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• 10/20/2016

  Disaster Assistance Process

  

• 10/11/2016

  SBA Disaster Assistance Funding

  WASHINGTON – U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet issued the following statement after the announcement of the Presidential disaster declaration for several counties in North Carolina affected by Hurricane Matthew beginning on Oct. 4, 2016:

  “The U.S. Small Business Administration is strongly committed to providing the people of North Carolina with the most effective and customer-focused response possible to assist businesses, homeowners and renters with federal disaster loans. Getting businesses and communities up and running after a disaster is our highest priority at SBA.”

  The disaster declaration covers the counties of Beaufort, Bladen, Columbus, Cumberland, Edgecombe, Hoke, Lenoir, Nash, Pitt and Robeson in North Carolina, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans: Brunswick, Craven, Duplin, Franklin, Greene, Halifax, Harnett, Hyde, Johnston, Jones, Martin, Moore, Pamlico, Pender, Richmond, Sampson, Scotland, Wake, Warren, Washington, Wayne and Wilson in North Carolina; Dillon, Horry and Marlboro in South Carolina.

  Businesses and nonprofits can apply for up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster damaged real estate, machinery, equipment, inventory, and other business assets. Loans for working capital, known as Economic Injury Disaster Loans, are available even if the business did not suffer any physical damage. Homeowners can apply for up to $200,000 to repair or replace disaster damaged real estate. Homeowners and renters can apply for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged personal property including automobiles.

  Interest rates are as low as 4 percent for businesses, 2.625 percent for private nonprofit organizations, and 1.563 percent for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. The SBA customizes loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s circumstances.

  Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase up to 20 percent of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements may now include a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage caused by a similar disaster.

  To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, survivors should register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by mobile device at m.fema.gov or call the toll-free Helpline at 800-621-3362. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362 (800-462-7585 TTY).

  The SBA offers several ways to apply for a disaster loan: online application via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela; visit a recovery center for one-one-one assistance; or download an application from www.sba.gov/disaster. For information or to request application forms, call the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or send an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Completed applications should be returned to the center or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

  The filing deadline to submit applications for physical property damage is Dec. 9, 2016. The deadline for economic injury applications is July 10, 2017.

  ###

  For more information about the SBA’s Disaster Loan Program, visit our website at www.sba.gov/disaster.

  For more information about the SBA’s Disaster Loan Program, visit our website at www.sba.gov/disaster.SBA Offers Disaster Assistance to Residents of North Carolina

  Affected by Hurricane Matthew

  WASHINGTON – U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet issued the following statement after the announcement of the Presidential disaster declaration for several counties in North Carolina affected by Hurricane Matthew beginning on Oct. 4, 2016:

  “The U.S. Small Business Administration is strongly committed to providing the people of North Carolina with the most effective and customer-focused response possible to assist businesses, homeowners and renters with federal disaster loans. Getting businesses and communities up and running after a disaster is our highest priority at SBA.”

  The disaster declaration covers the counties of Beaufort, Bladen, Columbus, Cumberland, Edgecombe, Hoke, Lenoir, Nash, Pitt and Robeson in North Carolina, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans: Brunswick, Craven, Duplin, Franklin, Greene, Halifax, Harnett, Hyde, Johnston, Jones, Martin, Moore, Pamlico, Pender, Richmond, Sampson, Scotland, Wake, Warren, Washington, Wayne and Wilson in North Carolina; Dillon, Horry and Marlboro in South Carolina.

  Businesses and nonprofits can apply for up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster damaged real estate, machinery, equipment, inventory, and other business assets. Loans for working capital, known as Economic Injury Disaster Loans, are available even if the business did not suffer any physical damage. Homeowners can apply for up to $200,000 to repair or replace disaster damaged real estate. Homeowners and renters can apply for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged personal property including automobiles.

  Interest rates are as low as 4 percent for businesses, 2.625 percent for private nonprofit organizations, and 1.563 percent for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. The SBA customizes loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s circumstances.

  Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase up to 20 percent of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements may now include a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage caused by a similar disaster.

  –more-

  To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, survivors should register with the Federal

  Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by mobile device at

  m.fema.gov or call the toll-free Helpline at 800-621-3362. Those who use 711-Relay or Video

  Relay Services should call 800-621-3362 (800-462-7585 TTY).

  The SBA offers several ways to apply for a disaster loan: online application via SBA’s secure

  website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela; visit a recovery center for one-one-one assistance; or

  download an application from www.sba.gov/disaster. For information or to request application

  forms, call the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and

  hard-of-hearing) or send an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Completed applications

  should be returned to the center or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing

  and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

  The filing deadline to submit applications for physical property damage is Dec. 9, 2016. The

  deadline for economic injury applications is July 10, 2017.

  ###

  For more information about the SBA’s Disaster Loan Program, visit our website at www.sba.gov/disaster.

• 08/04/2016

  2016 Survey Results

  

• 07/13/2016

  Rebuilding Trust and Working Toward a Just Future

  The tragic events of recent weeks have reminded us yet again that the principle of “equal protection for all” remains an empty promise for too many Americans.

  As President Obama emphasized in the wake of the senseless killing of five police officers in Dallas, just days after Alton Sterling and Philando Castile became the latest African American men to lose their lives in confrontations with police, it is not inconsistent to express respect and support for our nation’s law enforcement organizations while also acknowledging that there are systemic inequities in our criminal justice system that need addressing.

  The vast majority of law enforcement officers are dedicated and honorable public servants who work in extremely difficult conditions and abhor the thought of using excessive force against the people they are charged with protecting.  Throughout my career, I have consulted regularly with local law enforcement leaders and worked to ensure that their departments are adequately staffed, properly trained and equipped, and integrated into the fabric of their communities.  There is simply no way to excuse or rationalize the act of barbarism that tore apart five Dallas families and pierced the heart of millions of Americans – including those marching peacefully through the Dallas streets before the shooting.

  Yet ignoring the very real racial disparities that exist in our criminal justice system is dishonest and counterproductive.  In communities throughout the country, African Americans – and especially young black men – experience harassment, intimidation, and violence by police officers that is clearly disproportionate to white individuals.  And the discriminatory treatment of African Americans in judicial sentencing and incarceration is well documented.  This experience in turn fosters a vicious cycle of misunderstanding and distrust that makes the job of law enforcement all the more difficult.

  To be clear, systemic discrimination and distrust of the police reflect a legacy of hundreds of years of mistreatment of African Americans, and we cannot expect to overcome this long and shameful history overnight.  But to ignore these issues just because they are difficult and uncomfortable is no longer possible.  And policies that only sweep them under the rug – such as the flawed bill that Governor McCrory signed into law this week that makes it harder for the public to review police body camera footage – are grossly irresponsible.

  Yet as President Obama also emphasized, we can’t simply resort to despair or desperation.  The path back to trust and mutual respect must begin with conversations around kitchen tables and water coolers, in churches and community centers, and in the halls of our councils and legislatures.  It must be a conversation informed by our faith and guided by principles of tolerance, integrity, and honesty.

  Over the coming weeks, I will be engaging in this conversation with community leaders and law enforcement officials throughout the Fourth District.  I hope to hear from North Carolinians of all races, backgrounds, faiths, and political persuasions about how we can better protect vulnerable populations and strengthen confidence and trust in our law enforcement institutions.

  Our national motto of e pluribus unum -- “out of many, one” -- suggests that America is constantly a work in progress.  We meet each new challenge with shared vigilance, open-mindedness, and an unfailing commitment to making this great experiment work for all members of our society.  That’s how our country overcame the evils of slavery and fought for civil rights.  And that’s how we will confront the challenges of today, including those stemming from our fraught history with race.  By listening to one another, with empathy and engaging in a conversation in which everyone has a voice, I believe we can begin to work toward a safer, more inclusive and just future. 

• 05/04/2016

  Supporting our Teachers

  Happy teacher appreciation week! This annual celebration is an important reminder of the vital – and often thankless – work that teachers do to improve the lives of students and to build a stronger future for our state and our nation.

  As a former educator and the son of an English teacher, I have always regarded education as my highest priority in Congress, and I have fought to provide our teachers with the resources and support they need to succeed. I have worked to support innovative teacher recruitment efforts, and, in the current Congress, I have introduced legislation (the Keep Teachers Teaching Act, or H.R. 2321) that would make teacher retention programs, such as the Kenan Fellows program, eligible for federal support.

  In addition, I have been a strong supporter of the teacher loan forgiveness program and the federal tax deduction for teachers' out of pocket expenses. I have also worked as a member of the House Appropriations Committee to maintain investments in students and teachers, and I strongly oppose ill-advised cuts to federal education programs.

  Unfortunately, Governor McCrory and the Republicans in the North Carolina General Assembly do not share my commitment to our state’s teachers. Time and again, they have unfairly pitted the wellbeing of educators against the state’s fiscal bottom line by slashing salaries, benefits, and resource budgets across the board. In a recent study, North Carolina was the second worst state for teacher compensation.

  I strongly believe that we must reverse this troubling trend, and I commend Governor McCrory for his belated efforts to increase teacher pay. But as a result of Republicans’ attempts to slash budgets over the past few years, we have a long way to go to recruit and retain the best teachers and to build a stronger public education system that will allow our state to thrive in the 21^st century.

  I will continue to fight to give our teachers the support that they deserve. We owe it to the next generation of North Carolinians.

• 02/09/2016

  The President's Budget Request

  I applaud President Obama’s final budget request, which calls for the critical investments a great country must make while laying out a comprehensive blueprint to reduce our long-term deficits. The proposal includes robust funding for urgent needs, such as rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure and protecting Americans from emerging health threatslike the Zika virus; it also increases support for forward-looking priorities, including science and technology research and initiatives to lift millions out of the crippling cycle of poverty.

  This balanced proposal deserves the full consideration of the Congress, and I strongly condemn the recent announcement by House Republicans that they will defy decades of bipartisan precedent and decline to hold a hearing on the President’s proposal. Disagreements about budget priorities are part of the political process, but refusing to even engage with the Administration on areas of potential agreement or compromise represents the height of partisan folly.

• 02/05/2016

  The Importance of Paid Leave

  Today marks the 23rd anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which has given new parents time with their infants and provided employees the opportunity to take unpaid leave to care for sick family members. I was proud to vote for the FMLA when it passed Congress in 1993.

   

  As a long-time advocate of efforts to advance family-friendly policies, I recognize working people face persistent challenges in trying to balance the responsibilities of work and family. However, according to some estimates, only about 60 percent of American workers have access to paid leave, which can place a financial burden on employees when a family emergency hits.  I strongly believe we should be doing more to support families.

  As a long-time advocate of efforts to advance family-friendly policies, I recognize working people face persistent challenges in trying to balance the responsibilities of work and family. However, according to some estimates, only about 60 percent of American workers have access to paid leave, and only 13 percent have access to family leave. Medical emergencies, family crises, and the birth of a child can put a significant financial burden on employees. That's why every developed country in the world guarantees paid maternity leave, except the United States.

   

  I believe we must do more to support families, and I am the co-sponsor of several pieces of legislation that would provide paid time off for new parents and other workers. The FAMILY Act would create a national insurance program to provide partial wages to all employed Americans facing a medical emergency or recovering from childbirth; the Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act, would offer same-sex couples and their children FMLA benefits and require certain employers to offer paid sick time, among other provisions; and the Parental Bereavement Act  would offer eligible employees up to 12 workweeks of leave during any 12-month period because of the death of a son or daughter.

   

  These bills would all be important steps in the right direction. We must provide robust paid leave for all American workers and their families.

  As a long-time advocate of efforts to advance family-friendly policies, I recognize working people face persistent challenges in trying to balance the responsibilities of work and family. However, according to some estimates, only about 60 percent of American workers have access to paid leave, which can place a financial burden on employees when a family emergency hits.  I strongly believe we should be doing more to support families.Today marks the 23rd anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act, which has given new parents time with their infants and provided employees the opportunity to take unpaid leave to care for sick family members.

  As a long-time advocate of efforts to advance family-friendly policies, I recognize working people face persistent challenges in trying to balance the responsibilities of work and family. However, according to some estimates, only about 60 percent of American workers have access to paid leave, which can place a financial burden on employees when a family emergency hits. I strongly believe we should be doing more to support families.

  Today marks the 23rd anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act, which has given new parents time with their infants and provided employees the opportunity to take unpaid leave to care for sick family members.

   

  As a long-time advocate of efforts to advance family-friendly policies, I recognize working people face persistent challenges in trying to balance the responsibilities of work and family. However, according to some estimates, only about 60 percent of American workers have access to paid leave, which can place a financial burden on employees when a family emergency hits.  I strongly believe we should be doing more to support families.

• 02/04/2016

  An Update on Voting Rights

  This February, we not only celebrate Black History Month and the vital contributions of African Americans to our national identity; we also mark the 146th anniversary of the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment, which prohibited voter discrimination based on race.

  Along with the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery, and the Fourteenth Amendment, which guaranteed citizenship and equal protection under the law, the Fifteenth Amendment was a foundational step in the struggle for equal rights for all Americans.

  Unfortunately, this is a struggle that never ends. Whether in Ferguson, Chicago, or even in North Carolina, African Americans still face daily discrimination, harassment, and violence. Too many African Americans, and other Americans, are stuck in a cycle of generational poverty that makes it impossible to fulfill the promise of the American dream.

  Perhaps most disturbingly, a century and a half after the Fifteenth Amendment was ratified and a generation after the landmark Voting Rights Act made good on its promise, North Carolina has implemented new restrictions that will make it harder to register and vote. I strongly oppose these so-called “Voter ID” restrictions, which I believe are specifically designed to disenfranchise minority voters.

  The Voter ID law has been challenged in the courts, and I am hopeful that it will be overturned. Earlier this week, a federal judge in Winston-Salem heard closing arguments in the case, and the discriminatory provisions could be lifted before the 2016 elections.

  I believe the right to vote is the very bedrock of our democracy. I have been and will remain a vocal advocate for efforts to protect the right of every eligible voter to cast his or her ballot freely and fairly, including congressional efforts to reinstate and strengthen critical protections of the Voting Rights Act.

  On this important anniversary, we must not lose ground to the forces of discrimination and exclusion.

• 01/29/2016

  Fighting for Gender Equality in the Workplace

  Today marks the seventh anniversary of the first major bill that President Obama signed into law, the Lilly Ledbetter Equal Pay Act, which I strongly supported in the House of Representatives. This important legislation strengthened the ability of women to file employer discrimination claims, an important step in the battle for pay equity and workplace equality.

  Wage discrimination on the basis of sex was outlawed in 1963 with the passage of the Equal Pay Act, which provides legal recourse for women who are paid less for equal work. However, the legal barriers to bringing a discrimination suit are high, and women are still paid roughly 78 cents for every dollar a man makes. Over the course of her lifetime, this disparity means a woman can expect to earn between $700,000 and $2 million less than a man with an identical work history.

  The gender pay gap reflects clear, inexcusable discrimination, and I strongly believe that Congress must take action to address it. In addition to supporting the Lilly Ledbetter Act, I have co-sponsored the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would strengthen existing anti-discrimination protections and provide incentives for employers to pay women fairly. I also strongly support President Obama’s executive actions aimed at rooting out gender discrimination among federal contractors.

  Equal pay is only one piece of the puzzle in ensuring fairness to women in the workforce. We must also protect the rights of new mothers with guaranteed parental leave, provide new professional development and leadership opportunities for women, and eliminate sexual harassment in every workplace, including for those who serve in the military. Republican leadership seems unwilling to address any of these issues, despite the clear evidence of systemic discrimination.

  As this Congress continues, I will vocally advocate for workplace equality and closing the gender pay gap.

• 01/27/2016

  Humane Society Scorecard

  I am pleased to report that I received a perfect score on the Humane Society’s legislative scorecard for 2015. I am a lifelong lover of animals -- our family includes two beloved cats -- and protecting pets, wildlife, and livestock from harm remains an important priority for me in Congress.

  I am proud to be a co-sponsor of the PAWS Act (H.R. 1258), a bipartisan bill that would provide new protections for the animal companions of domestic violence victims. Three-quarters of domestic violence survivors report that their abusers have also threatened or harmed their pets. The PAWS Act would help ensure that these animals receive safe shelter and provide new legal protections against domestic animal abuse. I will continue advocating for this bill’s passage over the coming months.

  I have also been actively involved in efforts to protect wild animals from harm and to protect their habitats. I am a co-sponsor of the Global Anti-Poaching Act (H.R. 2494), which would strengthen the federal government’s ability to combat wildlife trafficking and make combating poaching a foreign policy priority. I voiced my support for these efforts and my concerns about trafficking in a letter to Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

  In order to ensure the safety of wild animals, we must also protect their habitats. On the Appropriations Committee, I continue to strongly oppose efforts by House Republicans to dismantle the Endangered Species Act and to roll back the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency. I will continue to fight for conservation efforts designed to defend wildlife and our nation’s wild places, including robust funding for conservation programs. I also inserted language in the Fiscal Year 2015 Homeland Security Appropriations bill urging Customs and Border Protection to increase their efforts to stop wildlife trafficking at our ports of entry.

  Finally, we must work to ensure that we are preventing abuse of working animals and livestock. I have heard from hundreds of constituents about the plight of Nosey the Elephant, and I joined several of my colleagues in expressing concern about circus animal welfare to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. I have also co-sponsored numerous bills to eliminate cruel agricultural practices like horse soring and slaughter.

  You can rest assured that I will continue to be a vocal congressional advocate for animal welfare.

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