LAURINBURG — Laurinburg City Hall is now the home to one of two of Congressman Mark Harris’ district offices in North Carolina.
Harris is the Republican United States House representative for North Carolina’s 8th congressional district which in addition to Scotland encompasses all of Anson, Montgomery, Richmond, Stanly and Union counties as well as portions of Cabarrus, Mecklenburg and Robeson counties.
He and officials representing Scotland County and the region celebrated the office’s opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held Thursday on the building’s second floor, where the office is located.
“At the end of the day, we do want to be able to serve the constituents that make up the 8th District,” Harris said.
When considering where to place the district offices, Harris said he told his staff early on that he wanted to place them in locations where they could serve the maximum number of constituents in the most convenient way for them. Harris has an office on the western side of the 8th district in Monroe, which is the former office of Congressman Dan Bishop.
“We decided that we were wanting to do a second office in the eastern part of the district and when you looked at a map there was no question that Laurinburg would be a perfect location to be able to serve,” Harris said. “The folks from Robeson County, Scotland County, Richmond County and Montgomery County would have very easy access to get here to this location when they would have needs.”
Laurinburg Mayor Jim Willis thanked Congressman Harris for putting his office within “easy reach” of Laurinburg’s citizens, housed in the Laurinburg City Hall.
“Some of you may know there was quite a bit of controversy surrounding erecting this place but I promise you it was much needed and we thoroughly enjoyed it and we’re very proud of it,” Willis said.
The Laurinburg mayor said that the office will serve as a “bridge between Washington and our citizens.”
“Having a congressman staffer in our building ensures that our residents have access to the resources and the support they need at the federal level, whether it helps with veterans services, Social Security, immigration matters or small businesses assistance or many other things,” Willis said.
Scotland County Board of Commissioners Chairman Tim Ivey said having Harris’ office in Scotland County is a “huge” benefit to the area.
“We’ve never had a congressman base here that anybody can remember … I think this is monumental for our county and region and the entire district,” Ivey said.
Scotland County Commissioner Bo Frizzell spoke more to the human side of Harris.
“I first met Mark probably around 2000 and I was like ‘Who is this guy?’ I heard him speak and I was like ‘Man, this guy got something going on here,’” Frizzell said. “I’ve grown to really, really consider Mark as a great friend… I’ve never met a more godly man in my life and I think he’s going to represent us well.”
The office will be run by Abigail Blue, who serves as the Constituent Services representative for Harris.
“She has become a known entity in this part of the state and so I’m very honored to have her on the staff working with all of the team,” Harris said.
“Abigail is going to be a huge asset. She knows this area. She knows the people,” Ivey said.
During his remarks, Harris boasted accomplishments thus far and noted what he will prioritize on Capitol Hill.
“It’s no secret that when the American people sent Donald Trump back in the Whitehouse, they sent a majority of my party to the United States House and to the United States Senate,” Harris said. “We were all sent to Washington quite frankly to do government differently, to change course from business as usual.”
Harris said one way he delivered for the district is by introducing the Lumbee Fairness Act with Rep. David Rouzer, who is cosponsor on the bill.
“That bill extends federal recognition to the Lumbee people who have been denied this recognition for well over a century despite being the largest tribe East of the Mississippi and ninth largest in the entire nation,” Harris said.
In January, President Trump signed a memorandum directing the Secretary of the Interior to review all “applicable authorities” with leadership from the Lumbee Tribe and submit a plan within the next 90 days for a path forward to federal recognition.
Harris said he would also place focus on federal agencies.
“I’m not only here to vote for and introduce bills in Congress, but I’m here as I said on behalf of this district to advocate for you when it comes to navigating the waters of these federal agencies,” Harris said. “For far too long ladies and gentlemen and you know this is true the bureaucracy of our federal government has been overlooking the needs of real people. Our federal government has been growing more and more complacent with every passing year. That’s the truth.”