North Carolina
NC congressional votes for the week ending April 3
Here’s how North Carolina members of Congress voted over the previous week.
Along with the week’s roll call votes, the House also passed these measures: the Internal Revenue Service Math and Taxpayer Help Act (H.R. 998), to require additional information on math and clerical error notices; the Recovery of Stolen Checks Act (H.R. 1155), to allow taxpayers to elect to receive certain replacement refunds electronically; the Electronic Filing and Payment Fairness Act (H.R. 1152), to apply the mailbox rule to documents and payments electronically submitted to the Internal Revenue Service; and a bill (H.R. 1234), to direct the Librarian of Congress to promote the more cost-effective, efficient, and expanded availability of the annotated Constitution and pocket-part supplements by replacing the hardbound versions with digital versions.
House votes
DISASTERS AND TAX DEADLINES: The House has passed the Filing Relief for Natural Disasters Act (H.R. 517), sponsored by Rep. David Kustoff, R-Tenn., to extend by two months tax filing deadlines for people affected by a federally declared disaster, and also authorize extensions for disasters declared by a state government. Kustoff said the bill, by redressing a situation in which taxpayers must wait for a federal disaster declaration in order to get more time to file their taxes, would “ensure that disaster victims are able to receive more timely relief.” The vote, on March 31, was unanimous with 388 yeas.
- YEAS: Harrigan R-NC (10th), Foxx R-NC (5th), Hudson R-NC (9th), Murphy R-NC (3rd), Rouzer R-NC (7th), Adams D-NC (12th), Harris (NC) R-NC (8th), McDowell R-NC (6th), Ross D-NC (2nd), Edwards R-NC (11th), Knott R-NC (13th), Davis (NC) D-NC (1st), Foushee D-NC (4th), Moore (NC) R-NC (14th)
TAXPAYER ADVOCATE LAWYERS: The House has passed the National Taxpayer Advocate Enhancement Act (H.R. 997), sponsored by Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, to move authority for hiring lawyers managed by the National Taxpayer Advocate out of the Treasury Department’s legal office, and instead have the lawyers report directly to the Advocate. Feenstra said: “Since 2015, the IRS has prohibited the National Taxpayer Advocate from hiring her own legal counsel, which undermines her ability to provide insight, ensure fair treatment of taxpayers, and responsibly work with the IRS caseworkers.” The vote, on March 31, was unanimous with 385 yeas.
- YEAS: Harrigan R-NC (10th), Foxx R-NC (5th), Hudson R-NC (9th), Murphy R-NC (3rd), Rouzer R-NC (7th), Adams D-NC (12th), Harris (NC) R-NC (8th), McDowell R-NC (6th), Ross D-NC (2nd), Knott R-NC (13th), Davis (NC) D-NC (1st), Foushee D-NC (4th), Moore (NC) R-NC (14th)
- NOT VOTING: Edwards R-NC (11th)
TAX REFUNDS AND DISASTERS: The House has passed the Disaster Related Extension of Deadlines Act (H.R. 1491), sponsored by Rep. Gregory F. Murphy, R-N.C., to have the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) make the extension of federal tax return deadlines due to a declared disaster also apply to tax refunds, and also account for such deadline extensions before issuing tax collection notices. Murphy called the bill a way “to ensure that victims of natural disasters are not burdened by our tax code.” The vote, on April 1, was unanimous with 423 yeas.
- YEAS: Harrigan R-NC (10th), Foxx R-NC (5th), Hudson R-NC (9th), Murphy R-NC (3rd), Rouzer R-NC (7th), Adams D-NC (12th), Harris (NC) R-NC (8th), McDowell R-NC (6th), Ross D-NC (2nd), Edwards R-NC (11th), Knott R-NC (13th), Davis (NC) D-NC (1st), Foushee D-NC (4th), Moore (NC) R-NC (14th)
Senate votes
AMBASSADOR TO NATO: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Matthew Whitaker to be the permanent representative of the U.S. on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Council. Whitaker, currently an official at several conservative think tanks, was a Justice Department senior official in the first Trump administration, including time as the Acting Attorney General; a private practice lawyer in Iowa for most of the 2010s; and a U.S. attorney in Iowa from 2004 to 2009. A supporter, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, called Whitaker “a principled leader with a proven track record. Under President Trump’s peace-through-strength approach, I have no doubt that Matt will be an effective advocate for America’s interests and a champion of our national strategy.” The vote, on April 1, was 52 yeas to 45 nays.
- YEAS: Tillis R-NC, Budd R-NC
CANADA TARIFFS: The Senate has passed a resolution (S.J. Res. 37), sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would end a national emergency declared two months ago by President Trump that levied 10% and 25% tariffs on goods imported from Canada. Kaine called the resolution a way to “stand strong for our businesses and consumers, our foresters and farmers, our national defense industry and shipbuilders, against cost increases that will hurt people’s pocketbooks, hurt American competitiveness, and hurt our national security.” An opponent, Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, said illegal migration and fentanyl smuggling over the Canada-U.S. border had created a crisis that warranted declaration of a national emergency. The vote, on April 2, was 51 yeas to 48 nays.
- NAYS: Tillis R-NC, Budd R-NC
WALK-IN FREEZERS: The Senate has passed a resolution (H.J. Res. 24), sponsored by Rep. Stephanie I. Bice, R-Okla., to disapprove of and void an Energy Department rule, issued last December, establishing efficiency standards for walk-in coolers and freezers. The vote, on April 3, was 53 yeas to 42 nays.
- YEAS: Tillis R-NC, Budd R-NC
SOLICITOR GENERAL: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Dean John Sauer to be U.S. Solicitor General. Sauer was Missouri’s solicitor general from 2017 to 2023, and previously was a federal prosecutor and a civil lawyer. An opponent, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said “Sauer’s failure to comply with court orders and his refusal to recuse himself from pending Trump matters render him unfit for this role.” The vote, on April 3, was 52 yeas to 45 nays.
- YEAS: Tillis R-NC, Budd R-NC
WEAPONS SALE TO ISRAEL: The Senate has rejected a motion to discharge from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee a resolution (S.J. Res. 33), sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders, ID-Vt., that would have cancelled the planned sale to Israel of up to 40,000 bomb bodies and warheads, as well as support, services, and spare parts for the weapons. Sanders said the sale would be wrong because “it is illegal for the U.S. Government to provide Israel with more offensive weaponry. It is simply against our laws” to supply weapons to a country that is violating human rights. A motion opponent, Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, said cancelling the sale “would abandon Israel, our closest ally in the Middle East, during a pivotal moment for global security.” The vote, on April 3, was 15 yeas to 82 nays, with 1 voting present.
- NAYS: Tillis R-NC, Budd R-NC
MEDICARE AND MEDICAID: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Mehmet Oz to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) agency. Oz was a heart surgeon and professor in New York City starting in 1986, hosted the Dr. Oz television show from 2009 to 2022, and was a member of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition during President Trump’s first term. A supporter, Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, said Oz’s “vision for treating the underlying causes of chronic disease and equipping providers with innovative technologies to serve patients will also be a much needed sea change at CMS.” An opponent, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said Oz “has been out there peddling, over the years, unproven cures and treatments and encouraging people to ignore proven facts and science.” The vote, on April 3, was 53 yeas to 45 nays.
- YEAS: Tillis R-NC, Budd R-NC
ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Harmeet Dhillon to be the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. Dhillon has been a lawyer at her own law firm in San Francisco since 2006, specializing in election law, First Amendment litigation, and commercial litigation. An opponent, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said Dhillon’s “record suggests she is more likely to attack civil rights than defend them.” The vote, on April 3, was 52 yeas to 45 nays.
- YEAS: Tillis R-NC, Budd R-NC
North Carolina
‘Bonsai in the Blue Ridge’ exhibit brings dozens of displays to North Carolina Arboretum
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — The North Carolina Arboretum will host a bonanza of bonsai this week with “Bonsai in the Blue Ridge,” a limited-time exhibition of more than 50 living sculptures as part of the American Bonsai Society’s Learning Seminar 2026.
Between June 4-7, arboretum visitors can explore the exhibits for a $5 admission fee, along with the arboretum’s regular parking fee. A press release from the arboretum said there will also be opportunities to register for seminars, workshops and tours led by bonsai artists for an additional cost.
GROWING YOUR GARDEN? PLENTY OF PLANTS FOR PURCHASE AT THE ARBORETUM’S SPRING SALE
“The American Bonsai Society brings together people who share a passion for bonsai. Through world-class publications and events such as the Learning Seminars, ABS promotes and educates, sharing techniques that showcase North American artistic expression and encouraging the use of plant species that grow well in the United States, Canada, and Mexico,” ABS Convention Chair Scott Barboza said in a written statement.
FILE IMAGE of a bonsai plant that is part of the North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden. (Photo: North Carolina Arboretum)
Bonsai is the ancient art of shaping trees over time to create miniature living sculptures. The North Carolina Arboretum is no stranger to the art, having established the Bonsai Exhibition Garden in 2005, which showcases up to 50 specimens of traditional Asian bonsai subjects, tropical plants, American species and plants native to the Blue Ridge region.
IKEBANA INTERNATIONAL ASHEVILLE STAGES FLORAL DESIGN EXHIBITION AT NC ARBORETUM
“Bonsai in the Blue Ridge” takes place 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, June 4, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 5 and 6, and 9 a.m. to noon Sunday, June 7.
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See a full schedule of events for this week’s seminar at americanbonsaisociety.org.
The Greenville Police Department joined community leaders in Pitt County this week to promote safe firearm storage as part of North Carolina’s annual NC S.A.F.E. Week of Action, the Greenville Police Department said.
In a statement, the Greenville Police Department thanked NC S.A.F.E. and the North Carolina Department of Public Safety for the opportunity to help educate residents about responsible firearm storage practices.
We want to thank NC S.A.F.E. and the North Carolina Department of Public Safety for allowing us to help relay to the community the importance of safely securing firearms so that we can avoid tragedies in the future!
The local event follows Gov. Josh Stein’s proclamation recognizing June 1-7 as NC S.A.F.E. Week of Action.
According to Gov. Stein’s office, the campaign aims to encourage gun owners to securely store firearms and make safety resources more widely available across North Carolina.
An unlocked gun is a tragedy waiting to happen, and too often, it does,” said Governor Josh Stein. “NC S.A.F.E Week is a reminder to all of us about the measures we can all take to keep ourselves and the people we love safe.
Safe firearm storage is one of the simplest steps we can take to prevent tragedies before they happen,” said North Carolina Department of Public Safety Deputy Secretary William Lassiter Lassiter. “NC S.A.F.E. is increasing awareness around secure firearm storage and making safety resources more accessible to help reduce preventable injuries and build safer communities throughout our state.
North Carolina
The Real Reason North Carolina’s GOP Is Proposing the Most Radical Anti-Abortion Bill Yet
Another anti-abortion abolitionist proposal has been in the news. This time, conservative lawmakers in North Carolina have asked voters to approve a state constitutional amendment recognizing the personhood of embryos and establishing that anyone who ends an embryonic life is guilty of first-degree murder. Those penalties might also apply to people pursuing in vitro fertilization or using some contraceptives, given that abortion foes sometimes view either as requiring the taking of unborn life. And that’s the most ordinary part of the proposal: The bill also provides that private individuals have a right to use deadly force to prevent “the willful destruction of life.” House Bill 1232 isn’t clear about exactly who could exercise this constitutional right to vigilante violence. Would it just be available to those seeking to kill abortion providers and patients? Or might it apply even more broadly to those seen to aid them?
The bill has been greeted with bafflement and disbelief. One of its co-sponsors was embarrassed enough to remove his name from the proposal. But the idea of licensing private violence did not come out of thin air. There have been decades of debate about the use of force within the anti-abortion movement. And as conservatives embrace an increasingly punitive agenda, old justifications for violence have reemerged.
Since the 1960s, abortion foes have rallied around the idea that constitutional rights begin the moment an egg is fertilized. That meant that liberal abortion laws would violate the federal Constitution. Because that claim didn’t gain traction in the federal courts, abortion opponents didn’t have to settle what it would mean in practice to enforce this idea of personhood. Did it require that abortion be punished as murder, or that women be punished? Might it instead require more support for women during pregnancy?
By the 1980s, as the anti-abortion movement aligned with the Republican Party, the movement’s leaders increasingly retooled their ideas of justice for the unborn to fit the GOP’s tough-on-crime agenda. They endorsed fetal homicide laws and backed prosecutions based on conduct during pregnancy. But these moves didn’t lead to the reversal of Roe, much less a decline in the abortion rate.
Frustration led to a wave of lawbreaking. Operation Rescue, a clinic blockade group, invited supporters to use civil disobedience and break the law if necessary to stop people from entering abortion clinics. Operation Rescue disrupted the Democratic National Convention in 1992 and recorded thousands of arrests. Blockaders even developed a legal argument to justify their actions, drawing on the common law defense of necessity, which allows someone to break a law to achieve a greater moral good.
Some advocates went further. If abortion really were the murder of an equal person, they asked, why wasn’t it justified to use deadly force to protect that equal person?
Prominent figures in the late 1980s and early 1990s elaborated on that argument in books and talk-show appearances. The claim justified kidnappings, firebombings, and a series of murders of doctors, clinic staff, and security. Powerful anti-abortion groups denounced the violence, but the question of deadly force struck others as surprisingly complex. If a fertilized egg was an equal person, and if the way to protect that person involved violence, why was deadly force off limits?
While violence against abortion clinics and providers never went away, it receded from the peak of the 1980s and early 1990s. The federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which heightened penalties for threats, violence, and obstruction of people entering facilities, radically undercut the clinic blockade movement when Congress passed it in 1994. So did the conviction of high-profile murder defendants like Michael Griffin and Paul Hill. The clinic blockade movement was consumed by internal divides, with multiple organizations even claiming the name Operation Rescue. Anti-abortion leaders mostly focused on change through the courts and politics.
Now that Roe is gone, the movement is at an inflection point. Personhood has become the movement’s new North Star. And while success in the federal courts isn’t imminent, there is now no reason a state couldn’t enforce any vision of personhood. That means that conservatives have to decide what they mean by enforcing the rights of the unborn. This bill is a sign that even punishing women doesn’t strike some as harsh enough.
This bill won’t pass. For starters, North Carolina is not the most likely state to pass any abortion abolitionist bill; at the moment, it doesn’t even ban abortion from the moment of fertilization. And no state has yet passed any kind of abolitionist proposal, much less one allowing people to gun one another down in the name of protecting life.
But this bill has a different resonance now that Donald Trump has pledged not to enforce the FACE Act in the abortion context except in the most extreme circumstances. It is also a reminder of how the Overton window on personhood is shifting. Abolitionists who call for the punishment of women are gaining influence in state legislatures and movement debates. They have developed their own incremental approach: In South Carolina, for example, Richard Cash, a powerful lawmaker, tried this session to advance a bill punishing women for abortion, but only for a misdemeanor, rather than a felony. The bill became the second abolitionist proposal to pass through a committee this spring before time ran out to pass it this session.
Leading anti-abortion groups still speak out against abolitionists, but their strategy is clear: normalizing the idea of punishing women. The more extreme proposals conservatives advance, the more previously unthinkable ideas become politically realistic.
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