Congresswoman Lesko Weekly Update

Good Afternoon,

I hope everyone had a wonderful week! It's been a busy week in Washington, D.C.! If you would like to share this newsletter with others, please direct them to this link and encourage them to subscribe.

Lesko Meets with Romanian Delegation

I met with Romanian diplomatic counselors and a Member of the Romanian Parliament to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine and Romania’s efforts to secure its energy supply!

Lesko Speaks to the U.S. Energy Stream Forum

It was wonderful to speak at the U.S. Energy Stream Forum to discuss the need for an all-of-the-above energy strategy, how energy policies affect every aspect of our daily lives, and the need for permitting reform in our energy sector.

Lesko Recognizes Iran Hostages

It was wonderful to join a bipartisan group of my Congressional colleagues to support the Iran Hostages Congressional Gold Medal Act, which honors the bravery of those who were held hostage in Iran, and to emphasize the need to recognize their heroism.

Lesko Stands Up for Western America

I had a great time with members of the Congressional Western Caucus last weekend! We discussed how we are working to support Western and rural communities. I will continue to stand up and be a voice for our Western communities in Congress.

In the News

I want to make sure you don't miss a minute of what I’m doing to fight for Arizonans each and every day. Check out my latest interview below. 

Centerpoint

I joined Centerpoint on TBN to discuss how I voted for this year’s NDAA to support our service members, President Biden’s worsening border crisis, and how House Republicans will conduct rigorous oversight to hold the Biden Administration accountable for their failures. Watch below:

Lesko Supports Military Service Members

I was proud to support this year’s National Defense Authorization Act to deliver critical funding for our military and strengthen our national security. I was pleased to see many important improvements made to this year’s NDAA. This year’s bill provides an important 4.6% pay raise for our service members. It also includes $54 million for Arizona’s military installations, including nearly $5 million for Luke Air Force Base in my district. Republicans also successfully removed President Biden’s authoritarian COVID-19 vaccine mandate for our service members. The bill also includes important protections for parental rights to ensure parents have the ability to review their children’s curricula and stop woke policies from infiltrating their children’s education in DoD schools. Republicans also successfully eliminated a provision that directed the taxpayer-funded coverage of abortifacients for service members—a key win for life in this legislation. Republicans also blocked House Democrats’ last-minute attempt to weaponize the NDAA to federalize our elections. This bill represents a continued effort to strengthen our national defense against growing threats from Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.

Lesko Commemorates Women's Suffrage Movement

I am pleased to be the House Republican lead on an important, bipartisan piece of legislation, the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Location Act, to authorize the location of a monument on the National Mall to honor the women’s suffrage movement and celebrate the ratification of the 19^th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution! I am honored to work with my colleagues in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate to ensure that the women's suffrage movement is properly recognized in Washington, D.C. and to honor the work of so many heroic women who fought for women's rights and equality.

GET THE FACTS: President Biden's Record-Breaking Border Crisis

In November 2022, there were more than 73,000 known gotaways at the southern borer, the highest number ever of gotaways ever recorded at the southern border. The number of gotaways for November means that there are already over 137,000 gotaways so far this fiscal year, which began just two months ago. To make matters even worse, last month, a federal judge struck down Title 42, destroying one of our most powerful tools to quickly expel illegal immigrants. As a result, the Department of Homeland Security is preparing for up to 18,000 illegal immigrants crossing the southern border per day after Title 42 ends later this month. With 98 suspects on the Terrorist Screening Database caught  attempting to enter our nation through the southern border last fiscal year, the rising number of gotaways is deeply concerning. President Biden's border crisis unquestionably poses a national security threat. In the majority, I will work with my House Republican colleagues to secure the southern border and keep our communities safe.

Around the District

Keith from our office joined members of the Arizona Delegation, Governor Doug Ducey, and President Biden in Phoenix, AZ to celebrate TSMC’s historic investment in Arizona! This is a great boost to Arizona’s economy and ensures Arizona continues to be a leader in innovation!

Monica from our office attended the ribbon cutting for My EyeLab in Glendale, AZ, which provides eye exams and helps people find the best contacts and eyeglasses for them. Welcome to Arizona’s Eighth Congressional District!

Austin from our office met with Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh to discuss the work they are doing in the community, including hosting a largescale food drive every year that collects thousands of pounds of food!

Tell Congresswoman Lesko:

Casework Highlight

A constituent contacted our office for assistance after waiting nearly nine months for her 2021 tax refund. After we contacted the IRS, the return was located and processed. The constituent finally received her tax refund less than two months after contacting our office. 

We are Here to Help

As always, my office is here to help. My Surprise district office is open and serving constituents. To make an appointment with the office, please call 623-776-7911.

My Washington, D.C. office is open and answering your calls. Please feel free to contact us via phone at 202-225-4576 or via email by going to my website at https://lesko.house.gov/contact/.

I encourage you to visit the website and to also follow me on Twitter, Instagram, Parler, Gettr, and Truth Social, and like my Facebook page for up to date information on what I'm doing and how my office can help you.

May God continue to bless you and our great Nation.

Sincerely,

Congresswoman Debbie Lesko