Get out your bell bottoms and Bee Gees records

Friends,

Get out your bell bottoms and Bee Gees records. From long gas lines, skyrocketing inflation, terrorists attacking Israel, to a Jimmy Carter photo-op - last week sadly felt like the 70's are back!

Our state was hit hard last week with gas shortages and price increases following a cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline. Nationally, the average price for gas rose to over $3 for the first time in 7 years.

As a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, I monitored the situation closely throughout the week and requested updated assistance for our state from the Department of Energy. I will continue to make sure our state gets the resources we need to return to normal following this attack, and I will continue to push for cybersecurity and improved energy infrastructure, so we aren't so vulnerable in the future.

The reality is in just over 100 days under President Joe Biden, we have gone from energy independence to energy crisis. We are the richest nation in the world with an abundance of energy supply.

Unfortunately, this attack highlighted the importance of pipelines to our nation's energy independence and exposed the weaknesses of President Biden's policies. One of President Biden's first executive actions was to cancel a fuel pipeline. He has made other unilateral moves to restrict our access to American energy. Additionally, his so-called infrastructure bill spends just 25% on actual infrastructure and does not allocate any money for cybersecurity.

Republicans stand ready to work with President Biden to rebuild and protect our existing infrastructure - especially from cyberattacks - and make needed investments in our roads, bridges, broadband, and other areas. So far, all the Washington Democrats are offering is a bloated, partisan bill that spends more on the Green New Deal.

As President Biden paid a visit to former President Jimmy Carter last week, inflation rose at the fastest pace in 12 years - fueled by out-of-control spending coming from Washington. Additionally, the last jobs report showed we must do more to get people back to work. According to the NFIB, a record 44% of businesses have open jobs they cannot fill. While the unemployment rate went up last month, we currently have 8 million job openings across the country – another record. Yet the federal and state government are paying people not to work.

Unfortunately, this economic crisis comes as the Biden border crisis continues to worsen.

New data for April revealed Customs and Border Patrol Agents apprehended the largest monthly number of migrants in 21 years. In my committee on Wednesday, I questioned Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra about the worsening border crisis. As HHS struggles to keep up with the record-setting influx of migrants, it was reported that the department is looking to open a site in North Carolina to hold hundreds of unaccompanied minors. According to the City of Greensboro, HHS contacted the city and visited at least twice. However in response to my questioning, Secretary Becerra denied these reports. This would not be the first time the Biden administration has lacked transparency concerning the border crisis, but I will continue to ask tough questions on behalf of our state and country.

Internationally, Hamas terrorists continued to target civilians by firing rockets into Jerusalem. They threaten the safety and security of Israel, the closest ally of the United States in the Middle East. I am grateful to President Biden for affirming Israel's right to self-defense. But the United States must continue to stand with Israel as they protect themselves from those who would threaten their very existence. There must be no daylight between America and Israel.

I believe all of these challenges need strong leadership and bipartisan solutions. I remain optimistic about our future and will never stop working on behalf of you and your family.

Even in the midst of last week's crises, our nation took time to honor law enforcement during National Police Week. I cosponsored a resolution expressing Congress' support for recognizing our law enforcement officers, who put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe. This Police Week we remember Concord Police Officer Jason Shuping, who was killed while responding to an attempted carjacking in December. We must never forget those officers who made the ultimate sacrifice, or the sacrifice of the families they left behind. Even during times of crisis, their service, like that of our troops, reminds us all what's most important in our lives and country.

Until next week,

Richard Hudson
Member of Congress