My Town Hall in Summerton, SC

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<p>Dear Friends:</p><p>I recently had the chance to hear directly from many of you when I kicked off my <strong>Town Hall Listening Series in Summerton, SC</strong>—and the conversation could not have been more important.</p> </div>
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<img alt="" class="attachment-large size-large wp-image-4503" height="358" src="https://clyburn.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/town_hall_cropped.jpg" width="640" /> </div>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/0R29H6-mYmM?t=855s" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank"><span>Click Here to Watch My Town Hall</span></a></p><p>Last month, we held our town hall at the Summerton Cultural Arts Center—located next to the old Summerton High School and just a few doors down from the former Scott’s Branch High School, which was involved in <strong><em>Briggs v. Elliott</em>, the first of the five cases that led to <em>Brown v. Board</em> of Education.</strong></p><p>I chose to hold the town hall in Clarendon County because, like in 1952 with <em>Briggs v. Elliott</em>, our country is once again at a crossroads: <strong>Will we choose inclusion and opportunity for all? Or exclusion and privilege for the few?</strong></p><p>We had candid and important conversations about issues that matter to everyday Americans—the impact of the proposed <a href="https://democrats-budget.house.gov/resources/report/republican-rip-republican-budget-betrays-middle-class#:~:text=Energy%20%26%20Commerce,%24880B" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" title="https://iqconnect.house.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SC06JC&amp;crop=15596QQQ12284985QQQ2955340QQQ7586422&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fdemocrats-budget.house.gov%2fresources%2freport%2frepublican-rip-republican-budget-betrays-middle-class%23%3a%7e%3atext%3dEnergy%2520%2526%2520Commerce%2c%2524880B&amp;redir_log=674815676177964">$880 billion in cuts that would have a direct impact to Medicaid</a> in the Republicans’ budget, the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-shutdown-b1d25a2e1bdcd24cfde8ad8b655b9843" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" title="https://iqconnect.house.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SC06JC&amp;crop=15596QQQ12284985QQQ2955340QQQ7586422&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fapnews.com%2farticle%2ftrump-education-department-shutdown-b1d25a2e1bdcd24cfde8ad8b655b9843&amp;redir_log=630066201168627">gutting of the Department of Education</a> and what that would mean for South Carolina teachers and students, and how renewing <a href="https://taxpolicycenter.org/taxvox/those-making-450000-and-would-get-nearly-half-benefit-extending-tcja" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" title="https://iqconnect.house.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SC06JC&amp;crop=15596QQQ12284985QQQ2955340QQQ7586422&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2ftaxpolicycenter.org%2ftaxvox%2fthose-making-450000-and-would-get-nearly-half-benefit-extending-tcja&amp;redir_log=379294047664711">Trump’s tax cuts would mostly benefit the wealthiest Americans.</a></p><p><strong>We also discussed how <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/12/us/south-carolina-manufacturing-tariffs.html" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" title="https://iqconnect.house.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SC06JC&amp;crop=15596QQQ12284985QQQ2955340QQQ7586422&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.nytimes.com%2f2025%2f04%2f12%2fus%2fsouth-carolina-manufacturing-tariffs.html&amp;redir_log=192028398429548">Trump’s tariffs will do serious harm to South Carolina’s economy.</a></strong></p><p>One thing was clear: people are <strong>deeply concerned about the direction President Trump is taking our country.</strong> In just over 100 days into his second term, it has become clear to me that his focus remains on helping the wealthy—people like himself—rather than supporting working families.</p><p><strong>These conversations matter a great deal to me. Your voices matter.</strong> And this town hall was a powerful reminder of the role the American people play in shaping our democracy.</p><p><strong>Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote</strong> in his Letter from the Birmingham Jail, “We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the <strong>appalling silence of the good people.” </strong> Good people must continue to <strong>stand up and speak out.</strong></p><p>If you weren’t able to attend, I hope you’ll take a moment <a href="http://youtube.com/live/0R29H6-mYmM?si=YH2aa3GNv1sjHn1n&amp;t=855" rel="noopener external noreferrer" target="_blank" title="https://iqconnect.house.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SC06JC&amp;crop=15596QQQ12284985QQQ2955340QQQ7586422&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.youtube.com%2flive%2f0R29H6-mYmM%3fsi%3dYH2aa3GNv1sjHn1n%26t%3d855&amp;redir_log=124705596342451">to watch the town hall.</a> <strong>Hearing directly from folks like you keeps me grounded and focused on the work ahead.</strong></p><p>Sincerely,</p><p>Jim</p> </div>
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