| Dear Friend,
Welcome back to my Week in Review newsletter. You can sign up for my weekly updates and other issue-specific newsletters here. Please remember to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube for regular updates on how I am serving my constituents!
Last week, I had the pleasure of spending my state work period back home in South Carolina. Throughout the week, I met with restaurant owners and employees to discuss current issues facing them, like the potential impact of an artificial minimum wage hike, which folks across the state have told me would destroy their small businesses and force them to lay off hardworking South Carolinians. I also had the chance to go to Meeting Street Academy to hear from students and parents about the challenges Covid has presented to educational opportunities, their goals, and the importance of education. These conversations with my fellow South Carolinians will continue to guide my decisions in Washington as I work on behalf of our great state.
Backing our Nation’s Entrepreneurs
As co-chair of the Senate Entrepreneurship Caucus, I am always looking for ways to help entrepreneurs and start-up businesses reach their full potential. In pursuit of that goal, my co-chair Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and I took action to support our small businesses, which have taken the brunt of the economic downturn.
We filed a Senate resolution declaring last week National Entrepreneurship Week, and we reintroduced the bipartisan Enhancing Entrepreneurship for the 21st Century Act, which will authorize a comprehensive study on what factors have caused a decrease in startup businesses across the country over the past several years. Our entrepreneurs and small businesses are the backbone of the American economy, and it’s my goal to ensure they have adequate resources to make their American Dream a reality.
Prioritizing Students and Holding Biden Nominees Accountable
After 11 months away from the classroom, our children desperately need a return to socialization & in-person education. Suicides, depression, and learning loss are increasing every minute our schools remain closed. I joined FOX News this week to explain why we simply can’t wait any longer to bring our kids back to the classroom.
Not only is it crucial our children are back in schools, but it is also imperative they have access to the right schools for them. So many Washington elites have benefitted from the luxury of attending private schools when their families decided their assigned schools were not the best fit. The least we can do is level the playing field so kids across the nation – from rural America to our inner cities – have that same opportunity.
Unfortunately, instead of putting children’s needs first, President Biden’s administration has prioritized teachers unions and rejected commonsense reforms like school choice. That is why, last Thursday, I announced my decision to vote against Miguel Cardona, the president’s nominee for secretary of education. To read more in depth about this decision, check out my opinion piece in the Post and Courier. I will always champion greater opportunities for our nation’s children.
Sincerely,
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