Barry Loudermilk

Legislation and donors

In February 2017, Loudermilk co-sponsored H.R. 861, which would eliminate the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by 2018.^[7]

In September 2017, the Georgia-based credit bureau Equifax revealed a data breach that affected 143 million Americans and was characterized by technology journalists as "very possibly the worst leak of personal info ever to have happened".^[8] Four months earlier, Loudermilk, who had received $2,000 in campaign contributions from Equifax as part of an extensive lobbying effort,^[9][10] introduced a bill that would reduce consumer protections in relation to the nation’s credit bureaus, including capping potential damages in a class action suit to $500,000 regardless of class size or amount of loss.^[11][12] The bill would also eliminate all punitive damages.^[11][12] Following criticism by consumer advocates, Loudermilk agreed to delay consideration of the bill "pending a full and complete investigation into the Equifax breach."^[11]

Committee assignments

• Committee on Financial Services
  • Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit
  • Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
• Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
  • Subcommittee on Environment
  • Subcommittee on Oversight
• Committee on House Administration
• Republican Study Committee^[13]

Health care

Loudermilk supports reforming Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security. He wants to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare"). He compared the 2017 efforts by the Republicans to repeal the health care act to the American Revolutionary War and World War II.^[15]

Loudermilk did not vaccinate his children against the mumps or measles. He believes that it is up to parents, not the government, to decide if children receive vaccines.^[16]

Donald Trump

Loudermilk said he considers the presidency of Donald Trump a "movement" and has praised the concept of "Make America Great Again." Loudermilk has credited Paul Ryan, rather than Trump, with the success that he says Republicans are having in Congress.^[15] In 2017, Loudermilk called Paul Ryan a "revolutionary thinker."^[15]

Economic issues

In 2016, Loudermilk was named a "defender of economic freedom" by the Club for Growth for his conservative voting record around the economy.^[17]

Loudermilk supports a balanced budget amendment but does not consider it "politically viable."^[15]

Loudermilk supports tax reform and voted in favor of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.^[18] He called the legislature a "big Christmas present" for his constituents. He claims the bill will reduce deficit and improve the lives of all Americans. He believes that more companies will hire due to increased revenues. He says, “I could understand it if all we were doing was just giving a corporate tax break — you could make that argument, But the bulk of the tax reform is giving middle-income Americans a significant tax cut.”^[15]

He supports dismantling the IRS and establishing a flat tax system.^[15]

Abortion

Loudermilk is pro-life and believes that life starts at conception. He supports the right to life movement and states that "Life is the ultimate right endowed by God and it is the responsibility of governments to protect that right not to destroy it."^[19]

LGBT rights

Loudermilk opposes same-sex marriage and opposes the government deciding to legalize it, believing it should be decided by states. He supports the First Amendment Defense Act.^[20]