Congresswoman Renee Ellmers: Closing Loopholes to Ensure Our Safety

Photo of the Week

This week in the Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing my bill, H.R. 4153 the Educating to Prevent Eating Disorders Act of 2015, was considered. In the photo above, Dr. Ovidio Bermudez, Chief Clinical Officer adn Medical Director of Child and Adolescent Services who testified in support of my bill.

Weekly Update

This week, the House continued its work to keep ensure the safety and security of the American people. We passed legislation that would close loopholes within the Visa Waiver Program, and enacted additional safeguards to ensure proper vetting of travelers before they are able to enter into the U.S. This legislation passed 407-19 and hugely bipartisan. It will forbid travelers who have ties to terrorist hotspots—including countries like Iraq, Syria and others with significant terrorist activity— from taking part in the Visa Waiver Program. Instead, these travelers are rightly required to pursue a more stringent vetting process and acquire a visa for entry. Take a moment to read an interview of mine with the Sanford Herald.

Additionally this week, I authored a letter to the Secretary of Defense to convey the prominent role of the 440th Airlift Wing (AW) throughout all of Operation Toy Drop. Operation Toy Drop is a Fort Bragg tradition and one of the world’s largest airborne operations. It unites paratroopers and personnel from all over the world, and collects thousands of toys which are later distributed to children and families.

Given the slated deactivation status of the 440th Airlift Wing – as pushed by the Air Force—Operation Toy Drop was supposed to demonstrate that outside aircraft could seamlessly take the place of the 440th AW and provide necessary support and logistics to complete missions. The problem is that the 440th provided a substantial amount of support throughout this entire mission—more than 40 percent of the airlift and over 40 percent of all the jumps throughout Toy Drop. This again reiterates the need to have a local flying unit like the 440th AW on base.

I look forward to heading back to D.C next week to complete our last working week of 2015. It’s been a great year!

Health Subcommittee Hearing

Click here or on the image above to see testimony of Dr. Ovidio Bermudez of the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) from this week’s Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing. He served as the expert on adolescent eating disorders and shed light on these prevalent mental health disorders. He educated both Committee and audience members on the need for this legislation and articulated the role of prevention in saving lives and in keeping down the cost of healthcare.

All Decked Out for Christmas!

A few blocks down from my office, Downtown Dunn, as so many other communities in NC-2, is all decked out for Christmas. Take a look at the pics below to see how Dunn is showing the holiday spirit. If you have a great photo from the district, I’d love to see it. Post your favorite on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #MyViewOfNC2 and I’ll feature the best on my social media.

Ellmers in the News:

Early this week, I had an opportunity to speak with the Sanford Herald about legislation we passed pertaining to the Visa Waiver Program. See an excerpt below:

“Sanford’s voice in the U.S. House of Representatives, Republican Rep. Renee Ellmers, joined an overwhelming majority of House members from both parties this week in approving legislation that will, according to Ellmers, close a number of gaps in the United States Visa Waiver Program.

The Visa Waiver Program allows citizens from 38 countries to enter the United States for up to 90 days without having to apply for a visa, and Ellmers said the legislation aimed to disqualify foreigners with ties to “terrorist hot spots” from the program.

“There are 38 countries that participate with this program,” Ellmers said Wednesday. “As you can imagine, that leaves us very vulnerable. There are individuals who could be coming from one of the countries that we know has terrorist ties, and they could simply go through one of those 38 countries and come to us without the need for a visa for 90 days.”

“On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Renee Ellmers, R-N.C., and others in the North Carolina delegation voted for the Visa Waiver Program Improvement & Terrorist Travel Prevention Act (H.R. 158), restricting individuals with ties to certain countries from participating in the Visa Waiver Program. The measure passed in a 407-19 vote.

The Senate has not scheduled a vote on the measure but the White House has expressed an interest in tightening the Visa waiver program.

Ellmers represents District 2, which includes Randolph County. She said her friend, Rep. Candice Miller, R-Michigan, began work on this measure three years ago.”

“But Burr, Tillis and Ellmers are critical of that strategy and steps Obama announced domestically. Ellmers, in particular, balked at Obama’s calls to place restrictions on gun sales as a way to combat domestic terrorism. “Now is not the time for the president to restrict our Second Amendment rights or outline other items on his liberal agenda,” she said. “Now is the time for our president to reveal a comprehensive strategy for destroying radical Islamic extremist groups like ISIS. Now is the time for our president to exhibit leadership.”

Shortly after Obama presented his AUMF, Ellmers signed on as co-sponsor of a House version created by Rep. Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican. Following Obama’s remarks, Ellmers said the House resolution eliminates any restriction on the president’s power and flexibility in destroying ISIS and that she is prepared to vote in favor of that or similar legislation. But Ellmers, too, was critical of Obama’s remarks. “I’m astounded that our president would use tonight’s speech to promote his own political agenda as opposed to articulating a plan to shore up defense efforts, work with trusted allies and protect innocent Americans from the threat of radical Islam,” she said. “The San Bernardino terrorist attack is the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil since September 11th, and it warrants more than empty political rhetoric.”

CategoriesNC Elected Officials