Jan 10, 2022

On the Agenda: With the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate now in the hands of the Supreme Court, we explain why it should be loudly rejected. We also look at why the left’s effort to kill the filibuster for short-term political advantage would cause long-term harm to the nation. There’s a new Heritage video series you don’t want to miss. And Heritage President Kevin Roberts is leading the charge to restore fact-based education in Texas schools. There are events, podcasts, and more featured in this week’s Agenda.

Supreme Court Must Send Biden’s Vaccine Mandate to History’s Trash Heap

Latest update: Supreme Court justices heard arguments about the legality of the Biden administration’s unprecedented attempt to force a medical procedure on all Americans. The Heritage Foundation, for the first time in its nearly 50-year history, petitioned the court, asking the justices to halt the mandate.

The stakes: “The arguments made today challenging the Biden regime’s mandate were powerful and persuasive,” said Heritage President Kevin Roberts. He went on to say that the justices should unequivocally send the mandate “to the trash heap of American jurisprudence. If they fail to do so, the consequences for our republic will be dire.” Read the entire statement here.

Go deeper: Heritage experts have devoted substantial time to highlighting why the mandate is an abuse of federal authority that will have devastating consequences for Americans.

Biden Wants To, in His Words, ‘Eviscerate the Senate’

Dr. Jekyll, Mr. … President? As a senator, Joe Biden called threatening the filibuster in 2005 a “power grab by the majority party” that would “eviscerate the Senate.” Now he’s calling for the Senate to do just that.

Why it matters now: Biden and the left want to overhaul America’s voting process to keep themselves in power forever. What’s standing in the way is the 180-year-old Senate filibuster.

Why it matters in the long run: Without extended debate, a simple majority can ram any legislation it wants through the Senate. That means complete domination by whichever party holds the majority, with no checks to their power and no weight to the voice of the minority party.

Learn more: Read about the importance of extended debate and the consequences of ending it here. 

‘America and the Struggle for Freedom’ Video Series Launches

A crisis of memory: The most powerful forces in society are attacking America’s founding like never before, ignoring our country’s greatest achievements and perverting our history.

The solution: Heritage’s new video series gives everyone, from students to community leaders, a solid grounding in the principles of the American founding—and why they matter today.

Bolstering the American story: In this series, Dr. Joseph Loconte, director of the B. Kenneth Simon Center for American Studies and AWC Family Foundation fellow, unpacks the theme of freedom in western civilization, culminating in the American experiment.

Learn more: To watch the series and share it with others, click here.

Heritage President Kevin Roberts Chairs the Texas 1836 Project

Setting the record straight: Did you like President Trump’s 1776 Commission? Then you’re going to love the Texas 1836 Project Advisory Committee. Similar to the 1776 Commission, Texas’ initiative aims to restore fact-based teaching in schools and promote curricula that present an accurate, balanced, and apolitical depiction of Texas’ and, by extension, America’s history.

Taking the lead: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott named Heritage President Kevin Roberts as chairman of the Texas 1836 Project Advisory Committee. Roberts led the committee’s first meeting last Wednesday.

Why it matters: “It is critical that future generations have a clear understanding of the remarkable bravery and resolve shown by the founders of Texas,” Roberts said. “The story of Texas includes everyone, and our work on the committee will emphasize that.”

Learn more: Read about the committee’s first meeting here.

DID YOU KNOW?

Amazon banned this former Heritage scholar’s book on transgender ideology. Watch this new video to learn more.

Heritage President Kevin Roberts and Heritage Action Executive Director Jessica Anderson released a joint statement concerning Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s attempt to connect his party’s anti-voter election laws to the anniversary of Jan. 6. Read what they had to say.

This week on “Heritage Explains,” Zack Smith, a legal fellow in the Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, breaks down the case against Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. Listen to the episode.

The Left's Claims of Voter Suppression Are Based on Lies
Hans von Spakovsky, manager of Heritage’s Election Law Reform Initiative and senior legal fellow of the Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, joined Newsmax to discuss the left's push for voter legislation that would make our election process less safe. Watch the interview.

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