This week, I joined Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and several local officials for another tour of I-40 in Haywood County, and I have good news to report: The interstate is set to partially reopen (one lane on each side) on March 1.

This is a critical step toward reconnecting our communities and getting folks back on their feet, but we still have a long way to go.

As I’ve said countless times, the victims don't need tears—they need action. That’s why I’ve taken every opportunity to introduce or support legislation that will make an impact, including:

The Restoring Access to Mountain Homes Act, to allow FEMA public assistance funding to be used for permanent repairs of private roads and bridges destroyed by Hurricane Helene.
The standalone RELIEF Act, to provide hurricane relief to small businesses impacted by Hurricane Helene.
The Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act of 2025, to exclude qualified catastrophe mitigation payments from gross income for income tax purposes, encouraging property owners to make improvements that reduce damage from natural disasters like Hurricane Helene.

Roads, businesses, and homes were washed away—but the resilience of Western North Carolina remains as strong as ever, and if we work together, we can help our fellow North Carolinians come out of this.

I’ll keep fighting to ensure every community gets the resources and support they need.

Sincerely,