Over the past few days, I can imagine that you’ve read about, listened to, or watched reporting on the surge in crime that has blanketed the entire country. As of late, it sure seems like more and more stories of criminal activity are populating the news that we consume. It certainly reveals a lot about how law and order has been seriously diminished ever since President Biden stepped foot in the Oval Office. This is an issue that is worth exploring further, and as always, I’m bringing you the facts.

Before I dive into the details, it’s important to note, for a moment, that rising crime is not exclusively confined to America’s largest cities. For example, according to previous crime data reporting from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI), North Carolina has experienced upticks in various crimes over the past few years such as larceny, motor vehicle theft, and property crime. Here are a few examples, provided by the House Republican Conference, that shed light on how dangerous things have become across the nation:

• Across 32 cities, car thefts increased 33.5% in the first half of 2023.
• Businesses lost $112 billion in retail theft in 2022 alone – up from $93.9 billion the previous year.
• Last year, Washington, D.C. had the highest number of homicides since 1997, with 274 in total having been recorded.
• Murders in New York City are up 23.1% from 2019, while felony assault is up 35.4%.
• Last year, 5,363 New York City Police Department officers were injured in the line of duty.

To confront this crime catastrophe, and to stand with law enforcement officers, I’ve recently become an original cosponsor to the Improving Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act authored by Representative Dan Bishop. This legislation would responsibly expand data collection regarding anti-police attacks while also reporting on the mental health impacts of such attacks on law enforcement. I’ll continue to stand firm, as I always do, against the Biden administration’s failed policies that only serve to embolden criminals while leaving our nation’s brave law enforcement officers behind.

Important Update

I’ve sent a letter to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) President Sally Kornbluth and MIT Corporation Chair Mark P. Gorenberg requesting documents and information regarding MIT’s response to numerous antisemitic incidents on campus and its administration’s failure to protect Jewish students and faculty. Here is a short excerpt:

“We have grave concerns regarding the inadequacy of MIT’s response to antisemitism on its campus. In testimony before the Committee on December 5, 2023, Dr. Kornbluth made numerous statements that further called into question the Institute’s willingness to address antisemitism seriously. … Despite widespread public criticism of Dr. Kornbluth’s testimony, the MIT Corporation issued an endorsement.”

To read the full letter, click here.

Pushing Back

In September of 2023, the Department of Energy finalized a rule on energy efficiency standards for residential gas furnaces – this rule would impose excessive, burdensome standards on consumers. What’s more, it would unnecessarily raise costs for consumers who purchase new appliances. This is unacceptable, and I’m taking action to push back against the Biden administration’s radical climate agenda. I’ve cosponsored H.J. Res. 111, a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution that would overturn the Department of Energy’s dangerous rule and prohibit it from issuing any subsequent rule targeting gas furnaces that everyday Americans rely on. 

To learn more about H.J. Res. 111, click here.

Quote of The Week

“Therefore, send not to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.”

-John Donne

Have a blessed weekend,