November 18, 2022

Friends, 

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

Representing South Carolina's Third District

I'm honored for the trust you've placed in me to serve as your United States Representative for the next two years. I promise to fight every single day to defend the Constitution of the United States and to be your voice in advocating for common sense and South Carolina values.

Looking Forward to the 118th Congress

Republicans have officially taken back the House of Representatives and FIRED Nancy Pelosi as Speaker.

Republicans have officially gained control of the House of Representatives, which means Americans will no longer be under one-party rule! This is a win for the American people, and we are thankful to have the opportunity to lead and hold the Biden Administration accountable. Once we take control in January, there is no doubt a lot of work ahead of us to correct the tremendous damage from the past two years of a Democrat-controlled House, Senate, and White House. South Carolinians are fed up with a federal government that is fueling inflation and raising the costs of living, promoting lawlessness and open borders, and jeopardizing our children's and grandchildren's futures. 

We are ready to get to work and continue our fight for a secure southern border, domestic energy production to lower energy prices, the individual liberties enshrined in our Constitution, the right to life, a strong national defense, the protection of our children from woke ideologies, and the rule of law to be enforced.

Though we will have a small majority, we will fight hard to put a check on the Biden Administration, block as many of the Democrats’ radical policies as possible, and advance legislation to restore what we have lost since Joe Biden took office.

Stop the Sexualization of Children in Schools

I have mailed letters to every principal and school board member in South Carolina’s Third District to make them aware of the National Association of School Psychologists’ (NASP) opposition to the Stop the Sexualization of Children Act (legislation that prohibits the use of Federal funds to facilitate or fund any sexually-oriented program, event, or literature for children under 10), and I urged these school administrators and board members to cut ties with the national organization and their state affiliate. Any such organization that believes children should be exposed to sexually explicit programming or material should not be allowed anywhere near our public schools. To read more about my work on this issue, click HERE and HERE. 

Veterans Day at Clemson Downs 

It was great to be a part of the Veterans Day program at Clemson Downs last week where I had the honor of meeting with veterans and introducing Colonel William “Bill” Austin, a former fighter pilot who shared his incredible story of survival of being a POW in Vietnam. Thank you to all who have worn the uniform and sacrificed for our nation. God Bless our nation's heroes!

Nuclear Energy Blueprint for the 118th Congress

Last week, I rolled out the Blueprint for Nuclear Innovation and Competitiveness to help chart our course for nuclear energy policy in the next Congress. It is essential that we prioritize nuclear energy to ensure global competitiveness and energy reliability, affordability, and security.

Nuclear energy is affordable, reliable 24/7/365, and is the number one source of emission-free power. Nuclear will play an integral in our energy future, and can no doubt help pave the way for a more robust future for nuclear energy. My Blueprint for Nuclear Innovation and Competitiveness helps further the discussion for nuclear energy policy in the next Congress.

Click HERE for more information on this, and click HERE for media coverage. 

South Carolina Business Council

It was great to share my Blueprint for Nuclear Innovation and Competitiveness and discuss the importance of delivering affordable and reliable energy to South Carolinians with the South Carolina Business Council this week, as well as hear from energy leaders in the Palmetto State.

Meeting with BorgWarner

I had the opportunity to meet with BorgWarner representatives in Washington this week. I worked very closely with BorgWarner after their production facility in Seneca was damaged by a tornado in April 2020, and the Seneca facility is thriving once again after reopening in September 2021. BorgWarner is a leading automotive supplier that excels in advanced manufacturing and innovation. South Carolina’s Third District is blessed to be the home of one of its facilities. 

Impending Diesel Shortage and Price Hike

I’ve been very focused on the implications of the diesel fuel shortage and how this will affect Americans. The President should view this with urgency. The nationwide diesel fuel shortage (and the resulting price hike) has already significantly impacted truckers and farmers, adding to their already-heavy financial strain. There are lots of factors at play, but the bottom line is that the Biden Administration’s war on domestic energy production has directly suppressed supply and limited refining capacity.

This has led to an all-time low diesel shortage and a spike in prices. The price of gasoline is up about 14% this year, and the price of diesel fuel has skyrocketed by about 50%. High diesel fuel prices hurt manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, and the price is passed on to consumers and exacerbates inflation. Our economy runs on diesel – a diesel fuel shortage could quickly become a crisis, and this deserves immediate attention.

Joe Biden's Economic Crisis 

The Fed has raised interest rates yet again in a desperate attempt to combat runaway inflation and signaled that inflation is so bad that they will likely be forced to raise rates even higher than previously anticipated. What does that mean for you? It means the American dream of buying a home just got a lot harder. It means that small businesses will have less access to capital to grow their business and hire more workers. It means layoffs, economic stagnation, spikes in unemployment, and a deeper and longer recession. It also means the cost of borrowing for the United States government just went up considerably. That means we have to spend more just to pay the interest on our national debt. Actions have consequences, and Joe Biden's actions are crippling our country. America deserves so much better.

Last year, a person needed to earn $73,668 a year to afford an average home in the U.S.—this year that number has skyrocketed to $107,281 (Redfin). Let that sink in for a minute. Americans now need to earn a six-figure income to afford an average home due to rising mortgage rates resulting from inflation.

Joe Biden's Price Hike

Around a third of Americans say they are falling behind financially, according to a recent poll. This is due to skyrocketing prices that make basic necessities like energy unaffordable. Americans nationwide are paying more for virtually everything due to the Democrats' reckless economic policies.

Meanwhile, real wages have decreased under Joe Biden for 10 out of the 12 months in the past year and the average 401(k) has dropped an average of 25%. This economic damage is the reality of two years of one-party Democrat rule and reckless spending, and I will continue to fight for fiscal restraint in Washington.

In the District

Researchers from the South Carolina Battleground Preservation Trust announced that some of America’s first veterans have been found after archeologists uncovered the skeletal remains of 14 Revolutionary War soldiers at the site of the Battle of Camden. The remains were carefully removed over an eight-week period that began in September. In the coming months, the coroner’s office will work on gathering more information about these war veterans.

Wreaths Across America is hosting a wreath-laying ceremony in Easley at Robinson Memorial Gardens Veterans Cemetery on December 17th. Fox Carolina is sponsoring and participating in the ceremony and invites all to attend and partake in laying wreaths on the graves around the cemetery. Wreaths Across America is a national organization that holds over 3,400 ceremonies across the country every December to “remember, honor, and teach citizens about the sacrifices made for America.”

Motor City Racks will be expanding its presence in South Carolina by establishing new operations in Laurens County. The company is a full-service manufacturer and supplier of automotive and industrial racking products and will be investing $26 million into this expansion and will create 88 new jobs.

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.