{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.budd.senate.gov/2026/09/28/senator-budd-wraps-second-official-100-county-tour/", "Senator Budd Wraps Second Official 100 County Tour and is Ready to Get Back on the Road", "2026-09-28", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "Senate", "NC", "Ted Budd", "B001305", "www.budd.senate.gov", "budd", "https://www.budd.senate.gov/category/news/press-releases/page/", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) has completed his second official 100-County Tour during his time serving in the Senate, traveling to all 100 counties across North Carolina. Senator Budd has completed a total of three 100-County Tours, spanning from Murphy to Manteo, the first of which he completed during his 2022 U.S. Senate campaign.\n\nUpon wrapping his second tour of the state, Senator Budd said:\n\n\u201cThroughout my career in public service, I have firmly believed that representing North Carolina cannot be done from behind a desk in Washington. I work for the people of North Carolina, and that means being where they are, listening to their concerns firsthand, and bringing their voices back to Washington to shape the policies that affect their lives. That is what my 100-County Tour is all about.\n\n\u201cNorth Carolina didn\u2019t become the number one state economy by accident. It happened because communities across all 100 counties are building, innovating, and investing in our state\u2019s future. That\u2019s why I have made it a point to travel to every corner of our state to understand what is happening on the ground and ensure Washington is working with North Carolina\u2014not against it.\n\n\u201cIn Western North Carolina, that means keeping up the momentum to rebuild the communities and infrastructure devastated by Hurricane Helene and making them more resilient than before. In the Piedmont Triad and the Northeast, it means strengthening our workforce and supporting the farmers who power North Carolina\u2019s number one industry. In the Triangle, it means driving investment and innovation to keep our state at the forefront of advanced manufacturing and cutting-edge technology. In Central North Carolina, it means fostering a business environment where companies want to invest. And in the Southeast, it means standing with our service members and ensuring they have the resources and support they need to defend our nation and put America first.\n\n\u201cNow that I\u2019ve completed my second tour, my work is far from over. I\u2019m resetting the odometer and ready to get back on the road.\u201d\n\n100-County Tour Highlights\n\nWhile traveling across all 100 counties, Senator Budd visited farms, factories, military installations, schools, healthcare facilities, and businesses shaping North Carolina\u2019s future. The tour stops below showcase the industries driving North Carolina\u2019s growth, creating jobs, and keeping the state at the forefront of American innovation and competitiveness.\n\nBACKING OUR FARMERS\n\nWilson County | Scott Farms \u2014 Senator Budd visited Scott Farms, a sixth-generation family farm in Lucama and one of the largest family-owned and operated farms in the state. During his visit, he held a roundtable to discuss issues that limit farmers from meeting their bottom line, such as operational costs and production capacity. Given these challenges, Senator Budd has introduced the FARM AI Act to invest in agricultural technology to improve workforce development with the goal of educating farmers on the latest AI technologies to advance production and better compete in the global marketplace. At the roundtable, Senator Budd also highlighted wins in the Working Families Tax Cut Act for North Carolina farmers, including over $10 billion in tax cuts for producers and preventing the death tax from harming the future of our nation\u2019s 2 million family-owned farms.\n\nCaswell County | Yarborough Farms \u2014 Senator Budd visited Yarborough Farms in Prospect Hill, one of the state\u2019s top tobacco producers, where he met with local farmers and business leaders to discuss the state of the rural economy, agricultural labor shortages, and trade issues. Senator Budd secured a duty drawback on tobacco in the Working Families Tax Cut Act, and has continued to bring the needs of the flue-cured tobacco industry to President Trump\u2019s attention, especially during trade negotiations with China. After hearing from farmers about the lack of clarity in forecasting labor costs, Senator Budd introduced the FARM Stability Act to give farmers greater certainty and clarity as they plan for future growing seasons.\n\nDEFENDING THE HOMELAND\n\nWayne County | Seymour Johnson Air Force Base \u2014 Senator Budd visited Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and delivered on a long-term defense priority for the state, confirming Seymour Johnson to be the first F-15E base to receive the new, modernized F-15EX aircraft. Senator Budd continues to champion the effort in the Senate in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes provisions from his bipartisanAirpower Acceleration Act granting the U.S. Air Force authority to use multiyear procurement to expand the F-15EX fleet.\n\nPasquotank County | U.S. Coast Guard Base Elizabeth City \u2014 Senator Budd visited the men and women at Coast Guard Base Elizabeth City, home to the Coast Guard\u2019s largest aviation footprint. During his tour of the Air Station, Senator Budd spoke with service members supporting the base\u2019s field support operation at the Aviation Logistics Center, Aviation Technical Training Center, Support Center, and Boat Station. Senator Budd was proud to ensure the U.S. Coast Guard received the largest investment in the branch\u2019s history in the Working Families Tax Cut Act.\n\nHELENE \u2013 THE ROAD TO RECOVERY\n\nSenator Budd kicked off his second official 100-County Tour in Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene. He surveyed damage and relief efforts in Ashe, Watauga, Avery, Mitchell, Yancey, Madison, Buncombe, Henderson, Rutherford, and Polk counties during the first leg of the tour. Read more about those visits HERE.\n\nRutherford County | Surveying WNC Recovery Needs with Secretary Mullin \u2014 Senator Budd hosted U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, in Western North Carolina to survey outstanding recovery needs post Hurricane Helene in Lake Lure. Additionally, Senator Budd and Secretary Mullin held a roundtable discussion in Chimney Rock with local and state leaders and emergency responders to discuss recovery gaps and the Federal Emergency Management Agency\u2019s (FEMA) response to outstanding needs.\n\nHenderson County | USDA Disaster Grant Signing at Mountain State Fair \u2014 Senator Budd joined U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, Stephen Alexander Vaden, and N.C. Agriculture Commissioner, Steve Troxler, at the Mountain State Fair in Asheville, where the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced over $221 million in recovery assistance for North Carolina farmers to recover losses caused by Hurricane Helene. Senator Budd led the charge to release these funds from USDA in a letter he sent with his colleagues.\n\nADVANCING HEALTHCARE & BIOTECHNOLOGY\n\nMecklenburg County | The Pearl \u2014 Senator Budd toured Charlotte\u2019s first four-year medical school, The Pearl. Given the Queen City\u2019s leadership as a hub for advancing healthcare, The Pearl will expand Charlotte\u2019s leadership by creating over 5,500 on-site jobs and over 11,500 jobs regionally over the next 15 years, positioning the city as a global destination for medical advancement.\n\nFranklin County | Novonesis \u2014 Senator Budd toured Novonesis\u2019 North American headquarters in Franklinton, where he met with the company\u2019s leadership to discuss how their manufacturing facility is leveraging microbiology and science to improve a wide range of consumer products. Additionally, Senator Budd discussed how his bipartisan Biomanufacturing Excellence Act, geared toward promoting U.S. leadership in biotechnology, could support Novonesis\u2019 goals in developing the next generation of BioSolutions.\n\nINVESTING IN NORTH CAROLINA\u2019S WORKFORCE & INDUSTRY\n\nCaldwell County | Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute Small Business Center \u2013 The Hub Station \u2014 Senator Budd visited many community colleges and universities on the 100-County Tour, including Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute\u2019s Hub Station, which has seen great success in implementing the workforce training benefits in Senator Budd\u2019s PELL Act. The PELL Act, signed into law as part of the Working Families Tax Cut Act, is now helping low-income students move into family-sustaining careers by accessing in-demand credentials in as little as 8 weeks.\n\nGuliford County | JetZero\u2019s Flagship Airplane Manufacturing Facility \u2014 Senator Budd spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony for JetZero\u2019s first aircraft factory in Greensboro. The $4.7 billion project is projected to create over 14,500 jobs over the next 10 years. JetZero will be developing its Z4 plane at the factory, bringing a next-generation commercial and military aircraft to market. As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, Senator Budd has a vested interest in maintaining America\u2019s global competitiveness in aerospace innovation, and JetZero\u2019s investment in North Carolina is a step in the right direction to further American dominance.\n\nRandolph County | Toyota\u2019s First U.S. Electric Battery Manufacturing Plant \u2014 Senator Budd spoke at the opening ceremony of Toyota\u2019s first electric battery manufacturing plant in North America and toured the Liberty facility with U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy. Toyota\u2019s $13.9 billion investment in North Carolina will create over 5,000 jobs and support working parents at its childcare center, which will care for up to 312 children.\n\nFOSTERING THE FUTURE OF TECHNOLOGY\n\nJohnston County | Vulcan Elements \u2014 Senator Budd joined state and local leaders to highlight Vulcan Elements\u2019 $1 billion investment in Benson to build its Polaris Facility and strengthen America\u2019s rare earth magnet supply chain. Rare earth magnets are critical to many of the technologies shaping the future, and Senator Budd is fighting to ensure America\u2014not China\u2014leads the world in robotics, drones, semiconductors, and other next-generation technologies.\n\nRichmond County | Amazon Data Center \u2014 Senator Budd toured the new Amazon Data Center construction site in Hamlet to expand America\u2019s artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing footprint. Amazon has invested $10 billion in Richmond County, one of North Carolina\u2019s 40 most economically distressed counties. The data center is projected to significantly boost the county\u2019s economic development, creating 500 high-skilled jobs and thousands of supply chain support jobs, in addition to the company\u2019s $150,000 community fund contribution to support STEM education, workforce development, and economic growth in Richmond County.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-29T11:07:12Z", "2026-09-29T11:08:49Z"]], "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://www.budd.senate.gov/2026/09/28/senator-budd-wraps-second-official-100-county-tour/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5277368947863579, "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"}