{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://meadows.house.gov/media-center/enewsletters/marks-weekly-update-12-18-17", "Mark's Weekly Update - 12-18-17", "2017-12-18", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NC", "Mark Meadows", "M001187", "meadows.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Supporting Israel\n\t\t\t\tAs you may have read by now, PresidentDonald Trumprecently announced that the United States recognizesJerusalemas the true, undivided Capital ofIsrael. The United States will also be relocating the USembassy to Jerusalem.\n\t\t\t\tThere are times throughout the United States' history when our Presidents have sent the rest of the world a clear, powerful message of leadership and conviction. I believe this historic moment will be remembered as one of those times.\n\t\t\t\tAfter 8 years of damage, constant undermining, and broken promises, the world will once again know that the United States stands, unwaveringly, alongside our ally Israel.\n\t\t\t\tThe photo below from AP really says it all.\n\t\t\t\tThe Israeli flag alongside the U.S. flag in Jerusalem (from AP)\n\t\t\t\tInvestigate the Investigators?\n\t\t\t\tThere is a growing body of questions surrounding the FBI that several House Freedom Caucus members are demanding answers on. Lets outline a couple of them:\n\t\t\t\tFirst, you may remember my op-ed from November in which I asked a simple question: why was President Obamas FBI involved in the creation of and payments for the infamous fake Russian dossier, started by the DNC and Clinton campaign? Did the FBI dress up the Russian dossier as intelligence and use it to get a warrant for spying on political opponents in the Trump campaign? I encourage you to watch this video here where Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) questions FBI Director Chris Wray and outlines why it looks like thats exactly what happened.\n\t\t\t\tSecond, there is an increasing amount of evidence that the FBI treated the Hillary Clinton investigation as a special case, and effectively gave her a pass. If that happened, it would be as wrong as it gets. Lady Justice wears a blindfold--and no American, regardless of wealth or political status, should be given a free pass under the law.\n\t\t\t\tThe notion that the FBI may be biased, that they potentially gave a prominent political figure a pass, or that they may have been involved in a political project at all, is concerning enough. But its even more concerning that theyre refusing transparency on these issues. These questions, among others, deserve and demand answers.\n\t\t\t\tIts time to investigate the investigators. Federal law enforcement officials deserve to be respected, but they are not above transparency and accountability when questions arise. Its time for Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the Justice Department to appoint a second special counsel to investigate.\n\t\t\t\tI joined several fellow conservative members, including Jim Jordan (R-OH), Scott Perry (R-PA), Jody Hice (R-GA), and Andy Biggs (R-AZ) in a press conference on this issueyou can watch the full video here. I also appeared with Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) on Hannity to discuss the issue, which you can see here.\n\t\t\t\tJim Jordan (R-OH) questions FBI director Wray in the Judiciary Committee\n\t\t\t\t  Speaking at a press conference on investigating the investigators\n\t\t\t\t  With Rep. Matt Gaetz on Hannity\n\t\t\t\tObamacare Bill with Senator Ron Johnson\n\t\t\t\tI introduced a bill with Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) to abolish theObamacareMulti-State Plan program--a program that wastes over $10 million a year, crowds out competition in the healthcare market, drives up premiums, and creates a path toward a single payer system.\n\t\t\t\tSection 1334 of the Affordable Care Act requires the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to contract with at least two national health plans, one of which must be a non-profit plan, to compete directly with private plans in every state. These plans are called Multi-State Plans, or MSPs  and under current law, they are required to be available in all 50 states, as of 2017.\n\t\t\t\tHowever, the program has failed to meet the Obama administrations 750,000 enrollment projection or the 50-state statutory requirement. Only one state, Arkansas, has agreed to offer a MSP option in 2018, and it is likely that fewer than 2,000 Arkansans will participate. But the federal government is still funding the program at $10 million per year.\n\t\t\t\tOur bill abolishes these plans, which were a poorly conceived portion of a poorly conceived bill. Its the very definition of government waste. You can read more here.\n\t\t\t\tSpeech  Conservative Womens Network\n\t\t\t\tThis week I had the honor of speaking at the Heritage Foundations Conservative Womens Network. It was a pleasure to interact with themyou can watch the full speech here.\n\t\t\t\tIf I had to highlight one principle of the speech, it would be this: Members of Congress need to hold their jobs in Washington, D.C. loosely, because the minute you start holding onto your title, job, or position too tightly as a politician, you don't make decisions in the best interests of your constituents.\n\t\t\t\tCongress is not a career. It's a calling. If we all looked at it that way, wed be a whole lot better off in the end.\n\t\t\t\tSpeaking to the Conservative Womens Network\n\t\t\t\tNC-11 Christmas Tree at the USDA\n\t\t\t\tWhat an exciting moment for Western NC: theU.S. Department of Agriculture, led by USDA SecretarySonny Perdue, is using a North CarolinaChristmastree this year--grown right in our district! The tree was delivered this morning from Bucks Tree Farm in Mitchell County, owned by our very own Rodney Buchanan.\n\t\t\t\tThanks to Secretary Perdue for hosting us at the delivery!\n\t\t\t\tWith Secretary Sonny Perdue, delivering the Christmas tree from Rodney Buchanan\n\t\t\t\tTeam Meadows  Operation Christmas Child\n\t\t\t\tSeveral members of Team Meadows were honored to serve withSamaritan's Pursethis week, packing shoe-boxes forOperation Christmas Child! Thankful for the great work of my staff in our community.\n\t\t\t\tTeam Meadows working with Samaritans Purse\n\t\t\t\tTeam Meadows working with Samaritans Purse\n\t\t\t\t  Team Meadows working with Samaritans Purse\n\t\t\t\tCongratulations, Cherokee and Hibriten High Schools\n\t\t\t\tWhat a championship weekend it was for NC-11 football! Congratulations to the men of Cherokee High School and Hibriten High School on winning their State title games! What a run--we are all so proud of your hard work and outstanding performance this season. Well done!\n\t\t\t\tRead about Cherokee HSs win here and Hibriten HSs win here.\n\t\t\t\tCherokee High School\n\t\t\t\tHibriten High School\n\t\t\t\tFighting the Opioid Epidemic\n\t\t\t\tIf you missed it, this article in theSmoky Mountain Newsdiscusses my new bill withCongressman Jim Renacci (R-OH)to combat theOpioid Crisis.\n\t\t\t\tFar too many families and communities have been devastated by this terrible epidemic--it's one of the main things brought up to me when I visit our great law enforcement teams back home. This bill doesn't contain all the solutions, but it's a start--and a direct result of constituents' input.\n\t\t\t\tWe can do better. We have to.\n\t\t\t\tCongratulations to Lt. Daryl Cornett\n\t\t\t\tTeam Meadows was honored to present Lt. Daryl Cornett, of the Lenoir Police Department, with a Congressional Record honoring his service and congratulating him on his retirement from the force.\n\t\t\t\tThank you, Lt. Cornett, for all that youve done for our community!\n\t\t\t\tHonoring Lt. Daryl Cornett\n\t\t\t\tHappy Hanukkah from Team Meadows\n\t\t\t\tDebbie and I would like to wish a healthy andhappy Hanukkahto all those who began celebrating this week. May you and your family be blessed in the days and weeks to come.\n\t\t\t\tHappy Hanukkah from Team Meadows", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://meadows.house.gov/media-center/enewsletters/marks-weekly-update-12-18-17"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7325347978621721, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}