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. 

Voting Against the Expensive and Pro-Ukraine National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) 

This morning, I voted against the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA is legislation that is supposed to set policy and authorize appropriations for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and the national security programs at the U.S. Department of Energy for the fiscal year.

I introduced six amendments to this year’s NDAA and the three below passed. However, these changes were not enough for me to vote for this enormous bill.

Amendment 365 - This amendment requires the Department of Defense to perform an audit. If it fails to produce a clean audit, funding for the Department is reduced by 0.5 percent, which is directed to deficit reduction. 

Amendment 367 - This amendment expresses a sense of Congress about the importance of the U.S. - Israel relationship and the need to continue offering security assistance and related support. 

Amendment 373 - This amendment requires the Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, and United States Agency for International Development to submit to Congress a report on agreements made by the United States with the Taliban. 

Amid record inflation and economic turmoil, my colleagues passed legislation that authorized $886.3 billion, which is about $23 billion more than last year’s total. Additionally, this year’s NDAA extends and modifies the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) and authorizes $300 million for it in FY24. I cannot support more military aid to Ukraine as it only pushes the United States further into another war and deviates us from peaceful solutions.

Though my Republican colleagues eliminated diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and staff, and prohibited the Secretary of Defense from paying for or reimbursing expenses relating to abortion services, the bill as a whole did not go far enough. 

Click the image below to hear more about why I voted no:

House Judiciary Committee Activity

The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing titled “Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.” My colleagues and I had the opportunity to question FBI Director Christopher Wray on the FBI’s rogue behavior.

Wray’s FBI helped manufacture the Trump-Russia collusion, raided President Trump’s private residence, and abused their authority to unlawfully spy on hundreds of thousands of law-abiding Americans. Wray’s FBI has also stonewalled investigations into the Biden family’s shady business deals. 

In this hearing, I had the opportunity to ask Director Wray if there were any FBI undercover agents in or around the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. He claimed he didn’t know. 

The FBI has become too politicized and deviated too far from its mission. We cannot allow its abuses to go unchecked. Bringing Wray in for questioning was the first step in restoring integrity within the agency. I am also supportive of utilizing the Holman Rule to remove bad FBI actors and defunding the agency in appropriations bills. 

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

The House Judiciary Committee also held a hearing titled “Oversight of the Federal Trade Commission.”

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan is overseeing the implementation of woke policies in our antitrust policies. Yet, she could not tell me a single statute that permits these types of protocols.

The woke policies—including race and equity criteria—are negatively affecting mergers and American business practices. 

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

I chaired the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance hearing titled “Fixing FISA, Part II.” 

For years, the FBI has abused the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) by conducting hundreds of thousands of unlawful searches on innocent Americans. FISA 702 authorizes the government to intercept electronic communications of non-U.S. persons who are located outside of the United States. But these collections often return information related to American citizens, and reports show that information is often inappropriately and unconstitutionally used by federal intelligence agencies. 

I have long called for a full repeal of FISA.  I have introduced the Fourth Amendment Restoration Act—legislation that fully repeals FISA, prohibits warrantless surveillance of Americans, and holds accountable any federal official who violates the law—to help prevent this misconduct.

Actors within the FBI and other similar federal agencies who continue to conduct unlawful and unconstitutional surveillance of Americans will be held accountable.

Click the image below to watch some of my remarks during the hearing:

House Oversight and Accountability Committee Activity

The House Oversight Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs and the House Oversight Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce held a joint hearing titled “Beyond the Budget: Addressing Financial Accountability in the Department of Defense.” 

Last November, the Pentagon failed its 5th consecutive audit, and was unable to account for 61% of its nearly $3.5 trillion in assets. 

Clean audits are necessary for the Department of Defense (DOD) to maintain public trust, ensure accountability, and improve DOD operations and military readiness. 

My colleagues and I discussed with officials from the (DOD) and the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) the causes of widespread financial mismanagement currently occurring at the DOD. We called for fiscal accountability and information on why current system controls designed to safeguard funds are failing, and what actions DOD is implementing to rein in the rampant waste, fraud, and abuse.

The DOD must get their financial house in order and institute proper controls and oversight to prevent the waste of taxpayer dollars. 

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

Legislation and Letters

NDAA Amendments Sponsored:

• PASSED: Biggs Amendment 365 requiring the Department of Defense to submit to a full audit, and reducing funding if DOD cannot pass the audit. 
• PASSED: Biggs Amendment 367 expressing the sense of Congress of the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship, and the need to continue offering security assistance and related support. 
• PASSED: Biggs Amendment 373 requiring the Department of Defense, the Department of State, and the U.S. Agency for International Development to submit a report to Congress on agreements made with the Taliban. 
• Biggs Amendment 375 exempting the Department of Defense from requirements of the Endangered Species Act. 
• Biggs Amendment 369 terminating the designation of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan as a Major Non-NATO Ally. 
• Biggs Amendment 371 prohibiting federal funds from supporting NATO until the Secretary of Defense certified to Congress that each member country of NATO upheld their commitment by spending 2 percent of their GDP on defense activities.

Bills Cosponsored:

• H.R. 4496 - District of Columbia Voter List Maintenance Act
• H.Res. 577 - Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that authorities under section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 should be allowed to expire.
• H.R. 4595 - National Education Association Charter Repeal Act
• H.R. 4615 - National Emergency Expenditure Reporting Transparency Act

Letters Led:

• N/A

• Letter to HHS regarding DACA Healthcare
• Letter to President Biden regarding Support for Israel

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 Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade to express my concerns over the Secret Service not finding the cocaine culprit in the Biden White House as well as ‘Climate Czar’ John Kerry’s usage of private jets. Click below to watch some of the segment. 

I joined Fox Business’ Dagen McDowell and Brian Brenberg to reveal how Congress can reform the corrupt FBI. Click below to watch some of the segment. 

I joined War Room’s Steve Bannon to discuss the importance of investigating the FBI and how more whistleblowers need to come to Congress. Click below to watch some of the segment. 

What's the Biggs Idea? Podcast w/ RAV's Ben Bergquam

This week, Ben Bergquam with Real America’s Voice (RAV) joined the What’s the Biggs Idea? podcast to provide an update on Biden’s border crisis. He is also the host of “Law & Border “ on RAV News and the Founder of Frontline America. 

Ben is often reporting on illegal alien groups at our southern border and uncovers stories that most journalists refuse to cover. 

We’ll be posting more episodes soon. Check out our social media pages for updates. 

Click the image below to watch 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.