The Week in Review 

Happy Friday!

I hope you had a wonderful week. I am grateful to serve you all in the 118th Congress. Read below to see what I’ve been working on this week. 

Opposing the DC Uniparty’s Latest Short-Term Spending Bill

I voted against the House of Representatives’ short-term spending bill—also known as a continuing resolution (CR)—as it continues to place our country on a suboptimal path. The short-term extension funds six government agencies through March 8 and the remaining six agencies through March 22. 

I am disappointed that my colleagues voted to kick the can down the road once again. In November, Speaker Johnson promised reporters that he was “done with short-term CRs.” 

This is now the fourth CR that the House has passed for Fiscal Year 2024. Over the last 25 years, Congress has chosen to forego the normal legislative process, which requires the consideration and passage of twelve spending bills by the end of the fiscal year on September 30, in exchange for frequent use of the CR and bloated omnibus spending bills.

In those 25 years, Congress has passed 130 CRs. These CRs have led us to an unsustainable national debt of $34 trillion and counting. That’s unacceptable. 

This CR does nothing to address Washington’s reckless spending, secure our southern border, or eliminate woke policies imposed by the Biden Administration. It only serves to buy the Uniparty more time to cobble together a spending deal that sells out the American people. 

Congress should not fund the federal government until these items are addressed. We control their money.

I’ve authored legislation, the Funding a Secure America Act, which would provide funding only for the salaries of essential government employees who keep our nation safe - our Armed Forces, Border Patrol and ICE agents, Air Traffic Controllers, and others. Passing this bill would allow us to keep our nation safe, while Congress takes the time to truly analyze our federal budget and defund the Biden Administration’s woke and weaponized bureaucracy.

Before yesterday’s vote, I spoke in opposition to the reckless spending bill on the House Floor. Click the image below to watch my remarks:

Tele-Town Hall Next Thursday (March 7th) Before the 2024 State of the Union Address

I am hosting my virtual tele-town hall next Thursday, March 7, at 7:30 pm EST/5:30 pm MST before the 2024 State of the Union Address. I will preview the address, provide district updates, and discuss what I’ve been working on in Washington. Please join the town hall and ask me questions! 

Deposing Hunter Biden

The House Judiciary and House Oversight & Accountability Committees brought Hunter Biden for a deposition. Hunter was untrustworthy, contradictory, and defiant. Hunter often used his addiction as both a sword and shield during the deposition. He wanted to give us answers only when it benefited him. 

His responses to our questions often conflicted with the sworn testimonies of his close business associates and text messages, emails, and bank records. 

Below are some main takeaways from the deposition:

• Hunter Biden admitted to receiving millions of dollars from China and receiving a $250,000 wire from the CEO of a state-backed investment fund.
  
  
• Hunter Biden admitted he put his father on speakerphone many times in front of business associates and invited his father to lunches, dinners, or other social events with business associates.
  
  
• Hunter Biden often claimed he could not recall certain meetings, phone calls, or other forms of communication, but he always remembered specific details about these occurrences.

Hunter Biden is a key figure in our investigation into the Biden Crime Family as well as in our official impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden. The Bidens and their associates raked in over $24 million from China, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Romania between 2015-2019 and have met with corrupt oligarchs from these countries. 

House Oversight & Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) had indicated that our committee will be bringing in Hunter for a public hearing very soon. We will continue to follow the facts and present our findings to the American people. 

I’ll keep you posted. 

Surveying Biden’s Border Crisis at the Tohono O'odham Reservation 

I traveled to various points of Arizona’s southern border, including the Tohono O’odham Reservation, Sasabe, and part of the Coronado National Forest, to survey Biden’s border crisis. These are some of the most remote areas in Arizona and the entire United States. The Reservation covers 62 miles along the U.S-Mexico border and none of it is secured by fencing that prevents crossings.

I have been to these areas many times and have rarely seen much illegal immigration. This time was much different. 

I was appalled to see makeshift squatter camps housing dozens of illegal aliens inside the National Forest, abutting a portion of the border wall that was illegally cut down. Many NGO resources, including those of the Red Cross and Catholic Charities, were scattered throughout the camp. The Tohono O’odham tribe has also allowed U.S. Customs and Border Protection to install a soft-sided tent in the area, which held hundreds of illegal aliens when I visited. 

My visit further underscores the need for the Biden Administration to secure our southern border. We should not fund the Biden Administration until it regains control of it.

Click the screenshots below to see some of my explainer videos from the trip.

Continuing the Fight to Protect Americans’ Privacy

Congressman Warren Davidson and I released a joint statement in response to the Biden Administration’s Executive Order that allegedly protects Americans’ sensitive data from data brokers in “countries of concern.”

The Biden Administration cannot pretend to support Americans’ privacy rights while undermining them in the U.S. by opposing closing the data broker loophole domestically. 

Americans’ privacy rights cannot be secured when governments around the world can buy our sensitive health data, location data, biometric data, and financial data. The U.S. government is circumventing the 4th Amendment and our right to privacy by purchasing these same types of data. 

This Administration must support the Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act and ensure the federal government is barred from any purchase of our data to circumvent a requirement for a warrant or subpoena.

The bipartisan Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act prevents the federal government from circumventing Americans' Fourth Amendment right to privacy by closing loopholes allowing the government to purchase Americans' data from big tech companies without a search warrant.

Breitbart covered our statement here. 

Attending the USS Arizona Legacy Foundation Launch Event

Team Biggs attended the USS Arizona’s Legacy Foundation launch event. We are excited to see the submarine take shape and carry on tradition. 

Thank you to the Arizona crew, the U.S. Navy Band Southwest, and the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard Drill Team for a wonderful performance. 

Mici Italian Restaurant Opening

Team Biggs attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Mici Italian Restaurant in Queen Creek. 

We are delighted to have them in our district and look forward to seeing their success! 

Military Service Academy Conference: May 4th

I will be hosting a Military Service Academy Conference with Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ) on Saturday, May 4th from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm at Combs High School Performing Arts Center. 

Liaisons from the U.S. Military, Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine, and Naval academies will discuss military service and career opportunities. My staff will additionally be on-site to discuss the application and nomination process. 

Hope to see you there! Please RSVP with the link below: 
https://biggs.house.gov/service-academy-conference

2024 Congressional Art Competition

Our 2024 Congressional Art Competition is now open to all high school students (9th – 12th grades) within Arizona’s Fifth Congressional District.

Students who are interested in participating must complete the 2024 Student Release Form and the Student Information Form.

Please contact my Constituent Services Representative, Christina Cleveland, at (480) 699-8239 to request more information.

Participating in Lost Dutchman Days Parade

I participated in the 60th annual Apache Junction Area Chamber of Commerce and Banner Health’s Lost Dutchman Parade. 

Thank you to the Chamber and the Mayor’s Council for organizing this patriotic event!

Veterans Corner: Aid and Attendance Benefits 

Aid and Attendance benefits are commonly sought by Veterans who are seeking to offset the cost of long-term care or assisted living. However, non-certified ‘claim sharks’ may offer to assist Veterans or their families file for this benefit for a fee, usually charging thousands of dollars.

Not only is it unnecessary for Veterans to pay for this assistance, but oftentimes these agents will expect payment BEFORE pre-qualifying the Veteran to receive the benefit. After a few months, filers may get a notice from the VA denying the claim because the Veteran was not eligible to receive it. For these Veterans, there is no refund or recourse because the fee was paid for the completing/filing of the application.

Keep in mind, that three things must be true in order to be eligible for the VA Aid and Attendance Pension:

1. Veteran must have served at least 90 days on active duty, with at least 1-day during wartime eras;
2. Veteran must need help with at least two (below) ADLs;
   •Bathing
   •Eating
   •Dressing
   •Ambulating (ability to move around living area)
   •Tending to hygiene needs
   •Transferring in and out of bed/chair
   •Toileting
   •Medication management;
3. Income/assets must be below $155,356. Does not include home where the Veteran resides.

It is extremely important when filing for Aid and Attendance benefits to use a certified Veteran’s Service Officer (VSO) who does not charge for this service. If you are seeking assistance with this or any other Veterans issue, please contact my district office. As your Congressman, I will continue to do all I can to help our veterans receive the care they have so rightfully earned. 

Legislation & Letters

Bills Cosponsored:

• H.R. 7455 - To amend chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, to provide for Congressional oversight of agency rulemaking, and for other purposes (Rep. Emmer)
• H.Res. 1031 - Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the situation at the southern border is an invasion (Rep. Lesko)

Letters Cosigned:

• Amicus Brief led by the Idaho delegation to the Supreme Court in the case of Moyle v. U.S. 

Alien Invasion Border Documentary

Check out my border documentary titled Alien Invasion. The 30-minute documentary features footage from private ranches along the border, the Darien Gap in Panama, and interviews with members of Congress, Border Patrol, local and state law enforcement, and much more. It addresses how President Biden’s border crisis began, its consequences, and solutions to address the crisis.  

The border documentary may be watched here.

Top Media Appearances of the Week

I joined Fox News’s Harris Faulkner to react to Presidents Trump and Biden’s simultaneous trips to the southern border yesterday. Click the image below to see some of the segment: 

I joined Newsmax 2 with Bob Sellers and Jenn Pellegrino to discuss the legal ramifications of the Fulton County hearing on District Attorney Fani Willis’ misconduct. Attorney-client privilege has limitations—especially when the client is their friend. Click the image below to see some of the segment:

I joined KFYI-AM’s (Phoenix, AZ) The Conservative Circus with James T. Harris to reiterate how Biden’s border crisis impacts all facets of Americans’ lives. Click the image below to see some of the segment:

Tweet of the Week 

Constituent Services 

Flags
Would you like to purchase a flag that has been flown over the U.S. Capitol? Flags flown over the Capitol include a certificate, which may be personalized for a particular person, event, or organization. Click here to learn more about purchasing a flag.

Internships
If you or someone you know is interested in completing an internship in either my Mesa or Washington, D.C. office, they can apply directly on my website. 

Help With a Federal Agency 
If you can’t get an answer from a federal agency in a timely fashion, or if you feel you have been treated unfairly, my office may be able to help resolve a problem or get you the information you need. For example, my office routinely helps constituents with issues involving the Veterans Administration, the IRS, the Social Security Administration, the State Department, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.  You can learn more by visiting my website.

Click here to find out more information about my office’s services. 

Tours and Tickets

Interested in touring the White House or U.S. Capitol? As constituents of the Fifth Congressional District, you may request tickets and tours for various Washington D.C. destinations from my office. 

All tickets are provided to constituents on a first-come, first-served basis, so request tickets early.

Click here for more information.