Category: NC Elected Officials

August 2014 The Baskerville Bulletin Representative Nathan Baskerville House District 32 Vance, Granville, Warren 16 W. Jones Street Raleigh, NC 27603 919-733-5824 Greetings from the North Carolina General Assembly!  The Short Session is finally over!  We have just ended one of the longest short sessions in North Carolina’s History.  This newsletter will highlight some of the biggest changes to the law including budget provisions. THE “NOT SO SHORT SESSION”   The North Carolina General Assembly meets during the odd numbered …

  Volume 9, Issue VIII August 25, 2014   If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, pleaseclick here   NEWS FROM RALEIGH… I always welcome your comments, project updates, suggestions, and visits. My office door and electronic door are always open to you!  As always, thank you for your support!     NEWSLETTER INDEX   Around the District … and More- Corrections and Photos Scholarships/Grant Awards/Loan Information and Nominations For your information-Vance County Childcare Statistics Ethics Tip Legislative …

Photo of the Week: I really enjoyed my tour of Thomas Built Buses manufacturing plant, located right along the Randolph and Guilford County line.  It was great to learn how Thomas Built Buses is improving safety and reliability for everyone on the road!   This past week was busy for many families as students headed back to school. Monday marked the first day of classes for many across the 2nd District, including elementary, high school and colleges. Best of luck …

Photo of the Week: Really enjoyed visiting Erwin Solar Farm in Erwin, North Carolina. It was a great experience to hear directly from the developer, Strata Solar, about the project, tour the farm and partake in a ribbon-cutting ceremony.  I have so enjoyed spending time back home in the district this past week. It is nice to be in the company of so many familiar faces. On Wednesday, we hosted our successful Third Annual Recruit-a-Vet Employment Fair, and it was …

Photo of the Week: During an Oversight and Investigations subcommittee hearing last week, I spoke with a panelist from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services regarding the poor implementation of Obamacare. I was able to question the effectiveness of using taxpayer money for a program that has operated on an inconsistent and unpredictable basis. Click here or on the photo above to watch the exchange with the panelist. As you know, agriculture is a hugely important industry here in …

Photo of the Week: I had the opportunity to speak with several members of the Republican Women’s Policy Committee at a press conference earlier in the week. We used this forum to discuss the important legislation that has been introduced in the 113th Congress to both assist and empower women. Click here or on the picture above to learn more about the bills we’ve passed so far. Weekly Update: This past week has been a whirlwind as members of Congress …

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) today issued the following statement after the Republican-led House of Representatives passed a resolution, H. Res. 676, to allow Speaker John Boehner and House Republicans to sue President Obama for using executive authority to delay implementation of the employer mandate provision of the Affordable Care Act: “Never before in the history of the United States Congress has there been ‘institutional litigation’ between two equal branches of government.  Passage of this resolution and …

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Reps. G. K. Butterfield (D-NC) and Hank Johnson (D-GA) marked the 49th anniversary of the enactment of Medicare and Medicaid.  President Lyndon Johnson signed Medicare and Medicaid into law on July 30, 1965. “Forty-nine years ago, Democrats created Medicare and Medicaid; over nearly half a century, we have sustained them; now and into the future, we will protect them,” stated Rep. Butterfield. This spring, Republicans once again passed a House GOP budget that ends Medicare as …

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) joined Mayor Adam O’Neal during the final leg of his near 300-mile walk from Belhaven, NC to Washington, DC.  Republican Mayor O’Neal began his walk two weeks ago to protest the state’s refusal to expand Medicaid following the closing of the only hospital in the Belhaven region.  Congressman Butterfield, co-chair of the new State Medicaid Expansion Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives, applauded O’Neal’s efforts to bring attention to Medicaid …

Last week, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on the ABLE Act — a piece of commonsense, bipartisan legislation introduced by Senator Casey and me.  Put simply, the ABLE Act would allow families with a severely disabled child the opportunity to save their own money in a 529 college savings account to help cover their child’s long-term expenses.  Over three-quarters of the Congress has added their names to the ABLE Act as cosponsors, including both the Majority and Minority …

Photo of the Week: I had a blast meeting with the Chapman family from Raleigh in my office on Thursday. Talking to these young ladies was a bright spot in the midst of a very busy week. They were visiting D.C. during summer vacation and a member of my office gave them a tour of the Capitol!   Weekly  Update: There has been a historic exodus of Americans from the workforce. While unemployment sits at 6.1 percent, it would actually …

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) today applauded the appointment of former North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice Patricia Timmons-Goodson to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.  As a Commissioner, Justice Timmons-Goodson will join the 8-member panel in informing the development of national civil rights policy and in enhancing enforcement of federal civil rights laws. “Justice Patricia Timmons-Goodson possesses the experience, judgment and integrity to advance the mission of the Commission in developing sound civil rights policy and …

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressmen G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) and Hank Johnson (GA-04), along with more than 30 House colleagues, announced the formation of the State Medicaid Expansion Caucus during a press conference earlier today.  Although the caucus will work to amplify all Medicaid-related issues, they will emphasize the need for recalcitrant states to expand Medicaid via floor speeches, op-eds, social media posts, briefings and events. “Expanding Medicaid will ensure access to health care for millions of low-income Americans, said Johnson.  …

Last Monday, the VA Office of the Inspector General (IG) released a report on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) two-year-old claim initiative.  This initiative was purportedly started by the Department to process long-pending claims more quickly.  I requested this latest report, along with several other Senators. The IG report confirmed that VA’s ‘fix’ to its backlog process was just smoke and mirrors– another example of VA manipulating the data to make it appear as if veterans are being well …

While the president continues to parade around the country boasting about his work, the House continues to pass bills that will create jobs and get our economy back on track. Yet there is still much more to accomplish, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that last month was the worst June on record for full-time employment growth. Rest assured, however, that the House of Representatives has been hard at work to put Americans back to work. Just this week …

Wilson, NC – Today, Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) sent a letter to the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) asking they approve an early voting plan that does not restrict voters’ access to the polls.  Yesterday, the Wilson County Board of Elections approved an early voting plan that excludes Sunday voting and does not provide for any early voting sites outside of the City of Wilson.  This misguided decision was made at a public meeting where residents were …

This week the Senate spent most of the work period on S. 2363, the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2014.  I introduced two amendments to the bill – an amendment that would help stop federal restrictions on access to North Carolina’s beaches and an amendment to protect the Corolla wild horses.  You can read about each of these amendments here: Senator Burr Offers Amendment to Ensure Access to Outer Banks Beaches   Senator Burr Offers Amendment to Protect Corolla Wild Horses …

Jobs at the Forefront: Ever since I first took office, I’ve been working to make your priorities known in Congress. Creating jobs to get Americans back to work continues to be the focus of our work in the House of Representatives. This past week, the House made job creation and economic growth a reality by passing three separate jobs-bills: 1) The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act– This bipartisan, bicameral agreement helps workers acquire the skills and education they need to …

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) today sent a letter to United States Postal Service (USPS) Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe seeking specifics on the impact of the upcoming change in mailing processing operations at the Rocky Mount Processing and Distribution Facility.  In his letter, Butterfield expressed concern over how the proposed changes will affect employees of the Rocky Mount facility and the customers it serves. Butterfield wrote, “While many Americans have adopted electronic forms of communication, there are …

I hope you are enjoying a relaxing 4th of July weekend as we celebrate America’s birthday and 238 years of freedom. At the beginning of the week, the Supreme Court delivered a victory for religious freedom and a devastating blow to Obamacare with their decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby.  Below you will find more information about this decision and a link to my full statement on the case.  I started my week in the district at the 3rd Annual …