In this week’s address, President Obama commemorated Memorial Day by honoring the brave men and women in uniform who have given their lives in service to our country. As we stand with our veterans and military families this weekend, the President underscored our commitment to uphold our nation’s sacred trust with our veterans and ensure they get the benefits and opportunities they deserve and have earned. This week, the President spoke on the importance of raising the minimum wage, …
Category: Press Release
Butterfield’s Bill to Honor World War II Merchant Mariners Passes the House
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 4435, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with provisions authored by Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01). Butterfield successfully offered an amendment to the NDAA that expands the list of documents accepted by the Federal Government to prove service and grant veterans status to a forgotten segment of the Merchant Marine that operated domestically during World War II. Butterfield said, “For decades, brave men and women who served their country …
White House: America’s great outdoors
Two years ago, President Obama set an ambitious goal: to attract 100 million international visitors to the United States each year by the end of 2021. Here’s where we are: More than 70 million travelers from around the world visited the U.S. in the last year alone — and they spent more than $180 billion. That’s huge, and it means big things for our economy. It’s part of the great news the President is sharing at the Baseball Hall of Fame …
Butterfield Applauds City of Durham Receipt of Grant to Train Unemployed and Under-Employed for Environmental Jobs
WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) today congratulated the City of Durham, N.C. on its receipt of an Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training (EWDJT) program grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The $200,000 grant will be used to fund training programs that provide unemployed and under-employed, including veterans, minority, and predominately low income individuals, with the skills and certifications needed to enter careers in the environmental field. The funding also supports job placement and recruitment …
Legislative Update from Senator Richard Burr
Yesterday, the Veterans’ Affairs committee held a hearing on “The State of VA Health Care.” During the hearing we heard from Secretary Shinseki, Under Secretary Petzel, various veterans groups, and oversight entities, like the Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO). To watch the full hearing, click here. I believe the hearing confirmed how systemic this problem is. Veterans and their families across the country have faced delayed, or in some cases, no access to health …
Congresswoman Renee Ellmers: Mother’s Day in Afghanistan
It was an honor to be part of a bipartisan delegation of female members of Congress on a trip to Afghanistan and Pakistan this past week. The trip allowed for me to see firsthand how things have evolved since my first visit to the country in 2012. While in Afghanistan, we hosted female service members to a Mother’s Day luncheon, where they discussed the challenges they face while deployed overseas. We were able to pass out Mother’s Day cards to …
White House: The Faces of Nearly 3,000 Innocent Souls
Last week, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum opened its doors to the families of those who lost their lives in the 2001 attacks, as well as the first responders and recovery workers that helped save the lives of others that day. “Here, at this memorial, this museum, we come together,” said President Obama. “We look into the faces of nearly 3,000 innocent souls — men and women and children of every race, every creed, and every corner of …
White House Weekly Address: Working When Congress Won’t Act
In this week’s address, the President discussed actions to expand opportunity for more Americans, with or without the help of Republicans in Congress, including his Administration’s efforts to cut red tape for major transportation infrastructure projects. In the coming days, the President will meet with business leaders to highlight the importance of bringing jobs back to America and will also discuss the economic benefits of making it easier for tourists to visit and spend money at attractions in the U.S., …
President Obama Proclaims National Small Business Week
WASHINGTON – National Small Business Week 2014 celebrations kicked off today with activities at Twitter headquarters in San Francisco. The annual event is hosted by the U.S. Small Business Administration and designed to recognize the nation’s top small businesses, entrepreneurs, and business advocates. The event will continue through Friday, May 16, with similar activities in Kansas City, Boston, and Washington, D.C., where festivities will conclude with the selection of the National Small Business Person of the Year. In his proclamation …
Congresswoman Renee Ellmers: Working to Help Women and Families
I hope this finds you enjoying a very happy Mother’s Day! House Republicans remain focused on jobs and working to expand economic opportunity and security for America’s middle class. In a guest post on Speaker Boehner’s blog Thursday, I talked about five solutions Republicans are working on to help women and families. (Read the post in full below.) There were many important votes taking places in Congress this week. On Wednesday, we voted to hold former IRS Exempt Organizations Division Director …
Butterfield Mourns Loss of Friend and NCCU Photographer Robert Lawson
WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) today released the following statement regarding the passing of longtime North Carolina Central University Photographer Robert Lawson: “It is with a heavy heart that I express extreme sadness over the passing of my longtime friend and North Carolina Central University photographer, Mr. Robert Lawson. Robert was known by the entire Durham community for his warm spirit and steadfast commitment to his beloved alma mater, NCCU. For more than 50 years, he captured …
Butterfield Decries Denial of Federal Aid for Storm Ravaged Eastern North Carolina
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) expressed disappointment that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) denied Governor Pat McCrory’s request to make emergency federal funds available through a major disaster declaration for North Carolina. These funds were requested to assist residents in Beaufort, Chowan, Pasquotank, and Perquimans counties after they were hit by severe storms for several days in late April. After learning of the denial, Butterfield held an emergency call with FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. …
Legislative Update from Senator Richard Burr
This week the Senate passed the Kilah Davenport Child Protection Act, which I introduced in December as the Senate companion to Rep. Robert Pittenger’s House legislation (H.R. 3627). This bill will require the Department of Justice to do a study on state child abuse penalties, which will serve as an important resource for determining if penalties are sufficient to protect children. Having passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate, this legislation will now move to the President’s desk …
White House Weekly Address: The First Lady Marks Mother’s Day and Speaks Out on the Tragic Kidnapping in Nigeria
In this week’s address, First Lady Michelle Obama honors all mothers on this upcoming Mother’s Day and offers her thoughts, prayers, and support in the wake of the unconscionable terrorist kidnapping of more than 200 Nigerian girls. This week, the First Lady launched her new Reach Higher education initiative, while the President hosted two bilateral meetings and a press conference, let loose some humor at the White House Correspondents Dinner, and traveled to Arkansas and California.
Watch For Representative Baskerville Thursday on Time Warner’s News 14
District 32 Rep. Nathan Baskerville will join Senator Fletcher Hartsell, in a discussion for Time Warner’s News 14 Carolina’s nightly political program “Capital Tonight”. Rep. Baskerville and Senator Hartsell will discuss the Affordable Care Act Committee – Their thoughts and their discoveries. The segment airs Thursday, May 8, at 7:20 PM. Make sure to tune in!
White House: Climate Change Is Affecting Us Now
Today, we released the third National Climate Assessment, the most comprehensive look yet at how climate change is affecting the U.S. and critical sectors of the economy. The report, a key deliverable of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan, confirms that climate change is not a distant threat — it’s affecting us now. Watch the President’s science advisor explain how climate change is already affecting us — and check out the full climate report:
Congresswoman Renee Ellmers: Congressional Update: Funding for Our Vets
Over the past week, many parts of the country, including here in North Carolina, were devastated by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding. Please join me in continuing to pray for those affected by these terrible storms. You can find information about ways to prepare for severe weather at Ready.gov and visit Ellmers.house.gov for additional information about disaster preparedness and assistance. This week, I voted for and the House passed H.R. 4486, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations funding bill. This …
Legislative Update from Senator Richard Burr
Last week, I introduced the “No Bonuses for Tax Cheats Act” with Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia. This legislation is in response to the news that the IRS awarded $2.8 million in bonuses to employees who participated in illegal behavior — including fraud, drug use, and failing to pay their taxes. The “No Bonuses for Tax Cheats Act” would bar the IRS from paying out bonuses to bureaucrats who are delinquent on their taxes or were found to have …
White House Weekly Address: The President’s Year of Action
In this week’s address, the President provided an update on the work his Administration has done to strengthen the economy and expand opportunity for hardworking Americans in this Year of Action. While Republicans in Congress are setting records in obstruction, the President is making progress for the American people and has taken more than 20 executive actions since January. The President vowed to continue taking action on his own wherever possible, but underscored that much more progress could be made …
Attorney General Roy Cooper: Did someone take your tax refund?
The tax filing deadline has passed and many taxpayers are now eagerly awaiting their refunds. But what if an identity thief filed taxes in your name and already has your refund? Identity thieves use stolen Social Security Numbers to file fraudulent returns and claim other people’s refunds. Legitimate tax filers usually don’t know that their SSN is being misused until the IRS notifies them about the problem. Our Consumer Protection Division is hearing from dozens North Carolinians each week who …