Dear Friend,

It's a beautiful time to be in southern and eastern Kentucky as all the Redbud trees bloom and the vibrant colors of our Appalachian region come alive. Our hillsides, lakes and streams are more pristine than ever before, thanks to the dedicated efforts of thousands of volunteers across the region who continue PRIDE's mission to clean up litter in every county. Thanks to student volunteers across the region, including Meece Middle School students pictured below for having PRIDE - Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment! Keep up the great work!

Federal Funding 

In Washington, D.C., I've been diligently working to return the U.S. House Appropriations process back to regular order, while cutting waste and making better investments. As Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, I oversee over a dozen hearings every week, speaking with leaders from federal agencies to ensure taxpayer dollars will be used wisely in Fiscal Year 2017. Over the last five years, we have saved taxpayers $126 billion. To follow my work on the Appropriations Committee, visit: http://appropriations.house.gov/ or join us on Facebook and Twitter@HouseAppropsGOP.

Combatting Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin

Every day, 78 Americans die from an opioid overdose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Additionally, the CDC reports that since 1999, the amount of prescription opioids sold in the U.S. nearly quadrupled, yet there has not been an overall change in the amount of pain that Americans report. To help save lives and turn the tide of addiction, two House Committees have passed 15 opioid-related bills in recent weeks. I look forward to highlighting the nationally-recognized efforts of Operation UNITE when my colleagues come together to pass these bills – focused on enforcement, treatment, prevention and education – on the House floor in May. 

National Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit

Operation UNITE's fifth annual National Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit was a record-setting event with nearly 2,000 attendees in Atlanta, Georgia March 28-31. I commend our region's small non-profit organization for putting the drug abuse epidemic in the national spotlight with the federal leaders from the country's top agencies on drug abuse, highlighted this year by our Commander-in-Chief. Each year, the summit has connected professionals and community leaders to successful practices and solutions from coast-to-coast, and has driven policy and legislative changes at the local, state and federal levels. I'm incredibly proud of Operation UNITE for serving as a model of success for the rest of the country. Read more >>>

SAVE THE DATE: June 6th -- SOAR Innovation Summit 2016

On June 6th, SOAR will host its third regional summit and the theme of this year's event is innovation. As co-chairs of SOAR, Gov. Matt Bevin and I encourage you to attend this year's summit as we work together to shape the future of Eastern Kentucky. What's good for Eastern Kentucky, is good for the entire Commonwealth. To register online, visit http://soar-ky.org/summit. Also, earlier this month, the SOAR Executive Committee unanimously selected ten projects in the SOAR region to receive Kentucky Appalachian Regional Development grants totaling $1.5 million. Read more >>>

2016 Congressional Art Competition

DEADLINE Monday, May 2nd: The Congressional Art Competition for high school students is coming to a close. The winning piece of artwork from Kentucky's Fifth Congressional District will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year and the student will be eligible for a college scholarship. The winner will also receive two free airline tickets to attend a national reception in Washington, D.C. For details on how to submit artwork, visit: http://halrogers.house.gov. 

Public District Events Coming Up

May 2, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. -- St. Claire's Regional Medical Center - Medical Pavilion Groundbreaking ceremony
May 5, 2016 at Noon -- National Day of Prayer in Somerset
May 9, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. -- Barbourville ARH Celebration

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If you would like to receive more frequent updates on what's happening in Washington, please send me an email, join my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, view photos on Instagram or subscribe to my YouTube channel. Thank you to everyone who has dropped by to share your opinion -- let's keep the dialogue going!


Sincerely,

Hal