Enewsletters

An Update on Gas Prices, Border Security, Baby Formula & More

Dear Friends,

Below you will find updates on House Republicans' plan to address record high gas prices, the crisis at our southern border, legislation I voted for to address the baby formula shortage, and passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 2022.

Gas Prices Top All-Time Record

With gas prices above $4 a gallon in every state for the first time ever, House Democrats refused to join House Republicans in support of legislation to promote American energy independence and lower prices at the pump – for the SIXTH time.

Our legislation would boost American energy independence by:

Immediately approving the Keystone XL pipeline

Removing all restrictions on liquified natural gas (LNG) exports

Restarting oil and gas leasing on federal lands and waters halted by the Biden administration

Protecting American energy and mineral development from attacks by the Biden administration

Requiring Biden to submit an energy security plan within 30 days and requiring the Secretary of Energy to develop a plan to replace oil drawn down from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve

Instead, House Democrats considered legislation to increase costly government price controls over our energy sector.  This will do nothing to drive down costs and will only make matters worse.  What we need is more domestic energy production to ease the burden at the pump, not socialist price controls.  This was tried in the 1970s and it led to shortages, long lines at the pump, surging gas prices, and increased inflation. 

It's time for President Biden and House Democrats to quit making this situation worse and unleash America's domestic energy production.

An Update on the Border

April was the worst month on record for illegal border crossings, according to new data recently released by Customs and Border Protection (CBP).  There were 234,088 illegal crossings at our southern border in April – the highest in U.S. history for one month.  This is the opposite of Secretary Mayorkas' claim of "operational control" of the southern border.  He should be impeached and removed from office.  This is true dereliction of duty to uphold and enforce our immigration laws.

Supporting the Access to Baby Formula Act

We now know the Biden Administration has known about the looming baby formula shortage for months, but failed to make regulatory changes at the FDA or redirect formula stockpiled at other agencies that could have helped prevent such a widespread shortage.  Now many families find themselves in a desperate situation. 

This week, I voted YES on H.R. 7791, the Access to Baby Formula Act to address the ongoing formula shortage.  This legislation will expand access to formula for families participating in the WIC program and help deter future supply chain disruptions.  (The Democrats brought a bill to the floor previous to this one that simply threw money at the FDA without addressing the underlying problem.  I voted against that bill.)

While the Biden Administration should have acted to prevent this crisis, passage of this bill in the House and Senate, which occurred this past week in both chambers, is an important first step to make baby formula more accessible for families across the country.

Securing Critical Water & Flood Prevention Provisions for North Carolina 

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unanimously voted to advance the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022, which includes priorities I worked hard to include for Southeastern North Carolina.

From policies addressing flood risk, to initiatives to improve our ports and stabilize our inland waterways, this meaningful legislation is critical to address the unique needs of our communities in North Carolina and to strengthen the entire U.S. economy.  I’m pleased this bill passed out of committee with strong bipartisan support, and I look forward to its passage on the House floor in the coming weeks.  You can read more about it by clicking here. 

Closing Thoughts...

"Inflation – that's the price we pay for those government benefits everybody thought were free." – Ronald Reagan