The Senate is still at a standstill as Democrats refuse to vote on a clean Continuing Resolution (CR) to open our government, allow our agencies to function, pay our military, support our veterans, and I could go on and on. Keep reading for the latest out of Washington and more from North Carolina's Seventh Congressional District.
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We’re now in week three of the Democrat-led government shutdown. This shutdown isn’t what Republicans want. We are all being held hostage to Democrat demands to repeal a number of the great provisions included in the Big Beautiful Bill. That’s what the $1.5 trillion in new spending they want is all about, including repeal of the language included to close the loopholes that allowed states to circumvent the law and provide healthcare to illegal aliens.
Extension of the Obamacare premium subsidies is a red herring. Democrats traditionally poll better than Republicans on the subject of healthcare, which is why they are trying to focus public attention on it. When Democrats held the House, Senate and White House they expanded Obamacare premium subsidies by making them available to higher income earners. They also increased the subsidy support for all who are eligible. Its expiration the end of December does not mean everyone loses the subsidy; it simply means the policy reverts back to what it was pre-COVID. It is true Obamacare premiums will go up next year — because it’s a failed program that has made access to care more difficult and far more expensive than it would be otherwise. Our healthcare system needs significant reform that only bi-partisanship can achieve. Shutting down the government isn’t the way to do it.
Meanwhile, we have families worried about paychecks, farmers waiting for the Farm Service Agency offices to open back up, and border agents and air traffic controllers showing up every day without knowing when they’ll get paid. This isn’t how the federal government should be operating.
As a reminder, House Republicans passed a clean CR almost a month ago. This is the same CR Democrats passed 13 times under the Biden Administration. Senate Republicans have brought this legislation to the floor for a vote numerous times now. As you know if you’ve read my previous newsletters, you must get 60 votes in the Senate to end debate and move to a final majority vote on almost every measure that comes to the Senate floor. (The major exceptions to that are Budget Reconciliation and what they call Congressional Review Acts.) Republicans hold fifty-three seats in the Senate, meaning seven Democrats are needed to end debate and move to a final vote, assuming all 53 Republicans vote in favor.
My offices will remain open no matter how long the Democrat-led Shutdown lasts. My staff and I will continue to assist you with any questions you may have. You can contact my office here.
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Recently, our coastline has endured repeated tidal impacts, including the very recent Nor’easter as well as the offshore hurricanes. The currents from these storms accelerate erosion, putting vital infrastructure, homes, and local economies at risk.
I share the concern of all of you who have contacted me about the significant damage done by this year’s storms. I have spoken with the Army Corps of Engineers to ensure their focus on these needs, and they have communicated with me they will be doing damage assessments as early as this coming week.
Beach nourishment, funding for recovery, and the processes to address erosion events like the ones we’ve experienced up and down the coast differ depending on the Federal status of each beach. There are three categories of beaches in terms of recovery support: Federal partnership-maintained beaches, beaches eligible for federal recovery dollars, and private beaches. How nourishment is handled for each of these categories differs.
I will explain the difference in each of these processes in a special newsletter for those on our Coastal Updates subscriber list. If you're not already subscribed, you can do so here.
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This past week, President Trump secured a monumental peace agreement between Israel and Gaza, leading the effort to negotiate the release of Israeli hostages who had been held by Hamas for two years.
Thank you to President Trump for his strong and decisive leadership in securing this agreement! While I have no expectation that this will be easy to implement, it is quite an achievement to get so many critical countries in the Middle East to sign on and announce their support. President Trump’s commitment to protecting innocent lives and standing with our ally Israel never wavered, even in the face of immense odds. This agreement is a critical step toward restoring stability in the region, and it wouldn’t have happened without the President’s clear resolve and steady hand.
Most importantly, I’m deeply grateful for his successful efforts in bringing the hostages home. Their families have waited and prayed for this day for two years. Thanks to the President and our brave negotiators, they can finally hold their loved ones again. It's a proud moment for our nation, and a reminder of what peace through strength looks like.
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Two Kure Beach residents, John Cawthorne and John Ellen, both retired Air Force Colonels competed in this year’s North Carolina Mountain to the Coast Bicycle Ride! The ride started at Lake Lure and ended in Wallace for a total of 400 miles over six days. The seventh day was scheduled to end in Fort Fisher for another 75 miles, but the ride was cut short due to severe weather.
These two veterans have been serving their families, local communities, states, and the Nation from an early age. Both attained the Boy Scouts of America rank of Eagle Scout and were commissioned as officers in the U.S. Air Force after college graduation, serving around the country and the world as well as serving as community leaders wherever they were assigned. (Colonel Ellen is also a Member of my Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee!)
These two gentlemen are the embodiment of service! Congratulations on their successful ride!
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"Vitality shows not only in the ability to persist but in the ability to start over." — F. Scott Fitzgerald
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