Dear Friends,

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Desert Shield and Desert Storm Honor Ceremonies 

The men and women who have served in our armed forces deserve to be recognized for their willingness to defend our country against those who would harm us. On August 27^th, I will host Desert Shield and Desert Storm Honor Ceremonies in Greenville and Charleston. Since being elected to federal office, I have hosted several honor ceremonies for South Carolina’s veterans in an effort to show appreciation for all that they and their families have sacrificed. In 2012, World War Two veterans were honored, in 2013, I held two ceremonies celebrating our Korean War era veterans, and in 2014, our Vietnam War era veterans were honored.

Each veteran will receive a special Senatorial Certificate of Appreciation, as well as a pin. All interested veterans should register with my office by visiting scott.senate.gov/veterans.

August 27th, 9:00AM
WHO: U.S. Senator Tim Scott
WHAT: Desert Shield and Desert Storm Honor Ceremony
WHEN: August 27^th
WHERE: TD Convention Center
1 Exposition Drive
Greenville, SC 29607

August 27th, 3:00PM
WHO: U.S. Senator Tim Scott
WHAT: Desert Shield and Desert Storm Honor Ceremony
WHEN: August 27^th
WHERE: Charleston Area Convention Center
5000 Coliseum Drive
North Charleston, SC 29418

It is an honor to host veterans and their families in celebration of their service to our country. I look forward to seeing everyone there!

2^nd Amendment Rights

Last week, I again voted for amendments introduced by Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) that would keep guns out of the hands of terrorists and strengthen considerations regarding mental health in regards to firearms background checks. 

The Cornyn Amendment would give the U.S. Attorney General the power to deny firearms to terrorists, while protecting due process rights for Americans who are mistakenly placed on a terrorist watch list. Since their creation after 9/11, multiple law abiding people have been mistakenly placed on the terror watch list and no-fly lists, and it has taken years in court to have their names removed.

The Grassley Amendment addresses flaws in the National Criminal Instant Background Check System, or NCIS. It incentivizes and ensures that relevant records from federal agencies and law enforcement are uploaded into the NCIS, and defines and clarifies what it means to be prohibited from possession of a firearm due to mental incompetence or commitment to a mental health institution.

Both amendments failed to meet the 60-vote threshold for cloture on the floor of the Senate.

Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act
As many of you know, fighting for opportunity and against poverty is central to my mission here in the U.S. Senate. This past week, I introduced the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act (HOTMA), a bipartisan bill which would streamline and reform federal housing programs to expand affordable housing opportunities for low-income families in high-opportunity neighborhoods with lower crime and better schools, improve the quality of life for public housing residents, strengthen work incentives, reduce homelessness and cut red tape.

The bill is a Senate companion to a House bill that passed unanimously in February, and contains provisions that have been considered by previous Congresses as part of broader housing reform legislation. I believe that this is a step in the right direction to ensuring that all Americans have the opportunity to succeed. 

Sincerely,

Tim