Here is the Heritage Take on the top issues today.Please reply to this email to arrange an interview.
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Woke Earmarks in Omnibus Spending Bill <[link removed]> - The omnibus spending bill is loaded with thousands of earmarks <[link removed]>, which are line-item funding for specific pet projects directed by members of Congress. Many of these earmarks would advance the Left’s extreme agenda and fund its institutions using the taxpayer’s money. House Appropriations Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., bragged <[link removed]> that the omnibus “fulfills 98% of Democratic member requests in the House, with $5.4 billion for 3,213 Democratic projects.” Heritage Expert: Richard Stern <[link removed]>, David
Ditch <[link removed]>, and Matthew
Dickerson <[link removed]>
Rapidly
Depleting Munitions Stockpiles Point to Necessary Changes in Policy <[link removed]> - U.S. munitions stockpiles are rapidly being depleted as the Ukraine war continues. Sufficient stockpiles of munitions are vital to the U.S. defense. Once the stockpiles are expended, the Department of Defense cannot simply buy more munitions—manufacturing takes years. Congress and the Department of Defense must ensure that the U.S. has sufficient stockpiles to meet the challenges of the modern era while working with manufacturers to make the industry as responsive as possible. Heritage Expert: Maiya Clark <[link removed]>
Heritage
Vice President Condemns Lame-Duck Spending Disaster: Omnibus Deal a ‘Complete Betrayal of the American People’ <[link removed]> - This omnibus would lock in the Biden-Schumer-Pelosi agenda for another year, instead of giving the new Republican majority in the House the opportunity
to write spending bills starting Jan. 3. Senate Republican leaders are knowingly insulating the Biden administration from the only leverage the swamp cares about—the power of the purse. This bill ensures that the Biden regime will get its funding, while Congress will have little recourse but to complain until this funding runs out next year. Both get what they want, while the American people lose. Heritage Expert: Richard Stern <[link removed]>, David Ditch <[link removed]>, and Matthew Dickerson <[link removed]>
The
6 biggest lies from Mayorkas and DHS about Team Biden’s post-Title 42 plans <[link removed]> - In it, the Biden-Harris administration absolves itself of any responsibility for the unmitigated disaster on the U.S. southern border, instead blaming global conditions and Congress. But the truth is President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas own both the current chaos as well as what happens after Dec. 21, when they can no longer use Title 42 to expel foreign illegal immigrants. Heritage Expert: Simon Hankinson <[link removed]>
Defense
bill not perfect, but should result in stronger, more effective US military <[link removed]> - Finally, the NDAA includes increased accountability for Ukraine aid <[link removed]>. Prior U.S. aid packages to Ukraine had extensive accountability and reporting requirements, but the NDAA builds upon that by requiring the Defense Department, State Department, and the U.S. Agency for International Development to develop a framework—reviewable by Congress—for conducting comprehensive reviews and audits of all assistance they provide to Ukraine. The bill is not perfect. Some provisions unrelated to national defense remain. But lawmakers should be congratulated on narrowing the bill to mostly focus on enhancing warfighting capabilities. The net result should be a stronger, more effective U.S. military. Heritage Expert: Thomas Spoehr <[link removed]> and Maiya Clark <[link removed]>
There’s One Thing Picking Americans’ Pockets This Christmas—Biden’s Inflation <[link removed]> – For the average family, prices have risen so much faster than wages since Biden became president that it is as if they
have received an annual pay cut of $5,800 <[link removed]> — but that’s just the average. If you’re trying to buy a median priced home today, compared to when Biden took office, it will cost you 84% more, far higher than the official 7.1% inflation rate. One slightly whimsical alternative measure of inflation is the increased cost of the items in the 12 days of Christmas carol. Buying those items for your true love this year will cost 10.5% more <[link removed]> than last Christmas. Heritage Expert: EJ Antoni <[link removed]>
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