Quote of the Week
On April 16, we celebrated Wilbur Wright's birthday and the history he and his brother, Orville, made on the beaches of Kill Devil Hills. Aviation history was changed forever when the brothers flew the first controlled, powered aircraft along our coast. Their pioneering spirit continues to inspire generations today.
“If we worked on the assumption that what is accepted as true is really true, then there would be little hope for advance.” - Orville Wright
This week, I returned to beautiful Eastern North Carolina for the March District Work Period. While at home, I traveled across the district to hear from constituents, local officials, and military leaders on the issues facing our community. While visiting Onslow County, I stopped by Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) at Camp Lejeune to receive an update on their operations and see firsthand all that they do to keep us safe. I also toured the Thompson Early Childhood Center, where I had the opportunity to meet so many bright students and outstanding educators.
While in Washington for votes, I hosted a delightful telephone town hall that reached over 75,000 constituents and took a variety of questions from folks all over the district. Eastern North Carolinians are very patriotic and demand transparency and action out of their leaders. It is a pleasure to be able to speak to so many individuals at once, break down everything going on in Washington, and speak candidly about the most important issues facing our country.
In Congress, I am committed to delivering meaningful solutions to Eastern North Carolina’s unique challenges, including building an economy that uplifts all Americans and improving access to high-quality, affordable health care for everyone. As a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, I have been working on preserving tax cuts and pro-growth policies to help our economy grow. Further, I am proud to share that the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health held a hearing last week on my bill the Veterans’ National Traumatic Injury Treatment Act to provide hyperbaric oxygen therapy for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or traumatic brain injury (TBI).
I will continue fighting for the values of North Carolina's Third Congressional District. If you wish to stay more engaged and aware of what is happening in Washington and our District, please follow me on my social media accounts linked above or here: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
Key Votes
Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act
Criminals who stole hundreds of billions of dollars from COVID-19 unemployment programs will go unpunished if Congress doesn’t take action.
The statute of limitations to prosecute this fraud is set to expire in what is one of the greatest cases of waste, fraud, and abuse. These fraudsters must be held accountable for stealing American taxpayers’ dollars.
I voted YES for the Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act to extend the statute of limitations from 5 to 10 years, providing adequate time for justice to be served.
Statement on the Government Funding Package
Shutting down the government helps no one and would hurt President Trump's impressive pace of action in turning our country around. While funding our federal government through continuing resolutions is not ideal, I voted in favor of the funding package and look forward to our important work ahead to enact an agenda that puts Americans first.
Further, Congress cannot delay protecting Medicare beneficiaries' access to affordable, high-quality care any further. I appreciate Speaker Johnson's leadership and his commitment to addressing these harmful cuts through budget reconciliation.
Introduced Legislation to Protect Military Spouses’ Second Amendment Rights
I reintroduced the Protect Our Military Families’ Second Amendment Rights Act to ensure the spouses of our service members are afforded the same constitutional rights as those in uniform.
I am proud to always support our outstanding military families!
Learn more about the bill here.
Advocating for America’s Patients and Doctors
As a practicing physician in Congress, I uniquely understand the challenges facing American health care and what we need to do to improve medicine.
I had the opportunity to speak at an event hosted by the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. In the room were dedicated gastroenterologists whose profession is at risk due to persistent reimbursement rate cuts, rising drug costs, and physician shortages.
I'm fighting tooth and nail to improve American health care and put patients first!
Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Hearing on Improving Our Seniors' Access to Care
Regardless of whether a senior is receiving care in a hospital, at home, or in a nursing facility, they should have access to high-quality care.
The Ways and Means Health Subcommittee held a hearing to examine the current state of access to post-acute care services (PAC) for Medicare beneficiaries. As a popular retirement destination, Eastern North Carolina is home to many seniors facing challenges that hinder their access to life-saving care.
During the hearing, my colleagues and I heard from post-acute providers about their experiences with Medicare Advantage, particularly regarding barriers related to prior authorization, claims denials, and other utilization management tools. We also addressed the physical barriers that affect access to these services, especially in rural communities where traveling for care can be difficult, and how telehealth can help bridge these gaps in access.
Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee Hearing on Advancing Veterans’ Health Care
The Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Health Subcommittee held a hearing to consider numerous pieces of legislation that would work to expand and strengthen access to high-quality care for our nation’s warfighters. Included in the discussion was my bill, the Veterans National Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment Act.
Veterans should not bear the burdens of their service alone, and it is long overdue that we explore alternative therapies for PTSD and TBI. I am grateful for the support from numerous veterans' service organizations that believe in the hope hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can bring to those struggling with the traumatic memories of service.
During the hearing, the committee heard from Dr. Andrew Kozminski, M.D., of the University of Iowa, who shared his experiences with hyperbaric medicine. As an emergency medicine physician, Dr. Kozminski has extensive experience working with veterans diagnosed with TBIs and PTSD. He strongly advocated for the implementation of my bill, which would establish a pilot program for the VA to offer HBOT therapy to veterans suffering from service-related brain disorders.
Our veterans risk everything to protect the freedoms we cherish. We owe it to them to ensure they have the resources needed to live with dignity at home, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy offers a breakthrough treatment many veterans can’t wait any longer for. I am grateful for the subcommittee’s consideration and will fight tirelessly until the treatment is made available for all who served our great nation.
