|
The Week in Review
Happy Friday!
I hope you had a wonderful week. I am grateful to serve you all in the 118th Congress. Read below to see what I’ve been working on this week.
Safeguarding the U.S. from a Default
I introduced the Biden Time Act of 2023 to delay reaching the debt ceiling “X date” that Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen claims—without a shred of evidence—is June 1st.
My legislation would immediately rescind unspent COVID relief funding from the American Rescue Plan of 2021 as well as unspent IRS funding from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. These two recissions passed the House in the Limit, Save, Grow Act, and, as a stand-alone bill, would push back the projected default period by at least a few weeks.
No deal that’s beneficial to the American people and the fiscal sanity of the nation is ever won when Republicans allow themselves to be put over a barrel.
I have serious questions about the methodology supporting Secretary Yellen’s projected default doomsday date, and we should not allow her opaque maneuvering to terrorize Congress into cutting a deal that doesn’t serve our interests.
My legislation may be read here.
Protecting the U.S. from the World Health Organization
I sent a letter to House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Ranking Member Gregory Meeks (D-NY) urging them to advance legislation to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) and prohibit using funds for U.S. participation in the organization.
My legislation—H.R. 79, The WHO Withdrawal Act—and Congressman Roy’s legislation—H.R. 343, the No Taxpayer Dollars for the World Health Organization Act—counter the Biden Administration’s threats to surrender America’s public health guidance to the WHO.
Public health decisions in America should be made by elected officials here in America—not executives from an international organization in Geneva, Switzerland. The Biden Administration cannot grant more authority to an organization that is compromised by Communist China and that has repeatedly issued ineffective health guidance during the COVID global emergency.
The letter may be read here.
Breitbart covered the letter here.
Holding the FBI Accountable for Slow-Walking J6 Pipe Bomber Investigation
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH), Congressman Bill Posey (R-FL), and I sent a to FBI Director Christopher Wray pressing the Bureau for information on its investigation into pipe bombs placed near the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Republican National Committee (RNC) on January 5, 2021.
According to a new report, an agent working the case revealed that the devices were inoperable and posed no real threat, contradicting the official statement from the FBI regarding the devices, which claimed that the pipe bombs were functional. The report also suggested the Bureau linked the suspected bomber to a D.C. MetroRail SmarTrip card but the FBI has refused to identify the subject.
The FBI is slow-walking its investigation and we demand answers.
The letter may be read here.
The Washington Times covered the letter here.
Requiring the Biden Administration to Disclose Federal Student Loans
Today, I introduced the Federal Employee Student Debt Transparency Act. This legislation would require all Senior Executive Service employees and Biden Administration political appointees to disclose their federal student loan balances to Congress. The Biden Administration continues to push for an unlawful student debt bailout while their own staffers reportedly hold millions in student debt. This bill would identify potential conflicts of interest and provide more accountability.
American taxpayers deserve to know if President Biden’s staffers are pushing an egregious and unlawful national student debt bailout to ultimately bail themselves out. It’s unclear if the Administration is advocating for this policy for personal benefit, but their motives will become clearer with my legislation. If any wrongdoing is found, Congress will hold culprits accountable.
Biden’s student debt bailout is legally dubious, highly expensive, and morally unjust to millions of Americans who paid off their student loans on their own.
The legislation may be read here.
The Washington Examiner covered the legislation here.
May Tele Town Hall Recap
I held a virtual tele town hall with several thousand constituents this week. We discussed the deep corruption within the FBI and DOJ, the state of the border post-Title 42 lift, our nation’s debt crisis, and much more.
We’ll be hosting another one of these next month.
Click the image below to watch a recap of the town hall!
House Judiciary Committee Activity
The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement held a hearing titled “The Biden Border Crisis: Part III.” My colleagues and I specially examined how criminal illegal aliens are committing crimes and acts of violence against Americans and the state of the border after the Title 42 public health order was lifted. I appreciate the testimony given by former U.S. Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott, New York City Supervisor Teresa Kenny, and Tammy Hamilton—a mother who tragically lost her daughter to an illegal alien.
Click the image below to watch some of my remarks from the hearing:
The House Judiciary Committee also held a markup to examine a number of bills including H.R. 277, the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, H.R. 357, the Ensuring Accountability in Agency Rulemaking Act, and H.R. 1505, the No Stolen Trademarks Honored in Americas Act of 2023. These bills passed through committee and ensure that the executive branch is kept in check!
Click the image below to watch some of my remarks from the markup:
House Oversight & Accountability Committee Activity
The House Oversight & Accountability Committee held a hearing titled “The Role of Pharmacy Benefit Managers In Prescription Drug Markets Part I: Self-Interest or Health Care.” Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBM) are unnecessary middlemen who increase costs for consumers. Three large PBMs control approximately 80 percent of the health market and engage in self-benefitting practices that harm consumers.
PBMs should be eliminated or at the very least, significantly reformed. Click the image below to see some of my remarks from the hearing:
Legislation and Letters
Legislation cosponsored:
H.R. 3636 - Put Zombie Donors to Rest Act.
H.R. 3612 - To amend title 5, United States Code, to prohibit investments under the Thrift Savings Plan in certain mutual funds that make investment decisions based primarily on environmental, social, or governance criteria, and for other purposes.
H.R. 1769 - Healthcare Freedom Act of 2023.
H.R. 3564 - To cancel recent changes made by the Federal Housing Finance Agency to the up-front loan level pricing adjustments charged by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for guarantee of single-family mortgages, and for other purposes.
Letters sponsored:
Letter to FBI from Chairman Jordan, Subcommittee Chairman Biggs, and Rep. Posey for Information on January 6 Pipe Bomb Investigation.
Passport Tips from Congressman Biggs
Planning international travel this spring or summer? Don’t wait to update your passport! The U.S. State Department currently takes 8-11 weeks to process passport applications and recommends you submit your application 4 to 6 months before your travel date. Check out these useful passport tips below. There are several small details that you may not know of!
For additional assistance with your passport application, call my Mesa office at 480-699-8239.
General Passport Tips
Passport Fees
Passport Process
Child Passport
Child Passport II
Alien Invasion Border Documentary
Check out my border documentary titled Alien Invasion. The 30-minute documentary features footage from private ranches along the border, the Darien Gap in Panama, and interviews with members of Congress, Border Patrol, local and state law enforcement, and much more. It addresses how President Biden’s border crisis began, its consequences, and solutions to address the crisis.
The border documentary may be watched here.
Top Media Appearances of the Week
I joined Fox News' Harris Faulkner to reveal how President Biden is leading our nation to default. Click the image below to watch some of the segment.
I joined Real America’s Voice’s John Solomon and Amanda Head to explain how the Biden Administration is facilitating child trafficking at the southern border. Click the image below to watch some of the segment.
I joined War Room’s Steve Bannon to discuss the debt ceiling fight between Congress and the White House. Click the image below to watch some of the segment.
What’s the Biggs Idea Podcast: Featuring Center for Immigration Studies' Todd Bensman
This week, Center for Immigration Studies’ Todd Bensman joined the What’s the Biggs Idea? podcast to provide updates on the southern border after the Biden Administration lifted the Title 42 public health order. Todd is currently a Senior National Security Fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies and spent nine years at the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Intelligence and Counterterrorism Division.
Todd revealed how illegal immigration impacts our environment and how the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) One App incentivizes more illegal aliens to arrive at the southern border.
Click the images below to watch the podcasts. Or visit my website to watch previous episodes.
Tweet of the Week
 Constituent Services
Flags
Would you like to purchase a flag that has been flown over the U.S. Capitol? Flags flown over the Capitol include a certificate, which may be personalized for a particular person, event, or organization. Click here to learn more about purchasing a flag.
Internships
If you or someone you know is interested in completing an internship in either my Mesa or Washington, D.C. office, they can apply directly on my website.
Help With a Federal Agency
If you can’t get an answer from a federal agency in a timely fashion, or if you feel you have been treated unfairly, my office may be able to help resolve a problem or get you the information you need. For example, my office routinely helps constituents with issues involving the Veterans Administration, the IRS, the Social Security Administration, the State Department, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. You can learn more by visiting my website.
Click here to find out more information about my office’s services.
Tours and Tickets
Interested in touring the White House or U.S. Capitol? As constituents of the Fifth Congressional District, you may request tickets and tours for various Washington D.C. destinations from my office.
All tickets are provided to constituents on a first-come, first-served basis, so request tickets early.
Click here for more information.
|