Hello, Friends —

Even though the House of Representatives remained in recess this week, I continued my fight to defend the values on which this country was built. Last month at Turning Point Action's 2023 Action Conference, I promised to introduce legislation that would allow students to pray at school. Today, I made good on this promise by leading four lawmakers in introducing the “Protect Prayer in Schools Act of 2023,” which, if passed, will allow students and staff to pray in school without fear of repercussions if they choose to do so.

In its June 2022 decision in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of religious freedom and sided with a football coach who was fired by his school district for praying before games. My legislation would reinforce in federal law the Supreme Court’s decision that the Free Exercise and Free Speech Clauses of the First Amendment protect an individual engaging in a personal religious observance from government reprisal. God’s reach does not stop at the schoolhouse gates! 

REP. GAETZ DISCUSSES WHISTLEBLOWER-LIKE IMMUNITY FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP WITH CHARLIE KIRK

Click Here to Watch!

On Tuesday, I joined "The Charlie Kirk Show," where I discussed how House Republicans could allow President Trump to act as a whistleblower as to Special Counsel Jack Smith's political witch hunt.

Current law authorizes a congressional committee or subcommittee to provide witnesses with immunity from criminal prosecution related to information given in testimony before such committee or subcommittee. One way House Republicans could fight back against Special Counsel Smith's political indictment would be for the House Judiciary Committee or its Crime Subcommittee to issue a subpoena to President Trump granting him immunity for his testimony about the abuse of the criminal process. Congress has legitimate oversight interests in an election-interference operation, and President Trump could be the ultimate whistleblower.

AROUND THE DISTRICT

TEAM GAETZ HOSTS MOBILE OFFICE HOURS

On Thursday, my team hosted mobile office hours with State Representative Alex Andrade’s staff at Pensacola State College’s Warrington Campus Library. It was a great chance to meet with constituents and find out what help we can provide with federal agencies. Be on the lookout for future mobile office hours throughout our district!

UPCOMING SERVICE ACADEMY NOMINATIONS

One of the most important duties I have as a Congressman is to nominate students to the United States service academies. These include the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

The students nominated represent the very best of our district and the entire country. This year, I will nominate up to ten individuals for each vacant academy slot allotted to our district. To request a military academy nomination from our office, please click here and complete the form. Submissions are due by Friday, October 13. If you have not submitted your printed form, please do so to my district office as soon as possible!

I wish you the best as you pursue your goal of attending one of the U.S. service academies and serving our country. Please direct any further questions about the application process to my Director of Military Affairs, Austin Bury at [email protected].

For more information and frequently asked questions about academy nominations, click here.

TEAM GAETZ ATTENDS PACT ACT SUMMER VETFEST

Last week, my Veterans Coordinator and Director of Military Affairs attended the Pensacola Joint Ambulatory Care Center’s (JACC) PACT Act Summer Vetfest. They were present to be available if any support was needed from my office. Kudos to the VA and JACC on a successful event with hundreds of participants and enrollees.

The deadline has been EXTENDED to 10:59 p.m. CT on Monday, August 14, 2023, to submit your PACT Act claim or intent to file your claim in order to be eligible to receive benefits backdated to August 10, 2022.

As always, thank you to all our veterans for their service and sacrifice on behalf of our nation! If my office can be of support with any issues pertaining to federal departments or agencies, please contact my office at 850-479-1183 or at https://gaetz.house.gov/services/help-federal-agency.

THE 2023 CONGRESSIONAL APP CHALLENGE HAS BEGUN!

The Congressional App Challenge is a public effort to encourage kids to learn how to code. Students compete to code original applications for the chance to be selected for recognition, win prizes, and have their work put on display in the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

Official registration for the 2023 Congressional App Challenge is now open! Students can register for the 2023 Congressional App Challenge and start coding their apps for 2023 using the link below. The competition deadline is November 1, 2023. 

Click here to register for the Congressional App Challenge!

GAETZ IN THE NEWS

Newsweek — August 8, 2023

Matt Gaetz Outlines Possible Trump 'Immunity' Plan

"'You can actually bring President Trump in to give testimony to the Congress and in doing so, immunize him,' Gaetz said during an interview with conservative activist and radio talk show host Charlie Kirk, on The Charlie Kirk Show. 'Now, there's different forms of immunity that take place at the committee level, subcommittee level, in some instances for full immunity, you have to have more of a supermajority vote.'"

Daily Caller — August 9, 2023

EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Matt Gaetz To Introduce 'National Prayer In School Act'

"God’s reach does not stop at the schoolhouse gates. Our country’s education policy forbids students and faculty from praying while endlessly promoting degenerate LGBT and anti-White propaganda,' Gaetz told the Caller before introducing the bill. 

'My legislation unlocks religious freedom once again so that in every classroom in America, there will be time for students to pray if they choose,' Gaetz added."

Roll Call — August 10, 2023

White House releases $40.1B supplemental funding request

"A new round of aid faces resistance from a bloc of restive House conservatives who fear money going to waste at the expense of domestic needs. When the House passed its fiscal 2024 defense authorization bill last month, 70 Republicans voted for a defeated amendment by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., that would have prohibited any more U.S. assistance to Ukraine, while 89 Republicans voted for a defeated amendment by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., to eliminate $300 million in Ukraine funding."

WHAT WE'RE READING

The Federalist — August 9, 2023

Unredacted FBI Memo Contradicts Christopher Wray's Claim Only 'A Single Field Office' Targeted Traditional Catholics

WMBB TV — August 10, 2023

Rice's Whale Proposal could impact entire Gulf Coast