Butterfield to highlight congress’ new direction


Rocky Mount — Congressman G. K. Butterfield will highlight what a Democratic Congress will mean for Americans during a keynote speech at the Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments’ “Annual Banquet Celebrating 35 Years of Service.”

“The elections are over so now it’s time to set politics aside and begin the hard work of helping average Americans,” Butterfield said. “Obviously there’s a great deal of work ahead.”

Butterfield said that Congress must set aside political differences and quickly get to work on many issues including raising the minimum wage, renegotiating prescription drug prices for seniors, lowering energy costs, making college more affordable and cutting taxes for the middle class. He said getting the budget deficits and national debt under control must also be priorities.

“Congress must now work in a cooperative manner to move our country forward for everyone,” Butterfield said.

The Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments’ “Annual Banquet Celebrating 35 Years of Service” will be held Tuesday, November 21st at 6 p.m. at Wesleyan College’s Dunn Center of Performing Arts, 3400 N. Wesleyan Boulevard, Rocky Mount, N.C.

The Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments includes 38 municipalities and the county governments of Edgecombe, Halifax, Nash, Northampton and Wilson. Working under the direction of locally elected officials of these member governments, the staff plans and administers a variety of federal, state and local services and programs. Nearly 300,000 people live in the area, and all but Nash County are designated by the North Carolina Department of Commerce as economically distressed. In the region, 19.4% of the population lives in poverty.