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.

No More CRs

The House of Representatives has passed 34 Continuing Resolutions over the last 10 years. Instead of working through and passing twelve individual spending bills, as we’re required to do by law, Congress continues in its pattern of lazily maintaining current spending levels and extending bad policy.

Government funding expires next month, and there is already talk of passing the 35th CR in 10 years. The House ought to immediately resume work on the remaining individual spending bills instead of again resorting to a CR. I’ll keep you posted.

Click the image below to hear more:

Congressman Alex Mooney (R-WV) created an infographic detailing our spending woes over the last decade:

Protecting Law-Abiding Knife Owners

I reintroduced the Knife Owners Protection Act (KOPA), legislation that would protect traveling knife owners from the vagaries of restrictive state and local laws. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the bill in the Senate. If possession of the knife is legal in the state where the journey starts and ends, and provided the knife is secured in accordance with the requirements set in KOPA, knife owners would no longer be threatened with arrest simply for traveling from one state to another.

Originally introduced in 2013, KOPA is the first proactive pro-knife federal legislation in the nation's history. In 1986, Congress enacted the Firearm Owner Protection Act (FOPA) to protect law-abiding gun owners from an inconsistent patchwork of local laws, but no such protections currently exist for knife owners.

The government must not discourage interstate travel and commerce by subjecting law-abiding knife owners to the fear of prosecution under the myriad patchwork of state and local knife laws. Americans are guaranteed the right to protect themselves, their families, and their businesses by the Second Amendment, and we must ensure that those rights are protected. I’m thankful for Senator Lee’s leadership on this issue in the Senate and for the support of my colleagues as we work to move this bill through Congress.

Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter said, “Those who travel across the country with knives for work, recreation and self-defense are presently subject to arrest and prosecution under a confusing patchwork of inconsistent state and local laws. What is perfectly legal in one place may be a serious crime in another, resulting in forfeiture of the knife and carrying significant penalties including jail time. Enforcement is not uniform even within jurisdictions and is too often subject to the vagaries of political expediency.”

Blaze Media covered the legislation here.

The legislation may be read here.

For Veterans: Prepare for VA’s Secure Sign-In Changes

Starting in 2025, you’ll need to use a Login.gov or ID.me account to sign in to manage your VA health and benefits online. After January 31, 2025, the VA will remove the option to sign in with a My HealtheVet user ID and password. You’ll still be able to use your My HealtheVet health portal—you’ll just need to sign in using a Login.gov or ID.me account. Create your account and log in using it today so you’re all set before January 31. 

House Oversight & Accountability Committee Activity

This week, the House Oversight Committee held a markup. Among the bills passed out of committee was my legislation, the Freedom to Petition the Government Act. 

Currently, District of Columbia law requires that a nonprofit not headquartered in the District must register with the District to hold meetings with Members of Congress or other federal officials on federal property. This law opens these nonprofits to unnecessary, frivolous, and partisan investigations from the DC Attorney General. My bill amends the DC Code to stop this practice.

Nonprofits should be able to travel to the seat of our nation’s capital to advocate, inquire, and engage with the federal government free of retribution from partisan efforts to stop such outreach. Current DC law interferes with Americans’ right to meet with their federal government.

The Oversight Committee passed my bill along partisan lines, and it will now move to the Floor for a vote on passage out of the House. I’ll keep you posted.

Click the image below to hear more about the Freedom to Petition the Government Act:

House Judiciary Committee Activity

The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement held a hearing titled “Oversight of the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement.” My colleagues and I spoke with HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra about his department’s failures to keep track of unaccompanied alien children (UACs). We examined the agency's prioritization of speed over safety in the placement of UACs with sponsors, resulting in HHS losing track of an estimated 150,000 UACs since January 20, 2021.

Secretary Becerra testified that the agency’s number one priority is the safety of UACs but could provide no explanation as to how UACs have been placed in the homes of sponsors with gang affiliations. The lack of proper background checks is unacceptable.

Click the image below to watch my remarks:

Commemorating the Anniversary of the Gettysburg Address

161 years ago, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his Gettysburg Address. 

Freedom is never without sacrifice, but America is resilient. We must continue fighting for our nation. 

“...We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Team Biggs Receives Congressional Update from Phoenix VA Regional Office Leadership

This week, my Veterans Affairs team and staff from Arizona’s congressional delegation received an update from PHXVA Regional Office leadership.

I’m thankful for the opportunity to maintain open communication with the VA to ensure our veterans receive the care they earned.

Interviewing U.S. Service Academy Nominees

This past weekend, my Military Service Academy Nomination Panel interviewed the best and brightest young students in the East Valley and answered their questions about Academy life. 

I’m encouraged by these students’ desire to serve and keep America free. 

Students interested in applying for a nomination for the class of 2030 can visit my website.

Honoring Chandler’s Top Employers

This week, Team Biggs attended the Chandler 100 event honoring the city’s top 100 employers. 

Thank you to the Chandler Chamber of Commerce for an incredible evening and to these critical businesses that drive growth and innovation in the East Valley and throughout Arizona!

Team Biggs Attends Celebration for Mesa Hometown Heroes

The annual Mesa Hometown Heroes Banner Program honors local veterans & current servicemembers for their impact on our nation and community. 

This year, I was pleased to nominate Rick Kreiberg, Nancy Fassbender, Gene Crego, & Bill Sorenson whose banners were hung throughout Mesa in recognition of Veterans Day & Memorial Day. 

Thank you to the Mesa Chamber for this outstanding program!

Letters and Legislation

Bills Sponsored:

• H.R. 10178 - Knife Owners’ Protection Act

Bills Cosponsored:

• H.R. 10194 - Flexibility in Housing Act of 2024 (Rep. Good) 

Letters Cosigned:

• Letter to Inspector General Horowitz to open an investigation into USMS for excessive force during the false arrest of a 66-year-old Phoenix woman (Rep. Jordan)
• Letter to FEMA Administrator Criswell demanding documents and information following whistleblower allegations that the agency is discriminating against Trump supporters (Rep. Comer)

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’s Greta Van Susteren with House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) to discuss our request for Inspector General Horowitz to open an investigation into the false arrest of an Arizona grandmother. Click the image below to watch some of the segment:

I joined Real America’s Voice with Amanda Head to discuss the mandate delivered by the American people and the government’s responsibility to see it through. Click the image below to watch some of the segment:

I joined WMAL-FM with Larry O’Connor and Mercedes Schlapp to discuss President Trump’s nominations. Click the image below to listen to 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 
I 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.