Meeting with NC-07 Sheriffs and Touring the U.S. Capitol

This past week, Brunswick County Sheriff Brian Chism and New Hanover County Sheriff Ed McMahon joined me for a Capitol tour during their visit to Washington, DC.  It was my pleasure to meet with them and provide a tour of the U.S. Capitol as a small token of gratitude for their service to our communities!

Hearing from NC-07 Community College Leaders

North Carolina's Seventh District is home to some of the best community colleges in the state and the country.  Many of them have received national recognition for the work they do to prepare their students to join the workforce.  I enjoyed meeting with leaders from some of our top institutions, including Dr. Gene Smith, President of Brunswick Community College, Dr. Mark Sorrells, President of Fayetteville Tech Community College, and Dr. Jay Carraway, President of James Sprunt Community College.  Each of these leaders does an incredible job providing NC-07 students with the resources they need to build their careers and thrive in the workforce.  These ongoing meetings and discussions are critical in our efforts to expand and strengthen vocational and technical opportunities for students in Southeastern North Carolina and across our country.

Introducing Legislation to Preserve Coastal Waters

North Carolina’s Seventh District is fortunate to have some of the most beautiful beaches in the country, which provide significant recreational and economic benefits for our coastal communities.

To keep our coastal recreational waters clean and safe for all who live and vacation in Southeastern North Carolina, I joined some of my colleagues in introducing the bipartisan Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act.  The funding provided through this bill helps state and local governments test, monitor, and identify contamination in recreational waters.  Read more here.

NC Department of Insurance Rejects Astronomical Increases in Homeowners' Insurance Rates

As you may know, on January 5th, NC Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey announced the North Carolina Rate Bureau requested a proposed increase in homeowner insurance rates by an average of 42.2% statewide, with coastal counties potentially facing an increase of more than 99%.

This past week, Commissioner Mike Causey rejected the Bureau’s proposed statewide increase in homeowners' insurance rates.  This came as good news to everyone in North Carolina, including my colleagues and I who urged him to reject the Bureau’s proposed increases.

While everything costs more today due to the rampant inflation of the past few years, including the repair and rebuilding of homes due to storm damage, arbitrary astronomical increases in insurance rates (such as a 99% increase on the coast) are out of bounds.  Such increases would negatively impact everyone who owns a home and make homeownership impossible for many.  

An evidentiary hearing will commence October 7 where this will be further deliberated and a new rate set, but subject to appeal.  Or a new rate could be set beforehand if a settlement is reached, which has been the course of action a number of times in previous years.  

For this week's good news story, I'm highlighting Ethan Jordan, a young farmer from Columbus County who is dedicating his life to continuing his family's agricultural legacy.  Ethan is a 27-year-old, seventh generation farmer who has been helping run his family farm since graduating from NC State University with a degree in agricultural business management in 2018.  According to the NR Columbus, "Jordan speaks with the confidence one would expect from a man who’s been farming for decades. But actually, Jordan is just 27 years old — less than half the age of the average American farmer.  Since returning home from college, Ethan Jordan has helped run the family farm owned by his mother and father, Tammy and Alex Jordan. In total, Jordan and his father work about 1,500 acres of farmland across Columbus and Bladen counties — some owned by the family, some rented."  It's inspiring to see Ethan take on this opportunity and be so dedicated to strengthening our state's robust agriculture economy.  I wish Ethan the best of luck and much success as he strengthens and grows his family's legacy in Columbus County.  Thank you to all of our farm families who provide for America and the world!