| Dear Friend,
Welcome back to my Week in Review newsletter. Please remember to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube for regular updates on how I am serving the people of South Carolina!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
The holidays are a great time to take a step back and appreciate the gifts in our lives—especially those we can’t see.
This year, I’m celebrating the gift of family more than ever. I’m also celebrating the gift of friendship, which brings new joy each day. And as someone who holds the Christian faith, I’m celebrating the greatest gift of all, the birth of Jesus Christ!
Whatever the gifts in your life—whatever your reason for celebrating—I hope you take time to pause and reflect on life’s blessings with those who matter. Click to watch my Christmas message! Helping Coaches Invest in Students
While coaches and athletic administrators are often integral to the success of students both in and out of the classroom, they are not eligible for the same tax deductions other educators receive on student-related expenses. I introduced a bill recently with Senator Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) to update our tax code to classify our K-12 coaches as “eligible educators,” allowing them to receive benefits and continue to personally invest in the future of students across America.
Opposing the “Clean Power Plan”
This week, I joined 47 senators and 45 House members in filing an amicus curiae brief in the U.S. Supreme Court, opposing an unconstitutional action taken by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The EPA’s “Clean Power Plan”—a set of emissions regulations implemented under the Obama administration—goes far beyond the scope of the EPA’s authority and threatens to upend an entire sector of our economy by raising energy costs. My colleagues and I urged the Supreme Court to reverse this overstep of Congress’s authority.
Defending U.S. Businesses and Workers
While negotiating an international tax agreement with far-reaching effects on U.S. businesses and workers, the Biden administration has left Congress in the dark. My fellow Senate Finance Committee Republicans and I wrote a letter this week to Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, emphasizing the need for greater transparency and cooperation with the Senate as negotiations continue. We must ensure the interests of U.S. workers and businesses are protected and promoted in any potential international tax arrangement.
Standing for Farmers and Ranchers
Over the past few months, it’s become clear that no one is safe from inflation. Recently, my colleagues and I sent a letter to federal financial regulators on behalf of our nation’s farmers and ranchers as prices soar on everything from fertilizer to machinery.
In our letter, we highlighted the challenges our agriculture community is facing, and we urged the Biden administration not to increase regulatory burdens on local financial institutions that could help our farmers and ranchers access the credit they need to stay afloat.
Sincerely, | 