Rep. Jerry Carl supports failed effort to censure Rashida Tlaib for alleged antisemitism
On Wednesday, a group of Congressional Republicans came to the aid of embattled Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan) to block an effort to censure her over alleged antisemitic comments. Congressman Jerry Carl (R-AL01) had supported the effort to censure Tlaib. “Congress must condemn antisemitism and stand with Israel,” Rep. Carl said on Twitter. “Rep. Rashida Tlaib proudly stands with Hamas terrorists over Israel. She uses her platform to spread antisemitism and pro-Hamas propaganda, which is absolutely disgraceful.” The War between Israel and Hamas has led to tension between Jewish Americans and Palestinian Americans. Tlaib has been sharply critical of Israel and has defended the Palestinian position. Her parents immigrated from Palestine. Some Republicans went so far as to suggest that she condoned the Hamas attacks on Israelis that left 1,300 dead – many of them women and children. The censure resolution was brought by Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. 23 Republicans joined the Democrats to vote in favor of a procedural motion that blocked the disciplinary resolution from even reaching the floor. The final tally was 222 to 186. 13 Democrats abstained. Greene’s censure resolution accused Tlaib of “leading an insurrection” for her participation in an anti-war protest last month at the Capitol. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) voted to table the legislation. “Rep. Rashida Tlaib has repeatedly made outrageous remarks toward Israel and the Jewish people. Her conduct is unbecoming of a member of Congress and certainly worthy of condemnation – if not censure. However, tonight’s feckless resolution to censure Tlaib was deeply flawed and made legally and factually unverified claims, including the claim of leading an ‘insurrection,’” Roy wrote on X. “I voted to table the resolution. In January 2021, the legal term insurrection was stretched and abused by many following the events at the Capitol. We should not continue to perpetuate claims of ‘insurrection’ at the Capitol and we should not abuse the term now.” Tlaib has accused Israel of war crimes in its response to the Hamas attacks. Palestinian authorities claim that Israeli airstrikes on Gaza have killed thousands of civilians. Tlaib has condemned the violence but has accused Israel of creating “apartheid” conditions in Gaza and committing genocide against Palestinians. Tlaib denounced Greene’s resolution. “Marjorie Taylor Greene’s unhinged resolution is deeply Islamophobic and attacks peaceful Jewish anti-war advocates,” Tlaib said. “I am proud to stand in solidarity with Jewish peace advocates calling for a ceasefire and an end to the violence. I will not be bullied, I will not be dehumanized, and I will not be silenced. I will continue to call for ceasefire, for the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid, for the release of hostages and those arbitrarily detained, and for every American to be brought home. I will continue to work for a just and lasting peace that upholds the human rights and dignity of all people, and ensures that no person, no child has to suffer or live in fear of violence.” That such a large number of the GOP caucus failed to support such a public measure is an indicator that much of the division and petty rivalries within the GOP Caucus that dominated the month of October are still not over. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson’s (R-Louisiana) lack of leadership experience in the body may have also played a factor in Wednesday’s events. Carl is serving in his second term in Congress. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com
Jim Jordan: Speaker vote is back on, no Patrick McHenry deal
By Casey Harper | The Center Square U.S. House Judiciary Chair Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, told reporters Thursday afternoon that he would in fact keep running for speaker and hold another floor vote, despite reports that he was considering postponing his effort. The news came after Jordan reportedly said behind closed doors he would back the speaker pro Tempore, Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C. for a limited temporary speakership role so that lawmakers can hit key funding deadlines coming this year. “I’ll just say this,” Jordan told reporters Thursday. “We made the pitch to members on the resolution as a way to lower the temperature and get back to work. We decided that wasn’t where we were going to go. I’m still running for speaker, and I plan to go to the floor and get the votes and win this race.” The House faces a government shutdown deadline in the middle of November and calls to pass funding measures for the respective Ukraine and Israel wars. “But I want to go talk with a few of my colleagues, particularly I want to talk with the 20 individuals who voted against me so that we can move forward and begin to work for the American people,” Jordan added. Some Republicans were immediately critical of the news, which was reported by Punchbowl News, that Jordan would strike a deal with McHenry. “There is no path for a GOP-only empowerment of a Speaker Pro-Tem so it will necessarily require Democrat votes,” U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, as rumors of the deal swirled. “It is, in any event, a fool’s errand – breaking with tradition & setting constitutionally questionable precedent to empower someone who is NOT the duly elected Speaker but will be empowered to negotiate a CR & massive supplemental bills (approx. $100BB) for Israel & Ukraine (& $ to process more illegals). “It will then set the [House GOP] up for a Xmas omni ‘deal,’” he added. “I strongly oppose.” A third vote for Jordan was expected Thursday, but Jordan’s reported temporary endorsement of McHenry delayed it. It remains unclear if lawmakers will vote later Thursday or later this week. Jordan failed to get the needed 217 votes both Tuesday and Wednesday as moderate Republicans held out, voting for a range of other potential candidates. Senate Republicans chimed in as well. “House Uniparty GOP members insisted last week that a ‘Speakerless House’ was a national crisis, but they’re now willing to experiment with unprecedented long-term pro-tem powers when asked to vote for a more conservative Speaker. Stunning hypocrisy,” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, wrote on X. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Tommy Tuberville opposes more military aid for Ukraine
On Friday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) joined Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Congressman Chip Roy (R-Texas), and dozens of colleagues in sending a bicameral letter to the White House rejecting further U.S. funding for the war in Ukraine. “Your request cites President [Joe] Biden’s pledge that ‘we will stand with Ukraine as it defends its sovereignty for as long as it takes’…” Vance, Roy, Tuberville, etc. wrote. “These statements imply an open-ended commitment to supporting the war in Ukraine of an indeterminate nature, based on a strategy that is unclear, to achieve a goal yet to be articulated to the public or the Congress.” “The American people deserve to know what their money has gone to,” Vance, Roy, and the other members of Congress wrote. “How is the counteroffensive going? Are the Ukrainians any closer to victory than they were 6 months ago? What is our strategy, and what is the president’s exit plan? What does the administration define as victory in Ukraine? What assistance has the United States provided Ukraine under Title 10? It would be an absurd abdication of congressional responsibility to grant this request without knowing the answers to these questions. For these reasons—and certainly until we receive answers to the questions above and others forthcoming—we oppose the additional expenditure for war in Ukraine included in your request.” Tuberville has long criticized the amount of support the United States has sent to Ukraine. “The war in Ukraine is a disaster for the United States,” Tuberville told Alabama Today in April. “We jumped in all four feet, knowing that we didn’t have enough munitions to help Ukraine. We don’t want to put boots on the ground. I am all for Ukraine, but you have got to have an opportunity to win, and we don’t have one person that has any insight in terms of diplomacy from this White House or this administration. Secretary [Antony] Blinken has done zero. You know, the Chinese laugh at the guy. President Biden needs to be on the phone every day to stop this. We have gotten hundreds of thousands of people killed. There is all kinds of rumors about money that has been stolen from the American taxpayer that is going over there. We don’t know.” “Five years from now, we’re going to find out that between the Clintons and a number of American private equity firms and other hyper-global corporations that, you’re going to find a lot of people have gotten rich from this, and it’s really sad and it is really despicable because of course, the Ukrainians didn’t invite the war on themselves,” Sen. Vance told Jesse Waters on Fox News. I have disagreements with their leadership but not with the people. But you can almost see the elites of Washington and New York City salivating over acquiring more power and more money for themselves on the backs of the Ukrainian war effort. Anybody who doesn’t see this for what it is, I think, is blind to the reality. It’s one of the reasons why, Jesse, we have to start asking tough questions about how long is this going to go on?” President Biden reiterated his support for Ukraine’s war effort in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly earlier this week. “If we allow Ukraine to be carved up, is the independence of any nation secure? I respectfully suggest the answer is no. We have to stand up to this naked aggression today and deter other would-be aggressors tomorrow,” Biden said. “That’s why the United States, together with our allies and partners around the world, will continue to stand with the brave people of Ukraine as they defend their sovereignty and territorial integrity and their freedom.” Tuberville was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2020. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Sen. Marco Rubio: ‘Woke activists’ are hollowing out our military
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio blasted the Pentagon’s increasingly leftward bent as it struggles to keep up with national security interests. “The United States military is the greatest fighting force in the world, but woke activists in the Biden Administration are undermining military readiness, cohesion, and purpose,” Rubio, R-Fla., told The Center Square. “We cannot allow these left-wing crazies to hollow out our military. The world is an increasingly dangerous place, and America’s security requires a strong military capable of deterring – and if need be, defending – our nation.” Rubio’s comments come after The Center Square reported that the Pentagon is struggling to fulfill military requests even as it increasingly gives attention, and funds, to diversity, gender, and critical race theory issues. The Pentagon would struggle to manufacture enough precision missiles if conflict with China broke out, reports indicate. That comes after the U.S. sent over a decades worth of Stinger missiles to Ukraine as soon as the war there broke out, one of multiple shortages or potential shortages exposed by the U.S.’ support for Ukraine. Critics argue the military has become distracted. For example, a recent Department of Defense Comptroller report points to $86.5 million for “dedicated diversity and inclusion activities.” “The Department will lead with our values – building diversity, equity, and inclusion into everything we do,” the report said. In a hearing earlier this week, Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs Chairman Glenn Grothman, R-Wisc., raised concerns about “progressive ideals” infiltrating the military. “We all know that the primary mission of the Armed Forces is to protect and defend the nation and our interests abroad,” Grothman said. “However, the military is not the institution for social experiments and political correctness. This Administration seems to be willfully blinded by how its progressive ideals are affecting military readiness and recruitment.” GOP lawmakers have introduced legislation to ban the teaching of critical race theory in the military as well as cut off the funding for the diversity offices that push these ideas, but the legislation has not gotten enough traction. Grothman said the liberalization of the military is hurting recruitment, which has become more difficult in recent years. The Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps all failed to meet their recruiting goals last year. “Despite lowering fitness standards, relaxing tattoo policies, and increasing recruiting bonuses, fewer and fewer young adults are joining our military ranks,” he said. “Meanwhile, the Biden Administration is more focused on how cadets at military academies use the correct pronouns rather than learn how to lead, work as a team, and defend our nation. “The Biden Administration thinks that service members understanding ‘white rage’ – as recently described by General Mark Milley, our highest-ranking military official – is more important than promoting cohesiveness throughout the armed forces,” he added. Rubio and U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, commissioned a report on these kinds of concerns that was released last year. It showed several examples of gender and racial ideology in U.S. military training, policies, and leadership. In one case, official training materials for West Point cadets lecture them on white privilege. The report points to another example where a slide presentation for the Air Force Academy is titled, “Diversity & Inclusion: What it is, why we care, & what we can do.” This taxpayer-funded training warns cadets to avoid using gendered language, which includes terms like “mom” and “dad.” Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Barry Moore signs on to bill to reinstate troops fired over COVID vaccine mandate
Congressman Barry Moore (R-AL02) joined the Service Restoration Act on Monday. The legislation will permanently end the COVID-19 military vaccine mandate, protect unvaccinated servicemembers, and ensure that those service members who were fired for not complying with President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate can return to serving their country with honor. “Many of those purged from the military are from my district, patriots who were ready to give it all for our freedom, only to have their livelihoods stripped away because of a politically motivated, unscientific mandate,” Rep. Moore said in a press release. “They deserve to be restored to good standing and given full backpay, and that’s what I’m fighting for.” The bill was introduced by Congressman Chip Roy. “Thanks to the hard work of many of my Republican colleagues, the Biden administration’s disastrous COVID-19 vaccine mandate was finally ended,” said Rep. Roy. “But there is more work to be done. Republicans must fight to permanently end these mandates and make whole all the service members harmed by President Biden’s senseless policies. I’ve introduced the Service Restoration Act to do just that.” The DOD’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate was repealed in the FY20323 NDAA that passed in the 117th Congress. This legislation would protect service members who chose not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The Service Restoration Act prohibits federal funds from being used to require members of the Armed Forces to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. It also prohibits the DOD from taking adverse action against unvaccinated service members. It requires the Secretary to reinstate members of the Armed Forces who wish to return to duty at the same rank as when separated. If a service member does elect to be reinstated, their time separated from the military will be counted towards their retirement benefits. It also requires the Secretary to expunge from service members’ record any disciplinary action taken due to refusing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and ensures those separated from the Armed Forces for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine receive an Honorable discharge. The White House and the Pentagon has opposed efforts to lift the mandates. A spokesperson for the DoD said that the issue is readiness. With Democrats in control of the Senate and the President opposed, it is unlikely that this can pass as stand-alone legislation. The COVID-19 vaccine remains very controversial even to this day – more than two years after it was made available to the public. Moore has been staunchly opposed to the vaccine mandate and has continued calling for the reinstatement with full backpay of members discharged for refusal to submit to the vaccination. Moore is in his second term in the U.S. House of Representatives. He previously served in the Alabama House of Representatives. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Matt Gaetz, Freedom Caucus held line on McCarthy speakership over seven bills
U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, was among 20 House members withholding support from new Speaker Kevin McCarthy until the California Republican would commit to bringing seven bills to a vote, as well as agreeing to other concessions. McCarthy, who was elected after 15 rounds of voting, is ranked the second-most politically left member among House Republicans, according to a govtrack.us 2020 analysis. McCarthy agreed to a list of concessions made by conservative members of the Freedom Caucus, including Gaetz, who tweeted, “this is what we’ve been fighting for.” The seven bills include one that would rescind funding for “certain balances made available to the Internal Revenue Service,” including the administration’s plan to hire 87,000 IRS agents to expand tax audits of Americans. Two bills related to abortion: one would prohibit taxpayer-funded abortions; the other would amend Title 18 of the U.S. Code to provide safeguards for children who survive abortions or attempted abortions. Two commit to border security measures: to suspend the illegal “entry of aliens” and require the national criminal background check system to notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and relevant state and local agencies whenever an illegal foreign national attempts to receive a firearm. Another bill would prohibit the Secretary of Energy from sending petroleum products from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to China. Another would amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act to direct district attorneys and prosecutors’ offices to report to the U.S. Attorney General’s office. Among the concessions agreed to, negotiated by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, include capping spending at 2022 levels for fiscal 2024, establishing a subcommittee to investigate the Justice Department, allowing more Freedom Caucus representatives on the Rules Committee, and returning to a one-member threshold for a motion to vacate the speaker’s office, which is what it was before 2019. Another concession includes the ability for any member of any party to offer amendments on the floor during appropriations, which Congress hasn’t done since May 2016. Roy said he also demanded that members of Congress have at least 72 hours to read bills before they are voted on instead of bills being “rammed through the Rules Committee and sent to the floor,” where they are expected to pass them without knowing what’s in them. Roy told CNN that what the 20 holdouts were able to accomplish was “history because this hasn’t happened in the last 100 years.” McCarthy’s election was the 15th time it took multiple votes to elect a speaker of the House, with the most contentious taking 133 votes over two months. Conservative House members also sought to hold McCarthy accountable for voting with Democrats and against conservative principles. According to Conservative Review, McCarthy earned an F grade for his voting record, which over the last six years shows a history of supporting unlimited spending of taxpayer money, increasing the debt ceiling, voting against funding border security measures, and voting for amnesty for illegal foreign nationals. The analysis evaluated key votes over the last six years, identifying 24 to give him a failing grade. According to CR’s analysis, in 2022, McCarthy voted for the NDAA without requiring the Department of Defense to rescind its COVID-19 vaccine mandate; voted to fund an initial $40 billion in aid to Ukraine without accountability for how the money is spent or stipulations that Ukraine pay it back. He has since voted to send an additional $45 billion to Ukraine while also cutting funding for U.S. border security. He also voted to pass a $1.5 trillion Omnibus bill “funding [Joe] Biden’s vaccine mandates,” and voted to bail out the U.S. Postal Service and “stick Medicare with the bill,” CR notes. In 2020, McCarthy voted for $1.4 trillion in special interest spending in a “so-called COVID relief bill;” to pass the NDAA without Section 230 reforms; and for the “‘gag and vote for it’ small-business-killing coronavirus emergency legislation.” In 2019, McCarthy voted to pass a $555 billion “Christmas minibus spending spree;” to suspend the debt ceiling, cancel budget caps and increase spending by $321 billion. to pass a $19 billion spending bill without funding border security and, according to Conservative Review, to “surrender on the border wall; empower drug cartels and human traffickers;” and to “reduce accountability in Congress by making federal pay mandatory spending.” Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Robert Aderholt has concerns about the deal that Kevin McCarthy has negotiated with Chip Roy
This entire week the Republicans in the House of Representatives have been squabbling over who will be the Speaker of the House. Twenty members of the House Republican Caucus have refused to support House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy even though 90% of their own caucus have supported McCarthy. In an attempt to end this Republican Party feud McCarthy has negotiated a deal with holdouts led by Congressman Chip Roy. Congressman Robert Aderholt has expressed some misgivings about the Roy-McCarthy deal. Aderholt is the Ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Committee and is expected to Chair the powerful House Committee – when the House gets through feuding and picks a Speaker. Aderholt said that the deal between McCarthy and Chip Roy is for fiscal 2024 appropriations to be at FY-22 levels. “I think for those of us who believe in a strong defense, there’s some concerns there,” Aderholt said. Congress increased federal spending in FY2023 which the 117th Congress passed as an omnibus appropriations bill before Christmas. Rolling federal spending back to 2022 levels in FY2024 – which begins October 1 would mean massive cuts to defense and other programs and would effectively reduce the size of government to below what it was in 2022 due to inflation, and pay raises to federal employees and service members. Democrats control the Senate and the Presidency making keeping such a promise highly dubious. Defense spending is up due in part to replacing all of the material that the U.S. has transferred to Ukraine for them to fight off Russian invaders. U.S. military readiness is a concern until our stockpiles return to pre-Ukraine War levels, and there is no certainty that the Ukraine War will end in the next nine months. Our commitment to Ukraine could continue well into the next fiscal year. Aderholt has been a staunch supporter of McCarthy. “He’s earned it,” Aderholt said in a statement. “No one has worked harder to take back the House than Kevin McCarthy.” All six of Alabama’s Republican Congressmen have been staunch McCarthy loyalists throughout this episode. McCarthy’s deal picked up votes from 13 GOP holdouts on a historic 12th ballot for Speaker of the House on Friday. One GOP legislator who had been voting “present” also voted for McCarthy. It still was not enough to reach the 218 votes needed to end this drama. The House voted on the open Speaker’s position multiple times on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Roy and McCarthy negotiated the deal before the House met on Friday for its 12th vote. McCarthy lost on the 13th vote as well on Friday. The negotiations are continuing between McCarthy and the remaining Republican holdouts. The body is set to return at 10:00 pm for a historic 14th ballot. This is the first time a Speaker has failed to win election on the first ballot since 1923. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Kevin McCarthy’s race for speaker risks upending House on Day One
In his quest to rise to House speaker, Kevin McCarthy is charging straight into history — potentially becoming the first nominee in 100 years unable to win the job on a first-round floor vote. The increasingly real prospect of a messy fight over the speaker’s gavel on Day One of the new Congress on Jan. 3 is worrying House Republicans, who are bracing for the spectacle. They have been meeting endlessly in private at the Capitol, trying to resolve the standoff. Taking hold of a perilously slim 222-seat Republican majority in the 435-member House and facing a handful of defectors, McCarthy is working furiously to reach the 218-vote threshold typically needed to become speaker. “The fear is that if we stumble out of the gate,” said Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., a McCarthy ally, then the voters who sent the Republicans to Washington “will revolt over that and they will feel let down.” Not since the disputed election of 1923 has a candidate for House speaker faced the public scrutiny of convening a new session of Congress only to have it descend into political chaos, with one vote after another, until a new speaker is chosen. At that time, it eventually took a grueling nine ballots to secure the gavel. McCarthy, a Republican from Bakersfield, California, who was first elected in 2006 and who remains allied with Donald Trump, has signaled he is willing to go as long as it takes in a floor vote to secure the speaker’s job he has wanted for years. The former president has endorsed McCarthy and is said to be making calls on McCarthy’s behalf. McCarthy has given no indication he would step aside, as he did in 2015 when it was clear he did not have the support. But McCarthy also is acknowledging the holdouts won’t budge. “It’s all in jeopardy,” McCarthy said Friday in an interview with conservative Hugh Hewitt. The dilemma reflects not just McCarthy’s uncertain stature among his peers but also the shifting political norms in Congress as party leaders who once wielded immense power — the names of Cannon, Rayburn, and now Pelosi adorn House meeting rooms and office buildings — are seeing it slip away in the 21st century. Rank-and-file lawmakers have become political stars on their own terms, able to shape their brands on social media and raise their own money for campaigns. House members are less reliant than they once were on the party leaders to dole out favors in exchange for support. The test for McCarthy, if he is able to shore up the votes on Jan. 3 or in the days that follow, will be whether he emerges a weakened speaker, forced to pay an enormous price for the gavel, or whether the potentially brutal power struggle emboldens his new leadership. “Does he want to go down as the first speaker candidate in 100 years to go to the floor and have to essentially, you know, give up?” said Jeffrey A. Jenkins, a professor at the University of Southern California and co-author of “Fighting for the Speakership.” “But if he pulls this rabbit out of the hat, you know, maybe he actually has more of the right stuff.” Republicans met in private this past week for another lengthy session as McCarthy’s detractors, largely a handful of conservative stalwarts from the Freedom Caucus, demand changes to House rules that would diminish the power of the speaker’s office. The Freedom Caucus members and others want assurances they will be able to help draft legislation from the ground up and have opportunities to amend bills during the floor debates. They want enforcement of the 72-hour rule that requires bills to be presented for review before voting. Outgoing Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and the past two Republican speakers, John Boehner and Paul Ryan, faced similar challenges, but they were able to rely on the currency of their position to hand out favors, negotiate deals, and otherwise win over opponents to keep them in line — for a time. Boehner and Ryan ended up retiring early. But the central demand by McCarthy’s opponents’ could go too far: They want to reinstate a House rule that allows any single lawmaker to file a motion to “vacate the chair,” essentially allowing a floor vote to boot the speaker from office. The early leaders of the Freedom Caucus, under BC, the former North Carolina congressman turned Trump’s chief of staff, wielded the little-used procedure as a threat over Boehner and later, over Ryan. It wasn’t until Pelosi seized the gavel the second time, in 2019, that House Democrats voted to do away with the rule and require a majority vote of the caucus to mount a floor vote challenge to the speaker. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said the 200-year-old rule was good enough for Thomas Jefferson, so it’s one he would like to see in place. “We’re still a long way from fixing this institution the way it needs to be fixed,” Roy told reporters Thursday at the Capitol. What’s unclear for McCarthy is even if he gives in to the various demands being made by the conservatives, whether that will be enough for them to drop their opposition to his leadership. Several House Republicans said they do not believe McCarthy will ever be able to overcome the detractors. “I don’t believe he’s going to get to 218 votes,” said Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., among the holdouts. “And so I look forward to when that recognition sets in and, for the good of the country, for the good of the Congress, he steps aside, and we can consider other candidates.” The opposition to McCarthy has promoted a counteroffensive from other groups of House Republicans who are becoming more vocal in their support of the GOP leader — and more concerned about the fallout if the start of the new Congress descends into an internal party fight. Rep. David Joyce, R-Ohio, who leads the Republican Governance Group, was wearing an “O.K.” button on his lapel — meaning, “Only Kevin,” he explained. Some have
Barry Moore to join colleagues at D.C. hearing on ‘Bidenflation’
Congressman Andy Biggs will hold an off-site hearing on Tuesday to discuss what he terms “Bidenflation” and “Biden’s energy crisis.” Alabama Congressman Barry Moore will attend the hearing. The hearing will be at the Heritage Foundation in Washington D.C., from 3:00-5:00 pm EDT, and will feature nearly 20 prominent House Republican lawmakers. Four expert witnesses will provide testimony. According to the Heritage Foundation website, the group’s mission is to “formulate and promote public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.” According to the press release, this hearing will “examine the Biden Administration’s policies that have led to a disastrous economic and energy state for the country.” The hearing also aims to determine how Republicans in Congress can “hold Joe Biden more accountable for his reckless leadership.” Other congressional members attending the hearing are Reps. Chip Roy, Claudia Tenney, Dan Bishop, Marjorie Taylor-Greene, Lauren Boebert, Matt Gaetz, Louie Gohmert, Doug Lamalfa, Ralph Norman, Byron Donalds, Ben Cline, Yvette Herrell, Andrew Clyde, Bob Good, and Andy Harris. Witnesses include former Governor of Texas and former Department of Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Heritage Foundation Distinguished Fellow Stephen Moore, President of Western Energy Alliance Kathleen Sgamma, and Alex Epstein, President of the Center for Industrial Progress.
Barry Moore joins lawsuit to end mask mandate for air travel
Representative Barry Moore has joined sixteen of his colleagues in a lawsuit against the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The lawsuit, Massie et al v. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, seeks to end the CDC’s mask mandate for individuals traveling on commercial airlines. Reports indicate the Biden Administration is extending the CDC’s mask mandate until April 18. Massie et al. v. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The named defendants are Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Rochelle P. Walensky in her official capacity as Director of the CDC, and Sherri A. Berger in her official capacity as Chief of Staff of the CDC. The lawsuit contains two primary claims: First, none of the statutes or regulations cited by the CDC for the authority to mandate that individuals wear masks on commercial airlines, conveyances, and at transportation hubs, permit the CDC to implement or enforce this mandate. Second, even if Congress had granted the CDC the authority to promulgate the mask mandate, the granting of this authority would violate a principle known as the “non-delegation doctrine.” Moore and his co-plaintiffs are asking a federal court to declare that “the mask mandate is beyond the CDC’s statutory authority or is unconstitutional.” The plaintiffs are also seeking an injunction that prohibits the CDC, or anyone acting on the CDC’s behalf, from enforcing the mask mandate. Rep. Thomas Massie argued that the CDC doesn’t have the authority to force people to wear masks on airplanes because Congress never passed a law requiring it. “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not have the legal authority to force people traveling on commercial airlines to wear masks,” stated Massie. “Congress never passed a law requiring masks on commercial flights. This lawsuit targets the faceless bureaucrats who are behind the CDC’s unscientific regulation so that this illegal mask mandate can be brought to a permanent end.” Moore argued that the mandate should end immediately because it infringes on constitutional freedoms. “Government bureaucrats desperate for relevancy are waging a war against everyday American citizens and their constitutional freedoms,” stated Rep. Moore. “The unscientific mask mandate for commercial air travel should be ended immediately, and I am proud to join my friend Rep. Massie in this lawsuit to end this charade permanently.” Additional plaintiffs for the lawsuit include Reps. Thomas Massie, Rand Paul, Andy Biggs, Dan Bishop, Lauren Boebert, Andrew Clyde, Warren Davidson, Bob Good, Paul Gosar, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Brian Mast, Alex Mooney, Ralph Norman, Bill Posey, Matt Rosendale, and Chip Roy.
House sends debt limit hike to Joe Biden, staving off default
The House has approved a short-term increase to the nation’s debt limit, ensuring the federal government can continue fully paying its bills into December and temporarily averting an unprecedented default that would have decimated the economy. The $480 billion increase in the country’s borrowing ceiling cleared the Senate last week on a party-line vote. The House approved it Tuesday so President Joe Biden can sign it into law this week. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen had warned that steps to stave off a default on the country’s debts would be exhausted by Monday, and from that point, the department would soon be unable to fully meet the government’s financial obligations. A default would have immense fallout on global financial markets built upon the bedrock safety of U.S. government debt. Routine government payments to Social Security beneficiaries, disabled veterans, and active-duty military personnel would also be called into question. The relief provided by passage of the legislation will only be temporary, though, forcing Congress to revisit the issue in December — a time when lawmakers will also be laboring to complete federal spending bills and avoid a damaging government shutdown. The yearend backlog raises risks for both parties and threatens a tumultuous close to Biden’s first year in office. “I’m glad that this at least allows us to prevent a totally self-made and utterly preventable economic catastrophe as we work on a longer-term plan,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass. Republicans signaled the next debt limit debate won’t be any easier and warned Democrats not to expect their help. “Unless and until Democrats give up on their dream of a big-government, socialist America, Republicans cannot and will not support raising the debt limit and help them pave the superhighway to a great entitlement society,” said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla. Procedurally, the House took a single vote Tuesday that had the effect of passing the Senate bill. The measure passed by a party-line vote of 219-206. The present standoff over the debt ceiling eased when Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., agreed to help pass the short-term increase. But he insists he won’t do so again. In a letter sent Friday to Biden, McConnell said Democrats will have to handle the next debt-limit increase on their own using the same process they have tried to use to pass Biden’s massive social spending and environment plan. Reconciliation allows legislation to pass the Senate with 51 votes rather than the 60 that’s typically required. In the 50-50 split Senate, Vice President Kamala Harris gives Democrats the majority with her tiebreaking vote. Lawmakers from both parties have used the debt ceiling votes as leverage for other priorities. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi threatened to vote against raising the debt ceiling when President Donald Trump was in office, saying she had no intention of supporting lifting the debt ceiling to enable Republicans to give another tax break to the rich. And Republicans in 2011 managed to coerce President Barack Obama into accepting about $2 trillion in deficit cuts as a condition for increasing the debt limit — though lawmakers later rolled back some of those cuts. Pelosi told reporters Tuesday that over the years, Republicans and Democrats have voted against lifting the debt ceiling, “but never to the extent of jeopardizing it.” Pelosi offered her hope that Congress would lift the debt ceiling in a bipartisan way this December because of the stakes involved. But she also floated a bill sponsored by Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., that would transfer the duty of raising the debt limit away from Congress and vest it with the Treasury secretary, saying, “I think it has merit.” In his focus on the debt limit, McConnell has tried to link Biden’s big federal government spending boost with the nation’s rising debt load, even though they are separate and the debt ceiling will have to be increased or suspended regardless of whether Biden’s $3.5 trillion plan makes it into law. “Your lieutenants on Capitol Hill now have the time they claimed they lacked to address the debt ceiling through standalone reconciliation and all the tools to do it,” McConnell said in a letter to the president. “They cannot invent another crisis and ask for my help.” McConnell was one of 11 Republicans who sided with Democrats to advance the debt ceiling reprieve to a final vote. Subsequently, McConnell and his GOP colleagues voted against final passage. The debate over the debt ceiling has at times gotten personal. McConnell last week suggested that Democrats were playing “Russian roulette” with the economy because they had not dealt with the debt ceiling through the process he had insisted upon. He called out Pelosi for traveling to Europe last week. “I can only presume she hopes the full faith and credit of the United States will get sorted out,” McConnell said. Pelosi did not let the shot pass. “Russian roulette from Moscow Mitch. Interesting,” she said. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said Tuesday’s vote marked the 50th time dating back to President Ronald Reagan that he has voted on extending the debt limit. “Nobody has clean hands when it comes to the debt limit,” he said. Because the Senate bill only allowed for a stopgap extension, Hoyer called it a “lousy deal.” “And then we’re going to play this game one more time, a despicable and irresponsible act for adults who know better,” Hoyer said. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said he wanted to “thank” Hoyer for sharing that he had previously voted for raising the debt ceiling 49 times. “When he came into this body, the debt was about a trillion dollars,” Roy said. “Thank you, I guess, on behalf of the people of America who are staring at 28-and-a-half trillion dollars of debt.” The current debt ceiling is $28.4 trillion. Both parties have contributed to that load with decisions that have left the government rarely operating in the black. The calamitous ramifications of default are why lawmakers have been able to reach a compromise to lift or suspend the debt cap some 18 times since 2002, often after frequent rounds of brinkmanship. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Conservatives decry door-to-door vaccine checks
Two Alabama leaders, Mo Brooks and Barry Moore, and dozens of other members of Congress sent a joint letter to President Joe Biden last week regarding his decision to implement door-to-door checks on the American people to coerce them into receiving the COVID-19 vaccine: The letter states, “Your administration’s decision to go door-to-door to coerce individuals to receive a COVID-19 vaccine is deeply disturbing and violates the privacy of Americans. The private health information of millions of Americans should never be a matter of concern for the federal government. Americans must be free to make their own personal health choices.” The concern, coming mostly from Republicans, comes from a statement from President Biden on July 6, when he stated, “Now we need to go to community by community, neighborhood by neighborhood, and oftentimes, door to door – literally knocking on doors – to get help to the remaining people protected from the virus.” During the White House briefing, the president also called on providing vaccines to all healthcare providers, including pediatricians, and discussed providing mobile clinics that could be set up at events like sports events and festivals. Even though Alabama has one of the lowest rates of COVID-19 vaccinations in the country, there are no plans to start a door-to-door campaign. According to NBC15, Dr. Karen Landers commented that it was a strategy that was discussed but that the state is not adopting it. Dr. Landers stated, “No, we are not doing that in this point in time as far as going door to door.” “Persons just really not necessarily being receptive to persons coming on to their property or coming to their door with information,” she said. Jim Zeigler recently called on Governor Kay Ivey to ban what he called “door-to-door vaccine squads” in Alabama. Zeigler asked Ivey to “use the strongest steps to clearly direct federal agents and their recruits that their entry onto home properties in Alabama could legally be considered trespassing.” Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs said in a statement, “Door-to-door vaccine checks on Americans are a blatant abuse of government authority and a pure power play by the Biden administration. The federal government has no right to track the private health information of Americans or to intimidate people into getting the vaccine. Instead of meddling in private medical decisions, the Biden administration should focus on addressing the border crisis, the rampant rise in inflation, and the crime wave that is plaguing American cities – all crises it created. The door-to-door spying on Americans is one more example of the burgeoning surveillance state by the national government.” Biggs posted on Twitter, “I just sent a letter to Biden demanding answers on his door-to-door vaccine checks. The fed gov has no right to track the private health information of Americans or to intimidate people into getting the vaccine.” Other leaders that signed the letter include David Schweikert, Paul Gosar, Ralph Norman, Bob Good, Warren Davidson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Thomas Tiffany, Jody Hice, Lauren Boebert, Alex Mooney, Chip Roy, Andy Harris, Scott DesJarlais, Andrew Clyde, Yvette Herrell, H. Morgan Griffith, Bill Posey, Randy Weber, Michael Cloud, Dan Bishop, Ben Cline, Mary Miller, Louie Gohmert, Debbie Lesko, Mike Garcia, and Matt Gaetz.
