Sadly, the summer has come to a close leaving many hot-button issues unresolved. Over the past few months, I was busy fighting Republicans’ attempts to allow Confederate Flags in federally run cemeteries and their aggressive plans to reduce government and scale back support for Americans. While Republicans have been engaged in intra-party politics, the priorities of hard-working American families go ignored. This year alone, Congressional Republicans have refused to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank, allowing its charter to expire. They continue to cater to special interests by introducing legislation that is detrimental to America’s future. And, in North Carolina, state Republicans refused to expand Medicaid while also failing to provide critical funding for teacher assistants.
Please take a moment to view this e-newsletter titled, The Summer in Rewind, which recaps the legislation I’ve introduced this year and many of my efforts to stop Republicans’ particularly egregious policies.
As always, it is my sincere pleasure to represent North Carolina’s First Congressional District. I look forward to continuing the fight ahead.
Very truly yours,
G. K. Butterfield
Member of Congress
North Carolina’s First Congressional District
Butterfield Condemns Confederate Battle Flag on the House Floor
In July, Congressional Republicans attached an amendment to the Interior Department’s annual spending bill that would allow the display of confederate flags in National Park Service cemeteries. Although they later withdrew this amendment after public outcry, the GOP has proved, once again, that they are out of touch with most Americans.
Click here to view Congressman Butterfield’s statement on this shameful amendment.
Butterfield Travels with President Obama and U.S. Delegation to Africa
From left: Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, Sen. Chris Coons, Rep. Karen Bass, Sen. Ed Markey, Rep. Terri Sewell, Rep. Barbara Lee, Rep. Charlie Rangel, President Obama, Rep. Butterfield, Sen. Jeff Flake, and Rep. Gregory Meeks.
Congressman Butterfield joined President Barack Obama aboard Air Force One on a historic six-day trip with other U.S. lawmakers to Nairobi, Kenya and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
While there, the U.S. Delegation attended the 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit to strengthen the U.S. partnerships with Kenya, Ethiopia, and other African allies, and to accelerate economic growth, bolster democratic institutions, and improve security on the African continent.
Butterfield Fights to Combat Prostate Cancer Among American American Men
In June, Congressman Butterfield led several of his colleagues in authoring and introducing the National Prostate Cancer Plan Act. The bill would establish a council of federal agencies, patients, and medical experts to develop and implement a national strategy to combat prostate cancer. With African American men having the highest prostate cancer rates of any other racial or ethnic group, Mr. Butterfield is committed to finding a permanent cure for this deadly disease.
Click here to view Congressman Butterfield’s statement on this bill.
Butterfield Passes His Seven Priority Issues in the 21st Century Cures Act
Congressman Butterfield, member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Subcommittee on Health, applauded the passage of the 21st Century Cures Act, which included seven provisions co-authored by Butterfield.
Among his several priorities included in the 21st Century Cures Act is the provision to reauthorize the Rare Disease Priority Review Voucher (PRV) Program run by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that incentivizes and fast-tracks much-needed pediatric drugs to market. The provision builds on the success of the Creating Hope Act of 2011, which was originally authored by Butterfield and Congressman Mike McCaul (R-TX) and passed into law in 2012 to create the PRV Program.
Click here for additional information on the 21st Century Cures Act and the provisions authored by Butterfield.
Butterfield Hosts Prayer Vigil to Bring Healing to Community
Congressman Butterfield hosted a prayer vigil themed: Together in Prayer: One Community United in Faith, to unite people from across the First Congressional District and call for calm, healing, and understanding in response to the tragic shooting at Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina.
Butterfield Introduces Bill to Issue a Commemorative Postage Stamp in Honor of George Henry White
In July, Congressman Butterfield introduced H.R. 3034, a bill to direct the U.S. Postmaster General to issue a commemorative postage stamp in honor of George Henry White, the last African American to serve in Congress until 1929.
A native of New Bern, North Carolina, George Henry White served in both the North Carolina House of Representatives and Senate. In 1896, the people of the Second Congressional District of North Carolina elected Mr. White to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.
While serving in the House, Congressman White was an outspoken advocate for civil rights and economic and social justice for African Americans. Notably, he was the first Member of Congress to introduce legislation making lynching a federal crime. He would only serve two terms in the House. His departure from Congress resulted from disenfranchisement laws passed in 1900.
Butterfield Introduces Bill to Encourage Property Owners to Implement Energy Efficiency Measures in Residential Housing Units
In response to many Americans being saddled with above average utility costs, Congressman Butterfield introduced a bill to create a voluntary “Residence Star” program to encourage residential property owners to make energy-saving improvements to their residential housing units. Butterfield’s bill, H.R. 3322, would direct the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a voluntary program where owners who make qualified energy efficiency improvements to their housing units would receive a Residence Star certification.
Congressman Butterfield and Congressman Patrick McHenry (NC-10) teamed up to introduce H.R. 2949, the Treatment of Certain Payments in Eugenics Compensation Act. This legislation would block all payments received from a state eugenics compensation program from being considered as income when determining eligibility for federal benefits.
