| Dear Friend,
Welcome to a special edition of my newsletter, a “Year-in-Review.” Please remember to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube for regular updates on how I am serving the people of South Carolina!
A Year in Review!
This year saw many failures of liberal policies and leadership: the disastrous Afghanistan exit, raging inflation, supply chain disruptions, chaos at the border… the list goes on.
But there is good news: My Republican colleagues and I have continued to push back on President Biden’s leftist agenda, and we have seen many victories over the past year as well. Read on for my “top 10” highlights of 2021!
1. Pushing Back On Reckless Spending
It’s no secret that this year has been chock-full of reckless spending from Washington, which has driven inflation to record highs. Throughout this year, I’ve consistently opposed reckless spending plans, including: The Democrats’ partisan “COVID” stimulus package, less than 10 percent of which went to COVID health care relief; A $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that was rushed through Congress; and The Democrats’ massive tax-and-spend Build Back Better bill, which looks more like a “Build Back Broker” bill. While many on the left were intent on passing their massive spending bill in 2021, thanks to Republican pushback and public opposition to many of its provisions, this Democrat wish-list bill has gone nowhere.
Check out my op-ed in the Post and Courier on why the bill is not free and is not something we need. And click the image below to watch my remarks on the Democrats’ reckless spending from a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee executive session. Click to watch my remarks 2. Keeping Your Finances Private
While those on the left claim their tax-and-spend bill is about “making the rich pay their fair share,” they included a proposal to have the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) spy on the bank accounts of not just the wealthy, but nearly every single American.
I rallied all 49 of my Republican Senate colleagues on a bill titled the Prohibiting IRS Financial Surveillance Act, which would block the Democrats’ plan. I also joined my colleagues at a press conference to highlight the disastrous effects this proposal would have on hardworking Americans. Click below to watch my remarks. Click to watch my remarks at the press conference 3. Delivering the GOP Rebuttal to President Biden’s Joint Address
In April, I had the honor of delivering the GOP response to President Biden’s first address to a joint session of Congress. My message to the American people was simple: Common sense makes common ground. And while the Democrats’ policies haven’t made much sense this year, I am still optimistic that our nation will find a path forward through commonsense ideas—ideas like school choice and a responsible budget. As I said in my speech, if we work together, I am confident that our nation’s finest hour is yet to come. Read all about my rebuttal from the Wall Street Journal, and click below to watch the full speech on my YouTube page. Click to watch my response to President Biden’s address 4. Championing Parental Involvement in Education
If the past year has taught us anything, it’s the importance of parents’ voices in children’s education. At a time when parents have been given fewer education options, support for school choice has skyrocketed, and I have continued to champion kids’ educational needs by: Introducing a bipartisan resolution marking the week of January 24th as School Choice Week; Hosting conversations with Former Secretaries Betsy DeVos and Condoleezza Rice on the future of school choice; Penning an op-ed in Fox News on the merits of school choice; and Reintroducing my CHOICE Act, legislation to foster children’s success by giving their parents greater education options. As I often say, I believe a good education is the closest thing to magic in America, and there’s no doubt in my mind that the best education we can give kids is one in which their parents have a say. Click to watch my video debunking common school choice myths! 5. Serving Our Nation’s Seniors
At the beginning of this year, I was honored to be elected as the Ranking Member for the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. My work on the committee has centered on protecting seniors from the ongoing pandemic, improving the quality of life during one’s golden years, growing career opportunities for older Americans, and solidifying retirement security.
In pursuit of those goals, I have held nine hearings on a variety of important topics like combatting fraud against seniors; I have written letters to the Biden administration, urging them to prioritize seniors’ finances and well-being; and I have introduced bills to support older Americans. Check out the video below on my Golden-preneurship Act, which aims to equip older entrepreneurs with the tools needed to reach their dreams. Click to watch my video introducing the bill 6. Celebrating the Work of Opportunity Zones
In 2017, I championed legislation to incentivize private investment in low-income areas across the nation, called Opportunity Zones (OZs). Recently, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released new data revealing that—in just the first two years of the program—OZs generated nearly $29 billion of investment. These private sector funds are already revitalizing some of America’s most impoverished communities, like the one I grew up in, and I know they will continue to spur economic growth and opportunity across our nation in the years to come! Read more about the GAO’s report in Fox News, and click the image below to watch my remarks at a House Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee hearing on Opportunity Zones. Click to watch my remarks 7. Defending Religious Liberty
At a time when religious freedoms are increasingly under attack, I’ve been working to ensure all Americans are able to worship and live in accordance with their religious beliefs.
Earlier this year, I introduced a bill to protect faith-based child welfare providers from discrimination and enable them to continue finding loving homes for our nation’s children. And in June, I was relieved when the Supreme Court unanimously affirmed a faith-based foster care agency in the Fulton v. Philadelphia case.
However, despite the Supreme Court’s clear verdict, the Biden administration recently reversed protections for these faith-based providers. I led several of my colleagues in both the House and the Senate in sending a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra, condemning the administration’s discriminatory actions and demanding answers.
8. Investing in HBCUs as They Invest in Students
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) unlock doors to opportunity for diverse students across the nation, producing top-notch graduates in every field. But despite their impact, HBCUs have been historically underfunded—particularly when it comes to their infrastructure. I introduced the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act this year, to invest in the future of these transformational institutions.
I also held my fifth annual HBCU fly-in to celebrate America’s more than 100 HBCUs. Super Bowl champion Emmitt Smith spoke, along with many of my Senate colleagues and other notable men and women. I look forward to hosting the 2022 fly-in—in-person again this year—in February!
Click the image below to watch my interview with Bloomberg on the future of HBCUs. Click to watch the full conversation 9. Touring the Greatest State in the U.S. The pandemic may have limited travel and in-person meetings this year, but it couldn’t keep me away from South Carolina! I launched my first-ever virtual county tour and was able to meet with community leaders, church groups, and everyday folks across the state to hear about what makes their counties unique. Click the image below to catch up on videos of my county tours on YouTube. Click for my county tour videos on YouTube 10. Expanding Financial Literacy and Credit Access For far too long, the chasm between the working class and the rest of America has continued to grow. That’s why I have continued to champion financial literacy and credit access, which I believe are keys to bridging the gap. As co-chair of the Financial Literacy Caucus, I introduced a resolution to name April Financial Literacy Month, bringing this important issue to light. I also introduced three bills to expand access to credit and loans for hardworking Americans: The Expanding Access to Lending Options Act, which would provide credit unions more flexibility in the type of loans they may offer, including student lending options and agricultural loans; The Building Credit Access for Veterans Act, which seeks to expand access to reliable housing for past and present service members through new methods of credit scoring for veterans; and The Credit Access and Inclusion Act of 2021, which would allow individuals to build a positive credit history based on consistent payments like rent or cell phone bills. Click the image below to watch my interview with Axios on why financial literacy and credit inclusion are two of my biggest priorities. Click to watch the full interview See you next year! | 