A Message from Thom:

What Thom’s Been Up To:

Getting the Senate Back to Work

On the campaign trail, Thom promised North Carolinian's if they elected him, the Senate would get back to work. At the conclusion of his first year in office, he can confidently say he fulfilled that promise. Since the beginning of 2015 the Senate has achieved several major successes, from repealing ObamaCare, to passing the first multi-year transportation bill and education reform since 2005. The Republican-led Senate is governing again, and will continue to pass laws that help North Carolinians and Americans across the country in 2016.

Advancing Legislation to Help Eugenics Victims

The Senate recently passed The Treatment of Certain Payments in Eugenics Compensation Act, which would exclude payments from state eugenics compensation programs from consideration in determining federal benefits. Thom's legislation would help assist living eugenics victims receiving compensation payments by excluding their payments from being used in determining eligibility for, or the amount of, federal public benefits such as Medicaid, Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, Supplemental Security Income, and SSI-Disabled. Without this bill, many eugenics victims who receive compensation payments could see their federal benefits reduced or even have their eligibility eliminated. This legislation is currently advancing in the House of Representatives and is likely to be voted on in early 2016. Watch local coverage of the bill below:

Improving Educational Opportunities for our Veterans

Thom has three more pieces of legislation advancing through the Senate and will likely be voted on before the end of the year. The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee approved a “megabus” bill (S.425) that includes three bipartisan bills introduced by Thom that aim to improve educational opportunities for veterans and their families. On Veterans Day, two of these bills were endorsed by President Obama, who urged Congress to quickly pass them and send them to his desk.

• The Career-Ready Student Veterans Act, introduced by Senators Tillis and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and endorsed by President Obama, would require that programs of education designed to prepare students for licensure or certification by a state, or for employment subject to the approval of a state board or agency, must meet any state curriculum requirements or be approved or licensed by the appropriate state entity in order for the course to be approved for VA educational benefits.
• The Fry Scholarship Enhancement Act, introduced by Senators Tillis and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), would authorize Yellow Ribbon program eligibility for dependents receiving Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits under the Fry Scholarship. 
• The Veterans Education Relief and Restoration Act, introduced by Senators Tillis and Blumenthal and subsequently endorsed by President Obama, would provide veterans impacted by closures of education institutions certain relief and restoration of education benefits. The legislation restores entitlement for individuals who pursued a program of education with VA educational assistance and failed to receive credit as a result of the closure of their educational institution. 

Thom's is working hard to hold the VA accountable, and he recently wrote an op-ed about his efforts.

In Case You Missed It:

Congress Passes the NDAA

After Thom's last update, the Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in a bipartisan vote that was signed into law by the President. The legislation included an amendment to help save the 440th Airlift Wing at Pope Airfield. Also included was an amendment prohibiting President Obama from transferring terrorists from Guantanamo Bay to the United States.

Senators Urge President to Create a Strategy to Defeat ISIS

Thom has been out-spoken about the President's lack of a plan to defeat the growing terror threat. He signed a letter to the President recommending additional military options to defeat ISIS abroad. Thom also questioned Secretary of Defense Ash Carter about the President's claim that ISIS is contained.