As is usual in December in Washington, things are moving quickly on Capitol Hill.

So, let’s get to all the updates...

Draft our Daughters out of the NDAA!

As you know, Congress passes the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) every year. The NDAA is critical to our national security as it authorizes our military and provides a budget for our defense programs.

But, this year the House and Senate versions of the NDAA included a provision that would require women ages 18-26 to register for the draft (Selective Service).

This was a very misguided attempt by Congress to appear “woke,” while doing less than nothing for the military—or for women.

But on Monday, the Senate and House agreed to remove this controversial “Draft Our Daughters” provision from the NDAA.

It’s highly unusual for a provision that was in both the House and Senate versions of a bill to get removed during later negotiations. But that is exactly what happened!

It was no accident that conservatives won—it was hard work, and lots of calls from the grassroots—Thank you!

Even more, in addition to the “Draft Our Daughters” language, a problematic “red flag” provision related to gun rights was also removed!

Debt Limit Bailout

Democrats need to raise the national debt ceiling so they can borrow more to pay for their trillions in past and future spending.

This week, Leader Schumer found a way to rope some Republican lawmakers into supporting a debt ceiling increase. Here’s what happened:

• Around a month ago, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned lawmakers that the federal government could run out of money and default on its debt by December 15, unless Congress raised the debt ceiling and borrowed more money. 
  
• Republicans united in opposition against helping Democrats raise the debt ceiling––Democrats control all levers of the federal government and could raise the debt ceiling via a simple majority through the reconciliation process. Democrats didn’t even try. 
  
• So this week several GOP senators bailed Democrats out and voted for a bill that allows Democrats a one-time chance to raise the debt ceiling by a simple majority vote (see how your senators voted on our scorecard).
  
• This provision was attached to another bill waiving PAYGO rules––essentially a Medicare bailout as Democrats overspent with their $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan (ARP) in February. Read more about PAYGO here.
  

This bill, called the Protecting Medicare & American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act (S.610), is very wrong for three reasons:

1. Democrats should have been forced to go it alone and own a debt ceiling increase as its primary purpose is to fund their reckless spending spree. 
   
2. This bill serves as a filibuster carve out––ultimately weakening the potency of the filibuster in the long run.
   
3. Waiving PAYGO rules bails Democrats out for their decision to fund their liberal wishlist at the expense of Medicare funding.
   

The fundamental reality is that Congress has a spending addiction, and nowhere is that more clear than with their latest spending bill...

$4.9 TRILLION “Build Back Broke” Bill

Yesterday, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO)––Congress’ nonpartisan fiscal watchdog––released the true numbers for Biden’s multi-trillion Build Back Broke bill.

Over 10 years, it spends $4.9 trillion and will add over $3 trillion to the debt.

Democrats have used budget gimmicks to obscure the overall effects of this bill and are publicly claiming a much smaller debt figure. What are the gimmicks?

Answer: Democrats are raising taxes over a 10 year period while only funding many of their new liberal programs temporarily. But––everyone knows that in Washington, once you start a federal program, it’s nearly impossible to dismantle it. If you assume the programs run for 10 years, then it will be over $3 trillion in new debt.

All this spending in the “Build Back Broke” bill could not come at a WORSE time.

Inflation is now at 6.8%—a near 40 year high!

Under Biden’s inflation and anti-worker policies, Americans are paying more for gas, food, and housing.

This is exactly the point we made in New Hampshire this week, where we held our latest “Save our Paychecks” event.

Workers’ paychecks are being squeezed at both ends: higher taxes and higher costs. And the “Build Back Broke” bill will only make things worse.

Democrats don’t seem to care that trillions in new spending will drive inflation higher and continue to hurt their constituents back home. Because while Americans back home suffer, DC special interests will get rich off the $4.9 trillion in new spending.

>>>Call Congress and Tell Them to REJECT the Build Back Broke bill!

Thank you for your support, time, and effort in advancing the conservative movement. We will prevail!

Jessica and the Heritage Action team

Join the fight to advance the conservative agenda.