Bolstering Disaster Preparedness and Recovery
Every year, North Carolinians must prepare for severe weather events. To make the hardening of homes and businesses more affordable in preparing for natural disasters, I co-sponsored the bipartisan Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act. This bill will provide state-based disaster mitigation programs the same tax benefits as federal grants, which will result in more resilient communities and savings for families.
I also introduced the bipartisan Disaster Assistance Fairness Act to ensure residents in all communities are eligible for reimbursement from FEMA. North Carolinians know too well natural disasters do not discriminate among neighborhoods or housing. Yet under FEMA’s current eligibility rules, condos, co-ops, and homeowner associations are ineligible for FEMA Assistance for common element repairs. This makes it difficult for many families to recover and rebuild their homes and lives. I’m proud to have introduced this bipartisan legislation to ensure all North Carolinians impacted by disasters can fully recover. I will continue to push for its enactment.
Strengthening Our Coastal Communities
For months, I worked with the Office of Management and Budget and the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works to secure approval for the funding necessary to move forward with the Wrightsville Beach renourishment project. The emergency funding was only needed because of a reinterpretation of the Coastal Barrier Resources Act by the Biden Administration’s Department of Interior, which has resulted in a significantly delayed renourishment project and increased costs. (Under separate legislation that passed and was signed into law, the federal government is required to pay 100 percent of the cost of this project. It is typically a cost-share.)
I'm pleased we were able to find the most expedient solution for this critical project. The Town is set to begin renourishing their beach in January. Doing so is critical to the community’s resiliency against future storms, a healthy ecosystem, and a strong local economy.
Fighting Back Against Bureaucratic Overreach
This year, I led the effort to repeal the Biden Administration’s overreaching Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. The legislation to rescind the Biden Administration's rule passed both the House and Senate with bipartisan support, but without enough votes from the other side of the aisle to override the President’s veto. Thankfully, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Biden WOTUS rule in Sackett v. EPA, however the Administration's revised rule, while certainly reflective of the Court’s ruling striking down the use of “significant nexus”, fails to reflect the ruling as a whole. It is another missed opportunity to provide certainty and clarity to landowners while resolving the confusion that has surrounded WOTUS for years. I will continue to work to push back against and defang the Biden Administration's bureaucratic overreach at every available opportunity.
Questioning the EPA on Decision to Approve Gen X Imports
I asked the EPA to further explain their decision to allow Chemours to import foreign GenX waste to their Fayetteville facility that has been the source of extensive water contamination for years. We all — and rightfully so — have questions about the presence and impact of these chemicals. I will continue working with my colleagues in Congress along with state and local officials to help ensure families in Southeastern North Carolina have access to safe drinking water. Click here to read the full letter.
I also introduced the Healthy H2O Act to help families and small businesses in rural communities test their drinking water and install water filtration systems.
Voting to Unleash American Energy
With my strong support, in March the House passed H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act. As one of many key components, H.R. 1 included provisions from my own legislation, the Water Quality Certification and Energy Projects Improvement Act, which ensures water quality permits are approved or denied solely on a project’s impact to water quality. In many cases, the permitting process has been weaponized to delay and/or terminate much-needed energy projects even though there is no nexus to water quality.
Low cost, reliable energy is fundamental to prosperity as well as our national security. I'm proud the House passed H.R. 1, which included my bill to help ensure the development of our nation’s energy infrastructure at a time when it is sorely needed. This legislation has not passed in the Senate and likely will not given the dynamics of that chamber, but at least the House has done its part.
