Congresswoman Lesko Weekly Update

It's been another busy week in the U.S. House of Representatives! I hope you all had a great week and were able to spend plenty of time with family and friends. If you would like to share this newsletter with others, please direct them to this link and encourage them to subscribe.

Lesko on the Floor

I am in support of pressuring the Democrat-controlled Senate to secure our border by tying Republican's border security to any budget deal. I also want to ensure that our military and Border Patrol officers continue to get paid.  

My Statement on the Spending Reduction and Border Security Act

“I voted for the Spending Reduction and Border Security Act to ensure that the men and women defending our nation in the military and the Border Patrol are paid, while also advancing critical spending cuts and putting pressure on the U.S. Senate to secure our southern border. House Republicans have already approved funding for nearly 70% of the United States government and these important bills await consideration in the U.S. Senate. This stopgap funding measure would have allowed us to continue our work to rein in spending in the remaining appropriations bills over the next 30 days. I am disappointed that this measure did not pass, but remain committed to reducing spending and securing the border.”

 Meetings this Week

This week, I was pleased to meet with CalPortland, one of the largest cement producers in the West. It was great discussing emerging issues in the building materials and cement sector. 

I also had the opportunity to meet with the Irrigation and Electrical District Association of Arizona. It was great to see some friendly faces and discuss challenges facing Arizona's water resources and electrical grid. 

It was great to meet with the Arizona Bankers Association in DC! We discussed data privacy, security, tax policy, and other important issues within the banking industry. 

I had the pleasure of meeting with Cascadia Healthcare to discuss challenges currently facing the healthcare industry and what Congress can do to help! 

It was great catching up with some friendly faces from Arizona when I met with the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce. We discussed all sorts of issues facing Arizona as well as important upcoming legislation. 

Lesko in the News

233,000+ Migrants crossed our Southern Border in August 2023, nearly 5x as many as August 2019. President Biden's border policies are a disaster, see my thoughts on Fox News Live!

The safety of the American people depends on Congress' ability to secure the border. Listen to my thoughts on this with Seth Leibsohn on the Seth Leibsohn Show. 

By 2050, global energy demand is expected to increase by 50%! As we head toward that number, we need to ensure all Americans have access to affordable and reliable sources of energy. Read my recent blog post with Congressional Western Caucus here.

Lesko in Committee

14% of rapes happen during the first meetup arranged through a dating app. Congress must work with these apps to protect young people from such horrific violence. See my thoughts during the Energy and Commerce Committee's Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee Hearing. 

All Americans want safe, reliable, affordable energy. See my remarks during the Energy and Commerce Committee's Energy Subcommittee hearing below:

GET THE FACTS: Fentanyl and the Border

In 2023, nearly 22.6 thousand pounds of fentanyl were seized at the U.S.-Mexico border. To put this into perspective, the lethal dose for the average American is around 2mg, the amount that can fit on the tip of a pencil. Since the Biden Administration took office, there has been enough fentanyl seized at the Southern Border to kill every U.S.-citizen. This is unacceptable and exactly why we must secure our Southern Border. 

Around the District

This week, our District Office attended the Glendale Chamber of Commerce's Education and Workforce Readiness to participate in a discussion about aligning curriculum and education with emerging technology and jobs. 

Casework Highlight

A constituent contacted our office for assistance with the State Department, who for several months, was unresponsive to a request for a corrected born abroad certificate. Our office contacted the State Department, coordinated with the constituent, and had the corrected certificate issued. 

Military Academy Nominations

I have the privilege of nominating a limited number of students in the 8^th Congressional District to four of our five service academies. This includes: the U.S. Military Academy (West Point), the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Interested students should visit this link to confirm their eligibility and begin the application process. Applications are due October 27, 2023, so students are encouraged to begin as soon as possible. 

Congressional App Challenge

Submissions for the Congressional App Challenge are now open to all middle and high school students! The Congressional App Challenge is a competition to encourage students to engage in coding and computer science projects. App submissions are due by November 1, 2023. Winning apps will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol! Register today and submit your app here.

Tell Congresswoman Lesko

Do you know of a business or location I should visit? Click the link here and let me know!

We are Here to Help

As always, my office is here to help. My Surprise district office is open and serving constituents. To make an appointment with the office, please call 623-776-7911.

My Washington, D.C. office is open and answering your calls. Please feel free to contact us via phone at 202-225-4576 or via email by going to my website at https://lesko.house.gov/contact/.

I encourage you to visit the website and to also follow me on Twitter, Instagram and my Facebook page for up to date information on what I'm doing and how my office can help you.

May God continue to bless you and our great Nation.

Sincerely,

Congresswoman Debbie Lesko