Prior to updating you on my travels in North Carolina and other items of interest, I regret to inform you that this will be my last newsletter for two months. Under Senate rules, Senators are not allowed to send out newsletters during the 60-day period prior to an election. I encourage you to stay up to date with what is going on in Washington by visiting my website.  As always, you may contact me about issues in Washington via email or call my Washington office at (202) 224-3154 with any questions or thoughts you would like to share with me.  

While the Senate continued its recess this week, I drove across the state meeting with North Carolinians, including business owners and employees. North Carolina continues to be a welcome home for manufacturers of a variety of goods and technologies. In Mecklenburg county, I met with a manufacturer of commercial products for colleges and schools and an innovative company that serves the energy and agriculture industries. I also visited a company that specializes in designer of energy-efficient lighting in Vance County and a locally owned and operated farm in Granville County.

During these visits, speaking with the owner of the business is productive, but I often find that the views of the employees are even more informative. As I spoke with employees and with the students from Louisburg High School on Wednesday, I heard many of your fears for the future and concern that the federal government spending away your opportunities. Like many of you, I am concerned about my children’s – and their children’s — future. I will continue to work tirelessly to stop Washington from over-reaching and overspending.

I talked about these issues and answered questions that I often hear on the road in this interview with the Big Talker’s Chad Adams. I encourage you to take a few minutes and listen.

I was extremely pleased to learn that, on Wednesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced plans to propose the CTS of Asheville, Inc./Mills Gap Road Groundwater Contamination site to the National Priorities List (NPL) list of hazardous waste sites. I have been working for some time to draw the EPA’s attention to this area — I sent a letter to the EPA’s acting inspector general requesting an investigation of the work performed by EPA Region 4 on the former CTS of Asheville site and facilitated community meetings between concerned citizens and the necessary government agencies. The Asheville residents have petitioned their government to address this issue, and they expect the EPA to do the right thing. Proposing to add this site the National Priorities List is a step in the right direction. For more about what the recent EPA action means for Asheville, please see my press release here.

As I mentioned, this will be the last newsletter you will receive from me until after the election on November 2. I look forward to updating you on issues affecting you in Washington then.