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Dear Friend,
Welcome back to my Week in Review newsletter. Please remember to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube for regular updates on how I am serving the people of South Carolina!
Building Opportunity
Every American deserves the opportunity to create a better life for themselves and their families, and Opportunity Zones have revitalized and invested billions of dollars in underserved communities through job creation.
This week, the Economic Innovation Group released a report highlighting the positive impact Opportunity Zones have made in nearly 4,000 sites nationwide through increasing commercial and residential development, boosting housing supply and values, and creating positive economic spillovers for neighboring communities. I will continue to build on the incredible work this program has done and help create a better future for all Americans.
Read more about the report here.
Leading With Strength
Watch the hearing here.
During this week’s Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing, I questioned U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the Biden administration’s response to a wide range of issues, from the fentanyl crisis to the threat of a nuclear Iran and China’s expanding influence across sub-Saharan Africa.
America must lead the world with strength and clarity. The Biden administration took an oath to protect our nation—domestically and globally—and we will continue to hold this administration accountable.
Read more about the hearing here.
Crippling Terrorism
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has repeatedly carried out acts of global terror, violations of the laws of armed conflict, assassination attempts, and support for regional terrorist groups.
While the U.S. designated the IRCG as a foreign terrorist organization in 2019, the European Union (EU) has failed to do the same, and EU markets remain viable sources of IRGC income. I joined Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and ten of our Senate Republican colleagues in writing a letter to the EU, encouraging them to designate IRGC as a terrorist organization.
Read more about our letter here.
Fighting for Children
Education is the magic that unlocks a brighter future for every child. This week in Los Angeles, over 1,000 schools were closed, shutting out nearly half a million children from learning. Big labor unions continue to push children in our country to the wayside— this is wrong!
I introduced the Kids in Classes Act which would allow families with students in Title I schools to put federal education funds toward in-person education should their school close due to a teachers’ labor union strike. We have to ensure this generation and the next are protected from further learning loss and have access to the education they deserve.
Read more about the Kids in Classes Act here.
Rooting For Our Farmers
This week, to celebrate National Agriculture Week, I highlighted three South Carolina farmers and the vital contributions they make in keeping our families fed and growing our local economies. I am thankful for South Carolina’s deep agricultural tradition, which is made possible by these hardworking men and women.
Watch the Manchester Farm video here.
Watch the Cotton Hills Farm video here.
Read more about our South Carolina farmers here.
Spilling the #SCSweetTea on Affordable Housing
Safe and affordable housing is important for any growing community. Savannah River Mission Completion (SRMC) is demonstrated their dedication to underserved communities by giving a gift of $20,000 to Aiken County Habitat for Humanity. They know how to love their neighbors!
I am grateful to SRMC’s commitment to their community. Helping our neighbors out during good times and bad is at the core of who Americans are. This donation will help the city of Aiken thrive for generations to come.
Read more about this story here!
Sincerely,
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