Thanks to President Trump and Republicans in Congress, America is returning to energy independence that was robbed from the American people over the last four years. This week, we took another firm step in our work to fortify American energy, lower costs for families, and advance power to the nation that is as affordable as it is reliable. House Republicans just passed H.R. 4553, the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. This legislation provides substantive funding for our nation’s nuclear deterrents, national security posture, infrastructure, and the broader economy overall. As always, let’s turn to the facts.

The funding from H.R. 4553 is directed to three imperatives: safeguarding U.S. national security, unleashing American energy independence, and advancing the nation’s economic competitiveness. Specifically, H.R. 4553:

• Supports one of the largest commitments in decades to expand mining production technologies for critical mineral extraction.
  
  
• Halts foreign adversaries from accessing technology, natural resources, and defense capabilities that make America strong.
  
  
• Works to safeguard the tax dollars of hardworking Americans from being spent on the outdated, misguided priorities of the previous administration.
  
  
• Provides continued funding for cybersecurity efforts that will secure a more resilient and reliable grid for all Americans.

So that you can learn more about this legislation and other key takeaways, I highly encourage you to visit this link to the House Appropriations Committee website. I was proud to help shepherd H.R. 4553 through the Rules Committee, and to vote in favor of it on the House floor. There’s still a great deal of work to be done, and I’ll continue to keep you updated every step of the way. 

A Piece of American History

In late July of 1775, roughly three months after colonists first clashed with British soldiers in Massachusetts, the postal system was established. This system played an important role in the Revolutionary War as it provided for expedited, strategic communications between Congress and the Continental Army. Meanwhile, communications between British soldiers and London would be delayed by months. Thanks to the work of Benjamin Franklin, the first Postmaster General in American history, the postal system helped unite the colonies and was soon expanded as the nation began to grow. You may be interested to view a new publication from the United States Postal Service detailing its 250 years of service to the nation – and to learn facts that you may not have come across before. 

Local Spotlight

Wilkes Community College (WCC) has recently been highlighted as one of the top five community colleges in the nation according to a new ranking from SmartAsset. This is great news indeed! It also further confirms how the community college system in North Carolina, especially in the 5^th District, is a model for the rest of the nation to follow. Congratulations to the many faculty, staff, and administrators at WCC on helping propel the college to new heights – I am certain that many more achievements and accolades are on the horizon.

Quote of The Week

“American energy will power our ships, our planes and our cities.  American hands will bend the steel and pour the concrete that brings this energy into our homes and that exports this incredible, newfound energy all around the world. And American grit will ensure that what we dream, and what we build, will truly be second to none.”

-President Trump

 Have a blessed weekend,