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December 27, 2023
Dear John,
New Year, Same Priorities
The New Year is a natural time to reflect on the past year and set priorities for the one ahead. House Republicans’ priorities were listed in our Commitment to America at the beginning of this year, and we plan to keep working towards those goals in 2024.
In 2023, House Republicans passed 70 bills addressing our Commitment to America and held 866 committee hearings. Yet, there is still more to be done to secure the border, cut spending, counter the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and boost American energy security.
Border Security -
For months, House Republicans have called on the Senate and administration to secure our southern border. Earlier this year, the House passed H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act, while President Biden’s border policies have left the border wide open. We’re consistently seeing record-breaking numbers of illegal immigrant encounters at the border. While the Senate and the Biden administration must act, the House will continue to work on policies to restart construction of the border wall, increase funding for U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents, implement new technology at the border, and re-implement Remain-in-Mexico policies.
Cutting Spending -
Since January 2021, I have opposed more than $13 trillion in unnecessary spending. Our $33 trillion debt is out of control, and we must restore sanity to our fiscal house. In 2023, Congress passed legislation to save $1.6 trillion over the next ten years – a great step towards fiscal responsibility, but it’s just the beginning. House Republicans will keep working to right size our budget in 2024.
Countering the CCP -
The Select Committee on China has been hard at work this year identifying key threats from the CCP and finding solutions to protect America’s national security and stop human rights abuses. The Select Committee compiled much of its work into a report with nearly 150 policy recommendations to reset the terms of our economic relationship, prevent the use of U.S. dollars and technology from fueling the CCP’s tyranny, and build collective economic resilience with our allies. While this year’s work focused heavily on identification, I expect our work in 2024 to focus on championing these solutions and passing them out of the House.
Bolster American Energy Security -
Relying on our adversaries like China and Sudan for energy production is dangerous. We need to increase American energy production for a cleaner, more reliable supply. House Republicans made big progress here by passing H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act. This legislation will unleash American energy and lower costs for families. We need an all-of-the-above approach to energy security using renewable and traditional sources. The Lower Energy Costs Act will do that.
These priorities should be near the top of Congress’s and President Biden’s list for 2024. We are privileged to live in the world’s greatest nation, and I hope we can all work together to ensure it stays that way.
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