Blog
Return America’s Advocacy Is Making a Difference — Major Alcohol Provisions Removed, But Gambling Concerns Remain
by Dr. Mark Creech Director of Government Relations Return America Recently, Return America has been sounding the alarm about H.B. 921, the ABC & Gaming Omnibus Bill. That measure originally contained several troubling provisions that would have weakened North...
HB 921 Would Dramatically Expand Alcohol and Normalize Gambling in North Carolina
By Dr. Mark Creech Director of Government Relations Return America Some weeks at the General Assembly are more discouraging than others, and this was one of them. On Tuesday, I appeared before the House Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee to speak against House Bill...
Letter to NC House ABC Committee Members with Analysis of HB 921 – ABC & Gaming Omnibus Bill
Dear House ABC Committee Member, I am writing to respectfully share serious concerns about H.B. 921 – ABC & Gaming Omnibus Bill. Many of the measure’s provisions would substantially expand alcohol access, alcohol promotion, and the conditions that contribute to...
Lawmakers Take Aim at Social Media Harms to Minors
by Dr. Mark Creech Director of Government Relations Return America The North Carolina General Assembly’s Short Session is now fully underway. Bills from the previous 2025 Session that remained eligible because they passed one chamber are now being heard in the second...
Lawmakers Return to Raleigh: A Week of Signals and Substance
by Dr. Mark Creech Director of Government Relations Return America The North Carolina General Assembly returned to Raleigh last week to resume the people’s business. From the outset, it was clear that this session would be marked by urgency and uncertainty. With the...
Leadership or Surrender: The Marijuana Question
This article first appeared in the Charlotte Observer. The link is here: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/article315377742.html by Mark Creech A state advisory council appointed by Governor Josh Stein is urging North Carolina lawmakers to legalize...
Prepared to Lead: Answering the Case for Marijuana Legalization
by Dr. Mark Creech Director of Government Relations Return America As North Carolina approaches another legislative session, supporters of marijuana legalization are preparing an aggressive campaign to persuade lawmakers. Backed by a multibillion-dollar industry,...
The Dangerous Idea of the Ten Commandments in the Public Square
What a court ruling reveals about morality, history, and constitutional tradition. by Rev. Mark Creech RevMarkCreech.org A federal judge has ruled that a Ten Commandments monument must be removed from the Arkansas State Capitol grounds because it is, in the court’s...
We Cannot Build a Culture of Life on a Foundation of Vice
by Dr. Mark Creech Director of Government Relations Return America There is a familiar argument often heard in conservative and Christian public policy circles: some issues matter more than others. We are told that as long as progress is made on issues like life,...
When Gambling Expands, Something Good Declines
By Dr. Mark Creech Director of Government Relations Return America Senate President Pro-Tempore Phil Berger is widely regarded as one of the finest legislative leaders North Carolina has ever known. For years, he has provided steady and principled leadership, helping...