First off, I want to wish you and your loved ones a very Happy New Year! I always look forward with optimism to the possibilities and opportunities a new year brings.
The new year is like a blank canvas – a fresh start and a chance to plan resolutions, set goals and make changes. There is no doubt that 2015 has brought big change to Washington. In November, you demanded change in the way our government operates and voted for new leadership and a Republican majority in both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. I am humbled you have given my colleagues and me the opportunity to govern – and I vow that we will step up to the plate and lead responsibly, making your priorities our priorities.
U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson
This Week in Washington
I will return to Washington and officially be sworn in as your representative for the 114th Congress on Jan. 6. While this is my second term serving our community, I am even more eager to begin this journey. I’m excited for the tremendous opportunity ahead of us – an opportunity to pursue a conservative agenda that will promote job creation and truly change the direction of our country.
In a matter of days, the Republican-controlled Congress will begin taking action to stop the president’s illegal executive amnesty and pursue policies that get our country on a stronger fiscal footing and restore the American dream. We will pass legislation to defend the 40-hour work week, approve construction of the Keystone XL pipeline and prevent Obamacare’s employer mandate from threatening veterans’ jobs. This critical, pro-jobs legislation sat stuck in the Senate for the last two years, but now we will put it on President Obama’s desk and force him to choose between two different paths. I can only hope that he will begin this new year on the right foot and work with Congress – within the framework of the Constitution – and not continue to try to go it alone.
In addition to these goals, I remain committed to my broader ambition to fundamentally change how our federal government spends our tax dollars. My plan, the Federal Sunset Act, gets rid of unnecessary and duplicative programs by setting an expiration date for each federal agency. This plan would force Congress to do its Constitutionally-mandated oversight of federal agencies. It would also change the entire inertia of Washington: instead of every government program continuing into perpetuity unless Congress specifically cuts it, every government program would now end at some point unless Congress specifically saves it. With a federal government that now spends more than $3.5 trillion of our money every year, we have to think of new ways to get rid of the waste, fraud and abuse found in our bloated federal bureaucracy.
While the economy and jobs are at the forefront of our agenda, we also recognize the need to halt the harmful effects of Obamacare. On top of creating a part-time economy by eliminating the 40 hour work week, Obamacare is forcing hard-working Americans to deal with rising health care costs, restricted access and cancelled insurance plans. We can do better, and this year I will continue to fight to replace Obamacare with reforms that return freedom, choice and control back to you and your family.
As we begin the new year and the 114th Congress, it’s important that I continue to hear directly from our community. Bureaucrats in Washington don’t care about the same things you and I do, but you can trust me to fight for our shared priorities and the principles we hold dear. I deeply value your input and feedback, and I will continue to listen to your concerns and work as hard as I can to represent our like-minded values. Please continue to call, write letters and email me at Hudson.house.gov.
Richard Hudson, a Republican, represents the 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. The district includes a small part of Mecklenburg County and takes in all or parts of the counties of Cabarrus, Union, Randolph, Rowan, Davidson, Stanly, Anson, Montgomery, Richmond, Scotland and Robeson.
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