Congresswoman Renee Ellmers: POSTURE-ing for our Military

Monday evening, I had an opportunity to speak on the House floor about a colleague’s legislation called the POSTURE Act which will prevent further troop reductions and improve military readiness. As the representative of Fort Bragg based in North Carolina, I have the unique perspective to see how current troop drawdowns are directly impacting our national security. The POSTURE Act will ensure our troops are ready and prepared to defend our nation at a moment’s notice.

This week I had the chance to meet with several constituent groups from North Carolina including the American Council of Engineering Companies of North Carolina, representatives from the N.C. Beverage Association and Coca Cola Bottling Company based out of Charlotte, as well as Raeford Family Physicians. I hope you will take a closer look at my week by scrolling down below.

Be sure to read this report on the ?#?POSTUREAct? and the fight to save the ??440th? Airlift Wing at ??FtBragg? in The Fayetteville Observer. Here is an excerpt or click here to read the full article:

“In her speech, Ellmers said that support shows the Air Force is not following through on its promise to provide something akin to the support the 440th Airlift Wing offered Fort Bragg’s airborne community.

“The Air Force is already falling well short of this promise,” Ellmers said.

She said the lack of Air Force support is one example of how a military drawdown is impacting national security at Fort Bragg, and said it should be a priority to halt it.

“The POSTURE Act will ensure that our troops are ready and prepared to defend our nation at a moment’s notice,” she said.

She called for additional support for Fort Bragg, citing a belligerent Russia, growing Chinese military and the Islamic State.

“This is not the time to be cutting our military,” she said. “This is the time to strengthen it.”
 

I had such a great time at Northwoods Elementary School in Cary this week before heading back to Washington. I toured the school garden with a PTA volunteer and read to the 2nd grade classes! Thanks so much to the principal, teachers and students for a great visit!

I loved having the opportunity to read “What Do You Do With An Idea” to the students at Northwoods.  They were such attentive listeners!

I enjoyed attending the Girl Scout Award 100th Anniversary Reception one evening this past week to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Gold Award.  Pictured here is the President of the Board of the Girl Scouts as well as two Gold Award recipients. These girls are bright, motivated and so involved in their communities!

  It was great to meet this week with IGA, a brand of grocery stores, along with Food Lion, and representatives of the NC Beverage Association. We discussed ways that Congress could work to provide clarity and certainty on how businesses label food for consumers.

As the co-chair of the Grid Innovation Caucus, it was great to join the GridWise Alliance (GWA) and the Grid Modernization Laboratory Consortium in a briefing they hosted called “Developing a 21st Century Grid.” Our electric grid is a critical component to our everyday life, and modernizing it will help us to maintain a reliable and secure electric infrastructure. It is vitally important that we bring it the grid up to speed with 21st innovations. Thanks to all who swung by!
 

I am so proud to have worked with my colleague, Senator Rob Portman from Ohio, to introduce legislation that would provide relief to healthcare providers who are facing burdensome fines and penalties as a result of HHS.

“The continued procrastination by CMS to provide relief from the tough and inflexible deadlines within the Meaningful Use Program has prompted myself and Senator Portman to rally our colleagues and take action. Today, I have introduced H.R. 5001 to deliver flexibility to hospitals and doctors facing stiff penalties from unmanageable requirements.”

To read my full quote, and quotes from other co-sponsors, click here.