Notes from Mike's Desk from the Week of May 15 – 19, 2023

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IN THE HOUSE

On Tuesday, I chaired a Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee hearing revisiting implications of the Freedom to Access Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. Under the misguided leadership of Merrick Garland, the FACE Act has been stripped of its intent and used as a tool to both simultaneously prosecute pro-life individuals and shield those who carry out attacks on pro-life advocates and facilities.

We highlighted the urgent need for equal enforcement of the law to protect pregnancy resource centers, churches, and pro-life advocates. We also shared the stories of Mark Houck and Eva Edl – both of whom were threatened and arrested by the FBI for exercising their rights under the First Amendment. Click below to watch my opening statement:

Yesterday, our Weaponization Committee held a hearing examining the FBI’s retaliation against whistleblowers within the Bureau. We heard directly from multiple officers who were retaliated against for speaking out against the Bureau, and their testimony was chilling. The horrendous treatment that we highlighted yesterday is disgusting, and we will do everything in our power to fix this problem. Click the photo below to watch our exchange:

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

I hosted a group of members on the House floor Wednesday night to speak directly to the American people about the need for President Biden to avoid a catastrophic default on our nation’s debt while growing the economy and reducing our national debt.

I hosted a group of members on the House floor Wednesday night to speak directly to the American people about the need for President Biden to avoid a catastrophic default on our nation’s debt while growing the economy and reducing our national debt.

My colleagues also gathered to celebrate National Police Week and discuss our efforts to back the men and women who keep our communities safe. Amid threats of defunding and demonization from Democrats, support for these officers is critical. Watch my remarks here:

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

When President Joe Biden was Vice President he said “we’ve got to make some real progress” on the national debt. The debt was $14 trillion then. Today, it’s more than double that and the President decided to travel to Japan instead of personally coming to the table to negotiate in good faith with Republicans to avoid a default.

I wrote an op-ed in the Sunday edition of the Shreveport Times laying out the arguments for our position on the debt ceiling and highlighting the many merits of House Republicans’ Limit, Save, Grow Act. Read here.

Following our Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing on the FACE Act, I joined Harris Faulkner on Fox News with Mark Houck – the father of 7 whose door was beaten down by FBI agents for alleged FACE Act violations. Mr. Houck’s story is truly chilling, and I am fortunate Fox gave him the opportunity to share it with a wider audience.

LAGNIAPPE

Tomorrow, I will be honored to serve as the commencement speaker at Louisiana Tech University’s graduation. My dear friend and colleague, Congresswoman Julia Letlow, will deliver a separate address earlier in the morning. I look forward to speaking with these bright young graduates and we will share my remarks on social media this weekend, so be on the lookout for that.

Thank you again for subscribing and reading. We’ll have more next week!

For freedom,