| Dear Friend,
Welcome back to my Week in Review newsletter. Please remember to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube for regular updates on how I am serving the people of South Carolina! Funding the Police After years of Democrats pushing unpopular “defund the police” policies, President Biden suddenly voiced support for funding the police at his State of the Union address this week. But I want more than words. I want action. This is an issue I have been working on for years, but the Democrats keep walking away from the negotiating table. As our nation deals with an unprecedented crime wave, it’s never been more important to make sure our officers are trained and given the tools they need to protect the communities they serve. I took to the Senate floor this week to urge President Biden and my Democrat colleagues to re-join my efforts and help fund our nation’s men and women in blue. Click to watch Energy Independence = National Security As Vladimir Putin continues his brutal, unjust war against Ukraine, our nation’s need for energy independence has never been greater. Unfortunately, many of the Biden administration’s energy policies have weakened our national security and emboldened Russia. The U.S. currently imports 600,000 barrels of Russian oil a day, sending millions of dollars to Putin’s tyrannical regime. If we want to protect democracy — and stand up to bullies like Putin and Xi Jinping — we must continue with the Keystone XL pipeline and work to become energy independent. This week, I wrote a Fox News op-ed on President Biden’s failed energy policies, and I also discussed the topic on America Reports. Click to watch my interview on Fox News Getting Back to Responsible Spending During the president’s speech, he announced a request for billions of dollars in additional funding for COVID-19 relief. The fact is: Reckless government spending under this administration has already caused inflation to skyrocket. And questions still remain about how much of that money has been spent and where it has been spent. This week, I joined my Republican colleagues on a letter requesting answers from the Biden administration — questions that must be answered before we can even consider additional spending. Click here to read more about the letter. Combatting Inflation With inflation at its highest level in 40 years, I’ve talked to folks across our state who are being forced to choose between food, heating bills, or car payments. The government must do more to bring prices down, and fast. At this week’s Senate Banking Committee hearing, I questioned Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on the tools and strategies the Fed can use to lower inflation. Click to watch my exchange with Chairman Powell Standing Up For Religious Freedom Our nation was founded on the belief that all people have the right to practice their faith. Yet today, we have increasingly seen religious liberty come under attack. Coach Joe Kennedy, a high school coach in Oklahoma, used to take a knee and pray silently after football games once his players had cleared the field. Because of that private act of faith, his contract was not renewed, resulting in his termination. After the Supreme Court agreed to take his case, I joined an amicus brief urging the Court to support Americans’ religious freedom and right this wrong against Coach Kennedy. Anti-Lynching Legislation As Black History Month came to a close this week, I introduced a bill to make lynching a federal crime — an effort I have been working on for several years. While we cannot erase our nation’s past, we can do our best to create a better future together, and that means taking a firm stance against any hatred and violence against our fellow citizens. Click here to read more about the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act. Sincerely, | 