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The Leader’s Floor Lookout: Friday, September 20, 2024

Washington, September 20, 2024
Here’s what to watch for on the House Floor today:
 
Holding Sanctuary Cities Accountable to American Taxpayers

Throughout the country, radical liberal ‘sanctuary’ states and cities like New York, California, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta disregard America’s immigration laws, instead putting in place policies to prevent immigration enforcement and protect criminal aliens from ICE, including refusing to comply with ICE detainers and denying ICE access to immigrants who have been arrested.

The sanctuary policies pushed by radical Left mayors and governors have exacerbated the already out-of-control Biden-Harris border crisis, encouraging illegal immigrants to cross illegally in the United States with the promise that in a sanctuary city or state, they will not face consequences for breaking our laws. 

Meanwhile, as they refuse to enforce U.S. immigration law, these Far-Left politicians use taxpayer dollars to foot the bill for their sanctuary policies and provide benefits to illegal immigrants – all while leaving American citizens out in the cold. In some places, like California and D.C., illegal immigrants even receive free health care.
 

Despite putting in place policies to combat federal immigration law and encourage illegal immigration, many of these woke mayors and governors continue to ask the federal government for financial assistance to handle the massive influx of illegal immigrants across the country. 

American taxpayers shouldn’t have to pay for costly policies put in place by liberal bureaucrats because those bureaucrats are now facing the consequences of their own actions. They could repeal their sanctuary policies at any time – they choose not to. It’s time for these sanctuary cities, counties, and states to be held accountable for their disastrous policies, instead of hardworking American taxpayers. 

Rep. Nick LaLota’s legislation, H.R. 5717, the No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act, ensures that sanctuary cities, counties, and states that provide benefits to illegal immigrants are ineligible for federal funds to assist such immigrants.

American families and workers are sick and tired of bearing the burden of liberal politicians’ harmful border policies. House Republicans will continue fighting to defend hardworking Americans, secure our border, and reinstate rule of law.
 

Protecting Americans’ Right to Choose Their Car

On March 20, 2024, the Biden-Harris Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a tailpipe vehicle emissions rule that places extreme standards on pollutants and greenhouse gasses for vehicles in an attempt to make two-thirds of all consumer vehicles zero emission by 2032 and force Americans to switch to EVs. This rule will essentially ban the sale of gas-powered and traditional hybrid vehicles gradually – forcing automakers to sell more electric vehicles and taking consumer choice out of Americans’ hands.

Electric vehicles are considerably more expensive than gas vehicles and much less reliable in cold weather and with our current grid stability, making them an unrealistic option for most American families. Amerians should be able to choose which car best suits their needs and the needs of their family, not be forced to choose an EV because it’s the only option left in the marketplace. 

Nearly half of EV drivers wish to go back to driving a gas car – and yet the Biden-Harris Administration are still trying to force these cars on hard working Americans. 
 

Additionally, the Chinese Communist Party controls around 90 percent of the processing and refining supply chain capacity for the minerals required to power electric vehicles, meaning American manufacturers currently rely on one of our biggest adversaries and the world’s number one polluter, China – also posing a risk to our national security.

We cannot allow the Biden administration to take choice out of consumer hands, force unaffordable options on Americans, and risk our national security by making us reliant on our adversary for power.

Rep. John James’ legislation, H.J. Res. 136, repeals the Biden-Harris EPA’s burdensome  emissions rule relating to “Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles” under the Congressional Review Act, protecting consumer choice, keeping more affordable and realistic car options in the marketplace, and preventing further reliance on China.

House Republicans will always work to ensure that Americans get to choose their cars based on what’s best for them, not the Biden Administration.
 

Increasing Protection for Presidential Candidates

Once again, a radical, unhinged liberal tried to end the life of President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president, almost taking the upcoming presidential election out of the hands of the American people and threatening the future of our democracy.
 
On Sunday, September 15, Ryan Wesley Routh camped outside President Trump’s West Palm Beach golf club with his rifle for 12 hours, lying in wait for his chance to take out President Trump. Thankfully, a Secret Service agent spotted him and fired shots before the gunman could shoot at the former president and current presidential candidate. 
 
After the failure to protect President Trump from an attempted assassination on July 13, which took the life of Corey Comperatore and seriously injured two others, you would think that security would have been tightened enough to prevent another gunman from getting close enough to threaten the life of a presidential candidate – unfortunately, that was not the case.
 
It's unacceptable that now we're at two assassination attempts on President Trump. The Secret Service has to provide the same level of protection for presidential candidates as for presidents so that something like this doesn’t happen a third time. The future of our country is at stake.
 
House Republicans are bringing forward legislation to ensure the American people’s choice of president is never again threatened by a deranged, radical individual, and to protect our democracy. 

H.R. 9106, the Enhanced Presidential Security Act of 2024, introduced by Rep. Mike Lawler, directs the U.S. Secret Service to use the same standards to determine the number of agents in a protection detail for Presidents, Vice Presidents, and major Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates.

Political violence has no place in our country, but when it does rear its ugly head, we must ensure we’ve done everything possible to prevent it from being successful.