| Welcome back to my Week in Review newsletter. In addition to these weekly updates, you can sign up to receive other issue-specific newsletters here. Also, please remember to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube for regular updates on how I am serving the people of South Carolina!
Championing HBCUs
Historically Black Colleges and Universities open doors to opportunity for hundreds of thousands of students each year, 60 percent of whom are low income or first-generation students. HBCUs educate and produce top-notch graduates in every field, and I was proud to work with fellow Republicans in 2019 to allocate permanent funding for HBCUs for the first time ever.
To build on that investment in HBCUs, last week I introduced the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act. The bill, co-sponsored by my fellow HBCU Caucus co-chairs, will provide the support that these schools so badly need. Our bill would invest in infrastructure at HBCUs—from libraries and dormitories to technology and high-speed broadband—allowing them to maintain and expand their transformational work. You can read more about it in the op-ed I penned with Representative Alma Adams (D-N.C.) in The Hill.
Kicking Off Opportunity Internships
Growing up as a poor kid who nearly flunked out of high school, I never thought I would become a business owner, much less a U.S. Senator. But mentorship and opportunity changed my life, and I am convinced they have the power to do the same for young people everywhere.
That’s why I partnered with South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, South Carolina United Way, and great companies in our state to create Opportunity Internships. This first-of-its-kind initiative connects employers offering paid internships with students from Title I high schools across South Carolina. Last Wednesday, I participated in the first Opportunity Internship Fair in Charleston, where job creators like Bank of America and Boeing, among numerous others, met with some of our state’s future leaders. Click here to read more and watch highlights from the event.
Revitalizing S.C.
I also had the privilege of stopping in Hartsville last week to talk about how Opportunity Zones are revitalizing Darlington County and beyond. While Democrats attempt to take from some and give to others, Republicans are focused on expanding opportunity for all. If we do that—through policies like Opportunity Zones and more—I am confident the best is yet to come. Read more about my stop in Hartsville here.
Sincerely,
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