March 3, 2023

Friends,   

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

Last Week's eNewsletter

There were some technical issues that caused many of you to not see the 2-24-2023 Washington Update. In case you missed my Washington Update last Friday, click HERE for last week's eNewsletter. 

Pushing for Transparency on COVID Origins

This week, the Department of Energy was the latest to confirm what many of us have known for a while: COVID-19 likely originated and emerged from a Chinese lab. In the years since, Big Tech, the corporate media, and government officials tried to gaslight Americans and write off the lab leak origin theory as conspiracy while the Chinese Communist Party stonewalled investigations by the global scientific community. China needs to pay for the pain and suffering they inflicted upon the world.

The American people deserve answers and transparency on COVID origins and what our government knows about how the pandemic started. The way the Biden Administration has kept us in the dark is unacceptable. I joined in calling for the immediate declassification of ALL of the Biden Administration’s reports regarding COVID origins. We will not stop investigating until the truth is revealed. What have they got to hide? Click HERE for our full statement. 

Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee Markup

In this week’s Energy, Climate, and Grid Security Subcommittee Markup, we passed nine bills through the Subcommittee that will now head to Full Committee for consideration next week. Markups are an opportunity to debate and make changes to legislation before the bill goes to the House floor for a vote.

The bills we passed through the Subcommittee are aimed at unleashing American energy dominance and delivering affordable, reliable, and clean energy to all Americans. My bill, the Protecting American Energy Production Act, was adopted by the Subcommittee during the markup. My bill blocks the President from unilaterally imposing a fracking ban and reaffirms state primacy over state and private land. 

It’s time we restore our energy dominance to address our nation’s energy crisis. This Markup was a step in the right direction to get these bills across the finish line in the House. Click HERE and HERE for my remarks during the hearing. 

REIN IN Inflation 

This week, we passed the REIN IN Inflation Act (Reduce Exacerbated Inflation Negatively Impacting the Nation) to require the federal government to consider inflation before taking executive action. With the Biden Administration’s reckless government spending over the past two years that has caused inflation to skyrocket, this bill would require the executive branch to publish the inflationary impact of executive orders before enacting them.

Inflation is a tax on ALL Americans and is causing Americans to pay more for virtually everything. This will provide much-needed accountability to keep Washington’s runaway federal spending in check and increase the executive branch’s transparency with Congress and the American people. I was a proud YES vote on this legislation.

Meeting with South Carolinians

It's always great to welcome South Carolinians to our Washington office. This week, some of my meetings included the Carolinas Credit Union League, the South Carolina Broadcasters Association, and the South Carolina Department of Transportation. 

Honoring the Navy Reserve

Happy 108th Birthday to the United States Navy Reserve! Thanks for your work in keeping our nation safe and strong. Ready Now. Anytime, Anywhere.

Legislative Update

Here is a list of ten more pieces of legislation I have cosponsored this Congress.

I cosponsored H.R. 802, Rep. Barry Loudermilk’s Respect State Housing Laws Act, which would better protect renters by removing the requirement on lessors to provide a notice to vacate.  

I cosponsored H.R. 792, Rep. Mike Johnson’s Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act, which would prohibit taking minors across state lines to receive an abortion without parental involvement.

I cosponsored H.J.Res.27, Rep. Sam Graves' joint resolution to change the new definition of “Waters of the United States” back to the narrower version in order to restrict the government’s control over bodies of water in the U.S.

I cosponsored H.R. 714, Rep. Monica De La Cruz’s Feral Swine Act, which would extend the Feral Swine program that helps control the local number of feral hogs that pose a threat to agriculture, native ecosystems, and human and animal health.

I cosponsored H.Res.89, Rep. Andy Biggs’ resolution to impeach the Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, for high crimes and misdemeanors regarding his policies at the southern border.

I cosponsored Rep. Randy Feenstra’s H.R. 661, Sarah’s Law, which would protect American citizens by requiring U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to take any illegal immigrants into custody who have been charged with violent crimes.

I cosponsored Rep. Ralph Norman’s H.R. 632, the Ensuring Accurate and Complete Abortion Date Reporting Act of 2023, which would require abortion providers to report all abortion data to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

I cosponsored Rep. Warren Davidson’s H.R. 597, Stop the Cartels Act, which would improve the collection of intelligence regarding drug trafficking organizations and aid in stopping illegal cartel activity such as human trafficking at the border.

I cosponsored Rep. Chip Roy’s H.R. 571, the SCHOOL (Support Children Having Open Opportunities for Learning) Act of 2023, which would allow certain federal funds for elementary and secondary education to follow students to the school they attend, whether it be public, private, or homeschool. 

I cosponsored Rep. Chip Roy’s H.R. 570, CRT Act (Combating Racist Teaching in Schools Act), which would restrict federal funds from schools that promote certain race-based theories that discriminate based on race, color, or national origin.

In the District

Salem resident, Dianne Sosnowski, recently received the Daily Point of Light Award for her 14 years of volunteer service with therapy dogs. Sosnowski has worked with the Oconee Humane Society and the SC DOGS Therapy Group where she became the coordinator of the BARK program. Points of Light was founded over 30 years ago by former President George H.W. Bush and exists to recognize community helpers throughout the United States with the Daily Point of Life Award. 

Over the years in Oconee more serious measures have been taken to prevent littering, and over 200,000 pounds of litter have been picked up in the past four years by Keep Oconee Beautiful Association, Adopt-A-Highway, the Sheriff’s Office's inmate work crews, and various organizations and volunteers.

Passports Update

Whether you plan to travel out of the country in the near future or not, I encourage you to update your passport if it is soon to expire. U.S. passports must be renewed every nine and a half years, and it is a good idea to be proactive about updating your passport, as some countries will not let you travel within six months of your passport’s expiration. Passport agencies are extremely overwhelmed at this time, and the turnaround time to expedite your passport is around five to seven weeks, and routine is eight to eleven weeks. 

In-person emergency appointments are also extremely limited in Atlanta. For those that renewed their passports via the trial run for online passport renewals, many of these applications are stuck in the printing phase for the foreseeable future. For more information on renewing your passport or applying for the first time, click HERE. If you have any further questions regarding passports, please reach out to my Anderson office.

Welcoming Our First Grandchild! 

On a personal note, Melody and I are thrilled to be grandparents and are so happy for our son, J.P., and his wife, Lexi, who welcomed their son, John Waylon "J.W." Duncan, into the world on Monday. We're filled with gratitude for this blessing and give thanks to God for this wonderful gift! I am one proud PaPa! Children are the future of our country, and securing a brighter future for my children and grandchildren is the reason I do what I do. 

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.