Rep. Earl “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) was born and raised in the House district he now represents, which spans roughly 100 miles of the Georgia coastline and houses both the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and the bustling Savannah port.

It’s this mix of industry interests and environmental concerns that have shaped Carter’s life and congressional career that began with his first House election in 2014. And now, as the head of a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee with jurisdiction over key environmental issues, Carter is in a position to help protect these areas and many others like them around the nation.