Dear Friend,

 

As the beginning of August brings back-to-school shopping and high temperatures, I hope you have had a wonderful summer so far. Unfortunately, this summer, you were probably saying to yourself, “Wow, I don’t remember this costing that much.” Due to the Biden Administration and the Democrat majority’s out-of-control spending in the last Congress, inflation remains at record-high levels. National average gasoline prices have not been less than $3 a gallon since 2021, household energy bills are rising, and those grocery store runs are digging into our wallets. Since Republicans took the House majority in January, we have been working to reign in government spending, bring down energy costs, secure our borders and hold back the Biden Administration’s efforts to take away your gas range stove top, your gas hot water heater, your gas-fueled car or truck and make your dishwasher inefficient and your air conditioning unaffordable.


In this newsletter, I have included some important updates regarding my work on your behalf in Congress. If you ever want to express your thoughts or comments regarding legislative issues, please call our D.C. office at (202) 225-4921 or email me through my website


Sincerely, 

Gary Palmer

District Meet and Greets


Every year, I look forward to touring Alabama’s Sixth Congressional District with my D.C. and Birmingham staff during the district work period in August. While everyone is here, we visit with local businesses and host events so everyone on staff has the opportunity to meet the people we work for and update them on our work in D.C. We will be hosting two meet and greets the week of August 7 so that you have the opportunity to ask questions and share your opinion on current events directly with me. Be sure to stop by one of these events! 

D.C. Visitors


Every month, my office welcomes constituents in town to an event called Pastries with Palmer. It’s a great chance for my staff and me to meet folks from the district while they are visiting Washington, D.C. To see if one is happening during your next trip to D.C., check here!

If you are traveling to Washington, D.C. anytime soon, please contact my office to see how we can assist you. And feel free to stop by my office while in town!

Biden Family Investigations


In an Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing, I asked Gary Shapley, one of the two whistleblowers from the IRS testifying before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, if he had been denied access to the FBI’s FD1023 form. He replied “Yes." I then asked if there were other documents or other information that was important to the IRS investigation that had been withheld from him and the other IRS investigator. Mr. Shapley replied, “Yes, the laptop.” This confirmed what appears to be deliberate efforts by the Department of Justice and the FBI to interfere with the IRS investigation into Hunter Biden’s questionable business dealings and his tax evasion by denying access to vital information. As we gain more information regarding Hunter Biden and Joe Biden’s involvement, I promise to work with the Oversight and Accountability Committee to investigate these allegations.


Space Command


Monday, the Biden administration announced that Space Command would stay in Colorado instead of Huntsville. There were five locations that made the final cut, and Huntsville came in an undisputed first while the site in Colorado came in dead last. Reviews by the Air Force and the Government Accountability Office confirmed not only the fairness of the process, but it also the strategic importance. Not only is this decision another broken promise and the result of political gamesmanship, but it jeopardizes our nation’s national security and sets a dangerous precedent for future decisions made solely based on political preference. This fight is not over. The Alabama delegation stands united in the belief that Space Command belongs in the location best suited to host it. That location is Huntsville, Alabama. 


Protecting our Elections


Americans deserve to know that their elections are safe and secure. This is why I introduced the Citizen Ballot Protection Act (H.R. 4316) to allow states the right to require proof of citizenship in order to register to vote by mail. Restoring faith in our elections starts with cleaning up voter rolls and requiring proof of citizenship to prevent illegally cast ballots from swaying elections. With my legislation, states will gain the power to require verification of citizenship when people register to vote. In addition, I also introduced two other bills that require states to clean up their voter files. According to a 2012 report from the Pew Research Center, there are over 27 million improper voter registrations. All three of these bills are also included in the House Republican election reform bill, the American Confidence in Elections Act (H.R. 4563). You can learn more about the Citizen Ballot Protection Act by using the links below: 


Reigning in Government Regulations


The Biden administration is trying to regulate everything from the stove top to the tail pipe, and we must put a stop to it. Studies are showing that the Biden administration’s regulations are costing American families an additional $9,600 a year. Currently, President Biden is taking a victory lap around the country for his economic plan called ‘Bidenomics,’ but all he is showing is that he is out of touch with reality. For example, under ‘Bidenomics’ inflation remains persistent at 4.8 percent and general prices have increased about 16 percent. Even though wages have gone up, when adjusted for inflated prices for goods and services, average pay is down by more than 13 percent. This translates to an additional tax on income that costs middle-class households about $9,900, leaving Americans with less money to save and invest. See the House Republican Policy Committee brief here.


Strengthening our Military


In July, we passed the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2024. Funding and supporting our military is one of Congress’ most important responsibilities, especially with China as an ever-growing threat. This legislation not only provides funding for facility upgrades, but it also ensures that service men and women receive a well-deserved pay increase. 


Republican Policy Committee Updates


As Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, my staff and I work to ensure that sound policy solutions are being presented to the challenges we are facing. Seven months into being in the House majority, we have published several policy guides, held multiple briefings for Republican members to learn about different topics, and provided every Republican House member with the RPC’s “Guide to the Issues”. The Guide to the Issues is a comprehensive compilation of policy briefs that is updated almost weekly to make sure our members are well-informed on the whole range of issues impacting the nation. You can view all the issue briefs on the RPC website here.

If you wish to share your thoughts or comments regarding legislation, please email me using this link from my website or call our D.C. office at (202) 225-4921. Additionally, you can view my voting record and all the bills that I have sponsored and co-sponsored here.

 

Be sure to check out the ‘Newsroom’ section on my website to stay up to date on press releases, interviews, and articles. 

If you need help with a federal agency, please see if we can assist you by calling our district office at (205) 968-1290, or fill out this form on my website.

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