As the weather changes and Spring approaches, the same problems unfortunately continue to plague our Nation. Inflation remains too high, the border continues to see record-numbers of illegal crossings and the amount of fentanyl seized. Additionally, there is a lack of leadership coming from the Oval Office and our Nation is perceived weaker around the globe because of it. I am continuing the fight to protect American families and enforce our immigration laws by helping to pass the Laken Riley Act, which will ensure illegal immigrants are detained when they are arrested for committing certain crimes.
As reckless spending policies continue to wreak havoc on our economy, driving inflation that hikes up costs for hardworking families, I voted against the omnibus bill that will spend more than last year’s Pelosi-Biden levels without achieving any commensurate policy reforms. Finally, I had the opportunity to recognize Major Frank T. Brandon on the House floor for his 104th birthday.
The battle to rein in Biden’s out-of-control bureaucracy, fix Biden’s border crisis and restore fiscal sanity continues to be a top priority, and I will continue to fight for the people of Virginia’s Sixth District.
Biden’s State of the Union Address
President Biden’s State of the Union address last week highlighted how out of touch he is with the reality facing Americans. Since Biden took office, we’ve seen crippling gas prices, out of control illegal immigration, soaring inflation, and national insecurity. Yet the topics he focused on first in his address were more aid to Ukraine and attacking the Supreme Court Justices to their faces for their decision to reverse Roe v. Wade and return abortion decisions to the states nearly two years ago.
The crisis at our southern border, with over eight million illegal crossings on his watch, has extended far and wide, affecting countless American families. Biden’s inaction has only exacerbated this issue, with secret relocations of illegal immigrants to cities across the country. The Democrats’ fiscal irresponsibility has spurred rampant inflation, drastically affecting our citizens’ daily lives and making essentials unattainable. Energy independence has also been compromised, with green energy mandates and reliance on foreign oil financing conflicts abroad. Internationally, our prestige has suffered, marked by the botched Afghanistan withdrawal and weak responses to global adversaries. Biden has yet to realize that there is only one way to secure peace which is through strength.
Last week’s address by President Biden was divisive and lacked honesty about his Administration’s role in causing the problems we are facing. The American people are acutely aware that their money isn’t stretching as far as it used to, and their communities are less secure than just three years ago. The government’s role is to create conditions for American prosperity, not hinder their ability to thrive. I am committed to standing with the American people and working with my fellow Republicans to steer our nation back toward prosperity.
Passing The Laken Riley Act
In our ongoing commitment to protect American families and uphold the rule of law, House Republicans passed the Laken Riley Act. This pivotal legislation is named in solemn honor of Laken Hope Riley, whose life was brought to a tragic end by the heinous act of a 26-year-old illegal immigrant. This bill ensures that any illegal immigrant who commits a theft offense—as was the case with the individual accused of taking Laken Riley’s life—will be a priority for arrest and detention by ICE until their removal from our nation.
The harsh reality is that the Biden administration’s failing open-border policies have turned every American community into a border community, leaving a wake of destruction and grief. The President has the authority to put an end to this, but his refusal to do so is astounding and unacceptable. Biden repeatedly says Congress needs to act. House Republicans have acted by passing H.R. 2, the strongest border bill in history, but the Senate and Biden have refused to take it up.
Our borders cannot remain open, our laws must not be ignored, and no more lives should be lost due to policy failure. House Republicans will continue to put Americans first and fight to enact serious policy changes to stop the chaos at the border.
Fighting For Fiscal Responsibility in Washington
At the beginning of this Congress, House Republicans said they would slash unnecessary government spending and halt the Biden administration’s destructive policies that threaten the livelihoods of Americans. Last week’s spending bill was a missed opportunity to reduce spending and instead kicked the can down the road for restoring fiscal accountability to our nation. For these reasons, I voted no on the bill.
The legislation also failed to use the power of the purse to address key policies needed to protect American values and security. It does nothing about President Biden’s weak approach to immigration—no action on sanctuary cities or quick asylum approvals by the DOJ. It fails to address the President’s misguided push for electric vehicles, the ATF’s unconstitutional regulation of firearms, and policies that spread divisive ideologies like Critical Race Theory across our government.
These failures set a dangerous precedent for upcoming spending bills, especially with the upcoming next Minibus deadline on March 22nd. We cannot keep funding the status quo. I won’t support policies that let down our citizens and undermine our national security.
Recognizing Major Frank T. Brandon’s 104th Birthday
Congratulations to Major Frank T. Brandon on his 104th birthday last week. I was pleased to recognize him on the House floor and celebrate this remarkable milestone. I salute Major Brandon not only for his wartime sacrifices, but also for his long life service to our Commonwealth and country.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your Congressman. If my office can ever be of assistance, please contact my Washington office at (202) 225-5431.
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