[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E243-E244]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

NEWSLETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN CHUCK EDWARDS

______

HON. CHUCK EDWARDS

of north carolina

in the house of representatives

Monday, March 24, 2025

Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following
newsletter to give an update to my constituents on keeping our
government funded, a grant for the Town of Canton, and hurricane
recovery efforts.

Dear Friend, Being accessible, listening, and answering
questions for the people of WNC are among my favorite
activities, even if we might not always agree.
That is why in my first term as a congressman, I held eight
in-person town halls, and recently I was eager to host my
ninth one in Asheville.
It's always valuable to engage in discussions with the
folks in our mountains about concerns or questions you have.
If you were unable to attend my town hall, stay tuned for
my upcoming tele-town hall by following me on social media
and subscribing to my newsletter.

Keeping our government open and serving the American people

The U.S. House voted on a clean, long-term continuing
resolution (CR) to keep our government open and providing
critical services to the American people.
A CR is not the preferred method to keep our government
funded. However, with a looming shutdown, the House was able
to collaborate with President Trump on a bill that funds our
federal government and reduces non-defense spending.
It's disappointing that 212 Democrat House Members chose a
government shutdown instead when just in December, not one
voted ``no'' on the CR.
This CR funds core government services; protects Social
Security, Medicare, and Medicaid recipients from payment
disruptions, and strengthens veteran health care and housing
programs as well as our defense. The long-term CR will also
enable the House to keep our momentum to continue delivering
an America First agenda and go after the waste, fraud, and
abuse of your hard-earned tax dollars.
I will continue to fight for lower costs, safer
communities, and common-sense legislation that will ensure a
better future for folks in our mountains.

Town of Canton to receive over $40 million dollar grant

Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers and I announced that the Town of
Canton will be receiving a $40,780,000 grant as a result of
the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 and the American
Relief Act.
This grant will revolutionize the town's water and
wastewater systems by funding the design and construction of
stormwater improvements, water tank and waterlines, and a new
wastewater treatment facility to serve the residents of
Canton for decades to come.

WNC makes strides in recovery after Helene

Western North Carolina has a long way to recovery, but
we've certainly made great strides.
As we're nearing the six-month mark since Helene hit our
mountains, I wanted to share some of the milestones we've
achieved.
FEMA has approved applications for more than 157,000
households in WNC and more than $400 million has been awarded
for disaster-caused needs. Additionally, more than 6,000
families have received nearly $19 million for repair or
replacement of private-access roads and bridges.
One of our greatest challenges has been debris removal,
especially from waterways, but as of this week, nearly 5
million cubic yards of debris have been cleared from public
right of ways and another 600,000 cubic yards of debris were
removed from waterways.
While there's more work to be done, we've achieved more
than most communities in this period of time. Our mountain
folk have shown resilience throughout the response and
recovery process, and I'm proud of the way everyone continues
to show up for one another during these difficult times. I'm
optimistic that together, we will rebuild our

[[Page E244]]

communities even stronger and better than before.

Bringing the federal government to folks across WNC

In keeping with my office's motto of being ``First in
Constituent Services'' and helping folks post-Hurricane
Helene, my office has brought the Carolina Cruiser all across
our mountains for mobile office hours.
In February alone, the Carolina Cruiser made 15 stops where
members of my team heard about the issues that matter to WNC
communities, answered questions about disaster recovery, and
assisted with federal agencies. During these office hours, my
team heard from nearly 400 individuals.
It is my goal as your congressman to remain accessible to
you. In addition to mobile office hours, I hold Chat With
Chuck meetings to hear from constituents one-on-one. Most
recently, I was glad to discuss with 10 constituents their
concerns and answer their questions individually. If you're
interested in scheduling a meeting with me, please fill out
the form on my website at edwards.house.gov/chatwithchuck.
If you want to stop by mobile office hours for assistance
navigating a federal agency or to just provide feedback, stay
updated on the office hours schedule by following the
Carolina Cruiser on X and Facebook, and visiting my website
at edwards.house.gov/carolinacruiser.

SBA extends deadline for physical damage loans

If your business suffered damage from Hurricane Helene, the
Small Business Administration has extended the physical
damage loan application deadline to April 27, 2025.
For the application and additional information, visit the
SBA website linked here.
With my warmest regards,
Chuck Edwards,
Member of Congress.

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