Feb 22, 2021

Greetings from Washington, D.C., where we are still mourning the loss of once-in-a-lifetime talent Rush Limbaugh. His passing comes as the left is gearing up to double the minimum wage, grant mass amnesty to illegals, and pass the dangerous “Equality Act.” Limbaugh’s voice will be sorely missed as these debates rage on. We cover all of this in The Agenda this week, as well as podcasts, webinars, and more.

In His Own Words: Why Liberals Feared Rush Limbaugh
Like all conservatives, we mourned the loss of the great Rush Limbaugh, who did more to advance the cause than just about anybody. Heritage President Kay C. James issued a moving statement, noting that with great wit and a towering talent, Limbaugh “galvanized the right and irritated the left.” Read her tribute here. Limbaugh himself explained why the left feared him and targeted him for constant attacks in a must-read article published in Heritage’s Policy Review magazine back in 1994. Read a reprint of that article here. Last December, Heritage honored Limbaugh with its Titan of Conservatism Award and is naming Heritage’s new state-of-the-art broadcast studios the Rush Limbaugh Radio Studios.

A $15 Minimum Wage Hurts Those It’s Meant to Help
It’s hard to overstate the importance of having a good job with a good income. It provides a way out of poverty for some, allows people to provide for their families, and reinforces a sense of dignity for the individual. However, both economics and experience show us that Congress’ newest proposal to more than double the minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour won’t create good incomes. Instead, it would hurt the very people it’s intended to help. Heritage President Kay C. James says there are less destructive ways to increase people’s wages. “Instead of imposing more heavy-handed government mandates, our leaders should focus their efforts on removing government-created barriers to work and higher wages,” James writes ahead of this week’s congressional debate. Read Mrs. James’ full commentary.

Biden’s Amnesty Puts Illegal Immigrants Above American People
Immigration rarely came up during the campaign, but that hasn’t stopped President Joe Biden and leftists in Congress from proposing the most sweeping amnesty in history. Heritage’s news outlet, The Daily Signal, looks at six of the key provisions in a bill introduced in Congress last week. Read the article here. Heritage experts issued a scathing statement, saying “the Biden administration and others on Capitol Hill are putting illegal immigrants above the American people,” and mass amnesty will only encourage more illegal immigration. You can read their statement here.

The Equality Act Penalizes Women, Children, Families, and Others
This week, the House of Representatives is expected to vote on a bill with dangerous implications: the Equality Act. The bill’s title is a misnomer, as instead of furthering protections for all Americans’ civil liberties, it would penalize American citizens for their beliefs about sexual orientation and biological gender. “A federal sexual orientation and gender identity law would empower the government to interfere in how regular Americans think, speak, and act at home, at school, at work and at play. Any bill promoting such authoritarianism is a danger to our freedoms,” reads Heritage’s explainer on the bill. Read the full article to find out which groups of citizens a bill like this would harm, and how.

Heritage President Kay C. James was honored with the National Humanities Medal. Former President Donald J. Trump recently awarded Heritage Foundation President Kay C. James the National Humanities Medal “for her intellectual leadership, devotion to our constitutional principles, and steadfast commitment to opportunity for all.” Learn more.

Before their departure, the Trump administration finalized changes to Obamacare recommended by Heritage scholars. The outgoing Trump administration amended Obamacare so that some states will be able to waive burdensome federal mandates and offer patients innovative health care options. Learn more.

Heritage President Kay C. James is the Network of enlightened Women’s Conservative Woman of the Month. “Under her leadership, Heritage has been named the No. 1 think tank in the world for its impact on public policy,” said Network of enlightened Women President Karen Lips in an interview with James. Watch the interview.

Heritage President Kay C. James spoke to the influential NRB Board and President’s Council about conservative activism and religious liberty concerns. Learn more about her call with these Christian communicators here.

Tuesday at 10:30 a.m., Heritage will host a discussion on protecting children from extreme gender laws and ideology. Featured speakers will include Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo., and Autumn Leva, vice president of strategy for the Family Policy Alliance. Following this will be a panel discussion with Gregory S. Baylor, the director at the Center for Religious Schools; Michelle Cretella, executive director at the American College of Pediatricians; and Maria Keffler, the co-founder of Partners for Ethical Care. Register for the event here.

Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., Heritage President Kay C. James will host the fourth annual Jay A. Parker Lecture in conjunction with the Gloucester Institute. Featured speakers include Rep. Bryon Donalds, R-Fla., and Rep. Burgess Ownes, R-Utah. Register for the event here.

Wednesday at noon, Heritage will host a discussion with four former drug “czars” on the issues of driving under the influence of drugs. Featured speakers include James W. Carroll Jr., former White House deputy chief of staff; Robert L. DuPont, president at the Institute for Behavior and Health; Gil Kerlikowske, distinguished visiting fellow and criminology professor at Northeastern University; and Barry R. McCaffrey, a National Security and Terrorism analyst. Register for the event here.

This week on “Heritage Explains,” we explore the history of amnesty in America and why it never works. Listen to the episode.

Joe Biden Created a Border Crisis—Now He’s Making It Worse
Heritage Foundation visiting fellow Ken Cuccinelli joined Fox Business to talk about the Biden administration's radical new moves on immigration. Watch the interview.

Follow The Heritage Foundation and The Daily Signal on Instagram.

Email us your thoughts and questions at [email protected].