CONGRESSMAN GAETZ KEEPS SECDEF LLOYD AUSTIN IN CHECK FOR HIS FAILED LEADERSHIP PRIORITIES

During Tuesday's Armed Services Committee hearing on the FY23 Defense Budget Request, I was quick to remind Secretary Lloyd Austin of how both failed leadership and failed military priorities have consequences. While the military is using taxpayer dollars to promote socialist causes at the National Defense University, Austin fails to do anything about this.

In our exchange, Secretary Austin insinuated that I am “embarrassed” by America, to which I corrected him: “I'm embarrassed by [your] leadership. I am not embarrassed for my country. That is so disgraceful that you would sit here and conflate your failures with the failures of the uniformed service members.”

LETTER TO SECDEF AUSTIN

While Secretary of Defense Austin testified on Tuesday that the United States is not behind in the development and fielding of hypersonic weapons in relation to China and Russia, however, the experts he sent to Congress to brief lawmakers on the matter told a different story. We must hold our top officials accountable for accurate information during briefings and public hearings.

Click Here to Read the Full Letter!

HOUSE FLOOR RECAP

This week, the Democrat majority voted for more politicized J6 legislation, increased deficit spending, and misguided trade barriers on the House floor. When faced with economic turmoil, which warrants further opening of the U.S. economy, the focus of this week's legislation fails to adequately confront this issue and is, otherwise, misguided:

H. Res 1037 – Recommending that the House of Representatives find Peter K. Navarro and Daniel Scavino, Jr., in Contempt of Congress for Refusal to Comply with Subpoenas Issued by the January 6th Committee

The Democrats have such a deep fixation on January 6th that one day they may use it as an excuse for why they failed to appropriately legislate in the 117th Congress. House Resolution 1037 seeks to go after Peter Navarro and Dan Scavino in the never ending search for a nonexistent culprit.

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I took to the House floor this week to make it clear that using time on such fickle matters as these is an inappropriate use of congressional priorities. This will certainly come to light in the 118th Congress next year when Republicans take the majority.

H.R. 3807 – Relief for Restaurants and other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act

I voted against H.R. 3807, which would provide $55 billion in additional funding for restaurants and small business that didn’t receive relief in previous Covid-19 aid packages. It’s as if the Democrats and RINOs have an addiction: spending your money through thick and thin.

Since the CARES Act was passed in March of 2020, the United States federal government has spent $1.2 trillion dollars on monetary transfers to small businesses. Times have changed. Why is it the prerogative of the federal government to ensure that U.S. taxpayers finance the debatable need of businesses in 49 other states they do not reside in?

American businesses need willing and able employees, not artificially printed US dollars. Supply chains, inflation, and the disincentives to find employment are the core crisis in the American economy right now. I will not support or vote for policies that will contribute to monetary inflation while enabling a government grant program to pick winners and losers.

H.R. 6968 – Suspending Energy Imports from Russia Act

H.R. 7108 – Suspending Normal Trade Relations with Russia and Belarus Act

President Biden should not have a blank check to sanction whoever he deems a “human rights violator.” Thus, I voted against legislation today intended to punish Russia and Belarus, but actually gives the Biden Administration troubling, sweeping powers.

The Global Magnitsky Act should never have been enacted. It was set to sunset and die the death it deserves. Instead, today’s legislation revives the Magnitsky Act forever. This, I cannot support in good conscience. Russia and Belarus deserve punishment for their war crimes, which is why this week I voted for the U.S. effort to collect, preserve, and transmit evidence of atrocities in Ukraine.

The crisis in Ukraine is dire. Freedom should win; Russia should lose. It is not “Pro-Putin” to observe second and third-order consequences of legislation that wanders far beyond its stated scope. Empowering the Biden Administration to use “human rights” as a weapon of global wokeness is a flawed strategy to defeat Russia or anyone else. Moreover, it has become increasingly clear over the past several weeks that sanctions have not deterred bad Russian behavior. They have, however, contributed to rising fuel prices and inflation, which are continuing to crush my fellow Northwest Floridians.

The Biden Administration has no plan to deal with the consequences of these sanctions at home. Buying blood oil from Venezuela and Iran is no moral victory. Driving our farmers into bankruptcy over high fertilizer costs isn’t virtuous. Hollywood celebrities can boast their willingness to pay $20 per gallon for gas, but Biden's foreign policy is crippling to the good, patriotic families I serve.

GAETZ AMERICA FIRST AMENDMENT IS ADOPTED IN JUDICIARY COMMITTEE MARK-UP

In the United States of America, I believe in the power of second chances. Oftentimes, people make mistakes that are not of poor character, but are short-sided. One example of this is "simple possession" of a low amount of marijuana that, otherwise, would not be connected to trafficking, drug-dealing, or any ill-intended consequences. Currently the U.S. legal code provides expungement for a fist offense if you are under 21. H.R. 1924, the Kenneth P. Thompson Begin Again Act would eliminate this arbitrary age restriction because a first time mistake can happen to older adults, too. H.R. 1924 builds upon the Committee’s efforts to reform the criminal justice system by addressing collateral consequences. Removing the age cap would provide individuals found guilty of simple possession of a controlled substance with a second chance, regardless of age.

My amendment to this legislation ensures that these second chances apply to American citizens and those with a lawful presence in the United States. We must ensure that those here illegally do not continue to take advantage of our legal system!

FIREBRAND THIS WEEK

Episode 37 LIVE: Unwoke (feat. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene)

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On Friday’s episode of Firebrand, I am joined by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, where we respond to Jimmy Kimmel's offensive comments against her, discuss the growing threat of socialism poisoning our military, react to the Dems' embrace of the "Black National Anthem," and more!

Episode 36 LIVE: How to Beat Big Tech (feat. Rep. Ken Buck)

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On Wednesday’s live episode of Firebrand, Congressman Ken Buck (CO-4) joined me to discuss combating censorship by Big Tech, what removing Section 230 means for free speech, the latest news on Russia/Ukraine situation, and more!

Episode 35 LIVE: Woke Deterrence

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At the start of this week, we we're coming off the heels of the explosive news Hunter Biden's laptop, surrounding my soon-to-be publicly available submission of Hunter Biden's laptop to the Congressional Record.

In Episode 35, I react to the White House’s panicked response to Hunter Biden’s laptop, preview the House Armed Services committee hearing with Woke Generals, and interview Anna Paulina Luna to discuss the perspective of military families in Florida.

AROUND THE DISTRICT

NICEVILLE STUDENTS AMONG AWARD-WINNERS AT STATE SCIENCE FAIR

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I am proud, albeit, not surprised to announce that several Niceville middle and high school students received awards at this week's State Science and Engineering Fair (SSEF) of Florida. The SSEF features a three-day display of over 900 science project, which is designed to recognize scientific talent. Our superb students shared ideas during the event, demonstrating their problem-solving skills and bright futures.

GAETZ IN THE NEWS

Breitbart — April 6, 2022

Gaetz: Biden Defense Department Sacrificing Our Capabilities ‘on the Altar of Wokeism’

"Fresh off his tense exchange with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) reiterated his stance against the expansion of so-called “wokeism” within the U.S. military under the supervision of the Biden administration."

RedState— April 5, 2022

Matt Gaetz Blasts Secretary of Defense Austin Over Defense's Horrible Record on Strategy and Everything Else

"Tuesday’s House Armed Services Committee hearing on the Fiscal Year 2023 Defense Budget Request produced some great theater as Florida Representative Matt Gaetz took on the shabby and incompetent record of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin."

Orlando Sentinel — April 8, 2022

Rep. Matt Gaetz: Close tax loophole that benefits Disney, others

"The Walt Disney Corporation benefits from a Florida Tax Code loophole that should be closed. Big business shouldn’t be able to use political influence and power to avoid paying their fair share. There is nothing whimsical about a tax cheat."

WHAT WE'RE READING

The Spectator — April 6, 2022

Stopping the next Hunter Biden laptop cover-up

Fox News— April 7, 2022

All eyes on Florida, DeSantis – from fighting COVID to stopping wokeness, state is leading the way

The Hill — April 5, 2022

Nobel economists were dead wrong on inflation: Don’t expect an apology