News from Congresswoman Kathy Manning

Dear Friend,

Thank you for subscribing to my Congressional newsletter. It is my pleasure to represent you in Congress. Read on for more information about the work my team and I are doing for you in Washington, D.C. and in North Carolina's Sixth Congressional District.

Sincerely,

Kathy Manning
Member of Congress

Congresswoman Manning Stands with Ukraine

"For days I have been hearing from my constituents - Democrats and Republicans alike - that we must do everything we can to support the brave people of Ukraine against the horrific attack by Vladimir Putin. As your Representative and a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I want to ensure you that I'm working in Congress to aid the Ukrainian people and hold Russia accountable for its reprehensible actions," said Congresswoman Manning.

Congresswoman Manning meets with Ambassador Oksana Markarova of Ukraine to the United States following Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's address to Congress.

"I strongly support imposing crippling sanctions against Russia, and I am an original cosponsor of the Ban Russian Energy Imports Act to prohibit the importation of Russian oil to the United States. Following my calls for urgent legislation, President Biden banned Russian oil imports."

Additionally, Congresswoman Manning joined the Co-chairs of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus on a bipartisan letter urging the Biden Administration to immediately grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukraine during the crisis to protect the 30,000+ Ukrainians currently in the United States. Following receipt of this letter, the Biden Administration granted Temporary Protective Status to Ukrainians already in the United States.

Take a look below to see the additional actions Congresswoman Manning has taken to support the Ukrainian people and hold Russia accountable.

Cosponsored H.R.6470, Defending Ukraine Sovereignty Act, comprehensive legislation to authorize security assistance for Ukraine, and require sanctions against Russia for hostilities against Ukraine.
Cosponsored H.R.6853, bipartisan legislation that would institute a comprehensive travel ban on Russian government officials and members of the Russian oligarchy.
Voted to pass H.Res.956, a bipartisan House Resolution supporting the people of Ukraine.
Supported increased international humanitarian aid to assist Ukrainian refugees. Read the letter here.
Joined a bipartisan letter calling to ban Russia from international sport and cultural activities and organizations.
Supported working with NATO allies to provide the Ukrainian Airforce with additional aircraft needed to defend and secure its skies.
Signed a bipartisan letter to DHS Secretary Mayorkas urging him to establish a Ukrainian Family Reunification program to allow U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to sponsor their immediate family members, helping them escape Ukraine while they await visa approval.

$16.5 Million in Triad Community Projects

Congresswoman Manning secured $16,513,000 in funding for 10 community projects across North Carolina’s Sixth District. This funding was passed into law as a part of the omnibus government funding bill.

The community projects receiving funding include:

$3,000,000 for Computer-Aided Dispatch System Replacement for the City of Greensboro, NC
$273,000 for Winston-Salem Police Department Real Time Crime Center Technology Upgrades
$190,000 for LED lighting upgrades in the City of Winston-Salem
$1,500,000 for High Point Multi-Modal Connector Greenway
$3,000,000 for High Point Shelter and Day Center for the Homeless
$3,000,000 for Greensboro Innovation District
$1,600,000 for the City of Greensboro, NC for a workforce development initiative, including technology and supportive services
$450,000 for United Way of Forsyth County, Winston-Salem, NC for tutoring and enrichment programs to address learning loss
$2,000,000 for Guilford County Schools, Greensboro, NC for an intensive tutoring program to combat learning loss
$1,500,000 for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, NC for the High-Speed Education Network Access Pilot

$3 Million for Greensboro Electric Buses

The City of Greensboro received $3 million to expand their electric bus fleet and charging infrastructure. This funding comes through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that Congresswoman Manning voted to pass into law last year.

Regional Broadband Connectivity Program

Congresswoman Manning secured a $243,992 grant to support the Piedmont Triad Regional Council, which is based in Kernersville, with providing resources to develop a Regional Broadband Connectivity and Access Plan to help identify broadband gaps and needs at local and regional levels and determine strategies for deploying this critical asset in equitable ways to stimulate greater access to commerce, health, and education across the 12-county region.

News from Washington, D.C.

Letter to House Leadership: Calling for Immediate Investigation of Gas Price Gouging
Americans are facing high gasoline prices at the pump while members of the oil and gas industry are earning record profits. Congresswoman Manning joined 32 of her colleagues in calling on Congress to begin immediate investigations and hold public hearings on alleged price gouging within the oil and gas industry.

Read the full letter here.

Letter to President Biden on Supporting Long-Term Child Care and Pre-K Investments

Congresswoman Manning joined several of her colleagues in Congress in sending a letter to President Biden in support of advancing legislation that lowers the cost of childcare, expands access to pre-K, and invests in the early childhood education workforce.

According to a recent New York Times report, families in Greensboro report paying twice as much as their mortgage on child care. Additionally, the average family with two children in North Carolina spends 21% of their income on child care per year. Congresswoman Manning advocated for new child care policies to be included in the Build Back Better Act, and voted to pass the package through the House of Representatives. Congresswoman Manning is continuing her work in Congress to fight for policies to bring down the cost of child care, enact universal pre-K, and invest in the early childhood workforce.

Biologics Market Transparency Act of 2022
Congresswoman Manning introduced new legislation to increase transparency in the pharmaceutical industry and ensure that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can monitor the availability of medications, preventing shortages and driving competition.

The Biologics Transparency Act of 2022, H.R. 7035, requires manufacturers of biologics and biosimilars to report to the FDA when their product is leaving the market. Biologics and biosimilars are effective and essential medications that treat cancers, arthritis, kidney conditions, and chronic skin and bowel diseases.

“I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan bill that will increase oversight of the pharmaceutical industry and help the FDA mitigate shortages of essential medications,” said Congresswoman Manning. "This legislation will boost competition in pharmaceutical markets and improve patients’ continuous access to medications they rely on to manage serious illness.”

Manning Bill Included in SECURE 2.0 Act

Congresswoman Manning's bill, the Improving Part-Time Workers Access to Retirement Act, was included in the SECURE 2.0 Act, which passed the House of Representatives this month.

The SECURE 2.0 Act will help workers to save more, improve flexibility, and increase protections for Americans’ retirement accounts, and eliminate some of the barriers small businesses face in providing comprehensive retirement options to their employees. Congresswoman Manning's bill will make it easier for long-term, part-time workers to access retirement by shortening the amount of time they are required to work for their employer in order to participate in their 401(k) plan.

Watch Congresswoman Manning's remarks in support of the SECURE 2.0 Act below.

CROWN Act of 2022
Congresswoman Manning is a proud cosponsor of the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act, which would prohibit discrimination based on a person's hair texture or hairstyle if that style or texture is commonly associated with a particular race or national origin. Specifically, the bill would prohibit this type of discrimination against those participating in federally assisted programs, housing programs, public accommodations, and employment.

The CROWN Act works to ensure that individuals are not deprived of equal rights under the law and are not subjected to prohibited practices based on their hair texture or style. Congresswoman Manning voted to pass this legislation through the House of Representatives, and it now awaits a vote in the Senate.

FAIR Act of 2022
Congresswoman Manning cosponsored and voted to pass the Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal (FAIR) Act of 2022. Currently, corporations and businesses can use arbitration clauses to force customers and workers to privately settle disputes. By ending forced arbitration with the FAIR Act, consumers and workers are able to agree to arbitration after a dispute occurs, restoring every persons' right to hold wrongdoers accountable.

NC-06 Visits

Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro Women to Women Luncheon

Congresswoman Manning was thrilled to attend the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro Women to Women luncheon, where she met with extraordinary women of the Triad. She also had the pleasure of hearing Lisa Leslie, a 4-time Olympic Gold medal winner and co-owner of the LA Sparks, provide inspirational remarks.

Congresswoman Manning was pleased to meet a group of young women training to become full-time Head Start teachers through Guilford Child Development. Congresswoman Manning is proud to see community members dedicated to quality education from an early age.

As a member of the Women to Women advisory council, Congresswoman Manning congratulates the CFGG on a successful event.

Meeting with Town of Sedalia Officials

Congresswoman Manning was pleased to meet with officials from the town of Sedalia. During their meeting, Congresswoman Manning heard about the town’s infrastructure needs and shared opportunities for grant funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Congresswoman Manning is committed to ensuring that federal funding gets to every corner of North Carolina’s Sixth District.

$7.6 million in Federal Funding for Community Projects in Greensboro

Congresswoman Manning joined Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughn and city officials to announce $7.6 million for three community projects in Greensboro.

“I’m proud of my work to advocate for the communities that I represent and secure funding for projects to improve community safety, bolster our workforce, and create good-paying jobs. In Congress, I’ll continue to ensure that federal funds directly benefit our community,” said Congresswoman Manning.

Wake Forest University President Inauguration

Congresswoman Manning congratulates Dr. Susan R. Wente on becoming the first female president of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem.

"I was privileged to attend the very moving inauguration of the first female President of Wake Forest University, Dr. Susan R. Wente. An accomplished scientist, Dr. Wente compared the importance and catalytic impact of a great university to the importance of catalytic agents in biology; both can spur growth and positive changes that would not otherwise be possible.
How wonderful to hear a brilliant woman bring science to life while making history during Women's History Month," said Congresswoman Manning.

Salem Parkway and Cleveland Avenue Area Visit

Congressman David Price (NC-04), chair of the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee, joined Congresswoman Kathy Manning for a visit to Winston-Salem.

First, they visited Salem Parkway, an award winning 18-mile-long highway that stretches from Winston-Salem through Kernersville, and serves as a gateway to downtown. Later, they visited the Cleveland Avenue Area in East Winston-Salem, where a $30 million federal grant federal from the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Grant Program will fund the creation of a renovated, very attractive, affordable neighborhood with programs to help residents with job skills and job placement recovery.

NCAA Meeting and Game

The Greensboro Coliseum hosted the NCAA Women's Basketball Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight games. Congresswoman Manning and her team enjoyed watching the University of North Carolina and the University of South Carolina play an exciting game.

Congresswoman Manning met with NCAA Officials before the game. NCAA officials detailed some of the needs facing student athletes participating in NCAA athletics, and discussed how Congress can play a role in addressing those topics.

Rep. Manning Secures Federal Funding for Guilford County Schools

Alongside Superintendent Contreras, Congresswoman Manning discussed the federal funding she secured for Guilford County Schools.

Congresswoman Manning secured $2 million in federal funding for Guilford County Schools to expand their tutoring program, helping students recover from pandemic and continue learning.

COVID-19 Resources

CDC Mask Guidance
The CDC recently updated masking guidance based on the COVID numbers in communities. To check on your community and to learn more, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html.

Free at-home COVID-19 Rapid Test Kits
The Biden Administration secured at-home COVID-19 test kits for those who request them. You can order your completely free, rapid tests online—and have them delivered to your home directly. The United States Postal Service will ship them in 7 to 12 days. Please note that
each residential address is limited to one order per month, which contains four tests.

Follow this link to order your free test kits: https://special.usps.com/testkits.

COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shots
The best way to protect yourself and others from new variants is by getting fully vaccinated, including a booster shot for adults. A second booster shot for the COVID-19 vaccine is now available for people age 50 and older and those with compromised immune systems. Click here to see if you are eligible for the vaccine booster shot.

COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility
Everyone 5 years of age and older is now eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccination. The Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines have received full FDA approval. Find a location close to you to get the vaccine by visiting: https://www.vaccines.gov/.

Vaccine Resources
Guilford County Vaccination Appointment
Contact: (336) 641-7944

Forsyth County Vaccination Appointment
Contact: (336) 582-0800

Tax Filing Season

The 2022 tax filing season opened on January 24th and will close on April 18th.

The IRS recommends filing taxes electronically as early as possible and opting for direct deposit to get your refund quickly.

If you received the advance Child Tax Credit or a stimulus check last year, the IRS will be contacting you with further information on how to file your upcoming return.

Visit https://www.irs.gov/filing for more information on filing taxes.

Social Security In-Office Appointments

In early April, the Social Security Administration will add more in-person appointments and offer in-person service for people without an appointment.

The Social Security Administration is strongly encouraging those looking for an appointment to visit their website and schedule appointments in advance.

Please visit the Social Security webpage How to Get Help from Social Security to learn:

The best ways to get help from Social Security.
What you should know before you visit a Social Security office, so we can help you safely.
Innovative options that could help you have your hearing sooner if you are appealing a decision.

Constituent Services

Congresswoman Manning's Constituent Services Liaisons can assist you with troubles you may have regarding federal agencies. Cases our local office handles include but are not limited to:

Help receiving medical care at the VA
Stimulus check inquiries and concerns
Immigration services
Passports
IRS questions

If you are requiring help from the Constituent Services office, please contact them at (336) 333-5005, or submit a casework claim through our website here.