I introduced legislation earlier this year in the House alongside my colleague on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Chairman Sam Graves, to repeal the Biden Administration’s burdensome “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule.  Earlier in March, our legislation was passed in the House and was sent to the Senate where, just this past week, they voted 53 - 43 on a bipartisan basis to approve the measure.

Congress came together to stand up for families, farmers, and entire communities with bipartisan opposition to this executive overreach.  I applaud the Senate for passing this commonsense legislation.

For those who haven’t followed this issue closely, the Administration’s new rule is a nuclear warhead aimed squarely at our farm families, small businesses, homebuilders, every property owner, and entire communities because of its overreaching, ambiguous, and subjective definition of “Waters of the U.S.” entrapping honest, law-abiding citizens who, without even knowing it, will be deemed to have violated the Clean Water Act.  Just ask the Sackett family whose case is now before the U.S. Supreme Court. 

This new rule will only create additional confusion and uncertainty over the definition further harming our already struggling economy.  I urge President Biden to reverse course and join us in this effort to protect Americans from these onerous and burdensome regulations.

Joining Speaker McCarthy, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves, and other Members at the signing ceremony for our legislation.

Pictured above is the winning artwork from the 2022 NC-07 Art Competition, painted by Courtney Lassiter from Smithfield Selma High School.

The theme for this year's competition is "This is N.C.".  Each student may submit one original piece of artwork that exemplifies this theme.  The deadline for submission is Friday, April 28th.  All students must adhere to the Art Competition guidelines and submit a student release form.  The winning piece will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. for one year where visitors from around the country can view the artwork!

Click here for guidelines and requirements.

This past week included a lot of legislative activity that culminated in the passage of H.R. 1, but it was also a week filled with constituent meetings, including many visits with local officials who were in town to discuss shared priorities focused on the issues important to our communities across North Carolina’s 7th District. 

It was a pleasure to meet with local leaders from the City of Wilmington, the City of Fayetteville, the Town of Pembroke, the City of Lumberton, and the Town of Chadbourn.  Flood protection, affordable housing, and addressing the ongoing fentanyl crisis were among the topics discussed. 

Collaboration between every level of government is critical to developing solutions for our communities.  I look forward to continuing this work in Congress, and I appreciate these local leaders for their tireless advocacy and efforts to make NC-07 a better place to live, work, and raise a family.

This indictment is the most recent occurrence in what has become a disturbing pattern of weaponizing our government and legal institutions for political purposes.  It’s interesting this is the same District Attorney who refuses to prosecute legitimate crime in NYC yet indicts a former President on the basis of partisanship eroding the trust of the American public even further. 

My friend, former colleague and former Director of National Intelligence, John Ratcliffe, summed it all up well on Sunday Morning Futures when, to paraphrase, he says this is what you get when you elect George Soros-funded socialists and thereby put them in charge of the judicial system.  You should also listen closely to what he says about China.  He is absolutely right.  See the clip here.  

For this week's good news story, I'm highlighting WWAY's recent feature of Britts Donuts in Carolina Beach.  Britts is set to open for their 84th season this weekend, continuing their legacy as the longest operated business on the Carolina Beach Boardwalk.  WWAY Meteorologist Matthew Huddleston did a deep dive on the history behind Britts Donuts, which I encourage you to read here.  You can check out a portion of the feature below!

"Britt’s Donuts began serving the glazed treats in 1939, when founder Harvey L. Britt set up shop in the beach-front town. Britt also opened a second location in downtown Wilmington on Princess Street to serve shipyard workers, which closed in 1956.

"But the location in Carolina Beach remained. Once located where the arcade is now, Britt’s Donuts shifted to its current spot in 1969.

"It was five years later, in 1974, that founder Harvey L. Britt decided to sell his store and closely-guarded secret recipe to Bobby Nivens, who has owned the spot ever since. But Nivens was no stranger to Britt’s when he took the reins..."

“The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty.” ― James Madison