Representative Mike Ezell

Dear [salutation],

This week's newsletter is a little later than normal because I wanted to ensure I could keep you up to date on the spending fight going on here in Washington.

But before I get to my full thoughts on the looming shutdown, I wanted to give you a few quick updates on some other things going on this week that you might have missed:

Biden's Border Disaster Sets Records

It seems like we see the same headlines every week, but once again, Biden's border crisis is setting all-time records for illegal immigration.

In the last five days, we've seen over 50,000 illegal border crossings. That's more people than the entire population of Biloxi!

Since Biden took office, Border Patrol estimates experiencing more than 1.6 million "gotaways". Our Border Patrol officers do good work, but they aren't recieving the support they need from the White House or top Biden administration officials.

Earlier this month, we found out that higher-ups forced agents to weld the massive floodgates in the Arizona border wall PERMANENTLY OPEN and that the administration had taken down surveillance equipment around the city of Yuma.

The best way I can think of to explain the Biden-Mayorkas border policy is the way Albert Einstein supposedly defined insanity: "doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." It's insane to think that relaxing our defenses will make our border more secure, but that's what this administration has done time after time.

Standing Up for Our Second Amendment Rights

In April 2023, the U.S. Department of Education provided guidance that prohibited schools from using federal funding for archery programs, hunter education, and shooting sports. This guidance followed a misguided interpretation of a bill passed in 2022.

As a former competition shooter myself, I was extremely disappointed to see the administration put out this guidance. These experiences help students learn firearm safety, environmental stewardship, and other valuable skills. They should be encouraged, not prohibited.

I joined several of my Republican colleagues in a letter to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, and on Tuesday night I voted for a bill to overturn the Secretary's guidance.

I was surprised but pleased to see the vast majority of Democrats voting with Republicans on this bill, which was introduced by my friend and Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green (TN-07).

That just goes to show how out of touch the Biden Administration is on the Second Amendment. Their anti-gun agenda is so extreme that even radical progressives like Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar voted against it.

Update on the Washington Spending Fights

Today, I voted for a bill that would have secured our southern border, cut billions in wasteful spending, and ensure our government is open and our troops are paid for the next 30 days. Unfortunately, Democrats and a few Republicans chose to block this legislation.

Let me be clear: I don’t like the way Washington does business. When I came to Congress in January, I was ready to shake things up and bring back regular, constitutional order. For the first time in years, House Republicans have done just that.

But pushing forward strong, conservative appropriations bills takes time. That’s why we need to ensure our troops and border patrol get paid while Washington negotiates. Here are my full thoughts on the process:

I cannot in good faith accept my salary while our servicemembers aren’t receiving theirs. So if a shutdown begins, I’ve instructed the House to withhold my pay.

I won't stop fighting for what's right. We can and must pass bills fund our government at responsible levels, save taxpayer dollars, and put an end to the Biden policies that are destroying our way of life.

It's my honor to serve you in the United States Congress. In the event of a shutdown, my office will remain open while I continue to work to tackle Washington's spending problems and protect our conservative values.

Sincerely,

Mike Ezell
Member of Congress

Biden's Border Disaster Sets Records

Standing Up for Our Second Amendment Rights

Update on the Washington Spending Fights

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