Friends,

Safety and security.

Establishing these for our nation are two of the most fundamental responsibilities of the federal government. In fact, when our founding fathers wrote the Constitution, they made this abundantly clear. In the Preamble, the Constitution states that one of the main reasons for our government’s formation was to “establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.” While this may seem like a straightforward, commonsense idea, those currently in charge of running our government appear largely incapable of realizing it.

Under President Joe Biden and Washington Democrats, our nation’s security has been compromised across multiple fronts. Under one-party rule, our border security has been severely diminished. Since Biden took office, we have had more than 3.5 million illegal crossings at our southern border. We have also had close to 900,000 known “Got-Aways” who have entered the country since this time last year. Failing to secure the border and stop illegal crossings endangers our communities. It also exposes them to threats such as fentanyl, which is robbing a generation of Americans of their lives. Last year, 3,759 people died from opioid overdoses in North Carolina alone. Nationally, fentanyl is a leading cause of death for adults aged 18-45. 

Additionally, the Left's anti-police and soft-on-crime agenda has jeopardized public safety nationwide, as crime rates continue to skyrocket in communities across the country. Violent crime rates, such as motor theft and homicide, including of law enforcement, have reached record highs over the past two years.

Finally, Washington Democrats have weakened our national security by failing to stand up to adversaries like China. The Biden administration has attempted to cut deals with dictatorships like Iran and Venezuela. Attacking American energy production has put our interests and European allies at risk, especially as winter approaches. And the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan emboldened bad actors like Putin and resulted in the senseless deaths of 13 brave U.S. service members last year.

The safety and security of you, your family, and our nation have been put at risk due to policy missteps out of Washington. Yet, House Republicans have a plan called our “Commitment to America” to create a nation that’s safe. 

We will work to secure our border and combat illegal immigration by reinstating solutions like the “Remain in Mexico” policy, giving Customs and Border Patrol the resources and support it needs, and finishing the wall. We will also take serious steps to stop the flow of illicit drugs like fentanyl and reduce overdose deaths. To that end, I am proud to have cosponsored legislation like the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act of 2021 and the HALT Fentanyl Act, bills which will help keep this deadly drug off our streets, as well as improve addiction treatment services nationwide.

Furthermore, we will work to tackle the crime wave plaguing our communities by rejecting the anti-police, soft-on-crime agenda and giving law enforcement the resources and support they need to get the job done. Our plan hires 200,000 more police officers. This means we also need new technological investments through legislation like my Next Generation 911 bill. It will modernize our 9-1-1 infrastructure with updated technology that lets people in danger call, text, or even send a photo to 911 dispatchers. This will greatly improve the ability of first responders to save lives.

Finally, House Republicans are committed to improving our national security by investing in our military’s strength and readiness, standing up to hostile nations like Russia, China, and Iran, and pursuing American energy independence in order to end our reliance on foreign countries for fuel.

As the Constitution plainly states, protecting the security and safety of the American people is one of the chief roles of our government. As your Congressman, I remain committed to creating a nation that’s safe and building a better future for you and your family.

Until Next Week,