| Dear Friend,
Welcome back to my Week in Review newsletter. Please remember to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube for regular updates on how I am serving the people of South Carolina!
Commonsense Wins Out Over Government Mandates
This week, the Biden administration finally lifted the COVID-19 vaccine requirements for federal workers, federal contractors, health care workers, and foreign air travelers to the United States on May 11, 2023, along with the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
President Biden’s federal vaccine mandate worsened already existing workforce shortages across the country, especially in the health and airline sectors. These restrictions only made life harder for Americans during a time of uncertainty and economic decline. I will always stand up for religious and individual freedom in America.
Read more about the announcement here. Solutions For Americans
President Biden’s wide open southern border has empowered Mexican cartels to flood our neighborhoods with deadly fentanyl. Since he has refused to rise to his duty to protect Americans and secure our border, I’m rising to mine. That’s why I introduced two pieces of legislation to end this crisis and restore our communities.
I wrote an op-ed in the Washington Examiner detailing how these two solutions - the Securing Our Border Act and the FEND Off Fentanyl Act -would protect our borders and homeland.
Read the op-ed in full here. Climbing The Economic Ladder
Nearly 140,000 South Carolinians are unbanked, meaning they have little to no access to savings, lending, and other basic financial services. A lack of financial literacy is devastating to many Americans’ ability to climb the ladder of economic success and create a better life.
As co-chair of the Financial Literacy Caucus, I joined Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.) in passing a resolution declaring April as Financial Literacy Month. Americans deserve every tool they can get to create a better financial future.
Read more about our resolution here. Getting Ready For The Storm
This week’s Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs hearing addressed the fiscal health of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). During my opening statement, I expressed concern about the NFIP’s failure to target funding into areas that need it the most and urged for reforms that make flood insurance more affordable, accessible, and effective for communities across America. Click here to watch South Carolina Witness Roy Wright’s Testimony. During the hearing, I questioned witness Roy Wright, a South Carolina native who is the President & CEO of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home, and announced my plans to reintroduce the Repeatedly Flooded Communities Preparation Act. This legislation will bring more resources to areas that need it the most. Small towns in South Carolina, such as Nichols, have felt the devastating impact of major storms like Matthew and Florence. They deserve quality insurance coverage to survive in the wake of natural disasters.
Read more about the hearing here. Celebrating 75 Years Of Democracy
Since its founding, Israel has been a faithful and vital American ally in the Middle East. To reaffirm our commitment to Israel’s security and combatting antisemitism, I joined my Senate colleagues in introducing a resolution to celebrate Israel’s 75th anniversary. With the loss of a generation, the Jewish people have endured unimaginable suffering and they deserve a place to call home. I will always be committed to Israel’s right to security and self-determination.
Read more about our resolution here. Managing The Financial Crisis Click here to watch my statement in full. The Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) failure highlighted the vital role bank management and regulators play in making sure our funds are soundly handled. SVB’s failure exposed the lack of responsible governance at our financial institutions.
During the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs hearing on the SVB failure, I urged for accountability from all players involved in the banking crisis. From the Biden administration’s inflationary policies to the financial regulators’ failure to heed the warning signs, we must keep our government and financial institutions accountable to taxpayers.
Watch my full opening statement here. The #SCSweetTea on Higher Education
I say it all the time because it’s true - education is the closest thing to magic in America. It’s wonderful to see many in the Orangeburg community come together to provide that magic for students. This initiative is empowering kids to get higher education and will be a gateway to greatness for all the students who choose to participate.
Read the story in full here! Sincerely, | 