Enewsletters

Dear Friend,

Below are a few updates on some of the actions taken in Washington, D.C. this past week.  Thank you for subscribing, and please consider recommending this resource to a friend.

A Win for Life

Every human life is sacred, and this past Friday's historic ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization is right constitutionally, legally, and morally.  Regardless of where one stands on the issue, seven justices in January of 1973 should not have invented a constitutional right that does not exist — particularly given the highly emotional nature of the issue.  The 1973 Supreme Court’s ruling essentially bypassed the democratic process and created a right that is not in the Constitution.  Even the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg criticized the Court’s ruling on Roe v. Wade for the shaky constitutional grounds on which it was decided. 

The question of abortion will now be determined by the people through their elected representation, which is where it should be decided.

It is the people’s moral obligation to fight for and protect the lives of those who cannot speak for themselves – the lives of those who are no different than our own.  This ruling is a significant win for life, and I will continue to support pro-life measures in Congress.

STRONG Veterans Act Passes U.S. House

I’m pleased my legislation, H.R. 5029, was included in the STRONG Veterans Act and was approved by the full House!  Along with a number of other important provisions to connect more veterans to critical mental health resources, this package includes a bill I introduced to allow the families of servicemembers and veterans that have died by suicide to have access to Vet Center mental health services.  The families left behind by those whose lives were ended so tragically should not have to endure the difficult journey toward recovery alone with nowhere to turn.

Click here to hear why I introduced this legislation and the reasons I voted for the STRONG Veterans Act.

An Update on Gun Control Legislation

The gun control legislation that recently passed Congress and was sent to the President for his signature to become law erodes the 2nd Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.  I am concerned the bill encourages red flag laws without due process and indiscriminately throws resources at programs without sufficient guardrails to ensure the funds are only used to prevent criminals from obtaining firearms and not law-abiding citizens.  In fact, I anticipate a future Supreme Court will strike this law down as unconstitutional for those reasons.

There is no single or simple solution to address heinous acts of violence perpetrated by teenagers or anyone else, but addressing root-causes, increased mental health resources and improving security in our schools would, I believe, have the most meaningful, immediate, and positive impact — not restricting Second Amendment rights. 

Closing Thoughts... 

“We’re blessed with the opportunity to stand for something—for liberty and freedom and fairness. And these are things worth fighting for, worth devoting our lives to.” — Ronald Reagan