“How does this impact you?”
That’s the question I ask myself before considering every bill I introduce, cosponsor, or vote on as your Congressman.
With our new Republican majority in place, we have hit the ground running this year—and we will not slow down. From stopping soft-on-crime policies, defending the Second Amendment with my Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, protecting our strategic oil reserves, standing up to socialism and the Chinese Communist Party’s use of a spy balloon over U.S. territory, and voting to end COVID-19 vaccine mandates—House Republicans have delivered results for you and families across the country.
Following a productive work week, I returned to Washington last week, where we built on this work with more than a dozen hearings to hold the Biden administration accountable on issues including the origins of COVID-19 and the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Last week we also advanced my HALT Fentanyl Act, one important stop to keep fentanyl out of our communities and away from our children. The fentanyl crisis has only gotten worse due to the open border policies of the Biden administration, as thousands of pounds of fentanyl continue to pour into our country every month. No parent should have to endure the loss of their child to fentanyl poisoning or overdose, and I’m proud to support North Carolinians who turn loss into advocacy, such as Matthew’s Choice out of Sanford.
My bill now advances to the full Energy and Commerce committee before heading to the House floor. With a record amount of drug overdose deaths and fentanyl poisonings occurring right here in North Carolina, putting an end to the lethal amounts of drugs and fentanyl present in our communities is a priority.
I was also honored to introduce bipartisan legislation to secure a statue of the late Reverend Billy Graham to represent our state. I will continue to work with my colleagues to place this once-in-a-generation faith leader in the U.S. Capitol.
Last week, I also continued my work to improve our nation’s pandemic preparedness and response. During the last pandemic, our nation learned there are many things we can improve in our preparedness for Public Health Emergencies. Congress has to reauthorize the law that governs our response this fall. As the lead Republican on this effort, I released a Request for Information from stakeholders and citizens across the country on how the U.S. can be better prepared when taking on future emergencies. I look forward to reviewing the information submitted and leading bipartisan discussions of how we can improve our nation’s response efforts.
To close out the month of February, I introduced a resolution supporting the designation of February 28 as “Rare Disease Day.” I have long worked to improve access to treatments and therapies for Americans who are affected by rare diseases.
Working with my colleagues to advance common sense solutions is part of my commitment to you as your Congressman. I will never stop fighting for you, our community, and our nation.
Richard Hudson is serving his sixth term in the U.S. House and represents North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District. He currently serves as the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee and is a member of the House Republican Steering Committee.
