Fellow Conservative,

Congress’s continual dysfunction can be felt across the country. While our nation’s problems rage on - inflation, spending, open borders - Congress is no closer to fixing these issues. The American people must continue to hold them accountable – and Heritage Action is here to work alongside you to do just that. Here is what we saw this week.

Congress Backed Into a Corner

The American people look to Congress to act in their best interests. But recently, Congress has abdicated in its responsibility to make meaningful spending reforms or secure the border. In a recent press release, Heritage Action’s Executive Vice President Ryan Walker writes “The American people are exasperated with the Swamp’s dysfunction that puts them last.”

A portion of government funding was slated to run out this week. But instead of passing responsible spending bills or securing our border, Congress has passed another continuing resolution (CR) -- the third for Fiscal Year 2024 – that extends government funding for 40 more days without changes to spending levels or policy.

                            >>>Read Ryan’s breakdown HERE<<<

The demands of conservatives and the American people are more than reasonable: cut spending to control inflation, and protect the American people from the fentanyl and millions trying to cross illegally, including hundreds of individuals on the terror watch list. Congress has backed itself into a corner. It has 40 more days to fight for a spending deal that will tame inflation and close the southern border.

The American people have been waiting too long. Congress cannot waste the next 40 days.

>>>READ: Full Press Release

Potential Movement on White House Supplemental Request

As you know, Biden requested more than $105 billion in supplemental spending for — Ukraine aid, Israel aid, and processing illegal immigrants at the border, among other priorities. Heritage Action strongly opposes this request because it:

• Fails to provide oversight for the aid to Ukraine
• Holds Israel aid hostage by tying it to other priorities instead of considering it on its own merits
• Throws money at broken border policies without changing the policies themselves

The Senate responded to the administration’s request by putting together a package with even more wasted money. Negotiations on the border security provisions of that bill have been ongoing.

This week, Senate leaders expressed a new sense of urgency to compromise on border security and swiftly pass the bill as early as next week. While text of the bill has not yet been released, lead negotiators on the border security provisions are falling very short of the necessary policy changes in H.R. 2.

The Republican-led House must hold the line against the bill. Americans cannot accept more unaccountable spending on foreign funding to Ukraine, nor can they accept any border policy that does not reflect the policies of H.R. 2 - the only piece of legislation that would actually curb our migration crisis.

Mayorkas Under Fire

Last week the House Committee on Homeland Security held its first impeachment hearing for Department of Homeland Security Secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas. This week, the committee took it one step further as all 18 Republican members of the House Committee on Homeland Security officially announced support for his impeachment.

Secretary Mayorkas has corrupted his role to become the world’s #1 illegal travel agent, destination: America. The numbers do not lie:

• Over 300,000 illegal immigrants in December
• Over 2.5 million illegal immigrants in 2023
• Over 8 million illegal immigrants since Biden took office.

When unelected bureaucrats neglect their duties, it is the responsibility of elected officials to hold them accountable on behalf of the American people. Those same elected officials need to hear from you.

>>>Call Congress and urge them to hold Mayorkas accountable

State by State

South Carolina

South Carolina’s House of Representatives passed H. 4624, reaffirming that children are not social experiments. When children are suffering from gender dysphoria, they need compassionate care – not experimental drugs and surgeries. This bill would ban surgeries that remove or severely alter healthy body parts, and cross-sex hormones for minors that cause irreversible damage that will impact children for the rest of their lives. When children are suffering from gender dysphoria, they need compassionate care. The bill now heads to the Senate.

>>>Read: Full Press Release

South Carolina’s General Assembly also passed H. 3690 which requires the South Carolina Retirement System Investment Commission to make investments solely for the financial benefit of its beneficiaries. While this may seem like it goes without saying, the ESG movement has been making investments based on criteria such as racial quotas, commitment to “green” energy, and other political and social metrics. This bill takes an important step towards ensuring asset managers fulfill their fiduciary duty to the people of South Carolina.

>>>READ: Full Press Release

Virginia

In 2021 Virginia passed a law tying itself to California legislation that pushes Virginia to ban the sale of new gas powered cars by 2035. But a new piece of legislation, SB 3, would decouple Virginia from California’s radical policies. Virginians should be able to purchase their choice of car – not be forced to purchase a vehicle that could be too expensive, or fails to meet their every day travel needs. SB 3 would allow them to purchase the choice of vehicle that is right for them.

Louisiana

All across the country the Left is trying to subvert elections with Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV), a complex, error ridden scheme that often results in voter fatigue, and in less popular candidates winning over more popular candidates.

But bills like Louisiana’s SB 9 would make sure RCV never gets implemented in their state. The Heritage Foundation publishes a comprehensive database that tracks the integrity of elections from state to state. Recently, it has added the absence of RCV as a critical criteria to be considered in its evaluation.

>>>See how your state scores on election integrity HERE<<<

In Case You Missed It

Nominations

Biden has made bad nominations before, but this one is especially concerning. Adeel Mangi has been nominated for a seat on the federal appellate bench even though he holds demonstrably anti-semitic views and has been involved in radical activism to express those views.

Only those who show unwavering support to the laws of the country should be federal judges. Adell Mangi has thus far failed to show such support.

>>>Call your Senators NOW to oppose his confirmation: (202) 224-3121

Global Elites, Beware

Dr. Kevin Roberts — President of The Heritage Foundation and Heritage Action — traveled to Davos, Switzerland to deliver the unfiltered opinion of the American people to the World Economic Forum.

Roberts took the opportunity to bash the “global elite” pointing out their “laughable” agendas that only expose their disconnect with the people they claim to want to help. American citizens are right to suspect the plans of self-important would-be rulers of the world who gather in far off distant cities and try to plan our fates.

                    >>>Watch Kevin Roberts’ remarks HERE<<<

The evils of authoritarian policy must be fought at every level to ensure the continued rights and freedoms of the American people. Heritage Action looks forward to continuing to work with you to advance the conservative agenda at every opportunity.

Thank you for your continued support.

- Ryan and the Heritage Action team

Join the fight to advance the conservative agenda.