The State of Our Union
Friends,
Last week, President Biden gave his first State of the Union address and said, "the state of our union is strong because the American people are strong." I agree with that. Our community, our service members, and all Americans are strong and can overcome any challenge. However, while the President may be right about the American people, I believe the state of our leadership is the weakest it’s ever been. The result has been one crisis after another.
In just over one year under President Biden, the United States has gone from energy independence to an energy crisis.
Biden’s assault on American energy began his first day in office when he stopped the Keystone XL pipeline and suspended oil and gas leasing on federal lands and water. As a result of these anti-American energy policies, gas prices have reached their highest levels in 7 years.
Last week, gas prices soared yet again in North Carolina and around our country, as Russia continued its despicable attack on Ukraine. Yet instead of boosting American energy production, we are giving Vladimir Putin $75 million a day to buy Russian oil. That’s $75 million every single day.
Additionally, in just over one year, we have gone from border security to a border crisis.
Also in his first days in office, Biden ended construction of the border wall and deportations. Since then, a record 2 million illegal migrants have crossed our southern border. That’s more than the populations of Raleigh, Charlotte, Greensboro, and Fayetteville – combined.
In just over one year under President Biden, inflation has increased to its highest level in 40 years. Reckless spending has driven inflation up every month of Biden’s presidency.
Over the past year, we’ve also seen a supply chain crisis, a COVID mandate disaster, a dramatic increase in crime, a botched withdrawal from Afghanistan and now, the crisis in Ukraine.
Our country is facing challenges like never before. However, these challenges are not insurmountable, and we have proven solutions to every one of these issues.
We can ensure American energy independence by lifting needless restrictions and boosting the production of our own oil and gas.
We can secure the border by finishing the wall and deporting those who enter illegally.
We can stop the crime wave plaguing our cities by supporting our police and putting criminals in jail.
We can face our adversaries and defend our allies by standing up for what we believe in and bolstering our military. President Reagan called it “peace through strength.”
We can stand up to threats to our kids and our freedoms by opposing overreaching regulations like mask mandates. I’ve led the fight against school mask mandates in our state because it’s parents, not government, who should decide what’s best for kids when it comes to their health and their education.
The solutions to the problems at-hand are right in front of us. We only need to work together to deliver them. Unfortunately, the President’s State of the Union ignored many of the crises facing our nation and the concerns you and your family think about every day. Rest assured, I am focused on solving these problems for our community, state, and nation.
We are facing crisis after crisis. But the American people are strong - and so can be the state of our union.
Until Next Week,
Richard Hudson
Member of Congress