NC Sen. Burr passes three bills in one week

Last week, North Carolina Senator Richard Burr had three of his bills passed by the U.S. Senate, one being passed by a unanimous vote. State and National news editor Cole Stanley provides an analysis of each bill.

Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crimes Reauthorization Act

This bill reauthorizes Congress to fund a program, initially created by a bill authored by Congressman John Lewis, D-Georgia, in 2008, which provides funds to states aimed at investigating open cases involving civil rights crimes during the Jim Crow era.

Along with providing grants to states and agencies to aid in this type of investigation, the bill would appoint a special agent to the FBI who will investigate violations of criminal civil rights statutes that occurred before January 1, 1970 and resulted in a death.

“In some cases, individuals still remain who were witnesses to these crimes or who can help provide evidence regarding these incidents,” said Burr in a statement.

“There is a collective goal to seek the truth about these long-standing tragedies and hold the perpetrators and orchestrators of these atrocities accountable.”

The bill passed unanimously in the Senate and is awaiting a vote in the House in the near future.

The bill has also been praised by numerous civil rights organizations, who say that it makes clear that the U.S. Congress takes the conflict over racial issues in the country seriously.

Kevin and Avonte’s Law

This bill was co-sponsored with N.C. Senator Thom Tillis and provides resources to help families locate loved ones with conditions that make them prone to wander, such as Alzheimer’s disease or autism.

“There have been too many tragic cases of special needs children and adults wandering away from their caregivers with heartbreaking results,” said Burr in a statement.

“We need to take additional steps to protect these vulnerable individuals. Law enforcement and families need better tools to locate those with special needs when they are in danger.”

With research indicating that each year more than one-quarter million school-age children with autism wander from adult supervision, such a law goes a long way to prevent wandering tragedies.

This legislation will ensure that schools, nonprofits and other agencies have the necessary funding and resources to not only prevent but also quickly locate missing loved ones.

VA Dental Insurance Reauthorization Act

This bill will reauthorize the funding of legislation, originally authored by Sen. Burr in 2010, which established new rules regarding VA dental care, making access easier and wider reaching.

“Making sure veterans have dental care is the right thing to do,” said Burr, “The veterans’ dental insurance pilot program has a track record of success and it is time to open it up to all veterans. Medical professionals have long known that proper dental care is linked to better overall health. I am pleased the Senate has recognized the value of this dental benefit for veterans and has passed my bill.”

The bill would limit the insurance premiums paid by veterans when receiving treatment.

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