Congresswoman Lesko Weekly Update

Good afternoon,

It is great to be spending another week in Arizona! 

Happy Easter!

I want to wish you and your family a very Happy Easter Sunday! As we celebrate Christ's Resurrection, I hope you receive much joy and many blessings this Easter season.

Great 8 Tour Continues

This week, I continued meeting with many constituents, businesses, and stakeholders in Arizona on my Great 8 Tour! I began my week touring MedAire, where doctors and nurses provide over-the-phone medical assistance to airline and ship passengers with medical emergencies. Then, I met with Mission Critical Construction, part of MMR Group, that constructs electrical systems, telecommunications, and security systems. I also met with the CEO of Mesa Airlines and the Goodyear Economic Development Team. I was able to tour a rosebush farm and learn about growing roses and watermelons before meeting with the Sun City and Sun City West Home Owners Associations (SCHOA and PORA). I attended a meeting with the Surprise, Peoria, and Anthem Chambers of Commerce where we discussed issues facing businesses in their towns and our district. I also met with Governor Doug Ducey’s office to discuss important issues affecting my district and the State of Arizona. Next, I met with the Central Arizona Project, the single largest water supplier in our state. I also attended a meeting with our Military and Veterans Advisory Council and our Veterans Community Partners to talk about ways to support active duty military and veterans in our district. Finally, I attended a briefing at ASU on research security and protecting universities’ intellectual property from theft and was able to tour ASU’s lab with various carbon capture technologies. It has been a great week meeting with everyone and gaining valuable insights that I will use moving forward to serve you as your member of Congress.

Legislative Update

I cosponsored Representative Mary Miller’s legislation, the Safety and Opportunity for Girls Act, to protect women-only spaces in schools, such as bathrooms, locker rooms, sports teams, and academic programs on the basis of biological sex. Boys should not share the same locker rooms and sports teams as girls. We must protect the integrity of Title IX and prioritize the privacy and physical safety of girls in schools over leftist gender ideology by ensuring that these spaces remain women-only spaces.

Congressional Recognition

Monica from our office presented a Congressional Recognition to Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA), Black Canyon Chapter, based in Glendale, AZ that serves the West Valley. Founded in 1995, BACA is a non-profit organization that supports and empowers children that have experienced child abuse across all 50 states. This organization has worked with thousands of families and has had numerous victories in court.

Pictured left to right: BACA Vice President “Froggy,” Monica, and BACA President “Indy”

Ribbon Cutting

Austin from our office attended a ribbon cutting for Fuego Hot Yoga & Wellness in Anthem, AZ. The owners, Nathaniel and Amy Covington, opened the business with the intention to serve the residents of Anthem and make a difference in their community!

Pictured: Anthem Chamber President Krista Solomon, owner Nathaniel Covington, a yoga instructor, and Austin

Encouraging Story

I want to share this story about Kirpy, an Arizona Border Patrol K9 officer, who is retiring after serving our border patrol agents for over seven years. His last day on the job was Friday, March 26, 2021, and I hope Kirpy has a wonderful retirement now that his service to our communities is complete.

Casework Highlight

A constituent contacted our office for assistance after several unsuccessful attempts to have his Government Employees Health Association (GEHA) insurance canceled through the Office Personnel Management (OPM) after he signed up for United HealthCare. After reaching out to OPM on his behalf, we were able to have the GEHA insurance canceled and the constituent was reimbursed.

Coronavirus Casework Highlight

A constituent reached out to our office because he had not yet received his first or second stimulus check. Our office contacted the Internal Revenue Service and walked the constituent through the reconciliation process. Shortly after filing, the constituent received a refund for his Economic Impact Payments.

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