Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness
Friends,
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
We all know this phrase from the Declaration of Independence. It's been drilled in our heads from civics classes to speeches, especially around each July 4th holiday – and rightfully so. Since our nation's founding, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness have defined the American dream.
This Independence Day, those ideals and our country have come under attack. But I am and will always be proud to be an American, and am thankful for all those who have fought and sacrificed for our country. That's why in Congress, I have worked to defend our unalienable rights.
Life is the first fundamental right outlined in our founding document. As a dad, I believe every life has value and I am proud to be pro-life.
Sadly, this unalienable right has fallen under renewed attack as radical abortion advocates push for on-demand abortion, up until and even after birth, paid for by your tax dollars. For decades, the Hyde Amendment has prohibited tax dollars from funding abortions and received overwhelmingly bipartisan support. In fact, the Hyde Amendment has been renewed every year since 1976, under majorities and Presidents of both parties, including President Barack Obama.
But in a radical shift in policy, President Joe Biden recently released his budget which did not include pro-life protections or the Hyde Amendment. Americans must not be forced to violate their conscience to pay for abortions. That's why just last week, House Republicans demanded a vote on the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. It's a sad commentary this bill even needs to be considered. But in the face of new threats from those who support abortion, I will never stop demanding we protect the lives of the most vulnerable in our community.
Liberty is another principle I will always defend, just as North Carolinians have done since before our founding. On April 12, 1776, North Carolina became the first colony to officially support separation from Great Britain. Today, we must continue to lead the nation in the defense of our liberties – especially our right to keep and bear arms.
Unfortunately, the Biden Administration has also declared war on the Second Amendment as they push policies that would have no impact on violence but would limit your freedoms and those of all law-abiding citizens. Also last week, I took to the House floor to highlight the importance of the 2nd Amendment. As crime rises across our country, legal gun ownership has reached record highs and these millions of Americans deserve to have theirs rights protected. That's why I'm leading efforts to push back against new regulations from the ATF and expand concealed carry reciprocity. The Second Amendment is the right that allows us to defend all our other rights, and it should not be infringed.
Finally, the pursuit of happiness is also something I care deeply about. What the Founders meant by this term is the opportunity for upward mobility. This is also a topic that was in the news last week in the form of talking about our border. Every year, legal immigrants flock to the United States for their own pursuit of happiness that is found in our nation of liberty. I welcome these immigrants who come legally to America, the greatest nation in the world. However, recently we have seen the dangers posed to our nation by illegal immigration.
In the last week, both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump each took a trip to the border to see the Biden Border Crisis firsthand. The Biden administration's plan to halt the construction of the wall and reinstate catch-and-release has had disastrous consequences. In the last month, Border Agents encountered 180,000 illegal immigrants at the border, the highest number in 21 years.
Unchecked illegal immigration allows cartels to maintain control and traffic families and drugs into the United States. These consequences of open border policies threaten the rights of all legal immigrants and citizens to pursue their own happiness – something that goes against our nation's founding. Last week, I highlighted policies that have worked and can work again to secure our border and protect our country. In order to maintain the pursuit of happiness for everyone, we must solve this border crisis.
The principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are not just hollow words on an old, tattered document. Instead, they exemplify our country and must be fought for every day. As your Congressman, I will always defend your rights from those who would seek to destroy life, threaten our liberties, or endanger your pursuit of happiness as an American citizen. On this July 4th, I hope you have been able to enjoy time with family and friends, celebrating the rights we enjoy as Americans and all the things that make our country the greatest on Earth. Happy Independence Day!
Until next week,
Richard Hudson
Member of Congress