April 28, 2023

Friends,   

I hope you and your family are well! I wanted to provide you with a few updates regarding what’s going on –

Limit, Save, Grow 

The best way to grow America is to shrink Washington. We will do this through the Limit, Save, Grow Act: limit government spending, save taxpayer dollars, and grow the economy. Instead of giving the Administration a blank check like Congressional Democrats did last Congress, it’s time we take responsible steps to cut government spending, lower inflation, reduce dependence on our adversaries like China, and expand our economy.

I was proud to support the Limit, Save, Grow Act this week, along with conservative groups like the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, Heritage Action, the National Taxpayers Union, and Americans for Limited Government, because it is fiscally-responsible policy that will lead to over $4.5 trillion in taxpayer savings. Here is a look into what the Limit, Save, Grow Act will accomplish:

1. Limit Federal Spending. Rolling back to FY2022 spending levels and instituting a 1% annual growth cap will amount to an estimated $3.6 trillion in savings over the next ten years – and this includes upfront cuts now, not just promises of cuts in the future. This legislation also protects funding of our national defense and does NOT cut Medicare or Social Security.

2. Save Taxpayer Dollars by reclaiming unspent COVID funds, defunding Biden’s IRS army, repealing “Green New Deal” tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act (estimated to be valued at $1.2 Trillion by Goldman Sachs), and blocking Biden’s student loan “forgiveness” scheme.

3. Grow the Economy by strengthening the workforce, restoring commonsense work requirements for federal assistance programs (while reducing childhood poverty), preventing executive overreach through the REINS Act, lowering energy and utility costs, and increasing domestic energy production by including H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act.

As a lifelong fiscal conservative and someone who has been a longtime advocate for fiscal responsibility in Washington, this plan is something I can get behind. The national debt has surpassed $31 trillion, and the Left has spent more than $6 trillion since Joe Biden took office. We are currently in a dangerous and unsustainable place financially because of Washington’s out-of-control spending and COVID-era handouts. Americans feel the pain of Joe Biden’s economy as we deal with the aftereffects of unfettered federal spending in the form of surging inflation and higher energy costs.
If the status quo continues, we will leave the next generation with a lower standard of living than our own.

To continue down this road would be insanity, and it’s time we live within our means instead of racking up debt. Joe Biden, however, refuses to address this and continues to ignore the inevitable—the White House must come to the negotiating table and quit kicking the can down the road.

Since I came to Congress, I have worked hard daily to tackle Washington’s spending problem to ensure a better life for my children and grandchildren. Limit, Save, Grow is fiscally conservative legislation that will responsibly help us get past Washington’s COVID-era spending spree and get our fiscal future back on track.

Fighting Draconian COVID Mandates 

I led over 50 of my colleagues this week calling on the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to urge them to end the COVID-19 vaccine mandate on America’s healthcare workers when the public health emergency ends on May 11, 2023.

We are continuing the fight to end the draconian COVID shot mandate imposed on our nation’s healthcare workers. The Freedom for Health Care Workers Act has passed the House with bipartisan support, we forced Joe Biden to end the COVID national emergency, and the public health emergency expires next month. The next step should be to recognize the medical freedom of health care workers and end the authoritarian COVID shot mandate imposed on them by CMS. The healthcare sector continues to face workforce shortages, and our healthcare workers deserve better than being forced out of their jobs for choosing not to receive the COVID shot. Click HERE for more coverage on this.

Nuclear Energy Plant Tour 

I visited the Augusta area this week with Congressman Rick Allen for a tour of the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, home of the first new nuclear units to be built in the United States in over 30 years, to see firsthand how these reactors will be able to safely provide abundant, carbon-free baseload power to consumers. It's important we begin a new era of nuclear expansion in the U.S. because nuclear energy is clean, safe, reliable, affordable, and available 24/7/365.

North American Energy Security

On Thursday, I had the opportunity to meet with the Premier of Saskatchewan Scott Moe, as well as David Wilkins, the former U.S. Ambassador to Canada and former S.C. Speaker of the House, to discuss the importance of maintaining North American energy security.

Biden's Socialism for Mortgages 

As many of you know already, a new Biden Administration regulation would force Americans with good credit to subsidize the mortgages of high-risk borrowers. From sweeping student loan “forgiveness” to this, Joe Biden continues to overstep his authority to impose socialistic policies. I am proud to cosponsor the Free Market Mortgage Act of 2023 to block this senseless new policy that punishes Americans with good credit. Click HERE for more information about this bill to stop Biden's Socialism for Mortgages scheme. 

Congratulations to Clinton Middle and Clinton High Olympiad Teams

Clinton Middle School and Clinton High School brought home the Science Olympiad championship at a competition in Charleston this month and qualified for the National Science Olympiad Tournament. Today, I honored them on the House floor for this accomplishment that is a testament to their hard work, talent, and their coaches' leadership. Congratulations to the Clinton Middle School and Clinton High School Science Olympiad Teams! South Carolina is pulling for you as you compete in the National Science Olympiad Tournament in May! Click HERE for my remarks honoring them on the floor of the House of Representatives. 

Legislative Action

Here is a look into some more of the legislation I have cosponsored this Congress.

I cosponsored H.J.Res. 59, Rep. Ralph Norman’s resolution to reject the additional inflation and regulation of H-2A Adverse Effect Wage Rates and allow continued use of the farm labor program by local farms without federal overreach.

I cosponsored Rep. Andrew Ogles’ H.R. 2737, the Stop the Invasion Act, to require President Biden to suspend the entry of aliens into the country once the average number of border "encounters" exceeds a certain number. 

I cosponsored H.R. 2712, Rep. Kevin Hern’s Work Not Woke Act, which prohibits the use of taxpayer funds to further race and gender stereotypes or carry out Executive Orders with similar purposes.

I cosponsored Rep. Rick Allen’s H.R. 2700, the Employee Rights Act of 2023, to modernize the labor policy to match the needs of the 21st century, promote workers over union bosses, and allow Americans to take home more of the money they earn. 

I cosponsored Rep. Thomas Massie’s H.R. 2502, the Safe Students Act, to eliminate the federal ban on guns in school zones and return the responsibility to state and local governments to set appropriate firearm policies.

I cosponsored Rep. David Kustoff’s H.R. 2380, the Cellphone Jamming Reform Act, which prevents contraband cell phone use in federal and state prisons by allowing prisons to use cell phone jamming systems for the protection of both inmates and guards. 

I cosponsored Rep. Austin Scott’s H.R. 1841, the Purple Heart Freedom to Work Act, which would allow more Purple Heart recipients to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance by raising the income ceiling currently required to qualify.

I cosponsored H.J. Res. 45, Rep. Bob Good’s resolution to oppose the Department of Education’s modifications and relief plans for federal student loans.

I cosponsored H.R. 1793, Rep. Keith Self’s bill to reserve the forfeited assets and funds of illegal drug dealers and use the funds to strengthen the southern border. 

I cosponsored Rep. Chip Roy’s H.R. 1769, the Healthcare Freedom Act, which would expand the coverage of health savings accounts to include the costs of primary care, health care sharing ministries, and cost-sharing organizations.

In the District 

Laurens County students Isaac Adams and Mason Gibbs were recognized along with 66 other South Carolina high school seniors at the 7th annual South Carolina STEM Signing Day. The Signing Day highlights the accomplishments of students in STEM who plan to pursue a two or four-year degree in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) field after high school.

Anderson is hosting its 2023 Soirée from April 28-29 in downtown Anderson. The  Soirée is a longtime Anderson tradition and a community-led festival featuring live performances, art, food, and more. 

It is an honor to serve the Third District of South Carolina. Should you or your family need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact my office directly.