Friends,
A few months ago, I hosted a blood and plasma drive in the Grand Strand. It was a great success, and it is such a need right now that I will be hosting another in the Pee Dee. I hope to see you there!

Blood and Plasma Drive

On Tuesday, September 1st I am hosting a drive to collect blood, plasma, and antibodies. I encourage you to participate.

I would also love to have all elected officials, who tested COVID positive, to join me in donating antibodies.

The blood drive will take place at my Pee Dee Regional Office parking lot from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM on September 1. Also, anyone who donates blood will receive a free antibody test.

To make an appointment to donate blood, click here.

Have you fully recovered from Covid-19? If so, the plasma in your blood may contain COVID-19 antibodies that can attack the virus. Plasma is being evaluated as a possible treatment for currently ill COVID-19 patients, so your donation could help save the lives of patients fighting this disease! 

One plasma donation could help three coronavirus patients.

To make an appointment to donate plasma, call 864-751-1168, or text the word PLASMA to 70547 to make an appointment.

ICYMI: I-73

I-73 will create over 10,000 jobs in our district. It will grow tourism. It will provide a long-overdue evacuation route. It will ease congestion on Highway 501 and Highway 9. It will provide an easy, direct connection to Charlotte, the largest metropolitan area in the Carolinas. It will allow us, at long last, to diversify our industrial base which will provide stable high paying jobs for our citizens.

The federal government will contribute to the cost of construction, but significant federal investment will not happen without equally significant state and local contributions. The promise of substantial local funding from Horry County had positioned this project for success. Unfortunately, the lawsuit between the cities and the county has set the project back. Funds and commitments from the state have also been jeopardized by the Coastal Conservation League’s lawsuit.

There is absolutely no question that this project will do more to give our district opportunity and raise their quality of life than anything else we could do. I am confident that once we move beyond fighting each other and fight together we will get this road built. I will continue to do my part at the federal level to ensure that I-73 becomes a reality.

To read the full story, click here.

Top 4 Misconceptions of the USPS

1. President Trump Appointed Postmaster De Joy (“the PMG”).
Reality: The PMG is appointed by the Postal Service Board of Governors

2. President Trump Controls the USPS. 
Reality: The USPS is an independent agency, NOT controlled by the President

3. The USPS will be bankrupt before the election. 
Reality: The USPS is projected to be solvent until at least August 2021 even without borrowing the $10B from Treasury as contemplated in the CARES Act. 

4. The USPS cannot handle the volume of election-related mail without more money from Congress. 
Reality: In 2019, USPS handled an average of 471 million pieces of mail each day. Assuming all 158 million registered American voters decided to vote by mail, the total possible volume of requested and mailed in ballots (316 million) would not exceed a typical day of total USPS mail volume. USPS was recently tested. They seamlessly delivered stimulus checks and census forms. 

Virtual Office Hours

I want to remind everyone that even if we can’t meet in person, we can meet online!

My office is here to help you break down bureaucratic walls at federal agencies. If you can't get an answer from a federal agency in a timely fashion, or if you feel you have been treated unfairly, my office may be able to help resolve a problem or get you the information you need. While we cannot guarantee you a favorable outcome, we get to "yes" more than our fair share and will do our best to help you receive a fair and timely response to your problem. Navigating the federal bureaucracy is tough, but my district staff is ready to help you!

To contact the Pee Dee regional Office, call: (843) 679-9781

To contact the Grand Strand Regional office, call: (843) 445-6459

To request a Zoom virtual appointment, click here.