In the News

This year has been busy on all fronts. I have worked alongside my colleagues to restore fiscal sanity, place checks on the president’s imperialistic tendencies and uphold our number one responsibility: to defend this nation against all enemies foreign and domestic.

As a representative and a registered nurse, I have a responsibility to care for the vulnerable. As a conservative, I have an obligation to streamline the healthcare system to improve efficiency, reduce costs and give Americans more control over their healthcare decisions. Additionally, as the representative of Fort Bragg, I have the duty to protect and provide for our service members and our veterans.

Allow me to walk you through what I have done on each of these critical fronts throughout 2015.

One way I have worked to care for the vulnerable this year was through my human trafficking legislation, which became law in May. Statistics show us that it is on the rise in North Carolina, which is largely due to the number of major interstate highways and the large agricultural presence.

Knowing that members of the medical community often encounter trafficking victims, I introduced H.R. 398 in January. This legislation ensures that healthcare professionals are educated to recognize hallmark signs of abuse. I was honored to see my legislation adopted into an anti-human trafficking package as an amendment, which became law on May 29, 2015, when President Obama signed the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.

As a nurse and solutions-oriented conservative, I have witnessed the inefficiencies within our healthcare system firsthand and worked diligently within the House Doctors Caucus and Health Subcommittee to eliminate them. I was proud to play a lead role in crafting legislation to repeal and replace a flawed healthcare formula, the Sustainable Growth Rate, which affected the quality of care received by Medicare recipients. This flawed SGR formula was a huge hurdle impacting a doctor’s ability to treat Medicare patients and hindered seniors’ access to quality care.

However, I worked with colleagues to resolve this problem and, together, we passed the first real entitlement spending reform in nearly two decades. It was bipartisan, bicameral and signed into law by the president, which means North Carolina’s seniors on Medicare will continue to have access to their preferred doctor. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates this law will result in $230 billion in savings within the second decade. It remains one of my proudest accomplishments this year.

Because the Second District encompasses such wide variety in industries, I have the opportunity to work on numerous issues. One of particular importance was the preservation of the 440th Airlift Wing located in Fayetteville, which provides unique training to our Airborne and Special Operations units. When the Air Force initially announced their deluded proposal to deactivate this wing, I jumped into action.

After a year and a half of testifying before the House Armed Service Committee, numerous meetings with top military leaders, and authoring several amendments, the Air Force finally made a decision to delay deactivation of this critical Wing. Their announcement followed a joint effort between both N.C. Senators and myself to secure an amendment within national defense legislation that would provide the Army with the input they deserve.

Their decision demonstrates that our argument has merit and our efforts did not go unnoticed. While the fight certainly isn’t over, it is encouraging to see the Air Force recognize the overwhelming concerns and objections raised by members of Congress, community members and local leaders.

In reflecting back on the year, much was accomplished that directly impacts the Second District of North Carolina. The human trafficking law makes our communities safer for our children and families. The repeal of a flawed SGR formula provides longevity to the Medicare system so that your parents and grandparents continue to have steady access to their doctor. Lastly, the delay in deactivating the 440th Airlift Wing is important to our military readiness and national security here at home.

As your Representative I want you to know that I’m prepared, I’m encouraged and I’m eager to continue serving the Second District in 2016.


Renee Ellmers, a Dunn Republican, represents North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District - which includes Fort Bragg. She serves on the Energy & Commerce Committee, including the Health Subcommittee, Energy & Power Subcommittee, and Communications & Technology Subcommittee.