This Memorial Day Observance week I had the highest honor of attending and speaking at the Yavapai County Memorial Day Observance in Prescott, Arizona.

Some people, including most disgracefully Mrs. Harris, think of this solemn time as just a “long weekend.” These people have no respect for our history, for our culture or our values.  Most importantly, they have no respect for those who sacrificed their lives for our country.

Memorial Day is a time to remember and pay tribute to the fallen heroes who gave his or her ALL so that we may enjoy America’s freedoms. It is a time to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the preservation of our country.

They never asked for anything in return other than to be respected and remembered for serving our country. And we miss them all so very dearly.

I hope that everyone had a wonderful and meaningful Memorial Day.

Mr. Biden secretly unveiled his massive $6 trillion spending plan last Friday just before the Memorial Day observance weekend, AKA “the long weekend” (see my lead story above if you need more context).

All I can say about Mr. Biden’s budget is hold onto your wallets, folks.  You’re about to pay more in taxes and more for just about everything you purchase.  Mr. Biden’s budget will raise taxes on the middle class by wiping out President Trump’s tax cuts. His budget will lead to new records of debt every year. Under his plan, the national debt will be $39 trillion in the next ten years. Inflation indicators are already sounding their alarms: filled your tank up with gas recently or purchased lumber? But not to worry, Mr. Biden’s plan cuts defense spending, which isn’t too much of a surprise since earlier this week he proclaimed white supremacy, not terrorism or cyber-attacks, not Iran, China or Russia, as the greatest threat to our nation. Did I mention Mr. Biden’s budget included billions of dollars for Progressives including money for the “Climate Change Fund?”

In response, this week I joined my Republican colleagues on the House Oversight and Reform Committee and penned a letter to Mr. Biden’s National Economic Council Director requesting information on the Biden Administration’s plan to fight inflation.

Click here to read a copy of the letter.

In March, I twice joined my Republican colleagues on the House Oversight and Reform Committee in writing to the Democrats on the Committee demanding a hearing be held on the Biden-created immigration crisis along the southern border. Sadly, Democrats ignored both requests. In the past three months, 61,000 illegal immigrants were released into the United States by the Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Where they go is anyone’s guess.  Shockingly, last week, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas admitted there are too many illegal immigrants being released to “know and track” where they are all going.  Illegal border crossings are at a 21-year high. Nearly 180,000 illegal aliens were apprehended in April. May will likely be just as high. Fentanyl is pouring into the United States. In fact, more fentanyl has been seized by the CBP so far in 2021 than in all of 2020. What is happening at the border is so outrageous that Mr. Biden has banned all photography. Mr. Biden doesn’t want the world to see the overflowing cages or the deplorable conditions.  In response to the Committee’s silence, my Republican colleagues and I wrote to the Democrats for a third time demanding they schedule a hearing on the border crisis. Democrats, by refusing to hold the Biden Administration accountable for the crisis, are complicit in the cover up.  American’s deserve answers about this health, security and humanitarian crisis and I will not stop fighting until we get them.

The Congressional Western Caucus is a group of Members of Congress that works to lift the voices of local communities on issues facing rural America. From active land and forest management to locally led conservation efforts to economic development within rural communities, the Caucus promotes sound policies that advance the values we hold dear throughout the rural West and beyond.

This week, more than a dozen members of the Congressional Western Caucus, including me, headed to California for two days to hear directly from community leaders on important issues impacting local communities, from drought and wildfire prevention to agriculture and energy independence.

Today, firefighters are battling several fires in Arizona and other western states. In fact, 11 Western states are under severe or extreme drought conditions, greatly exacerbating the risk of fires. Emerging firefighting technology is critical to suppression and prevention efforts, so this was an important opportunity to take a closer look at this technology and firefighting aircraft firsthand at the Santa Maria Airport. Increased intergovernmental collaboration between federal, state and local firefighters combined with innovative firefighting technology will help communities across the West better respond to catastrophic wildfires.

I am incredibly grateful to all the firefighters and other first responders for their untiring commitment to our beloved communities. We know you selflessly put yourself at risk each time a catastrophe strikes. THANK YOU!

Did you know that the U.S. meatpacking industry is more consolidated than ever before? In fact, four companies operate 90% of the top beef processing facilities in the country, accounting for 94% of market capacity. Ironically, two of the four are foreign owned.

As packer concentration and foreign influence has grown in the past several years, the price of boxed beef has significantly increased while the price of live cattle has plummeted, a market trend which benefits large meatpackers at the expense of independent cattle producers and the American consumer. While the four major meatpacking companies are seeing hefty profits, we are all paying the higher prices at the grocery store.

This needs to change. The anticompetitive practices occurring in the beef industry today indicate that either our antitrust laws are not being enforced or they need to be updated to address this market manipulation.

In response to this market domination, this week I joined a group of bipartisan Congressmen, Congresswomen and Senators asking that the Department of Justice review existing antitrust laws to determine whether they need to be enforced or updated to restore fairness to the marketplace.

Click here to read a copy of the letter I sent to Attorney General Garland.

Last weekend, I had the distinct privilege of attending and speaking at the Eagle Court of Honor for Joshua Ryan Cohen in Queen Creek, Arizona.

I am incredibly proud of Joshua achieving the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank that Scouting offers to Scouts. Only a small percentage of young men who begin Scouting receive this great honor. In Scouts, the eagle symbolizes strength of character, service to our community and nation, respect for mankind and love of God. Joshua is a great example to our community. He recently graduated from high school and is soon off to college to pursue a degree in electrical systems engineering. Congratulations and best of luck in your next adventures, Joshua!

KELO, Senators Rounds and Smith Lead 26 Colleagues in Calling for DOJ Investigation into Cattle Market

NumbersUSA, House Committee Members Highlight Environmental Impact of Biden Border Crisis

Washington Times, Cost to House Migrant Kids ‘Skyrocketing,’ GOP Says

Fox News, Fauci Emails Spark Flood of Backlash: ‘Needs to Stop Playing Games’

WSJ Opinion, What Did Fauci Tell Trump About Wuhan?

One of my most important responsibilities as your congressman is nominating young men and women for admission to our country’s service academies. Please visit www.gosar.house.govfor more information on how to apply. Additionally should you have any questions you may contact my District Director Penny Nichols Pew at penny.pew@mail.house.gov.