Congresswoman Lesko Weekly Update

Good evening,

This week, I was in Washington, D.C. for another busy week in the U.S. House of Representatives!

Partisan COVID Relief Bill

This week, the House voted on the Senate version of Democrats’ partisan COVID-19 relief package. Less than 10% of this bill goes to COVID-19 related health spending, and parts of this bill will not get spent until after 2022. That’s not emergency COVID-19 relief at all. I do support tailored, targeted relief that focuses on helping Americans who need it most and relief that focuses on delivering vaccines into the arms of the American people. This partisan bill does not deliver this targeted relief, and so I could not support this measure. My statement on my vote can be found here.

Attacks on the Second Amendment 

This week, the Democrats also pushed their radical gun control agenda that infringes on our Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms. The House voted on two gun control measures, H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446, both of which I could not support. These bills are ineffective responses to gun violence that deprive law-abiding citizens of exercising their Second Amendment rights. This bill aims to criminalize many low-risk firearm transfers between private citizens and punishes, under penalty of federal law, those who try to offer people a means to protect themselves. These measures would not have actually prevented tragic mass shootings, but they do make it more difficult for law-abiding citizens to own a firearm and infringe on the Second Amendment.

What's Next on the Dems' Agenda?

Democrats have the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, so they control which bills are considered and given a vote. Next week, they plan on putting forward their partisan version of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that pretends to protect women, but instead prioritizes gender ideology over women in need. This bill requires, under penalty of federal law, that female-only domestic violence shelters take in men who identify as women, which would put vulnerable women at risk. This version of VAWA also excludes exemptions for faith-based organizations and forces these organizations to admit men into women’s-only spaces in spite of their religious objections. This new version of the bill also includes a new provision that lowers the standard by which governments can take away someone’s right to bear arms without due process, including for non-felony crimes. The Democrats are attempting to use this law, aimed at helping women, to undermine Constitutional protections and spaces reserved to help women in the name of gender identity politics.

Share Your Story: Reopening Schools

I am pleased that Governor Doug Ducey issued an executive order to reopen schools by March 15, 2021. Governor Ducey's executive order can be found here.

Unfortunately, American students in other states are still suffering and falling behind. Many are facing mental health issues as a result of not being in classrooms with their peers. The CDC has made it clear that schools can safely reopen for in-person learning, but the Biden Administration and teachers’ unions across the country are still refusing to safely reopen schools. If you or your child have been negatively affected by these school closures, I encourage you to share your story here.

Share Your Thoughts on Big Tech Censorship and Monopolies

On March 25, 2021, the House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing with leaders from Facebook, Google, and Twitter, and Republicans on the Committee want to hear from you. Click here to submit your feedback and comments on what concerns you believe must be raised with Big Tech Companies and whether or not you believe everyone is treated fairly by these companies. Please send in your feedback by March 18, 2021.

Legislative Update

I urged Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to provide a briefing on the ongoing crisis at the southern border. I am proud to represent a border state, and I am very concerned about the Biden Administration’s policies that have incentivized illegal immigration and fueled the current border crisis. Biden has promised amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants and reinstated the Obama-era’s “catch-and-release” policy. These bad policies place many of these illegal immigrants in border communities that do not have the ability to take them in as border patrol facilities are overwhelmed.

I also led a letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Robert Fenton in support of the City of Goodyear, AZ Fire Department’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant application. SAFER grants provide funding to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to help them increase or maintain the number of trained, front line firefighters available in their communities. The Goodyear Fire Department is requesting fifteen firefighters as part of the grant to help staff a fire station that will be built by the end of 2022. I am proud to support this grant funding, and I hope FEMA Administrator Fenton approves this grant to provide this critical funding for the Goodyear community.

Congressional Recognitions

Monica from our office presented a Congressional Recognition to Pastor James Turner and his wife, Letha Turner, from El Mirage, AZ. As founders of Bridge the Gap Urban Outreach, they work with different churches and volunteers offering discipleship, detox programs, providing food pantry items, and much more. I am proud to recognize this couple for their dedication to taking care of so many in their community.

Pictured left to right: Pastor James Turner, Monica, Letha Turner

Ribbon Cutting

Austin from our office attended a ribbon cutting for the Anthem, AZ location of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale that recently opened. The Boys & Girls Club provides valuable guidance, mentorship, and support for youth in our communities, and I am glad they will be bringing this invaluable support to the people of Anthem.  

Pictured from left to right: Ivan Gilreath, President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale, and Austin

Encouraging Story

I want to share this story about a local coffee shop that has been sending uplifting cards to cheer up COVID-19 patients in hospitals who cannot have visitors. These notes were a way to show compassion to and touch the lives of patients in the hospital in lieu of visitors.

I am also happy to share this story about how Sundial Recreation Center hosted a vaccination event for seniors in Sun City, AZ so that they could receive the COVID-19 vaccine close to home! It is so important we prioritize our seniors and vulnerable when combatting this pandemic, and it is great to see the efforts to deliver COVID-19 vaccines into the arms of those who want one.

Casework Highlight

A constituent reached out to our office because he was engaged to a woman from Kenya who was having trouble navigating the process of getting a consular interview and a visa in order to come to the United States. Our office reached out to the embassy and walked the constituent and his fiancée through the process. The constituent's fiancée received an interview and arrived in the U.S. a couple of months later.

Coronavirus Casework Highlight 

A constituent reached out to our office because he was having difficulty reaching the Department of Economic Security (DES) for an update on the documents he mailed in for his unemployment benefits. The constituent mailed his documents to DES and made several phone calls, all to no avail. We were able to send his information to our contact at DES and shortly thereafter, he received a phone call from the agency, and they were able to resolve his issue and release his unemployment benefits into his checking account.

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 Instagram 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