August 2023

In this email newsletter:

• Appropriations
• NDAA
• Back to School and Mental Health
• Congressional App Challenge
• Passports
• How Can I Serve You?

Each year, Congress has a responsibility to craft 12 separate appropriations bills – each one covering a different function of the federal government. These bills appropriate (i.e. provide) money for the federal government to operate.

Passage of these bills can seem like a dysfunctional process. For starters, Congress frequently runs right up to the deadline, and often relies on "continuing resolutions" which basically extend funding at existing levels (with some exceptions) for a certain period until the appropriations bills can be passed. Another common occurrence is when leaders bundle together multiple appropriations bills into one massive "omnibus" bill – often many thousands of pages long. Amidst the chaos, there's usually little regard for our deficit spending and national debt, which most of you know are among my biggest concerns in Congress. In my view, this is no way to run the federal government.

Current funding for the federal government is set to expire at the end of September. This means in the coming weeks, you're likely to hear more news about these appropriations bills as the House and Senate work through this important process.

We are over $32 trillion in debt, according to the U.S. Treasury. As I have said repeatedly, I believe our federal government has a spending problem, not a revenue problem. As your representative in Congress, my biggest litmus test for spending bills is that each must include responsible cuts to place and keep us on a trajectory to balance the budget within a reasonable period of time. Any appropriations bill that fails this test will not have my support, because I believe our spending is out of control and jeopardizes the future of our country.

There are a significant number of hurdles to overcome in pursuit of this year's appropriations bills. There are also major differences between conservatives and liberals in Washington when it comes to federal spending, our national debt, and the ultimate role of government in our lives. These appropriations bills will be among the most important endeavors Congress will undertake this year, so I'll be sure to keep you all updated on my social media accounts as well as future email newsletters.

Last month the House of Representatives was able to pass a reasonable version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). You may have seen reports about conservative amendments to that legislation, and how I, along with others from the House Freedom Caucus, were fighting for those changes.

Fortunately, many conservative amendments were adopted, which made the House's version more acceptable to support. Several of my own amendments made it through as well, including guidance that prohibits the display of unapproved flats at Department of Defense facilities (e.g. rainbow flag flying alongside the American Flag at our military bases.)

Both of my amendments for Maj. James Capers made it through; one authorizing his Medal of Honor and the other recommending a naval vessel be named in his honor.

I also had an amendment prohibiting mask mandates on military installations, and another amendment eliminating so-called "diversity, Equity and Inclusion" offices within the Department of Defense. Another amendment of mine will stop your taxpayer dollars from funding gender change surgeries through the military's Exceptional Family Member Program, which was never designed for that purpose. All of those amendments were adopted. 

The stated mission of our Defense Department is to "provide combat-credible military forces needed to deter war and protect the security of our nation." Anything that detracts from that needs to be put out to pasture, and I believe the House's version of the NDAA was a good step in the right direction.

The Senate has passed its own version of the NDAA, which will need to be reconciled with the House of Representative's version. Those negotiations will take place over the coming weeks and month.