January 23, 2022

Dear Friend:

It's been an eventful couple of weeks back in D.C.

The Democrats tried and failed in their attempt to federalize all elections by inserting two partisan bills, the Freedom to Vote and Voting Rights Advancement Act, into a bill about NASA equipment. It was a last-ditch effort to cater to the Senate Majority's attempts to get something passed for their radical base, even though it was clear to everyone the bills would never pass in the Senate.

Senate Democrats also used this failed legislation as an attempt to do away with the filibuster, which of course also failed.

And, last week, the Supreme Court officially blocked President Biden's vaccine mandates for large employers, saying the Administration "lacked authority to impose the mandate." This Supreme Court decision was a huge win for the American people, but we cannot forget that healthcare facilities accepting Medicare and Medicaid were not included in this decision. I will continue to advocate for our healthcare workers against all government overreach. You can read my press release on the decision here.

These things were just the cherries on top of a year filled with failure for the Biden Administration.

A Year of Biden Failures

Since President Biden took office a year ago the U.S. has faced:

A border crisis: Biden has stopped border wall construction, resumed President Obama's catch-and-release policies, and wants to provide mass amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants. This has resulted in an increase in human trafficking, drug smuggling leading to a dramatic increase in overdoses, crime, and a lack of respect for our existing immigration system.

Increased homicides: Following a year of "defund the police" rhetoric from Biden and Congressional Democrats, over a dozen major U.S. cities had record high homicide rates in 2021, including Minnesota's capitol, St. Paul.

An energy crisis: This Administration's anti-energy policies are costing Americans jobs and increasing energy prices. He prefers to cancel pipelines in the U.S. that would increase energy independence and encourage Russia to build pipelines, forcing us to depend on adversaries for fuel and paying more for it.

Record-high inflation: The 1st major piece of legislation Democrats passed was a $1.9 trillion spending package that Democrat Larry Summers warned would cause higher inflation. It did. Prices are spiking for just about everything from eggs to propane while real wages decrease, costing the average worker nearly 2 paychecks last year.

A workforce shortage and supply chain crisis: Biden's policies have led to a labor shortage, disrupting our supply chains. Last year, I introduced the STOP the GRINCH Act to alleviate the problem. Of course, Pelosi still hasn't put it on the House Floor for a vote.

A failed exit from Afghanistan: Biden chose to withdraw from Afghanistan in the worst way possible, evacuating our troops before evacuating all our citizens, leading to the death of 13 service members in an attack. Many Americans are still trapped in the Taliban-controlled country. Late last year, the State Department estimated that about 300 U.S. citizens are still in the country.

A lack of voter confidence: The amount of voters who say they're "very confident" in our election security dropped from 37% to 20%. Democrats have responded to this crisis by pushing a radical election takeover bill that helps make permanent the decreased election safeguards that cause so many problems in 2020 while giving billions of public dollars to campaigns.

49 Years After the Tragic Roe v Wade Decision

This week marks the 49th anniversary of the tragic Roe v Wade decision, which has cost more than 60 million unborn lives and left an irreversible mark on countless mothers, fathers, and families.

As the co-chair of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, I believe every innocent life is precious from conception until natural death, but for five decades, abortion has remained one of the biggest tragedies in our nation. This week, I joined House Republican Whip Steve Scalise in writing an opinion piece on how the U.S. is ready for a world without Roe v Wade and highlights our hope that this is the last March for Life with Roe as the law of the land.

I also joined several colleagues in writing a letter to the Acting FDA Commissioner urging them to answer questions regarding noninvasive prenatal tests. While I am grateful and impressed by the advances in science and technology around ensuring safe pregnancies, I urge the FDA Acting Commissioner to take our questions seriously and respond quickly. It is irresponsible for these non-invasive prenatal tests to be issued with such a high rate of inaccuracy. I am also very worried parents are being pressured to take these tests, not as a way to prepare for the arrival of their child, but as a financial windfall for manufacturers that results in the termination of innocent life.

This Week in Ag

On January 12, I questioned a panel on the implications of electric vehicle investments for agriculture and rural America where I asked the panel about implications of the BBB on biofuel producers like those in my district. You can watch my full line of questioning here.

Yesterday, I participated in the Ag Committee's hearing to review the state of the rural economy with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, where the Committee asked the Secretary about USDA field office operations, the Administration's actions regarding biofuels, his position on WOTUS, delays in implementation of WHIP+ programming, and much more. You can listen to the entire hearing here.

Intellectual Property Workshop for K-12 Educators

Creating innovators and nurturing mindset starts early and hinges on exposure and access. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is offering a virtual professional development workshop for K-12 educators interested in intellectual property, innovation, and invention. The program will discuss invention education, project-based learning, and strategies for educating K-12 students in intellectual property.

The workshop is Tuesday, January 25. You can register for free here.

Tips for Tax Filing Season

Tax season is already upon us! The filing season begins Monday, January 24. The International Revenue Service shared this information to remind us all about several key items to keep in mind when filing federal income tax returns this year. I hope you find this helpful!

House Ag Committee Leader GT Thompson invited me to Pennsylvania Farm Show. We toured the arena, which was filled with everything from show animals to a massive hall of goods from local growers and producers. And, because the Majority has been dragging their feet on scheduling hearings and stakeholder meetings in preparation for the Farm Bill, we held our own listening session from the ag community, including FFA representatives and community leaders, to hear where Congress should be directing their focus.

I met with the Association of Minnesota Counties President, Lac qui Parle County Commissioner Todd Patzer. We discussed the association's priorities for 2022 like federal pandemic response, workforce shortages, and telemedicine flexibility.

I recently met with the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers to talk about sustainability and regulatory issues, economic conditions, and more.

Coming Up

Next week I'm back in the District to meet with my Agriculture Advisory Committees, stop by several local businesses, and meet with constituents.

As always, my office is open and ready to serve constituents of Minnesota's Seventh Congressional District! Please do not hesitate to get in touch if there is anything I can do to help. Have a great week!

Sincerely,

Michelle Fischbach

Member of Congress

fischbach.house.gov

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