Dear ,

& that's a wrap on the second session of the 118th Congress! As we reflect on the successes and shortcomings of 2024, I wanted to share my annual 'Year in Review' newsletter recapping all of the accomplishments we achieved this past year for Arizona's First Congressional District.

We Jumped Right into January

• Government Funding Framework Reached
• Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act Framework Released
• Mourning the Loss of Three American Heroes Killed in Jordan

We came back to Congress to kick off 2024 strong. House Speaker Mike Johnson and the Senate announced an agreement on the top line spending numbers of a government funding deal for Fiscal Year 2024. 

Not only did we finally come to a solution for the 2024 spending package, the House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) released the framework for the bipartisan, bicameral Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act, which includes pro-growth and pro-family policies to enhance U.S. competitiveness and assist hardworking Americans. 

Although we had some major victories in January, we must remember the tragic loss of three brave U.S. service members who were killed in a drone attack by Iran-backed militants in Jordan which also left dozens of troops injured, including members of the Arizona National Guard. 

• January Fiscal Fact: Publicly held debt topped $27 trillion, with borrowing costs hastily approaching $100,000 per second since the beginning of fiscal year. 
• CASEWORK WIN OF THE MONTH: U.S. Department of State issues apostille document and verification after inquiry made by the district staff.

Fast Forward to February

• Celebrating Arizona's 112th Birthday
• My Legislation to Ease Costs of Raising a Child for Working Families

On Wednesday, February 14, we celebrated the Copper State and it's 15 diverse counties, 22 national parks and monuments, 22 federally recognized tribes, and over 450,000 veterans.

I also introduced the Family Growth and Investment Act, which is geared to take some financial burden off the shoulders of brand-new, working parents and families. My legislation works to uplift families by providing a one-time, above-the-line tax deduction for non-medical expenses like car seats, strollers, and cribs during their child's first year of life.

• February Fiscal Fact: An additional $1.1 trillion in interest over the coming decade is what the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) predicted the federal government will pay on top of its already unmanageable debt.
• CASEWORK WIN OF THE MONTH: VA Debt Management Center issues veteran full explanation of debt owed from when he received disability benefits upon return to Active Duty – currently doesn’t have anything due for collection.

Moving onto March

• My Legislation to Support Increased Protection of Religious Institutions
• AZ-01 Ranked One of the Most Prosperous Districts in the State
• My Financially Paid-for Amendment to the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024

During the month of March, I introduced the Warranting of Religious Spaces to Handle Increased Protection (WORSHIP) Act, legislation providing greater flexibility to places of worship and other nonprofit organizations receiving funding from FEMA’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) to bolster security measures against terrorist threats and antisemitic incidents which continue to rise across the country.

The Economic Innovation Group created a Distressed Communities Index (EIG-DCI) that displays demographics for different communities around the world. According to the index, Arizona’s First Congressional District ranks above average in all categories.

This month, Congress also introduced the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024, which included my financially paid-for amendment designed to rescind $22,000,000,000 in unobligated funding made available to the Non-recurring Expense Fund of the Department of Commerce instead of using unobligated funds that were provided for the Internal Revenue Service. Click here to watch my explanation and debate on my amendment.

• March Fiscal Fact: The Congressional Budget Office projected that the deficit will be 5.6% of total GDP just this year.
• CASEWORK WIN OF THE MONTH: IRS finally processed an overdue 2022 income tax return after ID verification completed. $54,000 credited to 2023 estimated taxes, and refunded $71,760.09 including $4,5459.09 in interest received as refund.

At Last, April

• My Legislation to Expedite the Advancement of Treatments Targeting Addictive Substances
• START OF Serious Schweikert Solutions: The AUDIT Act
• Winners of This Year's Congressional Art Competition!

An important piece of work I produced in April was the Substance Therapy Designation Act, which would allow addictive substances to be eligible for an FDA breakthrough therapy designation, ultimately fast-tracking the review and development processes for treatment. This bill speaks to my continuing fixation of making our brothers and sisters healthier, while at the same time, promoting the safety and treatment from these addictive substances.

This month, I began a new segment in my weekly newsletters that gave you all a deeper look toward innovative solutions that I'm working on for you. I first highlighted my recently introduced Algorithms Utilized to Detect Institutional Transactions (AUDIT) Act, legislation ensuring the audit of the Department of Defense’s financial statements is conducted using artificial intelligence to help streamline the internal review process and usher in a new era of audit.

I had the honor of being selected as a featured speaker at the 2024 Energy and Technology Council’s (EWTC) annual meeting in Scottsdale.

I also announced the winners of the 2024 Congressional Art Competition! Another congratulations to our winners: 

1. Sophia Lin - "Blossom of Becoming" - BASIS Scottsdale
2. Aiden Kai - "Dark Horse" - Chaparral High School
3. Margaret Powell - "Self Portrait" - Veritas Preparatory Academy

• April Fiscal Fact: 39¢ of every dollar paid in individual income taxes went toward interest on the debt.
• CASEWORK WIN OF THE MONTH: Constituent was awarded Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits from a claim filed back in 2021. Backpay was long overdue and with the congressional inquiry, Social Security released the first installment of her claim with monthly scheduled benefits.

May Marked a Month of Magnitude

• Unpacking the 2024 Annual Social Security Trustees Report
• Highlights From Our 2024 Service Academies Conference This Past Weekend
• AZ-01 Made History During Ways & Means Committee Field Hearing to Empower Native American and Rural Communities

In May, the Social Security Administration released its 2024 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the OASI and DI Trust Funds. The report confirmed what I have been saying over the past years. It just added a couple of months, and the depletion date has been similar for at least the past 20 years — which means that it’s not going to be fixed by changes in the economic conditions or small changes in the law.

I also attended the 2024 Fix the Debt Awards reception, hosted by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, where I was honored to be named a Fiscal Hero of the 118th Congress. 

My District Office hosted our 2024 Service Academies Conference at Veritas Preparatory Academy. I met so many wonderful students and parents who displayed such a strong commitment to protecting the freedoms of our American citizens.

Notably, I participated in the first-ever Ways and Means Committee hearing on tribal land as I hosted my colleagues for a field hearing in Scottsdale on empowering Native American and rural communities. I've lived alongside the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community my entire life, and I have great admiration for our tribal families who are so interwoven into the fabric of Arizona's rich history. 

When I returned to Washington the next week, I introduced the Tribal Tax Investment and Reform Act, bipartisan legislation to ensure tribal governments can access, on an equal basis with state and local governments, tax programs and economic incentives to empower tribal nations to better meet the economic needs of their members and communities. 

• May Fiscal Fact: In a committee hearing with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, we highlighted a cash balance of approximately $23,000,000,000. In previous years, such as 2023, the Treasury would operate with over $600,000,000,000 in cash balance. I reminded Secretary Yellen that today, we're operating with over $900,000,000,000.
• CASEWORK WIN OF THE MONTH: IRS processed a 2018 income tax refund after the constituent service team inquired about the delay, constituent received the overdue refund plus interest for the delay.

In June, We Jumped in Headfirst

• Serious Schweikert Solutions: The User Data Protection Act
• Introducing This Year's Admitted Students Into Our Service Academies
• Revealing the Inconceivable Truths from the Republican Response to the Economic Report of the President
• My Amendments to the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2025
• The Maintaining Innovation and Safe Technology Act

This month's Serious Schweikert Solution highlighted the User Data Protection Act, and the goal is to establish more strict requirements for websites and other digital platforms that store information to track users over time.

I also had the privilege of Introducing this year's admitted students into our service academies during the month of June. I congratulated nine driven students from Arizona's First Congressional District who have been appointed to represent this country. 

I was awarded two gracious awards: the Institute of Legislative Studies named me a “Champion of Limited Government” for my efforts to bring fiscal responsibility to the federal government, and the Healthcare Leadership Council presented me with the "Champion of Healthcare Innovation" award, which is given to lawmakers for ongoing support of patient-centered medical progress.

The Joint Economic Committee (JEC) released their research which they've spent years refining data for in response to the 2024 Economic Report of the President. They found the excess health care costs of obesity to this country over the next ten years will total $9.1 trillion. This year, 36.9% of all income tax will go to just cover Medicare, meaning, in nine years the majority of U.S. receipts come from income tax. 

Several amendments I submitted for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025 passed the House of Representatives. The first amendment I authored ensures the Pentagon's audit is conducted using AI developed by both the Secretary of Defense and Inspector General of the Department of Defense to help streamline the internal review process. The second amendment requires the Comptroller to conduct a study on the potential cost-saving measures of incorporating AI and multi-domain, attributable autonomous, semi-autonomous, unmanned systems, capabilities and processes into each branch of the military and its civilian workforce. I was also grateful to co-author an amendment alongside two of my Ways & Means Committee colleagues that requires the Director of the Defense Health Agency to conduct a study on how the agency can increase access to telehealth services, including how telehealth can improve mental health treatment outcomes.

The House Ways and Means Committee also passed H.R. 8832, the Maintaining Innovation and Safe Technology Act— legislation that would direct the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish reimbursement guidance for remote monitoring devices that use AI to treat patients.

• June Fiscal Fact: The average annual household income for Arizona's First Congressional District is less than what the federal government spends every SECOND. 
• CASEWORK WIN OF THE MONTH: With the travel season underway, a constituent’s passport was expired and in need of help to obtain a scheduled appointment and expedite processing. An inquiry to the Western Passport Center allowed for an emergency in-person appointment and processing of the passport.

July on the Main Stage 

• Serious Schweikert Solution Addressing the TikTok Ban
• Arizona at the Olympics
• Joining the Breaking Battlegrounds Podcast
• Attempted Assassination #1 of President Trump

During the month of July, you might remember the massive TikTok ban conversation. As you'll recall from the prior month's Serious Schweikert Solution, I have always believed data is a private property right, meaning it belongs to you as an American citizen. There should be safeguards in place for your property, shall you decide to share it with anyone else – just like every other entity that you as an American take ownership of. This is one of the only ways we can actually protect ourselves from bad actors, and sometimes, even our own selves. Click here to view my full explanation of my vote on this legislation. 

I joined my friend Chuck Warren to discuss the brutal realities of the future of crucial government programs.

We saw athletes compete and win medals all across America during the 2024 Paris Olympics. Here are some highlights display the athleticism of both our country and state:

1. Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, a duo from the Phoenix Suns, led the U.S. Team to victory in basketball.
2. Perry High School alumnus Jordan Howard scored four points off the bench for Puerto Rico. 
3. Grand Canyon University's Trinity San Antonio led Puerto Rico in scoring 11 points.
4. Arizona watched rising star in 16-year-old Paige Heyn from Tempe, who placed 6th in Women's Street Skateboarding.
5. Leon Marchand, French swimmer who has had Arizona native Michael Phelps as his coach and mentor, won the 400m individual medley gold, breaking a record previously held by Phelps. He is currently studying computer science at ASU.

While America had some major wins at the 2024 Paris Olympics, we watched a terrifying assassination attempt of President Trump. Political violence has never, nor will it ever have a place in America. We continue to pray for the family of the rally attendee whose life was tragically taken. 

• July Fiscal Fact: Total interest on our national debt more than DOUBLED since 2021. CASEWORK WIN OF THE MONTH: Social Security beneficiary was owed retroactive benefits and with the help of the casework team, the back pay of $57,351 was released with their monthly reoccurring payment initiating immediately.

August Anticipated September's Arrival

• A Snapshot of Today's Inflation and Earnings, Per the July 2024 Consumer Price Index
• Joining Professor Heather Howard, the host of The Princeton Pulse Podcast

The July 2024 Consumer Price Index revealed some truths about inflation and earnings. Over the past year, headline CPI inflation was 2.9 percent. Real average weekly earnings for all employees and production/nonsupervisory employees both decreased 0.2. According to the State Inflation Tracker created by JEC Republican Staff, the average Arizona household would need to spend an additional $1,178 each month or $14,140 per year to maintain the same consumption habits they had back in January 2021.

I had the privilege of joining Professor Heather Howard, the host of The Princeton Pulse Podcast, for a discussion regarding the integration and regulation of artificial intelligence to make life better, cheaper and easier for Americans. Alongside Professor Howard, I got to converse with Niraj Jha, an engineering professor at Princeton who is currently conducting research to develop a software package that could enhance the reliability of AI for medical diagnoses. This was one of my favorite conversations I've had this Congress.

• August Fiscal Fact: In July, headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation was 0.2 percent, with shelter accounting for nearly 90 percent of the monthly increase, at 0.4 percent.
• CASEWORK WIN OF THE MONTH: Social Security was delayed in processing survivor’s benefits, after an inquiry to SSA the claim was completed and monthly benefits moved to pay status.

September Sped By

• My Legislation to Protect Our Communities & Constituents Passes Out of Committee
• My Legislation that Puts Small Businesses First
• American Energy Alliance Names Rep. Schweikert as an 'American Energy Champion'

In September, the House Committee on Ways & Means passed my legislation– H.R. 3269, the Law Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act. This legislation modernizes federal firearms laws to promote advancements in de-escalation and "less-than-lethal instruments", prioritizing the safety of our communities while incentivizing continued innovation of lifesaving devices.

I also introduced the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) Repeal Act, which will not only ensure harsher penalties for perverse promoters looking to take advantage of emergency programs but also prioritizes the delayed processing of legitimate returns from small businesses.

The American Energy Alliance (AEA) announced me as one of the 90 House members who achieved a perfect score of 100% according to its 2024 American Energy Scorecard, showing my unwavering commitment to the energy principles outlined by AEA.

• September Fiscal Fact: The world surpassed its record of debt, at a whopping $312 trillion.
• CASEWORK WIN OF THE MONTH: Constituent had an error in their enrollment date for Medicare benefits, after assisting with an inquiry to Social Security and providing the appropriate documents, the Special Enrollment Period date was corrected and benefits resumed.

October Offered Many Opportunities

• My Month Spent in AZ-01
• Remembering October 7
• Continuing the Fight Against Valley Fever

October 7 reminded us of the brutal slaughter of thousands of innocent Jewish civilians. To the victims, families, and remaining hostages, we continue extend our deepest condolences and prayers and will continue to persevere until we bring them home. The strongest warriors fight, not in spite of what's in front of them, but rather because of the love for what's behind them.

You may remember the first week of October marks Fungal Disease Awareness Week. As Chairman of the Congressional Valley Fever Task Force, one of my top priorities was continuing to raise awareness and drive progress in the fight against Valley Fever. That’s why I’ve been proud to work alongside colleagues to advance the bipartisan FORWARD Act, which takes important steps toward eradicating Valley Fever. I remain committed to raising awareness and continuing to work toward a cure for Valley Fever, and I’m excited to keep pushing for similar progress next year.

Also in October, the Humane Society released their yearly scorecard for 2024. I am the only GOP member of the Arizona delegation to receive a perfect score, indicating my strong support on animal protection issues. One effort I've contributed to this issue includes my bipartisan Paws Off Act. Xylitol, a common ingredient in items like gum and baked goods, is extremely toxic to dogs, yet it often goes unlabeled. This legislation provides a simple fix to ensure pet owners have the information they need to protect their pets.

I also got to spend time with the AZ-01 community. Above, you'll see some snapshots of a brotherly rivalry between our alma maters of Saguaro High School and Chapparral High School. 

• October Fiscal Fact: Net receipts totaled $4.92 trillion, which was the largest ever total. Net spending, however, totaled $6.75 trillion. Does anyone see a math problem??
• CASEWORK WIN OF THE MONTH: The family of a veteran sought assistance in obtaining military records for burial at the National Cemetery, with the help of the office the National Personnel Records Center was able to release documents, which included the veteran’s discharge record and burial eligibility.

Never Shall we Forget the Gratitude of November

• Joint Economic Committee to Hold Hearing About Expiring Tax Provisions
• My Conversation with Forbes Breaking News regarding our Federal Debt, DOGE, and the Department of Defense
• Congressional Budget Office (CBO) 10-year Budget Projections

JEC hosted a hearing on Tuesday, November 19, to discuss the expiration of several 2017 Tax Cuts & Jobs Act (TCJA) provisions. Hearing witnesses– former Chairman Kevin Brady and former CBO Director Dr. Douglas Holtz-Eakin– explained how we can use the tax code to incentivize a better, faster, and cheaper way to make our brothers and sisters healthier.

I also had the privilege of sitting down with my friend at Forbes Breaking News, Ms. Cat Oriel to talk a bit about outcome of the 2024 election and my priorities for the upcoming Congress.

In October, the federal government took in $327 billion. That’s great, but we spent $584 billion, leaving the federal government still responsible for the remaining $257 billion

• November Fiscal Fact: It only took 118 days for our country's national debt to reach $36 trillion.
• CASEWORK WIN OF THE MONTH: Servicemember needed help in clarifying and recalculating his Basic Allowance for Housing through the U.S. Navy.  After inquiry was made to DOD, the BAH was recalculated and reimbursement for back benefits was to be distributed.

A December to Remember

• Senate Passes My Bill Expanding Affordable Pumped Storage Hydropower in Arizona
• DOGE Day on Capitol Hill
• Arizona Delegation Bands Together to Congratulate My Alma Mater on Advancing to College Football Playoffs
• Introducing the Winners of This Year's Congressional App Challenge

Boy, did we have a busy December! The Senate overwhelmingly passed my bipartisan legislation with Rep. Greg Stanton (AZ-04) which enables the exploration of constructing additional pumped storage hydropower facilities in the Salt River reservoir system to keep energy costs low for Arizonans, help stabilize the state’s electric grid during peak demand and boost the supply of affordable and reliable energy. 

I had the chance to sit down with members of DOGE and had formative conversations with Mr. Musk and Mr. Ramaswamy, where we discussed my laundry list of proposals that work toward making life better for our Americans.

I closed out the year by presenting a congratulatory message to my Alma Mater, Arizona State University, to congratulate them on their win which sent them to the College Football Playoffs (CFP)! Representative Debbie Lesko, Rep. Paul Gosar and I highlighted the team's ability to defeat all odds and rise above.

The winners of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge for Congressional District One we announced. Here are the winners and their projects at-a-glance:

1. Humaid Jaffery and Daniel Furtado with their app CyberpolisAI, which encourages users to utilize machine learning.
2. Camila Saenz with her app HealthyFam, which allows users to track their families' doctors' appointments and medications. 
3. Roshni Nagarakanti with her app WaterWise, which allows users to monitor their water usage and compete with other users to see who can conserve the most water.  

• December Fiscal Fact: The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for November showed a 2.7 percent price increase from November of last year.
• CASEWORK WIN OF THE MONTH: Social Security expedited a disability claim for constituent and approved Medicare eligibility under compassionate allowance.

Remember, my constituent service team is available to assist you with casework needs. Give them a call in the Scottsdale office to learn if we are able to advocate on your behalf with a federal agency.

Phew! If you've made it this far, I want to thank you for allowing me the continuing opportunity to represent you since 2011. Each year, I am inspired by AZ-01 in seeing how each of you continue to make life better for your communities. There is much to be done, however, and I am ready to hit the ground running in 2025. It is my greatest honor to represent Arizona's First Congressional District, and I'm looking forward to all that's in store for 2024.

I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year!

Sincerely,

David Schweikert

Bookmark Debt Dashboard - United States Joint Economic Committee to stay updated on our growing fiscal crisis.