Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM APRIL 25-MAY 1, 2018 UCW 7 Combatting human trafficking, debt; protecting free speech by REP. RICHARD HUDSON Last week marked the birthday of omas Jefferson, one of our Found- ing Fathers and former presidents. He was an intelligent scholar and leader. He left a lasting legacy, and his vision of individual liberty and a limited federal government contin- ues to influence our thinking today. One idea by omas Jefferson is well-known. It comes from the Declaration of Independence, and it is a conservative principle that helps guide our government. It states, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." As your Congressman, it is my duty to do everything in my power to pro- tect you from the trampling of your rights. Last week, President Donald Trump signed bipartisan legislation that I was proud to cosponsor that gives federal and state prosecutors greater power to pursue websites that host sex-trafficking ads. It also paves the way for victims and state attorneys general to hold those web- sites accountable and file lawsuits against those sites. is is an impor- tant step forward and builds on work I have done previously to combat human trafficking. As a member of the Helsinki Com- mission, I am working to combat this issue at home and abroad. Human trafficking, sex slavery and violence are worldwide tragedies that we must address now. I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure our communities are given the appropriate tools and resources to protect the most vulner- able in our society, provide assis- tance to victims and appre- hend and punish offenders. Another essential freedom we are all guaranteed as part of the Bill of Rights set forth in the Constitution is the freedom of speech. Last week, I questioned Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg about his company's censoring of conservative and Christian speech. I sought answers about what standards Face- book uses to censor content and how they are enforced, because it appears to me that these standards may not have been applied uniformly. Facebook is a private company that has done wonders for connecting families and friends and consumers and busi- nesses across the country. I believe they must uphold the same rights for everyone, regardless of their religion or political affiliation. As omas Jefferson once said, "Never spend your money before you have it." is is simple guidance, but it is especially relevant today. Our country is currently $21 trillion in debt and growing. Our government's spending is wildly out of control, and unless we take immediate steps to address it, we face fiscal disaster. is debate isn't about our future – it's about our children's and grand- children's futures. at's why I've fought to cut Washington's spending and tackle our nation's debt with bold ideas like my Federal Sunset Act. Last week, I continued my efforts when I voted for a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution to require Congress not spend more in revenue than it receives. I'm ex- tremely disappointed House Demo- crats followed Nancy Pelosi's lead and blocked the legislation, choosing bureaucrats and big-government over the American people. I will con- tinue to fight for a Balanced Budget Amendment. Quite often it seems my colleagues forget why they ran for Congress. Holding Washington accountable isn't easy, but if we look to the Found- ing Fathers, I often find they provide us with all the wisdom we need. REP. RICHARD HUDSON, R-N.C. COMMENTS? Editor@ upandcomingweekly.com. 910-484-6200. POLITICS Last week, President Donald Trump signed bipartisan legislation that gives federal and state prosecutors greater power to pursue websites that host sex-trafficking ads. DISASTERS DON'T PLAN AHEAD. YOU CAN. WWW.READY.GOV