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Here are a few updates on events from this past week in Washington.  Thank you for subscribing, and please consider recommending this resource to a friend.

On Friday, I voted against House Democrats’ socialist tax and spend bill.  Trillions of dollars in federal spending, passed under the guise of COVID-19 relief this past year, is driving up inflation, which just recently reached a 30-year high.  From groceries, to gas, to the energy it takes to heat your home, families across the country are paying more for just about everything. 

The situation at our southern border is out of control, with the drug cartels expanding their networks all across the country.  Meanwhile, job creators are facing a labor shortage catastrophe, further disrupting our broken supply chain.  Not one provision in this 2,000 plus page bill will address any of these problems.  Instead, it will make each worse.

Contrary to President Biden touting the cost of this bill as zero dollars, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score shows this spending bill will add $376 billion to the deficit over a decade — and that assumes no dip in the economy.  Any economic decline from tax hikes will mean less money for the Treasury, further increasing the annual deficit, which translates to a faster increase in total debt — not to mention the higher interest rates coming that will substantially increase the country’s debt service payments.  As former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher once said, “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.”

I spoke on the House Floor during debate on this legislation.  Click here or on the image below to view my remarks.

Pushing Back Against President Biden’s Vaccine Mandate

I was proud to join more than 160 Members of the House to introduce a Congressional Review Act resolution to formally disapprove of and nullify President Biden’s vaccine mandate imposed on private U.S. businesses and 80 million American workers. 

Just this past week, OSHA was forced to suspend activities related to implementing and enforcing the vaccine mandate due to a federal court order, underscoring legitimate legal concerns regarding the constitutionality of this mandate.  Furthermore, this mandate only adds to the growing list of problems contributing to our country’s labor shortage and supply chain crisis.  The decision to receive a COVID-19 vaccine should remain an individual choice – not a strong-armed mandate.  Read more about the action we’re taking to block this mandate in Congress here.  That said, House Republicans are in the minority and do not have the votes to block anything without a handful of Democrats voting with us.  The same is true in the U.S. Senate.  

Introducing Legislation in Support of North Carolina Ferries

North Carolina ferries are critical for those who live, work, and vacation in our coastal communities.  They also serve as a lifeline for evacuating thousands of people ahead of dangerous storms and hurricanes.  However, due to current Department of Transportation rules, the North Carolina ferry system is unable to apply for critical grant funding to improve ferry service due to their rural designation.

As the second largest state-run ferry system in the country, there is no reason North Carolina should be excluded from competing for critical investments to improve ferry service, safety, and efficiency.  That’s why I was proud to introduce legislation to establish parity for our ferry system so they can continue to meet our state’s transportation needs.  You can read more about my bill here.