) met with members of the White County Farm Bureau Thursday to discuss challenges facing the local agriculture industry and provide an update on key issues in Washington. During the meeting, Collins answered questions on a variety of issues ranging from compliance to immigration.

“Our farmers here in White County and throughout Northeast Georgia are working day and night to put food on our tables, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to hear from them directly on the issues facing the agriculture industry,” said Collins. “As part of a family farm, I understand the challenges our farming communities are dealing with, and I will continue to advocate on their behalf as Congress works to support American farmers.”

While in Cleveland, Collins toured London Farms, Seabolt Farms, and Nix Farms, where he cut silage, shucked corn, and visited a sheep farm.

“The farms we visited this week have been family-owned and operated for generations, and it’s incredible to see firsthand the heart and soul these Georgia farmers pour into their products,” said Collins.

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WASHINGTON – Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, made the following statement at the beginning of today’s House Judiciary Committee markup.

Below are the remarks as prepared:

Ranking Member Doug Collins:  Mr. Chairman, before we begin today, I must point out the humanitarian and security crisis at the southern border rages on, and this committee – which has jurisdiction over immigration – has done nothing to address the problem. So many family units are crossing the border that border patrol is being forced simply to release them into America’s interior. House Democrats have denied there’s a humanitarian or security crisis while blaming President Trump for outrageous conditions at the border, but they’ve taken no steps to address this crisis.

Instead, Democrats have moved to issue subpoenas that, for several reasons, I cannot support.

First, the subpoena for the Mueller report and its underlying evidence commands the attorney general to do the unthinkable — break the law. The attorney general’s entire mandate is to enforce the law, and he’s expressly forbidden from providing grand jury material outside of the department, with very limited and narrow exceptions. Congress is not one of those exceptions, and the chairman knows it. In 1998, in the wake of the Starr report, the chairman described grand jury material as “material that by law . . . must be kept secret. It’s grand jury material. It represents statements which may or may not be true by various witnesses, salacious material, all kinds of material that it would be unfair to release.”

But now a different political landscape compels the chairman to adopt new standards of fairness, ignore existing law and demand the material he once considered “unfair to release.” As much as the chairman or I may want to view this material, it is a fundamental underpinning of our justice system and law that we cannot. In the face of laws and rules he finds inconvenient, the chairman demands our nation’s top law enforcement official break the law instead of supporting him in enforcing it. This is reckless. It’s irresponsible. It’s disingenuous.

It is also confusing since the attorney general is doing exactly what he sa, id he would be doing – making as much of the report public as possible under federal law and department policy. The regulations written by Janet Reno and other Democrats don’t require him to do this – but in the name of transparency, he is. He may even furnish us the report as early as next week. Yet the chairman plows ahead.

Second, the subpoenas aimed at five individuals are completely misguided. Quite simply, they are to the wrong people. Two of these individuals are cooperating with this ill-advised investigation and have provided nearly 3,000 pages of documents. The chairman is rewarding this cooperation by announcing their subpoenas before even notifying their lawyers.

The other three individuals responded to Chairman Nadler’s initial inquiry and have also indicated a willingness to cooperate. Democrats never followed up with their lawyers either. These three individuals could not have any documents responsive to the original request, because those responsive documents all came during their time in the White House, making them presidential records. None of these three have custody of responsive documents, and the chairman knows this, too.

Why would he ignore such obvious facts? Because Judiciary Democrats conduct oversight via press release. Their investigation into 81 Trump associates has yielded no dividends. After one month, the only revelation is something we knew already — Democrats have embarrassed themselves with pre-judged conclusions that the president has obstructed justice.

Now, some Democrats have acknowledged it’s time to stop grinding political axes and govern. Yet my friends across the dais are eager for headlines, so they’re issuing subpoenas to five individuals associated with the president – despite the fact the special counsel spent nearly two years examining exactly what House Democrats are fishing for here and despite the fact nearly 30 others who received Chairman Nadler’s letters haven’t responded at all.

So, the message is clear: if you cooperate with this committee, you will get a subpoena. If you ignore it, Democrats will return the favor. This seems like a counterintuitive way to conduct oversight.

Third, today’s markup constitutes the biggest abuse of congressional subpoena power since the Oversight Committee launched a bevy of unfounded subpoenas at the Clinton Administration. The subpoenas today run counter to any type of accommodations process. Instead, the Chairman is using the most potent tool in his arsenal without even talking to the lawyers representing any of these individuals – individuals who have, up to this point, cooperated.

Let’s pause. Why is the chairman doing this? Because even full compliance from these individuals wouldn’t satisfy him. He wants to sue in federal court for these documents, even if he already has them. He’s picking the fight because fighting makes good headlines, and because his caucus is desperate for dirt on this president.

Without facts on their side, Democrats have put all their hope in optics. There is no legislative purpose to these subpoenas, but there is a lesson. The chief and most fruitful charge of this committee is lawmaking, and no one waiting for immigration, criminal justice, or patent reform thinks it’s fair to see these issues neglected in exchange for subpoenaing Hope Hicks. Why do Democrats?

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com

GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) released the following statement after telecommunications provider Windstream filed for bankruptcy.

“For years, Windstream has taken advantage of customers and taxpayers by promising speeds they know they can’t meet and failing to provide consistent broadband service while collecting taxpayer dollars and receiving substantial federal tax breaks. Despite its bankruptcy status, the burden of Windstream’s financial problems cannot fall on the shoulders of taxpayers who depend on their services to access the Internet. Windstream must continue to meet its obligations under the Connect America Fund to provide broadband service to rural communities like northeast Georgia.

“Since I first took office, I have received hundreds upon hundreds of complaints from Ninth District residents regarding virtually every aspect of Windstream’s service in Northeast Georgia. Businesses have been unable to operate efficiently because of unreliable service. Students in rural areas fail to gain access to high-speed internet they need to complete their school work at home. Despite repeated efforts to prompt Windstream to address these issues, they continue to fall short.

“I continue to believe increased competition spurs improvement, which is why I’ve introduced the Connect America Fund Accountability Act to hold providers accountable. I remain committed to holding carriers like Windstream accountable, and working to expand broadband access in Northeast Georgia and beyond.”

Background

• Last month, Rep. Collins introduced the Connect America Fund (CAF) Accountability Act of 2019, to hold providers like Windstream accountable.
• In June 2017, Rep. Collins introduced the Gigabit Opportunity (GA) Act to incentivize providers to expand broadband infrastructure to communities that lack high-speed access.
• In May 2016, Rep. Collins met with Windstream CEO Tony Thomas to discuss the ongoing issues with Windstream service in Northeast Georgia.
• In April 2016, Rep. Collins sent a letter to Windstream CEO Tony Thomas to follow up on previous concerns and emphasize the growing number of complaints from Windstream customers.
• In February 2016, Rep. Collins requested information from Windstream after receiving hundreds of complaints of unsatisfactory and substandard service from Windstream customers in the Ninth District.

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com