Hello Friend,

Welcome to my e-newsletter, the Ready Room. As a retired Naval Aviator, the Ready Room is special to me because it’s where fellow aviators meet to brief and debrief missions. This is my weekly briefing to you on my mission in Congress. Please follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for regular updates on how my team and I are working to serve you in Congress.

HOLDING IRAN AND ITS PROXIES ACCOUNTABLE

On April 13, Iran launched an unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel, threatening civilian life and the survival of the only democratic state in the Middle East. House Republicans took strong action to defend Israel and hold Iran accountable for their barbaric attacks against our staunch friend and ally:

• Passed H. Res. 1143, "Condemning Iran’s unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel;" 
• Passed H.R. 5921, the No U.S. Financing for Iran Act, to cut off the Iranian government from the U.S. financial system; 
• Passed the Solidifying Iran Sanctions Act to restrain Iran, a state sponsor of terror, from developing weapons that threaten global safety and security; and
• Passed the Iran Sanctions Relief Review Act to enable Congress to review, and if necessary block, any effort by the Biden Administration to terminate U.S. sanctions against Iran.

CUTTING RED TAPE FOR SMALL FOOD BUSINESSES

In November 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced new strict food traceability regulations, which could cost small growers and grocers billions of dollars to comply. While I support the FDA’s intent to promote food safety, this new unfunded mandate could cause massive unintended consequences in rural communities, like rising food costs and shortages. I asked FDA Commissioner Robert Califf about this last week. Watch our exchange here. 

SECURING U.S. FOOD SUPPLY FROM CCP INFLUENCE

China controls the supply of vitamins and amino acids necessary for production of animal feed, threatening our food supply and making the U.S. dependent on China to meet our needs. Congress has a duty to promote domestic production of these critical products and prevent disruption of our supply chains by the CCP. That’s why I cosponsored the Securing American Agriculture Act to counter the CCP and require the U.S. Department of Agriculture to annually evaluate: 

• American agricultural supply chains that could be exploited by China;
• Current domestic production capacity of important inputs; and
• Current and potential bottlenecks in the food and agriculture supply chain.

Test Your Knowledge #CivicsWithScott!

Who was the first president to live in the White House?

A. James Madison
B. George Washington
C. Thomas Jefferson
D. John Adams

Last Week's Question

Which battle is considered the turning point of the American Revolution?

A. Battle of Fort Sumter
B. Battle of Gettysburg
C. Battle of Saratoga - Correct answer
D. Battle of Trenton

It is an honor and privilege to represent you in Congress. Please take a moment to fill out my latest constituent survey here. Your feedback helps me better represent you. For more information on constituent services, current legislation, and to sign up for my e-newsletter, please visit my website at franklin.house.gov. 

Best regards,

C. Scott Franklin
Member of Congress