Source: US Rep. Walter B. Jones, (NC-3), 6/4/14
 
As we begin the month of June, I wanted to take the time to update you on my recent work for Eastern North Carolina.

Holding the Government Accountable
•      I believe our veterans deserve the highest standard of physical and mental care, which is why I voted on May 21 in favor of H.R. 4031 to hold the VA accountable for its mistakes.  
•      On May 22, I voted against a bill that would legalize the government’s mass collection of phone records and emails.  I believe that we need to enact reforms that require accountability in our information-gathering practices. 
•      I voted on May 8  to hold Lois Lerner, the former head of the IRS division responsible for unfairly targeting conservative groups, in contempt of Congress, and I voted to call on Attorney General Eric Holder to appoint a special counsel to investigate the IRS’s unlawful practices. 
•      Also on May 8, I voted to create a select committee to investigate the Benghazi attacks because I believe the American people deserve the full truth – something that the president has been unwilling to provide.   

Growing the Economy and Protecting Jobs
•       As co-chair of the House Depot Caucus, I led the effort in opposition to an amendment offered to the National Defense Authorization Act that would have significantly reduced the future workload of Fleet Readiness Center East in Craven County. 
•      In Eastern North Carolina, we continue to see the negative economic impact of unnecessary regulations related to the Endangered Species Act.  I’ve cosponsored seven pieces of legislation to modernize the law and prevent the implementation of those regulations and the waste of taxpayer money.
•      I am speaking out against a proposed rule that would aggressively expand the scope of Environmental Protection Agency authority over private property.  This rule runs counter to Supreme Court precedent, is based on flawed scientific evidence, and would have a significant negative impact on property owners in Eastern North Carolina – stifling the economy and preventing job creation. 

Working for the Eastern North Carolina Coast
•      I am pleased that months of negotiations resulted in the hiring of summer lifeguards for three Cape Hatteras National Seashore beaches.  Without that option, vacationing families looking for the extra safety and security that lifeguards provide may choose to go elsewhere, hurting the local economy. 
•      The Beaufort NOAA lab is an integral part of the local economy and an important provider of scientific research affecting the entire East Coast, which is why I am proud to have successfully worked with the committee of jurisdiction to ensure that the lab receives funding next year. 

Defending Eastern North Carolina Values
•      I applaud the Supreme Court for their landmark decision in the case Town of Greece v. Galloway, which confirmed that legislative prayer is lawful under the Establishment Clause of the Constitution.  
•      I believe that members of Congress have a responsibility to wisely use the American people’s money – especially at a time when our nation is $17 trillion in debt. To that end, I’ve introduced a bill that would prohibit members of Congress from flying first class using taxpayer funds.   

Thank you for taking the time to read about some of my work for the 3rd District.  For daily updates, please follow me on Facebook and Twitter.  To contact me or learn more about the services my office provides for Eastern North Carolinians, please visit my website.