Raleigh, N.C. - The state’s seasonally adjusted February 2026 unemployment rate was 3.8 percent, unchanged from January’s revised rate. The national rate increased 0.1 of a percentage point to 4.4 percent.
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Senator Budd Introduces Bill To Provide Transparency on Medicaid Spending Resulting From Marijuana Use
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) introduced the Marijuana Impact on Medicaid Act today, which would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to collect data on Medicaid spending associated with both hospital inpatient and outpatient care, as well as emergency room visits that result from marijuana use.
NC elections board moves to check voter rolls for possible noncitizens
The North Carolina State Board of Elections voted Thursday to move forward with a statewide citizenship verification process that will check all registered voters against a federal database to identify possible non-U.S. citizens on the rolls. The action sets up a new layer of voter list maintenance ahead of the 2026 election cycle and comes as election officials and lawmakers continue to face pressure over voter eligibility and public confidence in election administration.
Murphy Introduces Legislation to Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs for Drugs
Washington, D.C. — Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D., introduced the Every Dollar Counts Act, legislation to require out-of-pocket expenditures for covered drugs to count towards the patient’s maximum out-of-pocket and deductible, regardless of where such drugs are purchased.
Congresswoman Ross, Colleagues Introduce 25th Amendment Legislation to Establish Independent Commission on Presidential Capacity
Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) joined House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (MD-08) and her colleagues in introducing legislation that would establish a Commission on Presidential Capacity to Discharge the Powers and Duties of the Office. The bill would create the body and process called for in Section 4 of the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Congresswoman Ross Statement on Trump’s Voter Suppression Executive Order
Raleigh, N.C. — Today, Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) released the following statement on President Trump’s executive order:
Budd Issues Statement After FEMA Announces an Additional $103 Million for Hurricane Helene and Florence Recovery Efforts
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) released the following statement after FEMA announced an additional $103 million in Public Assistance (PA) grants for 50 projects to repair infrastructure in the wake of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Florence.
Representatives Ross, McCormick, Amo Introduce Resolution to Designate a National Science Appreciation Day
Washington, D.C. — Today, Representatives Deborah Ross (NC-02), Rich McCormick (GA-07), and Gabe Amo (RI-01), members of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, introduced a bipartisan resolution expressing support for the designation of today, March 26, as National Science Appreciation Day – the date the Polio vaccine was developed. This national observance would provide an opportunity to recognize and celebrate American scientific achievements and inspire the next generation of leaders in these fields.
FEMA to revive resilience grants after courts intervene
The federal government appears poised to restart a disaster-mitigation program that many North Carolina communities rely on to prepare for extreme weather.
Budd, Warnock Introduce Bill to Create Task Force to Reform the Deployment of Federal Disaster Aid
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Reverend Raphael Warnock (R-Ga.) introduced the bipartisan Disaster Recovery Improvement Act this week to establish the Disaster Recovery Improvement Task Force.
Budd, Coons Lead Bipartisan Coalition to Reauthorize the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) lead a bipartisan coalition including Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in introducing legislation to reauthorize the independent, bipartisan United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today. The bipartisan bill would ensure the commission, set to expire on September 30, 2026, can continue its work to monitor religious freedom around the world.
Budd Announces Tens-of-Millions of FEMA Funding for North Carolina, Including Long Awaited Funding for Helene, COVID-19 Pandemic
Ted Budd (R-N.C.) released the following statement after President Trump and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Noem approved more than $165.9 million in funding to North Carolina for Public Assistance (PA) grant projects to reimburse incurred costs from the COVID-19 Pandemic and for disaster recovery following Hurricane Helene
Budd Introduces Bill to Help Expand Access to Downpayment Assistance, Increase Grant Limits to Help Build More Affordable Homes
U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) introduced legislation today to expand and modernize eligibility requirements for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program.
Sen. Budd, Rep. Miller Lead Bill to Close Loophole Exploited by Illegal Aliens Employed as Police Officers
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and U.S. Representative Mary Miller (R-Ill.-15) led several of their Republican colleagues in introducing the bicameral Stop Illegal Alien Cops Act today. The legislation is aimed at prohibiting illegal aliens who work as armed law enforcement officers from possessing firearms or ammunition provided to them by a government entity, such as a police department. This bill aligns with existing federal law that already prohibits illegal aliens from possessing firearms or ammunition in the United States.
Budd, Fetterman Bipartisan Bill to Create Network of AI-Enabled Automated Labs Clears Committee and Heads to Senate Floor
U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and John Fetterman (D-Pa.), members of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, released the following statements after their National Programmable Cloud Lab Network (NPCLN) Act received overwhelming bipartisan support and passed out of committee yesterday.
Budd, Gillibrand Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Bilateral Defense Programs between the U.S. and Israel
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) introduced the bipartisan, bicameral United States-Israel Framework for Upgraded Technologies, Unified Research, and Enhanced Security (FUTURES) Act today, which would strengthen cooperation on bilateral defense programs between the United States and Israel. This bill aims to expand and accelerate defense technology research, development, testing, evaluation, and industrial cooperation between both countries.
Senator Budd Pushes to Modernize Access to Employment Resources for Americans
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) introduced the Workforce Development Modernization Act today, which would amend the Workforce and Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) to give local Workforce Development Boards the option to create virtual One-Stop Centers, share resources with other workforce development regions and One-Stop Centers, or co-locate at community colleges.
Senator Budd Releases Statement After Congress Passes FY26 Funding for the Department of Defense
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after Congress passed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Defense Appropriations Act.
Senator Budd Releases Statement After Voting to Support Appropriations Package
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) issued the following statement after casting his vote to pass the five-bill appropriations minibus and a two-week continuing resolution for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Senator Budd Leads Legislation Banning Foreign Violators of Religious Freedom from Obtaining U.S. Visas
Washington, D.C. — This week, U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) introduced the Banning Perpetrators of Religious Persecution Act to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by restricting the issuance of visas to individuals who have directed, authorized, significantly supported, participated in, or carried out violations of religious freedom. The bill would additionally amend the INA to expand visa ineligibility to terrorist or non-state actors responsible for violations of religious freedom, in addition to foreign government officials responsible for the persecution of religious groups.