Congressman Patrick McHenry

September 28, 2014

Congressman McHenry Weekly Update

Loving (And Learning) Fatherhood

Since welcoming our daughter Cecelia Rose to the world in mid-August, Giulia and I have not gotten much sleep and yet it has still been such a wonderful experience getting to know our beautiful daughter. We heard numerous times that nothing can prepare you for your first child and that has certainly been the case but we have loved every second of it. Recently, I spoke with Kevin Ellis from the Gaston Gazette about the experience of becoming a father. Click here to see Kevin's story.

Jump-starting the American Economy

With an improved stock market and falling unemployment rate, President Obama has gone to great lengths to highlight our nation's economic recovery. However, when I'm home in Western North Carolina, I hear and see the opposite. I hear about reduced hours and stagnant wages. I see businesses closing due to onerous regulations and household necessities like gas and milk sold at stubbornly high prices. It is clear that our nation's economy has a long way to go before we can call it recovered. This week I wrote an op-ed for 10th District newspapers about our nation's economic struggles and House-passed solutions to finally jump-start our nation's economy. You can read the op-ed by clicking the image below:

3 Years Later, the CFPB is Still Broken

A few weeks ago, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) marked the third anniversary of its creation. Sadly, even after three years of existence, it is clear the CFPB needs a complete structural overhaul. From spending over $200 million to renovate leased office space to discriminating against minority and women employees to creating a data base of consumers' personal information that would make the NSA jealous, time and again this agency has proven it needs drastic reforms. In light of the third anniversary, I spoke with the Charlotte Observer about the Bureau and what reforms might be possible when a new Congress begins next January. You can view the story by clicking the image below:


	What I Have Been Reading
	10Best Readers' Choice USA Today No surprise seeing Asheville on this list of Best Beer Towns but it is surprising to not find it at the top. I encourage everyone to click the link above and vote for Asheville so it can claim its rightful place as the Best Beer Town in America. We have until October 13th at noon to vote. Be sure to support Asheville and help it move from fourth to first. 1,000 housed, more to go for Homeward Bound Asheville Citizen Times Congratulations to Asheville's Homeward Bound on placing their 1,000th homeless person into permanent housing this month. Homeward Bound is a charitable organization focused on placing homeless people into secure and permanent housing. I had the pleasure of visiting with them on one of my days in Buncombe County and was thrilled to see them recognized for this accomplishment. Analysis: HealthCare.gov cost more than $2B The Hill For anyone that had their healthcare plan cancelled last fall thanks to Obamacare and then was forced to shop for a new plan on HealthCare.gov, the headline above must make them sick. Obamacare's online marketplace was barely functional as millions of Americans were attempting to enroll in healthcare plans they were forced into. Now we learn the total bill for this disaster of a website: $2 billion of hard-earned taxpayer dollars.

WASHINGTON, D.C. OFFICE
2334 Rayburn HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Telephone: 202.225.2576
Fax: 202.225.0316

HICKORY DISTRICT OFFICE
87 4th St. NW, Ste A, PO Box 1830
Hickory, NC 28603
Telephone: 828.327.6100
Toll-Free in NC: 800.477.2576
Fax: 828.327.8311

GASTONIA DISTRICT OFFICE
Suite 115
Gaston Co. Administrative Bldg
128 West Main Avenue
Gastonia, NC 28053
Telephone: 704.833.0096

BLACK MTN. DISTRICT OFFICE
160 Midland Avenue
Black Mountain, NC 28711
Telephone: 828.669.0600