Congresswoman Tenney's Weekly Newsletter Have questions? Contact Me Here Releasing Additional Evidence on the Biden Crime Family As a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, last week I voted to release additional evidence provided by the IRS whistleblowers, which underscored facts we have known for years in plain sight: Joe Biden is compromised and is using the most powerful law enforcement agencies in our country to block discovery and to cover up the ongoing criminal acts that he and other members of his family have committed. The 700 pages of documents detail the complexity and scale of the Biden Family's foreign influence-peddling scheme and the lengths to which Hunter Biden and his associates would go to sell his father's "brand." The web of shell companies and multiple bank accounts created to evade detection spans across 23 different countries and four continents. This lucrative and corrupt family business model has captured the Biden's at least $20 million, with much of the cash going unreported. From the newly released documents, it's clear that this foreign influence-peddling scheme swayed national policy. Just months before the 2020 election, these documents highlighted an email from U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf, which detailed highly controversial efforts to force investigators to redact all mentions of "Political Figure 1," also known as Joe Biden, from a search warrant. This evidence proves that the Department of Justice actively thwarted an investigation into the actions of the former Vice President. Not only was this a blatant example of obstruction of justice, but it also highlights clear efforts by career DOJ bureaucrats to interfere in the 2020 election on behalf of the Biden political campaign. The people who work at powerful law enforcement agencies such as the DOJ and the FBI serve the American people, not politicians in power. This corrupt, partisan behavior by powerful bureaucrats violates the public trust. Ways and Means Republicans remain dedicated to following the facts and holding those who have breached their oath to the American people accountable. READ MORE: Bombshell: Ways and Means Releases New Documents Revealing Hunter Biden Selling Access to White House, Investigators Blocked from Pursuing Evidence Related to President Biden Cutting Spending and Holding Biden Accountable in Republican Appropriations Package Last week, the House passed 3 bills that comprise over 70% of the federal discretionary budget and include: H.R. 4365, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2024, H.R. 4367; the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Bill of 2024; and H.R. 4665, the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 2024. At a time when inflation is continuing to skyrocket, our borders are under siege, and the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) malign influence is on the rise, we must ensure our government is working for the American people and American interests. Joe Biden has created crisis after crisis by recklessly spending trillions on wasteful programs and promoting irresponsible policies that have put our nation on the brink of economic collapse. Last week, House Republicans passed comprehensive and commonsense appropriations bills to restore fiscal responsibility in Washington.  The House Republicans passed a Defense Bill that aims to enhance the efficiency of the Department of Defense's (DOD) workforce, foster innovation, and support Servicemembers and their families. The House Republicans passed a Homeland Security bill that includes H.R. 2, the “Secure the Border Act,” which is dedicated to combatting the migrant crisis, supporting our brave Customs and Border Patrol agents, and resuming the construction of the border wall. This bill also included my amendment to invoke the Holman Rule against Secretary Mayorkas to reduce his salary $1 for his abject failure to secure the border. At a time when our U.S. adversaries and enemies continue to advance military capabilities, the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs bill strengthens our national security to counter the CCP and Russia by advancing American values abroad, while cutting spending on wasteful programs and woke initiatives. House Republicans reaffirmed the unique Constitutional power of the purse, reserved to the House by passing these key appropriations bills and restoring our government to its core mission: to serve the American people and uphold the Constitution. I urge the Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer to do his job for the American people by immediately taking up these bills in the Senate! Tenney’s Priorities included in the FY24 Defense Appropriations Bill: Includes Tenney’s amendment to fund the procurement of one LC-130J for our New York Air National Guard Fully funds the Civil Air Patrol, the civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force Fully funds security assistance to Israel, including the Iron Dome, Arrow, and David's Sling Fully funds procurement for our Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarines Prohibits the use of funds to promote or advance Critical Race Theory Tenney’s Priorities included in the FY24 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill: Includes Tenney’s amendment to reduce Secretary Mayorkas’ salary to $1 Prohibits funds to continue COVID-era restrictions on the U.S.-Canada border Boosts funding for our Customs and Border Patrol agents and ensures they have the resources they need to secure the border Prohibits federal funds for the transfer of migrants from the Southern Border to New York Defunds the Administration's equity Executive Orders and prohibits funds for critical race theory Tenney’s Amendments included in the FY24 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill: Includes Tenney’s amendment to reduce the controversial and corrupt Special Envoy to Iran Rob Malley’s salary to $1 Includes Tenney’s amendment to prohibit federal funds for moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel out of Jerusalem. Defunds the anti-Semitic United Nations Human Rights Council. Prohibits federal funds for the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate. Fully funded the Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues Opposes the anti-Semitic BDS movement and fully funds aid to Israel Bill language includes prohibiting funds for Critical Race Theory (CRT) and diversity, equity, and inclusion activities. Lowering Secretary Mayorkas Salary to $1 for His Dereliction of Duty Secretary Mayorkas should not be paid hundreds of thousands of tax dollars to continually fail to protect American taxpayers from threats crossing our borders. Thanks to Secretary Mayorkas’ work, or lack thereof, there have been at least 6 million illegal crossings of our Southern border since Biden took office. In August alone, there was 232,972 illegal immigrants encountered at the Southern Border. A 27% increase from July. Last week, my amendment was added to the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill to defund Secretary Mayorkas’ salary. His incompetence will no longer be tolerated by the House Republican Majority and his salary will be $1! If the President refuses to fire him for his dereliction of duty, his salary must reflect his failures. READ MORE: Rep. Claudia Tenney Invokes the Holman Rule to Reduce Mayorkas Salary to $1 Protecting Hunting and Archery Programs in Schools President Biden and Governor Hochul continue to undermine our constitutional right to bear arms, but this time, they are coming after high school archery classes and shooting sports. By defunding hunting, archery, and shooting sports programs, the Left is preventing young Americans from exercising their Second Amendment right and learning important life skills. I voted in favor of the Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act, a bill I cosponsored, to defend our constitutional rights and support outdoor recreational programs. I will always stand with law-abiding gun owners! READ MORE: Tenney votes in favor of federal funds for hunting and archery programs in schools President Biden, Secretary Mayorkas, and Kathy Hochul Created the Migrant Crisis I recently sat down with Varney & Co. on FOX Business to discuss the crisis at the border and how it is detrimentally affecting New York. Our state has been flooded with unvetted migrants, overwhelming our local governments and endangering our citizens. Hardworking Upstate New Yorkers are paying for this crisis and footing the bill for Hochul and Biden's reckless policies! Last week, I cosponsored the No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act to ensure that our tax dollars are not being used to fund housing, food, and healthcare costs for illegal immigrants. READ MORE: New York Republican introduces bill to bar migrant-related funding to sanctuary cities as border crisis rages Transparency in Congress and a well-informed electorate are vital to preserving our self-governing Constitutional Republic. Constituents deserve to know how their members of Congress vote, which is why I have explained the votes I have cast in Congress since I was first elected. Those I represent will always know where I stand, and I will continue to prioritize transparency, accessibility, and integrity in everything I do on behalf of New York’s 24th Congressional District. To read more about my votes and see the full list with explanations of all the legislation considered last week by the House, please click here. I voted “Yes” on H.R. 5860, the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act. This stop-gap funding measure funds the federal government through November 17th, 2023 and extends various expiring programs such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Flood Insurance Program, and funding for hospitals in rural and lower-income areas. Every year Congress has the legal and constitutional duty to pass 12 appropriations minibuses funding different areas of the federal government. So far this year House Republicans have voted on 4 of these bills and are scheduled to pass the remaining 8 bills over the next few weeks. These House bills include many conservative wins such as reining in the Biden Administration’s weaponization of government, cutting radical and divisive woke initiatives, and curbing bloated federal spending. The Senate Democrats have failed to do their job and have passed none of these appropriations bills under regular order. This funding extension will simply allow the Republican House to consider and pass the remaining funding packages so it can strengthen its leverage needed to pass the conservative policy and spending initiatives our nation so desperately needs. It will also ensure our military, border patrol, and essential federal programs are fully functioning and paid during this period. While I am disappointed our previous Continuing Resolution including border security provisions did not pass due to opposition from Democrats and a handful of others, this bill will allow the House to gain consensus for the federal funding negotiation in November. We cannot allow service members and law enforcement, among others, to have their paychecks cut off due to this dysfunction. This bill passed the House by a vote of 335-91. I voted “Yes” on H.R. 5525, the Spending Reduction and Border Security Enhancement Act. Throughout the course of the Biden Administration, our country has seen an explosion in spending and the creation of a crisis at the Southern Border. This has contributed to historically high inflation, unaffordable energy prices, and a torrent of unvetted migrants straining already-limited public services. To address the Biden Administration’s egregious spending problem, I supported the June 2023 debt ceiling agreement that limited any future spending increases to just one percent. However, since then the Biden Administration and Senate Democrats have resumed their unwillingness to work with House Republicans to address pressing problems facing our nation. Months of obstruction from Democrats has us careening toward a government shutdown. As a short-term solution, H.R. 5525 would help us avoid a shutdown and curb the border crisis, extending government funding through October 31st, 2023, while also implementing commonsense policies to enhance border security. The legislation ensures funding for the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, while making necessary cuts to other discretionary programs. It also requires an immediate restart of border wall construction, mandates the hiring of 22,000 more Border Patrol Agents, ends the Biden Administration’s “catch and release” policies, and increases penalties for visa overstays. Finally, the bill establishes a bipartisan Fiscal Commission to address the biggest drivers of our national debt and promote commonsense solutions. These are all important steps that must be taken to prepare our nation for future success. Unfortunately, H.R. 5525 failed to pass the House by a vote of 198-232. I voted “Yes” on H.R. 4665, the State and Foreign Operations (SFOPS) Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2024. This bill supports U.S. national security interests abroad while cutting wasteful spending, countering adversaries, supporting our allies, and strengthening oversight. To return fiscal sanity to the federal budget it brings our foreign spending below FY19 levels, reining in American funding for unnecessary and wasteful programs, while supporting programs critical to U.S. interests. In addition, the bill includes important international humanitarian aid, which provides basic food, water, and shelter to those, including particularly Ukrainian children displaced by war. House Republicans have also fully funded aid to Israel, prohibiting funding for a new nuclear agreement with Iran, and have defunded the anti-Semitic UN Human Rights Council. Furthermore, the FY24 SFOPS bill prohibits funding for China and strongly supports Taiwan. Finally, this bill included two of my amendments, which reduced the salary of Special Envoy to Iran Rob Malley to $1, and prohibits the Biden Administration from moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel out of Jerusalem. While this bill is not perfect, and it eliminated and defunded important programs, such as the United for Ukraine program that allow humanitarian refugees, especially orphan children to enter the United States, this was an important first step with many conservative wins. By passing the FY24 SFOPS bill, Congress begins an important debate about our foreign affairs priorities. However, this bill is just a starting point, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to improve this bill as we work through completing the appropriations process. This bill passed by a vote of 216-212. I voted “Yes” on H.R. 4365, the Department of Defense (DOD) Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2024. The FY24 DOD Appropriations bill will make sure that all military service members are fully equipped, military families are cared for, and the backwards political agenda currently pushed at the Pentagon is ended. In addition, the appropriations bill puts the Department of Defense back on a path towards sanity and ensures the department’s only focus is on keeping our nation safe and deterring adversarial aggression. Importantly, this bill includes huge wins for Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station and Fort Drum and will support all our NY-24 servicemembers. I was also pleased the legislation included my amendments to fund a new LC-130J for our New York Air National Guard. Furthermore, the bill addresses the threat posed by China seriously by providing robust funding for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative and supporting our allies in the region. I am also glad to report that this bill included a groundbreaking pay raise, averaging 30 percent, for junior enlistees. While this bill originally included military aid to Ukraine, I voted to strip this aid out given the lack of a strategic plan from the Biden administration. I strongly support Ukraine in their fight against Russia’s invasion, but the President’s lack of a strategic plan is a major concern. That is why I voted to require him to disclose a plan to Congress as part of the FY24 NDAA and cosponsored the Define the Mission Act to require a plan. Until Congress receives a long-term strategic plan or briefing, we cannot continue to endlessly fund Ukraine’s military efforts. Our allies need to do more. This bill passed by a vote of 218-210. I voted “No” on H.R. 5692 - Ukraine Security Assistance and Oversight Supplemental Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2024. First and foremost, I strongly support Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s bloody and unprovoked war. However, Congress must seriously evaluate American interests in the region and develop a long-term strategic plan before continuing to give Ukraine additional funds. The President’s lack of a strategic plan and his spend “whatever it takes” strategy is gravely concerning. That is why I voted to require him to disclose a plan to Congress as part of the FY24 NDAA and cosponsored the Define the Mission Act to require a plan. Until Congress receives a long-term strategic plan or briefing, we cannot continue to appropriate additional funds. Further, Congress has yet to work on the underlying causes of this conflict, which is a result of President Biden’s failed policies. Congress must pass policies to address the international reliance on Russian energy and counteract the weakness that Biden projects through words and policy on the international stage. Finally, our European allies must step up and contribute more to Ukraine’s defense. The American people have been exceeding generous with our military aid to Ukraine and it is time Europeans contribute more to its own security needs. While I currently oppose additional military aid to Ukraine until we receive a strategic plan from the Administration, I continue to support humanitarian aid. We cannot allow Ukrainians to starve or suffer because of Russia’s illegal invasion. I was disappointed that an amendment to terminate the Uniting for Ukraine Program passed without a floor vote. This program allows Ukrainians, especially children displaced by the war, to receive humanitarian parole in the United States for two years, provided they have a sponsor who will be financially responsible for their needs. We must continue with these and other efforts to confront the Russian invasion of Ukraine in a thoughtful manner. And while I could not support this supplemental due to the Administration’s lack of a strategic plan for this and future funding, I urge the Biden Administration to immediately develop and provide a plan to Congress, so we can carefully evaluate our long-term strategic goals in the region. This bill passed by a vote of 311-117 I voted “Yes” on H.R. 4368, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024. H.R. 4368 would fund the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for fiscal year 2024 starting on October 1st, 2023. New York’s 24th Congressional District is one of the largest agricultural districts in the northeast. As a result, we have countless communities, farmers, and agricultural producers who rely on USDA programs, including rural facilities grants, affordable financing, margin protection programs, and conservation funding. Therefore, it is vital that any appropriations bill adequately funds these programs and ensures they are functioning properly. In addition, H.R. 4368 reinstated work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which would help grow our strained workforce and return it to levels in line with pre-pandemic norms. The legislation also reined in woke policies, such as the FDA’s deregulation of dangerous abortion drugs, DEI initiatives in the USDA, and the USDA’s conservation equity agreements that bypassed the legislative authority of Congress. It is my hope that funding for the USDA and FDA is quickly passed to ensure no disruption for our agricultural economy and rural communities, and I will do everything in my power to ensure that occurs. Unfortunately, this bill failed to pass the House by a vote of 191 - 237. I voted “Yes” on H.R. 5110, the Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act, which would ensure that students continue to have access to school activities such as archery and hunting safety. Last Congress saw the passage of the so-called “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BCSA)”, which I voted against. Among its new restrictions on our constitutional rights, this bill amended the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to prohibit ESEA funding for training in the use of certain weapons. While this was intended to prohibit funding for school resource officers, which are funded elsewhere in the BCSA, this poorly written bill opened the door for the Biden administration to begin restricting funding for school hunting, archery, and shooting programs. Countless schools across Upstate New York and the country offer these programs to teach students how to responsibly handle certain weapons and respect our Second Amendment rights. The Biden administration’s attempt to defund these outdoor recreation programs is a just another example of its disdain for our constitutional rights. H.R. 5110 would protect these popular school programs and ensure students continue to have access to athletic and leadership opportunities. This bill passed the House by a vote of 424-1. September Webinar Recap: U.S. Service Academy Nomination Process Thank you to all who participated in our September webinar which focused on the U.S. Service Academy Nomination Process You can find the recording of this webinar and all of our past webinars here. For more information about service academy nominations, please contact our Oswego Office at 315-236-7088. The Escalating Crisis at Our Northern Border Due to President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas' failed border policies, Border Patrol Agents stationed at the Northern Border have been sent to the Southern border, leaving the Northern Border vulnerable. The border crisis is one of the most important issue we face as a nation. Our senior citizens, taxpayers, and local governments cannot afford to continue subsidizing Biden and Hochul's open border and sanctuary city policies. We must continue to pass comprehensive and humane bills that benefit our legal citizens and give us an alternative to this disaster we’re seeing at our border READ MORE: McCarthy, House Republicans Demand Action to Secure the Border NY-24 Casework Success Story Providing quality constituent services is my highest priority in Congress. I will always work to ensure the federal government works for you, not against you! This constituent had an issue with a federal agency. After three years of frustration and to no avail, she reached out for our help. Within months, she reached a resolution! “I experienced 5-star services! Could not have asked for a better team. I can’t thank you enough!” If you or a family member is having a problem with any government paperwork or federal office, please reach out to my office for assistance! Need Help with a Federal Agency? Call us today. If you or someone you know ever needs assistance with a federal agency, we are just a phone call away and are ready to help you! Please contact my Victor Office at 585-869-2060, my Oswego Office at 315-236-7088 or my Lockport Office at 716-514-5130! Thank you for the opportunity to represent you. Have news or updates to share? Email me! If you have updates regarding events in the community or other news to share from across New York's 24th District, please visit the "Contact Me" page on my website to share it with me. My team will try to include as many of your updates from around #NY24 as we can each week. ‌ ‌ ‌ Rep. Tenney | 2349 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]