Congressman Walter Jones Takes Action | Eastern North Carolina Now

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Jones To Testify On Bill To Help North Topsail Beach

    WASHINGTON     Tomorrow, Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) and North Topsail Beach Mayor Dan Tuman will testify before a House Natural Resources subcommittee in support of H.R. 187, legislation that Congressman Jones introduced to correct a decades-old federal mapping error that has wrongly prohibited a significant portion of North Topsail Beach from accessing the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). In 1982, the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) – enacted to discourage development of previously undeveloped U.S. coastal areas – incorrectly classified North Topsail Beach as "undeveloped," thus making the area ineligible to access the NFIP. Congressman Jones' bill would replace the existing CBRA map with an accurate one.

    The subcommittee hearing is the next step in the process to bring the bill to the House floor for a vote. A live video stream of the hearing will be available here.

    WHAT: Hearing of the House Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs Subcommittee on H.R. 187

    WHO: Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3)  •  North Topsail Beach Mayor Dan Tuman

    WHEN: Tuesday, April 8 at 2:00 pm

    WHERE: 1324 Longworth House Office Building (Live video stream here)

Jones Files Amicus Brief In Defense Of Veterans Memorial And Religious Freedom

    WASHINGTON, D.C.     Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) has joined the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) and a coalition of 13 House members in filing an amicus curiae brief petitioning the Supreme Court to hear a case involving the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial in San Diego, California. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit declared the memorial unconstitutional because it includes a commemorative cross, prompting the district judge with jurisdiction over the case to rule in December that the cross must come down.

    The brief filed by Congressman Jones and his colleagues argues that the ruling of the Ninth Circuit is contrary to precedent set by the Supreme Court, including a decision in which the Court ruled that a Latin cross did not serve exclusively as a religious symbol but also as a symbol of respect for individuals who have nobly and heroically served the United States.

    "The Mt. Soledad case represents yet another attack on our religious freedom," said Congressman Jones. "A long-standing memorial honoring the service members who defended our country should not be used as a vehicle to advance a political agenda. It is my belief that the Supreme Court should reverse the decision of the Ninth Circuit and recognize that Mt. Soledad's cross is absolutely consistent with the First Amendment."

    The brief was also joined by California-based law firm Advocates for Faith and Freedom. A copy of the brief is available here.


    Sarah Howard
      Communications Director

    Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3)

     2333 Rayburn House Office Building
     Washington, DC 20515

     sarah.howard@mail.house.gov  •  (202) 225-3415