Fellow Conservative,
As 2023 comes to an end, we will soon be faced with the opportunities and challenges of 2024. But before we look ahead, it’s important we take stock of this year and recognize all that was accomplished.
We have put together this video for you, highlighting all that you - the grassroots - were able to achieve over the past twelve months. When you speak, lawmakers listen.
>>>Watch the video HERE<<< <[link removed]>
States are on the Frontlines of Advancing Freedom
While so much focus is poured into Washington D.C., the power of states is often overlooked. But Heritage Action did not miss this opportunity to engage. Working with grassroots on the ground, a grand total of 80 bills were signed into law across 24 states. These were bills where Heritage Action Sentinels and supporters engaged lawmakers with emails, phone calls, testimonies, and information sharing.
This is a truly powerful way for the conservative movement to advance its policies. States can be both policy leaders and the first defenders against a bloated federal government. The bills you helped pass will make a difference in the lives of children who are now safe from dangerous gender ideology, voters who want a system where it is easy to vote and hard to cheat, and babies who would otherwise have been aborted but who today are alive. <[link removed]>
As state legislatures return to session in the new year, we look forward to strengthening these wins and boldly pushing forward to further advance conservative principles.
Fighting Federal Bureaucracy
The federal bureaucracy is not immune from the influence of the grassroots. Submitting public comments on regulations is a powerful way to disrupt the flow of overbearing regulations and this year showed just how much of a difference they can make.
In total, Heritage Action grassroots submitted over 56,768 public comments in opposition to Biden’s regulations including:
These comments have real world effects. Case in point: in June 2022, the Biden administration attempted to change the definition of “sex” in Title IX and erase its solid, biological meaning. The administration anticipated conservative push back and so split the rule into two parts and delayed the rollout of the half affecting athletics.
When the rules were finally released, Heritage Action organized 23,822 comments in opposition to the first part of this rule change in 2022, and another 15,440 comments to combat the second half in
2023.
Both rules were supposed to be finalized in May of this year, but were delayed till October due to the overwhelming number of comments. By the time October ended, the administration still had not accommodated the volume of comments and delayed the finalization again until March 2024. This ongoing saga displays how effective organized engagement can be in combating woke government overreach.
We look forward to future success with you on behalf of the American people.
Making Congress work for the People
Conservatives had an uphill battle this year in Washington DC, with the White House and Senate under Democrat control. Yet even with only a slim Republican majority in the House of Representatives, Heritage Action grassroots advocacy was still able to help set important precedents of what conservatives can accomplish when they hold the line and work together.
The Secure the Border Act
The Secure the Border Act (H.R. 2) is the most consequential and effective border security and enforcement package to ever pass a chamber of Congress. It includes provisions to finish the border wall, end catch and release, protect unaccompanied minors at the border from exploitation, end asylum fraud, and much more.
>>>Read Heritage
Action’s Toolkit <[link removed]>
With the help of grassroots encouragement, the Republican House did the right thing and gave conservatives a strong piece of legislation with which to negotiate and effect lasting improvements to border policy.
Protecting Female Athletes
The House also passed the Protecting Women and Girls in Sports Act
(H.R. 734) which restores the integrity of Title IX by ensuring that female student athletes only compete against other female athletes. The grassroots’ effectiveness in making their voices heard on this matter compelled the House to take up this issue and continues to pressure the Senate into passing it and sending the bill to the President’s desk. Your voices elevated this issue even further, resulting in the House Judiciary and House Education and Workforce Committees both conducting hearings on the topic that have exposed the Left’s indefensible positions on a national stage.
Roadmap to Spending Cuts
This year the House passed the Limit, Save, Grow Act, <[link removed]> a robust piece of legislation that contained many of the spending priorities outlined by Heritage Action <[link removed]> including cutting government spending levels to FY22, creating pro-growth policies, addressing the rapidly increasing spending trajectory, and more. While LSG ultimately didn’t pass the Senate, it remains the standard to what Congress should look to accomplish during the spending fight in 2024.
By combining advocacy for fiscal responsibility and border security, Heritage Action grassroots were also able to disrupt this year's discussions on Biden’s bloated $105 billion supplemental spending package which would be
money spent in addition to whatever Congress approves through the appropriations process. Discussions will resume next year, but thanks to your efforts, conservatives have continued to hold the line.
2023 has been an action-packed year. As it comes to an end, we want to share our gratitude for you this Holiday season. Thank you for making this past year such a success. We look forward to working with you in 2024.
-Ryan and the Heritage Action team
Join the fight to advance the conservative agenda.
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