Dear fellow South Carolinians,

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Modern Worker Empowerment Act
I joined Sen. Blackburn (R-TN) on Wednesday to introduce the Modern Worker Empowerment Act, which would ensure that government regulation matches 21st century workforce advances.  The American economy has fundamentally transformed with the introduction of new technology lowering barriers to entry for independent entrepreneurship, yet the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) from the 1930s has not been updated to match.

One of the many jobs I have the privilege of doing in Washington is ensuring that government keeps up with the amazing ingenuity of the American economy. My Modern Worker Empowerment Act makes certain that federal statutes are clarified to enhance American workers and our booming economy. You can read more about the bill here.

Opportunity Zones Update: IMPACT Act
On Friday, I introduced the Improving and Reinstating the Monitoring, Prevention, Accountability, Certification, and Transparency Provisions of Opportunity Zones (IMPACT Act) to bolster, strengthen, & increase transparency of my Opportunity Zones initiative. Combating poverty is deeply personal for me and I want to ensure that we do our due diligence in making sure everyone has a chance to succeed.

Opportunity Zones provide thousands of low-income communities, both urban and rural, across the country with the potential to transform the future for generations to come. The IMPACT Act’s reporting requirements will help show communities and investors that the initiative is working, as well as help root out any fraud or abuse. This is an important piece of the puzzle to help the more than 31 million Americans living in Opportunity Zones experience a brighter future. You can read more about the legislation here.

FUTURE Act
On Thursday, The United States Senate passed my bipartisan amendment to the House-passed FUTURE Act, to make permanent $255 million in annual funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions (MSI), simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for 20 million American families, and streamline income-driven repayment for nearly 8 million borrowers.

It is critical we ensure that every American family has access to a high-quality education, and today’s action is a big step in that direction. Our HBCUs will have more certainty in their financial planning, and millions of students will benefit from a streamlined FAFSA form. I’m thankful we were able to reach a bipartisan, common sense solution to help students across the country.

You can watch me speak on the floor about the importance of the FUTURE Act here and read more here.


Sincerely,

Tim