Enewsletters

Several things are at play here.  For one, job creators are staring at potential huge tax hikes and more costly regulations as part of the Green New Deal initiatives of this White House.  To a job creator, this means less potential for growth, which means there is no incentive to hire beyond what is absolutely necessary.  Much higher energy costs and inflation eat into the bottom line as well.  And to top it all off, many job creators can’t find enough workers to keep the same hours operationally as they were pre-COVID. 

According to NFIB’s monthly jobs report, nearly half of small business owners are unable to fill job openings.  This report further proves that excessive unemployment benefit payments and stimulus checks are the driving incentives (meaning there are some other factors too that are more limited in their effect) for workers to stay home. 

It’s an honor to nominate some of the best and brightest students of Southeastern North Carolina to attend a United States Service Academy where they will receive a first-rate undergraduate education and have the opportunity to give back to our nation by serving on active duty as a military officer.

I recently hosted a reception for students from NC-07 who received a nomination to attend one of the U.S. Service Academies.  It was an honor to join these students and recognize their hard work and dedication.  I congratulate these students on their nominations and wish them the best of luck as they move forward with the application process!  Please visit my website for a full list of this year’s nominees and for more information on future Military Academy Nominations.

Southeastern North Carolina’s beaches are foundational to our local coastal communities, supporting significant job growth for our region.  Federal support for these storm damage reduction projects (also known as beach re-nourishment) in Wrightsville, Carolina and Kure Beaches are key to preserving property and limiting the financial losses that hurricanes and other major storms would otherwise cause.  This saves the taxpayer significant money on the back end.  (It’s like a fundamental truth of healthcare in a way — the best cure is prevention.)  

This past Congress, legislation was signed into law that extended Congressional authorization for the funding to complement the state and local tax dollars for these beach storm damage reduction projects.  Appropriations are made by Congress to the account that funds projects of this nature and the Army Corps of Engineers and the Office of Management and Budget then decide which of those authorized projects to fund.  Demand for dollars far outstrips the supply of dollars appropriated by Congress given the number of needs all around the country.  

Click here to read my recent interview with the Port City Daily discussing the latest updates on these specific storm damage reduction projects.  I will continue working to secure funding for these critical projects.