I believe we are making the American Dream too hard, for too many people. I ran for Congress because all of the reforms that I believe are necessary to create a better future for our children and grandchildren- education reform, tax reform, energy reform, budget reform- all of these require a Republican majority in Washington.

At our core, Republicans believe that individuals make better decisions for themselves, their families, and their businesses than bureaucracies make for them. We believe that power and decision-making should be as decentralized as possible. We understand that in America you are not trapped in the circumstances of your birth, but limited only by your desire and ability to seize the opportunities available to you. A majority of Americans inherently line up with these conservative principles, whether they realize it or not. It’s the job of our party to build a personal connection with voters and show how our policies line up with their worldview and provide a better life for all. As Jack Kemp said, “They have to know that you care before they care what you know.” Herein is the problem.

Among 2012 voters who wanted their president to “care about people like me,” President Obama handily defeated Mitt Romney 81 percent to 18 percent. The election results proved that voters felt Barack Obama connected with them personally. Never mind that his policies reduce paychecks, increase taxes, and hurl Social Security and Medicare toward insolvency. Thanks to the president’s effective messaging, Republicans are being blamed for our nation’s economic woes — even though our policies are the only way out of this economic mess. Our party must start to paint our own picture, and that picture is a choice of two futures.

Imagine your child going to the school of your choice, with educators who teach not what is handed down from a bureaucrat in Washington, but what best meets the needs of your community — an education system that’s the envy of the world where teachers are paid what they deserve because we are paying them instead of propping up a huge education bureaucracy. This is the Republican vision for education reform.

Imagine your child driving to school for the first time without dedicating 1/3 of her summer job earnings to gas money. This is the Republican vision for an American energy policy.

Imagine your child graduating from college without a huge student loan debt. Imagine that she quickly finds a first start in a long career because the job market is booming and people are hiring because taxes are low and regulations are reasonable. This is the Republican vision for job growth.

Imagine your child is one day able to purchase a home because she was able to save her hard-earned money for a down payment through a tax-free account for first-time homebuyers. Her taxes are low and she can invest more of her money in her community’s businesses, her church or synagogue, and philanthropic causes she cares about. This is the Republican vision for tax reform.

Imagine that your child doesn’t have to worry about taking care of you as she enters the prime of her life because Social Security and Medicare have been reformed and strengthened. This is the Republican vision for entitlement reform.

Imagine that your child, as she is thinking about starting her own family, knows that her first child won’t be born into this world owing $52,000 as her share of the national debt. This is the Republican vision for budget reform.

Within all these reforms, and the policies that make them possible, your child has choices; your child has security; your child has personal freedom and opportunity. This is the Republican vision for the future.

Conservatism thrives only when it’s infused with optimism. That was the secret of Ronald Reagan’s success. Republicans need to speak to America’s aspirations and emphasize how our solutions will help those who dream of a better future, not just the ones who are already living that dream. This is the key to the Republican Party succeeding for generations to come.

Hudson represents North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District.

He faced an audience of lawmakers skeptical about the policy, and the process through which it
was adopted. Although some Democrats on the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on
Transportation Security said they wanted the TSA to reverse or delay the policy, Pistole said
nothing short of Congress sending a bill to the president’s desk would change his mind.
“I think the decision is solid as it stands and we intend to go forward with it,” he said.

Pistole said that with locked reinforced cockpit doors and other security measures in place,
someone could not take down a commercial plane with any of the new permitted items, including non-locking knives with blades under 2.36 inches, hockey sticks and two golf clubs per passenger.

According to the legislation that created the agency, that’s where its authority ends, he said.

“It really comes down to the mission of TSA,” he told the subcommittee. “Is it to prevent incidents
involving inebriated passengers? I don’t think so.”

The TSA has presented the change, which takes effect in April, as adopting standards similar to
those the International Civil Aviation Association put into place in 2010. ICAO’s decision did not
result in any attacks, he said.

“Since that global change … there have been more than 5 billion airline passengers worldwide
allowed to carry these knives,” Pistole said “We are unaware of a single incident involving these
knives on commercial aircraft.”

He compared it to changes to international and domestic flights years ago allowing passengers to
carry on scissors, knitting needles and some screwdrivers. Critics of those policies predicted a rash
of attacks that never materialized, he said. According to the intelligence community, terrorists aren’t
looking to use such objects as weapons, Pistole said. They want to use nonmetallic improvised
bombs that can get through security checkpoints, similar to the “underwear bomb” used in the
Christmas Day, 2009 failed plot. The TSA’s ban on box cutters, the weapons used in the Sept. 11
hijackings, will still stand.

Subcommittee Chairman Richard Hudson, R-N.C., has come out in favor of the new policy, calling
it a balance of security and efficiency. During the hearing, though, he said the TSA needs to do a
better job of reaching out to stakeholders and lawmakers before making major decisions.

“The open and proactive approach will reduce pushback like the kind we’ve seen the last few
days,” he said.

Pistole said that his decision on the items was a lengthy process beginning with an internal working
group that first met in 2011 and involved input from law enforcement and the intelligence
community, as well as risk analyses for both the airline cabin and the plane itself.

The unions representing flight attendants and members of the federal air marshals have strongly
condemned the new policy, saying it puts their workers and passengers at risk, and that they were
not consulted in advance. Pistole said that the air marshals were part of his agency’s working
group and that because of their input, he made the TSA’s policy more restrictive than what he
originally has in mind and ICAO has in place.

Pistol said he briefed the Homeland Security Advisory Council on the issue last September and
notified a senior member of the flight attendants’ union Nov. 30. However, he admitted that he
could have done a better job of bringing the flight attendants in earlier and explaining the decisionmaking process.

Ranking member Cedric L. Richmond, D-La., said he would defer to Pistole’s judgment on security,
but stakeholders should have been more involved with the process. Other Democrats, however,
said they worried the change could present a threat. Full committee ranking Democrat Bennie
Thompson of Mississippi held aloft a golf club, then a hockey stick.

“I’m trying to conceive how this could not be a risk to the people on the plane,” he said.
Democrat Eric Swalwell of California said that perhaps the agency should not mess with success,
considering the number of attempted hijackings or attacks using sharp objects on domestic flights
since Sept. 11, 2001 is zero.

“That begs the question, can that number get better,” he said. “And the answer is no. It also begs
the question of can that number get worse. And to my mind, the answer is yes.”

Sheila Jackson Lee, a Texas Democrat, said that even if an attack using a knife didn’t bring a plane
down, it “would be a crisis situation” thousands of feet in the air.

“I’d like this to go back to the drawing table,” she said. “And I would like Congress to not have to
introduce legislation, although I intend to. … You need to stop this now.”

Pistole’s response was that potentially dangerous objects are not the problem — it’s the intentions
of the people who might use them. If someone is determined to carry off an attack using a sharp object, they could use silverware from first class, or a broken glass or bottle.

“There are so many objects already on flights that could cause the kind of harm you’re talking
about,” he said.

The TSA head also wouldn’t give Thompson a guarantee he wanted that the new permitted items
won’t cause passengers or others in airliner cabins any harm.

“When we get into the ‘what if’ category, that’s what risk-based security is all about,” he said.
“There’s no guarantee here.”

CQ Roll Call
By Wes Venteicher

He faced an audience of lawmakers skeptical about the policy, and the process through which it
was adopted. Although some Democrats on the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on
Transportation Security said they wanted the TSA to reverse or delay the policy, Pistole said
nothing short of Congress sending a bill to the president’s desk would change his mind.
“I think the decision is solid as it stands and we intend to go forward with it,” he said.

Pistole said that with locked reinforced cockpit doors and other security measures in place,
someone could not take down a commercial plane with any of the new permitted items, including non-locking knives with blades under 2.36 inches, hockey sticks and two golf clubs per passenger.

According to the legislation that created the agency, that’s where its authority ends, he said.

“It really comes down to the mission of TSA,” he told the subcommittee. “Is it to prevent incidents
involving inebriated passengers? I don’t think so.”

The TSA has presented the change, which takes effect in April, as adopting standards similar to
those the International Civil Aviation Association put into place in 2010. ICAO’s decision did not
result in any attacks, he said.

“Since that global change … there have been more than 5 billion airline passengers worldwide
allowed to carry these knives,” Pistole said “We are unaware of a single incident involving these
knives on commercial aircraft.”

He compared it to changes to international and domestic flights years ago allowing passengers to
carry on scissors, knitting needles and some screwdrivers. Critics of those policies predicted a rash
of attacks that never materialized, he said. According to the intelligence community, terrorists aren’t
looking to use such objects as weapons, Pistole said. They want to use nonmetallic improvised
bombs that can get through security checkpoints, similar to the “underwear bomb” used in the
Christmas Day, 2009 failed plot. The TSA’s ban on box cutters, the weapons used in the Sept. 11
hijackings, will still stand.

Subcommittee Chairman Richard Hudson, R-N.C., has come out in favor of the new policy, calling
it a balance of security and efficiency. During the hearing, though, he said the TSA needs to do a
better job of reaching out to stakeholders and lawmakers before making major decisions.

“The open and proactive approach will reduce pushback like the kind we’ve seen the last few
days,” he said.

Pistole said that his decision on the items was a lengthy process beginning with an internal working
group that first met in 2011 and involved input from law enforcement and the intelligence
community, as well as risk analyses for both the airline cabin and the plane itself.

The unions representing flight attendants and members of the federal air marshals have strongly
condemned the new policy, saying it puts their workers and passengers at risk, and that they were
not consulted in advance. Pistole said that the air marshals were part of his agency’s working
group and that because of their input, he made the TSA’s policy more restrictive than what he
originally has in mind and ICAO has in place.

Pistol said he briefed the Homeland Security Advisory Council on the issue last September and
notified a senior member of the flight attendants’ union Nov. 30. However, he admitted that he
could have done a better job of bringing the flight attendants in earlier and explaining the decisionmaking process.

Ranking member Cedric L. Richmond, D-La., said he would defer to Pistole’s judgment on security,
but stakeholders should have been more involved with the process. Other Democrats, however,
said they worried the change could present a threat. Full committee ranking Democrat Bennie
Thompson of Mississippi held aloft a golf club, then a hockey stick.

“I’m trying to conceive how this could not be a risk to the people on the plane,” he said.
Democrat Eric Swalwell of California said that perhaps the agency should not mess with success,
considering the number of attempted hijackings or attacks using sharp objects on domestic flights
since Sept. 11, 2001 is zero.

“That begs the question, can that number get better,” he said. “And the answer is no. It also begs
the question of can that number get worse. And to my mind, the answer is yes.”

Sheila Jackson Lee, a Texas Democrat, said that even if an attack using a knife didn’t bring a plane
down, it “would be a crisis situation” thousands of feet in the air.

“I’d like this to go back to the drawing table,” she said. “And I would like Congress to not have to
introduce legislation, although I intend to. … You need to stop this now.”

Pistole’s response was that potentially dangerous objects are not the problem — it’s the intentions
of the people who might use them. If someone is determined to carry off an attack using a sharp object, they could use silverware from first class, or a broken glass or bottle.

“There are so many objects already on flights that could cause the kind of harm you’re talking
about,” he said.

The TSA head also wouldn’t give Thompson a guarantee he wanted that the new permitted items
won’t cause passengers or others in airliner cabins any harm.

“When we get into the ‘what if’ category, that’s what risk-based security is all about,” he said.
“There’s no guarantee here.”

CQ Roll Call
By Wes Venteicher

Chairman Paul Brooks and several Tribal Council members recently met with U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson of Concord, whose 8th Congressional District is home to most of tribe’s 55,000 members.

Hudson, a freshman Republican, has taken the mantle from Democratic Rep. Mike McIntyre, whose 7th District no longer includes parts of Robeson County where the tribe is based.

Since 2003, the Lumbee recognition bill has been the first piece of legislation introduced by McIntyre within days of a new session of Congress opening. While McIntyre has trumpeted his continued support for the bill, he has deferred to Hudson.

“Congressman McIntyre suggested that I take the lead since the Republicans are the majority in the House,” Hudson said. “We are both committed to seeing this through.”

Hudson said that in his recent meeting, tribal leaders proposed some changes that they are working on.

Brooks declined to comment Monday, saying that he wanted to communicate with the rest of the council and its federal recognition committee before making a public statement.

The Lumbees have sought federal recognition since 1888. Congress recognized the tribe in 1956 but denied its members financial benefits afforded to other federally recognized tribes.

In 1989, the Lumbees petitioned the Bureau of Indian Affairs for full federal recognition. But the solicitor general said that because of language in the Lumbee Act of 1956, the tribe could only be recognized through an act of Congress – which hasn’t happened in more than 20 years, according to Arlinda Locklear, a tribal member and lawyer who has spearheaded the tribe’s efforts in Washington for years.

“Right now, the prospects are daunting,” Locklear said. “Congress hasn’t recognized a tribe in over 20 years. And it’s gotten more difficult to pass legislation.”

Locklear no longer represents the Lumbee Tribe in Washington but is working with six or seven other tribes in different stages of the federal recognition process.

Locklear said she thinks it is unlikely that any bill recognizing the Lumbees will pass through the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs or the Natural Resource Committee in the House.

The Senate committee is headed by Democrat Maria Cantwell of Washington, where there are several tribes that oppose federal recognition, Locklear said. And the ranking Republican leader, Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, opposes any recognition bill. Typically, senators defer to their party leaders, Locklear said.

“Indian legislation is particularly difficult because it is not deemed important enough for discussion on the Senate floor,” Locklear said.

In the House, Locklear said, the committee chairman, Rep. Doc Hastings of Washington, has “vigorously opposed these bills, including the Lumbee recognition bill.”

Hudson, who was elected to his first term last fall, said he hopes to introduce a bill in the House in April – three months after the new session of Congress opened – with a companion Senate bill to follow, sponsored by North Carolina Sens. Richard Burr and Kay Hagan.

“I plan to introduce legislation with Sen. Burr this Congress to bring full recognition to the Lumbee Tribe, which is the only federally recognized tribe in the country forbidden from accessing key federal programs that would improve their quality of life and create jobs in the Lumbee community,” Hagan said in a statement. “I will continue working with members of North Carolina’s congressional delegation to advance this legislation.”

Locklear said the delay “is obviously an indication of change in politics.”

But she said it’s not necessarily a bad thing; other tribes are waiting, too, she said.

Hudson said he “wants to introduce the legislation when it has the best chance for success, which includes garnering support from the entire North Carolina delegation.”

That is another sticking point in the Lumbees’ quest, Locklear said – division within the delegation. Representatives from western North Carolina, where the Eastern Band of the Cherokee is based, have opposed Lumbee recognition.

Federally recognized tribes fear that if another tribe is added to the mix, their share of federal money will decrease.

A report by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, looking at a 2009 version of the Lumbee recognition bill, said the tribe would receive $786 million over four years for education, health care and economic development.

Hudson said he plans to introduce legislation similar to McIntyre’s past bills. But he does not give weight to the argument that other tribes will receive less.

Gaming is not included in his version of the bill, Hudson said.

Hudson said he hopes his good standing with key Republican leaders and Democrats in the House will help the legislation pass.

“Ultimately, this is an issue of fairness,” Hudson said. “The Lumbee tribe has been treated different than any other tribe. It’s unprecedented.”

Fayetteville Observer
By Ali Rockett

Chairman Paul Brooks and several Tribal Council members recently met with U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson of Concord, whose 8th Congressional District is home to most of tribe’s 55,000 members.

Hudson, a freshman Republican, has taken the mantle from Democratic Rep. Mike McIntyre, whose 7th District no longer includes parts of Robeson County where the tribe is based.

Since 2003, the Lumbee recognition bill has been the first piece of legislation introduced by McIntyre within days of a new session of Congress opening. While McIntyre has trumpeted his continued support for the bill, he has deferred to Hudson.

“Congressman McIntyre suggested that I take the lead since the Republicans are the majority in the House,” Hudson said. “We are both committed to seeing this through.”

Hudson said that in his recent meeting, tribal leaders proposed some changes that they are working on.

Brooks declined to comment Monday, saying that he wanted to communicate with the rest of the council and its federal recognition committee before making a public statement.

The Lumbees have sought federal recognition since 1888. Congress recognized the tribe in 1956 but denied its members financial benefits afforded to other federally recognized tribes.

In 1989, the Lumbees petitioned the Bureau of Indian Affairs for full federal recognition. But the solicitor general said that because of language in the Lumbee Act of 1956, the tribe could only be recognized through an act of Congress – which hasn’t happened in more than 20 years, according to Arlinda Locklear, a tribal member and lawyer who has spearheaded the tribe’s efforts in Washington for years.

“Right now, the prospects are daunting,” Locklear said. “Congress hasn’t recognized a tribe in over 20 years. And it’s gotten more difficult to pass legislation.”

Locklear no longer represents the Lumbee Tribe in Washington but is working with six or seven other tribes in different stages of the federal recognition process.

Locklear said she thinks it is unlikely that any bill recognizing the Lumbees will pass through the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs or the Natural Resource Committee in the House.

The Senate committee is headed by Democrat Maria Cantwell of Washington, where there are several tribes that oppose federal recognition, Locklear said. And the ranking Republican leader, Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, opposes any recognition bill. Typically, senators defer to their party leaders, Locklear said.

“Indian legislation is particularly difficult because it is not deemed important enough for discussion on the Senate floor,” Locklear said.

In the House, Locklear said, the committee chairman, Rep. Doc Hastings of Washington, has “vigorously opposed these bills, including the Lumbee recognition bill.”

Hudson, who was elected to his first term last fall, said he hopes to introduce a bill in the House in April – three months after the new session of Congress opened – with a companion Senate bill to follow, sponsored by North Carolina Sens. Richard Burr and Kay Hagan.

“I plan to introduce legislation with Sen. Burr this Congress to bring full recognition to the Lumbee Tribe, which is the only federally recognized tribe in the country forbidden from accessing key federal programs that would improve their quality of life and create jobs in the Lumbee community,” Hagan said in a statement. “I will continue working with members of North Carolina’s congressional delegation to advance this legislation.”

Locklear said the delay “is obviously an indication of change in politics.”

But she said it’s not necessarily a bad thing; other tribes are waiting, too, she said.

Hudson said he “wants to introduce the legislation when it has the best chance for success, which includes garnering support from the entire North Carolina delegation.”

That is another sticking point in the Lumbees’ quest, Locklear said – division within the delegation. Representatives from western North Carolina, where the Eastern Band of the Cherokee is based, have opposed Lumbee recognition.

Federally recognized tribes fear that if another tribe is added to the mix, their share of federal money will decrease.

A report by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, looking at a 2009 version of the Lumbee recognition bill, said the tribe would receive $786 million over four years for education, health care and economic development.

Hudson said he plans to introduce legislation similar to McIntyre’s past bills. But he does not give weight to the argument that other tribes will receive less.

Gaming is not included in his version of the bill, Hudson said.

Hudson said he hopes his good standing with key Republican leaders and Democrats in the House will help the legislation pass.

“Ultimately, this is an issue of fairness,” Hudson said. “The Lumbee tribe has been treated different than any other tribe. It’s unprecedented.”

Fayetteville Observer
By Ali Rockett

The freshman Republican congressman from Concord, who was recently appointed to the House Committee on Agriculture, made nine stops in the district from Monday through Wednesday. At each stop, his staff collected contact information from the farmers, who he said will serve as his informal agriculture advisory board.

“I want to be able to call on you and I want you to be able to call on me, too,” Hudson said, noting he promised during his campaign to be more visible in the district and get appointed to the House Agriculture Committee. He serves on the subcommittees for general farm commodities and risk management, including oversight of crop insurance, as well as livestock, rural development and credit.

The grandson of a tobacco farmer, Hudson said an important part of the Farm Bill concerns crop insurance. “We want to make sure we keep that safety net,” he told the approximately 30 farmers gathered at the Linwood Fire Department.

Hudson said he is also concerned about keeping young people in agriculture and helping preserve a way of life in rural America. One farmer at the meeting said estate taxes are forcing more families to get out of farming because those who inherit the property are increasingly forced to sell the land to pay taxes. George Smith, president of the Davidson County Farm Bureau, noted that the average age of the American farmer is 57 and very few people under 40 remain in the business.

“This issue has come up at every meeting on this tour,” Hudson said of estate taxes. “The death tax or inheritance tax is the most immoral tax there is. I’m going to do everything I can to eliminate it completely.”

Immigration reform was also the subject of several farmers’ questions to the congressman with many noting that immigrants are a crucial part of their workforce. One farmer said Hispanic workers are willing to work hard and do jobs he couldn’t find others to do so he wants them to be able to find a path to citizenship. “There are some great people who live in the shadows,” he noted.

“I’m really encouraged by the bipartisan support for immigration reform — I feel like there’s a lot of momentum on that,” Hudson said, noting there will likely be a separate program addressing farm workers. He said the reform under discussion is still evolving but he wants to make sure it includes infrastructure to track people in the immigration system and also secure U.S. borders. He also said visas should not be based on a lottery but on need, such as whether farm workers or doctors are needed in the U.S. economy.

In response to other questions about stricter gun control laws in light of several mass shootings, most recently the school shooting in Newtown, Conn., Hudson, a National Rifle Association member, said he doesn’t favor new gun laws. He said gun violence has actually gone down since a national ban on assault weapons expired in 2004.

But before any other issues can be addressed, Congress has to deal with the national debt problem, Hudson said. Not only is the debt a national security problem, he said, but “we are literally mortgaging the lives of future generations.” He said spending cuts are going to have to be made and programs such as Social Security and Medicare need to be reformed. As a freshman, Hudson said he has made a concerted effort to meet with Democrats as well as Republicans to talk about ways to make spending cuts and balance the budget because it will take a bipartisan effort to move beyond gridlock.

Hudson also said he would follow through on a campaign promise to introduce a sunset law that would put an expiration date on all federal programs that are found not to be working or duplicating other programs in order to cut waste.

“It would force Congress to do some oversight,” he said. “As Ronald Reagan once said, ‘There’s nothing more permanent than a temporary government program.’ The Washington bureaucracy is so big it’s like trying to turn an aircraft carrier with a canoe paddle.”

Lexington Dispatch
Reporter: Vikki Broughton Hodges

The freshman Republican congressman from Concord, who was recently appointed to the House Committee on Agriculture, made nine stops in the district from Monday through Wednesday. At each stop, his staff collected contact information from the farmers, who he said will serve as his informal agriculture advisory board.

“I want to be able to call on you and I want you to be able to call on me, too,” Hudson said, noting he promised during his campaign to be more visible in the district and get appointed to the House Agriculture Committee. He serves on the subcommittees for general farm commodities and risk management, including oversight of crop insurance, as well as livestock, rural development and credit.

The grandson of a tobacco farmer, Hudson said an important part of the Farm Bill concerns crop insurance. “We want to make sure we keep that safety net,” he told the approximately 30 farmers gathered at the Linwood Fire Department.

Hudson said he is also concerned about keeping young people in agriculture and helping preserve a way of life in rural America. One farmer at the meeting said estate taxes are forcing more families to get out of farming because those who inherit the property are increasingly forced to sell the land to pay taxes. George Smith, president of the Davidson County Farm Bureau, noted that the average age of the American farmer is 57 and very few people under 40 remain in the business.

“This issue has come up at every meeting on this tour,” Hudson said of estate taxes. “The death tax or inheritance tax is the most immoral tax there is. I’m going to do everything I can to eliminate it completely.”

Immigration reform was also the subject of several farmers’ questions to the congressman with many noting that immigrants are a crucial part of their workforce. One farmer said Hispanic workers are willing to work hard and do jobs he couldn’t find others to do so he wants them to be able to find a path to citizenship. “There are some great people who live in the shadows,” he noted.

“I’m really encouraged by the bipartisan support for immigration reform — I feel like there’s a lot of momentum on that,” Hudson said, noting there will likely be a separate program addressing farm workers. He said the reform under discussion is still evolving but he wants to make sure it includes infrastructure to track people in the immigration system and also secure U.S. borders. He also said visas should not be based on a lottery but on need, such as whether farm workers or doctors are needed in the U.S. economy.

In response to other questions about stricter gun control laws in light of several mass shootings, most recently the school shooting in Newtown, Conn., Hudson, a National Rifle Association member, said he doesn’t favor new gun laws. He said gun violence has actually gone down since a national ban on assault weapons expired in 2004.

But before any other issues can be addressed, Congress has to deal with the national debt problem, Hudson said. Not only is the debt a national security problem, he said, but “we are literally mortgaging the lives of future generations.” He said spending cuts are going to have to be made and programs such as Social Security and Medicare need to be reformed. As a freshman, Hudson said he has made a concerted effort to meet with Democrats as well as Republicans to talk about ways to make spending cuts and balance the budget because it will take a bipartisan effort to move beyond gridlock.

Hudson also said he would follow through on a campaign promise to introduce a sunset law that would put an expiration date on all federal programs that are found not to be working or duplicating other programs in order to cut waste.

“It would force Congress to do some oversight,” he said. “As Ronald Reagan once said, ‘There’s nothing more permanent than a temporary government program.’ The Washington bureaucracy is so big it’s like trying to turn an aircraft carrier with a canoe paddle.”

Lexington Dispatch
Reporter: Vikki Broughton Hodges

As part of a three-day farm tour, Hudson took questions from Scotland County farmers on a range of issues Tuesday morning at Laurinburg’s Hagler Farms. Discussion centered around the upcoming farm bill and federal spending.

Recently appointed to the House Committee on Agriculture, Hudson’s stop at Hagler Farms also saw him offer a legislative update to local farmers.

“Agriculture is our most important industry here in Scotland County and North Carolina … and I am out here meeting with farmers because I want to hear from them,” said the former congressional staffer. The congressman said that he anticipates a new Farm Bill being passed before the current one expires eight months from now.

Kicked off on Monday, the tour of district farms featured nearly a dozen stops. The congressman said that he is using the road trip as an opportunity to learn the concerns of area farmers.

“I much more enjoy my time at home here in the district than I do my time in Washington to vote,” said Hudson, who has family ties to Scotland County.

During his hour-long stop, Hudson met with local Farm Bureau members and officers and fielded questions about the farm bill, the debt ceiling and foreign aid.

“It’s too early to tell (exactly what form the new bill will take), but we will probably start from that framework,” said Hudson, referencing the farm bill that was approved by the House Agriculture Committee last year. The committee’s bill was never brought to the floor for a vote.

Speaker of the House John Boehner said that he did not believe there was enough support in the House to make a debate of the bill worthwhile in 2012. There was disagreement with that assessment among agriculture committee members.

“The Speaker has made a commitment to (House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Frank D. Lucas) to make a five-year farm bill this year, we just have to get through all of the spending fights,” Hudson said.

Critics of the farm bill proposed last year have targeted farming subsidies as well as proposed dairy market control measures.

Hudson pointed out to the farmers gathered at Hagler Farms that about 80 percent of the farm bill proposed last year was related to nutrition and food stamp programs.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, said that the farm bill would be a legislative priority for the senate this year. The senate passed a farm bill in June of 2012 before discussion stalled out in the House.

Linda Andrews, Federal Affairs Director for North Carolina Farm Bureau, shared words of praise for Hudson at the gathering.

“I’ve been in this role over two years, this is the second Congress I’ve been actively engaged in and I want you to know how lucky you are to have someone representing you such as Congressman Hudson,” Andrews said.

An advocacy organization for farmers, the North Carolina Farm Bureau is the state’s largest general farm organization.

Andrews continued her expression of approval by saying that the changeover from U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell’s office to Hudson’s has gone well.

“It’s been a wonderful transition into working with (Hudson’s) office, his staff has been great and know that he truly understands how important your industry is.”

Hudson returned the compliment by saying that “Farm Bureau does such a great job advocating for our industry and helping get you information.”

Asked by one attendee about the United States’ continued support of Egypt, including an upcoming shipment of military supplies to the nation which has been at times seen as anti-American, Hudson described the matter of foreign aid as “complicated.”

“We need Egypt to help us with Hezbollah and the Palestinian issue. And that’s the case in a lot of places, like Pakistan. If that government gets toppled or isn’t cooperative, we have a much bigger problem.

“It’s a tough call and I don’t have all the answers,” Hudson said.

At the conclusion of the visit, Hudson was invited to dine on oatmeal cakes and was presented a Farm Bureau hat by Scotland County Farm Bureau Insurance Agency Manager Ken Lewis.

Having also visited Richmond and Robeson counties on Tuesday, Hudson’s farm tour will conclude today with stops in Rowan, Davidson and Randolph counties.

Laurinburg Exchange
by Johnny Woodard

As part of a three-day farm tour, Hudson took questions from Scotland County farmers on a range of issues Tuesday morning at Laurinburg’s Hagler Farms. Discussion centered around the upcoming farm bill and federal spending.

Recently appointed to the House Committee on Agriculture, Hudson’s stop at Hagler Farms also saw him offer a legislative update to local farmers.

“Agriculture is our most important industry here in Scotland County and North Carolina … and I am out here meeting with farmers because I want to hear from them,” said the former congressional staffer. The congressman said that he anticipates a new Farm Bill being passed before the current one expires eight months from now.

Kicked off on Monday, the tour of district farms featured nearly a dozen stops. The congressman said that he is using the road trip as an opportunity to learn the concerns of area farmers.

“I much more enjoy my time at home here in the district than I do my time in Washington to vote,” said Hudson, who has family ties to Scotland County.

During his hour-long stop, Hudson met with local Farm Bureau members and officers and fielded questions about the farm bill, the debt ceiling and foreign aid.

“It’s too early to tell (exactly what form the new bill will take), but we will probably start from that framework,” said Hudson, referencing the farm bill that was approved by the House Agriculture Committee last year. The committee’s bill was never brought to the floor for a vote.

Speaker of the House John Boehner said that he did not believe there was enough support in the House to make a debate of the bill worthwhile in 2012. There was disagreement with that assessment among agriculture committee members.

“The Speaker has made a commitment to (House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Frank D. Lucas) to make a five-year farm bill this year, we just have to get through all of the spending fights,” Hudson said.

Critics of the farm bill proposed last year have targeted farming subsidies as well as proposed dairy market control measures.

Hudson pointed out to the farmers gathered at Hagler Farms that about 80 percent of the farm bill proposed last year was related to nutrition and food stamp programs.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, said that the farm bill would be a legislative priority for the senate this year. The senate passed a farm bill in June of 2012 before discussion stalled out in the House.

Linda Andrews, Federal Affairs Director for North Carolina Farm Bureau, shared words of praise for Hudson at the gathering.

“I’ve been in this role over two years, this is the second Congress I’ve been actively engaged in and I want you to know how lucky you are to have someone representing you such as Congressman Hudson,” Andrews said.

An advocacy organization for farmers, the North Carolina Farm Bureau is the state’s largest general farm organization.

Andrews continued her expression of approval by saying that the changeover from U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell’s office to Hudson’s has gone well.

“It’s been a wonderful transition into working with (Hudson’s) office, his staff has been great and know that he truly understands how important your industry is.”

Hudson returned the compliment by saying that “Farm Bureau does such a great job advocating for our industry and helping get you information.”

Asked by one attendee about the United States’ continued support of Egypt, including an upcoming shipment of military supplies to the nation which has been at times seen as anti-American, Hudson described the matter of foreign aid as “complicated.”

“We need Egypt to help us with Hezbollah and the Palestinian issue. And that’s the case in a lot of places, like Pakistan. If that government gets toppled or isn’t cooperative, we have a much bigger problem.

“It’s a tough call and I don’t have all the answers,” Hudson said.

At the conclusion of the visit, Hudson was invited to dine on oatmeal cakes and was presented a Farm Bureau hat by Scotland County Farm Bureau Insurance Agency Manager Ken Lewis.

Having also visited Richmond and Robeson counties on Tuesday, Hudson’s farm tour will conclude today with stops in Rowan, Davidson and Randolph counties.

Laurinburg Exchange
by Johnny Woodard

Hudson introduced H.R. 483, the Farmers Against Crippling Taxes (FACT) Act, to the Congressional Committee on Feb. 4 after he spent three days talking with farmers and hearing their concerns about policies that hinder them.

On the stop in Rockingham, Hudson called the death tax “the most immoral tax we have.”

“In a struggling economy such as ours, we should be finding ways to let people keep more of their hard-earned money. The American people work hard, save, invest, and want to leave future generations with more opportunities and a better life. Unfortunately, the death tax discourages all those traditional American values,” Hudson said.

“They need to eliminate it,” said Danny Bynum, owner of Bynum Peach Farm in Windblow.

According to the group United for a Fair Economy, in 2012 the tax-exempt amount was $5 million. If the total value of the estate is larger than the tax-exempt amount, an estate tax is imposed on the portion above the exemption before the remaining assets are distributed.

The taxes paid on the amount has fluctuated from 55 percent to 35 percent and exemption rates have fluctuated from $1 million to $5 million since 2001.

The tax-exempt amount was made permanent during the fiscal cliff compromise and is now $5 million for an individual and $10 million for a couple.

Hudson said that it makes no sense for the federal government to punish farmers and small business owners.

“Their success does not belong to the federal government, and the benefits of their labor shouldn’t be confiscated from their children and grandchildren when they die,” Hudson said.

The bill will have to be passed by both the House and the Senate after it is considered by the Congressional Committee. According to GovTrack, the bill has 45 cosponsors, all of them are Republican.

Lee Berry, owner of The Berry Patch in Rockingham, also thinks the tax needs to eliminated. He said he hates to think that he is going to leave his children a property that he has paid taxes on and they will have to also pay a tax on it as well.

Hillsborough attorney Andrew Branan, who specializes in estate planning and administration and farm law, said that although his clients are concerned about the estate tax, now that the federal government has set the amount to “$5 million, it affects only a small amount of farmers.”

Branan said that he thinks eliminating the estate tax is good, but, as a lawyer there are numerous ways to minimize exposure to the estate tax.

Hudson said, “It is time we recognize the facts of this heinous tax and repeal it once and for all.”

Richmond County Daily Journal
by Laura Edington