From Staff Reports 

HENDERSONVILLE — Contrary to the assertions of some of his critics, U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-Flat Rock, said his recent speech to the Rotary featured “facts, not political opinion,” the Asheville Citizen Times reported on May 19.

Edwards spoke at the annual Rotary District Conference for District 7670 at 6 p.m. May 10 at the Embassy Suites in downtown Asheville.

The ACT noted that “the theme of the conference was ‘Peace in Motion.’”

Among his remarks at the event, Edwards said told the ACT that he spoke about “recovery efforts in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene, his bipartisan work in Congress that’s ‘rarely reported,’ and recent tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.”

He also told the newspaper, “Since the issue of tariffs is one of the most frequent questions asked of my office, I called attention to the facts that our Constitution offers that authority to Congress, but Congresses of the past have relegated that authority to the president, and that my preference would be that Congress would retain that authority.”

The ACT added: “Edwards, who has faced intense backlash in response to actions taken by the Trump Administration, said that he spoke about trade deficits between the U.S. and its trading partners. 

“He said he also discussed foreign assistance programs recently cut by the Trump administration that he knows ‘Rotarians would prefer to continue because they align with our primary causes, and I spoke about what I’m doing to get those programs restored.’

“‘My remarks were about conveying the facts, not political opinion,’ Edwards said. ‘Never did I condemn or condone any political party, person or action.

“‘I’m most concerned that as a society we resist having factual dialogue. If we’re to survive as a nation, we must all learn to share and to listen to one another.’”