October 14, 2022

Friends, 

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

Honoring Fallen Heroes of the Third District

Two pieces of legislation I introduced (H.R. 91 and H.R. 92) to rename two post offices in Easley and Pickens after fallen sons of South Carolina were signed into law by the President this week. The post office in Easley at 810 South Pendleton Street and in Pickens at 110 Johnson Street will be renamed after two heroes from South Carolina’s Third District, Private First Class Barrett Lyle Austin of Easley and Specialist Four Charles Johnson, Jr. of Pickens.

I am proud to have played a role, along with the support of the entire South Carolina delegation, in ensuring two of our fallen American heroes will be remembered in their communities for generations to come. Private First Class Barrett Lyle Austin and Specialist Four Charles Johnson, Jr. deserve our appreciation and recognition for paying the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.

Private First Class Austin served in Afghanistan and Specialist Four Johnson served in Vietnam, and both died to defend our country. The soldiers were both awarded the Purple Heart, and we cannot give them the honor they are due for their service and sacrifice.

Click HERE and HERE for my remarks on the House floor honoring Private Austin and Specialist Johnson earlier this year. 

Joe Biden's War on American Energy 

From Joe Biden’s first day in office, he began a war on American energy production by canceling the Keystone XL pipeline, imposing a moratorium on oil and gas leasing on federal lands and waters, and diverting capital from energy projects by claiming he was going to shut down the fossil fuel industry. As a result, Americans are paying the price through skyrocketing gas prices and energy insecurity. Our country is blessed with abundant natural resources but is cursed with liberal politicians who refuse to utilize them. I will not stop fighting to unleash domestic energy production to make American energy dominant again.

Energy is the driving force of our economy, and under Joe Biden, energy prices are skyrocketing with the average family spending 28% more to heat their home this winter. Americans are struggling to make ends meet because of Biden's war on American energy. Click HERE for more on this. 

Foreign Land Ownership in the U.S. and National Security 

Countries like China have been purchasing U.S. farmland at an alarming rate, and I’m deeply concerned about the implications of this and how it threatens our national security. Recent news of China’s purchase of farmland in North Dakota near an Air Force base with top-secret drone technology is a perfect example. I’ve cosponsored legislation to prohibit anyone associated with the Chinese Communist Party from purchasing land in the United States, and now, my colleagues and I are demanding answers on what (if anything) Biden Administration intends to do about this problem. Click HERE to read the full letter. 

Supporting the REACH Act for Safer College Campuses

I am proud to be the lead Republican cosponsor of the Report and Educate About Campus Hazing (REACH) Act to ensure that young men and women are protected from the dangers of hazing on college campuses. This bipartisan legislation will honor the life and legacy of Tucker Hipps, who tragically died at nineteen years old from a hazing-related incident in 2014. As a parent, ensuring campuses are safe for our college students is personal to me, and we will continue our work to educate on the dangers of hazing and ensure colleges are acting against hazing on their campuses. We are certain the REACH Act could save lives and hope to pass this legislation this fall. Click HERE for local news coverage of this.

Celebrating 247 Years of the United States Navy

This week, we recognized the 247th Birthday of the U.S. Navy. Forged by the sea, the U.S. Navy is the strongest navy in the world, defending us on the water during times of war and peace. Thank you to our Naval service members and veterans for your service and for being On Watch - 24/7 for 247 Years.

National Farmer's Day

National Farmer's Day was also this week, and I am proud to represent a District with a robust agricultural industry. Agriculture has always been the backbone of this country, and I am fighting to ensure it remains that way. Thank you to all of our hardworking farmers of the Third District and nationwide! If you ate today, thank a farmer.

“And on the 8th day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, 'I need a caretaker,' so God made a Farmer." -Paul Harvey, "So God Made a Farmer."

In the District

Piedmont Technical College (PTC) is extending its No Cost for Tuition Option through the summer of 2023 after continuing to see enrollment increase since offering it, with enrollment up 17% this fall term. Participants must qualify for the program, and PTC is able to offer this because of additional state, federal, county, PTC Foundation, and community funding.

Last Saturday, local military veterans and their families received a special "thank you" at  a barbeque in South Cove County Park in Seneca where they had an opportunity to meet representatives from various organizations that provide veteran services. Around 500 people attended the event.

The Greenwood County Council is considering a proposal to change the Lake Greenwood boundary line. This proposal is said to reduce the potential of future tax increases and not have any effect on the property owners’ access to Lake Greenwood.

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.