Sign up to receive email updates
Armed Services
The military is critical to Eastern North Carolina's economy and way of life. We are privileged to have America's brave residing in our district.
Where I Stand
The military is critical to Eastern North Carolina. I am blessed and honored to represent the incredible heroes and their families stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station, Marine Corps Air Station New River and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. As a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, I do all I can to fight for Eastern North Carolina's military installations and for the courageous men and women -- past, present and future -- who protect our freedom.
My commitment to our service members and their families is unwavering. I have been a leader on securing pay increases, education opportunities, and better healthcare while opposing any benefit cuts. I will always support the men and women of the armed services, even against the occasional injustice found in their own service. I have supported and cleared multiple officers and enlisted personnel when they were falsely accused of wrongdoing by their chains of command. I will continue to stand with the men and women in uniform, because they stood up for us.
I believe in a strong national defense. As part of that effort, I have been and continue to be a leading supporter of the F-35 and the V-22 Osprey. These aircraft are the future of Marine Corps aviation, and vital to the defense of our Nation. Additionally, much of the depot level maintenance for these aircraft will be performed by Fleet Readiness Center – East (FRC-East) in Eastern North Carolina’s Craven County. FRC – East is not only the largest employer east of Interstate 95, it is a National Asset. The work force is world class and I am proud of their many accomplishments in keeping Marine Aviation flying through ten years of war. As the Co-Chair of the House Depot Caucus, I will continue to be the most vocal supporter of FRC-East in this Congress.
Legislative Action in the 112th Congress
Votes
S. 365 - the Budget Control Act of 2011 – I voted against this legislation. This bill not only raised our Nation’s debt ceiling – something I have always voted against – but it authorizes “sequestration”, or $500 billion in cuts to our military. These cuts are on top of the $487 billion of cuts that have already started. I am proud of voting against this bill, and I will continue to fight to protect our military from an additional $500 billion in cuts.
H. R. 2447 - authorizes the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to collectively honor the Montford Point Marines, U.S. Marine Corps, in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II. Camp Montford Point, North Carolina, was the site for the training of the first African-American Marines. This bill, which I voted for and is now law, recognizes the incredible sacrifice that these Marines made during a time of War and a time when they were not accorded the full rights granted to Americans under the Constitution.
Cosponsored Bills:
H.R. 24 - to redesignate the Department of the Navy as the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps.
H.R. 687 - the Military Spouses Employment Act - amends the Internal Revenue Code to include spouses of members of the Armed Forces on extended active duty (more than 90 days or for an indefinite period) as members of a targeted group for purposes of the work opportunity tax credit (thus giving employers a tax incentive for hiring military spouses).
H.R. 1621 - the Spouses of Fallen Heroes Scholarship Act - requires an Armed Forces member's entitlement to educational assistance under the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to be transferred to the member's surviving spouse, unless another eligible dependent is designated, upon the death of a member who is entitled to such assistance while serving on active duty.
H.R. 2751 - the Joining Forces for Military Mental Health Act - authorizes the Secretary of Defense, through community partnerships with private nonprofit organizations, to carry out a three-year pilot program assessing the enhancement of Department of Defense (DOD) efforts in research, treatment, education, and outreach on mental health and substance use disorders and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in members of the National Guard and Reserves and their family members and caregivers.
H.R. 3046 - the Military Spouse Job Continuity Act of 2011 - amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces (military spouse) who moves with such member to another state under a permanent change of station order a tax credit for up to $500 of qualified relicensing costs incurred by such spouse. Defines "qualified relicensing costs" as costs for a state license or certification to engage in the profession that such military spouse engaged in while residing in the former state.
H. R. 3455 - Adds the Chief of the National Guard Bureau to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
H.R. 3540 - the Military Families Child Care Assistance Act of 2011 - amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase: (1) the tax credit for household and dependent care expenses for individuals who have served on active duty in the Armed Forces for a period of 120 days or more beginning after September 11, 2001; and (2) the exclusion from gross income for employer-provided dependent care assistance provided to such individuals.
H.R. 3662 - the Down Payment to Protect National Security Act of 2011 - prevents a further round of cuts beyond the $487 billion in the President’s budget request from hitting our military as a result of sequestration. The legislation is fully offset by reduction of the federal workforce through attrition.
H.R. 3676 - to amend the detainee provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 to specifically state that United States citizens may not be detained against their will without all the rights of due process afforded to citizens in a court ordained or established by or under Article III of the Constitution of the United States.
H.R. 3828 - the Military Religious Freedom Protection Act - prohibits a military chaplain from being directed, ordered, or required to perform any duty, rite, ritual, ceremony, service, or function that is contrary to the conscience, moral principles, or religious beliefs of the chaplain or the chaplain's faith group. The Act also prohibits a military installation or other property owned, rented, or otherwise under the jurisdiction or control of the Department of Defense (DOD) from being used to officiate, solemnize, or perform a marriage or marriage-like ceremony involving anything other than the union of one man with one woman.