October 12th, 2022: Weekly Newsletter

I recently joined Fox and Friends First to discuss my new bill. 

Last week, I took an important step to give our local police officers the tools they need to keep our communities safe from criminal cartels. 

The Biden administration‘s carelessness about enforcing our immigration laws continues to benefit criminals while harming law-abiding Americans. That is why I introduced H.R. 9128, the 287(g) Program Protection Act. This bill would ensure state and local officials are able to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain and deport criminal illegal immigrants by strengthening ICE’s 287(g) program. 

The 287(g) program has helped local law enforcement secure and protect their communities by allowing them to serve as a “force multiplier” for an already stretched-thin ICE. Through this program, state and local law enforcement agencies can apply for a Memorandum of Agreement with ICE, allowing local law enforcement to help ICE detain and remove criminal illegal immigrants residing in the U.S.

Local sheriffs that I have spoken with often share the same experiences — they lack the authority to detain and remove criminal aliens residing in the U.S. illegally and endangering their communities. Despite these glaring issues, the Biden administration has chosen to place a pause on the 287(g) program, preventing new law enforcement agencies from participating. 

The 287(g) Program Protection Act would ensure that the Administration processes and approves new applications for the 287(g) program within 3 months, does not deny or terminate an existing agreement without a compelling reason, and works to recruit the participation of additional law enforcement agencies. 

Article 4, Section 4 of the Constitution clearly states that the federal government must protect states from invasion, yet the Biden administration neglects this important duty. I have called for the impeachment of Secretary Mayorkas over the border crisis and will continue to work to hold this administration accountable. In the meantime, promoting and enforcing our existing laws is common sense.

A Wall Street Journal investigation has found that thousands of officials across the government’s executive branch reported they owned or traded stocks that stood to rise or fall based on a federal agency’s decision-making. 

Senior executive branch officials should be BANNED from stock trading.

That’s why I introduced the DIVEST Act, which would ban senior federal employees and their spouses from holding or trading individual stocks while working in the Executive Branch. In the last year, a lot of the focus has been on banning Members of Congress from stock trading, which I support. However,  Executive Branch officials have access to sensitive information that isn’t available to the public–similar to Members of Congress

A great disservice is done to our nation when public servants are able to profit from access to sensitive information while working on behalf of the American people. We must ensure government officials are serving Americans, not their own stock portfolio.

Last week I joined Fox Business to discuss how the Biden administration is ceding ground internationally.

The Biden administration continues to cut deals with dictators instead of unleashing American energy.

Texans stand ready to help meet global energy demand, but the Biden administration continues to stifle our energy sector every step of the way. Instead of pursuing American energy independence, Biden has decided to cozy up to our adversaries such as Iran and Venezuela. 

The White House continues to push their “green” energy agenda at the expense of American dominance in the world. Taking American energy off the global market simply allows other nations to fill the demand with far less clean energy. We produce energy better, cleaner, and more responsibly than the rest of the world. 

Foreign oil is not the answer.

My remarks from the most recent Oversight and Reform Committee Hearing.

Our nation’s founding documents promise the American People certain inalienable rights — the most fundamental being the right to life. Yet earlier this month, the Oversight and Reform Committee held another hearing to push the left’s abortion agenda in the lead-up to an election. I used this hearing as an opportunity to stand for life.

As early as 5 weeks, unborn babies in the womb have a heartbeat. By 10 weeks, the child has formed arms, legs, fingers, and toes. At 15 weeks the child has a fully developed heart, facial features, and can even yawn and hiccup.

Despite the constant fear-mongering and disinformation pushed by the left, our democracy is not under attack following the Dobbs v. Jackson. In fact, the argument could be made that democracy has been restored now that Americans will be able to decide how they want states to regulate abortion directly. 

I am concerned that abortion is an issue that has moved from “safe and rare” to being celebrated and provided “on demand” and “up until birth.” This is clearly the goal of the Biden administration, which is actively looking for ways to force taxpayers to subsidize abortions despite the Hyde Amendment prohibiting federal funds from being used for abortion. I will continue to push back against these efforts and stand for life.

Last week I...

• Cosigned a letter to request more information on the arrests of pro-life Americans under the FACE Act.
• Cosponsored a bill to remove unnecessary regulations on CDL training.
• Joined a podcast to discuss the border, government transparency, and more!

God Bless,

Rep. Michael Cloud

Member of Congress

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