Fellow Conservative,

This week the country watched as former President Trump was arraigned in Washington D.C. on charges brought by special counsel Jack Smith.

Once again, the American public is rightly concerned by the federal government’s actions. Donald Trump is the leading contender in the Republican primary, making him the largest political threat to President Biden.

There is an overwhelming perception of a legal double standard between President Trump’s treatment and how Hillary Clinton’s own email scandal was handled by the DOJ. And when viewed in the context of special counsel John Durham’s condemnatory report detailing the fraud perpetrated by government officials in pushing the Russiagate Hoax, Trump’s arraignment appears to be a continuation of a deep-state malevolence.

And then there are the clear facts of Biden using the full force of government to target conservatives not named Trump, spying Americans, censoring free speech on social media, arresting pro-life advocates, investigating Catholics, and slandering parents as “domestic terrorists.”

There are 101 things that need to be done to reclaim our government and ensure it works for the people, and much of this responsibility to act falls on the peoples’ representatives in Congress. Here is just one example: FISA reauthorization.

The FBI Abused FISA Section 702

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Section 702 expires at the end of this calendar year, and requires Congress to reauthorize this program. Congress must not succumb to a lazy rubber-stamp reauthorization! Reporting earlier this year revealed that the FBI illegally used the 702 program to surveil Americans.

The FBI broke the rules with 702, and so it’s only fitting that conservatives should use any bill to reauthorize the FISA Section 702 as a leverage point to begin rebuilding the FBI. Heritage has detailed what must be done to fix FISA and has even more recommendations to rein in the FBI in a new report, “How to Fix the FBI.”

Congress must assert its authority, make the most of every opportunity, and bill after bill fight to end abuse of power.

Every authorization bill, every dollar in every spending bill—they are all points of leverage for conservatives in Congress to claw back power and combat the weaponization of the federal government. FISA is just a first step. It continues with rebuilding the FBI. And more agencies and departments should follow. Read the full report HERE.

It's August Recess, What Comes Next?

Congress is now in recess for the entire month of August. Senators and Representatives are working back home in their districts and states to meet with constituents. Senators will return to Washington on September 5 and congressmen on September 12.

In the background, legislative work continues during this long recess—negotiations and discussions will continue on a myriad of pressing issues that will only become more pressing when Congress returns in September. Here are some key policy fights to pay attention to this August and September:

Reprioritizing National Defense

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is an authorizing bill passed annually for the Department of Defense (DoD) and its many programs to carry out its core mission to “provide the military forces needed to deter war and ensure our nation’s security.” This year, conservatives are advocating for an NDAA to return the military to its core competencies and abandon Biden’s military agenda of engaging in culture wars.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (a Biden appointee) has politicized the DoD by using taxpayer dollars to pay for abortions and the associated travel, time off, and lodging expenses. This is in addition to Biden’s other culture war policies for the military: teaching CRT, requiring COVID vaccines, and pushing gender-identity ideology.

To counter this politicization and help return the DoD’s focus to national defense, the Republican led House of Representatives passed an NDAA that not only would boost our nation’s capabilities and address growing national security threats, but would also defund any attempts to misuse defense money to pay for abortions.

Heritage Action Key Voted this version of the NDAA and it passed the House, 219-210.

The Democrat controlled Senate however, has their own version of the bill which does not include the same national security measures or depoliticization measures as that of the House. The job of Congress as a whole now is to negotiate the two versions into one that will pass both Houses.

This is where the grassroots come in. Congress needs to hear from you that you don’t want our nation’s defense to be politicized. Sen. Tuberville has already been on the front lines of this fight by denying the advancement of DoD nominees until the abortion policy is rescinded.

You can support his efforts and a depoliticized NDAA by calling Congress and telling them to return the DoD to its proper focus.

>>>Call Congress HERE

Heritage Action will continue to engage on this policy to ensure that conservatives get as much as possible out of the negotiations.

Reducing the Size and Scope of Government

The end of the federal government’s current fiscal year is on September 30, and so Congress is currently debating proposals to pass appropriation (spending) bills for FY2024 which begins on October 1.

With the House returning on September 12, Congress will not have much time to debate and pass spending bills. The proper process established by Congress for funding the government involves passing 12 separate “appropriations bills” which individually fund different departments and areas of the government.

Unfortunately, Congress has only completed this process 4 times since 1974. Typically Congress ends up funding the government with one large “omnibus” bill that carelessly wastes money and drives deficits skyward.

The Heritage Foundation has already provided a Budget Blueprint that would produce over $12 trillion in potential deficit reduction over 10 years.

The spending debate is one of the most important fights in Washington. Yes, it’s about debt, deficits, and wasted dollars, but it’s also about all the policies and programs in the government. Want to claw back weaponized government? Congress can reduce or eliminate the funding for that department or program!

>>>READ MORE: Heritage Action’s Blog on reducing the size of government and cutting spending

In Case You Missed It

Border Security

The abject failure of the Biden Administration to secure the border continues to be laid bare. Initial Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) data from July completely dismantled the claim that the new immigration enforcement strategies have been effective.

Student Loans

The current federal student loan structure is failing our students and inflating the cost of college. It is completely unsustainable. To address this, Sen. Mike Lee has introduced the HERO Act which would simplify federal student loans and prioritize students over systems.

America’s Credit Rating Downgraded

On Tuesday, Fitch - a major American credit rating agency - downgraded the U.S.’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) rating from AAA to AA+ saying the downgrade “reflects the expected fiscal deterioration” and the country’s out of control debt.

As August recess continues, Heritage Action will remain on the frontlines to make sure your voice is heard. Thank you for your tireless support.

Ryan and the Heritage Action team

Join the fight to advance the conservative agenda.