Before departing for a District Work Period, House Republicans passed strong legislation to put an end to President Biden’s anti-American energy agenda and took a bold step to hold the Biden Administration accountable for the border crisis by impeaching DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. In addition, I participated in several important committee hearings throughout the week on matters ranging from artificial intelligence, cyber security and oversight over the VA neglecting sexual harassment allegations.
This past week, I returned to Eastern North Carolina to visit local businesses and meet with constituents throughout the district, as well as host my office’s third Veterans History Project event in New Bern, NC. The initiative has been a tremendous success, and I am so grateful to help preserve the stories of our veterans for future generations.
The next few weeks will be pivotal for our country. I look forward to being back in Washington to D.C. to fight on your behalf. As always, it is my privilege to be your representative and voice in Congress.
If you wish to stay more engaged and aware of what is happening in Washington and our District please follow me on my socials linked above or here: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
Congressional Art Competition
I am excited to announce that my office will participate in this year’s annual Congressional Art Competition. A huge thank you to the Craven Arts Council and Gallery in New Bern for hosting this special event.
The first-place winner of the competition will be invited to Washington, DC, for the national reception where the artwork will be showcased in the Capitol.
I’m excited to see the interpretations of this year's theme of “Scenery” for NC-03’s competition. Artwork submissions are being accepted now through March 23rd, 2024! More details below.
Key Votes
Impeachment of DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas
Secretary Mayorkas bears responsibility for the unprecedented crisis at our border, has failed to enforce laws passed by Congress, and has breached the public's trust. The self-inflicted crisis has cost this nation over 450 billion dollars, accelerated human and drug trafficking, and endangered community safety. Impeachment is one of the most consequential actions granted to Congress in the Constitution. It is a vote no Member of Congress takes glee in taking.
After great deliberation and consideration of the Articles brought forth against him, I voted in favor. Mayorkas' actions and purposeful neglect of our nation's laws are unbecoming of the office he holds. Our nation cannot prosper if our leaders are not held accountable when they fail to uphold the oath they made to our Constitution and the American people.
Read the Articles of Impeachment here
View the Committee on Homeland Security’s Phase 1 Report on Evidence of DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ Dereliction of Duty here
Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2024
Biden’s decision to ban LNG exports to appease climate extremists will have catastrophic consequences on our economy, national security and efforts to reduce carbon emissions. The world should be powered with natural gas from America, not Russia.
For months, Americans have felt the financial burden of escalating energy expenses, and this latest ban twists the knife. Unleashing American energy here at home to reduce our reliance on adversaries is absolutely essential to our nation’s prosperity.
I voted YES to putting an end to Biden’s anti-American energy agenda:
National Sweetpotato Month
Happy National Sweetpotato Month! North Carolina is the largest producer of sweetpotatoes in the United States. Our state has fueled a remarkable surge in production thanks to the contributions of 300 local family farms.
In 2023, North Carolina produced 72,000+ acres of sweetpotatoes accounting for 40% of the annual produced crop being exported!
Thank you North Carolina Sweetpotatoes for dropping off some delicious sweetpotatoes!
VA Full Committee Oversight Hearing
Allegations of the VA neglecting sexual harassment reports is deeply concerning and should be evaluated without a partisan lens.
This incident has absolutely nothing to do with politics. While I appreciate Secretary McDonough for responding to these allegations, actions speak louder than words. There must be disciplinary measures implemented and rules enforced to prevent this from happening again.
We must press forward with this investigation and demand transparency to ensure justice and accountability.
Watch my full questioning of Secretary McDonough here
Ways and Means Full Committee Hearing
In the Ways and Means Committee, we held a hearing with IRS Commissioner Daniel Warfel. I raised my concern with cyber and national security risks surrounding TikTok’s availability on government devices, despite its prohibition.
TikTok is a tool used by the Chinese Communist Party to gather personal data of users and influence behavior through meticulously rigged algorithms. I appreciate his commitment to investigate this further and ensure there are no artificial intelligence biases when conducting audits.
