Category: NC Elected Officials

With only a few weeks left in the 112th Congress the Senate has a lot on its plate, but very little progress was made this week on the most pressing issue facing our nation – the impending fiscal cliff.  As you know, unless Congress acts quickly, every American will experience a perfect storm of unprecedented tax increases and automatic cuts to spending on everything from defense to Medicare on January 1, 2013.     Unfortunately, despite the severity of this …

This Thanksgiving, let us reflect on what we as a nation have to be grateful for and give thanks to God our Creator and to the brave men and women who have come before us and sacrificed their lives for our freedoms and our security.  As Americans, we enjoy rights and liberties unheard of in many parts of the world, and we have a democracy that puts the power of an elected government in the hands of the people.  Regardless of your …

I started this week in Lillington at a Veterans Day award ceremony, then headed back to Washington to begin the final weeks of legislative work before the new session in January. This week my work included a hearing in the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on Benghazi where we continued to find answers to the White House’s handling of the 9/11 attacks in Benghazi, Libya. In this newsletter, you will find a link to my interview regarding that hearing, as …

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Earlier today, Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) was unanimously elected by his colleagues as First Vice Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC).  As First Vice Chair, Butterfield will hold the number two position in the Caucus for the duration of the 113th Congress, which begins in January.  Butterfield is presently Second Vice Chair of the CBC and has faithfully served the organization since 2004. “I thank my colleagues for electing me as First Vice Chair of …

On November 11, we honor the service of our veterans. I will be attending Veterans Day events this weekend including a parade on Saturday and an awards ceremony on Monday. Yesterday morning, I was honored to speak to a group of veterans traveling from Harnett County to Washington DC. Pictured below are the color guard and students from Triton High School, along with NC Rep. David Lewis, as we saw the veterans group off to Washington. The Second District is …

The release of the October jobs report on Friday brought more disappointing news as the unemployment rate increased to 7.9 percent.  Instead of making progress, we still have 12.2 million Americans looking for work with many millions more who have dropped out of the workforce or are working part time. Below you will find more information on jobs and unemployment. Last week, I signed onto a letter Rep. Mike Kelly sent to President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton requesting …

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) today applauded the Obama Administration and the U.S. Department of Treasury in announcing the approval of the second round of State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) funding for North Carolina.  The SSBCI funds are expected to help create new jobs and spur $461 million in additional small business lending in the state.  “Today’s announcement is the delivery of a promise Democrats made to help restore the economy by investing in job creation,” …

Representing a district that is home to so many veterans of our armed forces and their families, I am especially committed to making sure their service is honored and they are treated with the respect and care they have earned. For the sacrifices members of our military have made to ensure our freedoms, we need to do everything possible to make sure they have the best career opportunities available when they return to civilian life.  Below you will find information …

A common concern I hear from business owners in our district is that the uncertainty they have regarding taxes and regulations makes it difficult, if not impossible, for them to expand their businesses and hire new employees. In this newsletter, you’ll find an excerpt from my recent blog post about the effect this uncertainty has on businesses, along with a link to video of a Second District businessman, a CPA, talking about how his clients are affected. Also in this …

As we continue to see disappointing news regarding employment, promoting job creation remains my top priority. The total number of “underemployed” Americans was 23.2 million in September, including those unemployed (12 million), those who are no longer looking for work (2.5 million), and those who are working part-time because no other work is available (8.6 million). The House has passed almost 40 jobs bills, many of which are stalled in the Senate.  You can track the status of these bills …

This weekend it was my honor to attend the Kenly Police Department swearing in ceremony for 5-year-old Eric Daniel Grady and present him with a flag that was flown over the Capitol. Eric has muscular dystrophy and, more than anything, he wanted to be a police officer. The Kenly Police Department, and others in his community, helped make his dream come true. Click here for a news report of Eric’s story and the ceremony. In this week’s newsletter, you will …

Last week, I spoke on the Senate floor about three remarkable servicemembers from North Carolina. These three young men – Darrion Hicks, Sean Brazas and Jacob Levy – volunteered to join the military during a time of war. They traded their youths and spent time away from family and friends. They selflessly put their lives on the line for their friends, their loved ones, for people they never met.   They are three of the 336 U.S. servicemen and women we …

American energy independence is vital — not only to our national security, but to our efforts to create jobs here at home. This week I met with over 40 members of my Energy Advisory Council to discuss many of the issues we now face related to energy.  In this newsletter you will find more information about the meeting and about my position on energy policy. Also in this newsletter, you will find a recent letter to the editor in the …

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack (CA-45), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade, and Ranking Member G. K. Butterfield (NC-1), who worked closely together to hold two nationally-televised Congressional hearings on the growing danger of prescription drug abuse, have joined forces once again to raise awareness about the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, which was held on Saturday (Sept. 29) from 10 am to 2 pm. Bono Mack and Butterfield have …

Interim committees continue to meet at the General Assembly to discuss and study education, health, transportation and other matters vital to our state. The hope is that in-depth evaluations of specific programs will lead to better decisions when we return to session in January. I have also been active in many other events in our community during this interim as I continue to learn from you what I can do in Raleigh to improve conditions here at home. I appreciate …

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) today applauded the awarding of a $1,897,500 grant to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) from the Center of Disease Control (CDC) to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in minority communities.  The three year grant, funded by the Care and Prevention in the United States (CAPUS) program under the Secretary’s Minority AIDS Initiative, will address the social, economic, clinical and cultural barriers to HIV testing and care in …

As regular readers of this newsletter know, earlier this month, Senate Democrats introduced the Veterans Job Corps Act.  The stated goals of this legislation were laudable enough – to help veterans secure jobs – but the reality of it was nothing more than campaign politics at its worst.   This bill would have created temporary job opportunities for veterans, but rather than offer a pay-for provision, the Democrats chose to fund it using deficit spending.  Deficit spending is in direct …

The Second District got some good news this week when the North Carolina Department of Transportation changed course and announced they will now be taking the responsible step of analyzing the economic impact and burdens a toll on I-95 would have on our communities. After hearing from numerous constituents and businesses along the I-95 corridor, I submitted a letter to the Federal Highway Administration calling for an economic impact study back in February. In this newsletter you will find more …

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) today applauded the U.S. Department of Transportation’s announcement of $26.5 million in additional funding to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) for high-speed passenger rail improvements on the Amtrak Carolinian Line between Rocky Mount, N.C. and Petersburg, V.A.  Federal Rail Administrator Joseph C. Szabo joined state and local officials in Rocky Mount this morning to announce the funding.  “I commend USDOT and NCDOT for their commitment to improving transportation in northeastern …