Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 50th anniversary of Maggie Valley's incorporation as a municipality in North Carolina. Home to about 1,800 North Carolinians, Maggie Valley's rich history predates the town's official incorporation by many years.

Located in Haywood County, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians occupied this region prior to the first White settlers. In the early 1800s, mountain settlers began to move into the valley and brought with them the characteristics that still define Maggie Valley--self- sufficiency, resourcefulness, independence and free-thinking.

In 1890, one of the valley's residents, Jack Setzer, became fed up with having to pay someone to take and pick up mail from the nearest post office located five miles away. Setzer began contacting officials with the United States Postal Service to establish a post office in his area that everyone in the valley could use.

When the U.S. postmaster general approved the creation of the post office, authorities requested that Setzer submit three potential names. He gave them the names of his three daughters: Cora, Mettie, and Maggie Mae.

On May 10, 1904, Jack received a letter from the U.S. Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock that postal authorities had decided on a name: Maggie, North Carolina.

In 1974, the North Carolina General Assembly voted to approve Maggie Valley as an official municipality and approved the town's formation of a local government, consisting of a mayor and a five-member board of aldermen.

Maggie Valley serves as the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway. The town's proximity to these two attractions allows thousands of visitors to experience the beauty of Maggie Valley each year.

This year commemorates Maggie Valley's five decades as an official town. As residents celebrate the 50th anniversary this week, they honor the virtues and traditions that have defined Maggie Valley for half a century and look to carry those forward for 50 more years.

Mr. Speaker, we are here today to honor the life of Leslie Kenneth Champney in recognition of his service in the United States Navy Reserve during the Second World War.

Seaman First Class Leslie Champney served his country from September 1, 1943 to May 25, 1946. While in enlisted in the US Navy Reserve, Mr. Champney served overseas as a security officer aboard the SS Charles J. Folger and the USS Barber for a total of twenty-three months, experiencing both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters of the war.

Once while on a ship in the North Atlantic, Mr. Champney and his shipmates encountered a majestic whale, a memory he would often share with his children.

Upon his return from service, Mr. Champney fathered seven children and worked hard as an automotive mechanic, primarily focused on diesel vehicles.

Although he did not often speak of his time in the military, he deserves our gratitude and proper recognition for his contribution to the Allied victory in World War II.

Today, we present the late Mr. Champney's son, Kenn, with the five medals his father earned through his service during World War II.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following newsletter to give an update to my constituents on issues surrounding our NATO partners and election integrity.

Dear Friend: As a member of the House Appropriations State,

Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee, I

recently traveled with a small delegation to the Baltic

States of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, then Poland. There we

met with those nations' top military and political leaders

and diplomats. Throughout this trip I was constantly reminded

of the evil that has reigned our earth for centuries.

In the U.S. we are somewhat isolated geographically. In

this volatile region they live under the constant reminder of

their struggles for freedom and despicable acts of centuries

of occupation, depopulation, repopulation, and genocide.

Daily, these critical NATO allies are exposed to Putin's

verbal threats as well as living in the fear of regular cyber

and terrorist attacks.

More importantly, those in the Baltics are watching the

reality of Russian aggression, cruelty, and massacres play

out in their own backyard today. They saw the barbaric act of

Putin bombing a children's hospital. They saw that over

20,000 Ukrainian children have been kidnapped and moved to

Russia as part of their history's reputation for depopulating

those they dominate.

The leaders in this region talked with me because of their

close proximity to Russia and Belarus about their constant

fear that they could be annihilated within seconds, and might

never see it coming. They know that Putin is ruthless enough

and has the thirst for power and land to do it.

We don't see these pressures from our secure vantage point

in the U.S., outside of our new threats created by Joe

Biden's lackadaisical policies over our own border. However,

these European partners feel a daily struggle to cling to

their democracy and freedom.

Each of these vulnerable countries are doing their part.

Each of them contributes well over 2 percent of their GDP

toward their own defense, knowing they'll likely have to face

another Russian invasion of their homeland some day.

Additionally, they are contributing to the military and

humanitarian needs in Ukraine.

But one thing became very clear to me on this trip. None of

them have the size, the economy, nor the military capability

to preserve freedom and democracy on their own. Their

existence is dependent on all of our NATO partners.

Only U.S. citizens should have influence on U.S. elections.

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act that I

co-sponsored and helped the House pass protects and preserves

the right of American citizens to vote. This legislation

would require states to obtain proof of citizenship in person

when registering an individual to vote in federal elections

and requires states to remove non-citizens from existing

voter rolls.

Foreign election interference is made possible because of

our lax voter registration laws that allow noncitizens to

register and vote in federal elections. With the ongoing

crisis at our southern border, this piece of legislation is

essential to safeguard the integrity of American elections.

The SAVE Act will close the loopholes that allow noncitizen

registration, and thereby voting, to improve election

security, minimize the risk of foreign interference and

restore Americans' confidence in U.S. elections.

``Unplugged'' Town Hall in Yancey County

Reminder: Join my next in-person town hall in Yancey County

on Tuesday, July 16. The town hall will take place from 6:00-

7:30 p.m. at the Yancey County Courthouse, 110 Town Sq.,

Burnsville, NC.

I'm looking forward to sharing an update about the latest

legislative opportunities and challenges in Congress and

answering questions about the issues that matter to you.

DC office's first Green Thumb Award winner

Congratulations, Jessie Frank, for winning our DC office's

first ever Green Thumb Award.

These DC Longworth building offices are drab. To add a

little life, spirit, and ambiance to our office, for the past

90 days our team was challenged to keep the area around their

workspace green and vibrant. I appreciate my entire team's

enthusiasm and light-hearted competition to make our office

green and alive. Jessie received the award, but we all

benefited with a more pleasant place to work.

With my warmest regards,

Chuck Edwards,

Member of Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following newsletter to give an update to my constituents on issues surrounding military readiness, national security, and the appropriations process.

Dear Friend:

The United States is facing unprecedented threats from

those who want to do us harm, so the House is prioritizing

policies that strengthen our nation's security and borders.

The House recently passed H.R. 8070, the Servicemembers

Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense

Authorization Act for FY25, which is focused on improving our

servicemembers' lives while restoring our military's focus on

warfighting.

I'm excited to share that this bill also included three of

my amendments.

The fist requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to

complete a survey of the 15 counties in North Carolina's 11th

District as potential locations for future defense

facilities. Western North Carolina's topography is much like

that of many of our adversaries, including China's, and would

be advantageous for military training.

Another of my amendments requires the DOD to submit an

annual report to the General Services Administration about

office space occupancy data so that taxpayer dollars are not

being thrown away on unused office space by the federal

government.

The third amendment would revoke the security clearances of

retired or active members of the armed forces or Defense

Department civilian employees who support or participate in

demonstrations in support of a designated foreign terrorist

organization. It should be a no-brainer that someone who

supports a terrorist organization should not have access to

classified security information.

This year's NDAA took an important step in getting our

military away from wokeness and back to its mission of

protecting and defending America, and I was glad to support

it.

Open borders put American lives at risk.

Protecting the long-term success of our nation and

Americans require defending our border.

Since President Biden has taken office, there have been

more than 9.6 million illegal immigrant encounters

nationwide, with more than 7.9 million of them just at our

southern border.

Over the past three years, the left's failed border

policies have made every community in America a border

community, and the president's latest executive order does

nothing to actually address the crisis at out southern

border.

Recent news of Americans murdered by illegal immigrants

makes it clear that we must secure our borders to keep our

citizens safe. We cannot protect Americans if we don't secure

our border. That's why I helped pass the strongest border

security bill in history, H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act,

which would put an end to this administration's border crisis

that is putting Americans' lives at risk.

Appropriations season is upon us

The House Appropriations Committee continues to fulfill our

Article I responsibility by moving 12 bills that fund the

federal government through the committee and the House floor

in regular order with robust debate on spending.

A common theme that marks these appropriations bills is a

strong commitment to fiscal responsibility and American

values.

One of the funding bills I helped pass as a member of the

Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee is

nearly 20 percent less than the president's budget request

and nearly 10 percent less than the spending level in FY24.

Notably, this bill prioritizes agencies and programs that

combat terrorism financing, maintain the integrity of our

financial markets, spur small business growth, support the

judicial branch and target opioid abuse.

After the Appropriations Committee's passage of the

Defense, Homeland Security, and State, Foreign Operations,

and Related Programs appropriations bills, the House also

advanced these bills, putting our nation a step closer to

increasing the safety and security of the American people.

Some of the highlights in these bills that strengthen our

national security include the following:

The Defense bill refocuses the DOD on its core mission

preparing combat-ready military forces to deter war and

safeguard our national security. The measure includes

targeting funding to counter China and related adversaries,

supporting innovation to develop modernized weapons and

capabilities, and supporting our servicemembers and their

families, including giving a pay raise to all military

personnel.

It also reduces waste by cutting $18 billion from the

president's budget request and eliminating the use of

taxpayer dollars that would have gone to fund the radical

left's woke agenda.

The Homeland Security bill takes steps toward securing our

southern border and makes sure that the Department of

Homeland Security upholds federal law. The measure includes

providing $600 million for constructing the southern border

wall, sustained finding for 22,000 Border Patrol agents, and

prohibits the transportation of illegal immigrants into the

interior of the United States for purposes other than

enforcement.

The State and Foreign Operations bill prioritizes agencies

and programs that protect our national security while

safeguarding our global economic interests, supporting our

allies, targeting our enemies and promoting freedom and

democracy abroad in a fiscally responsible manner, cutting

overall funding by 11 percent.

The measure includes about S2 billion for U.S. national

security interests in the Indo-Pacific and to counter

influence by our adversaries, and more than $3 billion for

Israel to defend itself against terrorist attacks. The bill

also stops funding for the United Nations' regular budget,

terminates more than 18 unnecessary programs and eliminates

33 special envoys and special representatives at the

Department of State.

This administration's America Last foreign policy approach

has weakened the United States' standing on the world stage,

emboldened our adversaries such as China, Iran and Russia,

abandoned our allies and placed American servicemembers'

lives at risk.

As the House Appropriations Committee continues to work

through our process of funding the government, you can follow

along on Facebook or X for ongoing updates.

If Congress does not do our job, we do not go home

Every year since 1996, Congress has failed to pass our

annual spending bills on time, and yet once August rolls

around, Congress goes home, despite work still left to be

done in DC. We cannot continue putting funding our federal

government on the backburner.

The Constitution gives the power of the purse in Congress,

yet we cannot seem to get our single most important job done

in a timely manner.

I'm introducing the Do Our Job Act because if our work is

not done, we should not go home. The American people cannot

afford Congress not funding our government on time. The way

Congress runs is broken, and this bill is one of the ways

that I'm waking to fix how Washington works.

Standing up for life

The second anniversary of the Supreme Court's landmark

Dobbs decision is a celebratory reminder that the

Constitution does not grant a right to abortion. This ruling

was a major step toward protecting unborn life. I'll continue

to stand up for the most vulnerable through legislative

actions and advocating for expecting mothers and families so

that they feel empowered to choose life.

Coming to WNC soon: New Army Reserve facility

The Department of the Army is funding a $32 million project

in Asheville for the construction of a U.S. Army Reserve

center, vehicle maintenance facility and organizational

storage building in the Asheville vicinity, to be completed

by June 2026.

I'm pleased that the Department of the Army has agreed with

the approach taken by my House-passed National Defense

Authorization Act (NDAA) amendment, which requires the

Department of Defense to complete a survey of the 15 counties

in North Carolina's 11th District as potential locations for

future defense facilities and report to Congress on its

findings.

The new construction will not only benefit our Army

reservists, but it is also an opportunity for military

leaders to explore additional avenues for WNC to uniquely

contribute to doing our part to support our military and

reservists.

``Unplugged'' Town Hall in Yancey County

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, July 16 to join my next

in-person town hall in Yancey County. The town hall will take

place from 6:00-7:30 p.m. at the Yancey County Courthouse,

110 Town Sq., Burnsville, NC.

I'm looking forward to sharing an update about the latest

legislative opportunities and challenges in Congress and

answering questions about the issues that matter to you.

With my warmest regards,

Chuck Edwards,

Member of Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the New Manna Christian School baseball team for winning their second straight North Carolina Christian School Association's 1A title.

The WIND won a shutout victory of 10-0 in the quarterfinals, then went on to win the State championship 5-3.

This win continues a dominant run for New Manna's baseball program with their fourth consecutive year of double-figure wins, back-to-back State titles, and their third State championship in the past 4 years.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate New Manna WIND. They have again made North Carolina proud, as well as Marion, North Carolina.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Nate Worley, for his work as an intern serving in my D.C. office. I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his hard work and recognize the meaningful contributions he has made to the office this summer.

Nate is from Leicester, North Carolina and is a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he studied economics. Nate is active in local politics and is a dedicated member of the Western North Carolina Community.

Interns work with staff to serve constituents in North Carolina's 11th Congressional District. Nate was chosen from a competitive pool of applicants and exceeded every expectation with his positive attitude and impressive work ethic.

It was a pleasure to work with Nate, and I am so proud to have such an intelligent and ambitious intern representing my office. Nate exemplified the spirit of public service and represents the best that our Nation has to offer. I congratulate Nate on this successful completion of his internship, and on behalf of the people of Western North Carolina, I thank him.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of former Representative Trudi Walend, a leader and a fierce advocate for her community, for Transylvania County, and for North Carolina.

Trudi held a great many titles in her 80 years of life: Daughter, wife, mother, businessowner, county commissioner, and to the pride of her family and friends, North Carolina State Representative.

After arriving in 1998, she was appointed to seven House committees, and she once described her mindset as she set foot in the House for the first time, ``I arrived with the objective of being as effective as I could be,'' and effective she was.

As we honor Trudi's many contributions to western North Carolina and a life well lived, I hope all of us serving in the people's House follow her example as we go forth in service of our constituents.

I applaud and commemorate Representative Trudi Walend's service to improve the lives of the citizens that she so passionately represented.

Mr. Speaker, the American people don't go home before their job is done, so why should Congress? In the nearly five decades that our current appropriations process has been in place, Congress has passed all 12 appropriations bills only four times--four times in almost 50 years.

The American people have been far too generous with us, and their patience is wearing thin. We are here to represent their interests and to keep this government running.

It is high time that we take our responsibilities seriously, put our heads down, and get to work passing appropriations bills each year.

Congress is broken, and I intend to fix how Washington works. Today, I am introducing the Do Our Job Act. If our appropriations work is not done, we don't go home. Simple as that.

The American people deserve better than an 8 percent success rate for funding our government.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to point out how, once again, the Biden administration is failing America.

When emergency strikes, who answers the call? Well, I can tell you in western North Carolina that it is usually the brave men and women who serve in our rural volunteer fire departments. It is these unpaid local heroes who save American lives and protect our property.

Volunteer fire departments are struggling to keep up. Recruitment is down, call volume is up, and there is little money to replace old equipment. Now, to add insult to injury, OSHA is proposing a rule that will effectively obliterate these critical organizations serving the majority of America.

This rule will add complex operating and reporting requirements, as well as costly and unrealistic equipment replacement requirements. The rule for these volunteer departments doesn't consider that they do not have the resources to continue to spend money on bureaucracy. Yet, this OSHA rule would be detrimental to American public safety and the volunteer fire model that serves us today. I urge the Biden administration to reconsider its proposal.

Madam Speaker, today, I rise on behalf of my constituents in western North Carolina to demand accountability for the Biden administration's continued inaction at our southern border.

After more than 7.9 million illegal immigrant encounters in only 3\1/ 2\ years, the American people are wondering when will enough be enough for the Biden administration to finally stand up and stop this disaster at our border, a disaster that Joe Biden's policies have directly caused.

Tuesday, June 3, Joe Biden issued an executive order that claimed to finally restrict migrants' ability to seek asylum if they crossed into the country illegally, but if you look at that executive order closely, you will realize this is just more smoke and mirrors.

The executive order is nothing more than a desperate political stunt to stabilize his election numbers and does nothing to actually restore order or secure our border. The executive order continues to allow at least 2,500 illegal crossings per day, giving the green light to nearly 1 million new illegal crossings every year.

While 1 million crossings may not be Joe Biden's personal best, it is still a record high number of crossings per year across past administrations.

Worst of all, the executive order exempts unaccompanied children from the tally so human traffickers and parents are just going to continue to smuggle minors illegally across the border.

Need us forget that for the last 3 years, Biden has insisted that there is no border crisis. Suddenly, 5 months before the general election, Joe Biden admits that there is a crisis and suddenly has a solution.

I encourage the American people to take a real hard look at the supposed solution because it is a sham. It is time Biden take accountability for what he has caused at our southern border and actually take meaningful action to fix this mess.

Despite making no real progress on securing our border, if this executive order made anything clear, it is that his hands are not tied.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, we witnessed this week a remarkable baseball contest. In the Congressional Baseball Game, the Republicans defeated the Democrats 31-10, but, Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and recognize some real baseball talent.

I rise today to congratulate the T.C. Roberson Rams baseball team for winning North Carolina's High School Athletic Association's 4A State title for the second year in a row. The Rams finished the season with a 14-game winning streak, and the team won a decisive 8-1 shutout victory.

The Rams are now the third 4A school in North Carolina to win back- to-back championships and the first to do so in two decades. Coach Eric Filipek has mentored this group of young men for more than 13 years, and his dedication has guided them to be better players and better leaders.

Hopefully, one day, some of these great athletes will also join our congressional baseball team. I congratulate the Rams for, again, making western North Carolina proud.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following newsletter to give an update to my constituents to bring awareness to issues surrounding the federal spending process, standing with Israel, and supporting our men and women in blue.

Dear Friend: Washington is broken. If we're going to change

what Washington does, we must fix how it works. That's my

goal as your representative.

As a member of the House Appropriations and Budget

committees, I am now in the thick of the federal spending

process, which provides opportunities to reinforce our

support for veterans and those currently serving to defend

our freedoms.

In setting the spending allocations for each of the 12

subcommittees for the coming fiscal year, the House

Appropriations Committee adhered to the caps established

under the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. These caps are

projected by the Congressional Budget Office to reduce

discretionary spending by $246 billion for fiscal years 2024

and 2025.

This is proof that we can exercise fiscal restraint while

still advancing critical priorities, as funding for our

national security will increase by nearly $9 billion, and

veterans' medical care and benefits will be fully funded.

Non-defense programs will be reduced by six percent, with

cuts distributed in a measured and thoughtful way. Years of

overspending have led us to this point, but I am helping to

flip the script on how the federal government spends hard-

earned tax dollars.

Under the previous House majority, you would most often see

the annual appropriations process end with an omnibus

spending package, rushed through usually right before

Christmas and with little time for Members to know what they

were voting on.

Here again, House conservatives are flipping the script. We

avoided an omnibus last year, and I am optimistic that the

Appropriations Committee, which is returning the House to

``regular order'' by marking up each subcommittee's bill and

passing them individually on the House floor, will be able to

do the same for FY25.

Prioritizing America's strength and safety

The House took up the first in a series of appropriations

bills, the FY25 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs,

and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.

The bill reflects and is a product of the committee's

commitment to our service members both during active duty and

as they become veterans, and addresses critical national

security challenges in the Pacific.

This legislation would honor our commitment to veterans,

bolster our national security, focus the executive branch on

its core responsibilities, and support American values and

principles. Some of the specifics of the bill, including

conservative wins, are:

Fully funding veterans' health care programs, veterans'

benefits, and VA programs.

Blocking the administration from using funds to promote or

advance critical race theory.

Prohibiting the implementation, administration or

enforcement of the administration's executive orders on

diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, initiatives.

Banning taxpayer dollars from being used for abortion.

To no one's surprise, the president already issued a

Statement of Administration Policy on the funding bill,

threatening to veto this legislation that would fully fund

the health care and benefits of our veterans that they have

earned.

This sends a terrible message by prioritizing radical and

woke policies over the safety and well-being of the men and

women in uniform--past and present--who have served our

country.

The president's priorities are changing the focus of our

military, weakening our readiness and failing to keep

promises made to our veterans, and we must reverse course

before it is too late.

The House Appropriations Committee's military construction

and veterans affairs bill would deliver on our commitment to

America by prioritizing our nation's strength and safety, and

keeping the promises made to our veterans. I urge the White

House to reconsider its hasty and misguided decision.

Stopping the ICC's illegitimate cases against our ally Israel

The International Criminal Court's (ICC) decision to file

applications for arrest warrants against Israeli Prime

Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav

Gallant, while ignoring the atrocities committed by Iran and

the Hamas terrorists, is unacceptable.

The United States does not recognize the jurisdiction of

the ICC, and from the very beginning refused to join a body

that could, and has, conducted politically motivated

prosecutions against U.S. citizens and allies.

The House passed H.R. 8282 with my support to impose

sanctions on the ICC to protect our nation and allies by

deterring the ICC from pursuing these illegitimate cases

where they have no jurisdiction.

Make no mistake: If the ICC pursues the arrest of Israeli

officials, it would set a dangerous precedent that is a risk

to the U.S., given the ICC's ongoing investigation regarding

Afghanistan.

Bring down inflation to lower the cost of living

Since the president took office, inflation has risen newly

20%.

With high rates of inflation, American families--especially

those on federal food assistance--are struggling to maintain

their standard of living.

Hard-working Americans should not have to bear the brunt of

Washington's reckless spending and regulation, and from my

seats on the House Appopriations and Budget committees, I'm

continuing to push to fix how Washington works by reining in

out-of-control spending and driving down costs for all

Americans.

Investigating the weaponization of government against the American

people

Last week, history was made.

Should anyone be surprised that Donald Trump would not get

a fair and unbiased trial in New York, where prosecutors and

their families were contributing to leftist candidates?

The Manhattan court's verdict showed the world just how

politicized our judicial system has become, with the left

weaponizing our Justice system.

I do not believe the verdict will hold up to a fair and

truly impartial appeal.

Meanwhile, U.S. House committees continue to investigate

examples of weaponization of government against our people.

Supporting our men and women in blue

Backing the blue is essential at all levels of government

to keep our citizens safe, and I applaud the City of

Asheville for putting forth a proclamation in support of the

Asheville Police Department.

The proclamation provided opportunities for folks across

the city to commemorate National Police Week and Peace

Officers Memorial Day by showing our gratitude for the men

and women in blue who risk their own lives to protect our

communities.

On the federal level, I'm doing my part to support the

Asheville Police Department by requesting funding needed to

implement a Real-Time Intelligence Center in the City of

Asheville. This capability would provide data in a

centralized location, which would help Asheville police

officers more efficiently gather, analyze, and investigate

intelligence to enhance emergency response tactics and

services.

Reminder ``Congressman Chuck Edwards: Unplugged'' Town Hall Series

If you haven't already, please mark your calendars for

Thursday, June 20, to join my next in-person town hall in

Graham County. The town hall will take place from 6:00-7:30

p.m. at the Graham County Courthouse, 12 N. Main St.,

Robbinsville, NC.

I'm looking forward to sharing an update about legislative

priorities in Congress and answering questions about the

issues that matter to you.

With my warmest regards,

Chuck Edwards,

Member of Congress.

Mr. Speaker, every year since 1996, Congress has failed to pass our annual spending bills on time. Every year since 1996, despite work still left to be done, August rolls around and Congress goes home, kicking the can down the road and leaving funding for our Federal Government to another day.

Mr. Speaker, let's fix how Washington works and remain in D.C. until our budget work is done and completed this year.

We must fix how Washington works. That is why I am introducing the Do Our Job Act. If our work is not done, we must not go home in August. Let's show the American people that we are serious about reducing our debt and keeping our government running.

Mr. Speaker, today, I was unavoidably detained due to a flight delay, but below is how I would have voted.

Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 233 and YEA on Roll Call No. 234.

personal explanation

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following newsletter to give an update to my constituents to bring awareness to issues surrounding the border and fentanyl crises, antisemitism and Americans' financial privacy.

Dear Friend,

It's been more than a year since the House passed H.R. 2.

the Secure the Border Act, the strongest border security bill

in history.

H.R. 2 would reimplement President Trump's effective border

policies and end this administration's border crisis, which

continues to jeopardize our national security and

sovereignty.

In fact, a record-breaking number of nationals from our

adversary, China, are illegally crossing our border. In

April, the Customs and Border Patrol found that in this

fiscal year alone, they have encountered 27,583 Chinese

nationals, a nearly 8,000 percent increase from fiscal year

2021.

With the rising threat of the Chinese Communist Party

(CCP), border security is paramount to national security and

I will not relent in the fight to secure America's borders.

I recently spoke on the House floor about how the fentanyl

pouring in through our borders has taken lives in our own

communities in the mountains and urged that this

administration put the American people first and close our

southern border once and for all.

The U.S. must stand with Israel

As our ally, Israel, is defending itself from terrorist

organizations, it is critical that we continue to stand with

and support Israel.

The president recently announced he would stop military aid

to Israel at a time when this aid is needed to target Hamas

terrorists and avoid more civilian casualties in what

looks like an attempt to appease the growing pro-Hamas

sentiment among the left.

In light of this administration's misguided decision to

halt military aid to Israel, a bipartisan group of colleagues

and I demanded that the president provide answers on his

decision to withhold shipments to Israel.

Furthermore, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued

baseless arrest warrants for Israeli officials, equating them

to the terrorists who committed the horrific attacks of Oct.

7. The ICC's decision is great news to terrorists around the

globe and is a slap in the face to the only free-standing

democracy in the Middle East.

If I have my way, the United States will never abandon

Israel, especially not while it is fighting for the right to

exist and the rights of Jewish people everywhere, and no

country should recognize any legitimacy of a pro-terrorist

international court.

Protecting Americans' right to financial privacy

President Biden released a framework to evaluate the

establishment of a central bank digital currency (CBDC),

which can be used as a surveillance tool and weaponized

against the American people.

In China, the Communist Party has been using a CBDC to

track the spending habits of its citizens and we cannot allow

this level of financial surveillance in America.

That's why I cast NC-11's vote for the CBDC Anti-

Surveillance State Act. This bill protects Americans' right

to financial privacy by halting unelected bureaucrats from

issuing a CBDC and is the first anti-central bank digital

currency legislative effort ever introduced in Congress.

WNC Backs the Blue

During the past three years, the Defund the Police movement

and anti-police policies have led to a surge in violent crime

across the country.

In the U.S. House of Representatives, we recently

celebrated National Police Week and honored America's law

enforcement heroes by passing legislation to support our men

and women in blue.

Some of the bills that I voted for to support our police

officers include bills that would:

Require ICE to detain illegal immigrants who are arrested,

charged or convicted with assaulting a law enforcement

officer or other first responder.

Make sure officers can protect themselves and others by

allowing concealed weapon possession in more areas open to

the public.

Direct the attorney general to report to Congress on how

the border crisis affects law enforcement at various levels.

Make sure there is adequate data collection to address the

rise of attacks on police officers.

While this year's police week might be over, I will

continue to back policies that support America's law

enforcement officers who risk their own lives to protect and

serve citizens day after day.

House committee investigates China's role in the fentanyl crisis

Following a months-long bipartisan investigation, the House

Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)

revealed its findings of the CCP's role in the deadly

fentanyl epidemic that has killed hundreds of thousands of

Americans.

The fentanyl crisis is one of the most devastating

disasters that our nation has faced and has made its way to

the mountains of Western North Carolina. Fentanyl kills more

than 200 Americans daily on average, which is the equivalent

to a packed Boeing 737 crashing every single day. After all,

the amount of fentanyl that is considered a potentially

deadly dose is as small as the amount that fits on the tip of

a pencil.

This dangerous drug is the leading cause of death for

Americans aged 18-49 and has led to millions more suffering

from addiction while continuing to destroy families and

communities. The fentanyl crisis is not just limited to the

United States, as fentanyl and other mass-produced synthetic

narcotics from the People's Republic of China (PRC) are

devastating nations around the world.

This is why the U.S. must swiftly act on the following

findings from the select committee's investigation to address

the root cause of this global crisis.

The select committee's investigation found that the PRC

government, under the control of the CCP:

Directly subsidizes the manufacturing and export of illicit

fentanyl materials and other synthetic narcotics through tax

rebates.

Gave monetary grants and awards to companies openly

trafficking illicit fentanyl materials and other synthetic

narcotics.

Holds ownership interest in several PRC companies tied to

drug trafficking.

Fails to prosecute fentanyl and precursor manufacturers.

Allows the open sale of fentanyl precursors and other

illicit materials on the extensively monitored and controlled

PRC internet.

Censors content about domestic drug sales but leaves

export-focused narcotics content untouched.

Strategically and economically benefits from the fentanyl

crisis.

The takeaways from these findings are that the U.S. needs

to take the following decisive actions to address the

fentanyl crisis: establish a Joint Task Force--Counter

Opioids; provide law enforcement and intelligence officials

with the authorities, tools and resources they need;

strengthen U.S. sanctions authorities; enact and use trade

and customs enforcement measures and close regulatory and

enforcement gaps.

Inflation continues to wreak havoc on Western North Carolinians' way of

life

Our economy continues to suffer due to this

administration's fiscal policies.

Inflation was at 1.4 percent when Biden took office and has

risen nearly 20 percent since then. High prices are forcing

Americans to spend more than $12,000 more a year to afford

the same basics compared to three years ago.

From my seats on the House Appropriations and Budget

Committees, I am pushing to change how Washington works so

that we can restore fiscal responsibility in our government,

improve America's economic outlook and allow Western North

Carolinians to keep more of their hard-earned dollars in

their wallets.

WNC's latest service academy acceptances

One of the most important duties and greatest honors of

representing the 11th district of North Carolina is selecting

nominees among those who are seeking appointments to our

nation's military service academies.

I had the great pleasure and excitement of hosting an event

to celebrate the following students whose exceptional

leadership, hard work and patriotism made them stand out from

a competitive pool of applicants and were accepted into their

respective service academies.

Cedric Gordon, alumnus of Asheville High School: U.S. Air

Force Academy

William ``Liam'' Lawing, student at Nesbitt Discovery

Academy: U.S. Air Force Academy

Joshua Morgan, alumnus of Asheville Christian Academy: U.S.

Air Force Academy

Michael Puzerewski, student at Holy Innocence Academy: U.S.

Merchant Marine Academy

Anita Zavyalova, student at A.C. Reynolds High School: U.S.

Naval Academy

These students represent the best of America, and I want to

extend my congratulations once again for this life-changing

achievement.

Congressman Chuck Edwards: Unplugged

Mark your calendars for Thursday, June 20 to join my next

in-person town hall in Graham County. The town hall will take

place from 6:00-7:30 p.m. at the Graham County Courthouse, 12

N. Main St., Robbinsville, NC. I'm looking forward to sharing

an update about legislative priorities in Congress and

answering questions about the issues that matter to you.

With my warmest regards,

Chuck Edwards,

Member of Congress.