Congresswoman Renee Ellmers: Honoring Our Four-Legged Heroes

This week the House Republicans voted to restore the separation of powers our founders created through the Constitution. The Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2016 is a major effort to stop the administrative overreach encouraged under the Supreme Court’s Chevron ruling. This legislation would rein in the executive branch and restore the proper balance of power between all three branches of government, helping to impede expansion of the federal bureaucracy and the burden its regulations impose.  

Also this week, we passed The Conscience Protection Act, which I cosponsored. Every American should have the right to live according to their conscience. This legislation would prevent pro-life health care providers from being forced to participate in an abortion against their deeply held beliefs. Click here to learn more about this important bill.

It was an honor to be able to speak at the ceremony honoring four military working dogs with the American Humane Association’s Lois Pope LIFE K-9 Medal of Courage this past Wednesday. This award is the nation’s highest honor for military working dogs for extraordinary valor and service to America. For more information on the dogs, their service, and the awards click here for an article and short video posted by ABC News, and here for a video from the ceremony by Military Times.  Scroll down to see photos from the event.

Sadly, this week brought more news of terrorism and death when an attack in Nice, France ended the lives of 84 innocent men, women and children and injured over 200 more. I hope you will join me in standing with and praying for the people of France and for an end to these horrific acts of terror.
                              

I really enjoyed attending the award ceremony for the American Humane Association’s inaugural Lois Pope LIFE K-9 Medal of Courage — the nation’s highest honor for military dogs for extraordinary valor and service to America. I was moved by the stories of the four recipients: Matty, a Czech German Shepherd; Fieldy, a black Labrador retriever; Bond, a Belgian Malinois; and Isky, a German Shepherd.

The American Humane Society medals, which are named in honor of Lois Pope, an internationally renowned philanthropist and veterans advocate, were presented by General Robert B. Neller, Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, First Sgt. Matt Eversmann (Ret.), the hero of Mogadishu whose story inspired the film “Black Hawk Down”, and USMC Col. Scott Campbell, Commanding Officer of the Wounded Warrior Regiment in Quantico, VA (photo courtesy of Military Times).

I enjoyed meeting these young ladies in town as National Youth Correspondents at the Washington Journalism and Media Conference on Thursday.
                              

We voted in the House this week to protect your conscience rights!