Representative David Rouzer

Dear [salutation],

It was a busy week in Congress passing a budget resolution to put the country on a much better fiscal path as well as passing legislation to better ensure that only American citizens vote in our elections. Keep reading to learn more.

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Senate-Amended Budget Resolution Passes

On Thursday, the House passed the Senate-amended Budget Resolution to establish the budget for fiscal year 2025 with recommended parameters set for revenue collections and spending as well as projected deficits and debt levels for fiscal years 2026 through 2034. With passage of the resolution, House Republicans can now begin the budget reconciliation process to address taxes and spending with a simple majority vote in the Senate. (Absent passage of the budget resolution, enactment of any tax provisions and changes to mandatory spending programs, also referred to as entitlements, would be subject to the Senate filibuster requiring 60 votes to end debate.)

What's Next:

Each committee instructed in the budget resolution develops legislation that aligns with the reconciliation instructions.
The proposed legislation must meet deficit-reducing or revenue-related goals.
Committees of jurisdiction mark-up and submit their legislation to the House and Senate Budget committees.

SAVE Act Passes in the House

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, passed the House on Thursday as well. The SAVE Act requires individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, when registering or re-registering to vote in federal elections.

House Republicans are focused on protecting the integrity of the ballot box by preventing foreign interference in U.S. elections. We are advocating for safeguards to prevent non-citizens from voting and thereby illegally influencing our elections, particularly given the massive influx of illegal immigrants from more than 160 countries that have crossed our southern and northern borders in recent years.

Contrary to the claims made by many Democrats in the House, who falsely argue this bill restricts women from registering to vote, the bill actually protects women's votes by ensuring only citizens participate. It establishes more than six methods to verify voter identity, guaranteeing all Americans can access their ballots. Additionally, the bill codifies President Trump’s executive action to strengthen the voter registration process.

North Carolina Cherry Blossom Princess

It was great to meet Lily Kate Snyder, who was selected to represent North Carolina as our 2025 Cherry Blossom Delegate for the annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C.!

She has represented our state exceptionally well as a contestant for the U.S. Cherry Blossom Queen. Congratulations Lily Kate!

Resources

2025 Congressional Art Competition: I'm now accepting submissions for the 2025 Congressional Art Competition. All students who attend high school in the Seventh Congressional District are encouraged to participate. The winning artist's work will be showcased for one year in the halls of the U.S. Capitol along with other winning entries from every Congressional District across the country.

The winning artist’s work will be displayed for one year in the Cannon Tunnel, a pedestrian walkway leading to the U.S. Capitol from the House office buildings. In addition, the first-place winner will receive airfare for two to Washington, D.C. where they can view their artwork, connect with other winners from across the country, and participate in a celebratory reception honoring their achievement.

Guidelines and regulations to participate in the competition as well as the student release form can be found here. Use this tool to determine if students reside within North Carolina's 7th Congressional District.

All artwork and signed student release forms must be submitted in person to one of Congressman Rouzer's District Office locations no later than 5:00 PM on Thursday, April 17, 2025.

This Week's Good News Story

For this week’s good news story, I’m highlighting Coastal Cosmetic Family Dentistry as they prepare for their 11th annual Dentistry from the Heart event. This event, taking place next month, offers free dental care to more than 200 patients. Over the past decade, the office has donated more than $400,000 in free dental care to thousands of Brunswick County residents. What a tremendous service and we should all thank them for it!

Closing Thoughts...

"No matter how good you are, you can always get better, and that's the exciting part." —Tiger Woods