At a time when Americans are facing extreme difficulty grappling with the highest rates of inflation in more than 40 years, gas that exceeds $5 per gallon, workforce, formula and food shortages, skyrocketing crime, and unprecedented illegal border crossings,
House Democrats continue to ignore these urgent matters and instead only seem interested in engaging in blame games and deflection. The truth is Democrats’ failed policies have led to one crisis after another and are hurting every American. Yet they keep doubling down on the reckless spending that is fueling these problems.
This week, the Speaker brought three bills to the Floor for consideration. The first allocated $1.3 billion in annual mandatory spending to create a new regulatory agency to protect endangered species. This is the type of tone-deaf policy proposal that leaves Americans believing that Democrats are out-of-touch with the issues that are affecting them most.
The second bill brought up for consideration was the Financial Services Racial Inclusion and Economic Justice Act, which targets the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve is seen as an independent, non-political, agency tasked with managing our nation’s monetary policy.
It is in charge of tackling inflationary pressures by adjusting interest rates and the cost of money lending. While the Reserve is currently engaged in trying to tame the largest inflation rate in over 40 years, House Democrats are pushing to divert Reserve resources away from addressing an impending recession, to prioritize the agency’s focus on racial equity, inclusion, and economic justice.
Inflation coupled with recession hurts all Americans, regardless of race, and turning the Federal Reserve into a social justice warrior will only serve to compound the hurt for everyone during these trying times.
The third measure brought to the Floor this week was the Lower Food and Fuel Prices Act. Despite a promising-sounding name, this bill was more deflection. In essence, it simply blames the private meat and poultry industry for the increased prices we are enduring.
Another noticeable attempted distraction is the sham January 6th hearings made during Prime Time TV for obvious partisan distraction, not fact-finding. It’s no secret I voted against the creation of this panel. It was clear from the onset that Speaker Pelosi had no interest in an open and unbiased review of what occurred that day when she denied all Republican-named nominees to the panel.
Sadly, it has been overwhelmingly evident that my fears were justified, as this panel has been politicized at every turn. It is such a charade that they have already been caught doctoring "evidence" to fit their narrative. Any doubt that this would be anything more than a bogus made-for-TV drama was put to rest almost immediately when footage surfaced that the sham committee was relying on teleprompters.
I make no apologies for anyone engaged in violence and believe those who broke the law should be appropriately punished by the judicial system after receiving due process.
Please be assured that I will not be distracted. I will remain focused on solutions to the problems that are most impacting my constituents and getting our country moving in a positive direction again.
Specifically, I’ll keep fighting to rein in reckless government spending, address supply chain problems and product shortages, restore American energy independence through increased domestic production, and remove regulatory barriers that are keeping small businesses from being able to grow. If House Democrats had any sense of urgency or decency, they would join me and my Republican colleagues to get to work ASAP.
Congressman Gus M. Bilirakis is a Republican representing Florida’s 12th Congressional District, which includes all of Pasco and northern parts of Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. He was first elected to Congress on November 7, 2006. Gus serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee. He is the Ranking Member of Consumer Protection & Commerce Subcommittee and a Member of the Health Subcommittee and Communications and Technology Subcommittee.
