September District Work Period:
In and Around the 12th District

A major $3,150,000 grant award was delivered by the Biden-Harris White House and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)’s “Safe Streets and Roads for All” program, to  the “Safety is Everyone’s Business” project under the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO). DOT is awarding CRTPO the grant to develop a comprehensive safety action plan for its three-county planning area.  

CRTPO previously received $5 million in July, through the DOT Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant, to examine prevailing transportation issues in Areas of Persistent Poverty (APP), Historically Disadvantaged Communities (HDC) and Rural Areas (RA) throughout the CRTPO’s planning area. These programs were all funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. 

Congresswoman Adams is proud to have supported the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that funds this program.

Biden-Harris Administration Lowers Mental Health Care Costs by Improving Access to Mental Health and Substance Use Care

For millions of Americans, care for mental health and substance use conditions is still hard to find and hard to afford. Last week, the White House took steps to change that, by placing new requirements on health plans that will improve and strengthen access to mental health care for 175 million Americans with private health insurance.
 
Today’s final rule strengthens consumer protections by reinforcing the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA’s) fundamental purpose that all Americans should have the same access to mental health and substance use benefits as they do physical health benefits. And it will help lower families’ health care costs by making it easier to access mental health and substance use care and getting rid of barriers that keep people from getting the care they need, when they need it, for a price they can afford.  

Specifically, the final rule will:

•    Require health plans to make changes when they are providing inadequate access to mental health and substance use care. 

 •    Make it clear what health plans can and cannot do. 

 •    Close existing loopholes. 

Mark your calendars for Service Academy Day on Saturday, October 19, 2024. Hear from representatives of our nation’s military academies about the opportunities that exist for graduating high school seniors. More information will be provided in future issues of Adams Alerts.

As we celebrate the opening of the new terminal at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) yesterday, I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the over 28,000 American Airlines flight attendants who have secured an industry-leading contract expanding both pay and benefits. Many of them live and work in our district, and they have endured the ups and downs of the economy, a global pandemic, and a recovery that saw growing wages in many other industries.  

I am thankful to all involved for their work to achieve this deal and keep CLT moving. 

Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter for immediate updates throughout the week and to see some of my other activity over the past two weeks. 

That's where I will lay my hat this week. 

God Bless,