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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.
TOMORROW: Military Service Academy Conference
I will be hosting a Military Service Academy Conference with the office of Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ) tomorrow, Saturday, May 4th from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm at Combs High School Performing Arts Center.
Liaisons from the U.S. Military, Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine, and Naval academies will discuss military service and career opportunities. My staff will additionally be on-site to discuss the application and nomination process.
Hope to see you there! Please RSVP with the link below:
https://biggs.house.gov/service-academy-conference
Tele-Town Hall Next Tuesday, May 7th
I am hosting my virtual tele-town hall next Tuesday, May 7th at 8:30 pm EDT/5:30 pm PDT. I will provide district updates and discuss what I’ve been working on in Washington. Please join the town hall and ask me questions!
Opposing the Uniparty's Latest Attack on the Constitution
This week, the House passed H.R. 6090, the Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2023. This bill expands the definition of “antisemitism” in an attempt to combat the rise in antisemitic events happening in our communities, but did so in a way that jeopardizes the First Amendment. During consideration, we asked for the opportunity to address our concerns, but were denied the opportunity. I oppose antisemitism in all its forms. The pro-Hamas, pro-genocide, anti-Israel events happening across the nation are sickening and should be condemned in the strongest fashion.
But this bill is little more than an effort to score political points and is so poorly drafted that it violates the Constitution and could have serious ramifications for the Christian community. For a matter as serious as this, the House should have considered the bill through regular order where those concerns could have been considered and alleviated.
The passage of H.R. 6090 is the DC Cartel’s latest attack on the Constitution. We must quickly right the ship before the Uniparty tramples the Constitution once and for all.
Fighting for Conservative Fiscal Policies in the FY 2025 Appropriations Bills
This week, Members of the House of Representatives submitted their requests for the Fiscal Year 2025 Appropriations bills. I submitted over 100 requests to cut federal spending, defund the Biden Administration’s harmful policies, and attach conservative policy riders to advance responsible spending principles.
See a few of my notable requests below:
- Led a letter cosigned by more than 30 colleagues requesting that the appropriations bills defund sanctuary cities and sanctuary campuses;
- Include H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act, in the Homeland Security Appropriations bill, defund the Biden Administration’s open-border policies, including defunding the CBP One App, and rulemaking like the “Circumvention of Lawful Pathways,” eliminating Secretary Mayorkas’s salary, and more;
- Defund Biden Administration anti-2nd Amendment rulemaking, including the “Frame or Receiver”, “Stabilizing Brace”, and “Engaged in the Business” rules;
- Defund taxpayer funded abortions, transgender surgeries, and government research on aborted fetal tissue;
- Defund the massive new expansion of FISA Section 702’s definition of electronic communications service providers, which allows the government to compel data centers, commercial landlords, other businesses, and the employees and contractors who have access to communications equipment to spy on their customers under a gag order;
- Defund Biden Administration agencies obstructing congressional oversight;
- And much, much more.
House Oversight & Accountability Committee
The House Oversight Committee held a hearing titled “A Focus on Management: Oversight of the Office of Management and Budget.” My colleagues and I noted that government performance impacts all Americans – whether it’s securing the border, issuing Social Security checks, or processing student financial aid forms. We emphasized that the Office of Management Budget (OMB) has failed to prioritize effective, data-driven decisions that would benefit American taxpayers. The OMB must begin taking steps to ensure the federal government is operating efficiently.
I took the opportunity to question OMB Deputy Director for Management Jason Miller about the true allocation of government grant money and how OMB works to prevent fraud and abuse of those federal funds. We also discussed instances of federal employees opposed to President Biden’s support for Israel and their calls to strike to rally support for Gaza.
Click the image below to watch my remarks from the hearing:
House Judiciary Committee Activity
I chaired a Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance hearing titled “Overreach: An Examination of Federal Statutory and Regulatory Crimes.” We discussed federal overregulation and how Congress should restrain from over-legislating issues that should be left to state and local governments. Click the image below to watch my opening remarks:
I traveled to Philadelphia, PA, for a Judiciary Committee field hearing titled “Victims of Violent Crime in Philadelphia.” We examined how Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner's pro-crime policies embolden criminals at the expense of victims and Philadelphia families. He has consistently declined to prosecute violent crimes in the city. My colleagues and I had the opportunity to speak with those who have been directly impacted by Philadelphia’s pro-crime and anti-police policies.
This hearing is part of a series of hearings the Committee has held in crime-ridden cities over this term to shed light on the correlation between lax criminal justice systems and an increase in crime. Click the image below to watch some of my remarks:
The Judiciary Committee also held a markup and passed the following bills out of committee:
Drop Zone 2024
On Saturday, June 1, 2024, my office will host our 5th annual DROP ZONE event!
Drop Zone is a one-stop resource fair for veterans, seniors, and residents of Arizona’s 5th District. Participants will have access to many valuable resources in one location: VA benefit consultations, health screenings, Taxpayer Advocacy Services, community support organizations, employment assistance, and more!
Drop Zone will be held on June 1, 2024, from 10 am to 2 pm at the American Leadership Academy Applied Technologies Campus located at 7729 E. Pecos Road, Mesa, AZ 85212.
Stay tuned for more updates. Drop Zone 2023 was a major success and we hope this year’s will be too!
Veterans Heritage Project Celebrates 20 Years
This week, Phoenix’s Veterans Heritage Project hosted a community reception to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Team Biggs was honored to attend the gathering.
The Musical Theater of Anthem sang the National Anthem and the official song for each military branch.
The Gold Star Panel from left to right is U.S. Army Ret. SSG Freddie Munoz, Gold Star Mother Laura Stephens, and Gold Star Mother Diane Brown whose son, SSG Alex Conrad, graduated from Hamilton High School in 2010. He died in a mortar attack in June 2018 in Somalia and my office was humbled to work to rename the Southeast Veterans Affairs Health Care Clinic in Gilbert in his honor. On January 5, 2021, President Trump signed the law to rename the clinic the Staff Sergeant Alexander W. Conrad Veterans Affairs Health Care Clinic.
After the reception, veterans signed their respective stories in the 2024 Edition of Since You Asked. The book has stories compiled from interviews the students conducted with each veteran.
Legislation and Letters
Bills Cosponsored:
- H.R. 5713 - Homeland Security Fentanyl Enforcement Act (Rep. Higgins)
- H.R. 8202 - Justice for Vaccine Injured Veterans Act (Rep. Davidson)
- H.R. 8211 - Fixing Administration Unethical Corrupt Influence (FAUCI) Act (Rep. Lesko)
Letters Cosigned:
- Letter to Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole calling for budget cuts in FY25 for Biden Administration Agencies obstructing congressional oversight (Rep. Comer)
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 Newsmax 2 with Bob Sellers and Jenn Pellegrino to discuss the Biden Administration’s capitulation to the pro-Hamas, pro-genocide wing of the Democratic party. Click the image below to watch some of the segment:
I joined Judge Napolitano on Judging Freedom to talk about the unconstitutional measure the House passed under the guise of antisemitism awareness. Click the image below to watch some of the segment:
I joined Fox Across America with Jimmy Failla to discuss the ridiculous request for amnesty being made by college students who were advocating for genocide on campuses across the country. Click the image below to listen to some of the segment:
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.
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