Preventing Veteran Suicides

This week, President Trump signed an executive order to increase efforts to prevent veteran suicides. I applaud the efforts of President Trump and VA Secretary Robert Wilkie (a proud North Carolina native) to make suicide prevention one of the administration’s top priorities. An average of 20 veterans take their own lives every day, and veterans are about 1.5 times more likely to take their lives than non-veterans.

Since I arrived in the Senate, I’ve worked across the aisle to pass legislation aimed at supporting veterans facing difficult times in their lives, including the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act. Just this week, I joined my Senate colleagues in introducing the bipartisan Care and Readiness Enhancement (CARE) for Reservists Act, legislation that would increase availability of mental health resources for members of the National Guard and Reserve component.

I’ll continue to work with President Trump, Secretary Wilkie, and my colleagues on the Senate VA Committee to ensure we’re doing everything we can to make sure our veterans have the support and resources they need and deserve. 

Pushing Improvements to Military Housing

Click HERE to watch the video.

I recently attended a hearing on privatized military housing issues and heard testimony from family members, housing companies, and leaders from the Department of Defense on the current conditions of military housing and the problems families are facing.

I also recently visited Fort Bragg and heard from military families who are facing issues with housing conditions, and had the opportunity to see some of these homes first-hand. Simply put, what I’ve seen and heard is unacceptable, and our military families deserve better.

That’s why I’m committed to working with my colleagues to fix this problem, and any family facing issues with their military housing should contact my office by calling (919) 856-4630. It’s important for members of Congress to know the full extent of this problem, and your confidentiality will be my office’s priority.

The Green New Deal is Bad for NC

This week, I spoke on the Senate floor about the negative effects the Green New Deal would have on North Carolinians. The cost of the Green New Deal is estimated to be $93 trillion over 10 years, or over $65,000 per household every year, which is roughly the average income for North Carolina families.

It is time to stop pushing these partisan, unsustainable proposals. When I was Speaker of the House in North Carolina, we worked across the aisle and agreed on a renewable portfolio standard. That gave rise to an increase in renewable electricity in North Carolina while keeping energy bills low for hardworking families.

We must block out the extreme proposals and come together and work in a bipartisan manner. As someone who has lived the American Dream, I want an America that empowers individuals with choices and opportunities, not an America based on big government that controls every aspect of our lives.

Contact My Office

Thank you for reading my e-newsletter, I will continue to work hard to represent all North Carolinians in the Senate and deliver results. If you or someone you know is having trouble with the VA or any federal agency, please don't hesitate to contact my office. My office has helped thousands of North Carolinians over the past three years dealing with the VA, Social Security Administration, expediting a passport, and much more. Please follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube for daily updates on my work in North Carolina and Washington! If you would like to unsubscribe from my e-newsletter, please click here. 

All the best,