A Note From the Desk of Congresswoman Letlow

As we begin the 118th Congress, I’m excited to join my Republican colleagues in our new House majority to finally pass the solutions that we believe will put our country back on the right track. Despite what you may read in the news or see on TV, our party’s focus is on delivering results and living up to the promises that we made to the American people.

When I travel across all 24 parishes of the Fifth District, the top concern I hear about is the economy. With the high rate of inflation, working families and small business owners are seeing their hard-earned dollars stretched to the limit to make ends meet. Problems in our supply chain continue to interrupt the normal flow of business as prices rise everywhere from the gas station to the grocery store, as the cost of basic necessities such as eggs rise to new, unpreceded heights.

Our Republican majority is fighting to bring down inflation by reining in government spending, finally addressing our out-of-control national debt, and prioritizing domestic energy production. We’re working to build a federal budget that has a foundation in fiscally responsible principles and doesn’t leave a massive bill for our children and future generations.

Every day, when I wake up, I’m motivated by the idea that our work on Capitol Hill can leave a better country for our children to inherit. It’s no secret that we will face tremendous challenges and tough choices in the next two years. Still, I believe that if we take a responsible approach to the problems in front of us, we can rebuild not just the American economy but the collective American spirit that is necessary for us to reach our full potential.

I look forward to keeping you updated on all we have underway in this newsletter. For more from my office, follow us on social media or visit letlow.house.gov.

Sincerely,

Julia Letlow, Ph.D.
Member of Congress

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Legislative Update

Our new Republican majority in the House has hit the ground running, working to pass substantive bills to help us address some of the country’s most pressing problems. In the past few weeks, we’ve passed:

• H.R. 23 – the Family and Small Business Taxpayer Protection Act: This bill repeals the funding passed in the last Congress for the 87,000 new IRS agents, reduces predatory audits on working families and small business owners, and ensures that the agency’s focus is on processing your returns in a timely fashion.
• H.R. 22 – the Protecting America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve from China Act: This bill prevents any future direct or indirect sales from America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve to entities controlled by the Chinese Communist Party.

I’m also working with colleagues from across our majority to bring forward legislation such as:

• H.R. 356 – the Unleashing American Energy Act: This bill will require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a minimum number of oil and gas lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico and other areas, preventing this Administration from blocking energy production in Louisiana.
• H.R. 531 – the Educational Choice for Children Act: This bill will give more children the opportunity to learn in the environment that works best for them by enhancing scholarship programs for students in need.
• H.R. 41 – the VA Same-Day Scheduling Act of 2023: This bill will help eliminate red tape at the Department of Veterans Affairs by requiring staff to schedule appointments for veterans using a one-phone call process, streamlining the bureaucracy already in place.
• H.R. 809 – the Protecting Our Land Act: This bill will ensure that individuals and entities affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party cannot buy farmland in the United States.

Legislative Update - WEP and GPO

Repealing the unfair, bureaucratic Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset are among my top priorities for the 118th Congress. While our efforts last year were blocked by the Democratic Leadership in the House, I’m optimistic that we will see progress in this new term.

I have joined Congressman Garret Graves and a bipartisan group of 146 colleagues to introduce H.R. 82 – the Social Security Fairness Act. This bill would completely repeal WEP and GPO in their entirety and ensure that our hardworking teachers, firefighters, police officers, and public servants are no longer penalized and denied the money that they paid into Social Security.

We’re hopeful that the House Ways & Means Committee will hear this bill, and we will keep you updated on its’ progress.

Meeting with Local Leaders

Our team is on the road this month throughout the Fifth District, meeting with local leaders to share more about how we can work together to secure targeted investments in our rural communities.

Visiting Ouachita Christian School

I had an amazing visit with the seventh-grade students at Ouachita Christian School. It was a delight to talk with them about my work in Congress and how our government works.

Meeting Future Educators at LSU Alexandria

I had the opportunity to honor some fantastic students at LSU Alexandria’s Educators Rising Regional Conference. I’m inspired by these future teachers' stories and know how vital their role is in the foundation of our communities and lives.

Visiting the Monroe Chamber of Commerce

For my first “Congressional Update” of this term, I visited the Monroe Chamber of Commerce and shared more about our aspirations and goals for the 118th Congress. Always a special time when I can visit with community leaders in my hometown! 

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