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I hope you saw my latest weekly column.

 

ROGER WICKER: A few New Year’s resolutions for Congress
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Congress closed out the year with some good and bad news. On the positive
side, lawmakers passed a long-needed bipartisan infrastructure bill while
sidelining the Democrats’ socialist tax-and-spend proposal. But there were also
disappointments: Democrats wasted months on partisan initiatives while ignoring
urgent priorities, such as protecting our southern border. As we enter the New
Year, Congress should set a list of resolutions to meet our nation’s most
pressing needs.

 

 1. Stop making inflation worse.

 

The first rule of government should always be “do no harm.” Last spring,
Democrats broke that rule by pouring an unnecessary $1.9 trillion into our
economy, leading to the highest inflation in nearly 40 years. Now that their
latest tax-and-spend effort has stalled, Congress should cut back on “stimulus”
spending so that inflation can settle down. Any new COVID relief should be
carefully targeted to meet genuine needs.

 

 2. Secure the border.

 

The most ignored crisis of 2021 occurred on our southern border, where more
than 1.7 million migrants entered our country illegally – the most in 20 years.
Border Patrol officers were overwhelmed by waves of migrants coming across the
Rio Grande, forcing state police and the National Guard to get involved.
Thousands of these migrants were released into the country and are unlikely to
be tracked down again.

 

Such a glaring failure to protect our border cannot continue. Border security
should always be a top priority of our federal government. I am relieved that
the Biden Administration is finally beginning to close gaps in our border wall,
but much more work is needed. Congressional Democrats should join Republicans
in supporting full funding for the wall and any technologies that would help
our Border Patrol officers do their jobs effectively.

 

3. Keep focus on national defense.

 

President Biden’s foreign policy blunders, especially in Afghanistan, have
weakened America’s standing in the world. It is therefore all the more
important that Congress provide our military with the tools it needs to counter
our adversaries. Congress should ramp up financial and military aid to Taiwan
and Ukraine, which are facing hostile threats from China and Russia. We should
also maintain strong support for our defense supply industry after a difficult
year of supply chain disruptions and unconstitutional vaccine mandates.

 

4. Oversee infrastructure rollout.

 

One bright spot in 2021 was the passage of a bipartisan infrastructure
package, which I helped negotiate. This law made use of leftover COVID funds to
improve physical infrastructure in our local communities, providing more than
$4 billion for Mississippi roads, bridges, rail, broadband, and water projects
– all without a tax increase. Congress will need to exercise broad oversight to
ensure these funds are distributed to the communities that need them most.

 

5. Less budget brinkmanship.

 

In recent years, Congress has become accustomed to passing short-term
extensions of government funding, called continuing resolutions, instead of
yearlong appropriations. These short-term fixes are highly wasteful, as federal
agencies are forced to make budget decisions without long-term funding
certainty. Congress should commit to passing annual appropriations bills on
time so that last-minute funding crises can be avoided.

 

6. Defend election laws. 

 

As we head toward the 2022 midterm elections, Democrats in Congress are trying
to pass sweeping election law changes, which would make voting less secure.
Republicans will need to remain vigilant against all attempts to federalize
elections, which have always been governed at the state level.

 

If Congress can set aside partisan legislation, there is a lot we can
accomplish in 2022. With the tax-and-spending bill now on the sidelines, I hope
Congress can resolve to get back to the basics and meet the critical needs
facing our nation.

 

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Thank you for your support,

Senator Roger Wicker

 

 

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