by Corinne Murdock | Jul 15, 2023 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the upcoming year, which outlines the annual budgets and expenditures for the Department of Defense, has a historic number of amendments — 23 of which were filed by Arizona’s representatives.
Over 1,500 amendments have been filed onto the NDAA, H.R. 2670. Congress anticipates final passage on Friday. However, the House Freedom Caucus has expressed opposition to it. The caucus consists of 45 members, of which four are Republican Reps. Andy Biggs, Eli Crane, Debbie Lesko, and Paul Gosar. Biggs, Crane, and Gosar filed 14 of the amendments.
The caucus expressed opposition to the NDAA over the military’s progressive policies and stances on abortion; China-Taiwan relations; critical race theory; climate change; diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI); LGBTQ+ issues; and the Russo-Ukrainian war.
The following are amendments filed by Arizona’s congressmen (all amendments and the bill text are available here):
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05)
Amendment 365 (Version 1): require the Department of Defense to perform an audit. If not, the DOD’s discretionary budget authority would be reduced by .5 percent. Cosponsors: Reps. Crane, Andrew Clyde (R-GA-09), Michael Burgess (R-TX-26), and Mary Miller (R-IL-15).
Amendment 367 (Version 1): urge the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship and the need to continue offering security assistance and related support. Cosponsors: Crane, Beth Van Duyne (R-TX-24), and Miller.
Amendment 369 (Version 1): terminate the designation of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan as a major non-NATO ally.
Amendment 371 (Version 1): prohibit the use of funds for any project or activity related to NATO until the Secretary of Defense certifies to the congressional defense committees that each NATO member country spent two percent of their respective GDP on defense expenditures. Cosponsors: Crane and Miller.
Amendment 373 (Version 2): require the Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, and United States Agency for International Development to give Congress a report on agreements made with the Taliban.
Amendment 375 (Version 1): exempt defense-related activities from the Endangered Species Act.
Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06)
Amendment 816 (Version 1): insert text of H.R. 2393, the Combating Cartels on Social Media Act of 2023 to the bill. This bill requires DHS to report and implement a strategy to combat the use of social media by transnational criminal organizations to recruit individuals in the United States to support illicit activities at the border. Cosponsors: Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07) and Burgess.
Amendment 948 (Version 1): direct United States Geological Survey to provide for the inclusion of Copper on its’ critical minerals list. Cosponsor: Bob Good (R-VA-05)
Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ-02)
Amendment 995 (Version 1): condemn Lieutenant General DeAnna Burt for politicizing the military’s stance on domestic policies during the DOD LGBTQ+ Pride Event and emphasize the importance of the military remaining apolitical to maintain its readiness and effectiveness. Cosponsors: Biggs, Gosar, Miller, and Lauren Boebert (R-CO-03).
Amendment 1000 (Version 1): prohibit the DOD from making participation in training or support for certain race-based concepts a requirement for hiring, promotion, or retention of individuals. Also ensures that employees and service members cannot be compelled to declare belief in or participate in training that promotes such concepts as a condition of favorable personnel actions. Cosponsors: Biggs, Gosar, Good, Miller, and Boebert.
Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ-09)
Amendment 441 (Version 1): authorize employees at the Yuma Proving Grounds to use nonelectric vehicles in the performance of their duties. Cosponsor: Biggs.
Amendment 598 (Version 1): require the Secretary of Defense to expeditiously disclose to the public all records relating to the war in Afghanistan. Cosponsors: Biggs, Boebert, Byron Donalds (R-FL-19), Randy Weber (R-TX-14), and Andy Ogles (R-TN-05).
Amendment 672 (Version 1): authorize the Army and Corp of Engineers to complete, reinforce, and maintain the wall on the southern border. Cosponsors: Crane, Biggs, Boebert, Donalds, Weber, Ogles, and Ken Buck (R-CO-04).
Amendment 711 (Version 1): grant Congress exclusive power to declare a national emergency. Cosponsors: Crane, Boebert, Weber, and Ogles.
Amendment 739 (Version 1): designate phosphate, copper, and uranium as minerals critical to national security.
Amendment 1415 (Version 1): declare Congress’ responsibility to provide compensation for all individuals that developed radiation-induced cancer from past nuclear weapons testing. Cosponsor: Crane.
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ-07)
Amendment 861 (Version 1): strike language that exempts Air Force activities from any requirements under the Marine Mammal Protection Act that would protect the critically endangered Rice’s Whale.
Amendment 898 (Version 1): extend the protections necessary for the continued use by the Air Force of the Barry M. Goldwater Range in Arizona. Cosponsor: Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-03).
Amendment 1378 (Version 2): prohibit the amounts authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available by this act be used to establish or maintain any relationship between the Department of Defense and the Government of Ecuador, including any office or agent of such government, in order to provide, authorize, or assist in any way in the transfer of weapons, military equipment, crowd control supplies, or any other supplies, to such government or to coordinate joint exercises with the military and police forces of such government until certain criteria is met.
Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04)
Amendment 465 (Version 1): expand a program to compensate “downwinders” in Arizona and Nevada exposed to and affected by DOD-led atmospheric nuclear testing from 1945 to 1962.
Amendment 1400 (Version 1): direct the State Department to create a strategy for subnational cooperation between local law enforcement, civil society, and government to combat fentanyl trafficking holistically. Also directs the State and Treasury to review how to best expand financial access to countries in the Caribbean.
Amendment 1424 (Version 2): direct the Secretary of the Veterans Affairs (VA) to regularly ensure the accuracy of the VA Accreditation Search database, to submit an annual report on the accreditation process for agents/attorneys/representatives, and to create a trademarked insignia for accredited agents/attorneys/representatives to use.
Amendment 1425 (Version 1): prohibit the use of federal funds for the maintenance of civilian vehicular assets (yachts, jets, cars, etc.) seized in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or belonging to sanctioned Russian oligarchs and officials.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by Terri Jo Neff | Mar 8, 2023 | News
By Terri Jo Neff |
With his first piece of legislation, U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani is seeking to relieve a major issue within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – the unprecedented backlog of cases pending with the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.
“We have a responsibility to look after our veterans, especially those who have sacrificed so much for our country,” said Ciscomani about H.R. 1378 which he is co-sponsoring with Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-KY3). “No veteran should be forced to wait for vitally important disability payments.”
In February, the VA reported more than 200,000 undecided disability benefits claim cases, with the average appeal taking 440 days for a decision.
H.R. 1378, otherwise known as the Veterans’ Appeals Backlog Improvement Act, is intended to help the VA respond to a well-publicized backlog that worsened with the passage in 2022 of the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act which expanded eligibility for various illnesses and diseases attributable to toxic exposure during military service.
The VA has dealt with a claims backlog for many years, but the new claims and related appeals have overwhelmed the agency. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis Richard McDonough responded to the PACT Act by hiring hundreds of employees to process the claims.
Yet the VA continues to have a difficult time retaining personnel, particularly lawyers who are vital to the appeals process.
H.R. 1378 will require Secretary McDonough to establish a nine-year pilot competitive honors program through which the Department of Veterans Affairs will recruit law school students, recent law school graduates, and entry level attorneys for employment with the VA.
And each newly hired individual in the pilot program who agrees to remain in the service of the Department for at least three years will qualify for student loan repayment benefits under federal law, according to H.R. 1378.
The legislation also calls for the new hires to be provided a professional mentor within Veterans Affairs no later than 90 days after entering the program.
Ciscomani and McGarvey serve together on the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Committee and the subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. Their legislation is supported by several groups, including the Disabled American Veterans and the Vietnam Veterans of America.
“DAV has long called on Congress and the Department of Veterans Affairs to support significant and meaningful reforms aimed at addressing the growing backlog of VA claims and appeal processing,” said DAV National Service Director Jim Maszalek. “DAV is proud to support this legislation and applauds Reps. Ciscomani and McGarvey for their bipartisan leadership on this important issue.”
H.R. 1378 further seeks to create a pilot internship program to give high-achieving law students an opportunity to gain experience with the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. Those who successfully complete the internship program would be given priority consideration if they choose to apply for the pilot honors program.
“These programs will enlist our brightest legal minds to assist the Board of Veterans’ Appeals with overcoming this unacceptable backlog,” Ciscomani said upon introduction of the legislation. “It will also offer aspiring public servants an invaluable opportunity to serve their country.”
McDonough will be required to provide periodic reports to Congress about the progress and feasibility of the pilot program. The reports must include findings on the advisability of establishing a permanent competitive honors program and other recommendations to improve recruitment and retention of legal staff at the VA.
In a related manner, H.R. 1378 calls on the Secretary to submit a report to the Congressional committees about efforts to improve access to hearings held before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals held by picture and voice transmission.
Such report should include recommendations for the establishment of pilot programs to assess the feasibility and advisability of using other methods that could improve veteran access to Board of Veterans’ Appeals hearings, according to the legislation.
Terri Jo Neff is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or send her news tips here.
by Terri Jo Neff | Feb 22, 2023 | News
By Terri Jo Neff |
While U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) led a group of Republican lawmakers to Cochise County last week, the beleaguered U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas made news for his own border visit – in Poland.
Rep. Juan Ciscomani (AZ) hosted the Feb. 16 visit of McCarthy and three other first year members of Congress to southern Arizona. They arrived just days after the National Sheriffs Association met in Washington, D.C., with many sheriffs renewing a call for lawmakers to get educated about the southwest border crisis.
Such visits have occurred in the past, by both Republicans and Democrats, but McCarthy appears committed to keeping attention on the border for at least a few more weeks.
A visit to Arizona is already planned for this month by the House Judiciary Committee, which is promoting the trip as a “field hearing.” A similar road trip is being arranged for the House Homeland Security Committee in March, although the destination has not been announced.
McCarthy also promised there will be hearings in Washington, D.C. in an effort to secure the border with or without the cooperation of the Biden administration.
But as U.S. lawmakers focus on securing America’s southern border, fallout continues from the visit Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas made to Poland, as he continues to downplay the crisis in the U.S.
Much of the focus of McCarthy’s recent visit revolved around the continued flow of illegal border crossers and an unprecedented flow of deadly fentanyl. Unlike Yuma County and much of the Texas / Mexico border, Cochise County typically does not see large groups of crossers, and certainly not the kind of groups who turn themselves in to federal authorities.
Instead, U. S. Border Patrol and local law enforcement officials deal with small groups that go to extreme efforts to avoid detection and capture. McCarthy also addressed the national impact of the increase in drug smuggling incidents, with unprecedented volumes of fentanyl making its way to the Midwest and Northeast after coming through Arizona.
“Today more than 300 Americans will be poisoned and die from fentanyl,” said McCarthy. “Tomorrow there will be 300 more. That’s the equivalent of an airline crashing.”
Accompanying McCarthy and Ciscomani were Reps. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR), Jen Kiggans (VA), and Derrick Van Orden (WI).
Terri Jo Neff is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or send her news tips here.
by Daniel Stefanski | Feb 8, 2023 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
President Joe Biden gave his second State of the Union (SOTU) address on Tuesday night in front of a packed U.S. House chamber and millions of viewers around the world. As is the case with most of these speeches, members of the president’s political party applauded his words, while members of the opposing party largely condemned his statements and policies.
It was no different with members of the Arizona Legislature – some of whom could very well be members of Congress in the future. Many Republican and Democratic state legislators were very active on Twitter before, during, and after the SOTU address.
Representative Matt Gress shared a clip from U.S. Representative Juan Ciscomani’s Spanish language Republican response to the nation following the president’s speech.
House Majority Leader Leo Biasiucci retweeted a handful of posts reacting to President Biden’s statements, including his comments about an assault weapons ban, fentanyl, and Social Security.
Senate President Warren Petersen retweeted a post from U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, which fact checked Biden’s actions to increase the U.S. deficit.
Representative Tim Dunn gave some SOTU feedback to President Biden on the border crisis: “Biden SOTU speech fails to address the emergency effecting the southern border. This can end by changing his policy. This allows fentanyl to come to your neighborhood. Secure the border protect our airways from China and open up oil exploration to curb inflation.”
Senator Wendy Rogers, in addition to retweeting other posts about the president’s comments, quote tweeted a post showing Bono and Paul Pelosi chatting at the State of the Union, saying, “This shows NO RESPECT for our sacred institutions… I do not allow this in my Arizona Senate committee.”
Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope also retweeted several tweets reacting to the president’s speech, and he added his own quote tweet to U.S. House Speaker McCarthy’s post of U.S. Representative Ciscomani’s Republican response, saying, “Thank you @SpeakerMcCarthy for choosing my friend @RepCiscomani to deliver the Spanish-language @GOP response to the #SOTU! The #AmericanDream is alive and well!”
Representative Jacqueline Parker quote tweeted U.S. Senator Rick Scott’s reaction to the SOTU, writing, “AZ & the federal government are like mirror images right now. The state of OUR state is worsening under Hobbs too. Our borders aren’t secure, school choice is under attack, families are suffering, & all Hobbs wants to do is spend more taxpayer money on big gov’t special interests.”
Representative David Livingston retweeted a number of posts reacting to the SOTU, including some by U.S. Representatives Jim Banks and Byron Donalds. He also shared an Axios story about Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ Republican response to the SOTU.
Representative Austin Smith had a one-word answer for President Biden when the @POTUS account tweeted about banning assault weapons: “No”
House Speaker Pro Tempore Travis Grantham shared multiple SOTU tweets from other accounts, including from U.S. Representatives Andy Biggs and Tom Tiffany.
Representative Justin Heap retweeted a post from the National Republican Congressional Committee about U.S. Representative Ciscomani’s Republican response.
Senate Democratic Leader Raquel Terán tweeted, “@POTUS brought it all in for his (SOTU) address!”
Representative Consuelo Hernandez retweeted a post, which positively reacted to President Biden taking a moment to “acknowledge the fears of black parents & their children.”
Senator Christine Marsh retweeted a post from Martin Luther King III, which read, “We must continue working to bring an end to violence everywhere in this country. It’s why I’m continuing dad’s fight to eradicate the triple evils of poverty, racism, and violence.”
House Minority Leader Andrés Cano retweeted Biden’s @POTUS account, showing him shaking hands with Vice President Kamala Harris – and the caption, “What a night, VP.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Corinne Murdock | Oct 22, 2022 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
Democratic congressional candidate Kirsten Engel pledged support for reallocating police funding to social programs and replacing police with social workers.
The University of Arizona (UArizona) law professor made those remarks in a resurfaced 2020 Clean Elections interview, which her Republican opponent Juan Ciscomani shared.
“What we need to do is shift where the money is going. Not every 911 call requires a police officer to show up at your door,” said Engel.
In June 2020, Engel sided with Tucson Councilwoman Lane Santa Cruz after she accused Tucson police officers of murder and violence concerning the death of a man in custody.
The man in question, Carlos Ingram-Lopez, died from cardiac arrest due to excessive cocaine in his system. Contributors to Ingram-Lopez’s death bore striking similarities to that of George Floyd’s less than a month earlier: a drug overdose, enlarged heart, and physical restraint. The Tucson Police Officers Association (TPOA) disclosed that the officers Santa Cruz accused falsely of killing Ingram-Lopez resigned out of fear for their families’ safety.
Engel criticized TPOA for speaking out against Santa Cruz’s fabrication. She accused TPOA of bullying and intimidation.
Then-Police Chief Chris Magnus offered to resign over Ingram-Lopez’s death. The city rejected his resignation. Magnus would later be appointed as the head of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
At the height of the BLM riots, Engel donated to the Arizona Justice Bailout Fund, which pledged to use donations to bail out BLM protestors. That bailout fund was launched by the scandal-ridden Our Voice Our Vote Arizona in conjunction with Arizona Coalition for Change.
Engel’s 2020 advocacy marked a departure from her previous years in the state legislature, when she was endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP).
Engel’s social media postings about police slowed after the summer of 2020, when she signaled support for the sweeping police reforms and the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests across the nation. Additionally, Engel’s campaign platform doesn’t address policing at all. However, Engel’s recent campaign actions indicate that her perspective on policing hasn’t veered too far from her 2020 stance.
In June, Engel signed a pledge by the Reparations Pledge PAC. That PAC and its founder, Redeem Robinson, advocate for defunding the police.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
