Dear Friend,

Good afternoon, and welcome to our Weekend Update.

President Donald J. Trump addressed a Joint Session of Congress this week. President Trump reaffirmed his commitment to the Renewal of the American Dream and made clear that Promises Made, Promises Kept is not just a slogan—it’s a reality. After four years of failed policies, soaring inflation, open borders, and global instability under Biden, we now have a President focused on securing our nation, restoring prosperity, and ensuring every American has the opportunity to achieve success. While many Democrats resorted to political theatrics and an inexcusable lack of basic decorum—resulting in one member being thrown out—President Trump stayed focused on the issues that matter: delivering results for the American people. The American Dream is back within reach, and with strong leadership, the government can work for the people, not against them. (Click here or below to watch me greeting President Trump prior to his speech.)

Since taking office, President Trump has delivered historic results. Unlawful border crossings are down 93%, with February marking the lowest number of illegal crossings in recorded history. By reinstating Remain in Mexico, restarting border wall construction, and ending catch-and-release, he is stopping the crisis the left created. These policies aren’t just securing the border—they are saving lives by cracking down on human trafficking and drug smuggling. Fentanyl and other deadly drugs are no longer flowing freely across our borders, and criminals who exploit our broken immigration system are being held accountable. America is safer, crime is dropping, and the cartels are finally being treated like the terrorist organizations they are. (Click here or below to watch President Trump talk about his actions that provided quick results to fix the border.)

President Trump is also unleashing American energy, lifting Biden’s disastrous LNG export ban, reopening drilling, and cutting job-killing regulations. Pennsylvania will be at the forefront of this energy resurgence, lowering costs for working families and ensuring we never again rely on foreign adversaries for energy. At the same time, he is restoring fiscal responsibility, and in just over a month, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has already saved taxpayers $105 billion by eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government—delivering real accountability where others have only made empty promises. (I welcomed Brian Kilmeade as my guest for President Trump’s address to the Joint Session of Congress.)

On the world stage, America is once again respected. President Trump has reimposed a maximum pressure campaign on Iran, curbed China’s growing influence, and demanded our neighbors take action to help secure our border. The days of Biden’s weak foreign policy and endless appeasement are over—peace through strength has returned.

At home, we are bringing back common sense to government. Parents should have a voice in their children’s education and medical decisions. School choice must be the standard, not the exception. DEI-driven bureaucracy has no place in our institutions. Criminals should face real consequences and not be given a free pass. Perhaps most novel of all, the government should follow the Constitution—starting with protecting free speech and upholding the First Amendment. While Democrats claim they are fighting for democracy, the reality is they are fighting for bureaucracy—more control, more mandates, and more government overreach.

His pro-growth economic policies have already attracted trillions of dollars in new investments from private companies and foreign governments, reinforcing confidence in America’s future. House Republicans stand with President Trump and are committed to advancing the America First agenda that voters sent us here to deliver. I look forward to working alongside the President to continue rebuilding our economy, securing our border, and ensuring America’s best days are ahead.

Before the Joint Address, I attended a reception hosted by Speaker Mike Johnson. I had the opportunity to speak with many cabinet secretaries who are working tirelessly to advance President Trump’s America First agenda. We had great discussions about the efforts underway to usher in a new Golden Age in America.

I spoke on the floor of the House in praise of President Trump's address. While Republicans cheered for fighting waste, fraud, abuse, and corruption and for the vision of a new Golden Age and a great future for America, the other side offered opposition without a cause—that’s not constructive. America is worth cheering for. Click here or below to watch.

On Tuesday, I joined “Newsline” on Newsmax to discuss Biden’s disastrous open border policies, the fentanyl crisis, and the economic impact of his weak leadership.

President Trump has already made tremendous strides in securing our borders, strengthening American manufacturing, and standing up to unfair trade practices. Meanwhile, Democrats continue their ideological agenda, from refusing to protect women’s sports to prioritizing chaos over results. Click here or below to watch.

I joined CNN’s “News Central” to discuss President Trump’s economic plan, tariffs, and securing our borders. The Biden economy left American manufacturing at a disadvantage—President Trump is working to bring jobs back and put America First. We also discussed tackling wasteful government spending and ensuring our policies benefit hardworking Americans. I’ll always advocate for pro-growth policies that strengthen our economy and create opportunities for American workers and small businesses. Click here or below to watch my interview.

Later, compliments of the House Republican Conference, I joined media row to preview President Trump’s joint session address.

I joined multiple outlets to discuss his plan to “Renew the American Dream”—a results-driven vision focused on restoring peace through strength, bringing common sense back to government, unleashing American energy, lowering costs, fixing the economy, and holding Washington accountable.

On Wednesday, I had a great conversation on "The Brian Kilmeade Show" on Fox Radio. We broke down President Trump's powerful address to Congress, the disrespectful behavior from Democrats in the chamber, and the critical work ahead to restore accountability and efficiency in government. Click here or below to listen.

Later, I joined the “American Agenda” on Newsmax to discuss the tariffs. For Americans aged 18-45, fentanyl overdose is the leading cause of death—claiming over 75,000 lives last year alone. President Trump has taken decisive action to combat this crisis: securing our border, treating the cartels like the terrorist organizations they are, and using economic pressure to force cooperation from Mexico and Canada. As President Trump has made clear—this isn’t a trade war, it’s a drug war. Click here or below to watch.

I joined 1210 WPHT's "The Rich Zeoli Show" to discuss the many great highlights from President Trump's address to the Joint Session of Congress. After four years of failed policies, the President is Renewing the American Dream. Click here or below to listen.

Had a great discussion on "The Bob Cordaro Show" on WILK-FM about President Trump's leadership, securing the border, cutting wasteful spending, and strengthening our economy. We’re taking real action to put America First—fixing trade policies, stopping fentanyl trafficking, ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent wisely, and more. Click here or below to listen.

During our discussion, I was laughing while also shaking my head and feeling sick at the same time by the sheer scale of wasteful spending, fraud, overpayments, and lack of recovery taking place. We discussed the need to “Qualify, Quantify, and Codify” the systems and processes allowing this to happen. We must get our house in order. And let’s be clear—despite the false rhetoric, no legitimate Medicaid benefits will be reduced.

While I had hoped the spirit of protecting taxpayer dollars by cutting fraud, waste, and abuse would have spread to the Pennsylvania governor's office, I was wrong. In a purely political move, Governor Josh Shapiro announced an executive order this week that prioritizes hiring laid-off federal employees as he seeks to grow the size of government in Pennsylvania—just another big government politician, doing big government things.

IN NEWS YOU WON’T HEAR IN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA: During his first address to a joint session of Congress in his second term, President Trump delivered a powerful, masterful speech highlighting the remarkable accomplishments of his first six weeks in office and charting a course for four years of prosperity.

The address received widespread acclaim. According to a CBS poll, 76% of Americans approved of the speech, while a CNN poll showed that 69% of Americans had a positive reaction.

The White House released the following quotes highlighting the praise that poured in (including a line from my statement):

• Speaker Mike Johnson: “Tonight, President Trump made his triumphant return to Congress to share his bold, optimistic vision for renewing the American Dream.”
  
  
• Sen. Ted Cruz: “This is the fifth State of the Union address I’ve seen Trump give — it was by far his best.”
  
  
• Fox News’s Bret Baier: “The best moment — emotional moment, was DJ, who’s battling cancer. He wanted to be a police officer and during the speech, the president said the Secret Service has made him an agent.”
  
  
• Fox News’s Brit Hume: “If you ever doubted that Donald Trump is the political colossus of our time and our nation, this night and this speech should have put that to rest.”
  
  
• Geraldo Rivera: “Trump was strong, defiant and entertaining.”
  
  
• Clay Travis: “This is the best speech of Donald Trump’s career. Just a phenomenal litany of common sense and rational leadership. Great and heartwarming guests. It’s a grand slam.”
  
  
• Chris Cillizza: “That was a very effective speech. You can hate it or him. But that speech was aimed squarely at issues where the public is with Trump — and filled with made-for-sharing moments. A master image-maker at work (and you can hate him and acknowledge that’s true!)”
  
  
• Riley Gaines: “I am just left feeling inspired and hopeful and there’s so much to look forward to.”
  
  
• Amber Rose: “Donald Trump just gave the greatest presidential speech of all-time.”
  
  
• Pennsylvania resident: “I thought it was very positive… We used to be a country that would just let everything happen… I think now, we’re taking back things that should’ve never been given away. So, I think doing those tariffs… it’s well overdue.”
  
  
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio: “An inspiring and momentous speech. @POTUS returned to the White House with a clear mandate from the American people to renew the American Dream. His address tonight laid out exactly how he is keeping those promises with a vision of peace through strength and a stronger, safer, and more prosperous United States.”
  
  
• Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum: “The previous administration used a whole-of-government approach to oppose reliable, affordable U.S. energy production in favor of unreliable, unaffordable intermittent sources. The Trump administration is working overtime to undo all the damage done during the Biden years, and we are fast-tracking America’s path to a New Golden Age through Energy Dominance!”
  
  
• Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth: “Thank you, @POTUS. It is the honor of my life to serve the American warfighter.”
  
  
• UN Ambassador-designate Elise Stefanik: “In just one month under President Trump, Americans have experienced record results and the renewal of the American Dream with the triumphant return of strong leadership to the Oval Office. From securing the border, cutting wasteful spending of our hard-earned taxpayer dollars, and reasserting America First peace through strength leadership to the world stage, President Trump has delivered the most exceptional first month of an American presidency in history. Promises made, promises kept. The American Golden Age is here.”
  
  
• Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner: “The American people sent President Trump to enact generational change in Washington. What @POTUS has accomplished in less than two months is remarkable. This is what America first feels like.”
  
  
• Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler: “This was a tour de force of a President who, in 42 days, has more accomplishments than Joe Biden had in four years — It is a new day in America, and people at home had to have loved what they’ve seen from this great President.”
  
  
• Sen. Rick Scott: “Under President Trump’s strong leadership, our allies respect us, our adversaries fear us, and the world respects us again!”
  
  
• Sen. John Cornyn: “One of the best lines from President Trump tonight during his State of the Union speech: to secure the border, we didn’t need any new laws; what we needed was a new president! Amen.”
  
  
• Sen. Shelley Moore Capito: “@POTUS delivered a strong vision for our country—prioritizing border security, unleashing American energy, strengthening our military, and providing tax relief for families.”
  
  
• Sen. Lindsey Graham: “My take on President @realDonaldTrump’s address tonight: Inspiring, funny, compelling and the Democrats’ worst nightmare.”
  
  
• Rep. Nancy Mace: “Best speech ever.”
  
  
• Rep. Jim Jordan: “Incredible speech by President Trump! Confident. Empowering. Leadership.”
  
  
• Rep. Dan Meuser: “Tonight, President Trump reaffirmed his commitment to the Renewal of the American Dream and made clear that Promises Made, Promises Kept is not just a slogan—it’s a reality.”
  
  
• Rep. Mike Flood: “President @realDonaldTrump’s speech to Congress was a celebration of America and the renewal our country is experiencing.”
  
  
• Rep. Sam Graves: “The Golden Age of America has ARRIVED. Thank you, President Trump!”
  
  
• Rep. Beth Van Duyne: “In just six weeks, President Trump has made incredible progress for America: the most secure borders in our lifetime without any new money or legislation; through DOGE, he has exposed the massive fraud and money laundering of billions of dollars in the federal government; brought in more manufacturing investments (Apple, TSMC, Honda) than the entire Biden presidency; and he is working with Congress to deliver long term reforms to lower costs and expand opportunities for our hard working families.”
  
  
• Rep. Dale Strong: “President Trump is delivering on his promises. He has secured our borders and is working to revitalize our economy. Once again, the United States is seen as a symbol of strength across the globe, and tonight’s address proves that this administration is ready and willing to help hardworking American families.”

The speech was a homerun. America is back. Unfortunately, rather than celebrate clear policy victories for the American people and applaud American heroes in the galary, Congressional Democrats chose to sit on their hands. It was an embarrassing display. Democrat Congressman Al Green attempted to disrupt the President's address, leading to his removal from the floor and a censure. Congressional Democrats are rutterless, have no message, and are suffering from severe cases of Trump derangement syndrome. 

In D.C.:

Alongside Financial Services Committee Republicans & House Committee on Small Business Republicans, we strongly advocated for the Biden Administration to relieve small businesses from burdensome Beneficial Ownership Reporting requirements.

Now, within just weeks of taking office, the Trump Administration has announced:

✔️ No penalties under existing March 14th Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) deadlines

✔️ No fines on U.S. citizens or domestic companies after rule changes

✔️ A new rule limiting reporting to foreign entities is forthcoming

President Donald J. Trump is cutting needless regulations so businesses can grow instead of drowning in compliance.

On Tuesday morning, I received a briefing from Secretary Pete Hegseth on his work at the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Under President Trump's leadership, our military is stronger, morale is higher, and recruitment is back on track. Secretary Hegseth detailed plans to enhance our national defense, including developing a “Golden Dome” for America—a missile defense system to keep our nation secure.

After that briefing for Secretary Hegseth, House Republicans gathered to discuss the “Renewal of the American Dream,” hearing powerful remarks from the Miracle on Ice team, including Captain Mike Eruzione, Secretary Pete Hegseth, Speaker Mike Johnson, and others.

Their words served as a reminder of American resilience and determination. I look forward to hearing President Trump’s vision for the future and his administration’s continued efforts to build a safer, stronger, and more competitive America.

Later, alongside my colleagues on the House Small Business Committee, I met with the newly confirmed Administrator of the Small Business Administration, Kelly Loeffler.

We discussed her plans for the future of the SBA, including how the agency will refocus on its mission to support and advocate for small businesses, restore prudent guardrails to SBA’s lending programs, and empower small businesses across Main Street America. I look forward to working with Administrator Loeffler to serve and fight for American small businesses.

This afternoon, I had a productive meeting with Bill Demchak, Chairman and CEO of PNC Bank.

We discussed the importance of PNC to Pittsburgh and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the value of competitive consumer banking.

Expanding access to capital and economic opportunities for small businesses is one of my top priorities in Congress. I had a great discussion today with Ben Walter, CEO of Chase Business Banking, about the state of small businesses and their challenges in accessing the capital essential for growth.

The House Committee on Small Business unanimously passed my bill, H.R. 1804, to strengthen oversight of the SBA’s 7(a) Loan Program. With $335M+ in loan agent fraud over the last decade, this bill ensures transparency and accountability to protect taxpayer dollars and support small business growth. Click here or below to learn more.

Click here or below to watch a video of me discussing the bill before passage.

Think of it like this: Lowering the cost of a speeding ticket to $5 would likely lead to more speeding, accidents, and problems. The same goes for eliminating overdraft fees – it would encourage risky spending and put more pressure on community banks. Many warn this could end free checking accounts, a crucial service for low-income customers. Overdraft protection helps keep checking free, makes ATM access easy, and provides significant consumer benefits. Click here or below to watch.

Great evening following the White House Crypto Roundtable, where President Trump’s Administration is stepping up to ensure the U.S. remains the global leader in crypto innovation.

It was great to hear from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who understands how crypto can help reprivatize the economy.

I also had insightful conversations with Michael Saylor and Avalanche CEO Emin Gün Sirer, both of whom are driving the next wave of technological progress.

Additionally, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and White House Crypto Czar David Sacks delivered a strong message on the need to fight back against debanking and regulatory overreach, ensuring that innovation stays in the U.S.

America must embrace digital assets—not push them offshore. Pro-crypto policies mean economic growth, financial freedom, and a stronger future. 

Financial Services Committee Republicans will keep fighting to ensure the U.S. is the crypto capital of the world. That starts with House leadership on stablecoins and market structure.

(Pictured below with Michael Saylor, Co-founder of MicroStrategy, Secretary Scott Bessent, Avalanche CEO Emin Gün Sirer, and Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and Crypto Czar David Sacks).

On Saturday, I had a great time speaking at the Liberty Mandate Event with the dedicated team at Citizens Alliance. Thanks to Cliff Maloney and his grassroots organization for their tireless work during the 2024 elections—knocking on over 800,000 doors nationwide, including thousands here in Pennsylvania. Their efforts helped elect two new members to the U.S. House from Pennsylvania, flip a U.S. Senate seat, and win key state offices, all while helping to secure President Donald Trump’s return to the White House to advance an America First agenda.

This week, we wished our Chief of Staff Tim Costa well as he transitions to a new role. Tim has been a key part of our success, and while he is moving on from the official office, he remains fully engaged in our campaign team and efforts. Coming off a strong election cycle and a decisive victory, we must keep the momentum going. Tim’s leadership and expertise will continue to be an asset as we build on our success, strengthen our political operation, and prepare for the work ahead. I appreciate his commitment and look forward to continuing to work with him in this new capacity.

I am also pleased to announce that Matthew Perricone will become my new Chief of Staff. Matt has been with my office since 2019, working tirelessly to advance our legislative agenda and serve the people of the 9th District. His experience and leadership will ensure a smooth transition as we continue our important work.

On Ash Wednesday, I wished everyone who celebrates a blessed Lenten season - a time to pause, pray, and reflect on your walk with God and His endless mercy and grace.

Last, I want to wish my son Danny a very Happy Birthday. We are all very proud of the man you have become.

May God continue to bless our nation. I look forward to seeing you soon,

Dan Meuser
https://www.meuserforcongress.com/