What issue is most important to YOU?

The start of 2014 marks the beginning of the Second Session of the 113th Congress and there is much to be done as we return to Washington.  The House and Senate are working to pass a spending bill to keep the government open past January 15th while also continuing the conference committee on the Farm Bill.  All the while, the rollout of the Affordable Care Act continues as Americans purchase plans through the exchanges.  With all that is going on, I wanted to get your opinion on the biggest issue currently facing Congress.  Please take a moment to fill out the survey below and let me know your thoughts.  The survey can be accessed by clicking the image below:

Yesterday I had the honor of attending the dedication of the Earl Scruggs Center located at the old Cleveland County Courthouse in downtown Shelby.  For those who don't know, Earl Scruggs is one of the most well-known bluegrass musicians of all time.  He made famous the three-finger banjo picking style, now known as "Scruggs Style," that is frequently used today.  Scruggs, a Shelby native, won two Grammys during his illustrious career and was inducted into the NC Music Hall of Fame in 2009.
 
The center, which is officially named the Earl Scruggs Center: Music & Stories From the American South, is a museum that honors the life and music of Scruggs while also paying respect to bluegrass' deep roots in the area.  You can read more about the grand opening in the Charlotte Observer story linked here.  You can learn more about visiting the Scruggs Center at their website.

 Following his death in 2012, I had the privilege of honoring Scruggs tremendous life on the floor of the House.  You can watch video of my speech by clicking the image below:

A Plan For Jobs & Economic Growth

​​​​Speaker.gov

One of my greatest frustrations from the First Session of the 113th Congress was the failure of the Senate to pass any of the numerous jobs bills passed by the House.  With millions of Americans struggling to find work, these bills would have a significant positive impact on our troubled economy.  The link above provides an overview of these pro-growth bills.                                 

​House passes Obamacare security measure

​Politico

The rollout of Healthcare.gov has been an absolute debacle.  Of the many website issues, one of the most troubling is the lack of proper security controls that have left Americans using the website vulnerable to hackers.  This week the House passed legislation 291-122 requiring the government to immediately inform Americans using the website if their personal information has been compromised.  You can learn more about the legislation and Friday's vote at the link above.                                      

​​It might cost you $39K to crowdfund $100K under the SEC's new rules

​​​​VentureBeat.com

I enjoyed this thoughtful piece on the Securities and Exchange Commission's recent rule proposal for crowdfunding.  It raises concerns about how the rules might force startups to set fundraising goals based on the regulations, rather than need.        ​​ 
                                                                               
                                                                                

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
 P.O. Box 2394
Gastonia, NC  28053
Telephone: 704.833.0096

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