As Congress returns for another session after the August District Work Period, I plan to keep pushing the House to fight for many of the concerns and stories I heard from the hard-working, family-loving folks across the Third District.
From people’s concerns about their jobs, to Veterans not getting the care they deserve, to the importance of our teachers and schools to our kids, to concerns about our national defense, it is clear East Alabamians remain very concerned about a wide number of issues.
Our nation definitely has its challenges ahead and with Congress back in our nation’s Capital, there are many tough decisions that still need to be made.
One issue I heard a lot about that continues to be a problem is our broken VA system. I held several meetings with local Veterans in different parts of East Alabama to hear directly from them their concerns with their own personal experiences with the VA. I am bringing their concerns back with me and will continue to press new VA Secretary Robert McDonald to ensure our Veterans are getting the care they deserve.
Another discussion I had more times than I can count is about the recent flood of illegal immigrants across our southwest border with Mexico. Earlier this summer, I asked President Obama to deploy the National Guard to help deal with the crisis, and I pressed Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson to come up with answers to this crisis, fast.
But the bottom line is that President Obama must enforce our country’s current immigration laws. Will the president grant executive amnesty? I certainly hope he won’t. Our borders must first be sealed and that should be the number one priority when discussing this illegal immigration crisis.
I also heard from many East Alabamians about their jobs. Our economy just isn’t growing like it should be, and that’s bad for working families trying to make ends meet. Obamacare is also an ongoing threat. House Republicans have passed numerous bills to help boost our economy and stop Obamacare, but too many are just collecting dust in the Democrat-led Senate. The ability to help jump start our sluggish economy is literally stuck on Senator Reid’s desk.
Looking forward, President Obama needs to be focused on several major defense threats: what happens next in the Ukraine and Russian conflict with Vladimir Putin; the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas and ensuring Israel knows America has her back; and the barbaric, evil ISIL that must be stopped. I plan to do what I can to ensure Congress focuses closely on these issues along with the pocketbook issues we face at home. We have a lot of work to do.
Finally, let us all say a prayer on the 13th anniversary of 9/11 and the second anniversary of the Benghazi attack. The families of those who lost loved ones in those tragedies must always know we will never forget them. God Bless the U.S.A.
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