The Week in Review 

Happy Friday!

I hope you had a wonderful week. I am grateful to serve you all in the 118th Congress. Read below to see what I’ve been working on this week. 

TOMORROW: Drop Zone 2023  

My annual Drop Zone event is tomorrow! Drop Zone 2023 will occur tomorrow, Saturday, May 13, from 10am to 2pm at the American Leadership Academy, Applied Technologies Campus, located at 7729 East Pecos Road, Mesa, AZ 85212.

Drop Zone is the one-stop event for all veterans. You’ll be able to access health screenings, taxpayer advocates services, community support groups, and much more. 

We hope to see you there! 

Initiative of the Week: The Secure The Border Act of 2023 

With the Biden Administration terminating the Title 42 public health order at the southern border—an order that has quickly expelled hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens during the COVID-19 outbreak—it is imperative to address the anticipated surge of illegal aliens expected to take advantage of the policy change. 

H.R. 2, the Secure The Border Act of 2023, passed in the House last night and helps us get closer to securing the southern border and restoring integrity in our immigration system. It is the most comprehensive immigration package I have seen while serving in Congress. It specifically:

1. Resumes border wall construction

2. Restores asylum integrity 

3. Ends catch and release

4. Unites families at the border

5. Protects jobs for American workers

6. Adds border personnel 

7. Increases penalties for visa overstayers 

I voted for this key piece of legislation and I urge my colleagues in the Senate to move it forward. Click the image below to see some of my remarks from the House Floor supporting the legislation:

Reintroducing Bill to Grant Veterans More Health Care Options

I, along with Congressman Matt Rosendale (R-MT), and Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), reintroduced the Veterans Health Care Freedom Act. This legislation grants veterans the option of seeking non-VA health care providers in their communities by removing the VA out of the community care referral process. Specifically, this allows veterans to access primary, specialty, and mental health care in the private sector and outside of their corresponding Veterans Integrated Service Networks. It additionally requires the VA to provide veterans with information about eligibility, cost sharing, treatment options, and providers so that veterans are able to make informed decisions. This proposed model mirrors the United States’ Urgent Care system and is largely based on recommendations from a congressionally appointed commission.

Our nation’s veterans make many sacrifices in their fight to protect our freedoms and we must uphold the promise we made to provide them quality health care. Often, veterans experience significant delays and unnecessary bureaucracy when seeking care through the VA health care system. My bill frees them of those challenges, opening access to community health care options to those who need and want them. I will always have our veterans’ backs and urge my colleagues to move this legislation forward. 

The legislation may be read here.

House Judiciary Committee Activity

The House Judiciary Committee held a committee markup that mainly focused on items related to National Police Week. We marked up and passed the following legislation out of committee: 

H.R. 2494, the Protect Our Law enforcement with Immigration Control and Enforcement (POLICE) Act of 2023;

H. Res. 363, Expressing support for recognizing “National Police Week”;

H.R. 3091, the Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act;

H. Con. Res. 40, Expressing support for local law enforcement officers and condemning efforts to defund or dismantle local law enforcement agencies;

H.R. 288, the Separation of Powers Restoration Act or “SOPRA”; and

H.R. 3089, “NDO Fairness Act.”

House Oversight & Accountability Committee Activity 

The House Oversight & Accountability Committee held a hearing titled ESG Part I: An Examination of Environmental, Social, and Governance Practices with Attorneys General.

ESG is a woke political agenda that is infiltrating American business. ESG priorities are being used by activist shareholders to push a radical, far-left ideology, demanding that companies reduce energy production companies, cut off business relationships with firearms stores and manufacturers, and conduct divisive DEI audits of their workforce. These actions come at the expense of company profitability, and ultimately, at the expense of Arizona retirees and pensioners.  

State Attorneys General have been on the front lines fighting woke corporate leaders and the Biden Administration, who are pushing for ESG priorities at the expense of our constitutional rights, and economic, energy, and national security needs of the United States. That’s wrong and my colleagues and I will continue to find legislative solutions to block this heinous practice from continuing. 

Click the image below to see some of my remarks from the hearing: 

The House Oversight & Accountability Committee held a press conference to unveil more information relating to the Biden Family’s shady business schemes. We pointed to financial records tracing at least $10 million from foreign nationals and related companies to the Biden family, their associates, and their companies.

The Bidens took steps to hide payments they received from foreign nationals, including from China and Romania. 

Click the image below to see my remarks from the press conference:

Community Outreach 

I hosted my annual Military Service Academy Conference along with Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ) and had a wonderful time speaking to constituents about the military academy application process.

We had a great turnout and many students were interested in joining our armed forces. These individuals make our future look bright. We could definitely use them now as the Biden Administration unfortunately puts us closer to global conflict. 

My office attended a ribbon cutting to celebrate the success of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter 8 in helping veterans who have fallen on hard times. Their work is crucial to East Valley veterans and I applaud the work of DAV Commander Dr. Carl Forkner, Mesa Chamber CEO Sally Harrison, and Mesa City Council Member Mark Freeman. 

Passport Tips from Congressman Biggs 

Planning international travel this spring or summer? Don’t wait to update your passport! The U.S. State Department currently takes 8-11 weeks to process passport applications and recommends you submit your application 4 to 6 months before your travel date. Check out these useful passport tips below. There are several small details that you may not know of! 

For additional assistance with your passport application, call my Mesa office at 480-699-8239.

General Passport Tips
Passport Fees
Passport Process
Child Passport
Child Passport II

Legislation

Legislation cosponsored: 

H.Res.396 In honor of mothers, recognizing the significance of motherhood and the impact mothers have on raising the next generation, on the occasion of Mother's Day.

H.J.Res.61 Congressional Review Act to overturn President Biden’s Rescission of a Trump Administration Labor Rule to protect Religious organizations.

H.R.3269 Law Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act.

H.R.3206 Members of Congress Pension Opt Out Clarification Act.

H.R.3142 Stand Your Ground Act. 

H.R.3109 AIR Act. 

H.R.3102 TSA Act. 

H.R.3101 TPA Act. 

H.R.3091 Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act. 

H.R.2991 TEACH Act of 2023. 

H.Con.Res.40 - Expressing support for local law enforcement officers and condemning efforts to defund or dismantle local law enforcement agencies.

Alien Invasion Border Documentary 

Check out my border documentary titled Alien Invasion. The 30-minute documentary features footage from private ranches along the border, the Darien Gap in Panama, and interviews with members of Congress, Border Patrol, local and state law enforcement, and much more. It addresses how President Biden’s border crisis began, its consequences, and solutions to address the crisis.  

The border documentary may be watched here.

Top Media Appearances of the Week

I joined Congressman Matt Gaetz’s Firebrand podcast to provide insight on the state of our southern border, Hunter Biden, and our nation’s debt ceiling fight. Click the image below to watch some of the segment.

I joined Real America’s Grant Stinchfield to explain the Biden Family’s ties to foreign entities and how at least 9 family members have had payments wired to them. Click the image below to watch some of the segment. 

I joined CSPAN’s Greta Brawner to discuss the implications of the termination of Title 42 at the southern border and the current state of the border under President Biden. Click the image below to watch some of the segment. 

What’s the Biggs Idea Podcast w/ National Border Patrol Council's Art Del Cueto 

National Border Patrol Council spokesperson and friend Art Del Cueto joined me today on my What’s the Biggs Idea? podcast. Art has been with the Border Patrol since 2003 and has served as an elected official for the National Border Patrol Council for the last ten years. He also serves as President of Local 2544 in the Tucson, Arizona sector. We discussed the state of the border after the Title 42 public health order was lifted last night. We’ll be posting more episodes soon. Check out our social media pages for updates.

Click below to view the podcast. Or visit my website to watch previous episodes..

Tweet of the Week

Constituent Services 

Flags
Would you like to purchase a flag that has been flown over the U.S. Capitol? Flags flown over the Capitol include a certificate, which may be personalized for a particular person, event, or organization. Click here to learn more about purchasing a flag.

Internships
If you or someone you know is interested in completing an internship in either my Mesa or Washington, D.C. office, they can apply directly on my website. 

Help With a Federal Agency 
If you can’t get an answer from a federal agency in a timely fashion, or if you feel you have been treated unfairly, my office may be able to help resolve a problem or get you the information you need. For example, my office routinely helps constituents with issues involving the Veterans Administration, the IRS, the Social Security Administration, the State Department, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.  You can learn more by visiting my website.

Click here to find out more information about my office’s services. 

Tours and Tickets

Interested in touring the White House or U.S. Capitol? As constituents of the Fifth Congressional District, you may request tickets and tours for various Washington D.C. destinations from my office. 

All tickets are provided to constituents on a first-come, first-served basis, so request tickets early.

Click here for more information.