Dear Friends,
For months, Democrats have been running around trying to convince one another to pass a massive spending bill that would fundamentally alter America — and not for the better. Their behemoth proposal, filled with socialist priorities, will institute the largest tax increases in U.S. history to fund the spending appetites of the far Left. And even as they continue negotiating with each other, the bill is still stuffed with the same radical proposals it has been from the start — things like mass amnesty for illegal immigrants, IRS surveillance of Americans’ bank accounts, Green New Deal initiatives, policies that perpetuate labor shortages and those which will make heating your home more expensive.
It’s telling the package isn’t being negotiated through a normal or transparent process. Even more telling is the fact that Democrats can’t even put forward a unified front — and continue to fail to address the actual emergencies facing our nation. Simply put, they are wasting time on awful, outrageous, and wildly expensive policies. Imagine if that time was spent dealing with the border crisis, stopping crime, addressing rising inflation, helping small businesses get their workers back, ensuring American citizens abandoned in Afghanistan are brought home safe, passing full-year appropriations, or safeguarding our supply chain?
Instead, the Democrat Caucus is continuing to fight each other rather than fighting for the American people. Here’s a quick breakdown of President Biden’s so-called "Build Back Better" framework.
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| Honoring 13 American Heroes |
Last week, I’m proud the House passed a bill I cosponsored that will posthumously award the Congressional Gold Medal to the 13 U.S. military servicemembers who were killed in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021. These men and women made the ultimate sacrifice in protecting our country, and we must never forget their sacrifice.
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| The Most Expensive Thanksgiving Ever |
Thanksgiving this year is shaping up to be the most expensive meal in the history of the holiday. From gas to eggs, Americans will be paying more for just about everything they need. So why are President Biden and House Democrats pushing for a multi-trillion-dollar tax-and-spend bill that would make things even more costly for American families?
Inflation is at a 13-year high, and with prices rising faster than paychecks, Joe Biden’s inflation crisis is impacting folks across the board. Instead of addressing the root cause of inflation, President Biden and House Democrats have unveiled their big government, socialist tax-and-spend framework, which will only crush Americans’ wallets now and down the line. The Biden Administration must act now to address this economic crisis hurting Americans.
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| Joe Biden's Plan to Pay Illegal Immigrants |
The number of illegal immigrants entering the United States at the southern border is at a record 30-year high. This should come as no surprise since the Biden administration has turned its back to this growing problem at every turn.
When you add the number of illegal border crossings under Joe Biden together, the total number of apprehended illegal immigrants surpasses the population of the ninth-largest city in America. That’s a staggering number and should not be taken lightly. The world knows that the United States’ border is weak, and that amounts to an open invitation to let anyone – including terrorists and criminals – enter our country unchecked.
The insanity doesn’t end there. The Biden Administration is reportedly considering paying $450,000 to illegal immigrants who knowingly broke the law. Rewarding illegal immigrants with hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars is the ultimate insult to law-abiding citizens. President Biden wants to send the IRS to surveil your bank account, is turning a blind eye as American families struggle to pay for groceries and gas, and wants to raise your taxes, all while planning to cut checks — with your money — to people who've broken our laws.
To put that number into context, these illegal immigrant families would be paid more than an American family who lost a loved one fighting for our country and freedom. This is appalling and unacceptable.
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| Leadership Roundtable |
As you know, President Biden and Congressional Democrats want to double the size of the IRS and give them the power to monitor Americans who make or spend as little as $28 a day. It’s an intrusive, abusive, and indefensible policy designed to track everything Americans do and place them under constant audit. Last week, I joined Republican Leader McCarthy and U.S. Representatives Andrew Clyde (GA-09), Tom Emmer (MN-06), Ashley Hinson (IA-01), and Mike Kelly (PA-16) to discuss how we’re pushing back on this dangerous proposal.
At the end of the day, this is about Democrats wanting to control every aspect of Americans’ lives. It’s about them looking into your bank accounts, looking at what you are doing, and how you are spending your money. This kind of surveillance is downright wrong. Click here to watch the discussion.
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| The Week Ahead |
Last call for applications! The deadline to enter the 2021 Congressional App Challenge is today. I can’t wait to see our best and brightest minds get creative and leverage their STEM skills again this year. I encourage all local middle and high school students to participate! Click here to learn more about the competition and how to sign up.
The House of Representatives will consider the following pieces of legislation this week:
H.R. 1619 - Catawba Indian Nation Lands Act
H.R. 2758 - Lumbee Recognition Act
H.R. 1975 - Pala Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Act of 2021
H.R. 5221 - Urban Indian Health Confer Act
H.R. 3616 - Bear River National Heritage Area Study Act
S. 108 - A bill to authorize the Seminole Tribe of Florida to lease or transfer certain land, and for other purposes
H.R. 4881 - Old Pascua Community Land Acquisition Act
H.R. 2088 - Eastern Band of Cherokee Historic Lands Reacquisition Act, as amended
H.R. 3469 - Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Act of 2021, as amended
H.R. 4256 - Investing in Main Street Act of 2021
H.R. 3462 - SBA Cyber Awareness Act
H.R. 4481 - Small Business 7(a) Loan Agent Transparency Act
H.R. 4531 - 7(a) Loan Agent Oversight Act
H.R. 4513 - Small Business Advanced Cybersecurity Enhancements Act of 2021
H.R. 4515 - Small Business Development Center Cyber Training Act of 2021
H.Con.Res. 44 - Fiscal State of the Nation Resolution, as amended
H.R. 1917 - Hazard Eligibility and Local Projects Act
H.R. 1339 - Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act, as amended
H.R. 3193 - E-Bridge Act, as amended
H.R. 3709 - Preliminary Damage Assessment Improvement Act of 2021
H.R. 2220 - To amend title 40, United States Code, to modify the treatment of certain bargain-price options to purchase at less than fair market value, and for other purposes
H.R. 390 - To redesignate the Federal Building located at 167 North Main Street in Memphis, Tennessee as the "Odell Horton Federal Building"
H.R. 4679 - To designate the Federal building located at 1200 New Jersey Ave Southeast in Washington, DC, as the “Norman Yoshio Mineta Federal Building”
H.R. 4660 - To designate the Federal building and United States Courthouse located at 1125 Chapline Street in Wheeling, WV, as the “Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. Federal Building and United States Courthouse”
H.R. 3992 - Protect Older Job Applicants Act of 2021 (Structured Rule, One Hour of Debate)
Possible Consideration of the Senate Amendment to H.R. 3684 - Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
Possible Consideration of the Build Back Better Act
Possible Consideration of the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY22
Additional Legislative Items Are Possible
As always, I’m here to serve you. Please contact my office with any questions, comments, or concerns. Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube to keep track of upcoming legislation and events!
Sincerely,
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| FOLLOW US |
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| In This Edition |
- Breaking Down Washington Democrats’ Tax-and-Spend Policies
- Honoring 13 American Heroes
- The Most Expansive Thanksgiving Ever
- Joe Biden's Plan to Pay Illegals
- Leadership Roundtable
- The Week Ahead |
| Top News |
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Fox Business
Drug shortages due to supply chain crisis, pushing back on vaccine mandates
Ohio’s GOP Congressional Delegation Support HR 5586 to Limit IRS Access to Banking Transactions
Tennessee Star
The wall of support for House Resolution 5586, filed October 15 by U.S. Representative Drew FERGUSON IV (R-GA-03) comes even as the Biden administration modified an earlier policy proposal that critics have said would have covered nearly anyone with a financial account as it seeks to catch taxpayers underreporting income.
GOP Leaders: Americans Are Fed Up With Biden
OAN (One America News Network)
In a press conference from Washington on Tuesday, GOP leaders said that average Americans are feeling the affects of inflation, energy and supply chain crises, while Democrats continue to peddle a tax and spend agenda with far-left socialist policies. Rep. FERGUSON said he believes the most egregious part of the spending bill is a provision that would allow the IRS to spy on American’s bank accounts.
Senate bill would bar IRS reporting proposal
ICBA
Legislation: Introduced by Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), the legislation would bar the Treasury Department from requiring financial institutions to report the inflows and outflows of account funds. Rep. Drew FERGUSON (R-Ga.) introduced the House version last week.
SCALISE: BIDEN DOESN’T HAVE A PLAN TO SOLVE HIS SELF-MADE CRISES. REPUBLICANS DO.
Office of Republican Whip Steve Scalise
“And just look at infrastructure. While they’re holding infrastructure hostage to this multi-trillion-dollar bill that as [Chief Deputy Whip] FERGUSON said, among other things, creates an army of new IRS agents. We’re not saying they’re going to have over 80,000 IRS agents. In their bill, they’re adding over 80,000 more IRS agents to, among other things, try to snoop on people’s spending. If you make over $10,000 a year, a senior on a fixed income would fall into that new trap. That is not what Washington should be doing.”
Biden is coming to the Hill. Now what?
Politico
McCarthy, Reps. Drew FERGUSON (R-Ga.), Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) and others host a roundtable discussion with members and guests on the Democrats' Build Back Better Plan.
Ferguson: "Americans are fed up with inflation"
Peach Tree Times
U.S. Rep. Drew FERGUSON (R-GA) says he believes that rising inflation must be handled immediately so the recovery of the economy is not short-circuited.
Lucas Bill Prohibits Invasive IRS Bank Surveillance Plan
The Geary Star
Last week, Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03) cosponsored the Prohibiting IRS Financial Surveillance Act, a bill that would ban the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from implementing any new reporting requirements for banks or other financial institutions. The legislation is sponsored by Congressman Drew FERGUSON (R-GA) as well as House Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Kevin.
Lucas Bill Prohibits Invasive IRS Bank Surveillance Plan
Watonga Republican
Last week, Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03) cosponsored the Prohibiting IRS Financial Surveillance Act, a bill that would ban the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from implementing any new reporting requirements for banks or other financial institutions. The legislation is sponsored by Congressman Drew FERGUSON (R-GA) as well as House Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Kevin.
Rep. Kelly Armstrong critical of Biden's energy initiatives, calls policies 'bad for consumers'
The Dickinson Press
Reps. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y.; Drew FERGUSON, R-Ga., and Steve Scalise, R-La., spoke of concerns they have with a host of Biden-backed initiatives and issues they believe Biden’s agenda has created. But Armstrong, whose home state is what he calls an “energy powerhouse,” specifically targeted energy issues.
Exclusive — Rep. Drew Ferguson: Democrat Plan for IRS Surveillance ‘Feels and Sounds a Lot like the Chinese Social Score’
Breitbart
Democrat plans to surveil Americans’ bank accounts using the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are part of a broader framework to install government controls resembling China’s “social credit score” system, Rep. Drew FERGUSON (R-GA) observed on Thursday’s edition of SiriusXM’s Breitbart News Daily with special guest host Jerome Hudson.
Republican Leaders: Biden Wants to ‘Weaponize’ IRS Against Americans
Breitbart
FERGUSON, the chief House GOP deputy chip, said that Democrats want to “search” Americans’ houses, looking through every “sofa cushion” to offset the cost of the “big government spending.”
CUs detail concerns with increased IRS reporting at roundtable
Credit Union National Association
Also at the roundtable were Reps. Drew FERGUSON (R-Ga.), Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.), and Mike Kelly (R-Pa.). Ferguson and Hinson have introduced legislation to prohibit implementation of the increased reporting requirements.
How Citi and Congress have turned the past week into 'Round 2'
Banking Dive
Still other Republicans made clear that no threshold was enough to get their support. “It does not matter if the amount is $1, $600 or $10,000. Americans don’t want the IRS snooping into their bank accounts,” Rep. Drew FERGUSON, R-GA, told Fox News last week.
House GOP Wants Action to Protect Americans from IRS Intrusion
Townhall
Rep. Drew FERGUSON (R-GA) shared the sentiment that the Democrats' plan was "about control" over the American people with what Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) called "unprecedented power" and tactics Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) said are "so dirty."
Roundtable Recap: IRS Surveillance
Office of Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy
Joining Leader McCarthy were Representatives Drew FERGUSON (GA-03), Andrew Clyde (GA-09) Tom Emmer (MN-06), Ashley Hinson (IA-01), and Mike Kelly (PA-16). They were joined by Eric Bruen, the President and CEO of Desert Valleys Federal Credit Union and Warren Hudak, the President of Hudak and Company.
Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-GA)
Soundcloud
Breitbart interview on Prohibiting IRS Surveillance Act
'Modern Day Grinch': GOP Rep Says Biden Is Trying To 'Cancel Christmas'
Youtube
Rep. Drew FERGUSON (R-GA) speaks at Republican press conference on Tuesday.
Exclusive — Rep. Drew Ferguson: Democrat Plan for IRS Surveillance 'Feels and Sounds a Lot like the Chinese Social Score'
Reddit
House Build Back Better Bill Includes $600 IRS Reporting Provision
Breitbart
The amount of money is not an issue for some lawmakers. Rather, they view it as a privacy concern. House Ways and Means Committee minority member Rep. Drew FERGUSON (R-GA) told Fox News last week, “It does not matter if the amount is $1, $600 or $10,000, Americans don’t want the IRS snooping into their bank accounts.”
Ballad CEO Testifies Before Congressional Subcommittee
The Greenville Sun
For the 117th Congress, the Save Rural Hospitals Act of 2021 is H.R. 4066. It is a bipartisan bill sponsored by Rep. Terri Sewell of Alabama and Rep. Drew FERGUSON of Georgia. The bill would establish an area wage adjustment floor for Medicare hospital payments and excludes such adjustments from certain budget neutrality rules.
Biden Looks To Beef Up America’s Most Detested Federal Agency To Underwrite Infrastructure Bill
The Washington Free Beacon
"This is an exercise on paper [by Democrats] to say they're going to close the tax gap," Rep. Drew FERGUSON (R., Ga.) told the Free Beacon. "We don't know how they arrived at those numbers. They won't tell us how they arrived at those numbers. And we don't think that really adds up; as a matter of fact, we know they don't add up."
Roundtable Recap: IRS Surveillance
Mojave Desert News
Joining Leader McCarthy were Representatives Drew FERGUSON (GA-03), Andrew Clyde (GA-09) Tom Emmer (MN-06), Ashley Hinson (IA-01), and Mike Kelly (PA-16). They were joined by Eric Bruen, the President and CEO of Desert Valleys Federal Credit Union and Warren Hudak, the President of Hudak and Company.
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