Washington, DC - As we begin a new Congress, President Donald Trump is seizing on an unprecedented moment of opportunity. In his recent State of the Union address, the American peoples’ charge was heard loud and clear: choose greatness.
Those of you who watched the State of the Union address this year saw a conciliatory demeanor and a clear vision on how our country can and will move forward.
Republicans and Democrats must come together to do what is best for our country. I remain optimistic about the legislative year. In particular, I would like to share what my goals are and how they coincide with supporting our President’s agenda.
Every year, I have the unique opportunity to share with press conferences across the district my legislative agenda and visit small businesses in the district. In doing so, I reinforce my commitment to creating jobs, advocating for economic growth, supporting tax cuts and a balanced budget, strengthening partnerships and opportunities overseas, and promoting our military and veterans.
Building on the successes of 2018, I am grateful for the most productive year of my congressional service: with defense achieving funding before the end of the fiscal year, where I led the delegation for the opening the Embassy in Jerusalem, and with the success of tax cuts creating record job growth.
What we are experiencing is the greatest economic turnaround in American history. In large part, we have the historic Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to thank. The January jobs report showed a 304,000 increase. President Trump’s pro-growth policies have revitalized our workforce and put our economy back on the right track. Job openings continue to reach record-breaking highs, women’s unemployment reached a 65-year low, and almost four million jobs have been created since the president took office. Not to mention, the Palmetto State’s workforce grew by about 7,100 people–showing a new record of over 2.2 million people employed in our state as of December 2018.
Rarely have we ever seen a president who provides greater support for our military and veterans. I fully support President Trump’s pledge to promote peace through strength. It is a top priority to protect TRICARE benefits to sustain the quality of life for military families.
President Trump has exhibited strong American leadership on the world stage. While successive American presidents pledged to recognize reality and move our embassy in Israel to the Jewish state’s eternal capital, it was President Trump that finally lived up to this promise. I am grateful to have led the House delegation to the opening of the Embassy in Jerusalem and to see this long-awaited dream come to fruition. President Trump has sent a clear message to tyrants around the world that the U.S. will always stand for its values and principles – whether in Venezuela, Russia, or Iran.
In light of recent news reports, I find it important to make a few items clear.
Anti-Semitism in any shape or form is never acceptable and must be forcefully condemned. The American people stand by Israel and the Jewish people for one reason only: it’s simply the right thing to do.
Protecting the lives of those who cannot protect themselves is critical to me. As President Trump stated, “Let us work together to build a culture that cherishes innocent life. And let us reaffirm a fundamental truth: All children — born and unborn — are made in the holy image of God.”
In conclusion, calls of support for socialism will not stand in the United States of America. We should always remember the truth of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher “socialism will work until you run out of other peoples’ money” as we see again in Venezuela. Democracy is a most precious gift and one that should not be taken for granted. Our president declared, “We were born free, and we will stay free.” I unequivocally support President Donald Trump, and will continue work diligently to support the Second Congressional District of South Carolina in the new Congress.
Editor's Note: This is the opinion of the listed author and should only be taken as such. It is not necessarily the opinion of The Lexington Ledger, its staff, or management.
