News List

Here’s the latest: Yesterday, President Trump signed an Executive Order to protect our Nation’s meat supply chain during the COVID-19 outbreak.  This order declares America’s meat and poultry processing plants critical to the nation during this emergency and employs the Defense Production Act in directing the Secretary of Agriculture to… Read more »

Today’s e-mail is an update on some of the steps the Trump Administration is taking to contain, combat and defeat the COVID-19 outbreak here in North Carolina specifically.  Here are just a few examples: The White House has launched Project Air Bridge, a coordinated public-private partnership facilitating the delivery of critical supplies like Personal Protective… Read more »

Here's today's update: New Hanover County Public Health is expanding access to COVID-19 testing starting today.  Residents experiencing coronavirus symptoms can be pre-screened by phone and then directed to a drive-thru testing location at no cost.   Residents can call the Coronavirus Call Center at 910-798-6800 to speak with a public health… Read more »

Here's the latest: As we start a new week, here is the status of the outbreak in the counties that make up the 7th District as of 11 a.m. today: Bladen County: 10 cases, 0 deaths Brunswick County: 39 cases, 2 deaths Columbus County: 90 cases, 6 deaths Duplin County: 66 cases, 0 deaths Johnston County: 135 cases, 10 deaths New… Read more »

Here's Saturday's update: More information on Governor Cooper's decision to close school buildings for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year:  remote learning will continue through the end of the school year, and the state Department of Public Instruction is launching an effort to equip school buses with Wi-Fi.  The buses will travel to areas with insufficient… Read more »

Here's the latest: President Trump signed the Paycheck Protection Program finding package into law this afternoon, and dollars will soon resume flowing to our small businesses and front line health care workers. Here are some statistics on where the first tranche of PPP money is going: PPP has provided forgivable loans to 1.6 million small businesses,… Read more »

Here's the latest today: The House passed this afternoon a $484 billion funding package for the Paycheck Protection Program that includes billions of dollars for our frontline healthcare workers and to expand COVID-19 testing.  I outlined what was in the package in yesterday's update. First, we voted on a Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis.  There… Read more »

Here's Wednesday's update: Here's what's in the latest Senate-passed coronavirus relief package that the House will be likely voting to pass tomorrow: $310 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program, which will allow the SBA to continue providing forgivable loans to cover the cost of payroll and operating expenses for small businesses.  This means dollars will resume… Read more »

Here's Tuesday's COVID-19 update: Congress has reached a deal on a $484 billion funding package that includes $310 billion in additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program.  The package also includes an additional $60 billion for the SBA’s economic injury disaster loans and grants, another key source of assistance for small businesses, as well as… Read more »

Here's Monday's COVID-19 update: The Paycheck Protection Plan has been a historic success, distributing almost $350 billion in loans to more than 1.6 million small businesses in just 14 days.  Just in North Carolina, small businesses have received nearly 40,000 loans for more than $8 billion.  Congress is still working on an agreement for additional… Read more »