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Dear ,
It was a pleasure to honor and pay tribute on Veterans Day to the brave men and women who have selflessly defended our nation. I hope you were able to take a moment to thank our veterans for their service and commitment to protect our freedom. Below, please find a few updates on my work this past week for the residents of Arizona’s First Congressional District.
Understanding the Scale of Our National Debt
This morning, I joined Jim Sharpe and Jayme West on KTAR's Arizona Morning News to discuss Speaker Johnson's government funding proposal to keep federal agencies and programs running over the next couple months as House Republicans continue to work through all 12 appropriations bills individually while exercising fiscal responsibility.
It cannot be overstated just how dire our debt crisis has become. The federal government is borrowing over $78,000 per second, and we're on track to reach deficits of $2 trillion again in Fiscal Year 2024. Moody's on Friday lowered its outlook on the U.S. credit rating to "negative." Interest costs will likely be the second largest expense in all of government. Our government has functionally become an insurance company with an army, and the insurance costs are going way up.
Now Accepting 2024 Spring Internship Applications
My Washington, D.C. and Scottsdale offices are accepting applications for full and part-time congressional internships for the 2024 spring session. College students interested in interning in my Scottsdale office are encouraged to submit their applications to Ernestina.Borquez-Smith@mail.house.gov by December 8th. For more information, please review my website at https://admin-schweikert.house.gov/internships/ or please call my district office at (480) 946-2411.
For students interested in a 2024 spring internship in my Washington, D.C. office, please email your resume, a cover letter, and two reference letters to Katie.West@mail.house.gov.
We look forward to reviewing your applications!
Daily Debt Monitor Text Message Sign-Up
My “Daily Debt Monitor” text message is finally up and running! This has been a work in progress for a couple of weeks, and we are thrilled to finally be able to provide real-time updates of our national debt.
The amazing team of economists and analysts with the Joint Economic Committee has been timely in providing daily updates of both fiscal year-to-date tax collections and national debt totals. Subscribing is easy — head to schweikert.house.gov and fill out the required information on the homepage of my website.
I hope these updated numbers can provide some further insight as to why I am so adamant about reducing our outrageous government spending.
Beware of Medicare Scams During Open Enrollment
Now that Medicare open-enrollment has begun, those interested in applying must be vigilant in deciphering legitimate Medicare providers from robocall scammers.
Scam calls are heightened during the holiday season when consumers are busier than usual. Take some time to review consumer tips from the FCC at https://www.fcc.gov/older-americans-and-medicare-scams#:~:text=Never%20Join%20a%20Medicare%20health,)%20or%20visit%20medicare.gov and how to report potential fraud with Medicare at https://www.cms.gov/medicare/medicaid-coordination/center-program-integrity/reporting-fraud. Please do not hesitate to contact my district office at (480) 946-2411 if you have further questions or concerns.
What I’m Reading & Why It Matters
This week, I'm reading this Bloomberg story on its own analysis anticipating that annualized interest payments on U.S. government debt will climb over $1 trillion this fiscal year — doubling the amount projected just 19 months ago.
I also wanted to share Brian Riedl's 2023 edition of his book of charts examining the federal budget, spending, taxes, and deficits. Another interesting nugget is that the U.S. Census Bureau now projects that America's population will stop growing by 2080 and shrink slightly by 2100. Lastly, I'm also reading about how Oregon's move to decriminalize all drugs in 2020 has begun to heavily backfire as the state is witnessing widespread drug use without the fear of consequences,
Thank you for taking the time to read this update on my latest work in Washington, D.C. and Arizona’s First Congressional District! If you have any comments or concerns, I encourage you to reach out to my office.
Sincerely,
David Schweikert |