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Respect hardworking taxpayers. It’s a simple directive that I have always followed throughout my time serving the proud citizens of North Carolina. That’s why I refused to vote in favor of the latest partisan spending monstrosities that have been rammed through the House of Representatives. More spending does not equate to a robust and renewed comeback. It only creates more burdensome debt that will be passed on to our children and grandchildren.
Yet, Washington is still in the mood to reach into your pockets and spend more of your money. How much money do you think is left over from the six months of spending sprees thus far? Perhaps a few million? Maybe a billion or two? No, that’s not even close. There’s over $1 trillion in unspent funds that’s currently sitting in the state treasuries and various government funds gathering dust.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently reported that $210 billion in grants to states, cities, and territories remains unspent from previous relief packages. Coming in a close second is funding for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). On top of the $324 billion that Congress directed to the HHS last year, President Biden believed that an additional $160 billion in funding would be appropriate. The problem is that only half of the original $324 billion was spent thus far and only $3 billion of the $160 billion has been spent as well. To add insult to injury, under the partisan American Rescue Plan, $783.5 million of taxpayer dollars were sent to 560,000 individuals who were incarcerated for the full tax year of 2020. That’s not only outrageous, it’s also wholly irresponsible. Please know that I am as incensed as you are.
Common sense would dictate that before Congress decides to spend more taxpayer dollars, we should look for ways to reduce the need for unnecessary spending and deliberately allocate funding to areas that need it most. Unfortunately, as we know all too well, common sense is not that common – especially in Washington. There’s no excuse for this kind of brazen mismanagement and spending, and the excessive funding sitting idly by already outweighs the needs. It’s time for Congress to pump the brakes and reassess what the most pressing priorities really are.
The priority should be respecting hardworking taxpayers in this country. Period.
ICYMI: My Work On Voter I.D.
Recently, I joined Ranking Member James Comer (R-KY) of the House Oversight Committee and Rodney Davis (R-IL) of the House Administration Committee in sending a letter to the National Conference of State Legislatures demanding information about how state legislatures are implementing voter I.D. requirements. In our letter, we press for specific details on current legislative proposals and model legislation that has been provided to state legislatures regarding voter identification. The simple truth is that voter I.D. is a commonsense measure that will help restore the confidence of the American people at the ballot box. Contrary to what the mainstream media and political pundits may spin, requiring voter identification is gaining bipartisan traction across the country – with even former President Obama and Stacey Abrams signaling their support recently. The national consensus on voter I.D. has undeniably changed and delaying this commonsense measure any further is nonsensical.
To read our letter, click here.
If you’ve followed my work in the People’s House, you’ll know that I have a strong track record of defending and advocating for America’s veterans. They have put their lives on the line to defend the freedoms we hold so dear and we are forever indebted to them. A recent piece of legislation that I was proud to cosponsor was just passed with full bipartisan support. H.R. 4300, the Veterans In Parks (VIP) Act, that was introduced by Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), would ensure that veterans and Gold Star families would receive free passes to the over 2,000 national parks, national forests, and wildlife refuges without the need to reapply every year. I’m proud to have joined over 150 of my colleagues in the House in co-sponsoring this legislation as we pay tribute to the men, women, and families who have sacrificed so much in the name of freedom.
To learn more about the VIP Act, click here.
Quote of The Week
“You will never understand bureaucracies until you understand that for bureaucrats, procedure is everything and outcomes are nothing.”
-Thomas Sowell
Have a blessed weekend.
Sincerely,
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