Misinformation, when used in both a calculated and deliberative manner, will always distort the truth. Case in point, shortly after Justice Ginsburg passed away last Friday, Democrats in Washington raced onto national television and proclaimed that America is facing a “constitutional crisis” because President Trump will soon nominate a Justice to the vacancy on the Supreme Court. A duly elected President fulfilling his constitutional duties does not yield a “constitutional crisis”, nor will it ever. These incendiary assertions do nothing more than to stir the pot and create a narrative that is absent of the facts.

It's time that the facts are placed front and center. Democrats in Washington claim that it is “an abuse of power” for a President to nominate a Supreme Court Justice in an election year. As you may have guessed, that is false. In fact, twenty-two past Presidents, both Republican and Democrat, have nominated candidates for Supreme Court vacancies in election years. Maybe this is a fact they’re unaware of, or perhaps they’re afraid to acknowledge it because it will undermine their own argument. You be the judge.

Could it be that Democrats in Washington still can’t accept that their preferred candidate in the 2016 election failed? That their impeachment sham was uncovered as a smear campaign against the President? It could be that their own distorted interpretation of the Constitution makes them believe the fractured narratives they choose to spout off. Regardless, the positions they have now chosen to hold on the Supreme Court vacancy carry no water whatsoever.

The Constitution is the cornerstone of our great Republic, but when it’s used as a platform to levy attacks against the President, public discourse is subjected to falsehoods that must be corrected. President Trump proceeding with a nomination is within his constitutional duties, and I’m confident that both he, and the United States Senate, will do their due diligence moving forward with a candidate that upholds the rule of law in a fair manner. It’s clear that the seat must be filled without delay.

Pro-Growth Policies Win

The Wall Street Journal posted a very insightful piece last week on pro-growth policies that I highly encourage you to read. In the article, the WSJ Editorial Board highlighted the Census Bureau’s recent report that the median household income in the United States grew 6.8% last year - the highest annual increase on record. As a direct result, lower-income workers and minority populations experienced increased economic prosperity. Not surprisingly, household incomes last year grew 50% faster than under the eight years of the Obama Administration. So, what is the differentiating factor? Pro-growth policies.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 (passed with Republican votes only and signed by President Trump) served as the catalyst for this growth, and the results deserve to be recognized. Under the TCJA, new business applications increased twice as much during President Trump’s first two years in office versus Obama’s last two. Employers began expanding applicant pools and extending more job offers to people with disabilities, people with less education, and people who had prior, minor criminal offenses. With restrictive policies that discourage growth and hinder market competition, Americans would find themselves sizably disadvantaged. In short, when pro-growth policies are enacted, human flourishing reaches new heights. It’s just that simple.

President Trump’s Recent Executive Orders

Republicans have long held a rock-solid commitment to strengthening our healthcare system so that patients receive the care they deserve, on their own terms. On Thursday, President Trump reaffirmed that commitment as he signed two important executive orders aimed at eliminating surprise medical bills and protecting Americans with pre-existing conditions. This is an important step forward, and it’s evident that President Trump’s commitment to American families is unwavering. As the United States continues to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, families deserve weight being lifted off their shoulders. I commend President Trump for recognizing these important issues and acting swiftly to address them.

In February, the Committee on Education and Labor marked up and reported out of Committee H.R. 5800, the Ban Surprise Billing Act. This bipartisan legislation would hold patients harmless, protect air ambulance patients, require health plans to maintain up-to-date and accurate provider directories, improve consumer access to information, and increase transparency regarding in-network and out-of-network deductibles and out-of-pocket limitations. Congress must act to once and for all to solve this problem for the American people. I look forward to working alongside President Trump and the Administration as we lead the charge for patient focused healthcare.

Recent Events

Close to the end of the garden crop

Speaking at the Friendship Baptist Church service

From this week’s Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing

Sincerely,