Dear Friends,
I hope you all had relaxing and enjoyable July 4th celebrations with your friends and families. As this Independence Day has come and gone, I've been reminded of all we've been through as a nation over the last year, and how we've weathered it together. The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges for our country, but through it, we saw people come together, help one another, and pull through together. I'm reminded through all of this of how resilient and innovative Americans remain at their core. Our country's beginning was also riddled with upheaval and conflict and uncertainty. Yet Americans of that era persevered and began what remains the greatest experiment in self-government the world has ever seen, even 245 years later. After many more conflicts and difficulties, we continue to persevere. Our country's origins and history saw many hardships, but Americans have always come through them stronger. I think the past year of battling the pandemic and the many other challenges have proved Americans' strength and perseverance once again. It has also made clear to me that we have to keep fighting to preserve that history and to move forward in the same spirit. Many in Washington would have us forget our history and the driving, innovative, American spirit that makes our country unique. Many would prefer to keep us in conflict with one another over COVID-19 and other issues. I'm working hard against that, and I appreciate this chance to update you on it. I hope it is helpful to you, and as always, please reach out to my office if we can be of assistance to you.
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Gary Palmer
Member of Congress, Alabama's 6th District
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In the District
Art Competition
Congratulations to Anna Robbins on winning this year's Congressional Art Competition for the Sixth District! It was a real pleasure to meet Anna and her family, and I look forward to seeing her artwork in the Capitol for the next year. I'm always impressed with the talent and creativity that the Sixth District's young people show in this competition each year, and Anna has much to be proud of.
Congressional App Challenge: Enter Now!
The Congressional App Challenge is now open! This contest offers an excellent opportunity for middle and high schoolers to practice their STEM skills by developing an original application. Science, technology, and math fields are becoming more important every day, and this challenge provides a great stepping stone for honing those areas. The challenge is open to all middle and high schoolers who meet the basic requirements. To learn more, find all contest rules, and submit an app, visit. www.congressionalappchallenge.us. Feel free to call my office with any questions: 205.968.1290.
U.S. Service Academy Appointee Reception
My district staff and I really enjoyed meeting and honoring the students from our district who have received an appointment to a U.S. Service Academy. They are outstanding young leaders who have bright futures ahead of them, and it was an honor to congratulate them on this important step. An appointment to an academy is a remarkable achievement and I'm confident each of these students will serve America honorably.
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From Washington
Hyde Amendment:
The Hyde Amendment has been included in federal budget packages since 1976 with bipartisan support. By ensuring that federal dollars are not used to cover abortion, Hyde has saved 2.4 million babies and protected the conscience rights of millions of Americans. Unfortunately, the Biden Administration and Democrats in Congress are seeking the removal of Hyde from this year's budget package. I spoke on the House floor a few weeks ago to show support for the Hyde Amendment. Watch below.
Biden Border Crisis and its Effects on Unaccompanied Children
I've lately been drawing attention to how the crisis at the U.S. southern border amounts not only to a national security issue for Americans, but also a humanitarian tragedy for many individuals seeking asylum. Securing our border is vital for Americans' safety, but it's also becoming increasingly important to discourage foreign smugglers and traffickers from making the journey to our border and abusing minors along the way. The Biden Administration's open-border policies have emboldened smugglers to traffic and exploit minors, seen in the staggering numbers of unaccompanied children arriving at the border. Democrats avoid this subject by referencing the violence in many of these children's home countries, but the reality is that many American cities to which they are relocated have even higher rates of violence, after Democrats have spent a year pushing anti-police rhetoric and efforts to defund the police. Democrats and the Biden Administration are relocating many of these children to U.S. cities where the murder rates are, in some cases, four to five times higher than in the countries the children left. Read more in my recent press release here.
Pandemic Unemployment Fraud:
Fraudulent unemployment claims over the last year have resulted in one of the greatest thefts of American tax dollars in history. It's now estimated that over $400 billion in fraudulent payments have been made. I began sounding the alarm on this issue last summer and introduced a bill in the House to require states to put in safeguards to prevent approval of fraudulent unemployment applications. As Chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee, I've now also joined two of my colleagues on the Oversight and Reform Committee, Rep. Comer and Rep. Issa, in sending a letter to Chairwoman Maloney, which calls on her to schedule a hearing about it. Congress must exercise more oversight of these benefit programs to ensure that Americans are not stolen from on this scale ever again. You can read the press release about the letter and find the full letter text here.
Democrats Calling for Bans on PFAS Chemicals:
Democrats on the Energy & Commerce Committee recently voted to ban all uses of PFAS chemicals, which would have serious and far-reaching consequences for the American way of life. During the hearing, I pointed out that not all PFAS products are harmful and in fact, some are used for life-saving medical devices, military equipment, personal protective equipment, and much more. Research has shown that with no harm to human health. To hear the points I made in the Energy & Commerce hearing, watch below.
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Republican Policy Committee
As Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, I've been working to bring sensible policy solutions to the forefront of discussions among House Republicans. Click here to access our Guide to the Issues and Policy Briefs. This month, I also had the opportunity to sit down with my colleague, Greg Steube, to discuss the danger of Chinese propaganda infiltrating our education system. Watch below.
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From Gary’s Bookshelf
1776 by David McCullough
One of the most valuable actions we can take to serve and protect the future of our country is to learn, teach, and pass on its history to our children. This book by David McCullough offers a riveting account of one pivotal year in America's founding. Centered on General Washington and the men and officers of the Continental Army under his command, it details how the colonists faced nearly impossible odds and how Washington's skillful leadership at the right time proved vital. This book shines needed light on a crucial year for America's founding and independence.
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Congressional Spotlight: Investigating the Origins of COVID-19 -- What Can Congress Do?
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, more evidence has continued to leak that the Chinese government has attempted to cover up the origin of the virus and lied about how it was released. There is also evidence that the World Health Organization was complicit in the cover-up. Republicans in Congress have been demanding answers on this and calling for the federal government to hold China accountable for it going forward. Here are some overarching ideas that demonstrate how Congress can act in a situation like this:
- Passing declassification laws: We need to demand transparency in this, so Congress can pass laws requiring the declassification of any information related to COVID-19.
- Limiting funding: Evidence suggests that China covered up the release of the virus possibly as far back as October 2019 which caused tremendous loss of life in the U.S. and worldwide. Our response should be to cut off funding from any companies participating in Chinese research. We also need to do a thorough investigation into funding from the National Institutes of Health and any other taxpayer dollars that were used to conduct “gain of function” research that likely produced the COVID-19 virus.
- Economic sanctions: Congress can and should impose strict economic sanctions, or penalties, on China in response to their handling of COVID-19.
Leader McCarthy has released an 8-step plan showing how Congress can act on this issue. It includes the above steps as well as more specific ideas on how to implement them and others. Read more here. |
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Recent Press Talks
Jeff Poor Show:
I appreciate Jeff's regular conversations with me and the work he does to share Washington news with Alabama. I talked with him twice over the past few weeks about COVID-19 origins, U.S.-China relations, national security issues, the continuing border crisis, the Democrat infrastructure bill, and more. Listen to our discussions here and here.
Congress Convo with Americans for Prosperity:
I'm grateful to Americans for Prosperity for hosting me on one of their regular "Congress Convos" via Facebook Live. We discussed healthcare policy and the Republican approach, why Democrat ideas for healthcare will result in higher costs and less access, COVID-19 origins and what the U.S. should learn from the pandemic, Operation Warp Speed, voter rights, the importance of states cleaning up their voter rolls, and the dangers of Democrat election bills. Watch it here.
PK9H - TV Live with Project K-9 Hero:
Thanks to Project K-9 Hero for having me on their first live episode. Project K-9 exists to promote the welfare of our nation's retired military service dogs. I was glad to show my support for our nation's law enforcement in this discussion. We also discussed the importance of K-9 units and their effectiveness within law enforcement, the Democrat infrastructure bill, economic inflation, and energy policy. Watch here.
It was good to sit down with Steve Lance during CPAC 2021. We talked about Big Tech, its clear bias towards the Democrat Party, and what it will mean going forward. I also shared my concerns about voting rights and election integrity, and Republican goals for protecting future elections.
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