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Message from Congressman Scott Fitzgerald
Good afternoon everyone!
The House is back in session this week, but I’m not headed back to DC just quite yet… Before I head out, I’ll be hosting IN-PERSON office hours this evening in Jefferson at 4 PM. Keep reading below to find more details on the event location. I hope to see many of you there!
Keep reading to catch up on the latest updates on the hill from last week! Including President Biden’s latest executive action on the southern border and the House Judiciary Committee’s vote to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress.
Have a great week!
- Scott
Office Hours TODAY
I am hosting office hours in the district TODAY at 4 PM in Jefferson, Wisconsin.
My staff members and I will be available to meet with anyone who may be experiencing problems with a federal agency. We ask that you bring copies of documentation related to your issues. Full details here:
4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
Jefferson County Library
Meeting Room
321 S. Main Street
Jefferson, WI 53549
Condemning President Biden for Withholding Military Aid from Israel
Last week I joined over 100 of my colleagues in sending a letter to President Biden to demand answers to why he is withholding critically needed military aid to our ally Israel while American hostages are still being held captive by Hamas.
In the letter to the President, we write…
“These delays hurt our allies and defense industrial base and are deleterious to our national security. Our allies and partners need to know they can rely on U.S. manufacturing to deliver the equipment and material they need to protect their national security. The world is watching your administration’s unique scrutiny of Israel when it comes to weapons shipments and foreign policy decisions more broadly, and the rest of the world now believes that with enough contrived public scrutiny, the U.S. will fail our allies.”
You can read more here.
Judiciary Committee Votes to Hold AG Garland in Contempt of Congress
Back in late February—two and a half months ago—Jim Jordan and the Judiciary Committee issued a subpoena to Attorney General Merrick Garland for unredacted recordings of Biden’s interview with Special Counsel Hur, and his ghostwriter’s interview.
The request is well within the Committee’s rights. Article I of the Constitution gives Congress a broad and indispensable power to conduct oversight. This power was reinforced by House and Committee rules, and by our resolution initiating an impeachment inquiry into the President of the United States.
The audio and video recordings are necessary for us to determine whether the President mishandled classified information, something Special Counsel Hur affirmed in his testimony before this committee.
Audio or video recording provide important verbal context that can determine whether the President had difficulty recalling events—as mentioned in the report—or if he was being coached through answers by staff in the room.
Unfortunately, AG Garland has refused to comply fully with our requests. The Judiciary Committee cannot allow an executive branch official to willfully disregard the Committee’s constitutional oversight and impeachment responsibilities.
The Attorney General’s refusal to comply with the Committee’s lawful subpoena constitutes contempt of Congress, which is why I joined my Republican colleagues last week in voting to hold AG Garland in contempt of Congress.
President Biden’s Latest Executive Action is Disingenuous
As you may have read in my last newsletter, I traveled to Arizona with the Judiciary Committee this month to get an update firsthand on the worsening situation at the southern border. I spoke with community members, farmers, police officers, and border agents to get a full picture, and that picture was clear. President Biden’s policy decisions have caused the crisis we see unfolding today.
So, you can imagine my disappointment when I saw last week that the President is expected to announce an arbitrary executive action soon that would allow him to shut down our southern border once the number of illegal immigrant crossings reaches 4,000 per day.
This move is complete political theatre and does nothing to actually alleviate the crisis. Even Former Obama-Biden Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said in 2019 that “1,000 [illegal border crossings] overwhelms the system. I cannot begin to imagine what 4,000/day looks like."
President Biden and Senate Democrats MUST pick up the slack and pass House Republicans’ H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act. House Republicans lived up to our commitment, and now it’s time for the President to uphold his responsibility to keep our nation safe too.
Green & Gold Congressional Aide Program
ICYMI, my office is seeking a veteran for a position in WI-05’s Oconomowoc district office. If you or a person you know are interested, I encourage you to apply!
The person chosen for the special position will work with military and veteran constituents to handle veterans-related casework and act as a facilitator between constituents and federal, state, and local agencies.
The Green & Gold Congressional Aide Program was established by the House of Representatives to provide employment opportunities for veterans within member offices.
The program is limited to veterans who meet all of the following requirements:
- Honorably discharged
- Released from active duty within the last six years
- Terminal pay grades at or below E-5, O-3, or W-2
- Veterans promoted to the pay grades of E-6, O-4, and W-3 within 6-months of separation from active duty are eligible, granted they meet ALL other eligibility requirements.
- Veterans who are in receipt of a 20-year or Temporary Early Retirement Authorization (TERA) retirement are not eligible for the program.
Click here to learn more about the job posting.
That's a wrap for this week's eNewsletter! Follow me on Twitter and Facebook to stay up to date on my work for the 5th District of Wisconsin.
Sincerely,
Scott Fitzgerald
Member of Congress
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