Building off of last Friday’s newsletter, I wanted to follow up on some of the crises created by President Biden’s policy decisions. In case you missed it, I recapped some of the biggest problems we are facing. This week, I wanted to note some updates – but also highlight some examples of my specific work to combat these problems:
National Security Crisis
Americans and the international community have witnessed our nation’s projection of weakness on the world stage. We saw Afghanistan fall to the Taliban, the administration moving to appease Iran, China’s growing aggression against Taiwan, and the U.S. becoming more reliant on foreign energy. Our adversaries in Beijing, Tehran, and Moscow are stronger today than they were a year ago. Nothing signals this more than what we are seeing unfold in Eastern Europe.
As Vice President, Joe Biden stood idle as Russia annexed Crimea. Now, as the leader of the free world, he’s watching Putin’s unchecked aggression and escalation of troops on Ukraine’s border. Moscow can’t be allowed to steal the sovereignty of the Ukrainian people. Peace through strength doesn’t happen through appeasement.
I am advocating for the Guaranteeing Ukraine’s Autonomy by Reinforcing its Defense Act (GUARD Act). The legislation provides critical protection to Ukraine as it faces the threat of an invasion from Russia by immediately sanctioning Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline and increasing support for Ukraine’s freedom. This legislation provides deterrence by establishing direct consequences against invasion and Kremlin hostility. This move is part of my focus to combat authoritarian regimes. I have long been an opponent of the Putin-led Nord Stream 2 pipeline and consistently taken legislative action to stop its development. I have previously met with Ukrainian parliamentary leaders and heard firsthand about the real-world implications of Nord Stream 2, including how the completed project will undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty and security and allow Russia to continue its malign behavior. I’m a steadfast supporter of defense efforts and programs to deter Russian influence through the appropriations process, as well as policies advancing Ukraine’s goals of peace, freedom, and democracy.
I have also urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken to pull out of the fruitless Vienna talks to re-enter the JCPOA, a.k.a. the failed Obama-era Iran Nuclear Deal. Iran’s growing nuclear provocations, while stalling progress in negotiations, are the epitome of bad faith. Read more here.
When it comes to China, I helped introduce the Taiwan Peace and Stability Act to support our ally and push back against the Chinese Communist Party’s aggression and attempts to curb their autonomy. The legislation strengthens U.S. support for Taiwan’s participation in the international community, advances U.S.-Taiwan economic ties, and enhances deterrence over a cross-Strait conflict. You can read more about the elements I support to protect the homeland and counter our adversaries here.
Economic Crisis
Inflation is taxation—and it has increased every month of Joe Biden’s presidency. In just a little more than 300 days, he’s eliminated the three years of American wage gains, job growth, historically-low unemployment, and high labor force participation before the pandemic hit. Furthermore, the economic recovery we began to see after initial lockdowns has been replaced by inflation growing at the fastest pace since 1982. This has been ushered in by the Biden Administration and Democrat majority under their tax-and-spend agenda. Trillions of dollars have been rammed out the door, fueling a devastating spike in the price of goods and services, while also revealing questionable misuse and waste of taxpayer dollars.
The past year, under total Democrat control, Washington has produced an astonishing record of new spending and debt, including:
I have taken action against the economic crises created by the Biden Administration. I opposed every bit of their wasteful spending proposals, have taken loudly to the floor to warn about excessive funding, continually outlined fiscal irresponsibility and unprecedented spending levels, and directly urged President Biden to immediately reconsider radical partisan policies. I have also advocated for pro-growth policies, voted to protect worker rights, and support small businesses.
Supply Chain Crisis
Shipping bottlenecks and disruptions have grown to crisis levels. Americans shouldn’t pay the price of bad policy. Not only are families paying more for goods—but they are also having trouble finding staple products as shelves across America are bare. Congress must actively advance reforms to strengthen our economy and movement of goods.
To combat these issues, I am actively advocating and passing legislation to help. My cosponsored Ocean Shipping Reform Act passed the House. This bipartisan legislation delivers increased global market access for Arkansas and American-made products and supports our supply chain and global competitiveness. Furthermore, building on this legislation, I have also called on President Biden to alleviate shipping logistics burdens that are actively crippling American agriculture producers and market access for Arkansas and U.S. goods.
I am a cosponsor of Supplying America Needs Truckers Aged 18 Act, or SANTA 18 Act—which would eliminate unnecessary red tape and restrictions to allow more truckers and maximize the labor force to keep the supply chain flowing— and the DRIVE Safe Act—which promotes job opportunities, enhances safety training for new members of the workforce, and addresses driver shortages in the trucking and logistics industry. Thanks to my work urging Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to immediately have the Department of Transportation (DOT) allow truck drivers under 21 to cross state lines, the federal government is moving forward with a plan to do just that. The program will help ensure the industry has enough drivers to meet growing freight demands.
Energy Crisis
President Biden’s first actions in office were to enact an anti-energy posture that has contributed to skyrocketing energy prices and empowered our adversaries abroad. You don’t have to look much further than the prices at the gas pump or bill to heat your home to feel the impact. To start, President Biden killed the Keystone XL pipeline, devastating the livelihoods of hardworking Americans and crippling American energy. Instead of recognizing that we can support both productivity and sustainability for the future, he doubled down on unilateral mandates straight out of the Green New Deal playbook. He has effectively ceded control of energy development to foreign nations like Russia, China, and Venezuela.
To fight this, I have helped lead the introduction of and supported several bills and letters to strengthen American energy and protect industry jobs, including:
- Keystone XL Pipeline Construction and Jobs Preservation Act: This legislation authorizes the construction and operation of the Keystone XL Pipeline and declares that a Presidential permit is not required to execute the project. The proposal was developed in response to President Biden’s decision to rescind the project’s border crossing permit.
- Cross-Border Energy Infrastructure Act: This act enhances America’s energy partnerships with Canada and Mexico by establishing transparent procedures and providing greater regulatory certainty for domestic energy projects and infrastructure. By streamlining the construction and operation of international border-crossing facilities used for the import and export of oil, natural gas, and electricity, the U.S. can more efficiently continue the trade of energy products with neighboring countries.
- Protecting American Energy Production Act: This bill would prohibit the President from declaring a moratorium on the use of hydraulic fracturing unless Congress authorizes the suspension. It further expresses that states have the authority to regulate hydraulic fracturing for oil and natural gas production on state and private lands.
- Saving America’s Energy Future Act: The legislation would preserve U.S. energy security and independence by prohibiting the Biden Administration from declaring a moratorium on issuing new oil and gas permits for drilling on federal lands.
I have also voted against legislation that includes radical Green New Deal provisions. I’m steadfast in my commitment to an all-of-the-above energy strategy.
Border Crisis
On the heels of Border Czar Kamala Harris visiting Honduras instead of going to the southern border, we are seeing record-high illegal apprehensions, deadly drugs like fentanyl pouring in, cartels and gangs pushing more human trafficking, and more. Yet, VP Harris can’t even seem to care much about how the White House’s failed policies are wreaking havoc.
A few notes here:
- The number of illegal crossings at the border has risen at a faster rate under Biden than at any time in recent history.
- More illegal immigrants have crossed the southern border in the last three months than in all of fiscal year 2020.
- December had 178,840 apprehensions, a 142% increase from last December, and it’s the worst December on record.
- Out of 104,171 migrants issued Notices to Report by ICE between the end of March and the end of August 2021, 47,705 failed to report within that time frame.
- Fentanyl is freely flowing across our borders, as seizures increased by 134% in FY2021 under President Biden’s watch.
Actions have consequences—and the illegal migrant crisis we are seeing is the aftermath of President Biden’s reckless policy decisions. Amidst a pandemic, he prioritized opening our border over American businesses and schools.
I have been a steadfast advocate of border security and am committed to legislatively enacting strong reforms to fully revamp our immigration policies. I have seen the devastation at the southern border firsthand, voted to authorize border wall construction, called for reinstating the “Remain in Mexico” policy, expressed the need for elimination of “Catch and Release” measures, and previously supported comprehensive proposals that would have delivered a working, lawful, and effective immigration system. Furthermore, I have requested hearings on the issue, demanded an Office of Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) review, signed a discharge petition to compel a vote on the REMAIN in Mexico Act of 2021, required information regarding reported ideas for payments to illegal immigrants, and more. I will continue fighting to stop the administration’s policies that weakened border security and encouraged illegal immigration.
COVID-19 Crisis
Joe Biden ran for president promising to “shut down the virus.” On his watch, we have seen more deaths, confusion around information from our health agencies, increased cases, and less access to testing. Recent announcements for at-home tests to Americans are good—but this should have been done a while ago.
I understand that handling a health crisis isn’t always straightforward, but he has shown that there was no plan:
- When he took office, he inherited three different approved vaccines.
- He turned down the initial plan to order more than 700 million tests for the holidays in October.
- He’s focused on unconstitutional vaccine mandates instead of educating Americans on the pros. He’s also attempted to force millions of Americans to choose between their livelihoods and their medical privacy through tyrannical vaccine mandates. I’d argue this has made many people more apprehensive.
- Not to mention hypocritical standards regarding flying untested and unvaccinated illegal migrants around the country.
I’m proud to be a strong supporter of Operation Warp Speed, medical research, vaccine allocation and distribution, and resources for Arkansas to respond to the pandemic. I have also fought for the freedom and medical rights of citizens. As I have maintained from the start, I encourage everyone to get vaccinated and boosted. However, that decision should be a personal choice—not a government mandate. I helped introduce legislation like the No Vaccine Mandate Act and also principally support the SCOTUS lawsuit, which overturned the OSHA business mandate. I have also contacted the Department of Education and made clear my opposition to federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates on public schools.
These are just a handful of examples of initiatives I support that I thought might interest you. As Congress is called back into session next week, I will continue fighting for policies that create a strong economy, working supply chain, stop inflation, secure our border, institute leadership against our adversaries, protect law and order, rein in spending, uphold the Constitution, and make our nation stronger and more secure.
Wishing you a great weekend! You can keep an eye on my website or check out my Twitter and Instagram pages to stay up-to-date with the latest news from my office. Furthermore, find Arkansas vaccine locations here. I received my booster shot and hope you will do the same if you are eligible. As always, I encourage everyone to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19, but it should be a personal choice, not a federal government mandate. |