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    U.S. Representative John R. Carter was re-elected in a landslide in November 2012 to his sixth term representing Texas' Thirty-First Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Congressman Carter was selected this term as Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Appropriations and also to serve on the Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee and Defense Subcommittee. In addition, this is his third term as Co-Chairman of the bipartisan House Army Caucus. He has been a member of the House Appropriations Committee since 2004.

    Since his first election in 2002, Congressman Carter has established himself as a leader in Congress who has the foresight and courage to author and support numerous pieces of legislation that would increase the protection of U.S. citizens and bring justice to those who threaten our freedom and way of life.

    Congressman Carter is one of the few House Members who has authored legislation signed into law under both Presidents Bush and Obama. In spite of now being a veteran Congressman, John Carter is still known as "Judge" for having served over 20 years on the district court bench in Williamson County, which he won as the first county-wide elected Republican in Williamson County history. Before becoming a Judge, Congressman Carter had a successful private law practice and continued to practice law while serving as the Municipal Judge in Round Rock.

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    Congressman Carter's leadership ability has been recognized by his colleagues and others. During his first term, Congressman Carter was named one of the "Top Five Freshman" in Congress by Capitol Hill's leading newspaper.

    In July 2004, President Bush held a signing ceremony for Congressman Carter's Identity Theft bill at the White House. The law lessens the burden of proof making identity theft easier to prove and prosecute and also defines and creates punishment for aggravated identity theft.

    A true Texan at heart, Congressman Carter was born and raised in Houston and has spent his adult life in Central Texas. Carter attended Texas Tech University where he graduated with a degree in History and then graduated from the University of Texas Law School in 1969.Congressman Carter and his wife, Erika, met in Holland and have been happily married since June 15, 1968. Since then they have built a home and raised a family of four on Christian beliefs and strong Texas Values. Congressman Carter and Mrs. Carter are also a proud grandparents to six precious grandchildren.  

     

     

    To stay connected with Chairman Carter:

    Email - http://carter.house.gov/contact-john-nav
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    House Appropriations Committee - http://appropriations.house.gov/

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Habitat for Salamanders and Texans

OPINION: words
For immediate release: June 18, 2012
Habitat for Salamanders and Texans
By Congressman John Carter 

When Congress created the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1973, it was with noble goals in mind.   We wanted to save and restore our populations of eagles, bison, and other species that were in danger of extinction.     

The Act has been enormously effective.  Many of the originally targeted populations have increased so dramatically that they have now been removed from the endangered species list, including the Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Grizzly Bear, and others.

But in recent years we have seen the ESA hijacked by special-interest groups using the courts to impose a radical anti-development, preservationist agenda on the nation.  This agenda is not about saving species.  It is about gradually blocking future economic development and suburban growth, and using the ESA to effectively seize control of private land.    

In May 2011 USFWS signed a settlement agreement to a lawsuit filed by a group called WildEarth Guardians which forces USFWS to make endangered species determinations on at least 251 species over the next six years.  

This is the agenda we now face here in Central Texas as USFWS investigates whether the Austin Blind, Salado, Jollyville Plateau, and Georgetown Salamanders in Bell, Williamson, and Travis counties are threatened or endangered – and in our case, render this decision by September 30 of this year. 

The Jollyville Plateau Salamander is a small, brown salamander that lives in springs in northwest Austin and southern Williamson County. Most of the known locations for this species are within lands already protected under the Austin and Travis County Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan (BCCP). 

The Georgetown Salamander is a small salamander that is believed to exist only in Williamson County.  It is found in springs in the forks and tributary creeks of the San Gabriel River, and wet caves.  The Williamson County Conservation Foundation (WCCF), established by Williamson County Government, is developing a conservation plan for these habitats, and is in the second year of a five-year study of the species and habitat.  These studies also include areas which drain into salamander habitat, as that naturally affects the water quality of the habitat.   

Williamson County has purchased the Twin Springs Preserve, which is one of the known habitats of the Georgetown Salamander, and has protected a significant portion of the drainage area for Cobb Spring which hosts a salamander population.  USFWS has recognized these efforts by lowering the Georgetown Salamander endangered species listing priority level from a 2 to a level 8 status. 

The Salado Salamander is grayish-brown with a flat head and round snout, and is very elusive. USFWS is not certain of whether it still exists.  It has been found in the springs that feed Salado Creek in Bell County.  USFWS searched for the salamander from 1991-98 and found none, while Texas Parks and Wildlife researchers found just one in weekly searches over the past three years.  

The result of USFWS listing these salamanders as endangered species could be economically devastating, especially in Williamson and Bell County, which have prospered through much of this recession due to our continued growth. 

Construction of new homes, schools, roads, bridges, water treatment plants, and businesses could be brought to a screeching halt in much of the area.   Even additions to existing homes and businesses could be blocked if the land is determined to be part of salamander habitat – and remember that can be any land that could drain into an area with salamanders, meaning much of both counties.   Not only would growth end, existing property values could drop due to the new restrictions.  

Our counties are moving aggressively to prevent these salamanders from being added to the endangered species list.  They are doing it the right way, by taking concrete steps to ensure these species survive, through voluntary, local habitat protection measures. 

This month, I joined with our Senators John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison in asking U.S. Fish and Wildlife to refrain from listing these species in light of the preservation work underway by local government. 

This past week, U.S. Fish and Wildlife acknowledged that these efforts can work.  The agency formally determined that the dunes sagebrush lizard – another species under the same settlement agreement as our salamanders - does not need endangered species protections because voluntary conservation agreements now in place in New Mexico and Texas already ensures the long-term protection and recovery of the species. 

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said, “this is a great example of how states and landowners are taking early, landscape-level action to protect a creature and its habitat before it requires the protection of the Endangered Species Act … the voluntary conservation efforts of Texas and New Mexico, oil and gas operators, private landowners and other stakeholders show that we don’t have to choose between energy development and the protection our land and wildlife – we can do both.” 

We can – and are - doing both here in Central Texas.  If we let reliable and replicable science determine our path instead of lawsuits and politics, we can create a sustainable environment for both salamanders and Texans. 

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    repName John Smith  
    helpWithFedAgencyAddress Haverhill District Office
    1234 S. Courthouse
    Haverhill, CA 35602    		  
    district 21st District of California  
    academyUSCitizenDate July 1, 2012  
    academyAgeDate July 1, 2012  
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  • Office Locations Push

    Office Name Location Image Map URL
    Washington DC
     
    2110 Rayburn H.O.B.
    Washington, D.C. 20515
    (202) 225-3864
    		 http://goo.gl/ZwFDsc
    Round Rock Office
     
    1717 North IH 35
    Suite 303
    Round Rock, TX 78664
    (512) 246-1600
    		 http://goo.gl/maps/NNJtv
    Bell County Office
    6544B S. General Bruce Drive
    Temple, TX 76502
    Located next to the DPS office
    (254) 933-1392
    		 https://goo.gl/maps/fcvH3