U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Rome, spoke on a range of topics Tuesday while hosting a Constituent Town Hall at Pleasant Valley Innovative School in Eton.
Greene, who represents Whitfield and Murray counties as part of Georgia’s 14th Congressional District and who is running for reelection, said she is paying close attention to the escalating tensions in the Middle East following Iran’s missile attack on Israel earlier in the day.
“(I’ve been) in communication with many colleagues I have in Washington and we are watching closely the situation developing in the Middle East,” Greene said. “We’re watching Israel and Iran, and praying for Israel.”
“Hopefully, this is going to calm down,” Greene said. “We really don’t want to see America pulled into another foreign war, especially after over 20 years in the Middle East. That would be devastating.”
Hurricane Helene’s impacts
Greene also spoke about the lingering effects of Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in Florida on Sept. 26. The hurricane and its aftermath ravaged parts of Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee and Virginia while causing more than 190 deaths.
Greene said those living in Northwest Georgia were “blessed” to see the hurricane divert from its original projected path.
“Hurricane Helene was directed straight up our entire district,” she said. “We all prepared for the storm thinking that we would see devastation. We didn’t. We saw that storm turn to the east and tragically devastate South Georgia, Central Georgia and the eastern part of our state, from Valdosta to Augusta.”
Greene said she is praying for the victims of the hurricane and that she has spent time reflecting on the damage.
“Here in our state of Georgia, so far they’ve declared (at least) 25 casualties from this hurricane,” she said. “And 2,500 Georgia National Guard (members) have been called up by Gov. (Brian) Kemp to help people here in Georgia.”
Greene said 41 counties in southern and eastern Georgia were approved for recovery assistance Tuesday by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. President Joe Biden originally approved a major disaster declaration for Georgia earlier that day for 11 counties.
“I had signed a bipartisan letter and all of us joined together here in Georgia asking for funding, and that was finally approved today,” she said. “So, we’re very grateful that that happened.”
‘Important work’
Greene, who serves on the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, and the House Committee on Homeland Security, said the committees have been able to do “important work.”
“I want to thank you so much for sending me to represent you,” she said. “(And represent) your values, your feelings, your frustrations and your angers. Whatever it may be, I promise you I carry it with me to Washington.”
Greene said some of the “important work” she’s accomplished includes the impeachment of Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas because of House Republicans’ dissatisfaction with immigration and border issues, which was approved by a 214-213 vote on Feb. 13. The Senate rejected the articles of impeachment.
“You got results on this one,” Greene said as she played a video of herself calling for Mayorkas’ impeachment on the House floor on Feb. 6.
“We voted to impeach Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas,” Greene said Tuesday. “Those articles of impeachment were your articles of impeachment. We were able to pass that, then the Chuck Schumer-, Democrat-controlled Senate refused to hold a trial … They stand by those policies by refusing to hold a trial in the Senate and by refusing to pass those articles of impeachment. Absolutely shameful.”
Greene said the Democratic Party has allowed the United States Border Patrol to become “overwhelmed” with the number of “gotaways” entering the country illegally.
“I cannot imagine if we have a terrorist attack anything like (the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks) or worse in our country,” Greene said. “This is the danger that the Democrats have put us in.”
Inflation
Greene also spoke about inflation, which she accused “not one party,” but “everybody” in Washington, D.C., of making worse.
“The spending is outrageous,” she said. “It’s out of control, and that is exactly why inflation is so rampant. That’s why the cost of living is ridiculous … This out-of-control spending is exactly why people are drowning in credit card debt and it should not happen.”
Greene said she is “completely opposed” to rampant spending, saying Congress should have to operate under a balanced budget amendment.
“This is a simple concept,” Greene said. “The state of Georgia passes a balanced budget every single year. We should be able to do that in Washington, D.C.”
Greene also called attention to the dockworkers strike.
“This is affecting ports from Maine to Texas,” she said. “This is a very serious situation and it’s going to impact everyone. It really will.”
Greene said she believes the strike could potentially negatively impact Georgia’s — and the nation’s — economy.
“Sadly, we are not an ‘America first’ country, we are not an ‘America first’ government,” she said. “And I think the real tragedy is that this is going to … affect the people suffering from hurricane devastation right now. That’s just too much to bear.”
That may also include Georgia’s farmers, she said.
“They’re getting ready to harvest cotton, pecans, peanuts and other crops that they export and depend on their ability to export, and they’re not going to be able to do that,” Greene said. “And that is going to be a real tragedy for our farmers. So, that’s something to pay attention to. Hopefully, we don’t see bare shelves at the store. They haven’t been on strike since 1977, so this is unprecedented in recent years. We’ll have to see how it works out.”