The Week in Review 

Happy Friday!

I hope you had a wonderful week. I am grateful to serve you all in the 118th Congress. Read below to see what I’ve been working on this week. 

Leading Congressional Delegation to the Texas-Mexico Border

As the co-chairman of the congressional Border Security Caucus, I led a congressional delegation to the Texas-Mexico border to better survey Biden’s Border Crisis.

Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) and Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO) joined me for a few days in Del Rio and Eagle Pass, Texas.

We attended a U.S. Border Patrol briefing as well as a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) nighttime drone operation and briefing. We also had the opportunity to meet with a local county sheriff and a federal judge.

From these meetings, we confirmed that President Biden’s open border policies are creating an unprecedented border crisis. Drugs like fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine are pouring in freely across the border as immigration authorities are spending time processing the historic number of illegal aliens showing up at the border.

Many of these local towns do not have the resources to address the influx of illegal aliens and are stretched thin financially. All of the individuals we met with agreed on one thing: Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has got to go. 

This border crisis could be resolved by reinstating Trump-era border initiatives including the construction of the border wall, the ‘Remain in Mexico’ program, Asylum Cooperation Agreements (ACAs), and simply enforcing the laws already on the books. 

I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn more about Biden’s Border Crisis and hear firsthand what personnel and locals need from Congress. 

Click the images below to see some of my explainer videos from the border. 

Speaking to the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce 

On Wednesday, I spoke to the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce on a variety of issues impacting our district. 

I spoke about water scarcity, border security, the debt ceiling, reducing the federal bureaucracy, and withdrawing our troops from Syria. 

I’ve worked on legislation and letters to address each of these issues areas and will continue to do so. 

I’m grateful for the opportunity to engage with the Chamber’s members and provide updates on what is occurring in Washington. 

Meeting with the Phoenix VA

This morning, my office met with the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Director to discuss issues impacting veterans in the district. 

Veterans are not receiving the quality care they deserve and the VA has a responsibility to mend its failures.

For too long, veterans in my district, the greater Phoenix area, and across the country continue to face unacceptable delays and wait times for their health care.

We are continuing to work hard to improve these processes. I will keep you all posted. 

Save the Date: Drop Zone 2023

My annual Drop Zone event is coming up! Drop Zone 2023 will occur on Saturday, May 13 from 10am to 2pm at the American Leadership Academy, Applied Technologies, located at 7729 East Pecos Rd, Mesa, AZ 85212.

Drop Zone is the one-stop shop for all veterans. You’ll be able to access health screenings, taxpayer advocates services, community support groups, and much more. 

Save the date and we hope to see you there! 

Save the Date: Congressional Art Competition 

The Congressional Art Competition is open to all high school students residing in Arizona’s 5th Congressional District. 

The first-place winner will have the honor of displaying his/her artwork in the United States Capitol Building, where it will be accompanied by winning entries from other congressional offices around the nation. All winning entries for Arizona’s Fifth Congressional District will be displayed for one year.

Aside from the first, second, and third place winners, a People’s Choice Award will be given. Additionally, one entry from each of the following mediums will also receive recognition for Best of Medium: 

1)            Paintings

2)            Drawings

3)            Mixed Media and Collage

4)            Prints

5)            Computer-Generated Art

6)            Photographs

All entries must be delivered by teachers, parents, or other assigned adults to my district office located at 2509 South Power Road, Suite 204 Mesa, Arizona 85209 by Wednesday, April 12, 2023.

Legislation

Legislation cosponsored: 

H.R. 1542 - To prohibit Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas from flying on a Federal executive aircraft.

H.R. 1562 - To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal certain credits.

H.R. 1563 - To prohibit contributions to the United Nations Human Rights Council, and for other purposes.

H.R. 1564 - To direct the Secretary of State to submit to Congress a report on the designation of the Gulf Cartel, the Cartel Del Noreste, the Cartel de Sinaloa, and the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion as foreign terrorist organizations, and for other purposes.

Alien Invasion Border Documentary 

Check out my 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 Newsmax’s Jenn Pellegrino to provide updates on impeaching Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Click below to watch some of the segment. 

I joined Real America’s Voice’s Charlie Kirk to discuss my recent border trip to the Texas-Mexico border. Click below to watch some of the segment. 

I joined Newsmax’s Rob Finnerty, along with Rep. Eric Burlison and Rep. Tim Burchett, to highlight our border trip at the Texas-Mexico border. 

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, the House Oversight & Accountability Committee discovered that a Chinese energy company paid $3 million to a shell company in the United States associated with the Biden family. Of this $3 million, more than $1 million was paid to Hunter, James, and Hallie Biden. It’s unclear what these individuals provided in exchange for this payment.

It also remains unclear why the Biden family is tied to this Chinese energy company or why Hallie Biden, the ex-partner of Hunter Biden and a self-described “school counselor,” received some of this payment. 

Inspired by the Biden family, here is the definition of the week: 

Hunter, James, and Hallie Biden: Influence peddlers likely compromised by the Chinese Communist Party.