From Dr. Murphy's Desk
Dear Friend,
Thank you for taking the time to read my most recent updates from Eastern North Carolina and Washington, D.C. As always, it remains a true honor and a privilege to represent you in Congress! If this email was forwarded to you, you can subscribe to my e-newsletter here.
In Washington
I'm proud to represent over 52,000 Marines and their families in Eastern North Carolina. These men and women sacrifice so much in service to our country. It is an utter shame that many of these selfless individuals have been stripped of their livelihoods simply because they made a conscious medical decision. As of December 2022, the U.S. Marine Corps expelled 3,717 Marines because of their desire to not receive the COVID-19 vaccine. As a result, the Marine Corps was forced to change its recruiting goal for FY 2022. Our military cannot function as the strongest force in the world with such baseless and unscientific policies. That’s why I led a letter to the Marine Commandant urging him to restore our service members’ livelihoods and ensure our military’s premier standing. You can read more about the letter here.
There are over 80,000 veterans in Eastern North Carolina. I was delighted to participate in this week's Joint Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing to listen to veterans and VSO’s about their legislative priorities. Specifically, we discussed long wait lists and inadequate treatment. Our veterans do not deserve wait lists, they deserve action. You can watch my remarks at the hearing by clicking here or on the image below.
Everyone is talking about the national debt. This week, the House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing on a solution to the soaring national debt. We’re about to hit the debt ceiling, and our national debt is projected to hit $154 trillion by 2053. We cannot saddle future generations with such a crippling burden, so the time for political blame games is over. If we don't come together to address our national debt, we all lose. That's why we are introducing the Default Prevention Act, which avoids default and protects seniors, service members, and veterans. You can watch my remarks in support of this bill here or on the image below.
My colleagues and I on the Ways and Means Committee have also been hard at work addressing the greatest fraud in American history: COVID unemployment fraud. American taxpayers have lost up to $400 BILLION in stolen COVID-19 benefits. That's why we held a hearing last week to bring long-overdue accountability. You can watch my remarks by clicking here or on the image below.
Financial fraud is not the only malfeasance brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The American people have been lied to with regard to the origins of COVID. While government officials like Dr. Fauci turned a blind eye to COVID’s origins, the American people are hungry for answers. After losing loved ones, education, and jobs, they deserve the truth. That’s why Republicans voted to declassify intelligence on COVID's origins. I spoke on the House floor in support of this bill, which you can watch here or by clicking on the image below.
College campuses used to be a bastion of dialogue and debate. Today, campus free speech is under constant attack. That's why I joined my Republican colleagues from North Carolina in sending a letter to the President of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), regarding premature comments that call into question the support of free speech principles on North Carolina’s campuses. The fact that they would have issues with making sure campuses support Free Speech and the First Amendment is very troubling. You can read more about our letter here.
In the District
While Congress has been busy in session these last two weeks, I always make an effort to find time to work in the district.
It was an honor recognizing this year’s NC-03 U.S. Service Academy nominees yesterday in Beaufort. As a Member of Congress, I have the distinct privilege of nominating up to ten individuals for each vacant academy slot allotted to our district. These 8 young men and women will not only make our Eastern North Carolina community immensely proud, but will be serving our country with excellence!
Our 2023 Congressional Art Competition is open for submissions! All high school students in North Carolina's Third District are encouraged to participate. We look forward to a wonderful show this year; the theme is “JOY”! For more information, click here.
There are so many things to be grateful for when it comes to our Marines at Camp Lejeune. I wanted to highlight just one amazing example. The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit from Camp Lejeune is in Turkey right now providing assistance relief to everyone affected by last month’s tragic earthquake. Please take time today - and everyday - to reflect on the selfless service displayed by our Camp Lejeune Marines at home and abroad. You can read more on this incredible story here.
In other big news around Eastern North Carolina, the Farmville Central High School men's basketball team won their fourth sate title in five years yesterday. I'd like to congratulate these young men on their incredible 30-1 season and their big championship win over Reidsville. You have all made us so proud! You can read more about the Jaguars' amazing win here.
In the News
I joined Mornings with Maria last week to discuss Democrat opposition to investigating COVID-19 origins, COVID benefits fraud, and Biden vetoing a bill that blocks ESG rule. You can watch the full interview by clicking here or on the image above.
I joined National Report last week to discuss the origins of COVID and our work in Congress to shine light on the truth. You can watch the full interview by clicking here or on the image above.
I joined Julie Mason Mornings last week to discuss the devastating fentanyl crisis that is affecting North Carolina and our work to address it. You can listen to the full interview by clicking here or on the image above.
Sincerely,
Greg Murphy
Member of Congress