NDAA: A WIN FOR NORTHWEST FLORIDA
On Wednesday, December 11, the House voted on the conference report for the FY2020 National Defense Authorization Act — in other words, the “compromise” military spending bill negotiated by the House and the Senate.
This bill, which passed by an overwhelming bipartisan margin (377–48), includes many provisions which will substantially benefit Northwest Florida’s military mission, including $124 million for military construction at Eglin AFB and Hurlburt Field.
The NDAA contains a 3.1% pay raise for troops — the largest in a decade. It establishes the U.S. Space Force as the sixth Armed Service of the United States (under the USAF). It includes 12 weeks of paid family leave for federal civilian employees, and, importantly, it repeals the “widow’s tax,” which unfairly curtails survivors’ benefits.
I have supported repealing the widow’s tax ever since coming to Congress — this is long overdue!
Finally, the NDAA includes a provision to posthumously promote Lt. Col. Dick Cole to Colonel. The last surviving member of the Doolittle Raiders (who trained at what is now Eglin AFB), Lt. Col. Cole and the Doolittle Raiders were awarded Congressional Gold Medals in 2014 for their heroism and valor in World War II.
Though Lt. Col. Cole passed away in April, his memory lives on, and his heroism is emblematic of what makes the United States military the greatest fighting force in human history.
See also:
Stripes — July 12, 2019
Gaetz’s NDAA amendment would posthumously promote Doolittle Raider Cole
Also, for a lengthy summary of the NDAA (though nowhere near as long as the bill, which was 4000 pages!), visit this site.
IMPEACHMENT IN JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
On Monday of this week, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff’s weak and hyperpartisan “impeachment inquiry report,” as well as the Republican report on the same topic. This hearing allowed Members of Congress very little time to ask questions, instead giving time for Congressional staff to ask other Congressional staff questions about the reports.
Consider this: a hearing to determine whether or not to proceed with impeachment of the President of the United States was primarily conducted by unelected officials. This is not only infuriating — it is demeaning to the entire House of Representatives.
My line of questioning is below:
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Then, on Wednesday night, all day Thursday (and well into the night!), and early Friday morning, the House Judiciary Committee considered two articles of impeachment against President Trump (available here).
To put it bluntly, these articles of impeachment are utterly ludicrous. Beyond being devoid of credible evidence, they make a mockery of our system of government, by weaponizing the impeachment process.
In impeachment proceedings for Presidents Nixon and Clinton, the Chairman and Ranking Member had co-equal subpoena power. This means that the Chairman and the Ranking Member could each (acting together or separately) send Committee subpoenas. Either could also demand that the other’s subpoena be put to the Committee for a vote. This structure ensured that the proceedings were thorough and fair.
In this impeachment, however, the Democrats changed the rules of the House, so that only committee Chairmen have the power to issue subpoenas. The rules do not allow the Ranking Member to require a vote on the Chairman’s subpoenas. Such a vast departure from past impeachments allows Democrats to ensure Republicans cannot obtain evidence that undercuts Democrats’ specious and nonfactual impeachment narrative.
I voted “no” on the articles of impeachment, as did all my Republican colleagues, one of whom once said: “There must never be a narrowly voted impeachment or an impeachment supported by one of our major political parties and opposed by another. Such an impeachment will produce divisiveness and bitterness in our politics for years to come, and will call into question the very legitimacy of our political institutions.”
Wise words.
But wait!
These were NOT spoken by a Republican — they were uttered by none other than Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, back in 1998 during the Clinton impeachment.
Chairman Nadler’s hypocrisy makes it abundantly clear that this impeachment is grounded in nothing more than Democrats’ hatred of President Donald Trump. They’ve wanted to impeach him since his first day in office. What a sad, petty joke.
My opening statement during the markup of the articles of impeachment is below:
For more about the specific details about the articles of impeachment, this is an excellent article:
National Review — December 11, 2019
The Articles of Impeachment Are Very Weak
NAS PENSACOLA UPDATES
IMPROVING VETTING
Our students who have dedicated their career to military service should never feel at risk for their lives. Careless vetting processes allowed a Saudi foreign national to commit an act of terror against our community.
On Wednesday, December 11, I questioned Secretary of Defense Mark Esper about what steps are being taken to ensure our community is never threatened again. I am pleased to report that the United States is limiting all Saudi participation in U.S.-based training to classroom training only, until all Saudi students in the U.S. are fully vetted.
This week, we have grounded over 300 Saudi military aviation students including 140 at NAS Pensacola. We expect nothing less than full cooperation from the Saudi government to vet the Saudi students and ensure this never happens again.
My questions for Secretary Esper are here:
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WINGS OF GOLD FOR THE FALLEN
(Image found here)
On Tuesday, the Navy posthumously awarded Wings of Gold to the three sailors who perished in the NAS Pensacola shooting. Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly proclaimed Ensign Joshua K. Watson as a naval aviator, and Airman Mohammed S. Haitham and Airman Apprentice Cameron S. Walters as naval aircrewmen.
For more information:
Navy — December 10, 2019
Acting SECNAV Posthumously Awards Wings of Gold to NAS Pensacola Shooting Victims
GAETZ IN THE NEWS
Northwest Florida Daily News — December 11, 2019
Gaetz questions defense secretary on Saudi military presence on U.S. bases
“Esper did tell Gaetz and other committee members that the Department of Defense has ‘directed…a stand-down that would limit Saudi participation in our US-based training to classroom training only until we can do expedited vetting of all Saudi students here in the United States.’”
New York Post — December 9, 2019
Democrats and Republicans battle in impeachment hearing
“During an especially explosive exchange, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) interrupted Collins as he grilled Daniel Goldman, the lawyer Democrats called to present their case. ‘We want Schiff in the chair! Not you!’ Gaetz told Goldman.”
Breitbart News— December 9, 2019
GOP Reacts to IG Report: ‘Media Allies of Democrats Spinning Hard’
“Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) added that the report shows that the Steele dossier ‘was a crucial component of getting a FISA surveillance authority to spy on Carter Page.’”
Atlanta Journal Constitution — December 11, 2019
House panel poised to approve Trump impeachment charges
“‘This is the quickest, thinnest, weakest, most partisan impeachment in all of American presidential history,’ said Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL).”
Washington Examiner — December 12, 2019
‘Cocaine and a crack pipe in the car’: Matt Gaetz laments Hunter Biden’s drug misadventures
“‘An essential element of the Democrats’ case on abuse of power is that the Bidens did nothing wrong,’ the Florida Republican said during the hearing. ‘It can only be an abuse of power and not a correct use of power if the president was pursuing something under which there was no reasonable basis to ask a question about Hunter Biden and Burisma. Hunter Biden and Burisma, well, that’s an interesting story. And I think just about every American knows there’s something up with that.’”
WHAT WE’RE READING
National Review — December 12, 2019
The Obama’s Administration’s FISA Abuse Is a Massive Scandal
The Federalist — December 10, 2019
IG Report Confirms Schiff FISA Memo Media Praised Was Riddled With Lies
American Greatness — December 12, 2019
Ratcliffe: Dems Withholding Transcript That Reveals How ‘Whistleblower Got Caught With Chairman Schiff’
CNBC — December 13, 2019
China and US reach phase one trade deal
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