2021 in Review
Friends, It’s hard to believe 2021 is almost over. After all of the challenges we faced this year, many of us will say good riddance. It’s true - 2021 has been a challenging year in so many ways. Most frustrating is that many of our challenges have been self-inflicted by bad policies from Washington. Inflation reached a 40-year high due to out-of-control spending. More than 1.8 million illegal migrants have crossed our border this year after President Biden stopped deportations and the ‘remain in Mexico’ policy. American leadership around the world has been challenged by the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan and from emboldened adversaries like Russia, China, and Iran. At every turn, I have tried to stop the dangerous policies of Nancy Pelosi and the Biden administration. This year, I went to the border to see for myself and speak to the experts on the ground about the crisis at our border. I led the charge in Congress that successfully removed the Democrat provision of anti-Second Amendment red flag laws in the National Defense Authorization Act. I also led 140 of my colleagues in calling on the ATF to withdraw their stabilizing brace rule that jeopardizes the rights of law-abiding gun owners and targets combat wounded veterans. Additionally, I joined all of my Republican colleagues to cosponsor a bill to nullify Biden’s vaccine mandate. With the Democrats controlling the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives, Republicans in Congress continue to do all we can to limit their bad policies and reckless spending. Despite my disagreements with the Biden administration, I made a pledge to you that I would work with anyone to deliver real results for our community. This approach is why I have been named the most effective legislator in North Carolina. In the past 12 months, I have had 4 bills signed into law and 11 bills pass the House. These include the Veterans in Parks Act, which makes admission to national parks free to members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and Gold Star families. I am also proud to have advanced the Strengthening America’s Strategic National Stockpile Act, that provides critical investment in our ability to respond to public health crises by ensuring medical supplies are made here in America and strengthening maintenance of our stockpile. We can never rely on foreign shipments of medical equipment like PPE again. We must make our critical supplies right here in America. The Supporting the Foundation for the NIH and Reagan-Udall Foundation for the FDA Act will transfer more money out of government bureaucracy and to public-private partnerships to improve medical research. The Improving the Health of Children Act authorizes funds for the National Center on Birth Defects and Development Disabilities – critical for families who rely on the Center. Just last week, President Biden signed into law a bill I introduced to posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to 13 service members who died on August 26th during the withdrawal from Afghanistan. We also enacted into law the Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers for Veterans Therapy Act, which requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to implement a pilot program to provide canine training to veterans diagnosed with PTSD. This past year has been challenging and an extremely divided time in Washington. However, I hope you are proud of my efforts to defend our rights, stand up for our values, and push for common sense solutions. No matter who controls Congress or the White House, I will always work hard on the issues that are important to you and your family. We have a lot of work left to do, so following time with family celebrating the Christmas holiday, I will strive to make 2022 an even better year for our community, state, and nation. Until Next Week,
Image  Richard Hudson Member of Congress |