Dear Friends,
On Saturday, I was honored to speak at C.W. Williams Community Health Center’s 11th Annual Back to School Community Health Fair.
For 11 years, C.W. Williams has hosted this incredible event, providing healthcare and school supplies to our families and children ahead of the new school year. They have been a longtime pillar in Charlotte, especially for our underserved communities, and I want to thank them for all the work they do.
As our community faces cuts to federal healthcare programs like Medicaid, community health centers play a vital role in providing affordable, accessible care to everyone who needs it. Healthcare should be available to everybody, not just those who are privileged enough to afford it, and I’m grateful to have C.W. Williams helping our communities in Charlotte. |
This week, I led a letter with Representatives Jasmine Crockett, Ayanna Pressley, and Lucy McBath signed by 40 House Democrats to the Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) William Marshall regarding extreme heat protections for incarcerated people in federal prisons, especially as our country experiences record heat waves this summer.
We have already seen extreme heat lead to the deaths of incarcerated people at the state level. A 2022 study found that approximately 13 percent of deaths in Texas prisons between 2001 and 2019 may be attributed to extreme heat days, with an average of 14 inmate deaths per year occurring in facilities without air conditioning.
Meanwhile, several reports have highlighted an ongoing staffing shortage and infrastructure crisis in BOP facilities. Aging infrastructure poses significant risks to facilities lacking proper air-conditioning systems while staffing shortages limit staff capacity to address extreme heat issues.
Combatting extreme heat is personal to me. Last year, North Carolina lost Wendy Johnson, a postal supervisor from Fayetteville, who lost her life to heat illness after spending hours in the back of a postal truck on a 95 degree day without air conditioning.
My letter calls for a response from the BOP and I plan on using the information they provide to work collaboratively in addressing extreme heat in our federal prisons. This is a basic human rights issue, and we must ensure that everyone can live and work in humane and safe conditions.
Read my full letter here. |
This week, I joined my Democratic colleagues on the House Agriculture Committee in questioning U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins’ unilateral decision to dramatically reorganize the USDA.
Sec. Rollins announced the extreme reorganization of the USDA without involving members of Congress or agriculture stakeholders who will be impacted firsthand by these changes. The Deputy Undersecretary of Agriculture, Stephen Vaden, appeared before the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, but was unable to provide satisfactory answers to members on both sides of the aisle.
This is of grave concern considering Secretary Rollins stated during the reorganization announcement, “To make certain USDA can afford its workforce, this reorganization is another step of the Department’s process of reducing its workforce.” It is troubling that this plan would further reduce the USDA workforce, which would impact the technical assistance and support our farmers receive, despite moving to different regions of the country.
We have already seen our farmers, agriculture producers, and rural communities negatively impacted by the actions of the USDA this year and these proposed changes will only worsen the issues they face.
Small, mid-sized, and family farms are the backbone of the United States, and I will continue to fight for their needs in Congress.
Read my full letter here. |
On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to tour one of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores’ Walgreens pharmacies in the district to see the pharmacy’s operations and discuss the pharmacy needs of the 12th District.
Too many people in our community live in a healthcare desert, unable to access primary care medicine, see specialists, or have their prescriptions filled. Expanding pharmacy access in Charlotte, especially for our underserved communities, is an important step in ensuring everyone has the opportunity to have their healthcare needs met. |
This week, I met with Self-Help Credit Union to discuss how credit unions can help meet the growing needs of our country’s HBCUs.
For too long, our HBCUs have been able to do more with less but they shouldn’t have to. We must provide for these institutions of excellence and support their work expanding educational opportunity, economic success, and generational wealth for everyone, especially our underserved communities. |
On Tuesday, I had the honor of attending the National Institute of Minority Economic Development’s 2025 Executive National Conference to present the Andrea Harris Lifetime Legacy Award to Congresswoman Valerie Foushee and former Congresswoman Eva Clayton.
For almost 40 years, the Institute has been the economic heart of our underserved populations—communities of color, women, people with disabilities, rural communities, and so many more—empowering them to grow and thrive in the business world.
The Andrea Harris Lifetime Legacy Award honors the life of Ms. Andrea Harris, the Institute’s co-founder, a visionary leader, champion for Black-owned business, and someone I was proud to call my friend.
Both Congresswomen Foushee and Clayton truly embody the trailblazing legacy of Andrea, and I was proud to honor them with this award as we honor Andrea’s memory. |
Yesterday, I toured a local UPS facility in our district and met with some of the hardworking employees at the site.
With Charlotte's role as a shipping hub, these workers are the driving force behind our city's economy, and we must ensure we are helping them meet their needs as they serve our community. Labor rights are human rights. |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Healthy Food Financing Initiative has opened grant applications for their Food Access and Retail Expansion Fund.
The grant program aims to improve access to healthy foods in underserved areas, create and preserve quality jobs, and revitalize low-income communities. These grants assist communities in project development, retail renovation and expansion, and technical assistance to support capacity building.
Applications are due by August 18.
To learn more and apply, click the link below. |
My office is proud to announce our participation in this year’s Congressional App Challenge. This spirited competition provides an opportunity for students to learn how to code. It also encourages students to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) while promoting innovation and engagement in computer science.
The Congressional App Challenge allows students to compete against their peers by creating an app of their choice for mobile, tablet, or computer devices. No background or experience in computer science is needed.
The deadline to register and submit a completed application is before 12:00 PM (noon) Eastern Time on October 30, 2025.
To learn more, click the link below. |
Presidential Leadership Scholars (PLS) – a joint leadership development program led by the presidential centers of George W. Bush, William J. Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson – is now accepting applications through July 20 for its 2026 class.
For over a decade, PLS has selected established professionals across all job sectors and backgrounds to learn about leadership through the experiences of these four presidents.
During the six-month program, selected professionals will hone their leadership skills through interactions and sessions with key administration officials, business executives, and leading academics and form meaningful relationships with one another – learning from each other’s divergent views and experiences. They will put their learning into action through a personal leadership project, intended to create positive impact by solving a problem or pressing issue in their community, organization, country, or the world. |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for disaster recovery assistance to farmers and livestock producers. All farmers and agriculture producers who have been victims of a natural disaster are encouraged to apply. See the link below for more information. |
As a result of the ongoing recovery from Hurricane Helene and Tropical Storm Debby, taxpayers in North Carolina are automatically eligible to file and pay their taxes later this year. The deadline was extended to Thursday, September 25 to file both federal and state taxes. If you have any questions about filing your taxes or need help with the IRS, please reach out to my office. |
I am continuing to monitor the impacts of the One Big Ugly Bill on our district.
Yesterday's Producer Price Index (PPI) report showed concerning trends for inflation and cost of living that will impact every single American. Make no mistake, this is in no small part caused by the poor economic policies of the Trump Administration.
This report comes after Republicans in Congress just made extreme, unprecedented cuts to basic needs programs like Medicaid and SNAP in their One Big Ugly Bill. People are struggling to make ends meet and this will make it worse.
I will continue working with organizations at the local and state level so we can ensure the residents of North Carolina's 12th Congressional District can have their needs met, even when the federal government refuses to help.
That's where I'll lay my hat this week, folks!
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Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D.
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