HUNTINGDON, Tenn. (April 3, 2026) — U.S. Rep. David Kustoff returned to Carroll County on Good Friday for his annual visit at the Carroll County Shooting Sports Park in Huntingdon. He met with local leaders and community members to discuss federal legislation and international affairs.
Kustoff addressed several topics, including employment numbers, election integrity legislation and the partial federal government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security. He said funding legislation for the agency had passed the House multiple times but stalled in the Senate, and that the impact stretched across a broad range of federal agencies, including immigration enforcement, but also the Coast Guard, FEMA and the Secret Service.
He noted that some federal workers had gone weeks without a paycheck.
On election policy, Kustoff expressed support for the SAVE America Act, legislation passed by the House in February that would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. The bill faces an uphill climb in the Senate, where most legislation requires 60 votes to advance. Kustoff referenced the budget reconciliation process as a possible path forward for some measures.
Tennessee is already among 36 states that require voters to show some form of identification at the polls.
Conflict in Iran
During an interview with Carroll County Observer after the event, Kustoff discussed the situation in Iran.
He said President Trump had signaled his intentions publicly before the strike.
“He telegraphed at the State of the Union — which was three days before the launch — that this operation could be launched against Iran,” Kustoff said. “He said very definitively, ‘Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.'”
Kustoff said the decision was also driven by a rare intelligence opportunity that the Ayatollah and 47 of his top commanders would be gathered in one location that Saturday.
“So all of that and more led to the launch of Operation Epic Fury,” he said.
Kustoff acknowledged that energy prices were a concern among his constituents.
At the time of publication, AAA reports the average gas price nationwide to be $4.12 per gallon. Kustoff believes his constituents, for the most part, see the spike in global energy costs as a means to an end.
“They’re willing to endure some short-term pain if it does resolve the situation,” he said.
“Once this conflict is over,” Kustoff added, “we’re going to see gas start to come down.”
One Big Beautiful Bill
Kustoff also discussed the “one big, beautiful bill” he helped advance through the House Ways and Means Committee, saying it would permanently lower taxes across all income levels and eliminate taxes on tips and overtime pay.
He said the legislation would also provide additional relief for seniors receiving Social Security.
He highlighted a provision he said could benefit Carroll County businesses directly, which is a permanent 20% deduction for small businesses structured as LLCs and partnerships.
“Instead of paying that money over to Uncle Sam, they can use that money to reinvest in their employees and in their operations,” he said.
The law has drawn criticism from some corners.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated the legislation would add roughly $3 trillion to the national debt over ten years. Republican Senators Josh Hawley of Missouri and Susan Collins of Maine also warned that Medicaid provisions in the bill could strain rural hospitals and low-income communities.
Good Friday Tradition
At the conclusion of the event, Carroll County Chamber of Commerce President Brad Hurley recognized the Leadership Carroll County Class of 2025. He noted that the chamber has graduated more than 1,100 individuals through its leadership programs over the past 35 years.
The Good Friday event has become a recurring tradition for Kustoff in Carroll County. The only year that he missed was in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. He thanked the chamber for hosting and said he looks forward to returning next year.
“I realize and respect that I am their voice and their vote in Washington, D.C.,” Kustoff said of his constituents after the event. “When I’m on the floor of the House of Representatives, I’m trying to keep Carroll County values and West Tennessee values in mind.”
