News from US Congressman Chuck Edwards

December 7, 2023

You are officially invited to my upcoming in-person town hall at Blue Ridge Community College. If you would like to hear the latest updates and news from Washington, D.C., please join me on December 8 from 5:00-6:30 p.m. at the Steven D. Wyatt Auditorium, 180 West Campus Dr., Flat Rock, NC.

All constituents are welcome to my live town hall, and I look forward to hearing directly from you and answering your questions.

No Funds for Iranian Terrorism Act

God has blessed us with this great nation and the prospect of hope and freedom.

Sadly, there are groups around the world, such as Hamas, and in many ways, some of our own government leaders who want to extinguish the flames of liberty.

The United States must act decisively to dismantle Hamas and sanction its allies, making sure that no more money goes toward funding Iranian terrorism.

In September, President Biden waived sanctions to allow Iran – the Number One state sponsor of terrorism – to access $6 billion dollars in exchange for the return of American hostages. This was a reckless decision and only incentivizes our enemies to take additional hostages, knowing that they will receive payment.

The No Funds for Iranian Terrorism Act that I cast NC-11’s vote for would effectively freeze these Iranian funds by imposing immediate sanctions on any financial institution that makes a transaction with the Qatari banks holding the $6 billion.

Protecting our Communities from Failure to Secure the Border Act

This administration continues to put our national security at risk, not just abroad but at home. The southern border is wide open and illegal immigration is at a historic high. The president’s open-border policies have made illegal crossings easier without effective deterrence against entry.

The White House is now going so far as to authorize the use of National Park Service land in New York as a tent city for illegal immigrants.

To stop incentivizing illegal immigration and protect our American treasures, I cast NC-11’s vote for the Protecting our Communities from Failure to Secure the Border Act.

This bill would prohibit federal funding from being used to provide housing for migrants on land under the jurisdiction of federal land management agencies, such as the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management. These lands and monuments represent our nation’s natural beauty and history, and must not become a tool in this administration’s failing border strategy.

We’re also continuing to keep the pressure on the Senate to come to the table and join us in enforcing the rule of law.

Crime is not dropping in Buncombe County

The first step in solving a problem is to admit there is a problem – and Asheville has a serious crime problem.

In the past weeks, there have been incidents of sexual assault, armed robbery, attempted kidnappings, burglaries, vehicle break-ins, drug trafficking and a violent assault that left a man dead, all in Buncombe County and Asheville.

Read my op-ed discussing the rise of crime in Asheville here.

Accountability is here

This Congress has built a record of evidence showing that the president knew, was involved and benefited directly from his family’s influence peddling scheme. On the Oversight and Accountability Committee, these facts are coming to light.

There is corruption in our government at the highest level and bank records show direct payments to the president and his family members who have benefited from foreign influence.

The president’s family and senior White House officials have repeatedly lied about this knowledge and their involvement with foreign adversaries.

Accountability is here, and the full facts will be brought to the light for the American people to see.

Bringing more of NC to DC

As the newest member of the House Appropriations Committee, I’m sincerely honored that my House colleagues looked at my background in business and my experience in the North Carolina Senate and appointed me to this seat during my first term.

The House Appropriations Committee is widely considered one of the most influential committees in the House of Representatives, as it holds the power of the purse.

I’m proud to be following in the footsteps of former Congressman Charles Taylor to use this position to help make a difference for the citizens of Western North Carolina. We need to bring more of NC to DC, and I plan to do exactly that even more, through this new role that my colleagues have entrusted me with.

Read my full statement regarding my appointment here.

Opposing the ATF’s unconstitutional arm brace rule

The ATF’s latest rule flouts the Second Amendment and violates the rights of America’s gunowners. The right to bear and keep arms is a fundamental liberty that, as your congressman, I will continue to protect.

The ATF’s ruling would burden millions of Americans by regulating and taxing orthotic support devices on firearms. Pistol braces are needed by individuals who have disabilities or lack the physical strength to fire a pistol, including some of our nation’s veterans. The latest rule places even more burdensome regulations on gun owners and is an alarming overreach from the ATF.

To protect the Second Amendment and advocate for the millions of law-abiding gun owners across Western North Carolina and our nation, I joined an amicus brief in opposition to this rule.

Congress did not give the ATF the authority to criminalize the exercise of Second Amendment rights, and I’ll continue to stand up for law-abiding gun owners.

Buyer Beware: Spy toys are on the rise

As we enter the Christmas season, be sure you know the risks of buying a smart toy for the children on your shopping list.

Most smart toys are manufactured in China, and it’s unclear what Chinese companies that make toys that connect to Bluetooth and the internet do with the data collected on children and American households.

Parents should be fully aware of a toy’s ability to collect their child’s information before making a purchase. That’s why I introduced the Transparency Over Toys Spying (TOTS) Act early this year.

Spy toys are on the rise and the TOTS Act would require these smart toys to have data security policies that parents can easily understand and access.

Read the discussion about the TOTs Act on ABC’s “Good Morning America” here.

WNC’s athletic prowess

Congratulations to three outstanding teams in Western North Carolina on their volleyball and cross country state championship wins!

The Brevard High School volleyball team won the 2A volleyball state championship and the Polk County High School volleyball team won the 1A volleyball state championship. Both schools won their state championships in volleyball for the first time in the school’s history.

The Brevard High School cross country team also won the 2A cross country state championship, making it clear that there is no shortage of athletic talent in WNC.

It was my honor to recognize all three teams on the House floor for this outstanding achievement.