Jun 28, 2021

Greetings from Washington, D.C., where the Biden administration now faces two crises for which it seems to have no solutions: the exploding rate of violent crime across America and the increased lawlessness at the southern border. We look at what President Biden is doing about each and we are not impressed. Meanwhile, Heritage President Kay C. James reflects on winning the prestigious William L. Armstrong Award. There are podcasts, webinars, and more featured in this week’s Agenda, as well.

Leftists’ ‘Defund the Police’ Obsession Is Causing a Crime Wave
President Joe Biden announced his administration’s plans to address the skyrocketing crime rates that have overwhelmed American cities. But if Biden really wants to address this issue, he ought to start in his own backyard, according to Heritage legal fellow Zack Smith. Unfortunately, “the Biden administration’s solution to this problem is really nothing more than a smokescreen to give it political cover.” Read Smith’s full statement to learn more about how the crime surge should be addressed along with a Daily Signal commentary by Smith and senior legal fellow Cully Stimson.

This Next Move by Biden Will Make the Border Crisis Even Worse
Last week, news broke that the Biden administration plans to end Title 42: a much-needed COVID-19 public health order that lets border agents quickly return illegal border crossers. Four Heritage experts issued warnings to the Biden administration over this repeal. “Removing Title 42 will … be yet another signal from this administration that the border is open and another reason for illegal migrants to enter the country illegally,” wrote Chad Wolf, visiting fellow and former acting secretary of homeland security. Read the full statements from the four Heritage experts to learn why Title 42 is so important.

Heritage President Receives 2021 William L. Armstrong Award
The Centennial Institute, Colorado Christian University’s public policy think tank, in partnership with The Armstrong Project, named Heritage Foundation President Kay C. James as the 2021 recipient of the prestigious William L. Armstrong Award for Visionary Leadership in Service to the American Idea. The annual award honors leaders who have made a significant impact on American culture for the better. “The greatest reward of public service and a career devoted to the well-being of the American people,” James said when learning of the award, “is the ability to make an impact on government policy in a way that increases freedom, economic liberty, and opportunity for all.” Read the full article to learn more about what this award means.

Put Your Plans in Motion
Maybe a few of your projects got set aside over the past year. Was estate planning one of them? Take advantage of Heritage’s free eGuide, Getting Started on your Estate Plan, and get the ball rolling on your will or living trust. Request our free eGuide here.

Don Lemon’s evening broadcast on CNN brought attention to Heritage’s critical race theory webpage. “They have an entire page dedicated to critical race theory,” said Lemon. Watch the clip with Heritage’s response.

The U.S. Senate rejected S. 1, the misnamed For the People Act, following strong pushback from Heritage and our conservative allies. The massive 887-page proposal is crammed with policies that would make it easier to cheat in U.S. elections and cancel the votes of eligible, law-abiding American voters, irrevocably damaging America’s electoral system. Read our statement on the vote.

President Joe Biden and a bipartisan group of lawmakers announced plans to move forward on a costly infrastructure package last week. “The American people want good roads and bridges, but President Biden’s deal isn’t about infrastructure—it’s about far-left priorities,” says Heritage Policy Analyst David Ditch. Read why conservatives should steer clear.

A U.S. House subcommittee called on Heritage expert Joel Griffith to testify on the constitutionality and legality of eviction moratoria. Griffith discussed the impact of state and local governments suppressing entire swaths of economic activity. He argued that property owners should not be forced to subsidize those state and local politicians choosing to shutter businesses and ruin livelihoods. Read and watch the full testimony.

Heritage's Rachel Greszler testified before a U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs hearing on child care. Greszler presented a clear case for why a centralized approach to child care programs would only increase costs and decrease choices for parents. “Families need to be free to pursue what’s best for them, not what politicians, government programs, or societal norms tell them to do,” said Greszler. Read and watch the full testimony.

Monday at 11 a.m., Heritage will host a webinar examining the Supreme Court’s ruling on Fulton v. Philadelphia and the future of religious freedom. Featured speakers include Kathryn Jean Lopez, senior fellow and director of the Center for Religion, Culture, and Civil Society at the National Review Institute; Roger Severino, senior fellow and director of the HHS Accountability Project at the Ethics and Public Policy Center; and Lori Windham, senior counsel at Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and an attorney who argued the Fulton v. Philadelphia case. Register for this event.

Thursday at 11 a.m., Heritage will host a “30-minute” policy pulse discussing critical race theory in the military. Featured speakers include Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and senior research fellow in Heritage’s Center for National Defense Dakota Wood. Register for this event.

This week on “Heritage Explains,” senior research fellow Dakota Wood talks about how woke policies like critical race theory would destroy the military. Listen to the episode.

It Is ‘Indisputable’ That China Allowed the COVID-19 Pandemic to Happen James Carafano, vice president of Heritage’s Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy and the E.W. Richardson Fellow, joined Fox Business to talk about China and the coronavirus outbreak. Watch the interview.

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