Dear fellow South Carolinians,

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Passage of the 2019 NDAA
Wednesday was a great day for Americans, as Congress officially passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019.

South Carolinians know that our armed forces are the pillars of our country’s national defense. They are exceptional—the finest in the world.  I am proud that not only did Congress authorize funding for our military and pass needed policy improvements, but we did so before the end of the fiscal year—a true testament to the importance of our nation’s armed forces.

Some of the key provisions I supported included South Carolina base improvements, troop readiness and military equipment enhancement, a military pay raise and more. You can read my full statement here.

Senate Finance Committee Letter
Last week, I helped lead my colleagues on the Senate Finance Committee in urging President Trump to name the United States Ambassador to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The letter stated the following:

“Under the Trump economy, the United States has seen unprecedented growth and regained its reputation of being the most competitive nation in the world in which to do business in. With that comes the important task of ensuring that our tax interests abroad are aimed at keeping America first. We have already seen the European Union (EU) take steps to target U.S. companies because they see this administration’s pro-growth policies as a threat to their own economy. I urge the President to name a strong and powerful Ambassador to the OECD to ensure that American interests are represented in the global markets.” You can read the full letter here.

Happy Birthday U.S.C.G.
I would like to take the time to wish a happy birthday to the United States Coast Guard, who celebrated their 228^th year this past Saturday. I am grateful and very proud of the everyday sacrifices of the men and women who serve our nation. Thank you & congratulations on 228 years!