Congresswoman Lesko Weekly Update

Good morning,

This week, I was in Arizona, where I was busy all week helping constituents! As a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, I am committed to protecting the integrity of free and fair elections, especially during a pandemic.

Legislative Update

I cosponsored Representative Jim Jordan’s legislation, the Protect Speech Act, to amend section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934 to ensure that big tech companies are not immune from civil liability if they continue to act as content editors and continue to censor viewpoints they do not like. This is important legislation to uphold free speech in our nation. Online platforms should encourage an open, competitive internet that promotes the free exchange of ideas. They should not run election interference for one ideology while censoring views from a differing ideology.

Pinspiration Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Monica Yelin from our office attended a ribbon cutting ceremony for Pinspiration, a creative arts and crafts DIY studio, at their Glendale location! Monica attended the ribbon cutting with Della Brandenburger, Director of the Peoria Women 4 Women Networking Group, Scot Andrews, President of the Peoria Chamber of Commerce, and Shellie Small, the owner of the Glendale Pinspiration location.

Encouraging Stories

I loved seeing this story about Meals of Joy, a local nonprofit in Litchfield Park, that is holding its first drive-thru event, Taste for Joy, this Saturday at the First Baptist Church of Garden Lakes. Meals of Joy brings fresh meals to seniors who are unable to prepare food for themselves due to medical issues or financial hardships. It is great to see people in the community who are working hard to serve our seniors!

Military Veterans and Families Month

President Trump has designated November 2020 as National Veterans and Military Families Month! It is important to honor our Armed Forces and their families and recognize the sacrifices they make when our service members are called to duty to serve our great nation. We must always remember our brave service members who put their lives on the line to defend our freedom, and we cannot forget the military families who shoulder great responsibility when their spouses, parents, siblings, or children are called to serve. I am proud to see President Trump taking this step to commemorate our nation’s heroes. The full text of the proclamation can be found here.

Casework Highlight

A constituent contacted our office because he and his wife owed the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for taxes. However, they never received their Economic Impact Payment and were concerned that it would go to the remaining balance they owed the IRS. We were able to make an inquiry regarding the payment and found when it was released. The reason for the delay was due to the delay in processing their 2019 tax return. We worked with the constituent who then received their payment.

Coronavirus Casework Highlight

A constituent contacted us because he was concerned about COVID-19 but needed to get an emissions test for his vehicle. Our office was able to share with him that the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) was waiving the emissions requirement for those aged 65 or older. We explained the process for applying online and made sure the constituent was able to contact ADOT directly with questions after submitting his application.

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