Rep. Jeff Duncan Votes No on CR That Funds Joe Biden’s Reckless, Woke Policies
Washington, D.C. — After voting against the continuing resolution that funds the government for 45 days without cutting a single dollar in the budget, Congressman Jeff Duncan released the following statement:
“The House just voted 331-91 to pass a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government for 45 days. I voted NO, just like I voted NO on the last omnibus spending bill, and NO on the CR before that, and NO on the CR before that. As a conservative, I proudly stand with my constituents in demanding we make massive cuts to the budget. Conservatives should always vote against reckless spending and the funding of radical, woke policies like the ones we see from the Biden Administration.”
“The bill passed this afternoon contains ZERO cuts to government spending and ZERO prohibitions against Biden Administration policies. The only positive about this legislation is that it does not contain the billions in Ukraine supplemental funding Biden requested. This CR is terrible, and I don't see why some of my colleagues think we will get better results 45 days from now than if we stood and fought TODAY. We must stop the spending and dangerous Biden Administration policies.”
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Divorce Statement: “My family is dealing with a difficult and private moment and I’m not going to comment on a deeply personal matter. My focus is fighting on behalf of the people of South Carolina’s 3rd District as we stare down the barrel of a government shutdown as the liberal extremists try forcing us to continue spending beyond our means. I am proud to have one of the most conservative voting records in all of Congress, and that is the approach I will continue taking on behalf of my constituents to fight back against this fiscal insanity.”
MORE here.
Rep. Jeff Duncan Celebrates $13.5 Million Grant Awarded to Laurens County School District 55
Washington, D.C. — Following the announcement of a $13.5 million grant awarded to Laurens County School District 55 by the U.S. Department of Education, Congressman Jeff Duncan released the following statement:
“I’m excited for the students and staff of Laurens County School District 55 to benefit from this grant which will fund the Laurens Educators Achieving Results to Net Success (LEARNS) Project and the Teacher and Student Advancement (TAP) System,” said Congressman Jeff Duncan. “I was honored to support Dr. Thomas and the school district in their pursuit of the grant which is designed to enhance effectiveness in the classroom by creating a ‘performance-based compensation system’ that prioritizes student success.”
“School-age children are the future leaders of our country, doctors, scientists, small business owners and farmers. I’m confident this grant will ensure that the best talent is in the classroom to educate these future leaders in science, math, history, and reading to help them excel beyond their graduation. I look forward to seeing this grant lead to great success for these students and teachers.”
Laurens County School District 55:
“Being selected for this highly competitive federal innovation grant is an honor. These resources will better equip our leaders to guide, coach, and empower teachers while keeping student achievement front and center. As superintendent of Laurens County School District 55, I am thrilled and grateful for the incredible opportunity we have received with the Teacher and School Leader Incentive Program (TSL) grant. This grant will not only enable us to further enhance the quality of education in our district but also recognize and reward our dedicated educators who work tirelessly to inspire and empower our students.” — Dr. Ameca Thomas, Superintendent of Laurens County School District 55.
“Increasing our support for teachers and leaders is a critical foundation on which to build a world-class educational experience. Through this federal grant award, we are excited to expand our partnership with Laurens County School District 55 on LEARNS to put in place more effective staffing structures and increase the quality of classroom teaching and learning.” — Dr. Barnett, CEO of the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching
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Background: Laurens County School District 55 collaborated with the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching to develop both LEARNS and TAP, as well as to apply for the grant. LEARNS focuses on increasing the quality of instruction in the classroom through staffing efficiencies. TAP drives student learning and educator ability by building frameworks for success.
The grant delivers $13.5 million dollars over three years, with an expected $3.3 million dollars to be allocated in the first year.
MORE from a press conference here.
Rep. Jeff Duncan Celebrates South Carolina Religious Liberty Victory
Washington, D.C. — Following the ruling of the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina in both Rogers v. Health and Human Services and Maddonna v. Health and Human Services, Congressman Jeff Duncan released the following statement:
“The Court rightly protected religious liberty and allows South Carolina to continue to ensure the best care for children who are wards of the State,” said Congressman Jeff Duncan. “Faith-based foster services perform amazing work in our state, and they care deeply about children and families. The Supreme Court has affirmed that these providers cannot be forced to violate their deeply held religious beliefs by forcing them to place children with same-sex couples, and the District Court reaffirmed that ruling.”
“I have been working tirelessly since 2017 to protect the right of faith-based services to be able to operate in South Carolina without having their religious liberty stifled by the government. With countless in the Upstate dependent on the amazing work of organizations like Miracle Hill, these rulings protect their Constitutional freedoms and ensure quality care for South Carolinians in need.”
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Background: In 2021, Congressman Duncan joined a letter to Secretary Becerra and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) condemning HHS’s actions to strip the ability of states like South Carolina, Michigan, and Texas to provide the best care for children or to force caregivers to no longer live out their faith.
Additionally, Congressman Duncan filed an amicus brief to the Supreme Court of the United States on behalf of a Philadelphia foster care agency who refused to change their religious beliefs despite the City of Philadelphia’s refusal to allow them to continue serving over 5,000 children in Philadelphia alone. The Court rightly sided with the agency and protected their Constitutional freedom of religion.
You can read a 2018 letter from Members of Congress to President Trump expressing concern on the assault on religious liberty:
LETTER here.
Congressman Duncan and his staff worked tirelessly with The Trump White House, HHS, and Miracle Hill to help ensure religious liberty protections.
Congressman Duncan has been a cosponsor of the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act led by Congressman Mike Kelly in the 114th Congress and 115th Congress.
