Good afternoon, and welcome to our Weekend Update.

Hey friends, and happy Sunday. As we deal with this powerful winter storm, please be careful out there. I took a ride around the neighborhood in my back mountain community where I live to get a feel for the road conditions. The plows are out in full force, both private and public. However, the conditions are really severe. The snow keeps coming, and we already have 10 inches with 8 more inches on the way. The temperature is 12 degrees, which could make being outdoors very dangerous. If you do go outside, dress warm, wear gloves and be prepared for the worst. My son and I actually helped a lost dog find its way home this morning. Please keep a close eye on your pets as well.

I want to begin by addressing the situation in Minneapolis. The leadership in Minnesota, Minneapolis and other Democrat leaders around the nation have created a powder keg situation and are deliberately trying to ignite it. This is not about the people in the street protesting; this is entirely about the Minneapolis leadership. First off, they are corrupt. We’ve seen arrests and billions and billions of dollars in fraud. They continue to demonize ICE and completely agitate the situation. We must investigate Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Mayor Jacob Frey, who have never once told the protesters to go home. In fact, Walz has encouraged protesters to engage and fight in the streets. He has blood on his hands. Democrats and Joe Biden allowed perhaps as many as 20 million illegals to enter our country over four year period. Many of these individuals have serious criminal offenses, beyond just being here illegally. A driving force behind President Trump's successful campaign was his promise to close the border (which he has done) and enforce our illegal immigration laws. The men and women of ICE are enforcing the law and risking their lives to do their jobs. While things are not going perfectly, we must all ask why this has occurred, understand how it occurred and expose those who are deliberately making it worse to hide their own lawlessness.

It is important to note that in cities like Memphis and throughout Texas, there are many more criminal illegals being rounded up by ICE with the cooperation of the local law enforcement and elected officials. Proof that these operations can be done in a proper manner. The leadership of Minneapolis is creating a powder keg and doing their best to ignite it. The loss of life is tragic. Investigations will take place. Justice will prevail... it must. I am scheduled to be on Fox News at 4 pm, where I am sure I will be asked about this ongoing situation and the Democrat threats to shutdown government.

This week, House Republicans completed another monumental achievement by completing Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations — without a bloated omnibus bill or another continuing resolution. Despite slim margins, nonstop media noise, and Democrats’ 43-day government shutdown, House Republicans have made significant progress toward restoring regular order and returning the appropriations process to a committee-led, member-driven approach. Chairman Cole and our appropriators worked tirelessly for months to deliver this outcome, and today, the House joined them in getting the job done.

Together, all twelve appropriations bills provide responsible, full-year government funding, spend less than another continuing resolution, and codify reforms to cut waste, fraud, and abuse. Once enacted, any last remnants of Biden-era spending will be replaced with President Trump’s spending levels. Many doubted us, but Republicans have delivered once again in making the America First agenda a reality. We have finally turned the page, and we are not turning back.

I want to thank Speaker Mike Johnson, Leader Steve Scalise, and Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, the House Committee on Appropriations, and my colleagues for their work on this historic achievement for the American people.

On Tuesday, I spoke with Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado in the Capitol. She has spent her life standing up to authoritarianism, fighting for free and fair elections, and refusing to be intimidated, even when it put her own life at risk.

In Oslo, when she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Machado dedicated it to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump “for his decisive support of our cause.” She presented the physical medal to President Trump as a personal symbol of gratitude and praised what she called his “visionary” efforts toward Venezuelan liberation.

Meeting her was a reminder that freedom is never truly free. The United States will continue to stand with the Venezuelan people as they work toward democracy and reclaim their future.

On Wednesday evening, I joined “NewsNation Now” with Connell McShane to talk about the future of Venezuela and my recent conversations with María Corina Machado, including her work standing up to Nicolás Maduro and fighting for free and fair elections.

We also discussed President Trump’s leadership on the world stage, from his remarks at the World Economic Forum to the strategic national security framework he reached with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Greenland and the Arctic. This agreement will strengthen U.S. national security and reinforce stability around the world. Click here or below to watch.

On Friday, I joined “National Report” on Newsmax to recap President Trump’s highly successful trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos and to make clear that the days of the U.S. being taken advantage of are over.

Under President Trump, America is stronger than ever. He is using tariffs as a negotiating tool to level the playing field, spur investment and innovation, strengthen American manufacturing, support our farmers, and drive real wage growth.

In Davos, President Trump laid out three ways to wreck a country’s economy: open borders, reliance on imports, and growing the economy through the public sector instead of the private sector. After four years of Democrat leadership, we were living that reality. With President Trump back in the White House, those days are over. Click here or below to watch.

What a difference a year makes!

Tuesday marked a year since President Trump delivered his inauguration address with a clear America First plan. One year later, that plan is being executed, and it is delivering real results.

Look at where this country was under Democrat leadership and where we are today under President Trump, and a Republican majority in the House & Senate.

• A Secure Border: Under Democrat leadership, the border was an unmitigated disaster. Drugs poured in, human trafficking surged, and cartels became billionaires while enforcement collapsed. President Trump reversed that failure, restored enforcement, and secured the border.
  
  
• Energy: Democrats weakened American energy and drove prices up. Under President Trump, America is energy dominant again, production is rising, and gas prices have hit a four-year low, lowering costs for families and American manufacturers.
  
  
• Taxes: Every Democrat in Congress voted for a $4.5 trillion tax hike, the largest in history. President Trump and a Republican Congress voted to permanently extend the tax credits that fuel small businesses and help American families, like bonus depreciation, 199A, and an enhanced child tax credit.
  
  
• Inflation & Wages: Under Democrat leadership, cumulative inflation reached roughly 22%. Under President Trump, inflation is around 2.7%, prices are easing, wages are rising, and Americans are keeping more of their paycheck.
  
  
• Regulations: The Democrat regulatory agenda made it harder to build, hire, and grow. President Trump has rolled back those burdensome rules and will continue doing so, allowing businesses to invest, expand, and create jobs.
  
  
• Military Recruitment: Recruitment suffered under Democrat leadership. Under President Trump, it is surging, showing that young Americans believe in our country and are stepping forward to serve.
  
  
• Spending and Accountability: Democrats oversaw reckless spending and the weaponization of federal agencies. Under President Trump, wasteful spending is coming down, accountability is back, and Congress is exercising real oversight.
  
  
• Foreign Policy: Democrat’s weakness led to chaos, including the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan and growing global instability. Under Democrat leadership, wars broke out across the world. President Trump is focused on peace through strength, restoring American credibility, and pursuing peace, not endless war.
  
  
• Prescription Drugs: Democrats sat idle while Americans kept paying more for pharmaceutical drugs. President Trump is taking action to lower drug prices so families can afford the medicine they need.
  
  
• Housing: Under Democrat leadership, housing prices surged and red tape slowed construction. Trump has slashed burdensome regulations helping the market stabilize and recover.

This is not an exhaustive list. In addition to these priorities, President Trump has delivered further results that strengthen our economy, communities, and future workforce:

• Rural Health Care: Under President Trump’s leadership, $50 billion has been invested in rural health care, expanding access, improving quality, and strengthening outcomes for patients.
  
  
• Delivering for the Next Generation: President Trump established Trump Accounts, tax advantaged investment accounts for U.S. citizens under 18, to help millions of children build long term financial security.
  
  
• Safer Communities: Democrats failed to stop cartels from flooding communities with drugs and crime. President Trump is cracking down on cartels, stopping drugs before they reach our shores, and securing the border.
  
  
• Rooting Out Waste, Fraud, and Abuse: President Trump has cut and will continue to cut waste, fraud, and abuse across federal programs, saving taxpayers billions.

With pro-growth policies, deregulation, and historic levels of investment, the economy has real momentum, with GDP exceeding 4%. We had a strong year, and we are just getting started.

My bipartisan outlook is simple. Democrats must stop the constant political posturing and work together to build a stronger America. The political fight should only ever be over who gets the credit. There is governing, and then there is politics. It’s time to govern.

IN NEWS YOU WON’T HEAR IN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA: The Trump economy beats expectations again.

THE ECONOMY IS GROWING FASTER THAN ECONOMISTS PREDICTED

• 3^rd Quarter gross domestic product increased at an annual rate of 4.4%.
  • This was faster growth than economic experts had predicted .
• The Atlanta Fed now predicts GDP growth in the 4^th quarter to be 5.3%, up from their earlier estimate of 2.7%.

INFLATION HAS PLUMMETED

• Joe Biden oversaw the worst inflation crisis in 40 years, with inflation reaching 9.1% in 2022.
• President Trump inherited a 3% inflation rate from Joe Biden but it has cooled to just 2.4% since he took office.
• The Consumer Price Index rose just 0.3% in December while core CPI rose just 0.2%, below market expectations.
  • Core inflation year-over-year was just 2.6%, below expectations.
• Real wages have increased under President Trump, indicating wage growth is outpacing inflation.
  • Average hourly earnings have increased 3.8% since last year.

JOBS, JOBS, JOBS

• Under President Trump, all private-sector job growth has gone to native-born Americans.
  • The most recent jobs report saw the economy add 50,000 new jobs.
• Jobless claims have fallen with the four-week moving average to the lowest point in two years.
• President Trump has secured trillions of dollars in pledged investments from major companies in the energy, technology, manufacturing, and pharmaceutical fields which will lead to countless jobs going to American workers.

BUYING A HOME IS BECOMING MORE AFFORDABLE

• Under Biden, mortgage rates hit their highest level in decades.
• The average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage continues to fall under President Trump, dropping nearly a full percentage point in just one year, sitting at 6.06% from 7.04% in January of 2025.
  • Experts even predict mortgage rates will dip below 6%.
  • This comes as income growth is outpacing home price gains, making buying a home more affordable.
• National median rent prices have fallen for five consecutive months.
  • Apartment rents are down 1.3% from last year and down 5.9% from their 2022 peak.

PRICES ARE LOWER AT THE PUMP

• Biden was responsible for the most expensive gas prices in American history.
  • Gas reached an all-time high in June 2022 when it hit $4.93 per gallon.
  • Despite gas costing only $2.33 when Biden took office, gas averaged over $3 per gallon during his entire presidency.
• Gas prices had fallen for seven straight weeks to begin the new year, and are averaging $2.85 per gallon.
• Average gas prices have dipped below $3 per gallon in 43 states, below $2.75 per gallon in 24 states, and below $2.50 per gallon in 8 states.
• Americans are on track to spend the lowest amount of their disposable income on gas in the last two decades thanks to the Trump administration.
• Americans are expected to spend $11 billion less at the pump in 2026 compared to 2025, and an average household will save over $600 this year compared to when prices hit their peak in 2022 under Biden.

PRESIDENT TRUMP IS SECURING LOWER DRUG COSTS

• President Trump is working to lower drug prices for Americans with his Most-Favored-Nation drug pricing plan.
  • Thanks to an executive order signed by President Trump, Americans will pay less for prescription drugs.
  • In July, President Trump sent a letter to the leading pharmaceutical manufacturers outlining how they must bring down the cost of prescription drugs to match the lowest price of other nations.
  • President Trump has since announced over a dozen deals with major pharmaceutical manufacturers to bring drug prices down including Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, and Eli Lilly.
  • These unprecedented deals will lower costs for inhalers , arthritis medication, obesity drugs, and infertility medicine.
• Thanks to this unprecedented effort to get pharmaceutical companies to lower their prices for Americans, the president was able to launch TrumpRX .
  • This direct-to-consumer government website will allow Americans to purchase drugs at a discounted price negotiated by the government.
• Since President Trump took office, drug prices are down 0.5%.

PRICES FOR GROCERIES AND CARS ARE FALLING

• The average price of eggs is down over $2 from when President Trump took office.
  • Other products have gotten less expensive since Trump took over including chicken , butter, tomatoes, bacon, flour, sugar , ice cream, spaghetti and macaroni, lemons , potatoes, American cheese, and whole wheat bread .
  • The wholesale price of a dozen eggs is down 90% since inauguration, and is down 92% from its March peak.
• Used car prices are down nearly 0.6% since President Trump took office.

SMALL BUSINESSES SEE A BETTER FUTURE AHEAD IN 2026

• The National Federation of Independent Business’s monthly small business optimism index showed small business owners are optimistic about the future.
  • The optimism index rose in December from November and is above its 52-year average as business owners cited they were expecting better business conditions.
  • The uncertainty index fell to its lowest level since June 2024 as owners are confident and ready to expand their businesses.
  • Business owners are expanding as 56% reported spending on capital outlays in the past six months.

And it is going to get better. Thanks to the Working Families Tax Cuts, hardworking Americans can expect to see up to a $7,200 increase in real wages. Under President Trump, we are cutting “blue” tape, strengthening the economy, and putting workers and families first while delivering higher paychecks, greater opportunity, and a more prosperous future for our country.

HUD Secretary Scott Turner said it best: HUD doesn’t have a funding problem — it’s had a management challenge. HUD has no accountability and no transparency. That changed under the Trump Administration.

At a recent Financial Services Committee Meeting, we talked about restoring strong oversight, rooting out fraud, waste, and abuse, and improving how public housing agencies run. I appreciated Secretary Turner’s candor about the long-term challenges at HUD, including a lack of financial controls over HUD contracts.

Working with Sec. Turner, Financial Services Committee Republicans, Housing for the 21st Century Act has key oversight mechanisms that codify improvements the Trump Administration has implemented. Click here or below to watch my remarks.

On Thursday, Paris Hilton joined the Problem Solvers Caucus to advocate for the DEFIANCE Act — bipartisan legislation that would allow victims of ​non-consensual sexual deepfakes to sue those who create or distribute them.

We’re grateful to Paris for championing this important cause, and we look forward to working with her to protect victims of online abuse.

At Thursday’s Financial Services Committee Republicans hearing, I spoke in strong support of reauthorizing the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA).

This reauthorization makes meaningful improvements for policyholders while responsibly updating the program without disrupting the insurance market.

TRIA is about stability and certainty. Terrorist attacks are unpredictable and catastrophic, and this program ensures our insurance markets remain functional when the unthinkable happens—so businesses can recover, rebuild, and keep our economy moving forward. Click here or below to watch.

On Thursday, I met with Norway’s Ambassador to the United States, Anniken Huitfeldt, and former Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg to discuss President Trump’s vision for Europe and the future of the transatlantic alliance.

Norway remains one of America’s closest and most trusted allies. We also discussed shared security priorities, including the strategic importance of the Arctic and Greenland, and the importance of continued partnership to keep the United States and our allies secure.

Later, at a House Committee on Small Business hearing, we heard directly from franchise owners about how pro-growth policies are helping them invest, expand, and create jobs.

The Working Families Tax Cuts’ 199A small business tax deduction, 100% bonus depreciation, and no tax on tips are delivering real results for Main Street.

I’m also working to provide clarity and certainty for franchise owners by supporting the American Franchise Act, so they can keep growing.

Franchising is a proven pathway to entrepreneurship - and when we back small businesses, America wins. Click here or below to watch.

On Friday, Washington was filled with thousands of advocates, students, and families as we gathered for the National March for Life, including many who made the trip from Pennsylvania.

It was great to stand alongside friends and colleagues at the rally, including Speaker Mike Johnson and Vice President JD Vance, and to hear several personal testimonies shared on the sanctity of life.

Across our Commonwealth and the country, pregnancy centers, faith-based groups, and volunteers show up for women and families every day. I’ll continue working in Congress to protect life and support those who choose it.

I was grateful to receive an A+ rating for standing strong for the sanctity of life. I’ll continue fighting to protect the unborn and to ensure taxpayer dollars are used in a way that respects and upholds our pro-life values.

This week, we were pleased to welcome constituents from the 9th Congressional District to discuss issues impacting our region. These are some of the best grassroots supporters in Luzerne County. We were honored to host them and look forward to future visits.

We also welcomed our good friend and former Pennsylvania State Representative, Mike Tobash and his wife, Amie, to Washington, D.C. He is a great friend and is still committed to improving the 9th Congressional District.

We will soon announce details about our campaign for reelection to represent the 9th Congressional District. Petition circulation begins on Tuesday, February 17th and continues through Tuesday, March 10th. We must collect 1,000 signatures from Republican voters in the District. We will need your help to ensure our campaign is successful and that we can continue serving in the U.S. House. It is critical that we continue the work to Make America Great Again and support President Donald J. Trump and the Congressional GOP's America First Agenda.

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