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! IMPORTANT BUDGET UPDATE: GOP leaders agree on $20.6 billion NC budget (AP) — Leaders in the North Carolina House and Senate announced Sunday that they have reached agreement on a $20.6 billion budget that will end teacher tenure and allow taxpayer money to be spent for private school …
Category: Press Release
NC Schools Superintendent June Atkinson Budget Statement
For the first time in my career of more than 30 years in public education, I am truly worried about students in our care. With this budget, North Carolina has moved away from its commitment to quality public schools. I am disappointed for the children in our state who will have fewer educators and resources in their schools as a result of the General Assembly’s budget. A bright spot in this budget is the end of the discretionary reduction. By …
White House: You’re Going to Want to Watch This Speech
Eight years ago, not long after he was elected to the United States Senate, President Obama went to Knox College in his home state of Illinois where he laid out his economic vision for the country. It’s a vision that says America is strongest when everybody’s got a shot at opportunity – not when our economy is winner-take-all, but when we’re all in this together. Revisiting that speech, it’s clear that it sowed the seeds of a consistent vision for the …
Senator Richard Burr Newsletter
After much discussion and hard work I am pleased to announce that a bipartisan group that I am a part of was able to come together to score a big victory for 100% of students and borrowers. Along with Senators Manchin, King, Coburn, Carper, Harkin, Alexander, and Durbin, I introduced the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act yesterday. This bipartisan compromise puts in place a sustainable, market-based solution that ensures access and affordability for students seeking to improve their lives through …
White House Weekly Address: Confirming Rich Cordray to Lead the CFPB
In this week’s address, President Obama discusses the Senate’s confirmation of Rich Cordray as Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The CFPB is an independent watchdog set up to protect families from irresponsible behavior in the financial sector – one that puts mortgage lenders, student lenders, payday lenders, and credit reporting and debt collection agencies under greater scrutiny, while providing the American people a place to get some measure of justice if they don’t play by the rules This …
Butterfield Applauds HHS Grants to NC Health Centers to Help the Uninsured Gain Health Coverage
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) today applauded the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for awarding $4.1 million in grant awards to 31 health centers in North Carolina, including 10 in the First Congressional District. The grant award will be divided amongst the community health centers and used to hire additional staff that will help enroll uninsured North Carolinians in new health coverage options made available by the Affordable Care Act. In North Carolina, 31 …
Senator Richard Burr Newsetter
Last week the Senate grappled with legislation on student loan rates and, once again, did not reach a consensus. Despite rates doubling last Monday, Harry Reid and other Senate Democrats chose to stand behind Senators Reed and Hagan’s stop-gap measure that would kick the can until next year – the same action taken in 2012 – instead of the bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Manchin, King, Alexander, Coburn, Carper, and me. Our bill offers a permanent solution that lowers rates …
White House Weekly Address: Strengthening our Economy by Passing Bipartisan Immigration Reform
President Obama discusses how a large, bipartisan majority in the Senate voted to pass comprehensive immigration reform, which would add a big boost to our economy, strengthen Social Security, and modernize our legal immigration system to make it more consistent with our values. He calls on Congress to pass this commonsense bill quickly so that we can fix our broken immigration system and keep America strong for years to come. This week, the First Lady hosted the second Annual Kids’ …
Congresswoman Renee Ellmers: Individuals and Families Need Relief from Obamacare, too
The recent announcement by the Obama administration that they were delaying the implementation of the employer mandate found in Obamacare until 2015 is a reluctant admission that the law is fundamentally flawed. It’s also an admission that the law poses a danger to American jobs. However, the delay that the administration has proposed only provides relief for large businesses, and does nothing for everyday Americans living under the soon to be imposed individual mandate. Obamacare is not just a threat …
White House: Statement by the President on Trayvon Martin
The death of Trayvon Martin was a tragedy. Not just for his family, or for any one community, but for America. I know this case has elicited strong passions. And in the wake of the verdict, I know those passions may be running even higher. But we are a nation of laws, and a jury has spoken. I now ask every American to respect the call for calm reflection from two parents who lost their young son. And as we …
Butterfield Offers Amendment to Protect Communities from Natural Disasters
WASHINGTON, DC — On Wednesday, Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) offered an amendment to H.R. 2609, the Fiscal Year 2014 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, to prioritize disaster relief and flood mitigation for Army Corps of Engineers construction projects. The Corps works to improve the safety of communities such as those near the Neuse River in Goldsboro, North Carolina and in Princeville, North Carolina where Hurricane Floyd all but destroyed the town due to rapidly rising …
Butterfield Applauds USDA Grants to Warrenton and Wilson for Economic Development
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) praised the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) decisions to award Rural Business Enterprise Grants to the cities of Warrenton and Wilson, North Carolina. The grant for Warrenton will be used to assist the town with a streetscape beautification project to encourage tourism and increase traffic to the downtown area. Several businesses have expressed interest in moving to the downtown district, but requested that Warrenton first improve its landscaping and install …
Butterfield and CBC Leads Protest of Farm Bill on House Floor
WASHINGTON, DC – Thursday, Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01), Vice Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and members of the CBC protested removing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) from the Farm Bill during rule debate on the House Floor. CBC Members, Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer and Members of the Democratic Caucus stood together in opposition to separating nutrition programs and farm subsidies from the Farm Bill as an effort to pass legislation without regard to the impact …
Butterfield Blasts House Republicans for Passing Farm Bill without Funding Food Stamps and Other Nutrition Programs
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) blasted the Republican leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives for passing a revised Farm Bill without funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps. The revised bill excluded the nutrition title that authorizes SNAP and other vital nutrition-related programs that benefit millions of Americans. Butterfield said, “House Republicans showed the American people that they don’t care about those most in need–about the single mother with …
Butterfield Cheers EPA’s Approval of Renewable Fuel Source That Will Lead to Job Creation
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) today applauded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for clearing the way for the production of renewable fuel from giant reed (Arundo donax) and napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum). This decision directly affects North Carolina farmers and Chemtex International, a global renewable energy company seeking to create jobs by opening a new renewable energy plant in eastern North Carolina. Butterfield said, “The EPA’s decision to allow production of renewable fuel from Arundo donax …
Butterfield Offers Amendment to Protect and Advance Energy Research
WASHINGTON, DC — Late last night, Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) offered a bipartisan amendment to H.R. 2609, the Fiscal Year 2014 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, that would provide funding for Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) to distribute to critical energy research projects throughout the country. Innovations funded by ARPA-E have spurred millions in economic activity and helps the U.S. economy compete in emerging energy markets. “Our ability to compete in energy innovation is critical …
Attorney General Roy Cooper: Beware of calls offering medic alert
More than 100 consumers have complained to us in the past month about calls pitching a medical alert system. These robocalls (pre-recorded, automatically dialed calls) use what is called an avatar recording, meaning the recording can understand some of what you say and respond with a stock answer. In the recording, “John” promises you a medical alert system and says it’s already been paid for. While this may sound like a good deal, we suspect it’s either a ruse to …
Senator Kay Hagan: Students Cannot Afford Congressional Inaction
Yet another deadline has come and gone with Congress failing to act. This time, the fallout from the political paralysis in Washington will land squarely on students and middle class families who rely on federal Stafford loans to afford college. Because Congress did not act, 176,000 North Carolina students and 7.4 million students nationwide will see interest rates on their federal Stafford loans double from 3.4 to 6.8 percent. This effectively sticks our students with nearly $1,000 a year in …
Butterfield Pushes Need for Broadband Access in Rural and Underserved Communities at National Telecom Conference
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) addressed a capacity crowd of policymakers, advocates, and industry leaders at the Minority Media and Telecom Council’s (MMTC) 11th Annual Access to Capital and Telecom Policy Conference where he underscored the need for broadband access in rural communities and among economically disadvantaged populations across the country. Butterfield represents one of the poorest congressional districts, and serves as a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over telecommunications …
Congresswoman Renee Ellmers: Important Obamacare News
I hope you enjoyed a safe and happy Independence Day celebrating the 237th birthday of our great nation. Over the past week, there were important developments regarding Obamacare that are likely to affect you and your family. On Tuesday, the president announced a delay of the Obamacare mandate requiring employers with more than 50 employees to provide health coverage or be fined. With this action, the president finally admitted what all the evidence has shown — that Obamacare is already …