Heritage Action hopes you’re enjoying the start to a hopefully great Presidents’ Day weekend.

This past week was packed with both big and small victories, so let’s not waste time and get straight to what’s been happening in Washington and across the states.

Senate Passes CR to Avoid Shutdown

Congress is still at a crossroads when it comes to funding the government through the rest of fiscal year 2022 (which ends September 30, 2022), so Congress passed the continuing resolution on Thursday to keep our government's wheels turning until March 11.

The CR moved through the Senate by a 65-27 vote (multiple senators were absent). Judging by past actions, an omnibus spending bill would be packed full of Leftist “policy” priorities, and that’s why a long-term CR is the better option to fund the federal government for the rest of 2022.

On a good note, some of our conservative Senators locked horns and got a vote on an amendment to defund Biden’s vaccine mandates impacting our servicemembers and healthcare workers. Unfortunately, the amendment failed along party lines by a vote of 47-46, with a few members absent.

Thank you to the Senators who led the charge on the amendment:

• Mike Lee (R-Utah)
• Roger Marshall (R-Kan.)
• Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.)
• Mike Braun (R-Ind.)
• Rand Paul (R-Ky.)
• Ted Cruz (R-Texas)

Jessica Anderson Weighs in on VAWA

Congress is considering a new version of the "Violence Against Women Act" or (VAWA). VAWA is intended to help women dealing with domestic violence, but the Left has worked in dangerous provisions that are instead focused on gender identity and equity, abortion, and more... not to mention the hefty price tag that's attached.

READ MORE >>> Executive Director Jessica Anderson’s joint op-ed with Heritage Legal Fellow Sarah Perry

LISTEN >>> The latest episode of “On Air” covers VAWA

Gaining Ground in the States

The fight for the White House is in 2024, but conservative grassroots activists are making giant strides everyday in 2022 by rallying to help move bills through state legislatures that protect the sanctity of life, demand free and fair elections for the people, and purge racial guilt-shaming out of classrooms.

The American people are at a tipping point. We can feel the momentum and the energy and the Left has seen the polling—that’s why many blue states have begun to roll back oppressive mandates.

When we take small steps everyday, it makes a mile's worth of difference. Every call, every email, every letter to an editor, every event attended—it all helps preserve America for future generations.

Here are three critical victories JUST THIS PAST WEEK:

• Arizona
• HCR 2001 was passed by the Arizona House. This education bill would kick critical race theory out of the classroom and make sure no child is racially discriminated against.
• Florida
• HB 5 was passed by the Florida House. This pro-life bill would protect the unborn after 15 weeks gestation.
• Virginia
• H.B. 46 was passed by the Virginia House. This election integrity bill would require a photo ID to vote in elections in the Commonwealth and require absentee ballots to be returned on election day.

You can read all of the statements on these different bills from Executive Director Jessica Anderson by clicking this link that will take you to Heritage Action’s newspage.

We’ve added more action centers for state bills on Election Integrity and Education. Check out SaveOurElections.com and SaveOurSchools.com to see our state action centers.

Grassroots State of the Union

Biden is set to give his State of the Union speech on Tuesday, March 1 and we can expect it to be full of spin. Before he takes center-stage at the Capitol, we are going to set the record straight.

Heritage Action Executive Director Jessica Anderson will be joining John Solomon of Just the News for a Special Report, “The Real State of the Union”.

Watch this Tuesday, February 22 @ 6 PM ET

How you can watch “The True State of the Union”– Tune in at 6 PM ET on Tuesday to Real America’s Voice on cable, or watch on any of Heritage Action’s social media channels where we will be streaming the special: Facebook, Twitter, or Gettr.

Congress has Two "China" Bills

The Senate previously passed the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (S. 1260) and the House recently passed the America Competes Act (H.R. 4521), but a better name is the "America Concedes Act" – because that's what it does.

Via conference committee, the two chambers will try to work out a compromise between their two bills, after which, both the House and Senate would hold another vote. Here is a comparison that highlights differences between the bills, and how they compare to The Heritage Foundation policy.

To download the graphic: click here

Keep up the hard work and enjoy your Presidents’ Day weekend!

Jessica Anderson and the Heritage Action team

Join the fight to advance the conservative agenda.