url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/following-ciscomanis-urging-va-adds-outstation-sierra-vista,"Following Ciscomani’s Urging, VA Adds Outstation in Sierra Vista",2023-12-22,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Following pressure from U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is opening of a Vet Center Outstation in Sierra Vista, Arizona.

The announcement of the new location comes after the Vet Center Community Access Point in Cochise County closed in May. In July, Congressman Ciscomani wrote a letter to the VA demanding answers on the closure and pressing the agency for a timeline for the opening of a new location. The shuttering of the access point left the nearest Vet Center more than 75 miles away, creating an immense burden for the 18,000 veterans that call Cochise County home.

“I am pleased to see the VA take concrete steps to open a new location in Cochise County,” said Congressman Ciscomani, a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “Our veterans already face onerous red tape when receiving the benefits they deserve, and we must do all we can to eliminate those burdens. Whether it’s reducing wait times, finding more convenient locations, or expanding access to care, I will always strive to find ways to better serve our veterans.”

“The closure of the Vet Center in May left veterans in Cochise County without convenient, accessible care,” said Army veteran Jane Strain. “Thanks to the advocacy of Congressman Ciscomani, the VA recognized the need for a location in Sierra Vista. As a result, our veteran community will once again be able to receive the care they need in an expedient and localized manner.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://crane.house.gov/2023/12/22/media-press-releases-crane-announces-winner-2023-congressional-app-challenge/,Crane Announces Winner of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge,2023-12-22,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,AZ,Elijah Crane,C001132,crane.house.gov,crane,https://crane.house.gov/media/,scraper,"Washington, DC – Today, Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ) announced Skanda “Jai” McCabe as the winner of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge for Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District. Jai is currently a 9th Grader at Coconino High School in Flagstaff, AZ. He built his first gaming computer when he was 11 and is very passionate about coding, programing, and hardware development. He plans on using utilizing his gifts to become a computer engineer.

“It is inspiring to know young individuals like Jai have a passion for coding, programing, and hardware development,” said Rep. Crane. “His skills and talent will surely help our nation in the future, as we endeavor to preserve America’s security and prosperity by advancing transformative science and technology.”

Jai’s app, Notes2, is an innovative and efficient text editing platform that offers users visually dynamic interfaces.

The Congressional App Challenge is a prestigious prize in student computer science. Participation in the challenge has grown exponentially since the program’s inception.

Most students who win this challenge are just learning how to code a fully functioning app from start to finish.

As the winner of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge, Jai will receive the following:

Recognition: Rep. Eli Crane and the Congressional App Challenge community will officially recognize the achievement. The winning app will be:

Displayed in the US Capitol Building for one year

Featured on House.gov for one year

Featured on CongressionalAppChallenge.us

Certificate of Achievement: A formal certificate acknowledging the victory in the 2023 Congressional App Challenge will be presented by the office of Rep. Eli Crane.

#HouseofCode: The winner will be invited to attend #HouseofCode, located at the US Capitol Building, and will take place in April 2024.

ARTS Act Copyright Waiver: The winner of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge is entitled to have their registration fees waived if they elect to copyright their creation.

To learn more about the Congressional App Challenge, click here.

Be on the lookout for information regarding next year’s competition.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomanis-support-congress-passes-annual-defense-package,"With Ciscomani’s Support, Congress Passes Annual Defense Package",2023-12-14,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) today voted to pass the FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Congress’ annual defense package. Ciscomani represents two military installations, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (DMAFB) in Tucson and Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista, as well as over 70,000 veterans across the district.

“With emboldened adversaries in China, Russia, and Iran, now more than ever we must ensure our country has the most lethal fighting force on the planet,” said Ciscomani. “This year’s NDAA represents a bipartisan, bicameral agreement to invest in our military and ensure they have everything they need to quickly and decisively counter current and future threats. As the representative for Fort Huachuca and DMAFB, I have a deep understanding on just how crucial the annual NDAA is to not only national defense strategy as a whole but also to our men and women in uniform, and their families. From historic pay raises for our troops to provisions that safeguard our military against partisan ideology, the bill’s passage puts our nation on the strongest path to defend our shores and protect democracy across the world.”

The FY2024 NDAA includes a number of critical provisions to our service members and their families:",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7139,Gosar Statement in Response to Hunter Biden Skipping Congressional Deposition,2023-12-13,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,AZ,Paul A. Gosar,G000565,gosar.house.gov,gosar,https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Washington, DC -- Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), issued the following statement in response to Hunter Biden refusing to appear before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee:

“Hunter Biden willfully ignoring a legally issued subpoena related to his role in the Biden Crime Syndicate’s corruption and abuse of power is nothing short of obstruction of justice and he should be immediately held in contempt of Congress. Today, I spoke with Speaker Johnson about proceeding with a contempt resolution.

The rule of law applies to everyone. No one is above the law, including the president or the president’s son. Failing to appear in response to a lawfully issued subpoena is not an option, rather it is contempt of Congress and a crime. Americans deserve to hear the facts. Hunter Biden must appear before Congress to answer questions about the overwhelming evidence of corruption.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7140,Gosar Votes to Begin Formal Impeachment Investigation Against Joe Biden,2023-12-13,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,AZ,Paul A. Gosar,G000565,gosar.house.gov,gosar,https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Washington, DC -- Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), issued the following statement after voting in support of H. Res 918, legislation formally directing certain committees to continue their ongoing investigations as part of the existing House of Representatives inquiry into whether sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to exercise its Constitutional power to impeach Joe Biden:

“For nearly a year, the House Oversight and Accountability Committee on which I serve, has vigorously pursued all the facts related to Joe Biden’s involvement in the Biden Crime Syndicate’s public corruption schemes, including the tens of millions of dollars funneled to the Biden family by corrupt regimes overseas. The evidence of exploitation and bribery is overwhelming.

The contrast between the care being taken in this investigation to afford due process, and to be fact-based, when compared to what the democrats did on the Russian collusion hoax, an impeachment based on lies, and President Trump’s phone call to Ukraine is quite stark. Obviously, any president is free to make phone calls on any topic. To impeach President Trump because he made a phone call made a mockery of Congress. By contrast, the Republican’s impeachment inquiry is fact-based, grounded in reality, and rooted in the desire to stamp out public corruption at the highest levels.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/12/13/schweikert-federal-borrowing-costs-eclipse-80000-every-second/,"Schweikert: Federal Borrowing Costs Eclipse $80,000 Every Second",2023-12-13,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,AZ,David Schweikert,S001183,schweikert.house.gov,schweikert,https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative David Schweikert (AZ-01) delivered a speech on the House Floor last night to note that the United States federal government continues to borrow money at an extraordinary pace — eclipsing $80,000 every second for the first time other than during the pandemic. Rep. Schweikert also discussed the optimism surrounding various technologies to promote carbon capture, fentanyl vaccine development, and FDA approval of CRISPR treatment for sickle cell disease.

Excerpts from Rep. Schweikert’s floor speech can be found below:

Click here or on the image above to view Rep. Schweikert’s remarks.

On borrowing costs soaring past $80,000 per second over the last year:

[Beginning at 0:59 mark]

“We did something today that we’ve never done before — other than in the middle of COVID. But we did something very special today. Over the last 365 days, our borrowing has increased so much the last two months, we’re [borrowing] $80,600 a second. […] I knew we could actually spend ourselves into oblivion. We did it. We’re at $80,000 a second, and we’re only a few ticks away from getting to $7 billion a day. So you think about the fussing that goes on here on the floor where where we’re knifing each other for this or that. Unless it’s covering almost $7 billion in savings, that day, we actually went negative.”

On the Left’s resistance to carbon capture technology:

[Beginning at 7:14 mark]

“There’s this thing called carbon capture. Also, the Left despises it because it would allow you to continue to use, in particular, natural gas. And yet there’s breakthroughs in the technology right now to capture the carbon, sequester it, or convert it into other products. And I actually have a whole library of MIT and others who have had breakthroughs on how to do it. […] There’s even crazy experiments going on around the country and in the world on what they call ambient carbon capture, where the concept of what happens when you can actually start to capture the carbon right at the point source, turn it into another fuel, sequester it in the ground, use it for extraction of other hydrocarbons. But there is a solution here. The problem is it doesn’t fit the narrative of my brothers and sisters on the Left, but if you actually look at the math, particularly with 45Q which is an incentive to capture this carbon. One of the biggest emitters you have in the country is making concrete. What if you’d grabbed that carbon and put it in the concrete? […] The ability to think that there’s positive economic growth solutions, and for our brothers and sisters on the Left that have climate change concerns. But yet we talk past each other. But I have article after article I have saved on new technology that could capture carbon and water out of thin air. This is the ambient carbon capture. It’s out there. It exists. How do you get this body to start reaching this century of technology? Instead, we often sound like it’s still the 1990s. It’s here. I bring this up because this is a particular subject area where the Left wants one thing, we want one thing, and I argue there is a technology that actually solves both of our problems.”

On the development of a fentanyl vaccine:

[Beginning at 11:31 mark]

“Last year, somewhere close to 100,000 of our brothers and sisters in America died [due to drug overdose]. The number one overdose was fentanyl. Come to Phoenix, Arizona. In Maricopa County, Arizona, we have three people lose their life every single day to fentanyl. What if I said, ‘Hey, there’s a health care solution.’ It turns out we’re on the cusp of having a vaccine. Now, I’m not an expert on this, but I have read the articles. Apparently fentanyl, because it’s a synthetic, is remarkable at capturing the receptors in your brain and just magically changing your brain chemistry and the concept of filling those receptors. Well, it turns out there are scientists all over the world working on this concept. If anyone’s industrious enough, google right now or use your search engine [to search] vaccine for cocaine. […] What what would happen if you could start to remove the high from some of these incredibly addictive synthetic drugs? Remember, these things are chemicals. They’re not plant-based. This world is so much more dystopian. What change would happen to the homelessness in our urban areas if this was available? How many people out there could you help back into society? It is a tough conversation. […] This is on the cusp. This is projected to be here potentially next year. Are we intellectually, ethically, financially ready to deal with the opportunity of a disruption of something that’s tearing many of our cities and our communities apart? This is optimistic. This is loving people. This is also trying to figure out a way to take on human misery. How many times have you had an idiot like me come to the floor of the House and say, maybe we should start to think about policy if there’s now going to be vaccines coming that actually block the receptors for these types of drugs? And would that be good for society, and if it would be good for society, how do we carry it out? I think this is just moral.”

On the FDA approving the world’s first CRISPR-based drug to treat sickle cell disease:

[Beginning at 18:12 mark]

“The first CRISPR drug made it through the final bit of its process and apparently is heading toward the streets now. The FDA has approved it for sickle cell anemia. Incredibly painful. This drug will be outrageously expensive, and we need to find for just basic morality’s sake, how do we make it available? But the point here is it works. Finally, we’ve talked about CRISPR and the ability to alter a genome and add some gene sequencing. It is here. It has been done. It is approved. It is available. One of the miseries in our society actually now has a cure. So, we have actually proposed ideas of a health care bond, the ability to be able to buy the units, cure our brothers and sisters, and then use the future health care savings because they’ll no longer have that affliction in the future to pay it back. If someone else has a better financing mechanism other than just borrowing money, let me know. But get ready. There’s dozens of these types of pharmaceuticals, genetic, bio, other things that that are in the pipeline that we have almost a moral obligation. It ends misery, and also allows our brothers and sisters to once again fully participate in the society, in the economy. We have to deal with these. But this is optimistic because we actually have been working, trying to find a cute way to say it is — cures are the solution. And this is where I often get in a fuss. I’m going to spend a bunch of time at the end here on diabetes. A fuss I have with a number of our Democrat members who we go at each other pretty hard here because their version of morality is, ‘Let’s put up more clinics to help you manage your misery.’ And I kept looking at them and saying, ‘Will someone read the scientific literature? We’re on the cusp of cures.’ What’s more moral — spend money, build more clinics, or spend some money, get more economic growth because you’ve cured, you’ve ended the misery? How do I get this body to see that vision, that it’s great economics, great growth, and it’s also moral?”

Back to News",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/12/12/schweikert-mccarthy-and-bipartisan-bicameral-leaders-reintroduce-forward-act-to-fight-valley-fever/,"Schweikert, McCarthy, and Bipartisan, Bicameral Leaders Reintroduce FORWARD Act to Fight Valley Fever",2023-12-12,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,AZ,David Schweikert,S001183,schweikert.house.gov,schweikert,https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative David Schweikert (AZ-01) and former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (CA-20), co-chairmen of the Congressional Valley Fever Task Force, and Representatives David Valadao (CA-22), Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), and Greg Stanton (AZ-04) reintroduced the Finding Orphan-disease Remedies with Antifungal Research and Development (FORWARD) Act, bipartisan legislation that supports research initiatives to detect, treat, and combat Valley Fever, a disease caused by a fungus commonly found in desert soils that can infect the lungs of humans and canines.

Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.

“I’m pleased to reintroduce the FORWARD Act this Congress as our Valley Fever Task Force makes significant progress in improving care, treatment, and research into this terrible disease that has devastated so many lives in our communities,” said Rep. Schweikert. “As we’ve seen Valley Fever cases rise across the western United States over the last decade, it’s critical that we continue to prioritize the delivery of medical breakthroughs that will help treat our family members and their beloved pets. This bipartisan legislation helps to combat Valley Fever by providing resources to further close the scientific gap in understanding this disease, support research, and accelerate vaccine development that will hopefully eradicate it once and for all.”

“Arizonans know the dire impacts of Valley fever all too well, and without action, this disease will pose deadly health risks to a growing number of Americans with few tools to treat it,” said Senator Kelly. “We’re working to invest in the treatments and public health strategies needed to protect the health of Arizona families.”

“Funding research and vaccine development to combat Valley fever protects Arizona families and pets in the short-term while strengthening our public health response against future infectious diseases in the long-term,” said Senator Sinema. “I’m proud to be working with researchers, entrepreneurs, and Valley fever experts at the University of Arizona on future health care solutions.”

“Valley Fever has a huge impact on our neighbors and communities in the Central Valley, and we must prioritize the development of new treatments and vaccines to combat the spread of this disease and save lives,” said Rep. Valadao. “The FORWARD Act is an important step towards finding a cure for Valley Fever, and I’m proud to support it. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Valley Fever Taskforce to move this critical legislation forward.”

“Valley Fever has impacted many in California, especially in rural areas,” said Rep. LaMalfa. “I’m pleased to join my colleagues on this effort to advance research to better detect, treat, and ultimately eradicate Valley Fever.”

“No family wants to learn their loved one has been infected with Valley Fever, and that there is no known cure—but it’s a reality that thousands of Arizonans face every single year,” said Rep. Stanton. “Our bipartisan FORWARD Act will make it a federal priority to develop treatments and vaccines for this devastating disease.”

“The FORWARD Act is an important step towards addressing the problems posed by endemic and other fungi, especially, Coccidioides, the cause of Valley fever,” said Dr. John Galgiani, Director of the Valley Fever Center for Excellence at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. “A vaccine discovered at the University of Arizona is now in development by Anivive Lifesciences to prevent Valley fever in dogs, and there is every reason to think it would also protect humans. The FORWARD Act will be critical to developing this vaccine to protect people from Valley fever.”

The FORWARD Act is designed to one day eliminate Valley Fever by:

Authorizing $500,000,000 to support public-private partnerships to prevent and slow the spread of Valley fever infections.

Streamlining the process to approve new vaccines and treatments for Valley fever.

Establishing a working group at the Department of Health and Human Services to advise on strategies that confront gaps in science that can help detect, treat, and eradicate Valley fever.

Background:

Arizona alone accounts for about 65% of all reported Valley Fever cases in the United States. There is currently no cure, and doctors often recommend patients take antifungal medications for life.

Symptoms of Valley Fever can include a cough, fever, muscle and joint pain, and other symptoms that mimic other common respiratory infections and illnesses, which can lead to a misdiagnosis and underreported figures to the CDC. There were just over 20,000 reported cases in 2021 — the most since 2011 — signaling that Valley Fever is on the rise.

While many cases of Valley Fever are mild, if left untreated, some cases can develop into severe fungal infections that spread from the lungs to other parts of the body and can be fatal.

In September, Rep. Schweikert and former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (CA-20) led a roundtable discussion with former NFL superstar Rob Gronkowski and Anivive Lifesciences at the U.S. Capitol to talk about the devastating effects of Valley Fever and receive an update on the status of preventative treatments.

In the 117th Congress, Rep. Schweikert and former Speaker McCarthy introduced the FORWARD Act, bipartisan legislation to support research initiatives to treat Valley Fever.

In 2013, Rep. Schweikert and former Speaker McCarthy co-founded the Valley Fever Task Force, with the goal being to share information with stakeholders in the medical and scientific fields to foster new advancements in prevention and treatment as well as to work with community organizations to help educate individuals on the disease.

The full text of the bill can be found here.

Back to News",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-ciscomani-judiciary-chairman-jordan-urge-biden-administration-suspend-cbp,"Rep. Ciscomani, Judiciary Chairman Jordan Urge Biden Administration to Suspend CBP One App Appointments",2023-12-11,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (OH-04) today released a statement urging the Biden Administration to suspend and cancel appointments made through the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) “CBP One” app.

The request comes as the United States sees a surge of illegal immigrants at the southwest border, with sustained record-breaking CBP encounters, including 12,000 on a single day this week. Instead of enforcing U.S. immigration law to deter illegal immigration, CBP has opted to close or limit access to Ports of Entry in Lukeville, Arizona, San Ysirdo, California, and Eagle Pass, Texas, so that agents and officers can process more illegal immigrants into the United States. The Congressmen are urging CBP to pause and cancel appointments made through the app.

“The Biden Administration once again prioritizes illegal immigration over legitimate trade and travel by deciding to suspend operations at our Ports of Entry while continuing to process illegal immigrants through the CBP One App,” said the Congressmen. “Despite CBP not having the manpower to staff Ports of Entry – which our communities rely on – the Administration is still processing nearly 1500 appointments daily through the app, in addition to taking ‘walk-ins’ as needed.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://crane.house.gov/2023/12/08/media-press-releases-crane-introduces-bill-defund-americas-hate-filled-elite-institutions/,Crane Introduces Bill to Defund America’s Hate-filled “Elite” Institutions,2023-12-08,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,AZ,Elijah Crane,C001132,crane.house.gov,crane,https://crane.house.gov/media/,scraper,"Yesterday, following a shocking hearing of the House Committee on Education where the presidents of Harvard, MIT, and Penn offered despicably inadequate responses to calls for violence against Jewish students on their campuses, Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) introduced the No Taxpayer Funding for Ivy League Schools Act.

The bill would halt federal funding for any university in the country with an endowment greater than $5 billion.

Currently, 21 educational institutions in the United States have endowments that fall into this category, including every Ivy League university. Most of these schools saw alarming increases in antisemitic activity on their campuses following the October 7th Hamas terror attack against Israel, with blatant calls for genocide and Jewish students fearing for their lives.

These institutions did little to protect their students, instead helping to cultivate antisemitic environments sympathetic to genocidal terrorists.

Right now, American taxpayers are on the hook to finance institutions that function as breeding grounds for hateful, anti-American ideology. That’s on top of the hard-earned tax dollars they’re forced to shill out to the students at these institutions thanks to President Biden’s student loan giveaway. Students at these institutions take out loans to pay for their indoctrination. Then, the Biden Administration misuses American tax dollars to pay the schools off, instead of holding the students accountable for their financial decisions.

The bottom line is that the American people are being forced to fund hateful indoctrination from multiple angles and it’s time to pull the plug.

Despite the heads of these “elite” institutions droning on about racial and economic “equity,” they’re more than happy to reap the benefits of absurd amounts of federal funding while critical rural institutions like Navajo Nation’s Diné College – the first tribal college in America – are often ignored.

“Bankrolling institutions that sympathize with terrorists is unthinkable – especially with $33 trillion in national debt. The “elite” institutions of this country are failing the American people & abusing federal funds,” said Rep. Crane. “We have to start reining in our national debt somewhere and what better place to start than eliminating federal subsidies for overvalued institutions that consistently undermine American values?”

Per the legislation, the following universities would be impacted: Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Princeton, MIT, UPenn, Notre Dame, Northwestern, Columbia, Washington University in St. Louis, Duke, UChicago, Vanderbilt, Emory, Cornell, Johns Hopkins, Dartmouth, Rice, University of Southern California, Brown, and NYU.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-servicemembers-shouldnt-be-hook-lost-military-equipment,Congressman Biggs: Servicemembers Shouldn't Be on the Hook for Lost Military Equipment,2023-12-07,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,AZ,Andy Biggs,B001302,biggs.house.gov,biggs,https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in response to social media reports indicating that a separating member of the 82nd Airborne Division was personally charged $3,561 for military equipment he was ordered to leave behind during President Joe Biden’s botched Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021. Congressman Biggs’s letter requests information to determine whether this is a widespread issue for servicemembers who were deployed to Afghanistan during the 2021 withdrawal.

“Our courageous servicemembers ought to be treated with dignity for their service and not slapped with an expensive bill,” said Congressman Biggs.

“We need to get to the bottom of what happened with this servicemember and ensure that he and others are not financially penalized for following orders.

“Secretary Austin must provide us answers and ensure that our servicemembers are treated fairly.”

Cosigners of the letter are: Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN), Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA), Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK), Rep. Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (R-AZ), Rep. Bob Good (R-VA), Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ), Rep. Matthew M. Rosendale Sr. (R-MT), Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA), and Rep. Randy K. Weber (R-TX).

The letter may be read here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-stanton-demand-dhs-provide-timeline-reopening-lukeville-port-entry,"Ciscomani, Stanton Demand DHS Provide Timeline for Reopening of Lukeville Port of Entry",2023-12-07,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON — U.S. Congressmen Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) and Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04) demanded the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provide a timeline for reopening the Lukeville Port of Entry (POE) in a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday. The POE closed indefinitely Monday for all pedestrians and vehicles as DHS redirected U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) staff to assist in processing an unprecedented surge of migrant arrivals.

In their letter, the congressmen called for clarity on what metrics will be evaluated to determine when the POE will reopen, as well as what resources have been redirected to the Tucson sector to ensure a swift return to normal operations.

“Arizonans and Mexicans benefit from efficient cross-border commerce and tourism,” said the Arizona representatives. “We’ve heard from constituents concerned about the impact of the port’s closure on their businesses and personal travel. We’re also deeply concerned the closure may increase wait times and force trade and tourism to reroute to already understaffed ports in the Tucson and Yuma sectors.”

Specifically, Ciscomani and Stanton requested answers to the following questions:

How was the determination made to close the Lukeville POE, and specifically what metrics will be used to determine when to reopen it?

What resources is your department providing to the Tucson sector to ensure a swift return to normal operations?

What resources have been diverted from other POEs?",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/12/07/schweikert-every-dime-that-congress-votes-on-is-borrowed-money/,Schweikert: Every Dime That Congress Votes on Is Borrowed Money,2023-12-07,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,AZ,David Schweikert,S001183,schweikert.house.gov,schweikert,https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative David Schweikert (AZ-01) delivered a speech on the House Floor today to hammer home the fact that gross interest will climb above $1 trillion this fiscal year, making interest the second largest expense in all of government. Rep. Schweikert also explained that the Social Security trust fund runs out of money in nine years, setting in an automatic 25% cut in retirement benefits and risking the doubling of senior poverty if Congress continues down an unsustainable fiscal path.

Excerpts from Rep. Schweikert’s floor speech can be found below:

Click here or on the image above to view Rep. Schweikert’s remarks.

On the Social Security trust fund running out in nine budget years:

[Beginning at 3:52 mark]

“This fiscal year, the number one spend will be Social Security. Now, let’s talk about this for a moment. Social Security is its own trust fund — its own funding mechanism. None of the money is spent in the general fund. It’s loaned to the general fund, and Social Security gets the special Treasury notes, and then they’re paid interest twice a year. If you ever geek out, and you’re someone that watches U.S. debt, and all of a sudden there’s this sudden spike, often that’s actually because we made our twice-a-year interest payments to Social Security — but it’s separate. But you’ve also got to understand the flip side of that. In nine years, when the Social Security trust fund is empty, it doesn’t have a claim on the general fund either. […] CBO says a 25% cut in your check is coming in nine years. The average couple in America on Social Security [will take a] $17,400 cut. We will double poverty of the senior population in America. It’s immoral, and the solution we get is just raise these taxes, do the cap. […] Right now, it looks like raising the cap on Social Security, doing these other mechanisms, still does not close that $616 billion shortfall. That’s the very first year the Social Security trust fund is gone. Why [isn’t this] talked about constantly here? When defense is like $830 billion and just the shortfall in a single year for Social Security is over $600 billion, does anyone see the scale we’re talking about?”

On every dime that Congress votes on is borrowed money:

[Beginning at 9:38 mark]

“The number of folks who have lived in this sort of mathematical fantasy world — you see this red here? This is last year’s spend. 73% of the federal government’s spending was on autopilot. We don’t get to vote on it. You get elected to Congress. You do not vote on 73% of all the spending because it’s [formula-based]. You worked your 40 quarters, you get the Social Security [benefits]. You hit a certain age and participate, you get your Medicare [benefits]. You’re part of a certain tribal group, you get this. These are things that it’s [formula-based]. You fall below a certain income, you get these. Defense was 13% of our spending last year. […] But the fighting that ultimately removed [Speaker McCarthy] is over this little green wedge here. That’s 15%. The punch line you need to just burn into your mind — all this green is borrowed. All this blue is borrowed, and last year, about $400 billion of the red was borrowed. Everything a member of Congress votes on is borrowed money. Sink that in. Everything we vote on is on borrowed money.”

On borrowing costs eclipsing $78,000 per second:

[Beginning at 13:09 mark]

“What would you guess we’re borrowing per second? I think as of yesterday, we were at $78,480 per second. You can sign up on our website and get this wonderful text message sent to you every day with the actual facts. The number of times I hear people speaking behind these microphones, and you’re pulling out your calculator and going, ‘Where’d they come up with that?’ They just make things up because these numbers are so difficult. So far this fiscal year, and it will change as tax collections come in, we’re over $112,000 per second in borrowing. And of that $78,000 we’re borrowing right now per second over the last 364 days, $30,000-$35,000 of that now is interest, and it gets worse because lots of the bonds we sold over the last couple of years — because we’re idiots — we sold short on the curve. So, we had incredibly low interest rates, and now those bonds are going to have to be refinanced at these higher interest rates.

“Three weeks ago, we had a 30-year bond auction where the broker dealers — the market makers — had to take 24% of it. Now, everyone that’s listening, you just went, ‘huh?’ What happens when there are so few buyers, or there’s so much inventory that has to be sold, that the broker dealers don’t have enough credit line to take it all down? Does that become a failed bond auction? Do we start to see stress in the world bond market? Remember, the entire world uses our bonds as the oil, the liquidity that keeps financial markets working here and around the world, our mortgages, everything else. Intellectually, I don’t think we understand the serious nature of what a chart like this tells you. When you start looking at gross interest just marching along, and then this is functionally the last 12 months. So, you had some of the lower interest rates in the beginning of 2023. Remember, interest rates didn’t really start to move until April of last year. This is showing just in the last 12 months, we functionally added $923 billion in financing costs on those interest rates. This year, it’s going to be over $1 trillion. But then you come over here, and you start even looking at things like net interest. Net interest is ultimately going up. The two lines are meeting. Why? Because the trust funds are getting smaller and smaller because they are shrinking. Remember, the Transportation trust fund is gone in a few years. Medicare Part A, the hospital portion, is gone in seven years. Social Security is gone in nine years. You’ve got to understand that also has an effect on our borrowing because we can’t borrow internally.”

Back to News",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-applauds-house-judiciary-committee-advancing-major-0,Congressman Biggs Applauds House Judiciary Committee for Advancing Major Legislation to End Warrantless Surveillance of Americans,2023-12-06,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,AZ,Andy Biggs,B001302,biggs.house.gov,biggs,https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) applauded the House Judiciary Committee for advancing his major legislation to end the warrantless surveillance of Americans. The Committee passed H.R. 6570, the Protect Liberty and End Warrantless Surveillance Act (PLEWSA), in a 35-2 vote.

The PLEWSA overhauls Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and requires a warrant for all U.S. person searches. FISA 702 authorizes the federal government to intercept electric communications of non-U.S. persons who are located outside of the United States. But, the communications of Americans are often swept up when monitoring foreign persons, are kept by the intelligence agencies, and can be later accessed without a warrant. This type of backdoor surveillance has been going on for decades and allows for rampant abuse of the FISA authorities. The legislation additionally reforms the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and closes loopholes that allow the federal government to purchase Americans’ data from Big Tech companies without a warrant.

“I am grateful to my colleagues for advancing one of the most consequential pieces of legislation ever related to ending government surveillance abuse,” said Congressman Biggs.

“The overwhelming, bipartisan vote in favor of this legislation confirms a mutual interest in protecting our Fourth Amendment privacy rights from rogue intelligence actors. Our FISA 702 spying authorities must be used for national security purposes—not nefarious ones.

“I urge Speaker Johnson to immediately bring this legislation to the House Floor for a vote and call on my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this package. Any effort to stall consideration or pass a clean extension of the current FISA authorities is a punishment of the American people.”

The legislation may be read here.

Current cosponsors of the legislation are: Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC), Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA), Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ), and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7131,Gosar to CBP: Why Close the Lukeville Port of Entry?,2023-12-06,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,AZ,Paul A. Gosar,G000565,gosar.house.gov,gosar,https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Washington, DC -- Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), issued the following statement after demanding answers to why the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) unnecessarily closed the Lukeville Port of Entry (POE) in Arizona:

“Lukeville is the fourth highest POE in Arizona for border crossings. Each day, thousands of people rely on moving through the Lukeville POE to work, vacation, study, visit family and receive medical care. Now Arizonans must go out their way and drive over 200 miles from Lukeville on routes deemed unsafe by the American Embassy in Mexico. Meanwhile, hundreds of illegal aliens continue to walk across the southern border near the Lukeville POE every single day.

While Biden coddles and welcomes hordes of illegal aliens, the administration is making it clear it prioritizes illegal aliens over American citizens by closing the Lukeville Port of Entry.

I would like answers from the CBP on the reasoning behind the decision of the closing including who made the disastrous decision and why was Lukeville closed instead of a less active port of entry? What is the plan to reopen the Lukeville POE? Why wasn’t more time given to warn citizens about the POE closure?

I respect the effort of the many fine border patrol agents who are attempting to do their jobs. However, more than 10 million lawbreakers have entered our country since Joe Biden took office. I expect a timely and reasonable response from CBP explaining their decision to continue rewarding lawbreakers while turning their back on American citizens,” concluded Congressman Gosar.

Background:",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-introduces-major-legislation-end-warrantless-surveillance,Congressman Biggs Introduces Major Legislation to End Warrantless Surveillance of Americans,2023-12-04,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,AZ,Andy Biggs,B001302,biggs.house.gov,biggs,https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) introduced the Protect Liberty and End Warrantless Surveillance Act (PLEWSA)—legislation that ends the warrantless surveillance of Americans and combats the weaponization of the federal government.

The PLEWSA overhauls Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and requires a warrant for all U.S. person searches. FISA 702 authorizes the federal government to intercept electronic communications of non-U.S. persons who are located outside of the United States. But, the communications of Americans are often swept up when monitoring foreign persons, are kept by the intelligence agencies, and can be later accessed without a warrant. This type of backdoor surveillance has been going on for decades and allows for rampant abuse of the FISA authorities.

The legislation additionally reforms the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and closes loopholes that allow the federal government to purchase Americans’ data from Big Tech companies without a warrant.

Cosponsors of the legislation are: Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC), Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA), and Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ).

""America’s intelligence community continues to conduct a warrantless, mass surveillance campaign on innocent citizens. In 2021 alone, the FBI misused FISA 278,000 times to spy on American citizens – including a U.S. congressman and political donors. Our civil liberties are at stake. Without serious reforms to FISA 702, our Fourth Amendment rights will be all but gone. My legislation addresses numerous loopholes in federal law to end this unconstitutional practice and to ensure rogue agents are held accountable. I am grateful for the bipartisan, bicameral effort to overhaul the FISA 702 spying authority. I call on my colleagues to pass this legislation into law,"" said Congressman Biggs.

""Substantial reforms to FISA are long overdue, and we commend Chairman Biggs for his steadfast commitment to reining in unchecked surveillance of Americans. The House has never been in a better position to pass sweeping and much-needed reforms, and we look forward to the Protect Liberty and End Warrantless Surveillance Act’s consideration in the Judiciary Committee,"" said Congressman Jim Jordan (R-OH), House Judiciary Committee Chairman.

""No government agency or surveillance program is free to evade the requirements of the Fourth Amendment, and Section 702 as it currently exists does just that. This sweeping, bipartisan package of reforms aims to bring these programs back in line with our values and also keep Americans safe from those who seek to do us harm,"" said Congressman Jerry Nadler (D-NY), House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member.

""The Fourth Amendment is clear and non-negotiable -- government surveillance of Americans requires a warrant, a mandate that remains as relevant online as it does offline. I'm grateful to Congressman Biggs and Chairman Jordan for their steadfast commitment to ensuring that the House Judiciary bill includes a warrant requirement consistent with the Fourth Amendment, increases penalties for illegal searches of Americans' communications, and enacts substantive reforms to the FISA Court,"" said Senator Mike Lee (R-UT).

""There is broad bipartisan support for Ben Franklin's notion that you can protect Americans' security and liberty at the same time. This legislation includes important commonsense protections that are in the legislation Senator Lee and I authored, with Reps. Davidson and Lofgren, while also reauthorizing an important government surveillance authority. I applaud Rep. Biggs and Rep. Nadler for their work,"" said Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR).

""The Protect Liberty and End Warrantless Surveillance Act is a significant step forward to restoring the right to privacy. This legislation prohibits the government from purchasing Americans' data from big tech companies without a search warrant and adds needed warrant requirements to Section 702 of FISA. Our constitution is not for sale and the right to privacy must be protected,"" said Congressman Warren Davidson (R-OH).

The Protect Liberty and End Warrantless Surveillance Act is a significant step forward to restoring the right to privacy. This legislation prohibits the government from purchasing Americans’ data from big tech companies without a search warrant and adds needed warrant requirements to Section 702 of FISA. Our constitution is not for sale and the right to privacy must be protected,"" said Congressman Warren Davidson (R-OH).

""It’s impossible to know the full scale of our own government’s surveillance on Americans’ personal communications from phone calls and website searches to emails and location data – but we do know it’s been happening unchecked for decades. That’s why I’m so proud to join this strong bipartisan effort to bring much-needed reform and oversight to our country’s surveillance programs. Our legislation will give intelligence agencies the necessary tools to keep our country safe while protecting Americans’ constitutional right to privacy,"" said Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-CA).

""The Fourth Amendment is not a suggestion — it's a requirement. Thank you, Congressman Biggs, for introducing the Protect Liberty and End Warrantless Surveillance Act to protect Americans' constitutional right to privacy. Over a significant period of time, we've seen our federal government abuse its power and infringe on Americans' rights. This legislation is a huge step in the right direction to adhere to the liberties and protections enshrined in the Constitution,"" said Congressman Russell Fry (R-SC).

""As the Intelligence Community continues to conduct backdoor searches and spy on Americans at an alarming scale, we must stand up and defend the privacy of people across the country. This legislation would do just that by overhauling privacy protections for Americans so that their civil rights and civil liberties are fully preserved. It’s time to overhaul FISA to stop warrantless surveillance and protect Americans’ sensitive data,"" said Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA).

""The surveillance state’s shady system, which corruptly allows warrantless searches of Americans by unelected bureaucrats, is a brazen violation of our Fourth Amendment rights. This legislation is a much-needed check on an abusive system and I’m proud to sign on as a cosponsor,"" said Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ).

""Warrantless surveillance of U.S. citizens is unconstitutional. FISA reform is long overdue. We must eliminate opportunities for the government to collect information on U.S. citizens without proper authorization or oversight. The government is not entitled to conduct mass surveillance or collect electronic communications of citizens without a warrant. It is great to have so many allies in this cause across the political spectrum who recognize the constitutional right to privacy. We are committed to protecting civil liberties without sacrificing national security,"" said Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA).

""The House Judiciary Committee has unveiled the most important government surveillance reform measure since the creation of FISA in 1979. This bill addresses a growing crisis. Our government, with the FBI in the lead, has come to treat Section 702 – enacted by Congress for the surveillance of foreigners on foreign soil – as a domestic surveillance program of Americans. “The government used this authority to conduct over 200,000 ‘backdoor searches’ of Americans in 2022. Section 702 has been used to search the communications of sitting House and Senate Members, protesters across the ideological spectrum, 19,000 donors to a congressional campaign, journalists, and a state court judge. The American people can see that Section 702 has morphed into something that Congress never intended. The House Judiciary Committee – with the leadership of Chairman Jim Jordan, Ranking Member Jerry Nadler, and Rep. Andy Biggs – has now crafted a bill that restores the rule of law. This bill allows Section 702 to continue to protect Americans by conducting surveillance of foreign spies and terrorists. But it does so in a way that respects the Fourth Amendment. By achieving this balance, the Judiciary Committee’s bill promises to rebuild the trust of the American people in the law, strengthening both our society and our national security,"" said Bob Goodlatte, former House Judiciary Committee Chairman and the Project for Privacy and Surveillance Accountability Senior Policy Advisor.

""Millions of Americans are demanding serious reforms of the government’s warrantless surveillance powers and real accountability for agencies’ widespread violations of our privacy. This fight is crucial given the upcoming expiration of Section 702. The Protect Liberty and End Warrantless Surveillance Act promises to deliver on several key priorities, paving a critical path forward and cementing the Judiciary Committee’s leadership in defending the Fourth Amendment,"" said Adam Brandon, President of FreedomWorks.

""The Protect Liberty and End Warrantless Surveillance Act includes many of the substantial solutions we have advocated for, such as a warrant requirement and closing the data broker loophole. The proposal by Representative's Biggs and Nadler exemplifies a commitment to balancing national security with the protection of individual privacy. We look forward to working with the committee to secure these critical and necessary reforms to prevent future abuses of this powerful spying authority,"" said James Czerniawski, Senior Policy Analyst for Americans for Prosperity.

""The Protect Liberty and End Warrantless Surveillance Act proves that the House Judiciary Committee, unlike the Intelligence Committees, takes seriously the need to enact major protections for Americans' privacy given the government's continuous, severe abuse of warrantless spying powers. We are heartened to see Chairman Jordan and Ranking Member Nadler agree with the urgent concerns of their constituents and colleagues, from Representatives Biggs, Davidson, and Massie on the right to Representatives Chu, Jayapal, and Lofgren on the left. Together, they have created a path forward for ending Section 702's dangerous backdoor search loophole, for closing the Data Broker Loophole that agencies secretly exploit to buy our sensitive information from data brokers, for accountability and oversight, and more. The Judiciary Committee has created a critical opportunity for members of Congress to consider real surveillance reform,"" said Sean Vitka, Policy Director of Demand Progress.

""The Protect Liberty and End Warrantless Surveillance Act (PLEWSA), unlike the proposals from the Senate and House Intelligence Committees, is what responsible, meaningful reform looks like. This bill builds on the bipartisan consensus—among members of Congress and the American public—that significant reform to the government’s warrantless surveillance authorities is the only path to reauthorizing Section 702. This bill encompasses key reforms, including prohibiting warrantless backdoor searches, closing the data broker loophole, and enacting a host of other vital reforms. While there is still work to be done, EPIC applauds the House Judiciary Committee for rising to this moment to address many of the most pressing harms of the government’s warrantless surveillance ecosystem,"" said Jeramie Scott, Senior Counsel and Director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center's (EPIC) Project on Surveillance Oversight.

""The Protect Liberty and End Warrantless Surveillance Act would ensure the protection of Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights and finally address the countless abuses of Section 702 that we have seen from the government. This legislation would ban warrantless backdoor searches of Section 702 databases for Americans’ communications and it would prohibit law enforcement from circumventing core constitutional protections by purchasing Americans’ data that they would otherwise need a warrant to obtain. We urge every member of the House Judiciary Committee to vote in favor of this legislation, and it should be quickly followed by a vote from the full House of Representatives,"" said Kia Hamadanchy, Senior Policy Counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

""Our scandal-ridden intelligence agencies have been caught harassing and stalking the American people one too many times. For years, they have been treating giving money to a cause, protesting, and questioning the government as grounds for reasonable suspicion, instead of as the lawful and appropriate activities of a free people. They've been trawling through millions of Americans' communications without a warrant, and if they can't get a warrant, they've been just buying their way around one by getting our personal information from data brokers. It's time for a restraining order, and this bill, PLEWSA, does the job. This is a strong, responsible bill, that protects U. S. persons' security and privacy. It doesn't bar the intelligence agencies from collecting relevant information; it simply requires them, as the Founders intended, to get a warrant by default for queries involving a U. S. person. Thanks to the dedicated work of experts in the field, the bill offers well-thought-out exceptions for emergencies and for situations where they have explicit consent. Unlike the empty gestures at reform of the Senate Intelligence Committee, this bill would force the agencies to grow up and start respecting the citizens they are sworn to protect, instead of delving into our communications whenever they see fit,""said Alex Marthews, National Chair of Restore The Fourth.

""The Protect Liberty and End Warrantless Surveillance Act is a strong reform bill that would both close the backdoor search loophole and tackle other ways in which the government is gaining warrantless access to Americans’ private information, including purchasing it from data brokers. The bill also includes robust provisions to make the FISA Court more effective in its oversight. We are pleased to see these House Judiciary Committee leaders standing up for Americans’ civil liberties and offering a clear, powerful, and bipartisan alternative to the window dressing favored by the House and Senate intelligence committees,"" said Elizabeth Goitein, Senior Director of the Liberty & National Security Program of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law.

""The Protect Liberty and End Warrantless Surveillance Act is a critical step in defending the civil liberties and civil rights of Asian Americans and all Americans. We appreciate the bipartisan support from members of the House Judiciary Committee in taking seriously the need for substantial protection against the government's abuse of warrantless spying powers. Together, they're addressing the flaws in surveillance, closing Section 702’s backdoor search loophole, and eliminating the Data Broker Loophole that disproportionately threatens communities of color. This legislation also brings much-needed accountability and oversight, standing in stark contrast to the House and Senate Intelligence committees' attempts to not only sidestep real privacy protections, but actually expand warrantless surveillance,"" said Cynthia Choi, Co-Founder of Stop AAPI Hate.

“Advanced electronic surveillance of potential foreign threats is a critical tool necessary for defeating those who want to hurt Americans. Without critical reform by Congress, this vital program remains vulnerable to political opportunists more interested in personal gain. Codifying criminal and civil penalties for those who might abuse these tools, including adding prison time for high-profile political offenses and prompt enforcement and accountability provisions, would go a long way to deter negligent behavior like this from starting in the first place,""said Scott Erickson, Director of the Center for Law and Justice for the America First Policy Institute.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-releases-statement-ahead-lukeville-port-entry-closure,Ciscomani Releases Statement Ahead of Lukeville Port of Entry Closure,2023-12-03,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"TUCSON, AZ – U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) released the following statement as U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is set to suspend operations at the Lukeville Port of Entry starting Monday. CBP is closing the location to reassign agents and officers to help mitigate the surge of migrants across the Tucson Border Sector.

“Every community along our border lives in sync with their counterparts across country lines. Tomorrow’s closure of the Lukeville Port of Entry — a major hub for tourism and everyday travel alike — will hurt every part of life on both sides of the border. From grocery shopping to attending school to visiting a doctor, life as we know it will halt while CBP is forced to pause normal operations and focus entirely on the current migrant surge.

“On Friday, I asked the Biden administration to deploy the Arizona National Guard in order to prevent situations just like this. I am urging the administration to fulfill this request immediately before we see any more unintended consequences cripple our communities.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/tucson-faces-migrant-surge-ciscomani-pushes-national-guard-deployment-arizona,"As Tucson Faces Migrant Surge, Ciscomani Pushes for National Guard Deployment to Arizona",2023-12-01,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) is urging Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to request the deployment of the Arizona National Guard to the state to support U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) efforts at the border. The push comes as the Tucson Border Sector faces the brunt of a surge in migrant traffic at the southern border. Full text of the letter is available here.

“[The] Tucson Sector is leading in encounters and our agents and officers are overrun and undermanned,” wrote Ciscomani in a letter to the agency. “The situation is far past a breaking point and those on the frontlines of this crisis are in need of immediate support.”

On Wednesday, it was reported that encounters at the southern border had reached nearly 10,000 migrants in a 24-hour period. In the Tucson Sector alone, daily numbers reached almost 3,000 encounters. CBP has had to close ports of entry and pause other operations, such as training activities and communication efforts, in order to reassign staff to combat the surge.

Ciscomani, the only naturalized citizen from Mexico in the House Republican Conference, has championed a number of border security efforts during his first year in office, introducing the following provisions:",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/12/01/schweikert-statement-on-the-passing-of-justice-sandra-day-oconnor/,Schweikert Statement on the Passing of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor,2023-12-01,2023,2023-12,Republican,House,AZ,David Schweikert,S001183,schweikert.house.gov,schweikert,https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-01) released the following statement on the passing of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor:

“Sandra Day O’Connor led a remarkable life as our nation’s first female Supreme Court Justice. An iconic daughter of Arizona, she blazed trails for women everywhere. She was an esteemed jurist who often played a pivotal role on the Supreme Court.

“I was fortunate to first meet Justice O’Connor as a teenager when she was kind enough to spend a few minutes of her time with a group of Arizona Teenage Republicans from Saguaro High School at the Arizona State Capitol as she was making her meteoric rise in state politics, leaving a lasting impression that I still hold with me to this day.

“She represented the best of Arizona throughout her extraordinary life, and we are better off because of her contributions and commitment to public service. My prayers are with her family as we mourn her passing.”

Back to News",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:14:16Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-leads-bipartisan-push-improve-drought-and-flood-resiliency-efforts,Ciscomani Leads Bipartisan Push to Improve Drought and Flood Resiliency Efforts,2023-11-30,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) this week led a bipartisan group of his colleagues on legislation to support drought and flood resiliency across the country by improving a watershed program under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The Healthy Watershed, Healthy Communities Act focuses on the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations program, known as “PL-566”. The legislation aims to improve the PL-566 program by streamlining the program’s planning and administrative processes and creating parity in funding allocations between southwest states and other areas of the country.

Ciscomani is joined on the legislation by Reps. Yadira Caraveo (D-CO-08), Harriet Hageman (R-WY-AL), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO-07), Mike Flood (R-NE-01), and Joe Neguse (D-CO-02). In August, U.S. Senator Michael Bennett (D-CO) introduced companion legislation in the Senate alongside Sens. Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR). Text of the bill is available here.

“In areas across my district, programs like the PL-566 program are essential to mitigate flood or drought damage, ultimately ensuring better water security, a lifeline for Arizona’s desert communities,” said Rep. Ciscomani. “By cutting red tape and implementing commonsense fixes, we build on previous successes of the program and allow our communities to tap into the full potential of the resources available to them.”

“Water is the most valuable commodity in the West, essential for sustaining people, farms, and wildlife. But two decades of climate change-fueled drought has devastated watersheds in Colorado and the region, posing an existential threat to Colorado’s farmers and ranchers, and everyone who relies on them,” said Rep. Caraveo. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the bipartisan Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities Act – a bill that will make the PL-566 program work better for the American West and support drought resilience in Colorado.”

“Water is one of humanity’s most important resources,” said Rep. Hageman. “Protecting and managing our water resources is critically important, having immense consequences for local communities and our nation’s food supply and energy production. Yet confusing, contradictory, and unnecessary regulatory processes and bureaucratic delays prevent needed investments in building and managing our water storage infrastructure. The Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities Act addresses some of these concerns by providing greater control of watersheds to our irrigation districts and local irrigators who better understand local hydrology, systems, and needs. As a strong proponent of decentralized control and greater investment in local organizations, I’m proud to join my colleagues, as well as the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, in support of this bill.”

“As climate change continues to affect our water resources—especially in Colorado—we must ensure we have a resilient watershed management system in place,” said Rep. Pettersen. “This bill will streamline planning and help us conserve water more efficiently, so our communities and farmers are better equipped for the next drought or flood.”

“Allowing for more local control and flexibility in managing projects funded by the Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations program will help stakeholders tailor solutions to steward our resources and meet the needs of local communities,” said Rep. Flood. “Thank you to Representatives Ciscomani, Hageman, Neguse, Caraveo, and Petterson for your leadership on this issue in the House as well as our colleagues in the Senate.”

This legislation is supported by the Arizona Farm Bureau, Central Arizona Irrigation and Drainage Districts, Family Farm Alliance, Almond Alliance, Environmental Defense Fund, Farmers Conservation Alliance, Oregon Water Resources Congress, the Freshwater Trust, the Wyoming Stockgrowers Association, Western Growers, Trout Unlimited, the St. Vrain & Left Hand Water Conservancy District, and the Nature Conservancy.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/11/30/schweikert-congress-has-a-moral-obligation-to-solve-nations-debt-crisis/,Schweikert: Congress Has a Moral Obligation to Solve Nation’s Debt Crisis,2023-11-30,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,AZ,David Schweikert,S001183,schweikert.house.gov,schweikert,https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative David Schweikert (AZ-01) delivered a speech on the House Floor last night to explain that every dime that Members of Congress vote on is now on borrowed money, and that spending on interest will eclipse $1 trillion in Fiscal Year 2024, becoming the second largest expense in all of government. Rep. Schweikert also urged his colleagues to tell the truth about the math instead of continuing to ignore the nation’s fiscal challenges.

Excerpts from Rep. Schweikert’s floor speech can be found below:

Click here or on the image above to view Rep. Schweikert’s remarks.

On the notion that every dime that Congress votes on is on borrowed money:

[Beginning at 4:58 mark]

“Last year, every dime of non-defense [spending] was borrowed, every dime of [defense spending] was borrowed, and about $400 billion of [mandatory spending] was borrowed. Every dime a member of Congress votes on is borrowed money, plus a chunk of mandatory [spending]. Think of that. If you said, ‘I’m going to balance the budget,’ God bless you. First, you’ve got to shut down the defense system — the Defense Department’s gone. You’ve got to get rid of functionally all of government, and you’ve got to figure out what $400 billion you’re going to remove from Medicare. That’s the math. The math will win. The math is the truth. […] You’ve got to understand the scale. And if someone tells you we’re just not taxing rich people enough, huh? Or someone’s going to tell you, ‘Hey, it’s foreign aid and waste and fraud.’ Fine. Get rid of both. Go after waste and fraud. We should be vicious on it. But don’t pretend that it does anything. I think we did a calculation last year, and foreign aid was, like, 7,8, or 9 days of borrowing. Now we’re borrowing $6.5 billion a day.”

On interest spending becoming the second largest expense in all of government:

[Beginning at 9:51 mark]

“If you’re from the Phoenix-Scottsdale area and you haven’t had about a 22% pay hike in the last 30 months, you are poorer today, and then you wonder why there’s such stress out there in our society. So, if I came to you right now and said, ‘What is the number one spend in all of the United States government?’ It’s Social Security. This year we’re going to spend about [$1.45 trillion on Social Security]. The punch line on this slide is I want you to understand gross interest — that is interest we pay to people who have bought U.S. bonds, also the interest when we borrow money, when the Treasury borrows money out of Social Security, we pay interest. Interest will be over $1 trillion this year. Interest in the United States this year is the second biggest spend. The third biggest spend is not defense, it’s actually Medicare now. The growth rate of Medicare and interest are the primary drivers of future spending. Defense is now the fourth [biggest spend]. So every time you run into a leftist who [just wants to cut defense], could you remind them it’s actually number four now on the hierarchy of spending? If I told you this chart a couple of years ago, you would have thought I was out of my mind. It’s happened. Gross interest this year will top $1 trillion, and the net interest to outside bondholders now is well over $800 billion. You do realize just the net interest is going to be more than defense? Why is this not our fixation? Why are there people who are terrified of a debt commission to actually tell the truth about the math?”

On utilizing disruption to unleash GDP growth:

[Beginning at 27:41 mark]

“Here’s your policy split. The Left wants tax hikes. The Right — and I’m one of them — wants spending cuts. Okay. You can maximize both of those, and it doesn’t get you close. You have to do policy. Policy is hard. Policy requires thinking. Policy requires saying no to people that might contribute to you. Policy says I need you to actually read something. There are things you can do.

“If we could disrupt the cost of so many things in our society, whether it be health care, whether it be the way we do regulation, you could actually set off GDP growth. You could lower the cost drivers of this government. By doing that, you lower the cost of the financing. You tell the bond markets how serious we are. Maybe they give us some love and credit on our interest rates. There is a path where this can work. You just need members of Congress to deal with the reality. Tell the truth about the math.”

Back to News",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-demands-answers-over-invasive-surveillance-program,Congressman Biggs Demands Answers Over Invasive Surveillance Program,2023-11-21,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,AZ,Andy Biggs,B001302,biggs.house.gov,biggs,https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) sent a letter to Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) at the White House, in response to a letter obtained from Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) to Attorney General Merrick Garland, detailing an invasive surveillance program titled the Hemisphere Project. This program, funded by ONDCP, provides government agents warrantless access to trillions of Americans' domestic communications records dating back decades, including callers’ Fourth Amendment-protected location information. As Congress considers renewal of Section 702 of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance ACT (FISA)—a similar type of spying tool which the federal government also continues to abuse—Congressman Biggs argues that the federal government’s surveillance laws require significant reform.

“The federal government doesn’t care about your privacy and it’s long past time we end these abuses and hold rogue actors accountable,” said Congressman Biggs.

“Just like with FISA 702, invasive federal agents have exploited the Hemisphere Project to assert control over innocent American citizens. This is occurring with ease due to massive loopholes in federal law.

“I call on my colleagues to enact the civil liberties protections outlined in the bipartisan, bicameral Government Surveillance Reform Act.

“I look forward to hearing Dr. Gupta’s responses to the egregious abuses found in the Hemisphere Project.”

The full letter may be read here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-urges-hasc-chairman-rogers-reaffirm-congressional-support,Congressman Biggs Urges HASC Chairman Rogers to Reaffirm Congressional Support for Israel in FY24 National Defense Authorization Act,2023-11-21,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,AZ,Andy Biggs,B001302,biggs.house.gov,biggs,https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) sent a letter to Mike Rogers (R-AL), Chairman of the House Committee on Armed Services (HASC), and the 70 other House members who have been named to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Conference Committee regarding his amendment to the House-passed NDAA for Fiscal Year 2024. Congressman Biggs’s amendment expressed the United States’s commitment to Israel and was included in the House-passed version of the bill as Section 1220E. Today’s letter urges Chairman Rogers and House conferees to support inclusion of Section 1220E into the final text of the FY24 NDAA. Section 1220E states the following:

(1) since 1948, Israel has been one of the strongest friends and allies of the United States;

(2) Israel is a stable, democratic country in a region often marred by turmoil;

(3) it is essential to the strategic interest of the United States to continue to offer security assistance and related support to Israel; and

(4) such assistance and support is especially vital as Israel confronts a number of potential challenges at the present time, including continuing threats from Iran.

“I strongly condemn Hamas’s heinous attacks on Israel. Hamas thugs are filled with pure evil and are needlessly perpetrating heinous acts of terrorism. I fully support Israel’s right to defend itself from those who wish to eradicate it. The United States must continue to make clear its unwavering support for one of its closest allies.

“America stands with Israel. I look forward to Congressman Rogers’s inclusion of this section,”said Congressman Biggs.

The full list of Republican recipients may be found here; the full list of Democratic recipients may be found here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-stansbury-celebrate-committee-passage-bipartisan-bill-support-tucson,"Ciscomani, Stansbury Celebrate Committee Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Support Tucson-Based Udall Foundation",2023-11-16,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) and Melanie Stansbury (D-NM-01) this week celebrated the House Natural Resources Committee’s passage of their bipartisan bill to support the Tucson-based Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation. The Udall Foundation Reauthorization Act (H.R. 2882) would reauthorize the foundation, named after Arizona’s former U.S. Congressmen Mo and Stewart Udall, until 2028.

The Senate companion legislation, led by U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), passed the Senate with unanimous consent in April.

“The Udall Foundation is a powerful platform that honors Arizona’s former U.S. Representatives Mo and Stewart Udall’s legacies on our nation’s natural resources and public lands,"" said Ciscomani. “This bill guarantees the continued operation of the organization, which has been an impactful avenue for students, scholars, and researchers in addressing our top environmental and natural resource concerns. With the committee’s passage of the bill, it is one step closer to becoming law and ensuring the foundation is able to continue its crucial work.”

“As a former Udall Foundation Fellow myself, I’m proud that my Udall Foundation Reauthorization Act passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee. This bill will allow the next generation of scholars and interns to be empowered to protect and defend our environment and natural resources,” said Stansbury. “Through reauthorization, I’m proud to continue Mo and Steward Udall's extraordinary legacies to protect the environment and ensure Indigenous scholars can contribute their expertise to our higher education institutions and our government.""

“The Udall Foundation thanks Chair Westerman, Ranking Member Grijalva, and the Committee on Natural Resources for their support of H.R. 2882,” said Charlie Rose, Chair of the Udall Foundation Board of Trustees. “We are especially grateful to our sponsor Representative Ciscomani and original co-sponsor and Committee member Representative Stansbury. The Udall Foundation will continue to deliver on our agency’s nonpartisan mission of providing our Nation with environmental collaboration and conflict resolution services and education programs in the areas of environmental public policy, Tribal public policy, and Native health care.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-vasquez-celebrate-new-funding-southline-transmission-project,"Ciscomani, Vasquez Celebrate New Funding for Southline Transmission Project",2023-11-15,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressmen Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) and Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-02) held a press conference today to celebrate the recently announced funding for the Southline Transmission Project (Southline). Southline aims to construct a 175-mile transmission line from Hidalgo County, New Mexico in Rep. Vasquez’s district, to Pima County, Arizona in Rep. Ciscomani’s district.

It was recently announced as one of three project’s nationwide that will receive funding through the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Transmission Facilitation Program (TFP). Southline is the first phase of a larger planned transmission project to address the need for increased transfer capability in the Desert Southwest and will help unlock renewable energy resources, specifically wind and solar energy, across the region.

Click HERE for video of the congressmen’s press conference.

“The Southline Transmission Project will be transformative in accessing clean and reliable energy in both my district and Rep. Vasquez’s district,” said Ciscomani. “I was proud to play a role in securing these funds and pleased to see the federal government prioritize this project and Cochise County on the national level. I’m committed to working alongside Rep. Vasquez, our county and local leaders, and other partners as we strive to ensure the project’s success.”

“Improving the state’s transmission capacity facilitates the integration of renewable energy sources like solar and wind, aligning with New Mexico’s goals for a sustainable and green energy future,” said Vasquez “Most importantly, this project fosters interstate collaboration. This pipeline between New Mexico and Arizona is a great example of successful regional collaboration, enhancing energy connectivity and resource sharing across state lines.”

Ciscomani, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, sent a letter to DOE in September advocating for the project’s inclusion in TFP, helping to secure the selection of this project nationally. He also joined Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm for the project’s announcement in Cochise County earlier this month.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://crane.house.gov/2023/11/15/media-press-releases-rep-crane-launches-veterans-advisory-council/,Rep. Crane Launches Veterans Advisory Council,2023-11-15,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,AZ,Elijah Crane,C001132,crane.house.gov,crane,https://crane.house.gov/media/,scraper,"PRESCOTT, AZ – Today, Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ), a 13-year veteran of the Navy, former Navy SEAL, and member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, launched a Veterans Advisory Council. The council is multifaceted and geared towards supporting the Congressman’s commitment to veterans and their well-being.

The council will serve as a crucial link between Rep. Crane, his constituents who are veterans, and the broader veteran community.

Their responsibilities include information sharing, supporting academy nominations, community advocacy, and participation in quarterly updates to ensure that veterans receive the support and representation they deserve.

“As a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee who represents a significant number of veterans in Northern Arizona, I’m sharply focused on fighting for those who risked their lives for the safety and prosperity of our nation,” said Rep. Crane. “I’m proud to assemble this group that will provide a range of distinct views from across Arizona’s Second Congressional District on issues and challenges facing our veterans.”

Inaugural members of the advisory council include:

Darryl Ahasteen, U.S. Army

Gary Anderson, U.S. Army

Rick Johnson, U.S. Marines

Sherra Kissee, U.S. Air Force

HJ “Mitch” Mitchell, U.S. Air Force

Jim Muhr, U.S. Army

Brian Price, U.S. Navy

Mark Reynolds, U.S. Air Force

Steve Reynolds, U.S. Marines

Josephine Sibole, U.S. Navy

Kelly Silva, U.S. Army

John Speer, U.S. Navy

Michelle Stacy-Schroeder, U.S. Army

Eugene Talas, U.S. Air Force

Contact: Zach Kahler

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/11/15/schweikert-op-ed-we-must-address-americas-looming-debt-crisis-this-is-step-one/,Schweikert Op-Ed: We Must Address America’s Looming Debt Crisis. This Is Step One,2023-11-15,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,AZ,David Schweikert,S001183,schweikert.house.gov,schweikert,https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative David Schweikert (AZ-01) authored an op-ed for FoxNews.com on the need for Congress to form a bipartisan debt commission to confront the nation’s imminent debt crisis and preserve social safety net programs for America’s seniors. Additionally, Rep. Schweikert emphasized that a revolution in health care innovation will be necessary to improve outcomes for patients and bring down health care costs, which in turn will reduce overall federal spending.

We must address America’s looming debt crisis. This is step one

By Congressman David Schweikert

Fox News

November 15, 2023

Consider this – over the past year, the national debt increased by $2.5 trillion, which amounts to an eye-popping $78,401 every second. U.S. federal borrowing for Fiscal Year 2023 neared 9% of the entire economy.

These numbers should terrify every American.

As vice chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, I feel compelled to address the alarming growth of our national debt. If we fail to confront this issue head-on, future generations will face the crushing prospect of a combined top marginal tax rate of 100% just to pay for existing government services.

We have an opportunity to come together to save our Republic by forming a bipartisan debt commission focused on finding innovative solutions to address this perilous threat and ensure our children and grandchildren have the same opportunities that we had. I commend Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., for pledging to establish a debt commission in one of his first acts since his election.

Our primary fiscal challenges stem from demographics. The number of workers-to-retirees ratio has fallen from over 5-to-1 to under 3-to-1. At the same time, 1-in-9 prime age men are not showing up in the workforce.

These trends put an immense strain on Social Security and Medicare, programs that American retirees rightfully rely upon. Simply put, we must fulfill our promises to them. At the same time, it is morally indefensible to ask Americans to incur a massive tax increase to keep these programs afloat.

So instead of focusing on the question of who should pay, I believe we should focus on why health care costs have grown so rapidly.

Consider obesity, a key driver of health care spending that fuels a multitude of conditions from diabetes to heart disease. The 2023 Joint Economic Report put a price tag of $4.1 trillion on the cost of untreated obesity to taxpayers over the next decade.

There is hope in the emerging role of medications targeting severe obesity and its complications. By ensuring access to effective treatments, we can tackle the underlying causes of these health issues, easing the financial pressures on federal health care spending.

Investing in research and development is vital for continued medical breakthroughs that enhance quality of life, reduce costs and improve outcomes.

Yet, even with a forward-looking approach to health care, we cannot disregard the imminent fiscal challenges facing Social Security and Medicare. Without legislative intervention, these programs face automatic, draconian cuts that no American wants.

In just a decade, the Social Security Trust Fund will run out of money. When that happens, federal law mandates an automatic 25% cut in Social Security benefits along with a reduction in Medicare spending.

It is incumbent upon us, as a nation, to find a bipartisan solution that solidifies their financial stability.

Another pressing concern is the historically low liquidity in the U.S. Treasury market. As the country prepares to issue $1.8 trillion in new debt in Fiscal Year 2024, we must recognize the risks posed by this illiquidity.

A slight drop in demand for U.S. debt can cause a significant increase in interest rates, as evidenced by the yield on the 10-year Treasury currently standing at 4.6%—nearly a full percentage point higher than the Congressional Budget Office’s projection at the year’s outset.

Escalating interest rates have the potential to set off a perilous cycle of slower economic growth and higher federal budget deficits, which, taken together will exacerbate our debt crisis.

We must consider innovative approaches to financing our debt while addressing liquidity.

One approach is for Treasury to issue perpetuities, as suggested by Hoover Institution economist John Cochrane. These instruments would be both highly liquid and lock in the government’s long-term financing costs, providing stability and predictability to the market.

The Federal Reserve could also improve Treasury market liquidity by adopting a rules-based monetary policy, thereby reducing interest rate volatility.

The dramatic rise in America’s national debt is a crisis that can no longer be ignored. It is a challenge that threatens our future prosperity, and one that Congress must rise to before it’s too late.

By forming a bipartisan debt commission, we have a unique opportunity to come together and tackle this issue directly. It doesn’t matter what party one belongs to, we should all want a healthier population, strong and secure social safety net programs, and a strong and flourishing economy.

Our time to act is now.

Back to News",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7094,Gosar Votes Against Runaway Spending,2023-11-14,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,AZ,Paul A. Gosar,G000565,gosar.house.gov,gosar,https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Washington, D.C. -- Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), issued the following statement after voting against H.R. 6363, the Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act. Better known as the laddered continuing resolution, this legislation extends government funding through February 2, 2024, except for funding provided under the Agriculture, Energy & Water, Military Construction &VA, and Transportation and Housing & Urban Development appropriations bills. These four appropriations divisions would receive funding through January 19, 2024:

“Failing to include any spending cuts and continuing to fund the entire Biden-Pelosi woke agenda that is destroying our country, driving our nation’s debt dangerously closer to $34 trillion and crushing American families with historically high inflation is not something I could support.

Not included in the continuing resolution are any meaningful measures to secure the southern border to stop the surge of illegal aliens and deadly flow of fentanyl that are destroying communities in my district in the great state of Arizona. Over 10 million illegal aliens and over 27,000 pounds of fentanyl have poured into our country since Joe Biden and Secretary Mayorkas took office in 2021. Any continuing resolution proposal must include the border security measures included in H.R. 2, legislation that already passed the House of Representatives, and would reverse Biden’s reckless open border policies.

Lastly, rather than being considered separately as a stand-alone issue, as we agreed to earlier this year, the continuing resolution ill-advisedly reauthorizes the Farm Bill through September 2024 without discussion or debate. This is irresponsible and prevents Congress from improving the bill.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/11/14/schweikert-congress-can-no-longer-continue-to-ignore-our-fiscal-reality/,Schweikert: Congress Can No Longer Continue to Ignore Our Fiscal Reality,2023-11-14,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,AZ,David Schweikert,S001183,schweikert.house.gov,schweikert,https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative David Schweikert (AZ-01) delivered a speech on the House Floor last night to react to projections that gross interest on the national debt in Fiscal Year 2024 will climb past $1 trillion, making interest the second largest expense in all of government. Rep. Schweikert also discussed Moody’s lowering its outlook on the U.S. credit rating to negative. Additionally, he urged his colleagues to put politics aside and come together to stabilize U.S. debt by achieving a healthier society.

Excerpts from Rep. Schweikert’s floor speech can be found below:

Click here or on the image above to view Rep. Schweikert’s remarks.

On gross interest projected to eclipse $1 trillion in Fiscal Year 2024:

[Beginning at 4:48 mark]

“If I had come to this Floor a year or two ago and said gross interest in the 2024 fiscal year was going to cross over $1 trillion, you would’ve laughed your hearts out. Guess what? A couple of hours ago, OMB confirmed gross interest is going to be over $1 trillion this year, making it the second biggest expense of this government. Does anyone understand? A couple years ago, we were looking at numbers at $300-$400 billion. We have more than doubled [that]. Does anyone care? We can just continue to ignore it?

“A couple of months ago, I came here and showed some charts that in this fiscal year, we’re going to bring $9.6 trillion to market. About $2 trillion we estimated to be new issuance that’s from the borrowing from this year. The rest is what we call refinancing. It’s the short bonds, even some longer bonds that many of these bonds were really low, I mean, just slightly above zero, and they’re coming back for refinancing. And all of the sudden you have trillions and trillions of dollars that are down here with almost no interest expense to this government, to our taxpayers. And now they’re coming in and we’re starting to see mean interests moving over 3%, and it keeps going up. This should be what we talk about on the Floor. If this continues, it consumes everything in its path. Is interest Republican or Democrat? It’s just something we have to pay. But trust me, we’ll find a way to turn it partisan.”

On Moody’s lowering the U.S. credit outlook to negative:

[Beginning at 11:17 mark]

“You already know that two of the big credit rating agencies have done an actual downgrade. Last Friday, Moody’s basically put us on downgrade watch. They still let us have our AAA [rating], but they said [they] believe the bias is now negative. You do realize there’s five or six countries now out there that have better credit ratings than the United States? Good jobs, guys. We should all be very, very proud of ourselves.”

On taking on diabetes to stabilize U.S. debt:

[Beginning at 38:30 mark]

“There is a path [forward], and it turns out the [Republican portion] of the Joint Economic Committee [Report] about four months ago, Chapter 3, we went where we’re not supposed to go, but it was real math. We talked about our brothers and sisters’ longevity — the fact that the last four years, life expectancy in the United States has fallen. […] Let’s actually have an honest conversation because it also turns out it is not only a moral battle to save our brothers and sisters from dying young, it’s also the most powerful thing you can do to start to stabilize U.S. debt is to help Americans be healthier. Isn’t that something neat? Is that Republican or Democrat? It’s neither. It’s just the right thing to do. And we were coming up with a few trillion dollars over ten years by taking on obesity because of diabetes, heart disease, kidney failure, all these other things.”

Back to News",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/video-ciscomani-honors-veterans-servicemembers-highlights-veteran-focused,"VIDEO: Ciscomani Honors Veterans & Servicemembers, Highlights Veteran-Focused Accomplishments",2023-11-10,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"TUCSON, AZ – Ahead of the Veterans Day holiday, U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, is highlighting the veteran-focused bills and other efforts he has spearheaded over the last 11 months in Congress.

“Our veterans embody the very best of America, willing to sacrifice life and limb so that we can enjoy the freedoms and values we cherish,” said Ciscomani. “With over 70,000 veterans calling our district home, I have a solemn duty to fight for those who served, and it is not a responsibility I take lightly. While we will never be able to repay our veterans and their families for all they have sacrificed, I’m proud of the work my team has done – and will continue to do – to provide for our veterans.”

Image

Click HERE to watch Rep. Ciscomani’s Veterans Day remarks.

In his first year in Congress, Ciscomani has introduced five bipartisan, veteran-focused bills:

H.R. 1378, the Veterans’ Appeals Backlog Improvement Act, which focuses on reducing wait times for veterans seeking disability claims.

H.R. 1378 passed the House on September 20, 2023, as a piece of the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act (H.R. 1530).

H.R. 1669, the VET-TEC Authorization Act of 2023, which extends a popular program within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that covers costs for veterans seeking job training in high-tech industries.

This bill passed the House on May 24, 2023.

H.R. 5470, the Veteran Medical Exams for Distant Areas (VET MEDS) Act, which extends a provision allowing VA-certified providers to conduct disability exams across state lines.

This provision was signed into law as a part of a larger Senate package on October 6, 2023.

H.R. 5702, the Expanding Access for Online Veteran Students Act, which increases housing stipends for student veterans attending classes online.

H.R. 5938, the Veteran Exam Expansion Act, which expands the pool of providers eligible to cross state lines when conducting disability exams for veterans.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/11/07/house-passes-schweikert-stanton-bill-expanding-affordable-pumped-storage-hydropower-in-arizona/,"House Passes Schweikert, Stanton Bill Expanding Affordable Pumped Storage Hydropower in Arizona",2023-11-07,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,AZ,David Schweikert,S001183,schweikert.house.gov,schweikert,https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representatives David Schweikert (AZ-01) and Greg Stanton (AZ-04) celebrated House passage of their bipartisan legislation which enables the exploration of constructing additional pumped storage hydropower facilities in the Salt River reservoir system to keep energy costs low for Arizonans, help stabilize the state’s electric grid during peak demand, and boost the supply of affordable and reliable energy. The legislation now heads to the Senate for consideration.

Rep. Schweikert speaks in support of his bill expanding affordable pumped storage hydropower in Arizona. Click here to watch his remarks.

Pumped storage hydroelectricity allows water to be pumped from a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir when energy demand is low. When energy demand is high and power is needed on the grid, the upper reservoir is released downhill back into the lower reservoir and run through hydropower turbines which can generate up to 10-12 hours of reliable energy.

“I am glad to see the House come together to pass our legislation which enables the development of additional pumped-storage hydropower sites on the Salt River, further increasing the supply of affordable and reliable energy for communities across central Arizona,” said Rep. Schweikert. “As our state’s economy and population continue to explode, we must embrace long-term energy storage technologies to lower costs for Arizona residents. I’m proud to have worked with Rep. Stanton to shepherd this bill through the House, and I look forward to its passage in the Senate as it moves one step closer to becoming law.”

“I’m proud the House overwhelmingly passed our bipartisan bill to help facilitate the innovative development of pumped storage hydropower, and I’m grateful to Congressman Schweikert for his partnership,” said Rep. Stanton. “Not only do pumped storage projects provide greater flexibility and improve reliability in our energy grid, they cut utility costs for Arizona families and businesses.”

“As President Biden continues his war on American energy, Congress must give states every tool to increase low-cost energy production. H.R. 1607 will simplify and streamline the overly complicated permitting process that has hindered production and help increase hydropower in the state,” said House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (AR-04). “By increasing hydropower production, H.R. 1607 will help provide affordable energy to thousands of Americans in Arizona who borne the brunt of skyrocketing energy costs under President Biden. I want to thank Representative Schweikert for his work to get this bill passed, and I look forward to seeing it pass through the Senate and into law.”

“SRP applauds House passage of H.R. 1607, a bill that will enable further evaluation of pumped storage sites for long duration energy storage resources,” said Salt River Project GM & CEO Jim Pratt. “We greatly appreciate the leadership of Rep. Schweikert and Rep. Stanton, the lead House co-sponsors, and for the support of the entire Arizona delegation. Based on SRP’s projected customer growth and energy demand, there will be an increasing need to utilize reliable long duration storage, and we look forward to the Senate considering this legislation without delay.”

U.S. Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) introduced companion legislation in the Senate in March.

Background:

The House Natural Resources Committee passed the bipartisan pumped storage hydropower legislation by unanimous consent on July 19.

Rep. Schweikert spoke in support of his legislation on the House Floor prior to passage. You can watch video from his testimony here.

The full bill text is available here.

Back to News",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-named-public-servant-year-tucson-hispanic-chamber-commerce,Ciscomani Named Public Servant of the Year by Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce,2023-11-06,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"TUCSON, AZ – U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) was named the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s (THCC) Public Servant of the Year. The THCC honored Ciscomani with the award at their 2023 Noche de Exitos & Bi-National Awards Gala on Friday.

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You can find video remarks from Rep. Ciscomani HERE and photos from the event HERE.

“It’s an incredible honor to be named Public Servant of the Year by the THCC – and a truly full circle moment,” said Congressman Ciscomani, who served as the THCC’s Vice President of Outreach from 2011 – 2015. “As the first immigrant from Mexico to serve in Congress from Arizona, I am honored to represent our community and advocate for the people and the place I call home. The individuals, organizations, and businesses that make up the THCC are the drivers of what truly matters in our communities: creating jobs, signing paychecks, building strong communities – the foundation for the American Dream. A Dream my parents went after and have achieved. I am humbled by this recognition from an organization I so deeply appreciate and was grateful to celebrate alongside my entire family.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7079,"Gosar Supports Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Funding Bill",2023-11-05,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,AZ,Paul A. Gosar,G000565,gosar.house.gov,gosar,https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Washington, D.C. -- Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), issued the following statement after voting in favor H.R. 4821, legislation funding the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2024 which included three amendments offered or cosponsored by Congressman Gosar:

“This budget vote has started the process of undoing the reckless spending and bizarre woke policies implemented by the prior Congress. I am pleased to cast my vote in favor of this important legislation that claws back nearly $10 billion from Biden’s green-new deal policies such as the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and radical Environmental and Climate Justice grant program.

This legislation also prevents the Biden regime from implementing several onerous regulations on public land uses, including those abounding in Arizona, that should remain available for hunting, fishing, mineral production and oil and gas leasing.

Importantly, three amendments I authored or cosponsored were included in this funding bill that passed and will have immediate benefit to Arizonans.

My amendment #91 prohibits funding to be used to finalize, implement, or enforce the proposed rule by the EPA titled ""Reconsideration of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter."" The EPA’s proposed rule will lower the particulate matter (PM) standard to a level Maricopa County and other counties in Arizona could never meet. The PM present in Arizona is not due to manufacturing but is naturally occurring. There is no way to lower the PM in the desert. The EPA must consider the world in its natural state. Without any contribution from mankind, there will be dust and particulate matter in Arizona that exceeds the proposed rule by the EPA. Agencies should be able to recognize the differences between a rain forest and a desert.

My amendment #92 prohibits the Biden regime from implementing, administering, or enforcing the recent land grab via the Grand Canyon National Monument designation and corresponding mineral withdrawal of almost a million acres. The monument designation flies in the face of the multiple use doctrine for public lands. Further, it creates no new revenue, and neither creates nor empowers any employment. The federal government already controls far too much land in Arizona and this restriction is unacceptable.

Finally, I teamed up with Representative Nehls to offer amendment #63 prohibiting funds for the National Park Service to place any limitation on the number of air tours at national parks. Air tours are an important option for many visitors conducting a one-in-a-lifetime trip to see famous natural landmarks. National Parks like the Grand Canyon can be difficult to access for many and air tours provide excellent opportunities for everyone to experience the beauty of the Grand Canyon and other National Parks. Radical leftists have been attempting to shut down the air tour industry and this amendment will stop the park service from hurting Americans and hurting tourism.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://crane.house.gov/2023/11/02/media-press-releases-crane-votes-support-israel-jewish-state-eradicates-hamas/,Crane Votes to Support Israel as Jewish State Eradicates Hamas,2023-11-02,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,AZ,Elijah Crane,C001132,crane.house.gov,crane,https://crane.house.gov/media/,scraper,"“The Jewish State has been a valuable partner of the U.S. since its miraculous founding in 1948 and our mutually beneficial relationship has made both nations safer and more prosperous.

“Israel is defending herself against vicious animals who aim to carry out a genocide against Jews. This aid package, which is offset by rescinding billions for Biden’s weaponized IRS, is reciprocal of our shared interests—not a furtherance of another forever war. Israel is up against the same forces of darkness that have fueled countless Islamic terror attacks against Americans. The recent onslaught in Israel has already claimed the lives of at least 33 American civilians, with more Americans missing or being held hostage.

“The October 7th terror attack sheds light on the threats we’re exposed to within the American homeland, thanks to Biden’s open border.

“As a believer, as an American, and as a veteran, I am proud to stand with Israel.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7078,Gosar Votes to Support Israel’s Security,2023-11-02,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,AZ,Paul A. Gosar,G000565,gosar.house.gov,gosar,https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Washington, D.C. -- Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), issued the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 6126, the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, legislation providing $14.3 billion in weapons and equipment to Israel for much-needed military assistance.

“I stand firmly with Israel to ensure our ally in the Middle East has the necessary support to fight back and defend itself from the terrorists who attacked on October 7, killing 1,400 Israelis and 30 American citizens.

This legislation provides urgently needed resources to Israel while helping to ensure the safe return of American citizens.

Importantly, the cost of this bill is fully offset by rescinding $14.3 billion for the Internal Revenue Service made available in the phony “Inflation Reduction Act” to hire 87,000 new IRS agents to harass hard-working Americans,” concluded Congressman Gosar.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-joins-energy-secretary-granholm-visit-southline-transmission-project,Ciscomani Joins Energy Secretary Granholm for Visit to Southline Transmission Project in Cochise County,2023-11-01,2023,2023-11,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"COCHISE COUNTY, AZ – U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) joined Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm for a visit to the Southline Transmission Project (Southline) yesterday in Cochise County.

During the visit, Secretary Granholm announced that Southline is one of three projects nationwide to receive funding through the DOE’s Transmission Facilitation Program (TFP). Southline is a proposed 175-mile, 748 MW transmission line from Arizona to New Mexico that will help unlock renewable energy resources, specifically wind and solar energy, across the region. Ciscomani, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, sent a letter to DOE in September advocating for the project’s inclusion in TFP, helping to secure the selection of this project nationally.

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Click here for more photos and videos from the visit.

“The Southline Transmission Project will be transformative in accessing clean and reliable energy in our region,” said Congressman Ciscomani. “I am pleased to see the federal government prioritize this project as one of three nationwide and recognize that Cochise County is the best place for this investment. I was proud to play a role alongside local mayors and county supervisors in securing these funds and look forward to our continued partnership to ensure its success.”

“We are grateful to Congressman Ciscomani for his support and advocacy for Southline's selection by the Department of Energy's Transmission Facilitation Program,” said Al Vickers, Chief Operating Officer for Grid United, a co-developer for the project. “Southline's development will provide electricity when it’s needed, where it’s needed to ensure that all communities in the Grand Canyon State have access to reliable, resilient and affordable electricity.”

This project is aimed at enhancing grid reliability and resiliency in the southwest region. It will create nearly 2400 new jobs and invest approximately $4 million into the community. Learn more about Southline here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T01:01:09Z
https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/10/28/schweikert-williams-place-friendly-wager-on-diamondbacks-rangers-world-series/,"Schweikert, Williams Place Friendly Wager on Diamondbacks-Rangers World Series",2023-10-28,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,AZ,David Schweikert,S001183,schweikert.house.gov,schweikert,https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Congressmen David Schweikert (AZ-01) and Roger Williams (TX-25) announced they are placing a friendly wager on the outcome of the World Series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Texas Rangers.

Congressman Schweikert offered street tacos as a concession if the Diamondbacks lose, while Congressman Williams wagered Texas barbecue if the Rangers are defeated. As a bonus, Congressman Schweikert also threw in Scorpion lollipops if the Diamondbacks somehow fail to clinch the World Series.

The Diamondbacks and the Rangers face off tonight in Game 1 of the World Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The last time the Diamondbacks made the World Series was in 2001, when they won the best-of-seven playoff over the New York Yankees.

“With the D-backs on a roll, this friendly wager seemed like a no-brainer,” said Congressman Schweikert. “I feel confident I’ll be enjoying some delicious Texas barbecue after the Snakes come out on top when it’s all said and done. Embrace the Chaos!”

“With the Texas Rangers’ impressive pitching and hitting, I am all in for a friendly wager,” said Congressman Williams. “I’ll be ready to enjoy those street tacos from Congressman Schweikert when the Rangers take the series in six. It is time to Go and Take It!”

Back to News",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-cherfilus-mccormick-sponsor-new-bipartisan-effort-support-community,"Ciscomani, Cherfilus-McCormick Sponsor New Bipartisan Effort to Support Community College Nursing Programs",2023-10-26,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20) introduced new bipartisan legislation this week to support additional funding for nursing programs at community colleges. Full text of the legislation is available here.

The Grants for Resources in Occupational Workforce Training for Healthcare (GROWTH) Act expands eligibility to the Nurse Education, Practice, Quality, and Retention–Pathway to Registered Nurse Program (NEPQR) grants under the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to include community colleges. The bill would also prioritize allocating up to 50 percent of total funds to community colleges or partnerships with community colleges. Currently, a large majority of these grants go to 4-year institutions.

“As a proud graduate of Pima Community College, I know how crucial these institutions are to students, the workforce, and our communities,” said Rep. Ciscomani. “These students should have the same opportunities and funding as their counterparts at a 4-year university. This bill strengthens our nursing workforce while improving the programs offered by our community colleges.”

“The national nursing shortage has hit health facilities hard and compromised access to quality care,” said Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick. “That is precisely why we must make it easier for community college students to pursue a successful career in nursing, without worrying about financial hurdles. I am proud to introduce the bipartisan GROWTH Act of 2023, which will bolster our healthcare system and address this critical workforce shortage.”

Reps. Ciscomani and Cherfilus-McCormick are joined on the bill by Reps. John James (R-MI-10), David Trone (D-MD-06), Jen Kiggans (R-VA-02), and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA-03). This legislation is also supported by American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) and Families USA.

""Pima Community College's nursing programs are considered among the best by the healthcare employers in our region,” said Dr. Dolores Duran-Cerda, the Interim Chancellor for Pima Community College. “However, our prestigious programs have not been able to qualify for HRSA grants in the past because of previous grants' bias toward universities. We are very excited by Congressman Ciscomani's GROWTH Act, which would expand community colleges' ability to access the Nursing Education, Practice, Quality, and Retention Pathway grants, helping colleges like ours to better serve our communities and our learners.""

“Community colleges make an essential contribution to the country’s nursing workforce, conferring 75% of all associate nursing degrees in 2019-20,” said Dr. Walter G. Bumphus, the President and CEO of the AACC. “The community colleges’ highly qualified graduates work across the nation contributing greatly to local and regional workforce pipelines while earning family sustaining wages. These community college nursing programs play a critical role in the nation’s workforce but receive virtually no funding through the basic federal nursing program. This important legislation would help these colleges secure badly needed resources to support and expand these costly educational programs while helping to broaden the nation’s nursing workforce and enhance patient care.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z
https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-congratulates-speaker-mike-johnson,Congressman Biggs Congratulates Speaker Mike Johnson,2023-10-25,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,AZ,Andy Biggs,B001302,biggs.house.gov,biggs,https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) issued the following statement in response to the House of Representatives electing Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) as the House’s 56th Speaker:

“I congratulate Mike on his unanimous selection as House Speaker. Mike and I came into Congress together in 2017. I’ve gotten to know him quite well over the years. Mike is intelligent, respectful, and a listener. He is a true conservative and a constitutional scholar. Mike has a good grasp of how this place works.

“House Republicans are united behind Speaker Mike Johnson. Since his election by Congress, Speaker Johnson has immediately gotten the House back to work. I look forward to working with him to bring real change to Washington and fight for the American people.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z
https://crane.house.gov/2023/10/25/media-press-releases-rep-crane-leads-effort-terminate-employment-hamas-supporting-dhs-asylum/,Rep. Crane Leads Effort to Terminate Employment of Hamas-Supporting DHS Asylum Officer,2023-10-25,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,AZ,Elijah Crane,C001132,crane.house.gov,crane,https://crane.house.gov/media/,scraper,"Following reporting from the Daily Wire, revealing that Nejwa Ali, an Asylum Officer at the Department of Homeland Security, posted extremist content on her social media glorifying the recent terrorist attack in Israel, Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) wrote a letter to DHS Secretary Mayorkas calling for her immediate termination.

“We are writing to address a concern regarding your decision to hire Nejwa Ali. It is my understanding your Department employs Ali, the former spokeswoman for the Palestinian Liberation Organization, as an Asylum Officer. As an Asylum Officer, Ms. Ali would be responsible for vetting asylum seekers to ensure they are not a threat to the country.”

Ms. Ali has a history of posting abhorrently antisemitic and hateful rhetoric on her Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts, which has only intensified since Hamas carried out an attack against Israel on October 7. The terror attack claimed the lives of more than 1,400 people, including 31 Americans. The attack involved Palestinian militants paragliding into Israel upon which they set civilians on fire, raped women, kidnapped children, and slaughtered entire families.

Following the attack, Ms. Ali posted a graphic of armed terrorists paragliding into Israel with the caption “FREE PALESTINE, glorifying and justifying the murderous rampage carried out by Hamas terrorists.

In another post, Ms. Ali exclaims, “F*** Israel and any Jew who supports Israel.”

Rep. Crane is joined by Reps. Brecheen (R-OK), Rosendale (R-MT), Ogles (R-TN), Miller (R-IL), Cloud (R-TX), and Norman (R-SC) in calling out Ali’s employment.

“This inexplicable hiring decision by Joe Biden’s Department of Homeland Security clearly shows that the Biden Administration cannot be trusted to keep our border secure and our country safe. Terrorist sympathizers should not be employed by our federal government, period,” said Congressman Josh Brecheen.

“It’s disgraceful that someone who supports terrorism and harbors such vile, antisemitic beliefs is stationed within one of our nation’s institutions charged with safeguarding Americans’ security. The idea that Ms. Ali is responsible for vetting those seeking to enter the United States is chilling,” said Rep. Eli Crane.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z
https://crane.house.gov/2023/10/24/media-press-releases-newsweek-op-ed-rep-eli-crane-dont-fall-bidens-foolish-attempt-tie-funding/,Newsweek Op-Ed by Rep. Eli Crane: Don’t Fall for Biden’s Foolish Attempt to Tie Funding for Israel to Ukraine,2023-10-24,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,AZ,Elijah Crane,C001132,crane.house.gov,crane,https://crane.house.gov/media/,scraper,"Click here to read the full piece.

As the world watches in horror as news outlets continue to report on the atrocities unleashed on Israeli civilians at the hands of Islamic terrorists, the United States rightly stands shoulder to shoulder with our ally. Yet while our only ally in the Middle East seeks to defend herself against terrorists hellbent on her complete destruction, President Biden is asking Congress to tether reckless funding for the conflict in Ukraine to aid for Israel—instead of moving to secure our border to prevent a similar attack on American soil.

The modern Jewish State has been a mission critical partner of the United States since its miraculous founding in 1948. For the past 75 years, the United States has stood resolute with Israel, sharing in a mutually beneficial relationship that has made both nations safer and more prosperous, while making the world more secure. From intelligence sharing and military cooperation that aids our security efforts, to water and medical technology that help our citizens live prosperously, our friendship with Israel has served the United States well.

The security assistance the United States sends to Israel on an annual basis provides them with the weapons, munitions, and technology to fight back against dark forces who wish to see the Jewish people erased from their ancestral homeland. Those dark forces were out in full, horrifying display on October 7, when Hamas terrorists launched a murderous attack against Israelis—setting civilians on fire, slaughtering entire families, raping women in the streets, and kidnapping children.

As Israel defends herself against vicious animals who wish to carry out a genocide against Jews, any foreign aid the U.S. provides to Israel would be reciprocal of our shared interests—not an advancement of globalist interests. Israel is being forced to combat the same forces of darkness that have fueled countless terror attacks, including the horrors of September 11, 2001, that have killed thousands of Americans. Not to mention, the recent onslaught in Israel has already claimed the lives of 31 American civilians, with more Americans missing or being held hostage.

As if this weren’t terrifying enough, this horrific attack sheds light on the threats we’re exposed to within the American homeland, thanks to Biden’s open border.

Our leaders are addicted to focusing on international conflicts while abandoning the needs of Americans at home. They seem to focus on atrocities going on in the world and completely drop the ball and forget about what’s going on here. They forget about our wide-open border under Biden that’s incentivized about 280 people on the terror watchlist to attempt to enter. They forget about the 1.6 million got-aways—all of whom have successfully infiltrated our nation.

If you don’t think there are any lone wolves or terrorist cells that have come in through that wide open border, you’re a fool.

We can and should continue to support our ally Israel—but we must put the safety and wellbeing of our own citizens first. We must ensure that we remain levelheaded and vigilant that we don’t allow the current conflict to escalate into another forever war.

As the U.S. Representative for Arizona’s Second Congressional District, protecting Americans is one of my top priorities, right behind defending our God-given, unalienable rights.

That objective is not advanced by becoming further entangled in Russia’s conflict with Ukraine. While the war in Ukraine has rightly sparked outrage and caused unnecessary death and suffering, U.S. involvement will only increase casualties, prolong a peaceful end, and potentially escalate the conflict to a nuclear war.

Russia’s goal is to establish geopolitical control over Ukraine. In stark contrast, Hamas’ goal is to eradicate Jews.

Ukraine, while democratic in name, is notoriously one of the most corrupt countries in the world. According to Transparency International, the Ukrainian government ranks near the bottom third of all included countries when it comes to levels of corruption.

Yet to date, we’ve sent over $135 billion to Ukraine since the start of the conflict—which still has no end in sight. To put that in perspective, since Israel’s founding, we’ve given our ally just over $150 billion. President Biden’s latest request would tie $14.3 billion for Israel to an irrational $61.4 billion for Ukraine.

The Establishment is dead set on wedging America into the conflict in Ukraine despite our relationship with Ukraine providing no net benefit to the U.S. We have no business inserting ourselves in this war to defend a non-ally simply to police the world.

Continuing to bankroll a land dispute in Eastern Europe that we can’t afford, siphoning funds away from securing our border and giving it parity with Israel’s existential war against genocidal Islamic terrorists, is reckless and irresponsible.

Any additional aid that’s sent to Israel from the United States government should under no circumstances be tied to additional funding for the conflict in Ukraine. Our foreign policy objectives should always be assessed individually, giving our domestic needs preeminence while putting the security and prosperity of America first.

Irresponsibly bundling these two aid packages together saddles our strategic support for Israel with the needless escalation of another forever war.

Eli Crane is the representative for Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District and is a member of the House Homeland Security Committee. He is a former Navy SEAL and businessman.

The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own.

Click here to read the full piece.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-joins-bipartisan-bill-streamline-residential-access-solar-energy,Ciscomani Joins Bipartisan Bill to Streamline Residential Access to Solar Energy Systems,2023-10-23,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) joined a bicameral group of his colleagues in introducing legislation to streamline residential solar project permits. In August, Arizona was named one of the top five states for generating solar power.

The Streamlining Home Installations of New Energies (SHINE) Act (H.R. 5997) directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to work with state and local governments to encourage and facilitate adoption of SolarAPP+ – an online tool developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory – which automates permitting and approvals of residential renewable energy systems. Ciscomani introduced the bill with his colleagues, Reps. Susie Lee (D-NV-03) and Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY-20). Full text of the bill is available here.

“With an average 300 days of sunshine per year in our state, Arizonans deserve reliable and affordable access to solar energy,” said Ciscomani. “The SHINE Act works to cut bureaucratic red tape and streamline the permitting process for homeowners seeking to adopt solar energy systems, encouraging the use of this abundant, sustainable energy source.”

“As one of the top ten states for solar in the nation, the clean energy transition is already well underway in Nevada. But permitting delays for rooftop solar and other residential energy systems are making this transition more costly and more time-consuming for homeowners, businesses, and local governments alike,” said Lee. “The SHINE Act is a launchpad for a proven permitting approach that will cut delays, save homeowners money, boost our small businesses, and maximize government efficiency — all at minimal expense to the taxpayer. That’s what I call a bipartisan no-brainer.”

“Rooftop solar and other distributed energy resources present tremendous opportunities to build a more sustainable future; however, permitting barriers exist that add unnecessary costs and delays for homeowners,” said Tonko. “I am proud to support the SHINE Act to build upon DOE’s proven efforts to break down these barriers to ensure more efficient, cost-effective solar deployment. I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance this bipartisan, commonsense legislation.”

U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced companion legislation in the Senate. The bill is supported by Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA); Advanced Energy United (AEU); GRID Alternatives; Solar United Neighbors Action; Vote Solar; Sunrun; Freedom Forever; GoodLeap; Sunnova; SunPower; Mosaic; Summit Energy; TriSMART Solar; and 1Solar.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z
https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7058,Gosar to Mexico: Honor Your Water Treaty Commitments,2023-10-20,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,AZ,Paul A. Gosar,G000565,gosar.house.gov,gosar,https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Washington, D.C.-- Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), issued the following statement in response to recent disclosures that Mexico has failed to comply with a 1944 water treaty requiring it to supply the United States with water from the Rio Grande River:

“I formally requested that the Biden administration investigate troubling disclosures that Mexico has failed to meet its side of treaty obligations to supply water to the United States. The treaty requires the U.S. to provide water to Mexico from the Colorado River, and Mexico was to provide water to the U.S. from the Rio Grande.

The United States has complied with its treaty obligations, Mexico has not. This lack of adherence to the treaty is unacceptable. If Mexico continues to ignore its responsibilities, the United States should unilaterally remedy the breach and withhold Colorado River water from Mexico and store it in Lake Mead or distribute to users,” concluded Congressman Paul Gosar.

Background:

Congressman Gosar sent a letter to Interior Secretary Haaland requesting the Department of Interior investigate reports that Mexico has failed to meet its water treaty obligations.

The 1944 water treaty entitled the Utilization of Waters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and the Rio Grande was signed by the United States and Mexico on February 3, 1944 and ratified by the United States Senate on April 18, 1945 and by President Truman on November 1, 1945.

Under the treaty, the United States is required to provide Mexico with 1.5 million acre-feet of water every year from the Colorado River, while Mexico must supply the United States with 1.75 million acre-feet of water from tributaries of the Rio Grande river every five years. The United States has fully complied with its treaty obligations, Mexico has not.

We are in the third year of the current five-year cycle, and Mexico is 600,000 acre-feet of water short of the amount – or 39% of the total – that Mexico needs to have provided in order to keep pace with the provisions of the treaty.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality claims that six million people in Texas rely on the Rio Grande for drinking water and that Mexico has failed to provide timely water delivery for the past 30 years. This lack of adherence to the treaty is unacceptable.

Arizona and the other Colorado River states have fully supported the United States’ transfer of water to Mexico. Even though Arizona is suffering from drought and the water levels at Lake Mead are very low, U.S. treaty obligations have been achieved.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z
https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7059,Gosar Statement on Biden Request to Jointly Fund Wars in Ukraine and Israel,2023-10-20,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,AZ,Paul A. Gosar,G000565,gosar.house.gov,gosar,https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Washington, D.C.-- Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), issued the following statement in response to Mr. Biden’s incoherent request for nearly $100 billion supplemental funding package for Israel and Ukraine:

“This situation in Israel is not the same as Ukraine and requests for funding must be debated and voted on separately. It is a mistake to couple Israel funding with Ukraine funding. I will vote for necessary funding to assist Israel in its time of need but if it is combined with billions more for Ukraine, I will vote no. I have voted against every dime spent supporting the proxy war in Ukraine and I will not start now just because it is wrapped in an Israeli flag.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-gonzalez-introduce-push-expedite-screenings-ports-entry,"Ciscomani, Gonzalez Introduce Push to Expedite Screenings at Ports of Entry",2023-10-19,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressmen Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) and Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX-34) introduced new bipartisan, bicameral legislation today aimed at expediting screenings at ports of entry.

The Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade (BEST) Facilitation Act creates a new “image technician” position within Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess scans of cargo and determine whether further inspection is necessary. It also creates a “supervisory image technician” position to review images that are more difficult to assess. This position will also serve as a liaison between image technicians and the National Targeting Center. Full text of the bill is available here.

“The addition of image technicians at our ports of entry will allow CBP officers to review what’s coming through in a more thorough manner, thwarting the flow of drugs, weapons, and human smuggling that we are currently seeing,” said Rep. Ciscomani. “Law enforcement has previously called for this type of support and, as morale plummets, I am proud to lead on this bipartisan, bicameral effort to support CBP and law enforcement.”

“Ensuring U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has the necessary resources to address personnel shortages and strengthen our border security is a top priority of mine,” said Rep. Gonzalez. “This bipartisan bill provides additional personnel to scan cargo at our ports of entry, helping prevent dangerous substances like fentanyl from entering our communities, while also decreasing wait times and keeping our borders secure.”

Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

“Successfully inspecting cargo at our ports of entry helps stop dangerous drugs like fentanyl from coming into the US,” said Sen. Lankford. “Border law enforcement have asked for support to analyze cargo images in real time, so they can focus on the person-to-person contact that enables them to catch criminals. Adding these positions makes sure cargo can be thoroughly inspected for illegal drugs, guns, and human smuggling at our border. This is a nonpartisan, straight-forward solution to support our hard-working border law enforcement.”

“Customs and Border Protection need the necessary resources to do the difficult job of keeping illegal drugs, like fentanyl, and other dangerous substances from entering our country,” said Sen. Kelly. “As we continue the work to upgrade and expand our ports of entry, the BEST Facilitation Act will help CBP more quickly reach the goal of 100% scanning while increasing trade, decreasing wait times, and enhancing the ability to stop illegal drugs and cargo. As we know in Arizona, ports are a major economic benefit to our communities, and this bill provides for additional port personnel to ensure our ports are secure and efficient.”

The bill is also supported by the National Sheriffs’ Association; National Association of Counties (NACo); U.S. Chamber of Commerce; U.S. Travel Association; National Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association; Greater Nogales Santa Cruz County Port Authority; Santa Cruz County Supervisor Bruce Bracker; and City of Yuma Mayor Douglas Nicholls.

“The Port Authority has been a stalwart advocate for the need to ensure that our ports of entry are the best that they can be,” said Jaime Chamberlain, Chairman of the Greater Nogales Santa Cruz County Port Authority, in a letter of support for the bill. “To that end, it is our hope that the creation of the Image Technician, along with the Supervisory Image Technician, will bring dedicated personnel that are specifically trained for these functions and permit Customs and Border Protection to take those officers that currently perform those monitoring functions out to the inspection booths and docks to enforce all applicable laws. We believe this to be a more efficient use of current staffing.”

“By endorsing the BEST Facilitation Act of 2023, we ensure that our Customs and Border Protection officers are empowered to focus on their core mission,” said Collins County (TX) Sheriff Jim Skinner, Chair of the National Sheriffs’ Association. “Proper staffing is the bedrock of effective law enforcement. The National Sheriffs’ Association applauds Representative Ciscomani’s efforts to provide law enforcement the resources they rightfully deserve.”

“The Chamber commends Representatives Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) and Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX) for leading the introduction of the Border Enforcement, Security, and Trade (BEST) Facilitation Act of 2023 in the U.S. House of Representatives,” said Jon Baselice, the Vice President of Immigration Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “U.S. Customs and Border Protection desperately needs more resources to prevent the trafficking of people, illegal drugs like fentanyl, and other dangerous products and substances into our country. The BEST Facilitation Act not only will enhance the federal government’s inspection capabilities and help uncover more criminal activity at our ports, but also will markedly improve the processing efficiency at our ports of entry because law enforcement agents will be able to make more-informed inspection decisions in real time. We urge other members of Congress to cosponsor this legislation.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z
https://crane.house.gov/2023/10/19/media-press-releases-watch-crane-bartiromo-biden-admin-wants-nothing-do-keeping-americans-safe/,WATCH — Crane to Bartiromo: Biden Admin Wants Nothing To Do with Keeping Americans Safe,2023-10-19,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,AZ,Elijah Crane,C001132,crane.house.gov,crane,https://crane.house.gov/media/,scraper,"“This is why this Administration and my colleagues on the other side infuriate me because they play politics with border security and they put politics above the safety of Americans,” said Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) yesterday morning to Maria Bartiromo on Mornings with Maria.

“When I’m sitting in these committee hearings, I can’t even get colleagues on the other side to admit that a wall or a barrier is an important part of a security system. They’ll sit there and say ‘oh yeah, well, people can go over the wall or people can tunnel under the wall.’ And that’s true, Maria, but the fact of the matter is that real security has always been and will always be overlapping deterrence.

“It’s not just a wall by itself–it’s a wall, it’s agents that are well trained, it’s intelligence and so many other things that work in coordination to keep Americans safe. And you can tell this Administration wants nothing to do with keeping Americans safe by their actions and their policy changes.”

WATCH HERE

On support for Israel in light of the atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists following a breach of the Gaza-Israel border:

“[W]e need to support Israel, we have supported them in the past, we’re doing it right now, and we’ll continue to support them in the future.

“As a Christian, I’m well aware of the Book of Genesis where God says ‘I will bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel.’ I think we can continue to support Israel, but here’s the thing Maria–we can do that and make the safety of our own citizens first and primary and that’s something we hardly ever do.

To me, this is one more time where many members of Congress and our leaders look to something else–an atrocity going on in the world and they completely drop the ball and forget about what’s going on here.

They forget about our wide open border, the 240 individuals since Biden took office that have been on the terror watchlist that have been encountered at the southern border, and the 1.5 million got-aways–we don’t know who they are, we don’t know where they’re going, we don’t know what they’re up to. And if you don’t think there’s any lone wolves in there or terrorist cells that have come in through that wide open border, you’re a fool.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-cherfilus-mccormick-introduce-bipartisan-effort-expand-cross-state,"Ciscomani, Cherfilus-McCormick Introduce Bipartisan Effort to Expand Cross-State Disability Exam Providers for Veterans",2023-10-12,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20) introduced legislation today to expand the pool of providers eligible to cross state lines when conducting disability exams for veterans. Both representatives are members of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) contracted physicians have had ability to practice across state lines since 2016. In 2020, the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act gave temporary authority to VBA-contracted nurse practitioners, physician assistants, audiologists, and psychologist. This legislation, titled the Veterans Exam Expansion Act, would expand that authority to include dentists, podiatrists, and optometrists. Full text of the bill is available here.

“Time and time again, I hear of the burdens our veterans face when it comes to receiving their benefits, from bureaucratic red tape to lengthy wait times,” said Rep. Ciscomani, whose district is home to over 70,000 veterans. “By expanding who and where our veterans can go for disability exams, it will be easier and faster for our veterans to get the disability benefits they rightfully deserve.”

“By allowing VA-contracted medical providers to perform disability exams across state lines, more veterans will be able to quickly get the benefits they deserve and have earned — reducing barriers to benefits nationwide,” said Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Ranking Member of the Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization. “I am introducing this bipartisan legislation with my House Veterans’ Affairs Committee colleague so that the VA can better serve veterans, including those in rural and underserved communities which face limited access to medical care and examinations.”

The legislation is supported by the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).

“With more veterans seeking the benefits they’ve earned, it’s imperative that VA-contracted examiners are allowed to see veterans regardless of state licensing requirements,” said Jim Marszalek, DAV National Service Director. “Extending this expiring authority and adding more medical professionals to the list for license portability will ensure the VA can serve more veterans, particularly those in rural areas, by allowing examiners to work wherever needed. With more examiners seeing more veterans, the Veterans Exam Expansion Act will also help reduce the VA claims backlog. DAV is proud to support this crucial legislation, and we thank Rep. Ciscomani and Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick for their leadership in introducing the bill.”

“The Veterans Exam Expansion Act proposed by Rep. Ciscomani and co-sponsored by Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) makes imminent sense,” said Don Shepperd, a retired Major General in the U.S. Air Force and chair of Ciscomani’s Veterans Advisory Council. “The bill would simply allow certified dentists, podiatrists, and optometrists to go across state lines to conduct VA disability and medical exams. This is not an expansion of benefits but gives veterans living in rural areas near neighboring state boundaries access to the benefits they deserve. I am proud Rep. Ciscomani and his colleagues continue to support bipartisan legislation that will help our veterans and their families.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z
https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/10/11/schweikert-introduces-legislation-redirecting-frozen-iranian-assets-to-support-israel/,Schweikert Introduces Legislation Redirecting Frozen Iranian Assets to Support Israel,2023-10-11,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,AZ,David Schweikert,S001183,schweikert.house.gov,schweikert,https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-01) introduced the Fortify Israel Act, legislation authorizing the $6 billion in funds that were recently unfrozen for Iran to be repurposed to Israel to help bolster the country’s defenses in the wake of the barbaric and unprovoked attacks organized by Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists. The funds would be made available through a non-interest-bearing account to procure weapons, equipment, and services for Israel.

The bill stipulates that in addition to the $6 billion released to Iran, any current or future Iranian assets seized by the U.S. Treasury Department will be permitted for Israel to use as it fights to defend itself against terrorism.

This legislation also prohibits any blocked assets from being released to Iran until all hostilities between Hamas and other Iranian-backed groups and Israel have ceased. Additionally, Israel must be fully compensated for harms resulting from Hamas’ invasion before any Iranian assets are unfrozen, and Congress must be notified at least 30 days in advance of such release of Iranian assets.

“With each passing hour, the details of the barbaric and unconscionable assault against Israel coordinated by Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists become increasingly horrific,” said Congressman Schweikert. “The United States must stand firmly and offer unwavering support to our strongest ally in the Middle East by any means necessary. This legislation ensures any current or future foreign assets frozen by the Treasury Department, including the $6 billion in Iranian funds recently unfrozen, be used to support Israel’s right to defend itself. The Iranian regime and other state sponsors of terrorism can no longer be permitted to fund Hamas’ terrorist activities against the people of Israel.”

Original co-sponsors of the Fortify Israel Act include Reps. Dan Crenshaw (TX-02), Zach Nunn (IA-03), Clay Higgins (LA-03), Keith Self (TX-03), Byron Donalds (FL-19), Randy Feenstra (IA-04), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Mike Carey (OH-15), Rich McCormick (GA-06), and Matt Rosendale (MT-02).

The full text of the bill can be found here.

Back to News",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z
https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7040,Gosar Cosponsors Resolution Supporting Israel’s Right to Self-Defense,2023-10-10,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,AZ,Paul A. Gosar,G000565,gosar.house.gov,gosar,https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Washington, D.C.-- Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), issued the following statement after cosponsoring a bipartisan resolution supporting Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas following the heinous attack by the terrorist group:

“Today, I joined 390 of my colleagues and cosponsored a bi-partisan resolution condemning the brutal attack by the Iranian-backed terrorists. In 2011 and 2012, two amendments I authored passed the House of Representatives prohibiting funds to Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood and Hezbollah. My amendment ratifying Israel’s right to defend the sovereignty of its borders also passed the House of Representatives.

I fully support Israel’s right to self-defense following the invasion by Hamas, who entered Israel’s borders and senselessly slaughtered hundreds of innocent victims, including at least 14 Americans,” stated Congressman Gosar.

Background:

Congressman Gosar is a member of the bipartisan Congressional Israel Allies Caucus. He is an ardent supporter of Israel and has taken numerous actions to support this nation during his time in Congress.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z
https://crane.house.gov/2023/10/07/media-press-releases-crane-america-must-stand-israel/,Crane: America Must Stand With Israel,2023-10-07,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,AZ,Elijah Crane,C001132,crane.house.gov,crane,https://crane.house.gov/media/,scraper,"“On September 11, 2023, Joe Biden and his administration unchained $6 billion for use by the Islamic Republic of Iran with no accountability. Iran is an active financier of terror groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah, directly fueling vicious attacks against the innocent.

“This morning, Hamas infiltrated Israel’s borders, launching a barbaric onslaught against innocent civilians, murdering and kidnapping women and children.

“The State of Israel has every right to defend itself and respond with overwhelming force to ensure the barbarism of today’s events are never repeated. Calls for Israel to back down and not retaliate are fueled by a hateful indifference as to the existence of the Jewish State.

“The sadistic animals who carried out these attacks share no moral equivalence with Israel. There is no rational justification. America must stand with Israel.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z
https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/10/07/schweikert-statement-on-hamas-terrorist-attacks-against-israel/,Schweikert Statement on Hamas Terrorist Attacks Against Israel,2023-10-07,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,AZ,David Schweikert,S001183,schweikert.house.gov,schweikert,https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-01) released the following statement on the unprovoked and coordinated attacks organized by Hamas terrorists against Israel:

“I strongly condemn the unprovoked attacks coordinated by Hamas terrorists against Israel, our strongest ally in the Middle East. The utterly appalling violence inflicted on innocent Israeli civilians is horrific. The United States must stand on the side of freedom and offer unwavering support for Israel as they fight to defend their homeland.”

Back to News",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-stansbury-introduce-bill-reauthorize-binational-water-research,"Ciscomani, Stansbury Introduce Bill to Reauthorize Binational Water Research Program",2023-10-05,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) and Melanie Stansbury (D-NM-01) introduced legislation on Tuesday to reauthorize the Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program (TAAP), a federal program that supports binational research on groundwater security, quantity, and quality in border communities. Full bill text is available here.

“By collaborating with our regional neighbors across state lines and international borders, we are able to expand our understanding of our water resources while strengthening our binational partnership with Mexico.” said Rep. Ciscomani. “This legislation will allow the crucial research between our countries to continue, ultimately benefitting water security in both the United States and Mexico.”

“In New Mexico, we know that water is life,” said Rep. Stansbury. “We also know that water security is not assured. The reauthorization of this program will allow us to continue in taking critical steps to support groundwater research in the Southwest, and ensure the long-term water security of our communities.”

The Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program Reauthorization Act (TAAP Act) continues TAAP, which was originally authorized in 2006 by U.S. Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) and U.S. Representative Jim Kolbe (R-AZ-05). This program facilitates studies between the U.S. Geological Service (USGS), the University of Arizona, the University of New Mexico, and Texas A&M and universities and agencies in Mexico.

“Water is the lifeblood of communities along the Southwest border,” said Bruce Wright, a member of Ciscomani’s Advisory Council and former member of the Arizona-Mexico Commission. “Water is an essential element of a strong border economy, healthy environment and ecosystem, and high-quality lifestyle. During times of persistent drought and evolving climate change, it is critical that we protect our transborder aquifers and ensure that we have a reliable and safe source of water for the communities along the US-Mexico border. This is important legislation that will fund research by three universities recognized for their expertise in the management of water resources – the University of Arizona, New Mexico State University, and Texas A&M University.”

“Groundwater from aquifers is extremely important to communities along Arizona’s shared border with Sonora, Mexico,” said Dr. Sharon B. Medgal, Director of the University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center (WRRC). “Because groundwater cannot be seen, studies or assessments are needed so that water users have information about groundwater quantity and quality. Continued work on assessing transboundary aquifers through the Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program will provide critically important information about the reliability of the groundwater supplies on which border communities depend.”

“NMSU applauds the Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program (TAAP) legislation being introduced by Congresswoman Stansbury of New Mexico and by Congressman Ciscomani of Arizona,” said Dr. Sam Fernald, Director of the New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute. “This legislation will be critical for New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute's (WRRI) cutting-edge research on transboundary groundwater and binational collaboration for better groundwater management. NM WRRI is a leader in Transboundary Groundwater Resilience, and this TAAP legislation supports NM WRRI’s efforts to continue to lead the way in sustainable border groundwater. This legislation is vital for NMSU to support programs that improve the long term health of the binational Mesilla-Conejos Medanos aquifer that underpins the local border economy, community, and ecosystem. This work will help NMSU with its distinct research endeavors that serve diverse border communities that rely on groundwater and the emerging border industry that also relies on transboundary groundwater.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z
https://crane.house.gov/2023/10/05/media-press-releases-breaking-washingtons-wheel-incompetency-corruption/,Breaking Washington’s Wheel of Incompetency & Corruption,2023-10-05,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,AZ,Elijah Crane,C001132,crane.house.gov,crane,https://crane.house.gov/media/,scraper,"Click here to read the full piece in the White Mountain Independent.

As a veteran who served this country for 13 years, I take the call each of us has on our lives and the responsibility that comes with those callings seriously.

I took up the call to join the Navy the week after 9/11, and like many Americans, I believed it was my time to step up to serve and give back to this country. I knew that was a pivotal moment in our history and that the next generation needed to answer the call for the good and future of the nation.

Over the course of 13 years, I served on five wartime deployments, three to the Middle East with SEAL Team 3.

Following my service in the Navy, I harnessed my military background and life experience to start a small business with my wife, Jen, that employed and gave back to veterans across the country.

After some time in the private sector, I felt the call to begin serving my country in a new capacity.

My wife and I prayed for direction and felt that the Lord was pulling me towards the fight in our nation’s capital. For too long, I had watched elected politicians promise one thing on the campaign trail and then get to Washington and put their own selfish ambitions and desire for earthly glory before their commitments to their constituents.

It doesn’t take a professional political pollster to figure out that people in this country are sick and tired of being sick and tired.

The American people know that the leadership in DC isn’t working with their best interests in mind. Selfish politicians are happy to prioritize their ambitions and greed, selling out the people they’re supposed to advocate on behalf of.

Our government should be by the people, of the people, and for the people, but has been twisted beyond recognition to cater to grifters willing to suck up to lobbyists and sell their souls to special interest groups.

When I decided to run, I committed to actually representing the residents of Northern Arizona, to make sure their voices weren’t steamrolled by the status quo of this corrupt town, as had been the case for far too long.

Over the past nine months, that objective has been more and more difficult to achieve due to the leadership of my own party.

The people who sent me to Congress to represent them were largely opposed to having Kevin McCarthy as Speaker to begin with, which is why I never voted for the former Speaker back in January.

The former Speaker perpetuated the establishment status quo for nine months by breaking key promises and failing to fight for meaningful change, instead folding to Democrats and the Biden administration.

Just as they did in the debt ceiling fight, leadership sided with Democrats this past weekend to fund Biden’s budget — a budget that directly fuels the witch hunt against President Trump, leaves our border wide open for invasion, and empowers the federal government to impose their destructive cultural agenda on our nation.

Congress had a chance to deal a massive blow to the status quo and failed.

On Tuesday evening, I, along with seven of my Republican colleagues, voted in favor of the motion to vacate the Office of the Speaker.

My constituents sent me up here to fight for them, not to run with the herd. I promised to use every single tool at my disposal to break the wheel of incompetency that has routinely crushed the will of the people.

I am prepared to vote for a Speaker that agrees.

We’re $33 trillion in debt in this country. Congress is doing future generations of Arizonans a huge disservice by governing through reckless spending bills that saddle our children with absurd amounts of debt.

We owe it to our kids to protect the American dream by making the tough, uncomfortable calls now. That’s leadership.

I’m not here to play the game and permanently cement myself as a lifelong politician. I’m here to fight for the soul of our country and the prosperity of our children. If I lose because of the stances I’m taking, then so be it.

As long as I’m serving in Washington, I will keep the will of the people of Arizona’s Second Congressional District at the core of my votes.

Click here to read the full piece in the White Mountain Independent.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z
https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/10/05/schweikert-honors-dr-c-t-wright-at-fountain-hills-post-office-dedication-ceremony/,Schweikert Honors Dr. C.T. Wright at Fountain Hills Post Office Dedication Ceremony,2023-10-05,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,AZ,David Schweikert,S001183,schweikert.house.gov,schweikert,https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/,scraper,"FOUNTAIN HILLS — Today, U.S. Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-01) participated in a dedication ceremony of the Fountain Hills Post Office in honor of Dr. C.T. Wright for his devotion to public service and meaningful contributions that left a remarkable impact on countless Arizona communities.

Congressman Schweikert was joined by Fountain Hills Mayor Ginny Dickey, U.S. Postal Service Arizona/New Mexico District Manager John Morgan, and Dr. Wright’s niece, Dr. Olivet James-Robinson, as they reflected on the life and legacy of Dr. Wright.

Dr. Wright’s relatives were presented a plaque commemorating the renaming of the post office as the “Dr. C.T. Wright Post Office Building” and given a red line copy of the Public Law that Congressman Schweikert shepherded through Congress, as well as a framing of the Congressional Record marking the day the legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives.

“This is a reward for someone who took on brutal challenges and overcame them. He never let the battles darken his soul. We are all better as individuals and a community because the Wrights chose to spend part of their lives with us. And that’s what makes this such a moral, special occasion,” said Congressman Schweikert.

To watch Congressman Schweikert’s remarks, click here.

Background:

Dr. C.T. Wright was a passionate educator, bringing his expertise to many of the country’s historically black colleges. In the years following his time teaching, Dr. Wright shifted his focus more broadly to help with human rights. He was the founder of Light of Hope Institute. For the last 21 years of his life, Dr. Wright was a resident of Arizona. As a figurehead in the local community, he served in several capacities, including Chairman of the Arizona Board of Executive Clemency; member of the Fountain Hills Unified School District Governing Board; President of the Fountain Hills Kiwanis Club; and President of the Arizona African Society.

On October 20, 2021, Congressman Schweikert introduced legislation designating the Fountain Hills Post Office as the “Dr. C.T. Wright Post Office Building” in Dr. Wright’s honor for his distinguished achievements and contributions to countless Arizona communities.

After unanimously passing both the Senate and House of Representatives, this legislation was signed into law as Public Law No: 117-279 on December 27, 2022.

Back to News",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-releases-statement-motion-vacate,Ciscomani Releases Statement on Motion to Vacate,2023-10-03,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON -- U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) released the following statement on the motion to vacate:

""The American people deserve better than the chaos controlling Congress right now. Speaker McCarthy’s removal is pointless, unproductive and harmful to the agenda we put forth when we were elected.

We have 43 days to deliver on a spending package to fund the government, protect our borders and rein in spending that has spiraled us into historic inflation levels. Yet a handful of Republicans partnered with Democrats to stop our efforts to get it done, obstructing the work we have at hand. Washington is broken.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z
https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/10/03/schweikert-smith-demand-answers-from-irs-on-employee-retention-tax-credit-backlogs-fraud-and-exploding-cost/,"Schweikert, Smith Demand Answers from IRS on Employee Retention Tax Credit Backlogs, Fraud, and Exploding Cost",2023-10-03,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,AZ,David Schweikert,S001183,schweikert.house.gov,schweikert,https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — With concerns over fraud, an ongoing backlog of claims, and a rapidly increasing cost within the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) program, U.S. Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-01) and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) wrote to IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel today demanding a plan from the agency on what it is doing to address these concerns – including:

How the agency will tackle the level of fraud within the program during its current moratorium on the processing of new claims;

What legislative proposals it would like Congress to take to address fraud within the program generally;

Specific questions regarding the speed at which the agency expects to process existing claims under the current moratorium and how it will ensure it is done in a timely manner;

What data led the agency to impose a moratorium;

The total amount of refunds processed to date; and

When it expects to eliminate the claims backlog.

“We write to highlight continued concerns surrounding the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) (also referred to as the Employee Retention Credit) and ask that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provide the Committee on Ways and Means with the agency’s plan to resolve the backlog of unprocessed ERTC claims, prevent fraud, and ensure hard working, eligible businesses receive the credit to which they are entitled in a timely manner,” wrote Chairmen Schweikert and Smith.

Today’s letter comes on the heels of a decision by the IRS on September 14, 2023, to impose an immediate moratorium on the processing of new ERTC claims until 2024. It also follows a hearing by the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight earlier this summer that shined the spotlight on the confusion, delays, and fraud within the program, in part due to IRS mismanagement.

“On July 27, 2023, the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight held a hearing titled ‘The Employee Retention Tax Credit Experience: Confusion, Delays, and Fraud.’ The hearing highlighted the large backlog of ERTC claims at the IRS and an alarming solicitation campaign by third party ‘mills’ spreading misleading information and engaging in fraud,” wrote Chairmen Schweikert and Smith. “The hearing also made it clear that repeated changes to ERTC guidance by the IRS and a lack of regular communication from the agency regarding the credit has exacerbated applicants’ frustration and fostered an environment ripe for fraudsters…

“Fraud in the ERTC program has become so prevalent that it earned a place on the IRS’s annual ‘Dirty Dozen’ list of schemes and scams that make taxpayers vulnerable to personal and financial risk. In addition, you suggested at a public roundtable on July 25, 2023, that moving up the 2025 end date for the program may help with fraud, saying, ‘[w]e will work with Treasury to explore legislative solutions we can share with Congress to help address fraud and error, including potentially putting an earlier ending date for businesses to claim the credit…’ While we want to work with you to consider action to support these proposals, we have yet to see any legislative proposal from the IRS for Congress to consider.”

Smith and Schweikert also called into question the IRS’s assertions that it has cleared the backlog of unprocessed ERTC claims, pointing to the agency’s own website and testimony before the Subcommittee on Oversight that the backlog may be even worse than advertised.

“On July 26, 2023, one day before the Oversight Subcommittee’s ERTC hearing, the IRS issued a press release claiming that the ERTC backlog of valid claims had been cleared. Yet, the IRS’ own website noted that as of late July, there were still nearly 500,000 Forms 941-X that needed to be processed, and as of August 16, 2023, the figure increased to approximately 521,000,” wrote Chairmen Schweikert and Smith. “The September 5, 2023 statement also began by claiming the previous ERTC backlog had been cleared. It is concerning that the agency claimed a false victory over a backlog that has not been resolved.

“The July 27 hearing also revealed that the ERTC backlog figure undercounts how many claims have yet to be processed. When the President and CEO of the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO) was asked, ‘Do you think that the way the IRS calculates the number of unprocessed ERTC claims is accurate?’ he responded: ‘Well no because…a small PEO [Professional Employer Organization] may have a hundred claims with the IRS; large PEOs may have tens of thousands of claims. Each PEO is counted as one.’ The IRS’s inaccurate counting method clouds the scope of the backlog. If each small business claim represented by the PEO who filed the claim was counted individually, the ERTC backlog figure would likely be much larger.”

Additional Background:

Fraud in the ERTC program has become so prevalent that it earned a place on the IRS’s annual “Dirty Dozen” list of schemes and scams that make taxpayers vulnerable to personal and financial risk.

The Wall Street Journal reported in September that there has been $220 billion in ERTC payments thus far with another $120 billion lined up – six times higher than the original Congressional Budget Office estimate of $55 billion.

Read the full letter here.

Back to News",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z
https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/10/03/schweikert-statement-on-motion-to-vacate/,Schweikert Statement on Motion to Vacate,2023-10-03,2023,2023-10,Republican,House,AZ,David Schweikert,S001183,schweikert.house.gov,schweikert,https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-01) released the following statement after today’s vote to vacate the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

“The decision by eight Republicans to vote with the Democrats to oust Kevin McCarthy as Speaker was reckless and wrong. Whatever policy differences that may exist amongst Republicans, the solution should never be to empower the Left.”

Back to News",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:49:26Z
https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/09/30/schweikert-votes-against-clean-cr-for-failing-to-address-reckless-spending-border-crisis/,"Schweikert Votes Against ‘Clean’ CR for Failing to Address Reckless Spending, Border Crisis",2023-09-30,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,AZ,David Schweikert,S001183,schweikert.house.gov,schweikert,https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative David Schweikert (AZ-01) issued the following statement after his vote against H.R. 5860, the Continuing Appropriations Act, which extends government funding at current levels for another 45 days but fails to address the nation’s worsening fiscal trajectory and unmitigated border crisis.

“On Friday, Republicans put forward a fiscally responsible package to keep the government open while Congress continues to work through the appropriations process. This bill would have cut discretionary spending by 30% while protecting Medicare, Social Security, defense and veterans’ funding. The package also included the strongest border security policies in decades, and established a bipartisan debt commission that I’ve worked on for years to address our nation’s fiscal health.

“Unfortunately, 21 Republicans voted with the Democrats to defeat this package. As a result, a package that included higher spending levels negotiated by the Left passed the House in spite of the fact that our financial wheels are coming off the rails. With government borrowing close to $2.3 trillion in Fiscal Year 2023 alone, I could not vote for this package and allow the death spiral to continue unimpeded. I will continue to work to pass fiscally responsible appropriations bills to fund the government and curb Washington’s spending addiction.”

Back to News",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z
https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7022,Gosar Rejects Latest Bill to Fund Proxy War in Ukraine,2023-09-28,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,AZ,Paul A. Gosar,G000565,gosar.house.gov,gosar,https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Washington, D.C.-- Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), issued the following statement after voting against H.R. 5692, the Ukraine Security Assistance and Oversight Supplemental Appropriations Act, legislation appropriating $300 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative:

“I have voted against every single bill that funds the proxy war in Ukraine and this latest bill is no different. I categorically reject it. The United States has now wasted more than $100 billion footing the bill for a war in which we have no national security interest.

The southern border is under a sustained attack and invasion. Over eight million illegal aliens have entered the country. Rather than sending another dime to Ukraine, we should put our country first by increasing the pay of our brave service members right here in the United States.

Our money should be spent defending our own borders instead of engaging in mischief and warmongering and other provocative acts in Ukraine. If we are going to spend millions of taxpayers’ dollars, it should go to American troops, not foreign soldiers thousands of miles away,” stated Congressman Gosar.

Background:",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z
https://crane.house.gov/2023/09/27/media-press-releases-crane-amendment-prohibiting-deployment-us-troops-ukraine-passes-house/,Crane Amendment Prohibiting Deployment of U.S. Troops to Ukraine Passes House,2023-09-27,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,AZ,Elijah Crane,C001132,crane.house.gov,crane,https://crane.house.gov/media/,scraper,"“Sending American tax dollars to Ukraine is bad enough – our men & women being sent to die over this conflict is unthinkable,” said Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ), speaking on the House Floor in favor of his amendment before it was adopted by voice vote.

Rep. Crane’s amendment, which will now be included in the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, prohibits American troops from being sent to fight on the ground in Ukraine.

“It’s well past time for the United States to disentangle itself from the misguided war effort in Ukraine and start promoting a peaceful resolution to the conflict.”

To date, the United States has shipped more than 100 billion American tax dollars to Ukraine—a country not known for its strict commitment to anti-corruption measures. The amendment, which comes as the Biden Administration continues to further recklessly encourage the war in Ukraine, would prevent any escalation of the conflict that involves the deployment of U.S. Armed Forces.

WATCH HERE

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-leads-bipartisan-push-increase-benefits-online-student-veterans,Ciscomani Leads Bipartisan Push to Increase Benefits for Online Student Veterans,2023-09-26,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06), Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04), Derrick Van Orden (R-WI-03) and Melanie Stansbury (D-NM-01) this week introduced a new effort to increase housing stipends for student veterans attending classes online.

The bill, titled the Expanding Access for Online Veteran Students Act, would increase the monthly housing allowance (MHA) for veterans taking online classes during the summer semester. In-person students currently receive the full MHA whereas their counterparts taking classes virtually only receive half. Full bill text is available here.

“As our service members transition to civilian life and pursue educational opportunities, they should have full access to all the benefits they have rightfully earned,” said Rep. Ciscomani, a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “In response to the growing prevalence of virtual classes, this legislation seeks to eliminate the disparity in benefits between in-person and online student veterans.”

“Student veterans should be able to earn their degree on their own time—without worrying about making rent,” said Rep. Stanton. “Our bipartisan legislation brings some much-needed parity and financial stability to students who take online college classes using the VA education benefits they’ve earned.”

“We should be making it easier – not harder for student veterans to use the educational benefits they earned,” said Rep. Van Orden, a retired U.S. Navy SEAL. “I am proud to work with Rep. Ciscomani to ensure ample opportunities for our veterans as they transition to civilian life.”

“I’m thrilled to introduce this bipartisan bill to expand access for our veterans to further educational opportunities online,” said Rep. Stansbury. “This bill will help close the gap and help our veterans pursue higher education on their own timeline.”

The legislation is supported by several Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) including the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Student Veterans of America, Military-Veterans Advocacy, and AMVETS.

“Veterans taking online courses receive 50 percent less housing allowance than those taking in-person courses,” said Don Shepperd, a retired Major General in the U.S. Air Force and chair of Ciscomani’s Veterans Advisory Council. “Both are receiving the same education and have the same personal expenses. This makes no sense, is patently unfair and should be corrected. I am happy that Rep. Ciscomani is seeking to correct this injustice.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/wtas-local-officials-praise-ciscomanis-bill-stiffen-federal-penalties,WTAS: Local Officials Praise Ciscomani’s Bill to Stiffen Federal Penalties on Smugglers,2023-09-25,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"TUCSON, Ariz. – Local Arizona officials are praising U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani’s (AZ-06) latest bill to stiffen federal penalties for smugglers involved in high-speed car chases with law enforcement. The proposed legislation would classify failure to yield as a felony and could lead to life sentences for smugglers if an officer is killed during such pursuits. You can find more information about the effort here.

Supporting groups include the National Border Patrol Council, Heritage Action, National Sheriffs’ Association, Western States Sheriffs’ Association, Arizona Fraternal Order of Police, Cochise County Sheriff’s Office, Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, Yuma County Sheriff's Office, Cochise County Attorney’s Office, Bisbee Police Department, Benson Police Department, and Sierra Vista Police Department.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING:

“I applaud and thank Congressman Ciscomani for his initiative to enhance our federal law enforcement’s ability to apprehend those who violate our rule of law and endanger our citizens,” said Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels, a member of the congressman’s Advisory Council.

“The Cochise County Attorney’s Office is continuing to work in partnership with local and federal partners to address the dangerous behaviors committed by human smuggling organizations along the southern border,” said Cochise County Attorney Brian McIntyre. “For far too long, there has been no federal consequence for fleeing from federal law enforcement along the border, further emboldening the actions of criminal organizations. CCAO is in complete support of this needed additional enforcement tool as we continue to seek a return to a safe and secure community for our residents.

“The Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act, instituted by Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), not only has a far-reaching affect within 100 miles of the U.S.-Mexican Border but to every city, town and street in the USA,” saidBenson Police Chief Greg Volker. “I applaud Representative Ciscomani’s passion for justice and the safety of every community.”

“Over the last two years the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office has seen a 477% increase in vehicle pursuits involving human smuggling,” said Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb. “I know Border Patrol has faced the same issue, with no legal recourse to hold those fleeing accountable. I support the ‘Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act’ and commend Rep. Ciscomani for addressing these vehicle pursuits and for his efforts to hold those accountable who would put our citizens, local law enforcement and federal officers in danger. Please join us in supporting this bill so that our federal partners can have the necessary tools to help keep our streets safe.”

“This legislation is an integral part of addressing the growing trend of Transnational Criminal Organizations using social media in recruiting juveniles and others to smuggle Individuals who have entered this country illegally and fleeing from law enforcement with no regard for public safety and the citizens we serve,” said Yuma County Sheriff Leon Wilmot. “I applaud Congressman Ciscomani for introducing this effort to send a strong message to smugglers that their actions have serious consequences.”

“[This bill] is a much-needed piece of legislation to help curtail the incidents we, as law enforcement, witness every day that endanger the public,” said Bisbee Police Chief Timothy Cox. “We have seen countless high-speed chases in Bisbee and we applaud the congressman's efforts to make our communities safe and ensure that individuals who put us at risk are punished for breaking federal law.”

“Law enforcement officers in Arizona have dealt with the border crisis for far too long,” said Paul Sheldon,President of the Arizona Fraternal Order of Police.“Arizona FOP is proud to see legislation that has real teeth and can actually help make a dent in this problem. Law enforcement in the United States starts at the border and we need strong laws to be enforced to help stop the flow.”

“We would like to thank Congressman Ciscomani for introducing the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act,” said Brandon Judd, President of the National Border Patrol Council. “Agent Gonzalez died in the line of duty last year and this legislation is both direly needed and fitting tribute to his sacrifice. This legislation makes it a crime to flee from Border Patrol Agents and local law enforcement that often assist us in vehicle pursuits. The penalties range from up to two years for fleeing to life imprisonment if the pursuit results in a death. The bottom line is that we need to change the calculus for those who endanger all of us who live along the border when failing to yield to law enforcement. This legislation does just that and the National Border Patrol Council is pleased to support it.”

The bill, titled the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act, is named after a Border Patrol agent killed in a high-speed chase last year while pursuing a group of illegal immigrants in Texas.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z
https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-dhs-does-not-know-who-entering-our-country,Congressman Biggs: DHS Does Not Know Who is Entering Our Country,2023-09-22,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,AZ,Andy Biggs,B001302,biggs.house.gov,biggs,https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas regarding reports of DHS underreporting ‘gotaways’ or illegal aliens who have entered the United States unlawfully but evaded capture from immigration authorities. The letter requires Secretary Mayorkas to provide information on how DHS currently calculates gotaways, gotaway estimates for Fiscal Year 2023, and how the Department aims to ensure more accurate reporting.

“The United States must know who is entering its country at all times,” said Congressman Andy Biggs. “Gotaway aliens are gushing through our southern border and our Department of Homeland Security doesn’t appear to have an accurate system in place to quantify who is entering our country unlawfully and escaping apprehension.

“I have had many credible sources on the ground indicate to me that current gotaway totals are woefully undercounted and that’s unacceptable. These types of aliens pose significant public safety and national security risks as they are likely evading capture for a malicious reasons.

“The last thing the United States needs is another tragedy because it refused to prioritize its national security and enforce the laws of the land. I look forward to hearing from Secretary Mayorkas.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z
https://crane.house.gov/2023/09/22/media-press-releases-crane-lasting-change-must-be-forced/,Crane: Lasting Change Must Be Forced,2023-09-22,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,AZ,Elijah Crane,C001132,crane.house.gov,crane,https://crane.house.gov/media/,scraper,"Following a move by House leadership that sent members home until Tuesday of next week, Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) gave a breakdown of the spending fight from Washington, DC.

WATCH HERE

Stating his reasons for not supporting yesterday’s procedural vote on the appropriations bill for the Department of Defense, Rep. Crane said, “The status quo, the swampiness in this town, is so ingrained that if you don’t forcibly stop it, it will continue.”

As our country faces a financial crisis, Rep. Crane reiterated his position that passing any appropriations bills without first agreeing on a top line spending number for FY24 is foolish.

“Just this week, we hit $33 trillion in national debt. We have at least a $2 trillion deficit every single year in perpetuity going forward. And you could argue it’s $3 trillion a year because of the money we have to spend on interest…”

“The other reason I didn’t vote for that bill was because of the money still going to Ukraine in the DOD [appropriations] bill–it was about $300 million […] People in my district, people all over the country are so tired of funding other, never ending wars while we don’t have a southern border, our own infrastructure is falling apart, and we continue to spend and spend and spend money that we don’t have.”

On the road ahead:

“There is a little bit of hope–yesterday afternoon, after shutting everything down, about twenty of us got in a room that were conservatives and moderates, and we’re now working on the appropriations bills as we should have been doing for months and months and months.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z
https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/09/21/schweikert-lee-lawmakers-introduce-bipartisan-bicameral-bill-to-bolster-workforce-improve-college-affordability/,"Schweikert, Lee, Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Bolster Workforce, Improve College Affordability",2023-09-21,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,AZ,David Schweikert,S001183,schweikert.house.gov,schweikert,https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representatives David Schweikert (AZ-01), Susie Lee (NV-03), Greg Stanton (AZ-04), and Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Earn to Learn Act, legislation to establish a matched-savings scholarship program for low-income students to save for their college education while providing financial training skills to help prepare them to succeed in today’s evolving workforce.

Modeled after the successful Earn to Learn program in Arizona, the bill is designed to help qualifying students pay for tuition, books, fees, and other education-related expenses. If enacted, the legislation will create an estimated 250,000 college scholarships in the first five years.

Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. Senate today by Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) and Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT).

“I’m pleased to reintroduce the bipartisan Earn to Learn Act to provide Arizona students with the ability to save for their college education, develop sound financial literacy, and put them on track to not only graduate, but secure a job in their chosen field,” said Rep. Schweikert. “Over the last decade, Arizona has proven to be a national leader in promoting programs that provide critical resources to students who need them most. Taking Earn to Learn nationwide helps expand access to higher education, address our country’s labor shortage, and ultimately grow the economy by making society more productive.”

“Education is the key to opportunity. As a lifelong education advocate, I’ve seen that firsthand and I know how unbalanced the scales can be tipped,” said Rep. Lee. “Like a lot of folks, I was only able to pay for school with the help of scholarships, loans, and a number of part-time jobs. Unfortunately, the cost of higher education has skyrocketed in recent decades, and it’s beyond cost-prohibitive for far too many American families. That’s why I’m proud to join Congressman Schweikert in introducing the bipartisan, bicameral Earn to Learn Act. This commonsense bill will build a national matched savings program to help families save and ensure that every student has the opportunity to pursue the education that will help them reach their dreams.”

“Earn to Learn is an Arizona success story. Not only has this program helped thousands of low-income students get a quality education and graduate without going deep into debt—our economy has benefitted enormously from a more educated workforce,” said Rep. Stanton. “Our bipartisan Learn to Earn Act applies this proven program at the federal level, helping make college a reality for students of all backgrounds nationwide.”

“As a community college alumni and Pell Grant recipient, I know firsthand how life-changing access to higher education can be,” said Rep. Ciscomani. “Earn to Learn has a proven track record in Arizona, equipping students who need it most with the resources they need to succeed. With our country experiencing a worsening labor shortage, it’s time to take this matched-savings program nationally and help students finance their education, develop sound financial literacy, and gain valuable skills to improve the nation’s labor force. I’m pleased to join Representatives Lee, Schweikert, and Stanton in introducing the bipartisan Earn to Learn Act to reduce student loan debt and make college more affordable.”

What Arizona Leaders are saying:

“Earn to Learn has been uplifting underserved Arizona students to reach their dreams though a college education for over a decade,” said Kate Hoffman, Founder & CEO, Earn to Learn. “I commend the bipartisan, bicameral group of legislators on their efforts to generate economic opportunity across the country by expanding this innovative program to students across the country.”

“Employers are starved for trained workers, especially in the high-skill industries so critical to the U.S. economy,” said Danny Seiden, President & CEO, Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry. “The Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry supports programs like Earn to Learn that increase accessibility to higher education opportunities for all.”

“Workforce development is a primary concern for employers of all sizes,” said Todd Sanders, President & CEO, Greater Phoenix Chamber. “The Greater Phoenix Chamber is pleased to support the Earn to Learn Act because it promises to help employers find the trained workforce they need, while tearing down many of the financial barriers that prevent individuals from pursuing a college education or vocational training.”

“For over a decade, Earn to Learn has been making college dreams a reality for Arizona low-income students,” said Neil Giuliano, President & CEO, Greater Phoenix Leadership. “Greater Phoenix Leadership looks forward to seeing this proven model expanded nationwide via the Earn to Learn Act – helping students gain the education they need and employers find the qualified workforce our economy requires.”

“Expanding access to higher education is central to our mission at Arizona State University, and the national expansion of the Earn to Learn Act will improve access for students from all backgrounds across the country,” said Kent Hopkins, Vice President for Academic Enterprise Enrollment, Arizona State University. “This innovative program will pay dividends not only for students, but also for our broader economy.”

“The Earn to Learn program has provided Arizona students with a unique way to save for their college education, plan for their future and be able to attend world class universities like the University of Arizona,” said Kasey Urquídez, Vice President – Enrollment Management, University of Arizona. “Increased college access is vital, and we believe Earn to Learn can be a model to follow for the rest of the country.”

“The Arizona Community Foundation understands the importance of quality education for all,” said Anna María Chávez, President & CEO, Arizona Community Foundation. “As an early supporter of Earn to Learn in Arizona, we have been proud to support Earn to Learn’s successful model that has reduced student borrowing and improved graduation rates and college access. The Earn to Learn Act has the power to achieve these same benefits on a national scale.”

“Northern Arizona boasts a diverse, fast-growing economy that is driving demand for trained workers,” said T. Paul Thomas, CEO, Northern Arizona Leadership Alliance. “The Northern Arizona Leadership Alliance supports the Earn to Learn Act because it will both improve college affordability and help employers access the skilled workforce they need.”

“There’s not a lot of bipartisanship in Congress these days, but the Earn to Learn Act is a shining exception,” said Paul Hickman, President & CEO, Arizona Bankers Association. “The Arizona Bankers Association is proud to support this bipartisan effort to ensure students not only can access a college education, but graduate with little or no tuition debt and armed with the money-management skills they’ll need to be responsible consumers.”

“All Arizona students deserve to have opportunities to succeed,” said Jeff Guldner, CEO, Arizona Public Service (APS). “We are longtime supporters of Earn to Learn and its initiatives that help more Arizonans graduate from college. This isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s a must-have. With more college graduates, Arizona is better positioned to support the economic growth and stability we all want.”

“The Earn to Learn Act is a creative solution to make postsecondary education and job training affordable and accessible to underserved communities,” said Michael Guymon, President & CEO, Tucson Metro Chamber. “The Tucson Metro Chamber is a strong supporter of this Act and firmly believes that greater access to education is the cornerstone to any community’s success and increases employer’s ability to find and hire local talent.”

“Tuition and related costs are a significant barrier for many Hispanic students and help explain lagging college attainment rates among students of color across the country,” said Karla Bernal Morales, Chairwoman, Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “The Earn to Learn Act will make a real difference for low and middle-income students of all backgrounds, helping them access the post-secondary education they need to advance.”

“The Earn to Learn program empowers underserved students to achieve a college education without going into debt,” said Marcy Euler, President & CEO, Pima Community College Foundation, Inc. “They will also take with them the financial literary skills learned in the program long after they graduated. Pima Community College is excited to partner with Earn to Learn to benefit our own students, and we support making this scholarship available to other colleges.”

“The Earn to Learn Act will help children from lower-income families overcome barriers that might keep them from attending college, just as this program has been doing in Arizona for a decade,” said Susan Gray, President & CEO, Tucson Electric Power and UniSource Energy Services. “Our companies strongly support Earn to Learn through Board participation, financial donations and volunteerism. We anticipate great success when this innovative program expands nationwide.”

Background:

Under the Act, Earn to Learn scholars – who must be Pell-eligible – contribute to their own education by setting aside up to $500 per year. In return, they receive up to $4,000 per year in financial assistance – an 8-to-1 match – to attend a participating college, university or career and technical school of their choice.

In Arizona, 80-85% of Earn to Learn scholars have a first-year retention rate that approaches 90%, and 80-85% graduate within six years. Nearly 2 out of 3 Earn to Learn participants are the first in their family to attend college.

Reps. Schweikert and Lee previously introduced the Earn to Learn Act in the 117th Congress.

The full bill text is available here.

Back to News",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-leads-push-impose-life-sentences-migrants-if-anyone-killed-high,Ciscomani Leads Push to Impose Life Sentences on Migrants if Anyone is Killed in High-Speed Chases,2023-09-20,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) led a group of his House GOP colleagues in a new effort to impose federal penalties on illegal migrants and smugglers who engage in high-speed car chases with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or local law enforcement assisting the federal government.

Under this legislation, failure to yield would be a federal crime and if anyone is killed during the apprehension, smugglers could face life sentences. The bill, titled the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act, is named after a Border Patrol agent killed in a high-speed chase last year while pursuing a group of illegal immigrants in Texas.

The Arizona representative is joined on the effort by Reps. Monica De La Cruz (TX-15), Tony Gonzales (TX-23), Byron Donalds (FL-19), Carlos Gimenez (FL-28), Clay Higgins (LA-03), and Nick Langworthy (NY-23).

“My district sees high-speed car chases coming through our communities every day, putting both the lives of Arizonans and Border Patrol agents in jeopardy,” said Rep. Ciscomani. “Agent Raul Gonzalez and too many others — including men and women in my own district — paid the ultimate price, and we cannot let their sacrifices be in vain. We must send a signal to any bad actors illegally coming through the southern border that their actions have dire consequences.”

“Border Patrol Agent Raul Gonzalez gave his life in pursuit of criminals on our southern border,” said Rep. De La Cruz. “This legislation honors the sacrifice of my district’s hero and stiffens penalties for individuals involved in a high-speed pursuit near our border. Cartels must know that crime doesn’t pay and the United States will hold responsible those who break our laws and hurt our citizens.”

“High-speed pursuits are on the rise in South and West Texas,” said Rep. Gonzales. “Border Patrol Agent Raul Gonzalez was tragically killed while pursuing illegal immigrants in a high-speed chase at our southern border. High-speed chases continue to wreak havoc and disrupt the livelihoods of our communities. This legislation will increase penalties for bad actors that endanger our Border Patrol Agents and law enforcement officers who work tirelessly to keep Americans safe.”

A companion bill has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

“One of the worst consequences of this border crisis is the threat to public safety,” said Sen. Cruz. “Traffickers are killing people by loading up a car or truck stacked with illegal immigrants and then engaging in high-speed chases with Border Patrol or local police. These high-speed chases often end in tragedy, with people being killed regularly after the traffickers crash and passengers are thrown across the highway. Equally tragic are those innocent Americans who are struck by an illegal alien fleeing police or Border Patrol. My bill is fittingly named in honor of Border Patrol Agent Raul Gonzalez, Jr., who was killed in the line of duty on December 7, 2022, as he was pursuing a group of illegal aliens who were evading capture. My legislation will make traffickers think twice before engaging in a high-speed chase, since it includes serious jail time and prohibits anyone who runs from Border Patrol from ever obtaining legal status in the United States. My bill offers much-needed support to Border Patrol agents who are risking their lives daily serving an administration where the political leadership undermines them.""

The legislation is supported by the National Border Patrol Council, National Sheriffs' Association, Cochise County Sheriff’s Office, Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, Yuma County Sheriff’s Office, Cochise County Attorney’s Office, Bisbee Police Department, Benson Police Department, Sierra Vista Police Department, Western States Sheriffs' Association, and Arizona Fraternal Order of Police (AZFOP), and AZFOP Tucson Lodge 1.

“We would like to thank Congressman Ciscomani for introducing the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act,” said Brandon Judd, NBPC President. “Agent Gonzalez died in the line of duty last year and this legislation is both direly needed and fitting tribute to his sacrifice. This legislation makes it a crime to flee from Border Patrol Agents and local law enforcement that often assist us in vehicle pursuits. The penalties range from up to two years for fleeing to life imprisonment if the pursuit results in a death. The bottom line is that we need to change the calculus for those who endanger all of us who live along the border when failing to yield to law enforcement. This legislation does just that and the National Border Patrol Council is pleased to support it.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z
https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/09/19/schweikert-u-s-national-debt-will-get-dramatically-worse-if-fiscal-trajectory-remains-unchanged/,Schweikert: U.S. National Debt Will Get ‘Dramatically Worse’ if Fiscal Trajectory Remains Unchanged,2023-09-19,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,AZ,David Schweikert,S001183,schweikert.house.gov,schweikert,https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative David Schweikert (AZ-01) delivered a speech on the House Floor last night to react to U.S. national debt surpassing $33 trillion, warning that future debt figures will be dramatically worse if the federal government refuses to take its deficits seriously. Rep. Schweikert also explained that the Social Security Trust Fund is projected to run out in nine budget years, forcing a 25% cut in retirement benefits and risking the doubling of senior poverty.

Excerpts from Rep. Schweikert’s floor speech can be found below:

Click here or on the image above to view Rep. Schweikert’s remarks.

On U.S. national debt eclipsing $33 trillion:

[Beginning at 4:04 mark]

“Today, we finally crossed [$33 trillion in national debt] and some people are going to light their hair on fire — it’s a big deal. It’s about to get dramatically worse. This number we’re going to look back on fondly the way we’re going right now […] remember, the administration is trying to play some games where they’re going to try to credit themselves back some of the student loan money that the Supreme Court said they can’t spend. So, we’re actually looking at the real-life borrowing number, not the fiscal deficit number, which has a journal entry fraud in it. And as of a couple hours ago, so far this fiscal year — and we still have a couple of weeks left — I think we have borrowed $2.158 trillion […] please understand, a year ago, the Congressional Budget Office [estimated] we’d borrow about $870 billion. Does something seem wrong in those numbers? $870 billion over here, now it looks like we’re going to borrow $2.2 trillion, and almost every dime of that growth is health care costs exploding, particularly in Medicare. Tax receipts have fallen fairly dramatically. So much for this Biden socialized economy.”

On inflation making middle-class Americans poorer today than they were when President Biden took office:

[Beginning at 16:14 mark]

“The political class around here on the Left and the Right — we just sell having people be pissed off. Great! Did I mention we’re borrowing $72,000-plus a second? […] The working middle class in this country has every right to be angry. It would be crazy if they weren’t. They are poorer today than they were a couple of years ago. If you live in my [Phoenix-Scottsdale community], and you’re not making 20% more today than you were two years ago, you are poorer today. This is what the Left brought upon us. And when they go, ‘Oh, no, it wasn’t us, it was the supply chains!’ Read your own academic papers. Even the most moderate academic papers [explain that] half of inflation came from the excessive spending the Democrats engaged in — their insanely-named Inflation Reduction Act. And now the last several months is 100% the derivatives of their excessive spending. Read your own literature. […[ To my brothers and sisters on the Left, take responsibility for what you did. You made people poorer. Now you want to know why they’re angry?”

On the Social Security Trust Fund running dry in nine budget years:

[Beginning at 26:48 mark]

“So, let’s tell the truth. Let’s talk about Social Security. In 2033, the Social Security Trust Fund is empty, and that causes about a 25% cut to the average recipient in America. This is nine years away. That average cut will be $17,400. As we had testimony in the Ways and Means Committee — that will double senior poverty. Doubling of senior poverty is nine years away. I was here on the House Floor last week already showing you that because of rents and other things and Biden inflation, you’re already seeing the number of baby boomers in retirement who are ending up homeless. This is nine years away — [the $616 billion shortfall]. So when you say show this to someone on the Left, ‘Well, David, if we would just tax people over $400,000 a year and not give them any benefits, where we make them pay the entire 12.4% FICA tax, we’re going to be fine!’ Then you do the math and you realize they’ve never actually put a calculator to that, have they? So one more time, in nine years, $616 billion is the shortfall. In nine years, everyone’s getting a 25% cut.”

On time running out to stabilize future deficits:

[Beginning at 34:09 mark]

“[The] reason I keep coming behind this microphone is I truly believe there are people out there in the public that want to be talked to like adults. Yes, you like getting the stimuli of having someone say something angry and crazy […] but that’s not how you save the Republic. There are ways to stabilize this. There are ways for this to be another American century. But that clock is ticking on us. You think we’re going to recapitalize if the Medicare Trust Fund is how many billion dollars of shortfall starting in seven years? I just showed you [the shortfall in Social Security] is $616 billion in its first year. The [Highway Trust Fund] has also [run out] in that time. Plus, we’re heading into $3 trillion-per-year deficits at the end of the decade. We’re going to do $2.2 trillion this year. This is moving away from us very, very, very fast. I do need people out there to understand the difference between a million, a billion and a trillion. Play with your calculator. See how many zeros are the difference. Don’t let someone trying to get your vote pander to you by making crap up if they’re not being serious with you because I will argue this is the thing that destroys your Republic. This is what will make you much less free. This is what will take your freedoms from you, destroy your retirement, and heaven knows the misery we’re leaving to our kids.”

Back to News",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z
https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7007,Gosar to NYC: Our National Parks are Not Four-Star Hotels for Illegals,2023-09-18,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,AZ,Paul A. Gosar,G000565,gosar.house.gov,gosar,https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"New York, NY -- Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), issued the following statement after participating on a House Natural Resources Committee oversight tour of the Gateway National Recreation Area and related sites in New York City, NY related to the ongoing immigration crisis resulting from Joe Biden’s failed open border policies:

“Joe Biden’s reckless open border policies are destroying American cities from Phoenix, Arizona to New York City. Every city in America has become a border city. Drugs and criminals, including hundreds of terrorists, are pouring into our backyards. Our schools and hospitals are overrun with illegals. Police forces are overwhelmed as progressive mayors slash their budgets. Our streets are not safe. Fentanyl is rampant. Police officers are being assaulted. Cartels are thriving.

Since Biden took office more than eight and half million lawbreakers have been welcomed into our country. To put that into perspective that amount is greater than the population of 38 states and more than all U.S. cities except for New York City.

Just last year, New York City Mayor Adams bragged he was proud that New York is a Right-to-Shelter state and he would continue to welcome and protect the illegal aliens invading New York City.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-vasquez-introduce-bipartisan-effort-ensure-continued-access-rural,"Ciscomani, Vasquez Introduce Bipartisan Effort to Ensure Continued Access for Rural Veterans Seeking Disability Exams",2023-09-15,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) and Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-02) introduced a new effort to ensure that rural veterans have continued access to certified health care providers for required disability claim exams.

The Veteran Medical Exams for Distant Areas (VET MEDS) Act would extend a provision for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) certified contractors to conduct exams across state lines. The Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 allowed certain exam providers to practice across state lines, but the authority is set to expire in January 2024. The VET MEDS Act would extend the provision until September 2028, which is critical as tens of thousands apply for new benefits under the PACT Act. The legislation is co-led by Reps. Jerry Carl (R-AL-01) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA-03).

“With over 70,000 veterans in my district, I am committed to doing all that I can to ensure our veterans have access to convenient and high-quality care,” said Ciscomani, a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “This bipartisan legislation extends a commonsense provision to cut red tape that prevents our veterans from receiving the benefits they deserve.”

“New Mexico is home to more than 144,000 veterans, and too many are facing obstacles to obtain their health care coverage. I’m proud to partner with Rep. Ciscomani to get our veterans the health care they deserve,” said Vasquez. “I will always stand up for our veterans in rural areas to ensure they can have access to critical exams and other care – this bipartisan bill will do just that.”

The legislation is supported by the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), American Legion, AMVETS, and Wounded Warrior Project (WWP).

“With more veterans seeking the benefits they’ve earned, it’s imperative that VA contract examiners are allowed to see veterans regardless of state licensing requirements,” said DAV National Service Director Jim Marszalek. “Extending this expiring authority until 2028 ensures the VA can serve more veterans, particularly those in rural areas, by allowing examiners to work wherever needed. With more examiners seeing more veterans, the VET MEDS Act will also help reduce the VA claims backlog. DAV is proud to support this crucial legislation, and we thank Rep. Ciscomani for his leadership in introducing the bill.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-sounds-alarm-street-releases-arizona-presses-dhs-answers,"Ciscomani Sounds Alarm on Street Releases in Arizona, Presses DHS for Answers",2023-09-14,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) is sounding the alarm on new street releases happening in Arizona and pressing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in a letter for answers.

The Tucson Sector saw more than 2,000 illegal crossings, including a large group of single men from Africa, on Tuesday alone. Following the announcement of street releases on Wednesday, the congressman sent a letter to Secretary Mayorkas highlighting the devastating impacts the border crisis has had on his district and urging action from the agency.

“[Our rural communities] are not equipped to deal with this influx,”

“Our local border communities should not be forced to bear the burden of this administration’s failed border policies.”

The congressman continues, “I have personally heard from local elected officials of both parties regarding their concern over these actions and the implications on their communities. This is not a partisan issue – you must stop politicizing our border and start prioritizing it.”

Congressman Ciscomani requested answers to the following questions surrounding the capacity issues:

Are Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) detention centers at capacity? If so, when did they reach capacity?

If these numbers continue or increase, what plan is in place to process the number of migrants?

What are you doing to increase capacity either in permanent or temporary facilities both for CBP and ICE?

How many migrants have been released onto the streets this fiscal year? Please provide a breakdown by sector and the number of migrants released to community partners vs. ‘safe street releases’.

What notification and warning are given to local communities before migrants are released in the streets?

Please outline the process used to vet migrants before they are released into our communities.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z
https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/09/14/schweikert-congress-has-a-moral-obligation-to-prevent-the-doubling-of-senior-poverty/,Schweikert: Congress Has a Moral Obligation to Prevent the Doubling of Senior Poverty,2023-09-14,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,AZ,David Schweikert,S001183,schweikert.house.gov,schweikert,https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative David Schweikert (AZ-01) delivered a speech on the House Floor last night to discuss how the United States federal government has borrowed $72,932 every second over the past year and pointed out that every dime that Congress votes on is now on borrowed money. Rep. Schweikert also explained the consequences facing America’s middle class if Congress fails to get the nation’s fiscal house in order.

Excerpts from Rep. Schweikert’s floor speech can be found below:

Click here or on the image above to view Rep. Schweikert’s remarks.

On borrowing costs over the past year reaching $72,932 every second:

[Beginning at 0:18 mark]

“This is what we’re borrowing per second over the last 12 months. Every single second we’re borrowing $72,932. And $20,000 of it is just interest, and it gets dramatically worse between now and the rest of the decade. So there’s a punch line here I need you to understand. How many times have you listened to members walk behind these microphones and do this, ‘Well, I don’t get to vote on mandatory spending. I only vote on discretionary.’ Seriously? You’ve been here how long, Mr. Speaker Pro Tem? It’s our mantra. ‘Well, I vote on defense and non-defense discretionary, and that is like 30% of the budget.’ Well, guess what? Every dime we as members of Congress now vote on is borrowed. It’s all borrowed money.”

On the Left’s Orwellian-named “Inflation Reduction Act”:

[Beginning at 2:48 mark]

“In February and March, I came behind this very microphone and I predicted that we’re actually headed towards borrowing $1.8 trillion, and I got mocked. I have to apologize. I was wrong. It wasn’t $1.8 trillion. We’re heading towards $2.2 trillion. It’s much worse. And you just heard the Left talking about how wonderful everything is. Explain to me how in May 2022, we thought the budget deficit for this year would be about $870 billion, and now we’re heading to $2.2 trillion. What happened? Medicare costs went up dramatically. Tax receipts have fallen. So you heard about how wonderful this economy is. Isn’t it neat? We’re doing all these subsidized projects. Government is handing out money to anyone who wants to build a factory. A socialized, nationalized economy. We functionally soft-nationalized the chip industry. Isn’t it wonderful? Think about what’s going on, and yet tax revenues have fallen actually fairly dramatically. Brilliant economics once again from what the Left did last year [with the Inflation Reduction Act]. And then the third thing no one seems to want to fixate on — that Inflation Reduction Act that they passed — you know that they were celebrating here. If you even read the left-wing economists in their journals, about half of inflation was supply chain stress, and yes, half of it was the excessive spending. So the people in my community, unless you’ve had a 20% pay hike, if you live in the Phoenix-Scottsdale area, you are poorer today than you were 24 months ago. Will the Left take responsibility for that? Will they take responsibility for the 50% of it? This is the insanity and the wheels are coming off and no one else seems willing to come behind these microphones and tell the truth about what’s happening.”

On Democrats’ math problem when they promise to tax Americans who make over $400,000 per year:

[Beginning at 13:19 mark]

“Nine years from now, the Social Security trust fund is empty. So that first year, 2033, $616 billion is the shortfall that if you’re an average couple in America, that’s a $17,200 cut to your Social Security check. We will double senior poverty. How many people have you seen come to this microphone to say, ‘I give a damn about seniors! I don’t want to double senior poverty.’ Have you seen the stories of how many baby boomers are starting to live on the streets in America? And the projections … and then we’re going to tell these people we’re taking 25% of their Social Security check from them? That’s nine years from now. But the problem is that first year, let’s do one-year math, 2033, that’s $616 billion. Let’s do the Democrats’ suggestion. We’re going to tax people over $400,000. Take everyone over $400,000. You pay your Social Security, your FICA taxes up to $160,200. Then you don’t pay any more. But when you hit $400,000, everything up, you’ll pay the 12.4% Social Security tax. Great! It’s $80 billion. The shortfall is $616 billion. But the Democrats’ solution is $80 billion. Does anyone see a math problem?”

On the middle class being dramatically poorer today than when President Biden first took office:

[Beginning at 21:48 mark]

“And we’re hitting numbers — the $2.2 trillion we will borrow this year — we were not supposed to hit for a decade. We are borrowing now at rates that we were not supposed to see for years. This is the Democrats’ economy. This is what sort of nationalizing much of the industry, you know, the chips industry, the green energy industry handing out the cash. Something happened. We’re building all these factories, but we’re getting no tax receipts from it. Something’s gone horribly, horribly wrong out there. Instead of our brothers and sisters on the Left and those of us on the Right coming together and saying we have a moral obligation not to have baby boomers on the street as part of their retirement, not to double senior poverty. To my young kids, yes, I’m an old dad. I have a 14 month old and an eight year old. Do they deserve to have a future? Because CBO math basically says in 20 years, if we want to maintain baseline services as they are today, we have to double taxes. That means my kids live in a world where they’re dramatically poorer than how all the rest of us have lived. And you want to know why the middle class is so cranky? Once again, back to something I said in the beginning. The middle class in this country is poorer today than there were 24 months ago. If you live in my community, if you haven’t had over a 20% pay hike in the last 24 months, you are poorer today than you were before.”

Back to News",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z
https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/09/13/schweikert-mccarthy-lead-roundtable-bringing-awareness-to-growing-threat-of-valley-fever/,"Schweikert, McCarthy Lead Roundtable Bringing Awareness to Growing Threat of Valley Fever",2023-09-13,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,AZ,David Schweikert,S001183,schweikert.house.gov,schweikert,https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yesterday, Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-01) and Speaker Kevin McCarthy (CA-20), co-chairmen of the Congressional Valley Fever Task Force, led a roundtable discussion with former NFL superstar Rob Gronkowski and representatives from Anivive Lifesciences at the U.S. Capitol to raise awareness about the debilitating impacts of Valley Fever on both humans and pets as well as the urgency to develop a cure to eradicate the disease for good.

The roundtable featured testimony from Gronkowski, who is partnering with Anivive to help pets inflicted with the disease get access to care, and Valley Fever experts working on preventative treatments. Rob Purdie, a patient diagnosed with Valley Fever in 2012, also discussed his experience battling the disease and his advocacy for a future vaccine. Anivive recently submitted a canine Valley Fever vaccine application that is currently under review by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and if approved, has the potential to be the first vaccine for a systemic fungal infection in any species with the hope that it will lead to a breakthrough in the development of a vaccine for humans.

“It’s stunning to think that just 10 years ago, the American public knew little about Valley Fever and the devastating effects this disease can inflict upon our communities, particularly in Arizona. What once was misdiagnosed as cancer can now be correctly identified and treated as Valley Fever,” said Congressman Schweikert.“Now more than ever, the Valley Fever Task Force remains laser-focused on bringing awareness and streamlining resources to deliver a cure that provides much-needed relief to families, friends, and beloved pets who have suffered from this terrible disease for far too long.”

“Great progress continues to be made toward developing better treatments and finding a cure for Valley Fever, including a vaccine for dogs that’s projected to be released next year,” said Speaker McCarthy. “But this is only the beginning. In Congress, Task Force members and I will continue supporting efforts toward development of a human vaccine. I am grateful to Congressman and Co-Chairman David Schweikert for his steadfast leadership on this issue over the years, the members of this Task Force, and all of the community advocates and researchers who continue to work toward our shared goals. We look forward to collaborating with stakeholders and colleagues across the aisle to find a cure once and for all.”

“Ralphie and I enjoyed our time in D.C. meeting with members of Congress and other government officials,” said Rob Gronkowski. “The crazy amount of support that they are showing Anivive’s preventive treatment for Valley Fever is very encouraging to all pet owners! I look forward to continue utilizing my resources in championing the fight against Valley Fever.”

“Valley Fever has an enormous impact on the Central Valley, leaving thousands of people sick every single year. I’m proud to be a member of the Valley Fever Task Force to raise awareness and work toward solutions,” said Congressman David Valadao (CA-22). “Today our task force hosted a round table with Valley Fever experts from across the country to hear about current challenges and how we can be helpful at the federal level. I look forward to continuing my work with Valley Fever Task Force Co-Chairs Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Representative David Schweikert to help find treatments for this disease and keep Central Valley families safe and healthy.”

“We commend Speaker McCarthy and Congressman Schweikert for their Leadership on the Valley Fever Task Force,” said Dylan Balsz, CEO, Anivive Lifesciences, Inc. “The development of a pet vaccine not only accelerates one for humans, but is a first step towards a pan-fungal vaccine that can benefit all Americans.”

“I appreciate the efforts of Speaker McCarthy and Congressman Schweikert and their dedication to reestablishing the Valley Fever Task Force for the 118th Congress. It’s great to see this Task Force continue to engage in bringing critical federal resources to bear to address the effects of Valley Fever on states like California and Arizona as well as the growing impact this disease is having on the country,” said Rob Purdie, Patient, Valley Fever Institute. “For us as patients, seeing Members of Congress that care gives us hope and keeps us doing what we need to do. It’s an already difficult disease to deal with. It impacts not just the patient, but the entire family and entire communities. It’s great to have additional people and resources getting onboard, including new Members of Congress joining the Task Force, as well as Rob Gronkowski engaged on this issue. He has a unique opportunity to do that for people, as well as the impact his advocacy has for pets.”

“Congressional attention on infectious diseases and conditions like Valley Fever is so critical. Antimicrobial treatments for these conditions face significant market challenges, which means patients are left to suffer without the drugs they do urgently need,” said Candace DeMatteis, Policy Director, Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease. “This is why we are so thankful for the work of all those who came to the Hill today to drive progress on the PASTEUR Act. The urgency for new, effective antibiotics and antimicrobials impacts everyone – those in regions impacted by Valley Fever as well as the patient waiting for a joint or organ replacement or even a routine cesarean section. It is our hope this bill moves forward this Congress so we can give patients assurance that their doctors will have the tools increasingly needed to treat infections.”

Background:

Valley Fever is a fungal infection endemic to the southwestern United States that is contracted by breathing in fungal spores, often when dry soil is disturbed.

Symptoms of Valley Fever can include a cough, fever, muscle and joint pain, and other symptoms that mimic other common respiratory infections and illnesses, which can lead to a misdiagnosis and underreported figures to the CDC. There were just over 20,000 reported cases in 2021 — the most since 2011 — signaling that Valley Fever is on the rise.

While many cases of Valley Fever are mild, if left untreated, some cases can develop into severe fungal infections that spread from the lungs to other parts of the body and can be fatal.

Arizona alone accounts for about 65% of all reported Valley Fever cases in the United States. There is currently no cure, and doctors often recommend patients take antifungal medications for life.

In 2013, Rep. Schweikert and Speaker McCarthy co-founded the Valley Fever Task Force, with the goal being to share information with stakeholders in the medical and scientific fields to foster new advancements in prevention and treatment as well as to work with community organizations to help educate individuals on the disease.

In the 117th Congress, Rep. Schweikert and Speaker McCarthy introduced the Finding Orphan-disease Remedies with Antifungal Research and Development (FORWARD) Act, bipartisan legislation to support research initiatives to treat Valley Fever.

Back to News",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z
https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-urges-swift-impeachment-joe-biden-after-house-oversight,Congressman Biggs Urges a Swift Impeachment of Joe Biden After the House Oversight Committee Unearths Mountains of Evidence,2023-09-12,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,AZ,Andy Biggs,B001302,biggs.house.gov,biggs,https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy directed House committees to open an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) issued the following statement in response to Speaker McCarthy's announcement:

""I’ve long called for the impeachment of President Joe Biden. An impeachment inquiry steers us in a better direction to accomplish that, but more work remains to be done. House Republicans cannot lose focus with this inquiry and slow walk bringing impeachment articles to the House Floor,"" said Congressman Biggs.

""After reviewing Suspicious Activity Reports, bank records, depositions, and more, it is clear to me that President Biden has committed numerous crimes while serving in public office, arguably making him the most corrupt president in American history.

""The Oversight & Accountability Committee has identified more than $20 million flowing from foreign powers to the pockets of Biden Family members. In a sworn deposition, Devon Archer admitted to me that the ""Biden Brand"" being sold by Hunter Biden was in fact Joe Biden.

""Joe Biden made more than 20 calls to Hunter and his business partners, and the White House kept Hunter in the loop on the then-Vice President's official activities. Brave IRS whistleblowers have implicated current Biden Administration officials in attempts to meddle in the Justice Department's investigation into Hunter's criminal activities.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:35:26Z
https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6994,Gosar Statement on Biden Impeachment Inquiry,2023-09-12,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,AZ,Paul A. Gosar,G000565,gosar.house.gov,gosar,https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Washington, D.C. -- Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), issued the following statement following Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s announcement opening a formal impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden in the United States House of Representatives:

“I wholeheartedly support Speaker McCarthy’s decision to open an impeachment inquiry of Joe Biden.

The House Oversight Committee on which I serve has methodically uncovered substantial evidence detailing multiple levels of corruption and impeachable offenses by Joe Biden.

Mr. Biden very well may be the most corrupt and incompetent president in American history. Every week, new revelations come out on how his dealings with foreign governments enriched him and his family at the expense of Americans.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T18:35:26Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-opens-new-sierra-vista-office,Ciscomani Opens New Sierra Vista Office,2023-09-07,2023,2023-09,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. – U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) today celebrated the grand opening of his new office location in Sierra Vista. The congressman named Fiona de Young last month as the Community Liaison based in Cochise County. The new office is located in the Cochise College Downtown Center at 2600 E. Wilcox Dr., Room H-106.

“My team and I are committed to serving our constituents in every corner of the district, whether it’s through mobile office hours, physical office locations, our website or visits to your neighborhood,” said Ciscomani. “I’m thrilled to open our doors to the Cochise County community in a space that already serves constituents’ needs through community partners housed at this location who provide workforce training, veteran services and more. Our dedicated office stands readily available and accessible to serve our district.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:37:48Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-launches-veterans-advisory-council,Ciscomani Launches Veterans Advisory Council,2023-08-31,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, launched his new Veterans Advisory Council yesterday. The group, chaired by Maj. Gen. Don Shepperd (Ret.), is comprised of veterans from the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, and U.S. Navy, along with other stakeholders from the military community.

During the council’s inaugural meeting, they identified specific areas of focus, which include veterans’ transition into civilian life, access to housing, mental health and suicide prevention, and workforce and education opportunities. Ciscomani also shared a legislative update on his work in Congress for veterans and the group discussed ways to expand upon it to deliver more solutions for Arizona’s veterans.

""During my short time in office, I have consistently heard about the unique challenges that our veterans face, from the backlogs at the VA to the difficulty of adjusting to civilian life,” said Ciscomani, whose district is home to over 70,000 veterans. “I formed this group to be a results-oriented platform that will allow me to be consistently attuned to the concerns of our veterans, specifically regarding their transition out of uniform, veteran homelessness, mental health and suicide prevention, and education opportunities. The individuals on this council bring with them decades of experience and I look forward to working with them to provide for their fellow veterans.”

“The Veterans Advisory Council has been charged with making our veterans’ lives better, which we will do by focusing on the things that they need and giving recommendations to the congressman that he can relay to Congress,” said Maj. Gen. Shepperd.

The council includes:

Don Shepperd, U.S. Air Force and Chair of the Veterans Advisory Council

Tom Davis, U.S. Army

Nick Franco, U.S. Marine Corps veteran

Ben Buehler Garcia, Host of American Warrior Radio

Allen Kinnison, U.S. Air Force veteran

Young Mayberry, U.S. Air Force

Mayor Clea McCaa, U.S. Army veteran and Mayor of Sierra Vista

George Murga, U.S. Navy veteran

Tom Murphy, U.S. Air Force veteran and Mayor of Sahuarita

Cody Nichols, U.S. Army veteran

Jane Strain, U.S. Army veteran

Bob Wells, U.S. Navy veteran

Alex Wright, U.S. Air Force veteran",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z
https://crane.house.gov/2023/08/31/media-press-releases-crane-admin-should-boost-us-energy-not-continue-hand-our-adversaries-win/,"Crane: Admin Should Boost U.S. Energy, Not Continue to Hand Our Adversaries a Win",2023-08-31,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,AZ,Elijah Crane,C001132,crane.house.gov,crane,https://crane.house.gov/media/,scraper,"“This Energy Tour, led by Rep. Matt Rosendale, underscored the crucial role our domestic energy producers play and the need to champion American energy.

“Today, we’re witnessing the Biden Administration wage a war on American energy, keeping much of it imprisoned underground to the advantage of our adversaries. This assault on domestic producers severely dims our economic outlook, destroys jobs here at home, and creates a vulnerability in our national security.

“Our federal government should be advancing American energy interests, not aiding and abetting our adversaries by handing them a win. Our dependence on foreign energy is a disgraceful indicator of this Administration’s sabotage of America’s security and prosperity.

“I’m grateful to the energy producers that Reps. Rosendale, Biggs, and I met with over the last three days who demonstrated the success of American energy and showcased the benefits of energy independence. Every member of the Biden Admin should see, firsthand, what they actively undermine each and every day by continuing to sabotage our energy producers.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z
https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-introduces-legislation-defund-politicized-fulton-county-da,Congressman Biggs Introduces Legislation to Defund Politicized Fulton County DA Office,2023-08-25,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,AZ,Andy Biggs,B001302,biggs.house.gov,biggs,https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) introduced a bill to hold the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, led by District Attorney Fani Willis, accountable for its unprecedented political prosecution of former U.S. President Donald J. Trump.

The Withholding Investments from Lawless Litigators in States or the WILLIS Act prohibits federal funds from being awarded to the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office and requires the Office to repay federal funds granted after January 1, 2021.

In April of this year, an investigation by the House Judiciary Committee found that Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg used federal funds in his politically motivated prosecution of Donald Trump. This week, Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) launched a similar investigation into Fulton County DA Fani Willis.

""The indictments from the Fulton County Grand Jury are some of the weakest and most ridiculous I’ve ever seen. President Trump and the 18 others mentioned were indicted for mundane activities like sending a text message, making a phone call, reserving a conference room, and tweeting. This is a blatant attack on American freedoms,"" said Congressman Biggs.

""Our national debt is at an all-time high. We cannot afford to have our federal government funding corrupt DA Offices’ quests for national fame through political witch hunts. I am thankful to Chairman Jordan for leading the investigation into Ms. Willis and look forward to the clarity and accountability it will bring.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z
https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6968,Gosar Introduces Amendment Increasing Pay for U.S. Service Members by $300 Million in FY2024 Defense Appropriations Act,2023-08-25,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,AZ,Paul A. Gosar,G000565,gosar.house.gov,gosar,https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Kingman, AZ - Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), issued the following statement after introducing amendment number 10 for H.R. 4365, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2024. Amendment 10 reduces the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative by $300,000,000 and increases pay for enlisted service members by $300,000,000.

“The United States has wasted $100 billion fighting a proxy war in Ukraine in which we have no national security interest being in. Incredulously, Biden recently asked Congress for another $24 billion to perpetuate this needless war.

Rather than sending another dime to Ukraine, my amendment strips out $300 million dollars for Ukrainian soldiers stashed in the annual defense funding bill and instead increases the pay of our brave service members right here in the United States by $300 million.

After years of promoting homosexuality and drag shows on military bases and ships, Joe Biden’s Department of Defense has ravaged our Armed Forces. Perhaps a salary increase will help incentivize military recruitment and support military retention, both of which have dwindled since Biden took office.

The bottom line is if we are going to spend millions of taxpayers’ dollars, it should go to American troops, not foreign soldiers thousands of miles away,” stated Congressman Gosar.

Background:

Section 8104 of H.R. 4365, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2024, appropriates $300,000,000 under the heading ‘‘Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide’’ for the Defense Security Cooperation Agency to remain available until September 30, 2025, for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (Page 118).

Congressman Gosar has voted against every single bill to fund the war in Ukraine and has repeatedly called for peace.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z
https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-urges-hasc-chairman-rogers-include-overtime-pay-cbp-agents,Congressman Biggs Urges HASC Chairman Rogers to Include Overtime Pay for CBP Agents in FY24 National Defense Authorization Act,2023-08-24,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,AZ,Andy Biggs,B001302,biggs.house.gov,biggs,https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"This week, Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) sent a letter to Mike Rogers (R-AL), Chairman of the House Committee on Armed Services (HASC), regarding overtime pay for Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) Agents. Section 11133 of the Senate version of the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) would ensure that CBP Agents receive fair compensation for working hours beyond the call of duty. This provision would reinstate a policy in place before it was removed during the Obama Administration and would also bring CBP overtime levels into alignment with similar agencies, like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Congressman Biggs’s letter urges Chairman Rogers to support inclusion of Section 11133 into the final text of the FY24 NDAA during the upcoming NDAA conference committee.

“Our Customs and Border Patrol agents are some of the bravest and hardest working individuals America has to offer. This administration’s refusal to acknowledge the growing border crisis only makes these agents’ jobs harder. CBP agents are forced to work longer hours to make up for the Biden Administration’s incompetency.

“These agents should, without question, be fairly compensated for the extra hours they serve protecting our national security. I’m thankful to my colleagues for their support and look forward to Chairman Rogers’ swift response,” said Congressman Biggs.

Cosigners of the letter are: Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL), Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR), Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ), Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY), Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), and Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN).

The letter may be read here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-pettersen-introduce-bipartisan-bicameral-effort-expand-rural,"Ciscomani, Pettersen Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Effort to Expand Rural Broadband Access",2023-08-18,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"TUCSON, AZ – U.S. Representatives Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) and Brittany Pettersen (D-CO-07) this week introduced the Connecting Our Neighbors to Networks and Ensuring Competitive Telecommunications (CONNECT) Act, legislation aimed at expanding rural broadband access. This bill reforms the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) ReConnect Loan and Grant Program to make it easier for small providers, local governments, nonprofits and cooperatives to apply to this program and to shorten required permitting deadlines, expediting funding for projects in rural communities. You can find full bill text here.

“In today’s age, internet access drives almost every aspect of life, from economic growth to educational opportunities,” said Rep. Ciscomani. “Yet too many rural areas in Arizona lack access to strong, reliable broadband, which stunts the growth and prosperity of these communities. I am proud to partner with Congresswoman Pettersen and Senators Bennet and Budd in this bipartisan effort to close the digital divide.”

“Access to reliable, high-speed internet is essential for the success of our students, businesses, and communities—but too many Coloradans, especially in rural areas, are without broadband,” said Rep. Pettersen. “Much of my district encompasses rural mountain towns, many that don’t have consistent access to internet, so I’m proud to introduce this bill alongside Congressman Ciscomani and Senators Bennet and Budd to improve and strengthen the USDA’s ReConnect program. It’s the next step as we close the digital divide and level the playing field for all Americans.”

Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Ted Budd (R-NC) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

“Broadband is the essential infrastructure of the 21st century, but rural communities across Colorado and the country are being left behind,” said Sen. Bennet. “It’s time Washington made federal programs easier to access for small providers–who are most attuned to the needs of their customers–and strengthened support for local governments, nonprofit organizations, and cooperatives seeking to provide internet service to rural residents.”

“The USDA’s ReConnect Program has already helped bridge the digital divide in North Carolina, but the application process remains complicated and expensive,” said Sen.Budd. “This makes it harder for small rural providers to get projects approved. I’m proud to partner with Senator Bennet on bipartisan legislation that will make it easier for more Americans to get access to affordable, high-quality internet.”

While the ReConnect Loan and Grant program provides broadband funding for eligible rural areas, the application process can be complicated and prohibitively expensive for small providers. Specifically, the CONNECT Act would:

Establish an Office of Technical Assistance to aid eligible providers with application forms;

Create a Mini-Grant Program offering grants up to $20,000 for small providers;

Prioritize applications from local governments, nonprofit organizations, or cooperatives;

Designate rural areas that receive broadband service via non-wireline technology as eligible for ReConnect funding;

Shorten certain permitting deadlines for USDA-funded broadband projects from 270 to 180 days;

Create an interagency Broadband Council to recommend uniform speed and application requirements for federal programs; and

Expand federal easements for certain electric utilities to enable them to lease existing fiber capacity.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z
https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-conducts-oversight-over-concerns-inaccurate-data-reporting,Congressman Biggs Conducts Oversight Over Concerns of Inaccurate Data Reporting by the Department of Veterans Affairs,2023-08-16,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,AZ,Andy Biggs,B001302,biggs.house.gov,biggs,https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"This week, Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) sent a letter to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis R. McDonough to conduct oversight over concerns that the VA may be severely undercounting veteran suicide rates. A September 2022 interim report from America’s Warrior Partnership (AWP) indicates that the veteran suicide rate from 2014-2018 may be 37% greater than what was reported by the VA. Congressman Biggs’s letter requests answers from the VA concerning the discrepancies between the data reported by AWP and the VA’s data.

""The brave men and women who have made the sacrifice to selflessly serve our nation deserve only the best care once they fulfill their duties. The VA should always ensure that our veterans receive the caliber of care to which they are entitled. This begins with sound data collection and reporting.

""The large discrepancy in reported data of veteran suicide rates raises concerns that veterans are not receiving the help they are promised by the VA. Incorrect data can lead to misallocation of resources in veteran care and reduced effectiveness of VA programs. I am committed to safeguarding the health of our nation’s veterans through oversight of the federal agency tasked with their care.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z
https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6952,Gosar Statement on Two Year Anniversary of Disastrous Withdrawal from Afghanistan,2023-08-15,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,AZ,Paul A. Gosar,G000565,gosar.house.gov,gosar,https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Kingman, AZ - Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), issued the following statement marking the second anniversary of Joe Biden’s disastrous troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

“Two years ago, Joe Biden and his incompetent administration withdrew our troops from Afghanistan, leaving over $80 billion of the best military equipment we have to our sworn enemies: China, the Taliban and Iran. Worse, Biden and his incapable generals, exposed our ground troops to hostile attacks, killing 13 soldiers. Hundreds of American citizens were left stranded. Many remain left behind this very day.

This botched withdrawal was completely preventable. Not only was this military retreat a humiliating loss for the United States, it rendered every life we lost there an unnecessary sacrifice, plus we wasted over $1 trillion in taxpayer money.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z
https://crane.house.gov/2023/08/14/media-press-releases-crane-navajo-code-talkers-served-our-country-profoundly-unique-and-significant/,Crane: Navajo Code Talkers Served Our Country in a Profoundly Unique and Significant Way,2023-08-14,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,AZ,Elijah Crane,C001132,crane.house.gov,crane,https://crane.house.gov/media/,scraper,"“Navajo Code Talkers Day commemorates the mission critical, exceptional contributions of the Code Talkers from Navajo Nation who served during World War II, and honors their extraordinary actions. These Marines used their language to transmit encrypted messages throughout the Pacific theater, helping pave the way to an American victory.

“In 1982, President Reagan designated August 14th as ‘a day dedicated to all members of the Navajo Nation and to all Native Americans who gave of their special talents and their lives so that others might live.’

“As the Member of Congress from Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District, I’m immensely proud to represent Navajo Nation and some of the last surviving Navajo Code Talkers alive today. Earlier this year, on a visit to Window Rock, I had the privilege of meeting one of these heroes, former Chairman of Navajo Nation Peter MacDonald. Our country and our state are free, in great part, to the skillset and fortitude of these men.

“I, along with every American, am grateful for these patriots who served our country in a profoundly unique and significant way.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z
https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/08/14/schweikert-smith-seek-public-input-on-tax-exempt-organizations-potential-violations-of-rules-on-political-activities-inappropriate-use-of-charitable-funds-rise-in-foreign-sources-of-funding/,"Schweikert, Smith Seek Public Input on Tax-Exempt Organizations: Potential Violations of Rules on Political Activities, Inappropriate Use of Charitable Funds, & Rise in Foreign Sources of Funding",2023-08-14,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,AZ,David Schweikert,S001183,schweikert.house.gov,schweikert,https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Committee on Ways and Means is conducting an examination into whether entities that qualify as tax-exempt under Section 501 of the U.S. Code are abiding by the statutory and regulatory prohibitions against certain activities and whether foreign sources of funding are being funneled through such organizations to influence America’s elections. As a part of that effort, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman David Schweikert (AZ-01) have released an open letter to groups organized under Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) requesting information and input on existing rules and regulations governing them and foreign sources of funding for tax-exempt organizations and what, if any, policy changes Congress should consider.

“Public reporting has raised questions about whether tax-exempt sectors are operating in a manner consistent with the laws and regulations that govern such organizations and whether foreign funds are flowing through these organizations to influence American politics,” writes Ways and Means Committee Chairman Smith and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Schweikert. “For example, the Committee has learned that a Super Political Action Committee (PAC) recommended donations to 501(c)(3) organizations as ‘the single most effective tactic for ensuring Democratic victories’ and that large donations from a wealthy donor to state election offices in 2020 may have been done in a manner that helps one political party over another. Additionally, the Committee has also found that significant amounts of foreign money is flowing through 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations to influence elections.”

In addition to the request for information from tax-exempt organizations, Smith and Schweikert’s open letter provides:

Background on the laws and regulations governing 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) entities.

Information on a February 2020 Government Accountability Office report on the roles, responsibilities, and perspectives of federal agencies that oversee campaign finance that found Internal Revenue Service prohibitions on political activity lack clarity, leading to confusion among tax-exempt organizations.

Detailed concerns that already exist about the flow of funds into America’s political system and elections under the guise of charitable, religious, or educational purposes or the promotion of social welfare.

Read the full letter here.

Back to News",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-pushes-accelerate-usda-approval-canine-valley-fever-vaccine,Ciscomani Pushes to Accelerate USDA Approval of Canine Valley Fever Vaccine,2023-08-10,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) and a group of his fellow Arizona congressmen are pushing to accelerate the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) review and approval of a canine Valley fever vaccine.

Ciscomani, joined by Congressmen David Schweikert (R-AZ-01), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ-07), and Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04), sent a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack requesting an update on the status of the vaccine and encouraged its full and fair consideration from the agency.

“As Valley fever remains prevalent across our state, Arizonans continue to look for ways to prevent this terrible disease, for themselves, their families, and their pets alike,” saidCiscomani. “I’m encouraged to see that the USDA is reviewing a potential canine Valley fever vaccine as it would open doors to vaccines for humans while protecting man’s best friend. I hope the agency continues to prioritize both animal and human Valley fever vaccines to give Arizonans much-needed protection from this vicious disease.”

""As co-chairman of the Valley Fever Task Force, I've spent more than a decade in Congress bringing much-needed awareness to this debilitating and often deadly disease that disproportionately impacts our communities here in Arizona,” said Schweikert. “It's more than encouraging that the USDA is reviewing a potential canine Valley fever vaccine, which could lead to a breakthrough in treatment options for humans and an eventual cure to help end the suffering of our constituents affected by this terrible disease.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z
https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6949,Gosar Rejects Biden’s Latest Request for More Money for War,2023-08-10,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,AZ,Paul A. Gosar,G000565,gosar.house.gov,gosar,https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Kingman, AZ - Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), issued the following statement in response to the Biden Administration’s latest request for more than $24 billion, in addition to the over $100 billion already spent, to fight a proxy war in Ukraine:

“Joe Biden was bribed by Ukraine through a variety of shady transactions. The United States has no interest in Ukraine, and no business funding an expensive proxy war there, other than the millions of dollars in bribes paid by Ukraine to the Bidens.

Our own border is undefended and wide open. Over 7,000,000 illegal aliens have crossed into the U.S. unhindered and over 200,000 Americans have died of fentanyl poisoning since Biden took office.

Every dollar we have should be spent securing our own border and securing Social Security.

Biden’s latest request from Congress for billions more to fight a war that the United States has no national security interest being involved in is wrong. I have consistently opposed any taxpayer dollars to Ukraine and this time is no different: Congress should not authorize any more funding in Ukraine. We need peace, not more war.

A recent CNN poll showed a clear majority of Americans do not want us to spend another nickel on Ukraine.

Rather than sending a single additional penny to Ukraine to abet the killing of countless more people, a far better use would be if Biden for once put America first by allocating resources in our country to secure the southern border which being invaded by seven million lawbreakers, funding law enforcement efforts to combat the violent crime and drugs destroying cities across America or aiding our homeless population, including countless veterans, who are sleeping on sidewalks.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-joins-house-oversight-judiciary-committees-border-focused-field,"Ciscomani Joins House Oversight, Judiciary Committees for Border-Focused Field Hearing in Sierra Vista",2023-08-09,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"SIERRA VISTA, AZ – U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) joined his colleagues on the House Oversight and Judiciary Committees in Sierra Vista on Tuesday for a field hearing focused on the border crisis. The group was briefed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), local law enforcement, and other border officials. They also heard testimonies from several witnesses including Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels and local rancher John Ladd, two members of Ciscomani’s bipartisan Citizens Advisory Council. Ciscomani was accompanied by fellow Congressmen Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Glenn Grothman (WI-06), Chuck Edwards (NC-11) and William Timmons (SC-04).

Image",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z
https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5939,Gosar Statement Regarding Biden Grand Canyon Land Grab,2023-08-08,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,AZ,Paul A. Gosar,G000565,gosar.house.gov,gosar,https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Kingman, AZ - Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), issued the following statement in response to the Biden administration’s announcement designating almost one million acres adjacent to the Grand Canyon as a national monument:

“Circumventing Congressional authority and with the swipe of a pen, Joe Biden intends to lock up one million acres of public land and permanently prohibit mining of the richest and highest-grade uranium in the United States from deposits that are far outside the Grand Canyon National Park.

Designating existing public lands as a national monument in northern Arizona is flat out wrong and irresponsible. The move represents the Biden administration’s latest massive land grab effort and will have a devastating impact on public access and use of federal lands. The designation and corresponding uranium withdrawal increases America’s reliance on foreign adversaries for minerals, threatening America’s energy, economic, and national security for generations to come.

Mohave County Supervisor Buster Johnson opposes the creation of the monument, noting: ""This would have devastating impacts on Mohave County. This proposal was never coordinated with Mohave County officials, whose area will be changed forever by this designation."" The actions taken today illustrate the Biden administration’s lack of interest in stakeholders on the ground as they advance and promote a radical environmental justice agenda above all else.

Whether it is the ever-expanding war on domestic energy production, hostility to domestic mining, prohibition of gas stoves and water tanks, draconian mandates on what cars Americans can drive, or restricting the public’s access and use of federal lands, the Biden administration will stop at nothing to inject Joe Biden’s radical eco-agenda in every aspect of American life,” stated Congressman Gosar.

Background:

Congress has repeatedly rejected the creation of this land grab. The land at issue is historic mining lands and was expressly reserved for mining in a variety of compromises with far left radical environmentalists in the 1980’s.

Since at least 2008, radical leftists have tried to lock up this area and prevent mining, hunting, camping, hiking and cattle grazing. Indeed, their goal was to stop any use of this land. And since 2008 Congress soundly rejected this massive theft of land.

Now, using the Antiquities Act, which only allows up to 5,000 acres as a land selection, and the smallest amount minimally required to protect archeological carvings and monuments, Biden has attempted to set aside 1,000,000 acres.

This is patently illegal, and the courts should strike this designation. Moreover, people should continue to use this land as if nothing has changed. An illegal action is null from the outset. Home to our nation’s sacred uranium lands, mining should continue without regard to an illegal act.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/icymi-ciscomani-sinema-hold-roundtable-graham-and-greenlee-county-leaders,"ICYMI: Ciscomani, Sinema Hold Roundtable with Graham and Greenlee County Leaders",2023-08-07,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"THATCHER, AZ – U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) joined Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) on Thursday for a roundtable with local leaders from Graham and Greenlee Counties to discuss their communities’ priorities including strengthening water security, addressing workforce challenges, and rebuilding outdated infrastructure.

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“From the city council to local business owners, our community leaders have a unique pulse on the needs of each of our communities,” said Congressman Ciscomani. “It was great to spend time in Thatcher with Senator Sinema to discuss how we can be strong federal partners to our cities and counties and hear directly from local leaders across Graham and Greenlee Counties.”

“I’m focused on the implementation of our bipartisan infrastructure law to ensure Greenlee and Graham Counties get their fair share of federal dollars,” said Senator Sinema.“I’m grateful to Congressman Ciscomani and local leaders for their partnership in getting things done for Greenlee and Graham Counties.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z
https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=6950,U.S. Credit Rating Lowered Due to Incompetence By Biden Administration,2023-08-03,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,AZ,Paul A. Gosar,G000565,gosar.house.gov,gosar,https://gosar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Lake Havasu City, AZ - Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), issued the following statement in response to a report that the credit rating agency Fitch has lowered the United States of America’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating from AAA to AA+, which will have a major impact on the ability of the United States to borrow money at the best rates:

“The lowering of the credit rating is the direct consequence of the incompetence of the Biden administration. This in turn will increase the cost of borrowing, contribute to the ever-growing deficit and make it more attractive for borrowers to borrow money from other countries.

It was Joe Biden’s Treasury Secretary Janet Yellin who famously declared: “I think I was wrong then about the path that inflation would take."" Seemingly, everybody else understood that when you spend and borrow massive amounts of money, inflation will inevitably result. That is Economics 101. As long as Biden and the democrats continue on their quest to spend more and more money, this economy killing inflation will continue. The massive Biden-caused inflation is hurting all Americans,” concluded Congressman Gosar.

Background:

On August 2, 2023, credit rating agency Fitch downgraded the United States rating from AAA to AA+. This will result in higher borrowing interest rates, while making the United States less competitive. It also threatens the ability of the U.S. dollar to maintain its global dominance. In light of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) and its efforts to create its own currency and to de-monetize the U.S. dollar, the Biden regime’s on-going foreign and domestic policy incompetence is causing lasting damage to the U.S.

Fortune recently wrote: “As a scholar who has studied the BRICS countries for over a decade, I can certainly see why talk of a BRICS currency is, well, gaining currency. The BRICS summit comes as countries across the world are confronting a changing geopolitical landscape that is challenging the traditional dominance of the West. And while the BRICS countries have been seeking to reduce their reliance on the dollar for over a decade, Western sanctions on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine have accelerated the process.”

Meanwhile, rising interest rates and the recent debt-ceiling crisis in the U.S. have raised concerns among other countries about their dollar-denominated debt and the demise of the dollar should the world’s leading economy ever default.

In its report, Fitch explained that: “The rating downgrade of the United States reflects the expected fiscal deterioration over the next three years. In addition, the government lacks a medium-term fiscal framework, unlike most peers” and it noted the budgetary process is complex and marked by last minute deals and lack of planning.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-visits-community-projects-pinal-county-touts-5-million-secured,"Ciscomani Visits Community Projects in Pinal County, Touts $5 Million Secured For District",2023-08-02,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"PINAL COUNTY, AZ – U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, yesterday visited two community projects in Casa Grande and Eloy that are set to receive funding secured by the congressman in this year’s funding bill.

Congressman Ciscomani attended the Central Arizona Irrigation and Drainage District (CAIDD) board meeting to discuss their plans to improve irrigation systems in the area. Ciscomani secured $1.8 million for the project in the House’s energy and water funding bill. He also visited the Thornton Road expansion site to see the progress of the project. Congressman Ciscomani successfully included $3.7 million in this year’s funding package for the city of Casa Grande to continue this expansion.

Image

“Between these two projects, we will have secured nearly $5 million for Pinal County, and I am proud of the work we have done to bring these federal dollars back to our district,” said Congressman Ciscomani. “These visits were a great opportunity to see firsthand how this funding will be used in each community and create a meaningful impact on my constituents.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z
https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/08/01/schweikert-statement-on-fitch-downgrading-the-u-s-credit-rating/,Schweikert Statement on Fitch Downgrading the U.S. Credit Rating,2023-08-01,2023,2023-08,Republican,House,AZ,David Schweikert,S001183,schweikert.house.gov,schweikert,https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative David Schweikert (AZ-01) released the following statement after Fitch Ratings downgraded the U.S. credit rating from “AAA” to “AA+”:

“Today’s decision by Fitch Ratings to downgrade U.S. sovereign debt to ‘AA+’ is yet another sign that incessant and irresponsible borrowing to fund bigger government is not without real repercussions.

“I’ve been outspoken in my belief that we need to get America’s fiscal house in order before it’s too late. Fitch’s downgrade should be seen as exactly what it is — a warning that continuing down the path of out-of-control borrowing will and does have serious consequences.”

Back to News",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:30:18Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-names-fiona-de-young-cochise-county-based-community-liaison,Ciscomani Names Fiona de Young as Cochise County-Based Community Liaison,2023-07-28,2023,2023-07,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Sierra Vista, AZ – U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) named Fiona de Young as his new Community Liaison based in Cochise County. As Community Liaison, de Young will assist the congressman with community outreach, constituent casework and other services in Sierra Vista and the surrounding areas, including Cochise, Graham, and Greenlee Counties.

“I am thrilled to be bringing Fiona on to the team and know she will work hard to ensure our office has a strong presence in our district, and specifically in Cochise County,” said Ciscomani. “She has a track record of service and dedication to the betterment of our state, and I look forward to having her on my staff as we deliver results for our district.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:18:03Z
https://crane.house.gov/2023/07/28/media-press-releases-crane-bill-support-northern-az-veterans-receives-legislative-hearing/,Crane Bill to Support Northern AZ Veterans Receives Legislative Hearing,2023-07-28,2023,2023-07,Republican,House,AZ,Elijah Crane,C001132,crane.house.gov,crane,https://crane.house.gov/media/,scraper,"Last week, the House Committee on Natural Resources held a Subcommittee on Federal Lands legislative hearing on H.R.1829, a bill introduced by Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ), which would transfer land to Gila County, AZ for construction of a veterans center on 232 acres in Young, Arizona.

The center would be the first of its kind in northern Arizona, providing resources and support to primarily rural veterans and their families.

Gila County Supervisor Woody Cline testified before the Committee on the significant impacts and outstanding resources the center would provide for veterans and their families in the region.

Speaking to Supervisor Cline about the purpose of the veterans center, Rep. Eli Crane said, “One of the things I love so much about this project, is that you’re not coming here, Mr. Cline, and asking the federal government for any money. You’re actually trying to take something that’s a beautiful piece of land that’s not being used anymore and revitalize it into something amazing for some of our nation’s finest individuals.”

The transfer of ownership to Gila County would protect and maintain the rich history of the property while providing family housing, meeting and activity spaces, resource rooms, Veteran Ceremonial Grounds, and outdoor recreation.

The bipartisan legislation, introduced by Senator Kelly (D-AZ) and Senator Sinema (I-AZ) in the Senate, requires the Secretary of Agriculture to convey the Pleasant Valley Ranger District Administrative Site to Gila County, Arizona.

Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) and former Rep. Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ) helped to lay the foundation for this bipartisan effort last Congress.

“I’m grateful that the Committee had the opportunity to hear from Supervisor Cline on why this land transfer and veterans center are so crucial for those in Northern Arizona who selflessly served our nation. This legislation would give our heroes and their families priceless resources that aren’t available elsewhere in the region. I’m grateful to Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman and Subcommittee Chairman Tom Tiffany for their leadership and look forward to the advancement of this bill,” said Rep. Crane.

“This site will only be one of two sites in Arizona. There’s one in the southern part of Arizona and one in the northern part […] It’s huge for our local community as well. We have a local veteran community of about 100 people right there in that small town. And then right there between us and Payson, there’s roughly another 5,000-7,000 more right there. Having this accessible, not only to the local members, the state members, the national members, but also, we’re adjacent to the White Mountain Apache Tribe that is not very far away that has a number of veterans in that reservation as well that have been big supporters of this project. It means everything to these folks,” said Gila County Supervisor Woody Cline during hearing questioning.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:18:03Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-presses-va-closure-sierra-vista-location,Ciscomani Presses VA on Closure of Sierra Vista Location,2023-07-27,2023,2023-07,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, this week pressed the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on the recent closure of their Sierra Vista Vet Center Community Access Point.

In a letter to Dr. Shereef Elnahal, the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health, the congressman highlighted the importance of easy access to care for our veterans and challenges posed by the closure of the Sierra Vista location. He also questioned the VA on their decision to shut down the location and requested a timeline for the opening of new location.

“This news is incredibly concerning to me as the closure of the Sierra Vista location leaves the nearest Vet Center more than 75 miles away and creates an immense burden for veterans that rely on the VA for these services,” said the letter. “Our veterans disproportionately struggle with mental health but are less likely to ask for help than their peers. Therefore, we need to focus on eliminating barriers to care and doing all we can to provide the high level of treatment they deserve.”

Though the Veteran Health Administration (VHA) has approved a Vet Center Outstation to replace of the Sierra Vista Access Point, the congressman expressed concern regarding the amount of time that veterans in Cochise County and the surrounding areas will have to wait until the location is up and running. Cochise County is home to over 18,000 veterans.

Congressman Ciscomani requested answers to the following questions by August 3, 2023:",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:18:03Z
https://crane.house.gov/2023/07/27/media-press-releases-crane-legislation-eliminate-obstacles-veterans-passes-veterans-affairs/,Crane Legislation to Eliminate Obstacles for Veterans Passes Veterans Affairs Committee,2023-07-27,2023,2023-07,Republican,House,AZ,Elijah Crane,C001132,crane.house.gov,crane,https://crane.house.gov/media/,scraper,"Last Wednesday, the House Committee on Veterans Affairs voted to advance H.R.3974 – Veterans Education Assistance Improvement Act, legislation by Rep. Rosendale (R-MT) that includes the Transcript Assurance for Heroes Act by Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ).

The Transcript Assurance for Heroes Act would cut red tape and streamline the unnecessarily complex process often experienced by GI Bill beneficiaries trying to access their official academic transcripts.

“I’m proud of the progress this legislation has made and am looking forward to the positive impact it will have on the warriors who put everything on the line for our nation,” said Rep. Crane.

Background:

Veterans receiving an education under the GI Bill often face obstacles in accessing their transcripts — primarily through inaccurate billing practices and disputed debts.

Institutions can exploit the lack of counseling for student veterans, misrepresenting the extent of financial coverage under the GI Bill. As a result, balances are left unpaid on student accounts, leading to the withholding of transcripts for these veterans.

This bill would require educational institutions to provide eligible veterans with readily available digital copies of their transcripts, ensuring unimpeded access.

Withholding academic transcripts can result in serious issues for our veterans, impacting their lives and education prospects for a lifetime. By withholding these academic records, it hinders the pursuit of further education, preventing them from transferring or pursuing advanced degrees.

Gatekeeping access can also lead to adverse credit scores, leading to difficulty securing employment, obtaining housing, and receiving financial aid – all of which incentivize the pursuit of unauthorized loans, offered via predatory practices.

Further, when academic institutions shut down, veterans need access to their records to transfer schools. Veterans who are leaving a closing school, should be afforded a much easier time acquiring the documents they need to advance their lives.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:18:03Z
https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-demands-dhs-accountability-dismissal-immigration-cases,Congressman Biggs Demands DHS Accountability for Dismissal of Immigration Cases,2023-07-26,2023,2023-07,Republican,House,AZ,Andy Biggs,B001302,biggs.house.gov,biggs,https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"This week, Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to inquire about DHS’s dismissal of immigration cases. In FY22, ICE’s Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) moved to dismiss or administratively close nearly 92,000 immigration removal cases. In his letter, Congressman Biggs demands answers from Mayorkas regarding the concerning number of dismissals by OPLA.

“Secretary Mayorkas, through the dismissal of removal cases, has once again shown the American people that he is unfit to carry out the responsibilities of his office. Every day that Mayorkas remains in office, America becomes less safe. I am grateful to my colleagues for their support on this letter, and I look forward to the accountability that it will bring,” said Congressman Biggs.

Cosigners of the letter are: Rep. Michael Cloud (R-TX), Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-TX), Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), Rep. Ronny L. Jackson (R-TX), Rep. Brian Babin (R-TX), Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK), Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT), Rep. John Rose (R-TN), Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX), Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY), Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO), Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), and Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA).

The letter may be read here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:18:03Z
https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/07/26/schweikert-fighting-for-a-healthier-america-transcends-partisan-politics/,Schweikert: Fighting for a Healthier America Transcends Partisan Politics,2023-07-26,2023,2023-07,Republican,House,AZ,David Schweikert,S001183,schweikert.house.gov,schweikert,https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative David Schweikert (AZ-01) delivered a speech on the House Floor last night to discuss how nearly all of FY2023 discretionary spending is on borrowed money. Rep. Schweikert also noted that diabetes accounts for a significant portion of all U.S. health care spending and urged his colleagues to put their differences aside and enact meaningful legislation that will begin to put the nation on a path to a healthier society.

Excerpts from Rep. Schweikert’s floor speech can be found below:

Click here or on the image above to view Rep. Schweikert’s remarks.

On nearly the entire federal government being funded on borrowed money this fiscal year:

[Beginning at 4:20 mark]

“This fiscal year, [I have] us coming in around $1,840 billion of borrowing. Why is that important? The 2023 Fiscal Year discretionary [spending], defense included, defense and non-defense discretionary, was to be $1,836 billion in total spending, basically meaning every dime of what you think of as government is on borrowed money this year. When we go home and talk to our constituents, do we basically say, ‘Hey, do you know all of defense, all of the Supreme Court, all of the State Department, all of everything you think of as government is on borrowed money?’ Is that what we do? Because how many times do we go home and [someone mentions if we just got rid of foreign aid, we’d balance the budget]. And then I show them my chart that foreign aid [covers] 12 days of borrowing. And they just look at you with daggers saying, ‘Well, then it’s waste and fraud!'”

On diabetes accounting for 33% of all U.S. health care spending:

[Beginning at 6:00 mark]

“Diabetes is 33% of all U.S. health care [spending]. It’s 31% of all Medicare spending. We need to talk about it. Our brothers and sisters in this country are dying, and we’re afraid to talk about it. So, I’m going to spend the first part here sounding like an economist on steroids, and I’m going to try to explain what the cost is here. Then, I’m going to try to talk a little bit about just the simple morality of not doing anything. So, let’s actually play a little bit of a game here. Estimated deficit reduction for FY2023 — if you actually were just to take on obesity-related illnesses this fiscal year [would be] $283 billion. Well remember, the Democrats’ [and President Biden’s] tax proposal was we’re going to go from 37% to 39% for top earners — stagnant number. None of these are dynamically scored on the effects on the economy, because if you made people healthier on this side, the economy would grow. When you raise people’s taxes, the economy shrinks, but the stagnant number is $30 billion. So, just obesity-related spending will be $283 billion this fiscal year to the taxpayers. And the Democrats’ [and President Biden’s] tax hike produces $30 billion. Does anyone see the insanity here? So, we basically did the math for everyone, saying Democrats would have to increase the top tax rate to 62% to raise the same amount of money as getting rid of obesity for people on government programs. That’s uncomfortable to talk about, but think about that. You’d basically have to raise the top tax rate to 62% just to produce the revenues for this population here. It’s a different way. I’m struggling just trying to find a creative way to get people to think about that the path of having a healthier America is both moral and great economics.”

On projected federal spending on obesity-related illnesses over the next 10 years:

[Beginning at 11:44 mark]

“Estimated deficit reduction between FY24-33. Projected federal spending on all obesity-related illnesses. Now remember, this is a static number. There’s also, we estimate, about another $1.5 trillion that you would gain in productivity because these populations can actually come back and participate in the society. But over that time, it’s over $4 trillion is what our government will spend. Now add in another $1.5 trillion on the economic vitality you gain. You would actually have to have a marginal tax rate for the top earners in this country of 65% to come close to covering that cost, and that’s for one illness. Now, it’s the illness that is the most expensive in our society because it’s related to diabetes and kidney failure and heart attacks and everything else. But am I sort of making the point? Because we’re seeing over $4 trillion just in the disease, and the Biden tax proposal produces $375 billion over the 10 years. For those of you who are not really good at math, $375 billion is a hell of a lot less than $4 trillion, and this is the lunacy here where the theater is so much more important than the reality of the math.

“So, let’s actually walk through this. Joint Economic Committee Republicans estimate the cost of obesity over the 10 years — so, the 10 years we’re about to start the budget cycle on — is $5.6 trillion. If you want to start to stabilize debt-to-GDP, can we at least have a conversation about this? When you start to see the mortality statistics in this country, the number of working age people, people who should be actually living their lives, who are dying, and they’re dying early. I’m going to show you a chart in a little bit of our young people, and what’s going on there. The game of avoiding this discussion needs to come to an end because the economics and the morality of it are here. So let’s pull our heads out. It’s time to actually have that difficult conversation.”

On promising drug therapies to treat diabetes:

[Beginning at 25:00 mark]

“FDA approves first cellular therapy to treat patients with Type 1 diabetes. Yes, it’s finally one of them, and there’s a half a dozen of these that are in their FDA approval stages or tests. But the first one is fully approved now. That therapy can get the body to start accepting a replenishment of islet cells and islet cells produce insulin. It’s here. So, do you see the flow? If we actually said we need a healthier society, oh, by the way, it’s amazing for what it does in bending the debt curve. Oh, by the way, it’s moral, oh by the way, it would mean actual populations can come back into society. We can get productivity gains. We have a way to help people manage their prediabetic with some technology. We have some ways to help people get their weight down. Oh, by the way, those people that do get their weight down — the 30% or so that their body is so damaged they can’t produce insulin anymore — it turns out we can replace the islet cells in their body now. It’s here. It’s moral. It’s optimistic. It’s joyful.”

Back to News",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:18:03Z
https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/07/25/schweikert-smith-demand-key-document-from-irs-on-destruction-of-30-million-tax-records/,"Schweikert, Smith Demand Key Document from IRS on Destruction of 30 Million Tax Records",2023-07-25,2023,2023-07,Republican,House,AZ,David Schweikert,S001183,schweikert.house.gov,schweikert,https://schweikert.house.gov/category/congress_press_release/,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative David Schweikert (AZ-01) and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) sent a letter to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Daniel Werfel demanding the agency provide a copy of a memorandum detailing the recommendation to destroy 30 million unprocessed, paper-filed information tax returns in March 2021 and answer questions that the agency willfully ignored from Republicans last year.

Committee Republicans have repeatedly sought this key document since the tax returns were destroyed, but the IRS continues to refuse to hand over the memorandum three years later.

Schweikert and Smith highlight how the failure of the Biden Administration to respond to the Committee’s multiple requests harms the ability of Congress to perform appropriate oversight that could lead to reforms to reduce burdens on American taxpayers:

“The Biden Administration’s refusal to respond to the Committee, engage in a substantive discussion with staff about the request, and ultimately deny access to the decision memorandum obstructs Congress’s ability to conduct our important oversight responsibilities…The decision to destroy information returns diligently prepared by millions of American taxpayers demands congressional oversight. The destruction of these returns raises the question of whether information reporting should be scaled back to reduce the burden placed on taxpayers in reporting information the IRS does not even use.”

The letter lays out in detail the timeline of the IRS’ failure to comply with congressional oversight:

March 2021 – IRS destroys 30 million paper-filed, informational tax returns.

May 4, 2022 – Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) publishes report documenting IRS operations in which it discloses the destruction of the 30 million records. The Ways and Means Committee is made aware through a briefing by TIGTA during which TIGTA agrees to provide the decision memorandum to the committee upon approval by the IRS.

May 17, 2022 – Committee staff request a copy of the memorandum. Within 24 hours, the IRS denies the request, claiming that releasing it would pose “significant risk to the agency.”

June 13, 2022 – Ways and Means Republican Leader sends a letter to the IRS requesting a copy of the memorandum and asking questions about what impact this decision to destroy 30 million tax returns will have on taxpayers and what steps the IRS is taking to improve its processes.

July 26, 2022 – Ways and Means Republicans file a congressional Resolution of Inquiry directing the Treasury Secretary to provide Congress a copy of the IRS Small Business/Self Employed Division Decision Memorandum and any other memorandum related to the decision to destroy 30 million tax returns. The Democrat majority on the Committee votes down the resolution.

October 20, 2022 – Ways and Means Republicans send letter to IRS instructing the agency to preserve all documents and communications related to the memorandum and reiterating the committee’s request for a copy.

Read the full letter here.

Back to News",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:18:03Z
https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases/ciscomani-secures-provision-expedite-new-tower-pinal-airpark-bipartisan,Ciscomani Secures Provision to Expedite New Tower for Pinal Airpark in Bipartisan Aviation Package,2023-07-24,2023,2023-07,Republican,House,AZ,Juan Ciscomani,C001133,ciscomani.house.gov,ciscomani,https://ciscomani.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) secured a provision in Congress’ aviation package to provide Pinal Airpark with an air traffic control tower. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization package, which is considered every five years, passed the House on Thursday. In the bill, Ciscomani successfully included an amendment to expedite the development of a tower at the airpark.

“I am thrilled to see the Pinal Airpark prioritized in this year’s bipartisan FAA reauthorization package,” said Ciscomani. “This is a step in the right direction to encourage growth in the county and region, while making our skies safer.”

“Providing Pinal Airpark with an air traffic control tower not only improves safety in the area but will create jobs, spur economic development, and enhance critical military readiness and training,” said Jeffrey McClure, Vice Chair of the Pinal County Board of Supervisors. “We thank Congressman Ciscomani for his effective leadership and work to include this effort in the FAA reauthorization package.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-08T00:18:03Z