May 26, 2023

Friends,   

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

HALT Fentanyl Act Passes House 

Fentanyl can be 50-100 times more potent than morphine, and just a few milligrams of fentanyl can kill. To put that in perspective, a few milligrams of fentanyl can fit in the ear of President Lincoln on a penny.

Fentanyl poisoning has tragically claimed the lives of far too many Americans and is the number one cause of death of adults aged 18-49. Around 195 Americans died from fentanyl each day in 2021 from this deadly drug. Our southern border crisis has only heightened this fentanyl epidemic due to a surge in drug trafficking.

Yesterday, the House passed HALT Fentanyl Act with a bipartisan 289-133 vote. This is an important step in combatting the fentanyl epidemic to save lives. This lifesaving legislation will: make the class-wide scheduling order for fentanyl-related substances permanent and ensure law enforcement officers have the tools they need to keep illicit fentanyl off our streets.

Energy and Commerce Committee Markup of 19 Bills 

This week, we marked up 19 bills in the Energy and Commerce Committee. This is when we vote to adopt bills at the Committee-level before advancing them to the House floor. Of the 19 bills, four of them work to preserve American energy security: the Critical Electric Infrastructure Cybersecurity Incident Reporting Act, Energy Emergency Leadership Act, Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act, and the Save Our Gas Stoves Act. We are delivering solutions to the energy crisis as we work to provide Americans clean, reliable, and affordable energy. Click HERE for my remarks on this important legislation and the work we're doing to advance energy solutions. 

A SCOTUS Win to Narrow WOTUS

The Supreme Court has ruled to narrow the federal government's WOTUS (Waters of the United States) overreach. The Supreme Court’s Sackett v. EPA ruling drastically shrinks the scope of the bureaucratic interpretation of the Clean Water Act and reaffirms our freedoms. This ruling is especially a win for farmers and ranchers whose livelihoods were threatened by the Biden Administration’s authoritarian rulemaking.

The federal government has abused the WOTUS rule to regulate virtually every body of water, from streams to puddles, and this ruling narrows the authority Washington has on the lives of Americans. I am hopeful this ruling will give Americans more breathing room and provide much-needed relief from the burdensome federal overreach on our nation’s waters. Click HERE for more information on this. 

Blocking Burdensome EPA Regulations on Truckers

This week, I voted to block the Biden EPA's rule that would regulate heavy-duty engines/vehicles, costing an estimated $8,304 in new equipment for every semi on the road. Truckers keep our economy running, and the EPA's rule would put an even greater financial strain on them and, in turn, raise the price of the goods they transport. Americans cannot afford the Biden Administration's burdensome regulations, and I will keep fighting against this bureaucratic overreach every chance I get.

South Carolina Firefighters in Washington

It was great to have the South Carolina Firefighters' Association in Washington this week. I commend these brave individuals for what they do to keep our communities safe, and they have my appreciation and support!

Thanking EMS Professionals

It's EMS Week, and I'd like to thank all the hardworking Emergency Medical Services professionals of South Carolina. God Bless you! Click HERE for a brief video message from me to our EMS professionals. 

Debt Limit Update

There’s a lot going on in Washington surrounding the debt limit and lots of lies coming from the White House, so I wanted to set the record straight. Joe Biden has been kicking the can down the road and refusing to come to the negotiating table for months about the debt limit, and the White House is finally willing to talk to Speaker McCarthy. Let it be clear that we’ve done our job when we passed the Limit, Save, Grow Act a month ago. This bill would cut spending and put us on a road to financial solvency. We are fighting to limit government spending, save taxpayer dollars, and grow the economy to get our nation’s fiscal future back on track.

In negotiations with the White House, I encourage Speaker McCarthy to hold the line on our debt limit bill that includes work requirements, claims unspent COVID funds, defunds Biden’s IRS army, repeals “Green New Deal” tax credits, blocks Biden’s student loan “forgiveness” scheme, and cuts spending. I will keep you updated and continue fighting for conservative spending cuts and fiscal responsibility! 

In the Media

I had a great conversation on Dr. Tony Beam's new podcast last week, Truth in Politics in Culture, discussing energy security, military readiness, and more! Click HERE to listen to our conversation.

Legislative Action

I cosponsored H.R. 3492, Rep. Paul Gosar’s bill to ban the use of federal funds for firearm ownership databases on a state level.

I cosponsored Rep. Tim Burchett’s  H.R. 3476, the Easy Access to Mail Act, to prohibit the United States Postal Service from requiring cluster mailboxes retroactively and instead require approval from a local legislative body.

I cosponsored H.R. 3462, Rep. Jim Banks’ bill to require schools that receive federal funds to receive the consent of a child’s parents before assisting the child in any way with a gender transition.

Congratulations to Our Student-Athletes and State Champions! 

It’s been great to see so many sports teams across South Carolina’s Third District bring home state titles this year. Of all the successes from the spring season, I’d like to recognize some of our student-athletes for their accomplishments.

Congratulations to the T.L. Hanna High School Yellow Jackets for winning the 5A men’s state golf championship for the first time in nearly 30 years (their first title since 1994)! Congratulations to the Daniel High School Lions for winning back-to-back 3A men’s state soccer championships this year! Congratulations to the Clinton High School Red Devils for bringing home the 3A State Baseball Championship! And good luck to the Crescent High School Tiger’s women’s softball team as they compete for their twentieth state title today.

I’m proud to see so many of our student-athletes excel, and we’re cheering you on! Thanks to all the coaches and athletes for your hard work this season.

In the District 

Reverend Johnathan Speed of McCormick is hosting a Memorial Day service on Sunday, May 28, to honor fallen American heroes. Speed, a McCormick native, is an Army veteran of more than twenty-eight years. 

Congratulations to the Class of 2023 and to all the high schoolers across the Third District who are graduating this weekend! 

Remembering Our Fallen Heroes

Over Memorial Day weekend, we remember and honor the fallen heroes of the military. We know freedom is not free, and we will never forget the brave Americans who lost their lives serving our country and defending our liberty and security. God Bless our troops and their families. 

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.