Big Idea
- Gosar talks about voter integrity and the election
- The can gets kicked down the road
- President Trump threatens a veto
- Things are not always what they seem
- Read more…
Every legal vote in America should be counted.
Never Give Up:
I have written to you in recent weeks to provide updates on the ways in which I continue to fight for the integrity of your vote. And, as promised, there will always be new updates. Besides the several interviews and statements I made last week to keep the pressure on and to inform the public, I also took the following two actions last week to raise support for the cause here in Arizona and Washington D.C.
- Bowyer v. Ducey is another case addressing the Dominion voting systems and fraud in our election. Used in Maricopa County and several other swing states, I have been keenly focused on the presence of fraud or error with these systems. To compliment this fight, I sent a letter with Congressman Andy Biggs in support of this court case, raising the issue that Governor Ducey and Secretary Hobbs continue to offer blanket “assurances” that there was either no fraud or not enough fraud to influence the vote. To this I say again, simply, show us the evidence. In light of their failure to ensure the integrity of the vote, I wrote in support of this legal case because if the state authorities in charge of this process fail to do their jobs, then we the people will. We must know the election is legitimate and until such confirmation comes, I will continue to fight for it.
- I also joined several of my Republican colleagues in the House to introduce House Resolution 1256, which supports President Trump’s effort to ensure that every legal vote is counted and to investigate and bring to justice those who perpetuate election fraud. I hope my Republican and Democrat colleagues will join me in this effort and agree that every legal vote in America should be counted and that fraud is not only adverse to our democratic principles, but should be prosecuted as crimes against our republic.
Votes
Government Funding - Continuing to Kick the Can Down The Road:
Last Wednesday, I voted no on the continuing resolution to avert a government shutdown on Friday and keep the government open for one week. Yup, you heard me correctly, one week of funding. Our fearless leader Speaker Pelosi, having all year to do so, once again fell short in agreeing to a deal with Senate Majority Leader McConnell to pass a true appropriations bill to fund the government. I voted no on this measure because House Democrats dropped the continuing resolution the night before the vote when negotiations officially stalled, in violation of the House 72 hour rule, and because these band aid bills kick the can down the road, leaving our military and other essential government duties funded at outdated spending levels. Facing a global pandemic, economic recovery, needing to maintain national security, and more, kneecapping the government from moving forward is the exact opposite of what we need, especially when we are funding the government based on previous Democratic frivolous spending proposals. The 116th Congress extends by another week now as we await the issuance of a potential spending bill.
National Defense Authorization Act
Veto Threat?:
The House and Senate passed the NDAA over the veto threat of President Trump. While I was proud that my critical minerals amendment was added to the legislation and liberal policies such as red flag laws and immigration loopholes were removed, I ultimately voted no. I voted against the bill because of objections from our Commander in Chief, who is ultimately charged with defending our nation based on the provisions in the bill. Our objection rested on several bad provisions, such as:
- The bill mandates renaming military bases named after Confederate soldiers within one year, the same bases which trained the forces that fought against tyranny and authoritarianism
- It contained no provision to reform Section 230 to end censorship, a fair bargaining position the President made to drop his veto threat
- It prevented the President from using authorized money and resources to remove all of our troops from Afghanistan
- It even took aim at President Trump's signature border wall by limiting how much money can be used on emergency military construction—an authority President Trump has used to repurpose funds for the border wall.
The names of military installations have nothing to do with force readiness, social media disinformation and foreign influence is a national security threat, and after 19 years, it is time for our troops to come home. Since the NDAA did not support these positions, I could not support the bill.
President Trump has threatened to veto this bill again today, despite there being enough Republicans to override his veto. It's unclear if he will do so and if he did, whether or not Republicans would vote to override him.
You've Got To Be Kidding Me
H.R. 5758 Ceiling Fan Improvement Act:
That’s right folks, while businesses are suffering, health care costs are sky high, and debt is out of control, Nancy Pelosi feels it’s time to fix regulations regarding ceiling fans. Why we even have such stringent regulations over CEILING FANS has to really make you understand that the Federal Government has way too much control over our lives. Now of course, the legislation does roll back unwanted regulations regarding efficiency standards so I support it but my oh my, is this not indicative of where we are. What will be fascinating is, come the new year, the power that has shifted to Republicans in the House. Democrats have a slim majority so they need to be extra careful with how they want to proceed with truly bogus legislation. You can guarantee that I will be doing everything I can to help bring back good process to this body. No matter your beliefs, we should all advocate for an open process in the House of Representatives to let the best ideas win the day because in the end: Good Process, builds Good Policy, builds Good Politics.
Things Are Not Always As They Seem
Hong Kong People’s Freedom and Choice Act of 2020:
Don’t you just love some of these bill titles? I swear if there was a bill called the “Puppies and Cuddles Act” the media and advocacy groups would say that any member who votes against this must hate both of those things! This bill is one of those examples. Democrats are notorious for catchy bill titles that sound like bipartisan bills, yet their text paints a completely different picture. Calling for freedom and choice for the people of Hong Kong in the title, the text of the bill actually makes them eligible to be included in a U.S. refugee program.
Specifically, the refugee program is called Temporary Protected Status or “TPS” which is a refugee program that has been around for decades helping individuals from countries that have either undergone political unrest or natural disaster come to the U.S. to seek refuge. Now, I’m supportive of helping temporarily house individuals in order to escape death and destruction BUT the only snag here is it has almost never been temporary. But it says temporary in the title of the program, it must be true right? By that logic, healthcare would be affordable according to the Affordable Care Act or “Obamacare.” In the underlying language of the program, individuals who find refuge can only be returned when “their nation of origin is ready to receive them.” That’s about as subjective as it gets and has made it so individuals who sought refuge decades ago are still here and debates now have started about granting them some sort of legalization in the U.S, and a pathway to citizenship because it is all they know. At the end of the day, this program needs heavy reform if you ever want my support for future designations. Temporary needs to mean temporary or else we’re not REALLY talking about refugees.
The American Worker is Getting Screwed!
Fairness for High Skilled Workers:
If you’ve been reading my newsletters, you should know my qualms with this bill named “Fairness for High Skilled Immigrants.” What it should be called is “Putting the Screws to the American Tech Worker.” This bill is egregious as it removes the per-country caps for employment based green cards. India has a ten year backlog on visa requests, and since most Indian nationals work in the tech industry with these visas, this legislation would increase job competition and wage pressures for American workers. This legislation does not put Americans first. Given we’re in session for another week, we now have the distinct possibility that the House could see this dreadful legislation again. Tell your families, tell your neighbors, tell everyone you know to get Congress to stop this legislation if it comes to the floor for a vote, I know I’ll do my part!
Partisan Shenanigans
Motion to Recommit Letter
I have recently highlighted how Speaker Pelosi, on top of her usual shenanigans, was working to end a procedural tactic known as the Motion to Recommit (MTR) for the next Congress. The MTR is a critical procedural tool that gives the Minority party one last opportunity to improve legislation before a final vote on the House floor. An important staple of legislative practice and fundamental for fulfilling the democratic practice of representing all Americans, Speaker Pelosi is seeking to rid it from the House because Republicans have been successful in getting them passed in recent years and because we closed the gap on her Majority for the 117th Congress. Following her usual MO, Speaker Pelosi is trying to consolidate power under her liberal agenda rather than allow regular order to proceed to the detriment of the American people. I ran for Congress out of frustration for party leaders caring more about their own status in Washington D.C. than working for the American people, which is why I joined my colleagues in a letter to Congressman McGovern, the Chairman of the House Rules Committee, to protest this latest Democrat power grab.
You can view more information about this letter HERE
Coronavirus Relief Package
COVID-19 Update:
While I remain adamant that the best economic response to the COVID pandemic is to allow for our economies to reopen for those who choose to re-enter life based on their own health situation and personal choices, we cannot ignore that the reason so many small businesses have gone under, lost revenue, or had to lay off workers is government mandates. The government created the problem, and therefore the government must provide relief and means to restore your prosperity. I supported the CARES Act and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) it created. Congressional intent was for PPP to assist with revenue loss so companies can pay mortgage, business expenses, payroll, and more. American businesses have the ability to write off their business expenses in their taxes, however when we passed the CARES Act, the IRS announced that any forgiven PPP loan could not be written off in your taxes. This is completely unacceptable because 1. these companies would not have required PPP to replace their revenue had we not shut down their businesses, and 2. if we do not allow them to write off their expenses as usual, then we will be giving them a tax increase on top of restricting their business. I have since been very concerned with this issue and over the summer wrote a letter to the Treasury Department protesting this rule and its harm to American small businesses. I am also a cosponsor of the Small Business Expense Protection Act which seeks to correct this wrong and I am proud to announce that the provisions of this bill and its Senate companion are in the new COVID relief bill which was debuted this week.
Another Middle East Peace Deal!
Morocco & Israel Historic Peace Agreement:
When President Trump took office, he committed to a national security strategy based on a realistic assessment of the world, seeking peace through strength. The Commander in Chief has promoted this policy once again as Morocco last week opened diplomatic relations with Israel, the fourth country to do so since August, under the supervision of the President - for which any other American President would have most certainly been awarded a Nobel Prize. In return for opening diplomatic relations, President Trump recognized Morocco’s claim to Western Sahara, a separatist region which has fought Morocco since 1975. This was another strategic move by the President as the Polisario Front, which runs the Western Sahara opposition movement, is a Cold War hold over group which was aligned with the Soviet Union and its several proxy states, including Libya, Algeria, and Cuba. In one swift action, the President brought diplomatic cooperation, rather than violence, to one of the most conflicted regions in the world while at the same time severely damaging the campaign of a Marxist group. In fact, in June I called on the Administration to denounce the Polisario Front and support Morocco, and I applaud President Trump for his continued commitment to our nation’s partners like Israel and Morocco.
Democrat Congressman Caught in Chinese Honeypot
Chinese Spy Compromises Democrat Congressman:
Last week, reporting broke that between 2011-2015, a suspected Chinese intelligence operative, Christine Fang, developed ties with American politicians, including Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA). The spy targeted politicians in the Bay Area, and in the case of Rep. Swalwell, the spy assisted with political fundraising and even placed an intern in his office. This case presents an interesting insight into Chinese influence and intelligence operations. From what we can tell, she did not contribute any illegal funds to Rep. Swalwell’s campaign nor gained access to classified documents. So one might wonder where the threat is? China, which sees itself in competition to overcome the U.S., places great reliance on influence operations. They seek to gain access to American policymakers to influence the lawmaking process. This influence is carefully selected - for example Rep. Swalwell is a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and co-chair of the Critical Minerals Caucus. Wanting to gain access to our intelligence policies and funding, and to combat America’s attempts to end global reliance on China for critical minerals, this political influence the operative gained could have led to China using this access to influence policies to the detriment of the U.S. and in support of Beijing. This spy also operates out of the Bay Area, where there are known Chinese Communist Party front groups, to which I have raised concern in the past. I applaud our counterintelligence officials for working diligently to expose this serious threat, and also joined my Republican colleagues on the Oversight Committee in a letter to Speaker Pelosi to remove Rep. Swalwell from the House Intelligence Committee.
Stengthening Diplomatic Ties
Support for the U.S.-Taiwan Relationship:
Last week I joined several of my colleagues in a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to push new initiatives to strongly support the relationship between America and Taiwan. Taiwan, which China seeks to control through force, is a strategic partner for our country as one of the few democratic entities in the region. First, the letter requests to change the name of Taiwan’s unofficial embassy in America. Currently known as the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, we are seeking to have it renamed the Taiwan Representative Office to ensure it better represents the 23 million people of Taiwan. Second, the letter calls for a U.S.-Taiwan bilateral trade agreement, as Taiwan has taken the proper steps towards such an agreement, and already enjoys strong economic coordination with America, including in Arizona. As Taiwan is ready, and China is trying to push back on their preparedness to the detriment of American and Taiwanese businesses, it is time that we take this step in the pursuit of democracy and economic prosperity.
Annual Army-Navy Football Game
President Donald Trump Attends Army-Navy Game:
President Donald Trump emerged from the tunnel in the south end zone as it was announced: “Ladies and gentlemen, the 45th president of the United States...” An audience of approximately 9,000 at Michie Stadium erupted with a standing ovation. Trump stopped in the Army end zone and waved in all directions as the crowd chanted “USA, USA, USA.” Trump attended Saturday’s 121st Army-Navy game, marking the third straight year he has done so as sitting president. Saturday Army shut out Navy 15-0 for the first time since 1969.
Tweet of the Week
@RepGosar: "If Maricopa County was in Syria, Libya, or Iraq, many of my Republican colleagues would be demanding intervention to protect democracy." #2020Election
See Tweet HERE.
Resources
I work for YOU!
I want to serve my constituents in any way I can. Whether you need help with a federal agency, are trying to find out if federal grants are available for your project, or are considering applying to a service academy, my office is always here to help.
Additionally, the phone numbers for all of my offices are listed at the bottom of this email.
Washington, DC Office
2057 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2315
Kingman
220 N. 4th Street
Kingman , AZ 86401
(By Appointment Only)
Prescott
122 N. Cortez Street, Suite 104
Prescott, AZ 86301
Phone: (928) 445-1683
Gold Canyon
6499 S. Kings Ranch Road #4
Gold Canyon, AZ 86118
Phone: (480) 882-2697
