John,

After I was elected to Congress, I just couldn't wait to get sworn in.

But the House Republicans had a different plan, if you can call it that.

Instead of allowing Congress to move forward with our constitutional obligations and regular business, the extremists of the House GOP caucus held us up for four (4!) days while the rest of us tried to elect a Speaker of the House.

When they finally got their act together (sort of), House Republicans spent their opening moments in the majority predictably pushing policies which help no one and hurt everyone:

First they voted on a bill which adds $100 billion to the federal deficit by letting tax cheats off the hook. House Republicans are fine letting taxpayers' refunds go unpaid while their billionaire backers skip out on their obligations and leave the working families footing the bill.

I guess they looked around to see if there were more criminals they could go easy on, because next, they gutted the Office of Congressional Ethics. This move comes at a time when multiple House Republicans are under investigation.

That's not a coincidence.

On top of all this, House Republicans voted for more restrictions on abortion access, launched bogus investigations into President Biden's family, and abolished the House Select Committee on Climate Change.

We're getting exactly what McCarthy and House Republicans campaigned on: dysfunction, conspiracy theories, special favors for their wealthy donors and ramming through radical right wing policies for the rest of us.

I'm fighting hard to stand up for our values, and I plan on continuing to do so as long as I am elected to represent Oregon's 4th Congressional District. The race to November 2024 has already begun, and we know Kevin McCarthy is going to come after this district again in hopes of placing someone who will further support his extreme agenda. I need to prepare for what's coming, John. Please, chip in $7 and help me fight back against McCarthy and GOP extremism in Congress now.

Val