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The Week in Review
Happy Friday!
I hope you had a wonderful week. I am grateful to serve you all in the 119th Congress. Read below to see what I’ve been working on this week.
Government Shutdown Resources and Guidance
Today is day 10 of the Schumer Shutdown. I voted YES on legislation to fund the government through November 21, 2025, which ultimately passed the House of Representatives, but Senate Democrats blocked this approach. As a result, we remain at an impasse until at least 60 Senators agree to advance a funding bill to the President's desk.
While many federal agencies will face disruptions during this period, my offices remain operational. If you are in need of assistance with casework, please call my Mesa district office at (480) 699-8239 or visit my website. My staff and I are here to help.
For your awareness, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and VA medical care will remain operational during the shutdown. Other agencies are actively coordinating their plans until spending resumes. For agency-specific details, visit each department’s .gov site (e.g. www.dhs.gov or www.va.gov).
The programs listed below will remain operational, but the agencies in charge of them will see workforce shortages until the shutdown is resolved. This is not a full list, but an overview of key services:
- Medicare and Medicaid benefits
- Social Security payments, including SSI benefits
- VA medical care and benefits (some regional offices may close)
- Disability payments
- SNAP benefits (longer shutdown could cause disruptions)
- Mail delivery
- Federal law enforcement and military operations
- Federal employee retirement payments
- Air travel
- Student aid, including Pell Grants and Federal Direct Student Loans
- Visa and passport services (longer wait times are possible)
Information for Federal Employees:
For the foreseeable future, many federal employees will be furloughed. Others will be required to work but may experience a delay in their paycheck until a funding agreement is reached. All federal employees will receive back pay under federal law.
I have requested that my salary be withheld until Democrats open up the government. I’ll keep you posted.
Below are helpful links with more information:
Again, my offices will continue to operate as usual for as long as this Democrat shutdown lasts. We will never stop working for the great people of Arizona’s Fighting Fifth Congressional District.
Remembering October 7th
Two years ago, Hamas invaded and brutally attacked our ally Israel.
We mourn with the families of those slain and held hostage. We will not let terrorists win.
We pray for peace in the Middle East. I applaud President Trump on his work to lead negotiations for a peace deal between Israel and Hamas, and I urge all involved parties to comply with the negotiated points. Thanks to President Trump's efforts, we are closer to peace than ever before.
Urging DOJ to End Federal Overreach
Against Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office
I sent a letter to United States Attorney General Pam Bondi urging her Department of Justice to resolve a 2013 lawsuit that has resulted in more than a decade of federal oversight of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO). This government overreach has cost Arizona taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars and continues despite near-total compliance with the original court order.
In 2013, a federal court placed MCSO under a court-ordered monitor to oversee policing reforms. Since then, three sheriffs have implemented policy changes, training, and reporting requirements to meet federal standards. Even with near-total compliance, the federal monitor has piled on new demands that go far beyond the original ruling.
Taxpayers have been saddled with nearly $350 million in costs, including more than $34 million paid directly to the DOJ-appointed monitor and his firm. This continued federal intervention has worsened deputy attrition and recruitment challenges, straining MCSO’s ability to keep Maricopa County safe.
For over a decade, a costly federal monitor has hamstrung the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office through administrative overreach and constant federal interference. MCSO has worked tirelessly to comply with the court-ordered reforms, and it’s clear that the original goals of the oversight have been met. The continued monitoring, along with the growing costs associated with it, serves no legitimate purpose for the people of Maricopa County. I urge AG Bondi to bring this matter to a close and allow local law enforcement to move forward without unnecessary federal involvement.
Maricopa County Supervisor Mark Stewart expressed his views on the federal oversight of the Sheriff’s Office, stating:
“It’s time we wrap up this decade-long oversight. I want to thank Judge Snow for his invaluable guidance and hopefully for ending this costly oversight. The dedicated men and women of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office deserve to be recognized as the top-tier law enforcement organization they are. Taxpayers rightly expect their hard-earned dollars to go toward keeping our communities safe and investing in law enforcement.”
Maricopa County Supervisor Debbie Lesko said:
“Maricopa County’s been under a court monitor for more than ten years—it’s not making anyone safer, it’s just wasting money and time. The Sheriff’s Office is doing the job right, but the goal posts keep moving and the scope keeps expanding—it’s totally unfair, and it’s time to end it once and for all.”
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said:
“The people of Maricopa County deserve results, not endless federal micromanagement that drains taxpayer dollars. Over $350 million has been spent on court-ordered oversight of the Sheriff’s Office, with little to show for it except bureaucracy and frustration. That money could have gone toward putting more deputies on the street and strengthening public safety in our neighborhoods. I applaud Congressman Andy Biggs for leading this fight in Washington and standing up for local control and fiscal responsibility.”
My letter may be read here.
The Post Millennial covered the letter here.
Demanding that AZ Senators Put Arizonans First
I joined Arizona Reps. Ciscomani, Crane, Gosar, Hamadeh, and Schweikert in sending a letter to our senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego urging them to vote to reopen the government. On September 16, the House passed a bill to avoid a government shutdown, but the Senate has yet to adopt it, despite having voted on it seven times. Senators Kelly and Gallego have voted against the bill all seven times.
Democrats’ continued refusal to fund the government is nothing more than a partisan game. It’s time for our Senators to put Arizonans first and vote to reopen the federal government.
The full letter may be read here.
The Congressional App Challenge is Back!
Applications are now open for the 2025 Congressional App Challenge! I encourage all interested Arizona students to participate for the chance to have your app featured in the U.S. Capitol and on the House of Representatives’ website.
Visit the Congressional App Challenge website to register before October 30th.
Letters and Legislation
Bills Cosponsored:
Letters Led:
- Letter to AG Pam Bondi re Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office’s Monitor
Letters Cosigned:
- Letter with AZ Delegation to Sens. Kelly and Gallego re Government Shutdown
What's the Biggs Idea? Podcast with Brian Blase
On this week’s episode of What’s the Biggs Idea?, I was joined by the President of Paragon Health Institute, Brian Blase, Ph.D. We discussed the failure of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, its role in skyrocketing insurance premiums for all Americans, and the Democrats’ fight to make COVID-era subsidies permanent. Check out my website to watch previous episodes. Click the image below to watch this week’s episode:
Top Media Appearances of the Week
I joined Fox News with Julie Banderas to discuss the Democrats’ stubborn refusal to open the government. Click the image below to watch part of the segment:
I joined OAN with Matt Gaetz to discuss OMB Director Russ Vought’s opportunity to implement intuitive federalism and cut wasteful spending. Click the image below to watch the segment:
I joined Newsmax with Todd Starnes to discuss the implosion of the Democrat Party on Capitol Hill. 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.
Please note that we will not be able to fulfill flag requests until government funding is approved.
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.
Please note that Capitol and White House tours are not available during a lapse in appropriations. If you have a tour scheduled, my office will be in touch to reschedule for a new date.
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