Dear Friends,

January was very busy, both at home and in Washington, D.C. Take a look below to see what I’ve been up to.

Best,

Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D.

State of the District Address

On January 25th, I held my annual State of the District Address at University of North Carolina Charlotte, where I had the opportunity to speak directly to my constituents about my agenda for our district. This year, during the State of the District Address, I continued to emphasize “One Meck,” because we are stronger when we are united. Here are some of the important topics I talked about:

• The need to permanently fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program and Community Health Centers
• The upward mobility crisis we face in Mecklenburg and how to better allocate resources to level the playing field for all children
• The victories the Congressional Bipartisan HBCU Caucus has had over the past year, from securing 6 million dollars in the House of Representatives for additional funding, to our first ever HBCU Diversity and Inclusion Scorecard Initiative
• The vital role infrastructure plays in Mecklenburg’s economy
• The high levels of gun violence in Mecklenburg County, criminal justice reform, and the need to dedicate more resources to domestic violence prevention

If you were not able to attend, click the following link to see the full State of the District Address: http://bit.ly/2E0ImZW

This year, Dr. Harry L. Williams began his tenure as the new President and CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF).

On January 16th, Dr. Williams and his team visited my D.C. office to discuss their plans to continue to support Historically Black Colleges and Universities and minority serving institutions. I look forward to our continued partnership to keep moving our schools forward.

On January 18th, I joined my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus to protest the appointment of Thomas Farr to the Eastern District Court of North Carolina. From his role in the Helms Campaign that sought to disenfranchise minority voters, to his hand in drafting unconstitutional voter ID legislation and defending gerrymandered congressional districts that targeted African-American voters ‘with almost surgical precision’, Mr. Farr has proven that he cannot be trusted to uphold critical legal rights and protections. Mr. Farr’s nomination is another tragic example of the racism that permeates President Trump’s actions and animates his policies and I will not stand for it.

On January 20th, Americans across the country participated in the 2nd Annual Women’s March to protest the gross misogyny of the Trump Administration. I was proud that over five thousand people in Charlotte joined in this effort by marching through the streets to send a direct message to the President that women will not be silenced. Your voices are heard loud and clear: we will keep marching until women earn equal wages, have equal access to comprehensive healthcare, and do not have to fear sexual violence and harassment.

On January 25th, Team Adams toured Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) and Myers Park High School to view their innovative aquaponics facilities. JCSU is a leader in the field of aquaponics, a method of sustainable gardening that reduces our carbon footprint, conserves water, and produces organic food. As Congress considers the Farm Bill this spring I will continue to be a vocal advocate for all institutions who are leading the way in innovative farming techniques that help combat urban food deserts.

On January 26th, it was my privilege to attend the 2018 Pride Awards and serve as a panelist to discuss intergenerational similarities and differences. Each year, the Pride Awards highlight outstanding achievement in Charlotte’s African-American community, and donate over $250,000 to local nonprofits. Congratulations to all of this year’s award recipients, and thank you for the work you do to make Mecklenburg County a better place to live!

Earlier this week, President Trump gave his first State of the Union address. After careful consideration, I decided to attend to represent each of you. I was pleased to invite Ann Miller, of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), as my guest. Ann represents the millions of middle-class Americans who have been ignored by the Trump Administration. I also chose to use my attire to stand with minority communities that this President has disparaged during his first year in office. I wore all black to stand with the women who have come forward to tell their stories and to give a voice to those who can’t, a red “Recy” pin to honor the life and legacy of Recy Taylor, a an African American Alabama woman who was raped on her way home from church in the 1940s and passed away last without getting justice, and Kente cloth to protest President Trump’s ‘s-hole’ comments about Haiti and African nations. I will continue to be your vocal advocate in Congress and to remind this President that his racist and hate-filled rhetoric doesn’t represent all of us.

District Corner

Our office visited Kennedy Middle School to participate in a hands-on coding activity designed to teach students about the importance of STEM education. (top right photo)
District staff participated in the Blinded Veterans Association of Charlotte’s first general body meeting of the year. (bottom right photo)
Under the banner of celebration, our district staff joined other members of the community at the annual MLK Day Breakfast to honor the legacy of one of our nation’s most iconic civil rights leaders.
Our office met with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Food Policy Council to discuss plans to establish a food co-op in the district.

Legislative Update

Letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Verma asking that CMS rescind the guidance allowing states to impose work requirements on people eligible for Medicaid: On January 25, this letter was sent to Administrator Verma, expressing strong disapproval of the guidance issued by CMS allowing states to impose work requirements on Medicaid beneficiaries.

Letter to President Trump asking for investment in public school infrastructure as part of a comprehensive infrastructure package: This letter, sent on January 17, urges President Trump to, as part of any upcoming infrastructure package, invest in the critical infrastructure that affects every city and town in the nation — our public schools.

Letter to Secretary Zinke expressing strong opposition to the 2019–2024 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program: This letter, sent January 17, expresses deep concern with the Administration’s 2019–2024 leasing plan, which would open up the Atlantic, Arctic, and Pacific Oceans, and the Gulf of Mexico to new oil and gas lease sales. Governor Cooper has also expressed his opposition to this issue, and has requested that, like Florida, North Carolina be exempt from offshore drilling.

Letter to President Trump asking him to act on the opioid crisis after his public health emergency declaration expires on January 23, 2018: Sent on January 19, this letter urges President Trump to take meaningful steps to combat the opioid epidemic, including funding for addiction treatment and prevention and filling the position of director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).

Letter to Office of Management and Budget in support of domestic and international family planning in the President’s FY19 budget: Letter requesting robust funding for domestic and international family planning, including for the Title X program, in the President’s Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Request.

Letter to Appropriators from the Congressional Black Caucus requesting $40 million for the HBCU/Minority Serving Institutions Research Program: Sent on January 16, this letter requested the Appropriations committee fully support programs that support HBCUs and PBIs, given their documented positive educational and economic impact.

Key Co-sponsorships

H.R. 4444, the Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act (introduced by Rep. Neal)
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H.R. 4392, a Bipartisan 340B Fix to Prevent Cuts to Safety Net Hospitals (introduced by Rep. McKinley)
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H.R. 2119, the Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act (introduced by Rep. Lieu)
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CRA Resolution to repeal FCC/Pai’s Net Neutrality rule (introduced by Rep. Doyle)
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H.R. 1536, SHIELD Act of 2017 (introduced by Rep. Fitzpatrick)
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H.R. 4820, Advancing Seniors and Kids Act (Rep. McEachin)
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Grants Corner

Do you need assistance with a grant or would you like to receive our grants newsletter? Please email Quanisha Collins at [email protected] or call (704) 344–9950. For more information please visit my website here.

If you would like to invite Congresswoman Adams to your community or to attend your event, please email [email protected].

Source: Medium