Press Releases
The Republican Recap: Week of April 29, 2024
Washington,
May 2, 2024
Here’s a recap of what Republicans achieved on the House Floor this week:
Standing with Jewish Students Against Antisemitism ✅ Since the heinous October 7th terrorist attack on Israel perpetuated by Hamas, we have seen a massive wave of antisemitism on college campuses and in big cities across the United States. Instead of rallying around the victims of the attack after the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust, college students and radical Left-wing activists praised the terrorists who brutally slaughtered over 1,200 innocent Israeli civilians and took over 240 hostage, as well as committed atrocious acts of sexual violence. According to the Anti-Defamation League, antisemitic incidents were up around 360 percent in the three months after October 7. And, after the Islamic Republic of Iran launched around 300 missiles and drones at Israel in an unjustified and unprecedented attack on April 13, the first time Iran has directly attacked Israel, radical pro-Palestine and anti-Israel activists cheered for Iran. Recently, at Columbia University, pro-Palestine protesters were filmed chanting “Remember the 7th of October! That will happen not one more time, not five more times, not 10 more times, not 100 more times, not 1000 more times, but 10,000 times!” and "Are you ready? 7th of October is about to be every day. Every day. 7th of October is going to be every day for you." At a time where our friend and ally Israel is under constant threat of attack and Jewish students at American universities don’t feel safe while they pursue higher education, it’s imperative that we crack down on antisemitism within our country, wherever it rears its ugly head. H.R. 6090, the Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2023, introduced by Rep. Mike Lawler, instructs the Department of Education to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, which includes denying Jewish self-determination and applying double standards to Israel, when enforcing laws and rules against discrimination in education programs. “What is happening at Columbia, at Yale, at UCLA, and so many other schools, is reprehensible and alarming. By requiring the Department of Education to adopt the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism and its contemporary examples, the Antisemitism Awareness Act gives teeth to federal anti-discrimination laws to go after those who attack their Jewish peers. Politics should never get in the way of the safety of students. The strong bipartisan support for and passage of the Antisemitism Awareness Act will ensure that it won't,” said Rep. Mike Lawler. What Members Said: “Antisemitism has spread like wildfire on college campuses, and it is rearing its ugly head in the wake of Hamas’ ruthless attack on Israel. College students celebrate terrorists who brutally murder innocent civilians as martyrs, and faculty members call Hamas’ assault exhilarating,” said Rep. Max Miller. “The abhorrent behavior underscores the clear need for federal policy to protect Jewish students on these unfriendly campuses. Usage of the IHRA definition is in the context a key step in calling out antisemitism where it is, and ensuring antisemitic hate crimes on college campuses are properly investigated and prosecuted. College campuses should be safe havens for learning, not nests of hatred. I urge my colleagues to say enough is enough and to support the Antisemitism Awareness Act.”
Rep. María Salazar highlighted how H.R. 6090 gives Jewish students extra protections against blatant antisemitism.  Condemning Biden’s Open Border Policies ✅ President Biden has done everything in his power to dismantle United States border security. On his first day in office, President Biden used his pen to stop construction of the border wall, revoke President Trump’s executive order to ensure meaningful enforcement of border laws, end immigration restrictions on countries associated with terrorism, and sign other executive orders incentivizing illegal immigration. Altogether, the President has purposefully undermined U.S. border security on more than 60 occasions. Under President Biden, more than 7.2 million illegal immigrants have entered our country, which is more than the population of 36 states, including over 169 people on the terror watch list. Not only does this pose a threat to our national security, but communities across America are suffering the tragic consequences of the Biden Administration’s open border policies daily, as we saw with the tragic murder of Laken Riley by an illegal immigrant with a criminal record. President Biden could secure the border today the same way he created this crisis: With a pen. He chooses not to, putting criminals before the safety of the American people. Meanwhile, House Republicans passed a bill nearly a year ago to stop the flow of migrants and keep our communities safe: H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act – but the Democrat-led Senate and the White House refuse to take up any meaningful border legislation. President Biden and his Administration must be held accountable for their efforts to subvert our border laws, and for the consequences their actions have had on American families. Rep. Tony Gonzales’ legislation, H. Res. 1112, condemns President Biden and his Administration for their disastrous open border policies that have created the worst border crisis in U.S. history, and urges the Biden Administration to take immediate action to end this national security threat. “I represent 823 miles of the southern border—El Paso, Eagle Pass, and Del Rio are all in my district. We live President Biden’s border crisis every day, and we’ve had enough of the chaos, death, and destruction this administration’s border crisis has caused. My legislation that passed on the House floor this week condemns the Biden administration's handling of the border crisis and demands that the Biden administration take immediate action to end this dire national security threat. House Republicans passed H.R. 2—a strong border security package which reinstates policies that the Biden administration has reversed to fuel their open borders agenda and delivers needed tools to Border Patrol Agents to secure our borders. House Republicans remain committed to safeguarding our homeland and national security interests,” said Rep. Tony Gonzales. What Members Said: “The seeds of this crisis were planted on day one with 64 executive orders signed by President Biden that undermined border security and encouraged illegal immigration. What followed has been an unprecedented surge of illegal immigration. Instead of acknowledging this failure, we get denial. Biden Administration officials wrote off the crisis as quote, ‘cyclical and seasonal,’ right about here 11 months into his term. Biden Administration officials continued to insist that the border crisis was just part of the normal quote ‘ebbs and flows’ at 35 months into his presidency. President Biden only finally admitted that the border is quote, ‘not secure’ all the way up there at the top right at the 36 month mark,” said Rep. Rudy Yakym. “What changed, Mr. Speaker, from ebbs and flows to just two weeks later, that the border is quote, ‘not secure’? Mr. Speaker, there were no laws that changed during that time. Just the will to enforce them. The Biden Administration created this crisis at the border with the stroke of a pen and these 64 executive orders. And Mr. Speaker, he can end it with a stroke of a pen.”  Protecting America’s Shores From Criminal Networks ✅ Off our shores, transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) work nefariously to smuggle thousands of pounds of deadly drugs, unvetted migrants, and other illegal goods into our country, posing a significant threat to America’s maritime border security. Meanwhile, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) fights to secure the more than 95,000 miles of U.S. shoreline, intercepting vessels and keeping drugs from reaching our communities. In Fiscal Year 2022, AMO enforcement efforts led to the seizure of 382,916 pounds of drugs, 82 percent of which took place in the maritime environment, and the interdictions of 9,392 illegal immigrants in the maritime environment – an increase of 242 percent from Fiscal Year 2021 and 334 percent from Fiscal Year 2020. Despite rising illicit activity in our waters, AMO’s law enforcement authority is limited to enforcing trade laws and combating drug activity in U.S. “customs waters,” or 12 nautical miles offshore, restricting AMO’s ability to effectively respond to threats, engage suspect vessels, or prevent their escape. It is critical that we expand law enforcement jurisdiction off our shores so that authorities can enforce U.S. customs and immigration laws, combat sophisticated transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from illegal smuggling of deadly drugs and other contraband. H.R. 529, the Extending Limits of U.S. Customs Waters Act, introduced by Rep. Michael Waltz, extends the customs waters territory of the United States from 12 nautical miles to 24 nautical miles, allowing U.S. Customs and Border Patrol to pursue critical efforts to enforce our trade laws and prevent deadly drug smuggling off our shores. “We cannot leave our coastline wide-open like the Biden administration has our southern border,” said Rep. Michael Waltz. “We must protect Floridians and all Americans by securing our country’s borders, especially as the situation in Haiti worsens. That is why I am proud to pass this important legislation in the House to double the distance offshore for CBP and our Coast Guard to intercept migrants and drug smugglers trying to illegally enter our country from the water. Now, I hope to see this bill pass in the Senate and signed into law.” What Members Said: Rep. Jake LaTurner outlined how H.R. 529 will give Border Patrol expanded jurisdiction to help stop drug smuggling off our shores and combat sophisticated transnational criminal organizations.  Rep. Jenniffer González pointed to how H.R. 529 extends customs law enforcement authorities from 12 to 24 nautical miles to enable Customs and Border Patrol Air and Marine Operations to respond to illicit activities further out at sea.  Protecting Alaska’s Right to Produce Energy ✅ Alaska is a state with abundant natural resources and potential for energy development that would boost jobs and prosperity in the state, as well as contribute to national energy security and independence. However, at every turn, the Biden Administration is using burdensome bureaucracy to hinder natural resource development in Alaska and cater to radical environmentalists, including canceling leases in the 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and weaponizing the National Environmental Policy Act to delay projects surrounding domestic energy production on Alaska’s North Slope. These anti-American energy decisions were made by the Biden Administration without consulting Alaskan Native communities that will be most impacted, and will have devastating consequences on the state’s economy, hardworking Alaskans that depend on energy production, and American energy security, including job loss and higher energy costs. In a time where threats from foreign adversaries are rising and energy is center-stage in global politics, we should be doing everything in our power to increase domestic energy production, restore energy independence, defend our national security, ensure future energy stability, and lower costs for American families. It is vital we continue development of the oil and gas resources within the 1002 Area and the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A). H.R. 6285, the Alaska’s Right to Produce Act of 2023, introduced by Rep. Pete Stauber, reverses the Biden Administration’s and the Department of Interior’s decisions to ban energy development in the 1002 Area and the NPR-A and reinstates lawfully awarded leases. “From Minnesota to Alaska, President Biden has repeatedly prevented the responsible production of America’s abundance of natural resources. First it was the enactment of a mining ban in northern Minnesota, and now he has turned his focus to Alaska, where he has enacted 63 sanctions to block resource development. His most recent decision to limit energy development on Alaska’s North Slope was a devastating blow to hardworking Alaskans, particularly Alaska’s Native communities who were not consulted in this decision. On top of that, it will further cement our reliance on foreign adversaries and drive-up energy costs for American families who are already struggling to fill up their tanks and heat their homes. That’s why I am proud to see the House pass this much needed legislation to reverse Biden’s disastrous decisions and move Alaska’s communities one step closer to developing their God-given natural resources,” said Rep. Pete Stauber. What Members Said: “This legislation is only necessary because of the disastrous policymaking coming out of the Biden administration. It's hard to believe today that the national average for a gallon of gas in 2020 was just over $2, under President Trump. The United States was well on our way not only being energy independent, but energy dominant. Where do we and our allies get our oil from when we're not producing it ourselves? Russia, Venezuela, and other bad actors around the globe. Let's be clear, halting domestic production of oil and gas does absolutely nothing to lower dependence on oil and gas, as the Climate Lobby wants you to believe – it just increases our dependence on people like Vladimir Putin,” said Rep. Kevin Hern. “The solution is so simple. Use the resources under our own feet. The Alaska's Right to Produce Act reverses the damaging policies from Joe Biden to unleash our domestic energy potential. Alaska has been blessed with tremendous oil and natural gas deposits, and the people of Alaska are incredibly supportive of utilizing those resources. This bill empowers the Native Alaskans’ communities and residents of the state to profit from the resources under their own soil. In a future where America is energy dominant, the only loser is Vladimir Putin and others like him.” Rep. August Pfluger celebrated the passage of H.R. 6285, which supports American-made energy by overturning Biden's harmful actions limiting energy development on Alaska's North Slope.  Reversing Biden’s Burdensome Public Lands Rule ✅ On April 18, Biden’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published a rule that fundamentally changes the multiple-use requirement and sustained yield mandate for BLM lands by undermining the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), impeding access to public lands for recreation, energy and critical mineral development, forest management, and more. This overly burdensome “Public Lands Rule” elevates “conservation” as a land use in the FLPMA, bypassing Congress, but fails to even define what could be considered conservation under a conservation land lease. The Biden BLM’s rule would further the Biden Administration’s radical climate agenda at the expense of rural economies across Utah and the West, devastating communities under the guise of conservation, threatening lands used to feed and fuel our country, and temporarily closing public access to lands for an indefinite time. Access and the multiple uses of BLM land are an essential part of Western life and rural economies across the country, sustaining over 783,000 jobs and producing around $201 billion in economic output. Americans in the West deserve better than the BLM’s bureaucracy. The people in Utah know how to manage these lands better than Washington bureaucrats who have never been to the West – Utahns have been preserving and protecting these lands for decades. Rep. John Curtis’ legislation, H.R. 3397, the Western Economic Security Today Act of 2024, requires the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) director to withdraw their finalized rule regarding conservation and landscape health that would upend their multiple use mandate and restrict access to public lands, and also prevents the BLM from finalizing a similar rule. “It is critical that Utah's land remains under the stewardship of those who have tended it for generations,” said Rep. John Curtis. “The rule the BLM recently finalized undermines the very people who rely on our federal lands for ranching, grazing, recreation, and beyond. Utahns know the true value of these lands and they should remain open to everyone. Instead, this rule favors wealthy individuals and environmental groups, allowing them to lock up land that belongs to all Utahns. I am pleased that the House voted in a bipartisan manner to pass my bill revoking its implementation.” What Members Said: “The Bureau of Land Management's recently finalized Public Lands Rule would fundamentally destroy the multiple use land management policy Americans have relied on for decades. And I want to reinforce something my friend from Arkansas pointed out earlier: This is an administrative rule. This is not congressional action, but yet it has the same force and effect of law. But this is a rule BLM has put forth. This policy is not just an addition of unnecessary bureaucratic red tape – it would effectively lock up one out of every 10 acres of land in the United States, thereby shattering the way of life for many families and businesses across the West,” said Rep. Russ Fulcher. “I'm a proud supporter of the WEST Act as it defends the way of life for Americans across the West and empowers local voices. By protecting the land used to feed and fuel our country, H.R. 3397 would safeguard some 201 billion in economic output and protect some 783,000 jobs in rural communities.” Rep. Mike Simpson highlighted how H.R. 3397 stops the Biden Administration's land grab and protects multiple uses on public lands.  Unleashing Critical Mineral Production in the Superior National Forest ✅ In 2022, the Biden Administration ended decades-old mineral leases in the Superior National Forest held by Twin Metals Minnesota, and at the same time began a mineral withdrawal of more than 225,000 acres of land – barring new mineral extractions for 20 years. The Superior National Forest includes 3.7 million acres of National Forest System land and is rich in minerals, such as copper, nickel, cobalt, and platinum metal groups. These critical minerals are crucial to modern technology and electronics, and it is vital to our nation’s future that we develop a strong, reliable American critical mineral supply chain instead of being forced to rely on foreign adversaries like China. As critical mineral demand increases rapidly and takes a more center position on the world stage, America must invest in and responsibly develop our abundant natural resources, like critical minerals – not block their mining and productions. President Biden’s decision to block this land from essential development of critical minerals endangers both our national and energy security. We cannot allow the Biden Administration to threaten our security to cater to the powerful environmental lobby. H.R. 3195, the Superior National Forest Restoration Act, introduced by Rep. Pete Stauber, rescinds the Biden Administration’s Public Land Order No. 7917 for Withdrawal of Federal Lands; Cook, Lake, and Saint Louis Counties, MN, which blocks mining operations in the Superior National Forest lands in Minnesota and reissues canceled mineral leases granted prior to January 2021. “The passage of my Superior National Forest Restoration Act is great news for Minnesota and nation. My legislation will remove the obstacles put in place by the Biden Administration, allowing our skilled miners to prove that they are ready to safely deliver Minnesota’s mineral wealth to the nation using the best environmental and labor standards in the world. As the demand for minerals continues to skyrocket, we must invest in mineral production here at home rather than continue our dependence on child slave labor and environmentally damaging adversaries overseas. I urge Senator Schumer to bring this important job-creating legislation to the Senate Floor immediately,” said Rep. Pete Stauber. What Members Said: “We can either source American critical minerals such as those contained in the Superior National Forest ourselves, or become even more dependent on our chief adversary for our mineral and energy needs. America has the most stringent environmental standards in the world, and we are being forced to source minerals from dictators and despots, who use child labor and who are without concern for the elite ecological impact. We have abundant resources here at home, including the abundant dilute complex. Despite the environmental and economic benefits of these minerals, the Obama and Biden administrations have consistently worked to block expert exploration and development of these lands,” said Rep. Harriet Hageman. “This bill will reinstate the mining leases for the world's largest untapped copper nickel deposit and help our nation dominate the critical mineral sector while providing hundreds of reliable well paying jobs. This is an economic issue and a national security issue. We can either be beholden or reliant on a foreign nation that seeks to supplant us or we can be a global leader in the critical mineral industry.” Rep. Michelle Fischbach emphasized how Minnesota has critical resources that could help us combat China, but the Biden Administration's ridiculous regulations are tying our hands behind our backs.  Defending Hunters and Anglers’ Access to Recreation ✅ Each year, hunters and fishers contribute over a billion dollars to conservation funding through excise taxes on recreational hunting and fishing equipment, like tackle and ammunition – the most cost-effective options being lead ammunition and fishing tackle. The raw material alternatives to lead tackle and ammo are significantly more expensive: Copper ammo is four times more expensive than lead ammo, and using tin for fishing tackle is over 10 times more expensive than using lead. Despite the substantially higher financial burden, the Biden Administration’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed banning the use of lead ammunition and fishing tackle on federal land – increasing costs on sportsmen and women and potentially resulting in a significant decrease in hunting and fishing participation. This ban would affect millions of Americans who use traditional lead ammunition and tackle, as well as put wildlife conservation funding sources at risk, threatening conservation efforts instead of aiding them. Banning lead ammunition and tackle and making it harder for Americans’ to responsibly enjoy outdoor recreation will do nothing to help conserve our lands: It will only prevent conservationists who can’t afford to spend more on ammo or tackle from continuing healthy recreational use of our federal lands. H.R. 615, the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2023, introduced by Rep. Rob Wittman, stops the Biden Administration’s Department of the Interior and Department of Agriculture from banning lead ammunition or tackle on federal lands and waters for hunting and fishing, unless the regulation is consistent with state laws and supported by science. “As a lifelong hunter and recreational fisherman, I was appalled by the Biden administration’s effort to restrict access for our nation’s sportsmen and women who use traditional lead fishing tackle and ammunition on federal lands and waters,” said Rep. Rob Wittman. “Effective environmental stewardship and wildlife conservation rely on the valuable contributions of our hunters and anglers, and affordable lead ammunition and tackle are crucial to reducing financial barriers that limit accessibility for sportsmen and women. I’m pleased to see this critical piece of legislation pass the House, and I urge my colleagues in the Senate to take up this bill and send it to the president’s desk.” What Members Said: “Millions of Americans, including myself, are avid outdoorsmen and women who greatly enjoy hunting and fishing, and we depend on reliable access to these public lands and waters. And that's why a ban on the cost effective traditional lead ammo and tackle is so concerning. It will affect hunters, it will affect recreational and commercial anglers, and it will simply increase the cost which will reduce the participation by those who enjoy these two American pastimes,” said Rep. Rutherford. “It's a 25 percent higher cost for the non lead ammo versus the traditional lead ammo. And when you start cutting that, you're going to cut the excise tax that actually provides money for wildlife conservation here in America. States already have the ability as I mentioned earlier to regulate lands for conservation purposes. Instead of these federal mandates, we should be leaning on the states that know an area's conservation needs better than anyone else.” Rep. Richard Hudson underlined that America's sportsmen and women know what it means to responsibly enjoy hunting and fishing while leaving our lands better than before.  Delisting the Recovered Gray Wolf Species ✅ Across the lower 48 states, the gray wolf species has clearly recovered from their once extremely endangered status – recent scientific analysis has shown their population to be healthy and sustainable from a multitude of threats. As such, it is time for the species to be delisted and returned to state management. In the Great Lakes region, which claims the largest concentration of gray wolves here in the lower 48 states, there are around 4,200 wolves, and the current population is well past delisting recovery goals. In fact, the delisting recovery goals for gray wolves “have been met since at least 1994,” according to Nathan Roberts, former wildlife biologist at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Furthermore, the Obama, Trump, and Biden Administrations all took actions to delist the gray wolf. While the last three presidential administrations agreed that it is time to delist the gray world, activist judges and radical environmentalists continue to block the removal of the gray wolf from the endangered species list. We should be focusing on allocating resources to species that need to recover, not keeping an already recovered species on the list at the expense of more threatened species. Additionally, allowing the recovered gray wolf population to continue to grow completely protected and unchecked poses an immediate threat to livestock, farmers, pet owners, residents, and more. Rep. Lauren Boebert’s legislation, H.R. 764, the Trust the Science Act, would delist the gray wolf from the Endangered Species List in the lower 48 states and ensure this decision is not subject to judicial review. “Out-of-touch Denver and Boulder leftists voted to reintroduce wolves in Colorado. Farmers and ranchers are powerless to defend their livestock from wolf attacks and there have been 8 confirmed wolf livestock killings in April alone. Rather than celebrating the gray wolf recovery success story, leftists want to cower to radical environmentalists and keep them on the Endangered Species Act list forever. The gray wolf is fully recovered and should be delisted in the lower 48 states. This week’s bipartisan passage of my Trust the Science Act empowers states and puts people ahead of violent predators,” said Rep. Lauren Boebert. What Members Said: “Mr. Speaker, how many wolves is enough? That's really the question we should be asking, because the Endangered Species Act doesn't require an abundance of these natural born killers. It requires enough that we still have them around. No one's disputing that,” said Rep. Cliff Bentz. “Wolves are smart, they're intelligent creatures. They learn and so it becomes more and more and more difficult to control them. The reason they need to be delisted is so that we have some means of controlling an apex predator. An apex predator: One of these things that once you have them they're very hard to control. Being listed makes it almost impossible.” “Of course we need the delisting. It is the way that we are going to be able to protect if at all and control the number of wolves that now inhabit the United States.” Rep. Tom Tiffany celebrated the passage of H.R. 764 as a big win for hunters, pet owners, and famers.  |
