House Passes FY26 Bills on Security, Energy, and Stewardship

This week, the House took a major step toward fulfilling our commitment to fiscal responsibility by passing a package of three critical appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2026.  Those bills are Commerce, Justice, and Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment — all represent a vital shift back toward "regular order" and away from the cycle of short-term spending stopgaps known as Continuing Resolutions (CRs).  (Because we have not been able to get appropriations bills passed in the Senate the previous two years, the past two CRs were an extension of the Biden Budget.) 
 
By passing these appropriations measures, we are delivering on key policy priorities to invest in our nuclear deterrent and strengthening law enforcement to combat illicit drugs and protect our communities, support American leadership in new energy technologies and infrastructure to lower costs for families and create jobs, and rein in wasteful spending.  Taxpayer dollars are being focused on the core functions of government.
 
I was proud to support this package of appropriations bills, which provides certainty for our agencies while providing for new conservative policies and directives.  Or to put it another way, we are carrying out our Constitutional duty to assert the “power of the purse”.  As we head toward the January 30 funding deadline, I will continue to fight for a budget that reflects the values of North Carolina's 7th Congressional District.

Reducing Regulations to Drive Down the Price of Homebuilding

With my support, the House also passed the Affordable HOMES Act (H.R. 5184) to slash unnecessary federal regulations that make homebuilding more expensive than it otherwise would be.  With rent prices dropping nationally for the fourth straight month and the thirty-year fixed mortgage rate now dipping into the 5 to 6 percent range, progress is being made.  

This week, I spoke out regarding a deeply concerning report from the U.S. Department of Transportation.  A recent audit by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) uncovered that North Carolina permitted the unlawful issuance of non-domiciled Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) for years.
 
The findings of this audit are staggering: more than 50 percent of the licenses reviewed were issued improperly.  When we allow unqualified individuals to operate 80,000-pound commercial trucks without proper vetting, English proficiency, or knowledge of our road rules, we are jeopardizing the safety of every individual and family traveling on our highways.  This wasn’t just a simple mistake, but mismanagement and poor oversight by our state’s leaders at the highest levels of the executive branch fostering a culture of indifference at best and negligence at worst.  
 
As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, I am committed to enhancing our federal statues to help address this failure not only in North Carolina but in all the states where this has proven to be a problem.  The Non-Domiciled CDL Integrity Act (H.R. 5688) I sponsored protects Americans’ safety, supports American workers, and restores order to our commercial trucking licensing system.  This legislation, if passed and signed into law, would end the reckless policy of granting CDLs to illegal immigrants who lack the English proficiency and road-rule knowledge needed to safely operate massive commercial vehicles on our highways.  Our roads are the lifelines of our economy.  We must restore accountability to our licensing system and demand better from state leaders to protect our roads and our citizens.

On Thursday, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing to address the decline of U.S. chemistry competitiveness.  During the hearing, I questioned witnesses on why the American regulatory system, once the gold standard for efficiency, has become one of the slowest and most unpredictable in the world.
 
The contrast is stark.  While neighbors like Canada offer a predictable roadmap for innovators, our own system is bogged down by management failures and a lack of institutional capacity spanning multiple administrations.  If we want to maintain our global edge, we must provide our innovators with certainty and predictability.
 
I also inquired if integrating modern tools, like Artificial Intelligence, can streamline reviews to get products to market faster without compromising safety.  Neither regulation nor management works in a vacuum.

Watch my full remarks here. 

This week, with a heavy heart, I joined my colleagues to honor the life and legacy of a dear friend, the late Honorable Doug LaMalfa, Representative of California’s 1st Congressional District.  As a fourth-generation rice farmer, Doug was the true embodiment of a steward of the land – and an even greater steward of common sense.  He shared a deep, genuine bond with rural America and a tireless desire to serve the people who call it home.
 
I was lucky to call Doug a friend, and we worked closely on many issues together.  One of my fondest memories was hosting him in the district for an agriculture roundtable event in 2023.  There, he engaged with our local producers, speaking their language and truly listening to their concerns.  He stood tall, both literally and figuratively, for the hardworking families who feed this country.
 
To have known Doug was a distinct honor and a privilege.  His absence leaves a profound void in the House of Representatives and a crushing loss our nation.  I ask you to join me in praying for his wife, Jill, and their entire family during this difficult time.

Watch my remarks on the House Floor here. 

For this week’s good news story, I’m highlighting the completion of the Dr. J. Larry Keen Regional Fire and Emergency Training Complex at Fayetteville Tech Community College.  This $45 million project provides our region with world-class public safety training infrastructure with new structural burn buildings, designed to give first responders the most realistic experience possible.  This state of the art facility offers expanded space for lifesaving training and realistic drills.  Read more here.

"Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it.  If it keeps moving, regulate it.  And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”

― President Ronald Reagan