Dear Friends,
This week in Washington, the House passed 70 bills, including several that will make a difference for North Carolina. I also took time to recognize National Truck Driver Appreciation Week and thank the men and women who keep our country moving every day.
I joined my colleagues on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to discuss the importance of modernizing our nation’s aviation system and keeping our skies safe and efficient. I also met with SSA Marine and American Association of Port Authorities to discuss North Carolina’s ports and how we can continue strengthening our role in the nation’s supply chain. Read on to learn more.
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Over 65,000 truck drivers call North Carolina home, keeping our shelves stocked, businesses running, and goods moving across our state and country. Trucking supports 1 in 15 jobs in North Carolina, and 85% of communities rely exclusively on trucks to move their goods.
This National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, I’m especially grateful to the hardworking men and women behind the wheel who keep North Carolina moving. Thank you for all you do!
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This week on the House Floor, we passed 70 pieces of legislation to protect American families and taxpayers, support our nation’s veterans, strengthen national security, and reduce regulatory burdens on Americans.
Passage of Bipartisan Water Resources Development Act The House advanced the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2026, which authorizes critical water infrastructure projects across the country. This legislation delivers for Southeast North Carolina through critical federal water infrastructure projects to help meet the needs of communities across our region, including a 50-year beach nourishment project to strengthen Surf City's coastline.
WRDA authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to construct projects to improve our ports and harbors, waterway navigation, flood and storm protection, and other critical infrastructure. These projects are locally driven, but they also provide regional and national benefits by helping move goods throughout the country and better protecting communities from flooding.
By consistently investing in our nation’s water resources, we can strengthen our supply chains, support our global competitiveness, and grow our economy. House passage brings us another step closer to strengthening our communities and making our homes and businesses more resilient to future natural disasters.
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Protecting Consumers from Rising Energy Costs Data centers place significant demands on our electricity grid and infrastructure. I supported the Ratepayer Protection Act (H.R. 9340), which would require large-scale data centers to cover the costs of their power usage so ratepayers don’t have to bear the burden of the costs as a result. The legislation would help protect families and businesses from higher electricity costs as demand for power evolves.
Supporting North Carolina Veterans Our veterans answered the call to serve our nation, and they deserve our continued support. This week, the House passed legislation I co-sponsored alongside Congressmen Richard Hudson (R-NC) and Brad Knott (R-NC) authorizing the Secretary of the Army to use State-owned land to build a new State Veterans Home in the Fayetteville area. The legislation would expand access to services and care for North Carolina veterans.
Protecting Taxpayer Dollars Americans work too hard to have their hard-earned tax dollars lost to fraud and abuse. That’s why I supported the National Fraud Enforcement Division Act (H.R. 9576), which establishes a dedicated division within the Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute fraud involving federal funds. The House also passed the Preventing Rip-offs and Obtaining Oversight of Funds Act (H.R. 10326), which would strengthen oversight of federal spending and help ensure taxpayer dollars are protected.
The House also passed legislation to go after scammers trying to steal the savings our seniors have spent a lifetime building. I proudly supported the GUARD Act (H.R. 2978) to catch these fraudsters by providing local law enforcement the tools they need to go after these criminals and protect our seniors.
Strengthening National Security As the Administration works to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine, the House passed legislation this week to increase economic pressure on Russia. Strong sanctions are an important tool to hold Russia accountable while protecting America’s national security interests.
Protecting American Consumers and Our Supply Chain The House also passed two Congressional Review Act resolutions addressing California regulations governing commercial vessels. H.J. Res. 210 would disapprove an EPA decision concerning California’s erroneous emissions standards for ocean-going vessels, while H.J. Res. 213 would disapprove an EPA decision concerning emissions standards for commercial harbor craft. The Clean Air Act requires states to get approval from the EPA when they set emission standards above federal levels.
These regulations affect vessels operating in California ports and the businesses that rely on them to move goods. Our nation’s ports — particularly California’s major ports— play a critical role in keeping our supply chains moving and ensuring consumers across the country have access to the goods they need.
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This week, I participated in the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure’s markup to advance legislation that strengthens maritime cybersecurity and improves aviation safety, innovation, infrastructure, and disaster preparedness.
Our rural communities deserve reliable access to our nation’s aviation system. Many of the bills approved by the Committee will help ensure our aviation infrastructure meets the needs of communities across the country.
We also approved the Post-Disaster Protection Act (H.R. 8409), which is especially important for communities like ours that are vulnerable to hurricanes and other natural disasters. This legislation will help communities and disaster victims better prepare for, respond to, and recover from future disasters.
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SSA Marine
North Carolina’s ports play a unique role in our state’s economy, bringing in supplies and materials while exporting North Carolina agriculture and manufactured products around the world. This week, I met with SSA Marine to discuss operations at the Ports of Wilmington and Morehead City and opportunities to support continued growth at both.
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American Association of Port Authorities Ports across the country play a critical part in our nation's supply chain. This past week, I met with the American Association of Port Authorities to discuss ways to strengthen our ports, including permitting reform, securing funding for the Port Infrastructure Development Program, and investing in the infrastructure needed to keep our ports competitive. The same day I met with them, the House passed WRDA, delivering the critical investments in our nation’s ports, waterways, flood protection, and water infrastructure.
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Every year, thousands of children send letters to Santa at the North Pole. Through the U.S. Postal Service’s Operation Santa program, individuals, families, and organizations can make those Christmas wishes come true.
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Here’s how you can participate: - Adopt a letter: Letter adoption begins November 2.
- To send a letter to Santa: Letters must be postmarked by December 5 to be eligible for potential adoption and fulfillment (Send to: Santa Claus, 123 Elf Rd, North Pole, 88888)
- Get involved: Visit USPS Operation Santa for program guidelines and more information.
A little holiday kindness can go a long way. I encourage families across Southeastern North Carolina to consider participating and helping make a child’s Christmas wish come true!
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Do you know a student with a great idea for an app? Encourage them to enter the Congressional App Challenge! The Challenge gives middle and high school students a chance to turn their ideas into reality, learn how to code, and showcase their creativity and computer science skills. Winning apps will even be displayed in the U.S. Capitol.
Students must be enrolled in middle or high school and either live or attend school in North Carolina’s Seventh District. Use the district lookup tool to confirm eligibility. Students can compete individually or as part of a team of up to four. For team submissions, at least half of the team members must be eligible to participate in NC-07.
Students interested in participating should register for the 2026 Congressional App Challenge and get started! The deadline is Monday, October 26, 2026.
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If you have any questions about the Congressional App Challenge, please contact my Brunswick County office at (910) 253-6111.
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Navigating the federal government can be frustrating. If you are experiencing difficulties with a federal agency such as the IRS, VA, or Social Security Administration, and are unable to visit one of my district offices, we may be able to help! Please stop by one of the nearby mobile office hours in October and see how my office can assist:
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In addition to my mobile office hours, I have offices in Brunswick, Cumberland, and New Hanover counties, as well as in Washington, DC. You can find contact information for my office locations and hours here.
Please do not hesitate to contact my office if we can be of assistance.
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For this week’s good news story, I’d like to spotlight the City of Fayetteville and NC Coastal Health Care for hosting their annual Homeless Veterans Stand Down. Thank you to the JROTC cadets from E.E. Smith High School and barber students from Bragg Boulevard College who volunteered at the event.
This event connected veterans with local resources such as access to clothing, health screenings and other essential services, bringing together the greater Fayetteville community to provide a sense of dignity and appreciation for the brave men and women who have served our country. We should always work to improve the care and lives of our veterans who have made so many sacrifices to protect our nation. Read more about this story at ABC 11.
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“Every mile on the highway is a mile of freedom.” – Willie Nelson |
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