This Week With Gosar

September 10, 2023

Gosar Fights to Protect Social Security Benefits

This week, I cosponsored H.R. 5342, The Equal Treatment for Public Servants Act.  This important legislation replaces the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) with a new formula which reflects the proportion of the retiree’s career in positions that contribute to Social Security.  It also provides a rebate to retirees currently impacted by WEP, and establishes a grandfathering period where future retirees would receive either the new formula or current-law WEP.

I also previously cosponsored H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act,legislation repealing the WEP and the Government Pension Offset (GPO).  Nearly 1.4 million Arizonans receive Social Security benefits, including over 106,000 individuals in my district.   Sadly, many of my constituents, including fire fighters, police officers and teachers, have seen their benefits cut because of four-decade old federal laws eating into their Social Security entitlements they paid into.

WEP and the GPO unfairly penalize thousands of Arizonans who worked tirelessly their entire lives.  Congress needs to right this wrong by ensuring my constituents and Americans affected receive their full Social Security benefits.

Gosar Hosts Free Skin Cancer Screening

Arizona is famous for its sun.  We love living here and we love the health benefits from the sun.  But like everything in life, too much of a good thing can cause harm. Too much sun can lead to skin cancer. 

Did you know that skin cancer can appear at any stage of life? Accordingto the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery (ASDSA), one in five Americans will develop some form of skin cancer during their lifetime. And, just one serious sunburn can increase your risk by as much as 50 percent.  Annual skin cancer screenings are important to your skin health.

That’s why I am joining the ASDSA in hosting a free skin cancer screening in Goodyear, Arizona on Friday, September 22.  A skin cancer screening is a visual inspection of your skin by a medical professional of your moles, freckles and other marks. There is no need to take blood, and nothing will be cut or removed at the time of the screening.  Screenings generally take only 15 minutes.  I hope you’ll take advantage of this free service.  

Arizona Judge Rules Signature Verification Method Illegal

This week, Yavapai County Superior Court Judge John Napper ruled that the ballot signature verification method used in the 2020 and 2022 elections was illegal.  

Why is this important?  Because during these election cycles, the Arizona Secretary of State, a far-left activist democrat, changed the rules governing how signatures on ballots would be checked and verified.  

The problem with this is that it violated state law and it caused voter fraud. 

Prior to 2020, signatures on ballots had to exactly match the signature on the voter registration.  This makes sense and was in place to prevent bogus signatures from counting.  If the ballot signature and registration signature didn’t match, the vote didn’t count.  

Far-left democrats don’t believe in fair and honest elections, so they changed the rules allowing ballots to count even if the signatures never matched!  This is an obvious pretext for fraud. 

What impact did it have on the elections?  That is the big question for Kari Lake, Abe Hamadah and even President Trump. In these very close elections, it could have made the difference between winning and losing.  For example, Republican Abe Hamadeh “lost” by just 280 votes in his bid to become Arizona’s Attorney General.  It doesn’t take much fraud to steal his election. 

What is the remedy?  Normally if the laws are broken there is a remedy.   In this case the mail-in ballots need to be recounted using the proper standard.  If the proper recount shows Hamadah or Lake being the actual winners, then the current occupants as governor or Attorney General would have to vacate these offices.  Every action taken by Hobbs and Mayes would be deemed null and void as they were not the winner.  

This court ruling is a huge victory towards ensuring election integrity going forward.

Gosar Meets with Arizona Cattle Growers

This week, I joined Representative Eli Crane at a meeting with members from the Yavapai Cattle Growers Association and the Arizona Cattle Growers Association to discuss grazing and other important issues.  We were joined by officials from the United States Forest Services.  Did you know that the federal government owns almost half of the land within Arizona?  How the federal government manages this land is vitally important to all of us.  The multiple-use of these public lands is a fundamental aspect of our local economy and respects the diversity of interests in our communities.  These public lands need to be available for the public, including our cattle growers.  Our cattle growers are committed to honoring and preserving the important ranching legacy in Yavapai County while protecting our important beef industry.  Our cattlemen are the best stewards of our land and are our country’s best environmentalists, not an agency in Washington, DC.  Unfortunately, I am not entirely convinced that bureaucrats in Washington, DC have the best interest of Arizona’s important cattle industry in mind.  Too often they want to tell our ranchers how best to manage their cattle and their land.  From crippling taxes, record inflation to onerous regulatory mandates, they force their heavy hand on an industry that literally feeds Arizona and much of the world.  Our cattlemen know that responsible grazing is a critical tool to proper land management that also reaps many benefits for a healthy landscape and wildlife habitat.  As the representative from this area, I will continue to fight to ensure Arizona’s cattle industry continues to grow and thrive. I am thankful to everyone who attended this important meeting.

Reminder: Service Academy Nominations

As your Representative in Congress, I have the privilege of nominating a limited number of people to four of the five military service academies. The honor of attending a service academy comes with the obligation and commitment to serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduation.

Background and Important Information Including Applying and Deadline:

Members of Congress may nominate candidates for appointment to four of the five U.S. service academies:

• U.S. Military Academy (USMA), West Point, NY
• U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), Annapolis, MD,
• U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), Colorado Springs, CO
• U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), Kings Point, NY

The fifth service academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA), New London, CT, does not require a congressional nomination for appointment.

To request a Military Academy Nomination from our office, please click here and complete the form.

DEADLINE: The nomination packets must be received (not postmarked) in the office no later than October 31, 2023 by 5:00 PM AZ time.

Survey Says?  Cesar Chavez Deserves Recognition

A few weeks ago, I sent a survey to folks asking if I should introduce legislation designating the United States Postal facility located at 11692 Fortuna Road in Yuma, Arizona as the Cesar Chavez Memorial Post Office in recognition of Chavez’s fight to defend the interests of the American farmworkers and for standing up against businesses who sought the use of illegal aliens as a means of cheaper laborers instead of American citizens.  Chavez, who was born in Yuma, was an early beacon of the harms of illegal immigration and the damage it does to our labor market.

The results are in and nearly 83% of respondents favor renaming the post office in honor of Cesar Chavez. I will be introducing legislation to do just that!  Thank you to everyone who responded and helped form my decision.  

It’s Mail Time!

I receive a lot of mail every month from constituents, and I love hearing from everyone.  I try my best to respond to everyone who writes.  Here is a small sample I received this week:

David C. from Topock, AZ writes:

DO NOT VOTE FOR ANY CR.  DO NOT VOTE FOR A BUDGET THAT HAS A NEW fbi BUILDING IN IT. Are you even going to pass appropriations or has Kevin told you that a CR is the best thing to do right now?  IT’S NOT. HE IS BOUGHT AND PAID FOR, Paul. Your vote on this will be your next election, Paul. This is it. Either cave or stand. SHUT THE GOVERNMENT DOWN. WE THE PEOPLE DEMAND YOU PROTECT US, NOT THE BLOATED SELF-SERVING NARCISSISTIC PIGS YOU HAVE TO CALL COLLEAGUES. DO YOUR JOB. STAND UP ON THE FLOOR AND SHUT DOWN THE COMMUNIST TAKE OVER. NOTICE the fbi not in CAPS? They have lost that respect. SHUT DOWN JACK SMITH’S SELF-SERVING ASSAULT ON TRUMP. DON”T FUND IT THROUGH APPROPRIATIONS – REMEMBER THOSE? For the love of our country and our God that it was established on: GET US THE F OUTTA THE W.H.O. NOW. Their COVID world take over PLANDEMIC is trying to come back. HR 79 WHO Withdrawal act. ARE YOU SCREAMIN’ THAT FROM THE RAFTERS? We need you too Paul. DO NOT COMPLY.

I’m screamin’ a lot today. Can you feel it? I’m not giving up. Hope you’re not either.

David, I’m not giving up, either.  I appreciate your passion and your frustration.  I will oppose any spending measure that fails to include the House-passed “Secure the Border Act of 2023” to cease the unchecked flow of illegal migrants, combat the evils of human trafficking, and stop the flood of dangerous fentanyl into our communities.  Congress must also address the unprecedented weaponization of the Justice Department and FBI to focus them on prosecuting real criminals instead of conducting political witch hunts and targeting law-abiding citizens; and I agree that Congress must end the Left’s cancerous woke policies in the Pentagon undermining our military’s core warfighting mission.  Rest assured that I will oppose any attempt by Washington to revert to its old playbook of using a series of short-term funding extensions designed to push Congress up against a December deadline to force the passage of yet another monstrous, budget busting, pork filled, lobbyist handout omnibus spending bill at year’s end and I will use every procedural tool necessary to prevent that outcome. And you can be assured that I will oppose any blank check for Ukraine in any supplemental appropriations bill. 

Lastly, you will be happy to know that I am a cosponsor of H.R. 79.  Time and again, the WHO has proven that it does not have America’s best interest at heart. The WHO embarrassed itself in the wake of COVID-19. They cozied up to China and fell for China’s lie that COVID-19 was a myth while the virus continued to spread. If the WHO had taken the virus seriously earlier, lives could have been saved.  Candidly, I do not think the United States should contribute a dime to its budget. I will absolutely vote in support of this legislation should it come to the House floor for consideration.

Alan Dudek is worried about another round of mask mandates and writes:

I am writing to express my deepest concern about the possibility of government issued mask mandates once again being brought to the forefront of this upcoming covid/flu season. I believe in the science and believe that the actual governmental purpose of requiring the wearing of a masks is to instill fear in the public and negatively impact the upcoming presidential election, as was the case in 2020. Countless studies had shown that masking serves no useful purpose in protecting the wearer from various forms of airborne illnesses.

I am also writing to ask you to strongly consider supporting a law prohibiting the Federal and State governments from mandating the wearing of face masks, as J.D. Vance, of Ohio is pursuing. And, I would ask that you encourage your House colleagues, to support this important legislation.

Alan, quite simply put, I do not support any form of mask mandates.  The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has reversed itself several times on its guidance concerning masks.  There is no scientific proof that masks are effective against the spread of COVID.  In fact, just the opposite is true: 85% of individuals who have contracted COVID have worn masks regularly.  I’ll take a closer look at Senator JD Vance’s bill that you referenced and report back.

Martin H. from Goodyear supports the 2A and offers these thoughts:

I am simply a concerned citizen in your district.  I am concerned about the rise of the ATF as a police state. They, in collaboration with Biden’s DOJ, are making rules and treating them as laws, which is strictly unconstitutional, as affirmed by recent Supreme Court cases. The reality of the political system in this country is clouded due to the media, so I wanted to reach out to you personally. What is the Republican house majority doing to reign in the ATF, if anything at all? Federal agencies are paving the way for a tyrannical state, run by unelected officials. I want to have a voice in American lawmaking, but the ATF and DOJ are doing everything they can to prevent that. What are you doing specifically to reign in rogue agencies, and what is the Republican house doing besides making flashy statements about “bidenomics?”

Martin, the Biden administration and the ATF are coming after your guns.  But not just yours:  every law-abiding gun owner needs to be concerned.  Aside from the fact gun ownership is a legal right, there exists a deeper reason for Americans to keep the firearm of their choice.  The Second Amendment was put in place for the sake of self-defense against criminals in our communities and potential tyrants in our government – not merely hunting or recreation.  Yet, the actions of our government under the current administration seem more interested in infringing on our Constitutional right, rather than protecting it.

I am pursuing legislation in many areas to protect our right to defend ourselves from the government.  For example, the purpose of ATF’s existence is to harass and criminalize gun ownership and it must be eliminated.  I also support bills that codify a federal right to self-defense, prohibit the administration from criminalizing many legal guns owned by Americans for decades through crafty and illegal regulatory maneuvers, defund federal attempts to prop up state registries of gun ownership, destroy all current ATF records of gun purchases, and nullify all ATF regulations approved by this gun-grabbing administration.

If Mr. Biden were serious about violent crime, he would be funding our police officers and rebuking Soros-funded district attorneys for aiding and abetting violent criminals.  Unconstitutional policies and executive orders pursued by the Biden administration have worked to strip Americans of their Constitutional rights and unjustly targeted law-abiding citizens. Criminals intent on committing crime will pursue guns through illicit means, and therefore attacking legal ownership is not only bad policy but unconstitutional.

I have been a life-long supporter of responsible gun ownership.  I also enjoy hunting, and I am well aware of our rights and duties relative to firearms. We must remain vigilant and enforce all of our constitutional rights, not simply pick and choose the ones we like. Our fundamental and inherent rights are not dependent upon which president, or which Congress, is in office. I will never stop fighting for the Second Amendment.

Fred M. from Lake Havasu City shares:

I would like to see a resolution that unless and until those senior military officers (O-5 and above) and Secretary of Defense and the several services secretaries who were responsible for the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal on or about August 26 2021 be held accountable and charges preferred for a general courts martial, no officer above the pay grade of 0-5 be promoted. No accountability no promotion.  Withdraw all moneys for promotion.

Fred, I don’t disagree with you.  I have been very open about my concerns with the current woke leadership in our military.  Joe Biden’s failed Afghanistan withdrawal and the actions of his current military staff, including chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin are reprehensible.  Our enemies are emboldened as our military leaders showed cowardice and incompetence. Instead of resolve and a plan of action to exit the 20-year war in Afghanistan, Milley and Austin evacuated our troops and abandoned countless American civilians.  You may be interested in knowing that I have introduced an amendment in the defense appropriations bill to reduce the salary of General Milley to $1.  Here’s a decent article discussing my amendment as well as the efforts of several of my colleagues in Congress fed up with the current military leadership.

Tweet of the Week:

Photo of the Week:

Dave Kiesling from Goodyear, AZ submitted this photo of a sunrise at Estrella Mountain Regional Park.  Spectacular!  Thanks for sharing.

Do you have photography skills?  Do you want the chance for your photograph to be featured as our “Picture of the Week?”   If so, send your best shots of our great state along with a brief description to Anthony.foti@mail.house.gov.  Remember to include your name and where you live.  We have a beautiful state, let’s show her off!

Gosar in the News and Other Must-Read Stories:

Sputnik News: Biden’s Anti-Mining Policies Leave Critical US Mineral Supply Chains at Risk – Congressman Gosar

Next Gov: GOP lawmakers tap Holman Rule to slash salaries of agency heads

The Incisal Edge: 32 Most Influential People In Dentistry

The Federalist: Court: Arizona’s Sloppy Ballot Signature Verification Guidance ‘Contradicts The Plain Language’ Of State Law

American Thinker: Trump Can Prove It

The Federalist Paper: Battered and Bloodied Dem Leader Who Wanted to ‘Dismantle Police’ Suddenly Wants to ‘Take Back Our City’

New York Post: Kamala Harris says she may have to take over as prez: Please NO

New York Post: Fauci roasted as ‘fraud’ and ‘liar’ after being confronted with damning study on masks

New York Post: Never forget: It was Randi Weingarten and the Bidens who sacrificed a generation of kids

Just the News: House Comm. subpoenas DHS Secretary Mayorkas, others who gave Hunter Biden “tip-off” of IRS probe

Just the News: FDA ruled against by a federal court over anti-ivermectin messaging

Warning!!  The Gosar Weekly Newsletter is meant for discerning readers with above average intelligence.  If you are a reporter, it probably means you are in over your head already.  We link to interesting stories.  We get stories a couple different ways: Google alerts, a third-party aggregator and sometimes readers send stuff.  We don’t vouch for every publication or every author.  If we link to a story, it is because of that story. The views expressed in any of the publications do not represent any promotion, endorsement or reflection of Congressman Gosar’s views.  While we try our best, we cannot guarantee every news organization spouting hatred, animosity or divisiveness will be filtered from appearing in the Gosar Weekly Newsletter.  We will endeavor to prevent that from happening by never linking to Fake News organizations including CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, Rolling Stone, the Arizona Republic, the Arizona Mirror, Media Matters or the New Republic.