Congresswoman Lesko Weekly Update

Good afternoon,

This week, I was in Washington, D.C., where I attended two House Judiciary Committee hearings, including a subcommittee hearing where a woman from Wisconsin discussed how the mayor denied her small business Coronavirus relief funds because her husband attended a protest to reopen businesses. We also held votes on the Democrats’ energy bill, which I could not support because it includes burdensome mandates that stifle innovation. I am disappointed my Democrat colleagues refused to consider Republican bills that expand clean energy and promote innovation and investment.

Week in Review 

Watch the video below to get an update on all I’ve been doing this week, including votes in the House. 

Legislative Update

I recently introduced legislation with Congressman Jim Jordan to hold rioters accountable for the destruction across our nation. This bill will incentivize cities and states to uphold the rule of law by withholding a portion of federal grants from cities that are failing to prosecute crimes arising from the riots and violent protests. The lawlessness and ongoing violence are destroying our country, and cities that choose to allow the continued mob rule should not be rewarded with federal dollars.

Encouraging Stories

I want to share this story about how Salvador Leon’s friends and family found a way to have a socially distanced birthday celebration for him in his driveway that included shooting off confetti. Leon recently turned 96 and served our country in the U.S. Navy during World War II with his brothers. It is great to see the ways people celebrate and honor our veterans, and I hope he had a wonderful 96th birthday!

Casework Highlight

A constituent contacted our office because she filed her tax return, but she did not receive it in the time frame expected. We opened a case on her behalf, and the Taxpayer Advocate Service was able to see that the constituent needed to verify her identity. She provided us the requested documents, and shortly thereafter, her tax return was released.

Coronavirus Casework Highlight

A constituent contacted our office because he was unable to return to work due to testing positive for the Coronavirus. It appeared that he was ineligible to receive unemployment for the timeframe that he tested positive. We reached out to DES and found that he was eligible, and he received all his weekly benefits for the timeframe he was unable to work. 

Voter Registration

The deadline to register to vote in Arizona is October 5, 2020, and Maricopa County offers several resources for voter registration. If you would like to sign up to be on Maricopa County’s Permanent Early Voting List, please click here. To check on your voter registration status, or register to vote online, please click here. To sign up for Maricopa County Elections Department text and email updates, click here. These text and email updates will let you know when your mail-in ballot has been received, when the signature on the envelope has been verified, and when your ballot has been counted. 

We are Here to Help

As always, my office is here to help. Both my Surprise district office and Washington, D.C. office are open to serve constituents. We are available over the phone and via email at both offices. In addition, the Surprise district office is taking appointments for in-person meetings with staff. We are not accepting walk-in meetings at this time due to the Coronavirus. For the safety of staff and constituents, we will be observing CDC guidelines, including wearing masks and social distancing. To make an appointment with the office, please call 623-776-7911. 

Please feel free to contact my Washington, D.C. office via phone at 202-225-4576 or via email by going to my website at https://lesko.house.gov/contact/.

I encourage you to visit the website and to also follow me on Twitter and like my Facebook page for up to date information about the ongoing outbreak and available resources. 

May God continue to bless you and our great Nation. 

Sincerely,

Congresswoman Debbie Lesko