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Dear ,

The North Rim Fire is a sobering reminder of how fragile our natural treasures can be. For many of us in Arizona, the Grand Canyon is more than a landmark. Joyce and I have spent time hiking its trails and it’s hard to see that landscape under threat. Our thoughts are with the firefighters and first responders working tirelessly to contain the blaze and with the communities affected.

Fixing the Incentives in Medicare Advantage

This Tuesday, July 22, at 2:00 PM EST, I will be co-chairing a joint hearing of the Ways and Means Health and Oversight Subcommittees on Medicare Advantage (MA). MA has become a popular alternative to traditional fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare. However, explosive growth and misaligned incentives have created a system that now costs 20% more per enrollee, without delivering the better service recipients deserve.

As enrollment climbs, we must ensure the program is delivering real quality and value for beneficiaries. Our hearing will explore how MA’s current structure rewards and encourages upcoding, over billing, and profit-taking at the expense of quality patient care.

That is why I introduced the Better Medicare Act. This bill aims to improve patient care while ensuring MA insurers act responsibly. Preliminary analysis from the Joint Economic Committee suggests these reforms could save between $1.7 trillion and $1.8 trillion over the next decade.

I was honored to chair last week's Ways and Means Oversight hearing on the tax treatment of digital assets. Right now, the IRS defines cryptocurrency as property, not currency, but provides little additional guidance. That lack of clarity creates real challenges for the 50 million Americans who interact with digital assets through mining, staking, and trading.

The digital asset economy is a powerful engine of job creation and growth, but our tax code is stuck in the past. When innovators have to spend more time navigating ambiguous tax rules than building new technologies, we risk falling behind.

Modernizing the tax code to reflect today’s economy is essential to ensuring the U.S. remains the global leader in digital assets.

Preserving the Story of Your Military Service.

My office often hears from veterans or their immediate family members asking for help in retrieving military records. If you or a family member served in the U.S. military, your service records are much more than just paperwork. They are part of your legacy. These documents contain valuable details that can support VA benefit applications, help arrange personal information, or even fill in the missing pieces of a family history project. A great place to start is the VA website page on how to obtain Military Service Records: VA Military Service Records

If you are looking for information regarding station and service assignment, medals and awards, or certificates and qualification, then this information can all be found by requesting your military service records.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has great videos that provide information about how you can get access to your or your family members military records and what that process looks like: How to Get Military Records.  For step by step instruction go to the National Archives page at NARA military-service-records.

Whether you are a veteran or assisting one, taking a few moments to request these documents can save time later and ensure you are ready for whatever comes next.  If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my district office at (480) 946-2411.

Congressional App Challenge

We are pleased to announce that the Congressional App Challenge (CAC), a competition designed to encourage student participation in computer science and coding, will be hosting our annual coding competition this year. Students are encouraged to register online and submit their app by OCTOBER 30!

This nationwide effort allows students to compete against their peers by creating an application (also known as an “app”) for desktop/PC, web, tablet, mobile, raspberry Pi or other devices. We accept any programming language, such as C, C++, Java, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, or “block code.” The Challenge is designed to promote innovation and engagement in computer science.

The Congressional App Challenge is open to all middle and high school students in the Sixth Congressional District of Arizona. Students entering the competition must submit their app to CongressionalAppChallenge.us during the Competition Submission Period with the deadline being October 30, 2025.

The winner from the First Congressional District will be featured on CongressionalAppChallenge.us. The winning app will also be eligible to be on display in the U.S. Capitol, honoring the winners from across the country. For more information, please visit the official Congressional App Challenge website at STUDENT REGISTRATION, or contact Chris Wiley of my District Office Staff at (480) 946-2411.

Recognizing Some Amazing Citizens of AZ-01

Last week, we said goodbye to one of our D.C. interns, Reya. She is a Scottsdale native and a rising senior at Arizona State University, where she studies business.

During her time in our office, Reya contributed meaningfully across many areas. She supported our communications team by creating graphics and drafting briefs, and she was a warm and thoughtful steward to the many constituents who called, wrote, or visited our office for tours.

I am always proud to represent a district full of bright young people, and Reya is a shining example of that. We wish her the very best as she enters her final year at ASU and look forward to all she will accomplish in the future.

Better, Faster, Cheaper: How Innovation is Expanding Optimism for the Future

Many of you know my fascination with innovation and the further implementation of technology into different facets of countless industries. Up-and-coming innovation is extensive, and luckily, there are thousands of scholarly studies and research pieces being released daily that expand on progress of these projects. Not enough members of Congress take the time to capitalize on how these innovative advancements actually promote the health and well-being of our society. This segment dives deeper into technological implementations that are actively making life better and cheaper for our brothers and sisters.

Do you have any general questions that I can help answer? Do not hesitate to reach out to my offices at (202) 225-2190 or (480) 946-2411.

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