Dear Friend,
Saturday we witnessed evil in its rawest form — the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. By the grace of God, he was not killed. Violence of any type, for any reason, is unacceptable and reprehensible and must be condemned. My prayers are with all who were at the rally — particularly those who were injured and the family of the gentleman who was tragically killed. Under the most difficult circumstance imaginable, former President Trump exhibited the determination, strength, and defiant attitude shared by so many who have come before us who have made this country great. May God continue to protect him and his family.
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This past week, House Republicans passed a bill in the House to ensure only American citizens vote in our federal elections. We also voted on legislation to reduce consumer costs for home appliances by nullifying rules requiring unnecessary and expensive new standards for home appliances imposed by the Biden Administration. I am also proud the House was able to pass H.J. Res. 165 to nullify the final rule submitted by the Department of Education which would have promoted the Biden Administrations pro-abortion agenda. Keep reading to learn more!
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This past week, with my full support, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 8281, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which will enable states to verify citizenship when registering voters by amending the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). As a co-sponsor of the bill, I was pleased to see this common-sense legislation finally pass the House. It will now be sent to the Senate for that chamber’s consideration.
While only U.S. Citizens can legally vote in federal elections, the NVRA does not allow for states to verify citizenship and instead requires that states register voters at the DMV, through social services offices, or by mail. Not verifying a voter’s citizenship puts voter integrity at risk. Congress must provide states with the necessary tools to safeguard voter eligibility to ensure integrity of elections and prevent non-citizens from casting votes in Federal elections. Voting is a privilege that should only be available to the citizens of our country.
Safeguards instituted by the SAVE Act: - Provides states with free and immediate access to Federal databases with comprehensive information on the status of an individual’s citizenship, giving states the tools to verify citizenship in real time.
- Requires states to accommodate applicants without documentary proof (for personal and religious reasons) in accordance with the minimum standards established by the Election Assistance Commission.
- Provides accommodations for disabled persons and applicants with discrepancies due to name changes.
- Requires states to remove non-citizens from voter rolls.
- Enables citizens to pursue legal recourse should states fail to comply with proof of citizenship requirements.
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In April, the Biden-Harris Administration issued a final rule titled, “Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance”, which eliminates critical Title IX protections for women and girls. These changes eliminate female-only spaces for athletics and other spaces normally divided by gender. The Biden rule circumvents the authority bestowed upon elected Members of Congress and undermines federal and state law by conditioning federal funding for schools to force implementation of policies that harm female athletes and violate protections against discrimination that Title IX is intended to provide. To prevent this radical policy from the Biden-Harris Administration from moving forward, Republicans in the House passed H.J. Res. 165, which nullifies the final rule submitted by the Department of Education. |
Meeting with the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce
This week, Gary Salamido and Jake Cashion with the NC Chamber visited the office to discuss the ongoing efforts to protect and grow North Carolina’s nation-leading business environment. NC Chamber has successfully advocated for policies that have shaped the regulatory and legislative successes ushering in billions of dollars of investment into our state. Their new NC Ag Leads initiative ensures that North Carolina’s top industry, agriculture, continues to grow as the foundation of our economy by bringing together stakeholders, business leaders, and policymakers to chart the future of our state’s agriculture and agribusiness sectors.
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Meeting with Miss North Carolina USA
I had the privilege of meeting with several state representatives for the Miss USA pageant, including Miss North Carolina, Kenzie Hansley. Kenzie, who is from Surf City (which is in the 7th Congressional District), is using her platform to ensure girls and young women have access to self-defense training. She believes this training will help young women have the confidence and tools needed to be safer in today’s society.
We also discussed the importance of veteran services and the benefits of beach nourishment and its impact on Surf City and the surrounding area. Kenzie is most certainly one of North Carolina’s finest!
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Enter the 2024 Congressional App Challenge: Every year, middle and high school students participate in the Congressional App Challenge. This nationwide competition encourages students to learn how to code by creating their own applications allowing students to showcase their skills in programming and computer science while supporting the next generation of STEM leaders. Students can register TODAY for the 2024 Congressional App Challenge and start coding their apps now! The competition deadline is October 24, 2024, at 12:00 pm EST. Click here to read more about the submission deadlines and instructions!
Mobile Office Hours: If you are having trouble working with a federal agency, my office may be able to help resolve the problem or get the information you need. Through my Mobile Office Hours Program, my staff is available throughout North Carolina’s 7th District to bring congressional services to a convenient location so you can obtain in-person assistance. Please stop by if there is anything my team and I can do to help! Click here for upcoming dates and locations in July!
New Passport Agencies: The State Department announced its plan to establish six new passport agencies, including one in Charlotte, North Carolina. This new agency will provide service to travelers with urgent travel needs (travel within 14 days or less). Follow @travelgov on social media and visit travel.state.gov/passport for the latest passport information. If you would like my help with a passport issue, please fill out my casework form and my office will get in touch with you.
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It wasn’t until July 8th Americans were able to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The Liberty Bell was first rung to announce the public reading of the Declaration of Independence in the Town square outside of Independence Hall, marking a historic occasion for this country and a critical step towards securing independence. The inscription on Liberty Bell, from the King James Bible, Leviticus 25:10 reads – “Proclaim Liberty throughout all the Land Unto all the inhabitants thereof”.
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For this week's good news story, I'm highlighting the Cape Fear Community College’s (CFCC) graduation of their first cohort from the Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) pilot program! According to the WWAY News, " This inaugural class of sixteen graduates are all receiving employment from various law enforcement agencies. These agencies include the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, Wilmington Police Department, Surf City Police Department, Oak Island Police Department, Carolina Beach Police Department, Leland Police Department, Shallotte Police Department, and several other local agencies." Please join me in congratulating these distinguished graduates as they begin to serve and protect our community.
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“A good solution applied with vigor now is better than a perfect solution applied ten minutes later.” — George S. Patton |
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