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.

NEXT WEEK: Drop Zone 2024

On Saturday, June 1, 2024, my office will host our 5th annual DROP ZONE event!

Drop Zone is a one-stop resource fair for veterans, seniors, and residents of Arizona’s 5th District. Participants will have access to many valuable resources in one location: VA benefit consultations, health screenings, Taxpayer Advocacy Services, community support organizations, employment assistance, and more!

Drop Zone will be held on June 1, 2024, from 10 am to 2 pm at the American Leadership Academy Applied Technologies Campus located at 7729 E. Pecos Road, Mesa, AZ 85212.

Stay tuned for more updates. Drop Zone 2023 was a major success and we hope this year’s will be too!

Ensuring that Illegal Aliens Cannot Vote in American Elections

This week, the House passed H.R. 192 to prohibit illegal aliens from voting in local elections in Washington, D.C. The Constitution prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections, but Democrat-run cities like Washington, D.C. have passed laws to allow noncitizens–including illegal aliens and foreign diplomats–to vote in their local elections. This is a slippery slope. No American should have to wonder whether their constitutional right is diluted by individuals who may not have a true allegiance to this country.

143 House Democrats voted in opposition to H.R. 192, again putting the interests of noncitizens ahead of Americans.

I testified in front of the House Rules Committee in support of H.R. 192. Click the image below to watch some of my remarks:

Who Watches the Watchdogs?

I, along with eight of my Republican colleagues, sent a letter questioning the actions of the Council of the Inspectors General for Integrity and Efficiency’s Integrity Committee (IC). The IC has a statutory responsibility to review allegations of wrongdoing on the part of Inspectors General and their senior staff, but appears to have failed to do so.  

In 2019, serious allegations were made by the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS OIG) against three senior DHS OIG employees. After the IC declined to investigate, DHS OIG procured an independent investigation, which confirmed instances of fraud, misconduct, retaliation, and abuse of authority on the part of the three employees. The findings of the investigation were referred back to the IC for review, and it appears the IC has not acted on them. My letter demands answers from IC Chairperson Winters about the decisions and actions of the IC. 

The Integrity Committee–the watchers of the watchdogs–appear to have missed the mark for accountability in this situation. The allegations made and substantiated by the investigation are serious and Congress deserves answers for why they weren’t addressed. 

My review of this situation has led to many questions about whether there is truly integrity in the Integrity Committee. They operate as a black box with what they appear to believe is unchecked power, providing little information to Congress on their actions. Rather than creating layer upon layer upon layer of bureaucratic oversight, we should consider whether Congress is the more appropriate oversight authority, in line with checks and balances created by our Founding Fathers. 

I am grateful for my colleagues’ support on this critical issue, and I look forward to Chairperson Winters’s swift response.

The full letter may be read here.

The Federalist covered the letter here.

Condemning International Body's Attempt to Stonewall U.S. Ally

I introduced a resolution condemning the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant applications for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Defense Yoav. 

My resolution makes clear that the United States is not a party to, and does not recognize the legitimacy or jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. Although President Clinton signed the Rome Statute in 2000,  that treaty was never presented to the United States Senate or ratified by the Senate, as required by the Constitution.

The ICC is not a legitimate multilateral institution. It has no authority to invade the sovereignty of Israel or any other nation unless a sovereign state has ceded its self-governance to the ICC. It is particularly pernicious that the ICC, without color of authority, would attempt to punish Israel and its leaders for exercising its right to defend itself from barbaric terrorists.

Neither the United States nor Israel are parties to the Rome Statute. As such, any attempt by the ICC to enforce their arrest warrant applications will not be recognized by the United States.

Hamas wants nothing more than to eradicate the Jewish people, and the ICC should not sabotage Israel’s right to defend itself.

The text of my resolution may be read here.

Just the News covered the resolution here.

Commemorating Armed Forces Day

On Saturday, we recognized and honored our nation’s heroic service members. 

We are grateful for your courage and humbled by your sacrifices. 

Thank you to all who serve!

House Oversight & Accountability Committee Activity

The Oversight Committee held a hearing titled “Oversight of Our Nation’s Largest Employer:  Reviewing the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Pt. II.” My colleagues and I questioned OPM’s Acting Director Rob Shriver regarding the agency’s failure to hold civil servants accountable to American taxpayers. I asked Acting Director Shriver about OPM’s process for handling civil servants who have misused leave or engaged in an illegal strike in opposition to pro-Israel government policies.

Arizona is an at-will state—meaning that employers are able to dismiss an employee for any reason and without warning. At-will states are continuing to see a growth in workers. Acting Director Shriver has never investigated the statistics regarding at-will employment and how it could benefit the federal government. Click the image below to watch some of my remarks:

The Oversight Committee held a second hearing titled “Oversight of the U.S. Department of Energy.” We examined major policy decisions that have vilified American-made energy production in favor of far-left, radical Green New Deal priorities. The United States must rely upon a diverse array of energy sources, including fossil fuels, nuclear energy, and hydropower. Click the image below to watch some of my remarks:

House Judiciary Committee Activity

The Judiciary Committee held a hearing titled “Oversight of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.” My colleagues and I questioned ATF Director Dettelbach about the agency’s dangerous and unconventional tactics to execute search warrants. The Director repeatedly dodged my questions about generic department regulations. Click the image below to watch some of my remarks:

The Committee also held a markup and passed the following bills out of committee:

• H.R. 1398, the Protect America’s Innovation and Economic Security from CCP Act;
• H.R. 7909, the Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act; 
• H.R. 8296, the GAO Database Modernization Act of 2024.

Work Continues on the Apache Trail

Today, my staff joined members of our SR-88 Apache Trail working group, including ADOT engineers, Pinal County Supervisor Jeff Serdy, and local residents to inspect the road in-person and receive a briefing on the project. As you may recall, the Woodbury Fire and subsequent monsoon damage caused a massive rock fall which made the road impassible for several years. Road crews have successfully repaired and graded major portions of Apache Trail on both sides of the closure area, but much work needs to be done to clear and reinforce this segment of the road, control future flooding, and preserve its historical features. However, the ADOT team confirmed that work is now under contract and they anticipate a limited opening for 4x4s and UTV’s by this Fall. I appreciate ADOT and our working group members who took the time to join today’s briefing. I’ll keep you updated as this project develops.

Alex Epstein Joins the What's the Biggs Idea? Podcast

On this week’s episode of the What’s the Biggs Idea? Podcast, I was joined by Alex Epstein, a philanthropist and energy expert. Alex and I had a great discussion about the Green New Deal hoax and the Left’s refusal to acknowledge the benefits of fossil fuels as an energy source.

Previous episodes of the podcast can be found on my website. Click the image below to watch this week’s episode:

Legislation and Letters

Bills Sponsored:

• H.Res.1253 - Reaffirming the U.S. is not a party to the Rome Statute and does not recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court 

Bills Cosponsored:

• H.R. 8282 - The Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act (Reps. Roy and Mast)  
• H.R. 8432 - Protect Our Police Act (Rep. Good)  
• H.R. 8519 -  To prohibit the obligation or expenditure of Federal funds for disinformation research grants, and for other purposes (Rep. Massie) 
• H.J.Res.160 - A resolution disapproving the HHS rule mandating Obamacare coverage for transgender surgeries under the Congressional Review Act  (Rep. Roy) 
• H.R. 8452 - Taiwan Interpol Endorsement and Inclusion Act (Rep. Gooden) 
• H.Res.1255 - Calling upon all Americans on this Memorial Day, 2024, to honor the men and women of the Armed Forces who have died in the pursuit of freedom and peace (Rep. Guest) 
• H.Res.1256 - Condemning United Nations Moment of Silence for Ebrahim Raisolsadati as a blatant disregard of the United Nations Charter (Rep. Carol Miller)    
• H.J.Res. 136 - A resolution disapproving the EPA’s “tailpipe rule” under the Congressional Review Act (Rep. James)

Letters Led:

• Letter to Council of Inspectors General for Integrity and Efficiency’s Integrity Committee regarding their failing to conduct an investigation of alleged wrongdoing among senior staff at the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General

Letters Cosigned:

• Letter to Middle States Commission on Higher Education to re-evaluate Columbia University’s Accreditation (Rep. McCormick)   
• Letter to DHS Secretary Mayorkas and FBI Director Wray on the illegal Jordanian aliens who attempted to breach Quantico Marine Corps Base (Rep. Roy)

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 Newsmax with Shaun Kraisman and Emma Rechenberg to discuss the Senate’s failed border bill. Click the image below to watch some of the segment:

I joined the John Fredericks Radio Network to discuss the next steps in holding AG Garland in contempt of Congress. Click the image below to listen to some of the segment:

I joined Newsmax with Lidia Curanaj to discuss Biden’s weaponized Department of Justice. Click the image below to watch 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.