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Tennessee Congressman Steve Cohen Announces $10.7 Million Grant to Hire More Memphis Firefighters

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Tennessee Congressman Steve Cohen Announces $10.7 Million Grant to Hire More Memphis Firefighters

MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will provide the City of Memphis with a $10,795,984 grant to hire firefighters through its Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Program.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

“I am pleased to see this FEMA funding for the Memphis Fire Department which will allow it to staff up to meet the city’s needs. This grant is specifically for hiring firefighters and will help make our city safer.”

Tennessee Congressman Mark Green re-introduces the No Obscene Teaching in Our Schools Act

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Tennessee Congressman Mark Green re-introduces the No Obscene Teaching in Our Schools Act

WASHINGTON—Rep. Mark Green re-introduced the No Obscene Teaching in Our Schools Act, also known as the NOT In Our Schools Act. The bill prohibits federal funds from being disbursed to schools that violate their own state laws on material deemed harmful to children. 

Rep. Green said, “As millions of students go back to school, my bill protects children from the far left’s campaign to push offensive and obscene material into our schools.”

“This bill puts our children first by ensuring federal funds don’t go to schools that exploit the innocence of children. Parents send their children to school to learn—not be exposed to obscene materials. If a school breaks the law, states and parents should at the very least have the flexibility to divert a child’s education funding to a 529 plan.”

He continued, “My bill respects federalism. States should have the power to determine what curriculum is appropriate for their students, without the federal government using education funding to get around those decisions.”

Read the bill here.

Warner & Kaine Applaud Glass Fabricator Expansion in Henry County

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Warner & Kaine Applaud Glass Fabricator Expansion in Henry County

Below is a press release from Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine applauded Press Glass Inc.’s decision to expand their operations at the Commonwealth Crossing Industrial Park in Henry County. Press Glass Inc. will invest $155.2 million and construct a 360,000-square-foot addition to its facility, and this will create 355 new jobs.

“We’re thrilled that Press Glass Inc. is expanding their operations at Commonwealth Crossing—a site we’ve been proud to support during our time in the Senate,” said the senators. “This expansion means more good-paying manufacturing jobs for Virginians. We look forward to celebrating the expanded facility once completed and seeing how this will grow the region’s economy.”

Warner and Kaine played integral roles in helping Henry County and the Martinsville-Henry Co. Economic Development Corp. get the permits they need so that companies could locate their facilities at the Commonwealth Crossing site. In 2013, they introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to expedite the permit approval for the site. In 2014, Kaine attended the groundbreaking ceremony for Commonwealth Crossing. Press Glass Inc. opened the facility in 2020 and currently employs over 300 people.

Alma Adams Resolution Celebrates Anniversary of 1890s Land Grant HBCUs

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Alma Adams Resolution Celebrates Anniversary of 1890s Land Grant HBCUs

Below is a press release from North Carolina Congresswoman Alma Adams.

WASHINGTON, DC (August 30, 2023) – Congresswoman Alma Adams (NC-12) introduced a resolution “expressing the sense of Congress that August 30, 2023, be observed as the 133rd anniversary of the 1890 Institutions.” The 1890s are 19 Historically Black land-grant Universities that were established by the Second Morrill Act of 1890.

A copy of the resolution is available here.

“1890s Land Grant Universities, like all Historically Black Colleges and Universities, have opened doors of opportunity for millions of students over the past 133 years,” said Congresswoman Adams, founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Bipartisan HBCU Caucus. “These institutions are more than universities: they’re the cornerstones of communities both urban and rural. This success has come even though 1890s haven’t benefitted from the same resources as other land-grant universities.”

“However, our advocacy for the 1890 Institutions as well as HBCUs in general is making a difference. As a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, I work to make sure we continue to include 1890 researchers and students in the important work of the Committee. Their importance goes far beyond Agriculture as the 1890s are also leaders in research,” Adams continued.

“As a proud 1890s graduate, I am honored to introduce this resolution celebrating the 133rd anniversary of our dear universities, and celebrate their great work: past, present, and future,” Adams concluded.

The resolution is cosponsored by Sanford Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Shontel Brown (OH-11), Don Davis (NC-01), Terri A. Sewell (AL-07), Nikema Williams (GA-05), Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Troy A. Carter, Sr. (LA-02), Emanual Cleaver (MO-05), Bennie Thompson (MS-02), Lucy McBath (GA-07), Abigail Spanberger (VA-07), and Jennifer McClellan (VA-04).

The resolution is also endorsed by the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) and the 1890s Universities Foundation.

Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. represents North Carolina’s 12th Congressional District (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Country) and serves as a Senior Member of the House Committee on Agriculture, the committee of jurisdiction for the Morrill Acts. Additionally, she serves on the House Committee on Education & the Workforce, where she serves as Ranking Member of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee. In 2015, Rep. Adams co-founded the first Bipartisan HBCU Caucus in Congress. She is a graduate of North Carolina A&T State University, the largest of the 1890s institutions.

North Carolina Congressman David Rouzer Statement on Two Year Anniversary of Afghanistan Withdrawal

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North Carolina Congressman David Rouzer Statement on Two Year Anniversary of Afghanistan Withdrawal

Below is a press release from North Carolina Congressman David Rouzer.

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman David Rouzer (NC-07) released the following statement on the two-year anniversary of President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan:

“Today marks two years since President Joe Biden’s disastrous withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.  To date, the President, nor anyone in his Administration, has taken responsibility for the deadly catastrophe or the lives of our allies and the women and children who have been killed or enslaved there since.  House Republicans will continue investigating this evacuation to deliver justice for the thirteen U.S. servicemembers who lost their lives, our allies who supported us, our veterans who kept our homeland safe while serving in Afghanistan, and the American people.  

“Those who served in Afghanistan must know their service was not in vain.  Over the course of those twenty years, these heroes made great sacrifice to achieve the mission of keeping every American and our homeland safe.  They did their job, and they did it well.”

House Republican Oversight of the Biden Administration’s Afghanistan Withdrawal:

  • On August 7, 2023, House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) Member, Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48), hosted a public forum to receive testimony from the Gold Star Families of the thirteen U.S. servicemembers killed in Afghanistan during the withdrawal.   For the first time, these family members shared their stories in public as they still wait for answers from the Biden Administration.
  • On January 26, 2023, the Department of State produced 218 pages of previously released Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) documents to HFAC.  Many included significant redactions with no explanation.
  • Following the HFAC Chairman’s threat of a subpoena, State Department produced the U.S. Embassy Kabul Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) on March 22, 2023, and the State Department’s After-Action Review (AAR) of the Afghanistan Withdrawal on April 6, 2023. However, a key section on evacuation planning was questionably redacted.
  • In response to the HFAC Chairman’s threat of contempt and further pressure, State Department provided all HFAC Members access to the July 2021 Dissent Channel cable and State’s response. This is the first time in history the department has provided Congress access to a dissent channel cable.  The cable is a key part of the Committee’s investigation as it contains first-hand information from the Embassy Kabul employees who were on the ground prior to the collapse.  It tells Congress what State Department leaders were warned of by their own officials before Afghanistan fell – and what warnings they potentially ignored.
  • The House Foreign Affairs Committee continues to conduct rigorous oversight of the ongoing failures of current U.S. Afghanistan policy, including the Biden Administration’s engagement with the Taliban, its failure to evacuate Americans and our Afghan partners, its lack of an effective response to the brutal oppression of Afghan women and girls, humanitarian aid spending, and the deficient U.S. counterterrorism capabilities in the region.

North Carolina Congresswoman Virginia Foxx U.S. Service Academy Day

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North Carolina Congresswoman Virginia Foxx U.S. Service Academy Day

Below is a press release from North Carolina Congresswoman Virginia Foxx.

WILKESBORO, N.C. – Congresswoman Virginia Foxx will hold a U.S. Service Academy Day on Saturday, September 9th, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Wilkes Community College in Room 1112 of Window World Hall. Representatives from all five U.S. Service Academies will be on hand to answer questions and provide information on their respective application processes. This event is open to all students, parents, counselors, and educators in North Carolina’s 5th District.

Virginia Congressman Bobby Scott Applauds President Biden’s Proposed Rule to Strengthen Overtime Pay Protections

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Virginia Congressman Bobby Scott Applauds President Biden’s Proposed Rule to Strengthen Overtime Pay Protections

Below is a press release from Virginia Congressman Bobby Scott.

Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Department of Labor released a proposed rule that would raise the salary threshold for salaried workers to automatically qualify for overtime compensation.  According to the Department of Labor, the proposed rule would guarantee overtime pay for most salaried workers earning less than about $55,000 per year, extending overtime protections for 3.6 million Americans.

“Workers in this country deserve to receive fair pay for every hour they work, including ‘time and a half’ for overtime work.  Unfortunately, without adequate overtime pay protections, millions of workers making modest salaries are putting in 50- and 60-hour weeks while being denied overtime protections.

“By increasing the salary threshold to qualify for overtime pay, the Biden-Harris administration’s proposed rule addresses this problem and provides millions more Americans with the right to overtime protections.  This means more dollars in the pockets of workers who are asked to work long hours, enabling them to better provide for themselves and their families.  Moreover, the rule proposes to automatically update the salary threshold every three years so that workers and employers are not forced to wait for federal updates to overtime pay protections in the future.

“This proposed rule is good for workers, good for businesses, and good for our economy. It is the kind of action that further underscores Acting Secretary Julie Su’s leadership and commitment to workers’ economic security.  I applaud the Biden-Harris administration for taking this critical step, and I look forward to continuing our joint effort to ensure that workers get a fair share of the profits they produce.”

Virginia Congressman Ben Cline Applauds Roanoke County School Board’s Decision to Reject Biden Admin’s Bid to Intervene in Deliberations on Issues Facing Parents & Students

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Virginia Congressman Ben Cline Applauds Roanoke County School Board’s Decision to Reject Biden Admin’s Bid to Intervene in Deliberations on Issues Facing Parents & Students

Below is a press release from Virginia Congressman Ben Cline.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Monday, Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06) applauded the Roanoke County School Board’s decision to reject the Biden Administration’s attempt to intervene as “mediator” in its deliberations on important issues involving parents and their children. Last week, Congressmen Ben Cline and Morgan Griffith (VA-09) sent a letter to Roanoke County School Board Chairman Brent Hudson urging the Board to continue to reject the offer of assistance from the Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service (CRS) ahead of the vote over whether or not to adopt Governor Glenn Youngkin’s new initiative in public schools, and their efforts were successful.

Rep. Ben Cline said, “Whether it’s targeting concerned parents in Loudoun County or seeking to intervene as ‘mediator’ in Roanoke County School Board deliberations, the Biden DOJ has no right to try to insert itself into important issues facing parents and students. I applaud the Roanoke County School Board for rejecting the agency’s politicized attempt to overstep its authority and ensuring that the elected board members are the ones making the decisions that are in the best interests of Roanoke County parents and students without unelected bureaucrats in Washington getting in the way.”

Read more in The Daily Wire HERE.

Read the full letter HERE or below.

August 23, 2023

Dear Chairman Hudson:

We have been reading with interest the media reports surrounding recent school board deliberations on important issues facing both students and parents in the Roanoke Valley, and it has come to our attention that there has been an offer of assistance to you from the Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service (CRS).

We are writing to urge the Roanoke County School Board to continue to reject the offer from CRS and address school board matters without outside intervention. The parents, elected school board members, and Roanoke County taxpayers are much better suited to make important decisions about Roanoke County school matters than unelected bureaucrats from Washington, D.C. Thank you for your attention to this request, and please do not hesitate to reach out if we can ever assist you or the Board.

Sincerely,

Congressman Ben Cline represents the Sixth Congressional District of Virginia. He previously was an attorney in private practice and served both as an assistant prosecutor and Member of the Virginia House of Delegates. Cline and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Botetourt County with their two children.

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