The Week in Review

Happy Friday!

I hope everyone has had a great week. Read below to see what I’ve been working on!

Rejecting the Woke and Bloated National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) 

Yesterday, I voted against the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)—legislation that is supposed to set policy and authorize appropriations for the U.S. Department of Defense and the national security programs at the U.S. Department of Energy for the fiscal year.

Unfortunately, this year’s NDAA was cobbled together behind closed doors and fails to rein in the Biden Administration's disastrous policies that are having a negative impact on our military readiness. Instead of passing the bill earlier this year, Democrats chose to wait until the lame-duck session after the election to ram the bill through.  Members were given less than two days to read the 4,400-page bill before it was voted on in the House. This rushed process prevented members and the public from fully understanding what is in the bill and prevented Members from having an opportunity to amend the legislation to address issues that are important to their constituents.

The NDAA was an opportunity for congressional Republicans to hold the Biden Administration accountable for its military and foreign policy failures. Instead of using leverage to force change, the bill allows the Biden Administration to continue pushing its radical policies unchecked.

While the repeal of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate is a significant win, it does not go far enough.  Congress should have directed the Administration to reinstate those who were removed from the military because of the mandate and ensured that the Administration cannot impose a similar mandate in the future.

This bill does not serve the best interests of the U.S. military so I voted against it. Click the image below to hear more on why I voted no.

Opposing Democrats’ Radical Respect for Marriage Act

This week I opposed the Democrats’ radical and misleadingly-named Respect for Marriage Act (H.R.8404), legislation that is a direct attack on Americans’ religious liberties. This is an unnecessary piece of legislation that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defines marriage as being between one man and one woman. 

Marriage is a natural institution that predates government. Lawmakers should not be defining what marriage is and looks like. 

The legislation fails to provide sufficient legal protections for faith-based organizations that do not share the same radical views as the LGBT+ community. The legislation could destroy these organizations and prevent them from partnering with the government or retaining their tax-exempt status. 

Congress shouldn’t pass any controversial legislation like this during the lame-duck period. The American people voted in new representatives and they deserve to be heard in this process.

Challenging Kevin McCarthy and Breaking the Establishment 

This week, The Daily Caller published my latest opinion editorial on why I am still challenging Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy for House Speaker and how I will challenge him on the House floor on January 3rd. Kevin McCarthy was created by, elevated by, and maintained by the establishment.

We cannot have a Speaker that rejects the "motion to vacate the chair" rule, which allows members to remove the Speaker if they are not performing well. Any leader should subject themselves to that accountability. McCarthy opposes this rule and that's a problem.

McCarthy doesn’t have the 218 votes needed to become the next Speaker of the House and he will never get them. It’s time to change the status quo. 

The piece may be read here.

Letters and Legislation 

Bills Sponsored 

H.R. 9404 – Protecting Our Children From The CDC Act 

Bills Cosponsored

H.R. 9448 – Free Speech Defense Act

H.R. 6817 - No Backdoor Gun Control Act of 2022  

H.R. 9389 - To amend title 10, United States Code, to restrict the Secretary of Defense from paying or reimbursing expenses relating to abortion services.  

Letters Cosigned

Letter to Energy Secretary Granholm demanding the resignation of Sam Brinton 

My America First Contract 

House Republicans will need to immediately reverse the Democrats’ disastrous policies to get our country back in good shape come January. 

My America First Contract is an outline to reduce inflation and strengthen the economy, secure our border, restore transparency and parental choice in education, reduce violent crime and preserve the rule of law, restore election integrity, break up Big Tech, put America First in foreign, energy, and trade policies, and reinstate good government practices. 

In addition to achieving these eight goals, the plan calls on conducting enhanced oversight and using available leverages to stop the abuse of power from President Biden in 2023. I will introduce legislation supporting each area of the plan within the first 100 days of the next Congressional term and will work with my colleagues to bring that legislation up for consideration in the House.

The full contract may be read here.

Alien Invasion Border Documentary 

I recently released my new border documentary titled Alien Invasion. The 30-minute documentary features footage from private ranches along the border, the Darien Gap in Panama, and interviews with members of Congress, Border Patrol, local and state law enforcement, and much more. It addresses how President Biden’s border crisis began, its consequences, and solutions to address the crisis.  

The border documentary may be watched here. 

Top Media Appearances of the Week

I joined Fox News’s Sandra Smith and John Roberts to provide my instant reaction to claims that my House Speaker run is dividing the Republican Party.  Click below to watch some of the segment. 

I joined Real America’s Voice’s Charlie Kirk to discuss my run for House Speaker and to address myths the “McCarthy Machine” has put out to silence me. Click below to watch some of the segment.

I joined Real America’s Voice’s Steve Bannon to elaborate on what changes I’d bring to the Republican Party as House Speaker. Click below to watch some of the segment.

Tweets of the Week

Constituent Services 

Flags
Would you like to purchase a flag that has been flown over the U.S. Capitol?  Flags flown over the Capitol include a certificate, which may be personalized for a particular person, event, or organization. Click here to learn more about purchasing a flag.

Internships
If you or someone you know is interested in completing an internship in either my Mesa or Washington, D.C. office, they can apply directly on my website. 

Help With a Federal Agency
If you can't get an answer from a federal agency in a timely fashion, or if you feel you have been treated unfairly, my office may be able to help resolve a problem or get you the information you need. For example, my office routinely helps constituents with issues involving the Veterans Administration, the IRS, the Social Security Administration, the State Department, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.  You can learn more by visiting my website.

Click here to find out more information about my office’s services.

Tours and Tickets

Interested in touring the White House or U.S. Capitol? As constituents of the Fifth Congressional District, you may request tickets and tours for various Washington D.C. destinations from my office. 

All tickets are provided to constituents on a first-come, first-served basis, so request tickets early.

Click here for more information. 

Definition of the Week

This week, President Biden visited our great state of Arizona to tour the new Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company plant in Phoenix. 

When asked by Fox News’s Peter Doocy why he wouldn’t visit the border in Arizona while he was there, Biden replied, "Because there's more important things going on!"

It’s unclear what would be more important than addressing the worst border crisis in American history, but what is clear is that President Biden has no interest in seeing the mess he created there. Illegal alien encounters, drug flows, and deaths along the border remain at all-time highs and show no signs of slowing down.

His administration’s open border policies—ranging from halting border wall construction to terminating the Remain in Mexico program—are undoubtedly the root causes of the disaster at the border. 

Inspired by President Biden, here’s the definition of the week:

“Because there's more important things going on!”: President Biden’s way of saying he does not care about the border crisis.