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The Leader’s Floor Lookout: Thursday, May 23, 2024

Washington, May 23, 2024
Here’s what to watch for on the House Floor today:
 
Preventing Illegal Aliens from Voting in U.S. Elections

On November 21, 2022, the D.C. Council voted to disregard federal law and enact a bill that allows noncitizens, including illegal immigrants, to vote in D.C. local elections. The bill, the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act (D.C. Law 24-0242), disenfranchises American citizens and could have a ripple effect across other large U.S. cities. 

To add insult to injury, this legislation makes no exception for foreign nationals or diplomats voting in D.C. elections. This means that representatives from other countries, including agents of the Chinese Communist Party, can vote in D.C. elections, even though their interests are often separate or opposed to American interests.

This D.C. law is unjust and against federal law, minimizing the voice of American citizens by diluting their votes with votes from foreign diplomats and illegal immigrants. Even Democrats realize the absurdity of this law – D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser withheld her signature on the bill, expressing her opposition, and the Washington Post Editorial Board published an article on their stance against this legislation.

In February 2023, House Republicans, along with 42 Democrats, passed a resolution to overturn the D.C. Council’s bill to allow illegal immigrants to vote – H.J. Res. 24. Despite bipartisan support, Senate Democrats refused to take up the legislation and the law has gone into effect.


It’s common sense: Only American citizens should be able to vote in U.S. elections, as is dictated by federal law.

Rep. August Pfluger’s legislation, H.R. 192, repeals the D.C. Council’s Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022 and prevents individuals who are not United States citizens from voting in elections in the District of Columbia.

Once again, House Republicans are fighting to keep illegal immigrants and foreign diplomats out of U.S. elections.
 

Protecting Americans’ Financial Privacy in Digital Transactions

A CBDC, or central bank digital currency, is a sovereign digital currency issued and regulated by a government and recorded on a digital ledger controlled by that government – giving the government the ability to monitor any transactions and use the currency as a financial weapon to stifle political adversity. 

While decentralized digital currency like Bitcoin is outside the control of any one person, group, or entity, and engages in marketplace competition, a government-controlled CBDC, if it is not modeled to emulate cash, allows unelected bureaucrats to collect transaction data on and surveil citizens.

For example, in China, the Chinese Communist Party created a CBDC that tracks citizens’ digital transactions, and then uses that data to reward or punish them for their financial behavior through a social credit system. Additionally, in Canada, Prime Minister Trudeau froze bank accounts and blocked crypto donations to crack down on protesting truckers and their supporters in 2022.


Now, the Biden Administration has indicated its interest in creating a similar surveillance style CBDC, issuing an executive order prompting extensive CBDC research and development.

We cannot allow the Biden Administration to wreak havoc on Americans’ financial privacy and individual freedom by creating a CBDC under the complete control of the Administrative state, allowing them to track and collect Americans’ financial data, as well as potentially censor and oppress Americans based on that data. 

Rep. Tom Emmer’s legislation, H.R. 5403, the CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act, blocks the Federal Reserve from directly or indirectly issuing a CBDC to any individual, prevents the Federal Reserve from using a CBDC to implement monetary policy, and requires Congress to authorize the issuance of any CBDC, protecting Americans’ financial privacy and freedom from government control. 

House Republicans are fighting to ensure any creation of a CBDC upholds American citizens’ values and rights, including financial privacy and individual sovereignty.