The American Legion is the nation’s largest veterans’ service organization with 2.6 million members in 14,000 posts worldwide.

Congressman McIntyre stated, “I am honored to be recognized by the American Legion, and I stand with them in working for a strong national security and devotion to our servicemembers and veterans.”

Ben Lee, former Legion Commander of Calabash, North Carolina, presented the award to the Congressman on behalf of the American Legion.

Congressman McIntyre stated, “The challenges facing our region and nation will require dedication and determination to make sure our best days are ahead. I am excited about the opportunity to keep fighting for our families and our future and to keep helping southeastern North Carolina continue to be a great place in which to live.”

McIntyre stated that he will focus on:

• Job creation and small business
• Strengthening economic development
• Strong national defense
• Affordable and accessible health care
• Sound agricultural policy
• Benefits for veterans, military retirees and senior citizens
• Quality schools and affordable higher education
• Beach renourishment and funding for our inlets and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway

McIntyre serves in senior positions on both the House Agriculture and Armed Services Committees. He is Chairman of the Subcommittee on Rural Development and is Vice-Chairman of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Terrorism. McIntyre is also a Senior Whip, has served on the U.S. Naval Academy Board, and is a senior member of the U.S. Commission on Cooperation and Security in Europe.

In addition, McIntyre co-chairs the Special Operations Forces Caucus, the Task Force on Fatherhood, the Congressional Waterways Caucus, the Congressional Caucus on Youth Sports and has chaired a Task Force on Business and Technology.

He has won the top award in Congress over the last few years in several areas, including:

• National Legislator of the Year in recognition of his advocacy and legislative accomplishments for veterans
• All American Hero Award – Legislator of the Year – also for his work on behalf of veterans
• The Admiral’s Circle Award for his work on coastal issues
• The National Leadership Award for his work on economic development
• The “MVP” Award for his leadership on senior citizens’ issues
• The National Rural Health Legislative Award for his work on affordable health care
• The “Legislator of the Year” Award for his leadership on agricultural issues
• Medal of Merit Award from the National Guard Association for his leadership on national defense
• The Christian Statesman of the Year Award

Congressman McIntyre also received the first-ever International Public Policy Award for his efforts on workforce development and job training initiatives.

He and his wife Dee live in their hometown of Lumberton. Their two sons, Joshua and Stephen, both won scholarships to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as undergraduates. Joshua is currently a student at the UNC School of Law, and Stephen is practicing law in Wilmington. Joshua and his wife, Caroline, live in the Chapel Hill area.

MCNC owns and operates the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN) to bring high-speed, broadband Internet to our state’s schools, universities, and community-anchor institutions.

Congressman McIntyre stated, “What an incredible victory this is for the citizens of North Carolina! I am grateful that our work over the last year will ensure that dedicated money is available for broadband expansion and improvement in this country. Now, North Carolinians are going to see their tax dollars come home to work for them. Broadband can be the great equalizer in business, education, and healthcare. I commend MCNC for putting forward such a strong application. ”

The $28.2 million infrastructure grant will be matched with an additional $11.7 million in funds and in-kind contributions to build a 494-mile middle-mile broadband network. This network will build new rings in the western and eastern regions of the station, which will connect to 685 miles of existing infrastructure in the urbanized central region, expanding the reach of NCREN. In southeastern North Carolina, MCNC infrastructure will serve the citizens of Bladen, Columbus, Cumberland, New Hanover, and Pender counties.

Mike Murphy, Chairman of the MCNC Board of Directors stated, “We were very pleased to learn of the BTOP award to MCNC. The 480 miles of new fiber throughout the western and southeastern part of North Carolina will ensure that our K-12 schools, universities, community colleges, university hospitals and other community anchor institutions (libraries, public health) will have access to unlimited amounts of bandwidth now and into the future. All North Carolinians will benefit from the public/private partnership that created this application.”

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has awarded this funding as part of the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Congressman McIntyre is Chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development.

Smith’s duties will include coordination of outreach activities, volunteers and campaign strategies throughout the Seventh Congressional District.

Smith is director of the Columbus County Economic Development Commission and previously worked in an economic development role at the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce. He is pursuing his Masters of Public Administration from UNC Wilmington.

“Job creation is at the forefront of Congressman McIntyre’s agenda, and I share in his vision,” Smith said. “The campaign position will allow me to expand my work throughout the region, and I am excited about the challenges ahead.”

Congressman McIntyre is Chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development. He authored legislation for the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, which has passed Congress and become law. The new commission will target resources to projects on a county-by-county level to fight unemployment and poverty.

Congressman McIntyre stated, “We need to enforce the laws of the land, and make sure that illegal immigrants do not fraudently get a job.  The SAVE Act would help employers, help those who are searching for employment, and help reduce illegal immigration – a win-win-win for all.”
The SAVE Act would require companies to use E-Verify, a government program for employers to use to ensure their new hires have the legal right to work in the U.S. Currently, more than 100,000 employers voluntarily use E-Verify, but the SAVE Act requires all companies to use the program within the next four years or face penalties.
This bill focuses on companies that knowingly hire illegal workers. Employers who use E-Verify legitimately will not be held liable for inadvertently hiring workers who use fraudulent documents when seeking work.
 
According to an independent analysis, nearly 97 percent of all workers screened through E-Verify have been approved within 24 hours.  While a small percentage of legal workers will receive what is known as a “tentative non-confirmation” due to errors in their personal information, E-Verify gives these individuals ample opportunity to correct their information with the Social Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security databases, on which the program relies.

“As Chairman of the Agricultural Subcommittee that oversees rural economic development and as Vice-Chairman of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Terrorism that oversees our special operations forces worldwide, I am grateful for the opportunity to exert even greater advocacy and more positive influence on behalf of both our area’s citizens and the country as a whole.”

McIntyre has won the top honors in Congress for:

· National Legislator of the Year for his work on behalf of veterans (2008);

· National Legislator of the Year in agriculture (2007);

· National Leadership Award in economic development (2007);

· Admiral Circle’s Award for leadership on coastal concerns (2005);

· “MVP” Award for his work on behalf of senior citizens (2004);

· National Legislative Award twice for rural health care (2000 & 2003);

· Medal of Merit Award from the National Guard for national defense (2000).

McIntyre also won the first-ever International Award in Public Policy for jobs and workforce development in 2001.

In additional to his leadership responsibilities as a Senior Whip and as a member of the Majority Leader’s Advisory Council, McIntyre is a senior commissioner on the U.S. Commission on Cooperation and Security in Europe.

“I deeply appreciate the confidence and encouragement from many who have asked me to consider the U.S. Senate race. With the leadership positions I currently hold in the U.S. House, there is a greater opportunity to capitalize on these to benefit our constituents and the citizens of North Carolina.”

“From jobs and economic development to improved education and health care; from strengthening agriculture to strengthening our national defense; from helping our seniors and veterans to increasing opportunities for our children – fighting for our families and our future will continue to be my commitment.”

McIntyre is founder and Co-Chairman of both the Congressional Waterways Caucus and the Congressional Caucus on Youth Sports. He is also Co-Chairman of the Special Operations Forces Caucus and has served on the U.S. Naval Academy Advisory Board.

Many valuable STEM education programs already exist at various federal agencies and have the potential to play an important role in sharing knowledge and passion for science, technology, engineering and math with students, teachers, and the general public.  This common-sense legislation will simply coordinate the STEM activities of federal agencies to make the most effective use of the federal investment in STEM education. It will provide a forum for the federal agencies involved in STEM education activities to work together to increase the awareness of these programs among teachers and to evaluate these programs.

As a member of the STEM Education Caucus, Rep. McIntyre understands the necessity of providing our students with a strong science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education in order to adequately equip them to compete in the global economy.  This legislation goes a long way towards ensuring that the rich science and technology resources at federal research agencies are used effectively to help our students better prepare for the jobs of the 21st century.