Dear fellow South Carolinians,

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Opportunity Zones
After the introduction of two Democrat bills attempting to wreck the Opportunity Zone initiative, I spoke to the damage that these two pieces of legislation would cause.

Make no mistake, Congressman Clyburn and Senator Wyden’s legislation will needlessly punish low-income communities who are hoping to use Opportunity Zones to transform areas left behind. Estimates show as much as $63 billion can already be expected to be utilized in zones across the country; with a poverty rate averaging 29 percent in the 8,700 zones across the nation, the potential these dollars hold for these communities is clear in terms of jobs, technology, infrastructure and so many other possible uses.

I stand ready to improve the Opportunity Zones initiative in a positive way with anyone who wants to work together. Senator Booker and I have already introduced a bill that would include important reporting requirements; the legislation introduced today does not even mention reporting requirements once. Instead of trying to take down Opportunity Zones because of their distaste for President Trump and our successful tax reform package, I invite Democrats to come to the table and work together on a path forward. A bipartisan group of mayors from across the country, including Columbia’s Steve Benjamin, have come out in full-throated support of Opportunity Zones, because they know the potential they hold for their communities. The past 50 years of fighting poverty through government-led programs has been largely ineffective, so let’s make sure the next 50 are powered by efforts that will work.

CO ALERTS Act
Earlier this month, I spoke at the Senate Banking Committee hearing “Examining Bipartisan Bills to Promote Affordable Housing Access and Safety." I spent time questioning Ms. Ivory N. Mathews, Interim Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the City of Columbia, after she gave witness testimony regarding the January 2019 Carbon Monoxide deaths of Calvin Witherspoon Jr. and Derrick Caldwell Roper in a Columbia, SC public housing complex.

This tragedy only galvanized my need to ensure that we are committed to protecting our most vulnerable citizens, like Calvin and Derek, and the 239 other families at Allen Benedict Court Public Housing Community in Columbia. Even one preventable death in our public housing facilities is too many, and this important amendment will help put an end to the threat of Carbon Monoxide poisoning for families across the nation, especially as we go into the higher-risk winter season. You can watch my full remarks here.

National Apprenticeship Week
Last week we celebrated National Apprenticeship Week. Apprenticeships allow folks to earn while they learn – truly a win-win situation! My LEAP (Leveraging and Energizing America’s Apprenticeship Programs) Act would use the nationally-recognized South Carolina model to power a new generation of workers across the country. You can read more about it here.

Angels in Adoption Recipient
Last week, I had the pleasure of meeting my 2019 Angels in Adoption recipient, Ms. Becky Donovan of Rock Hill, SC in Washington, D.C.  Ms. Donovan is an outstanding example of a committed and courageous South Carolinian whose work on adoption education as a compassionate choice has saved many lives. I congratulate her on this well-deserved accomplishment and hope her work continues to serve as an inspiration to others. You can read more about Ms. Donovan’s work here.





Sincerely,

Tim