This Week with Gosar

Top Stories – Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Gosar Urges State Legislature to Pass Legislation Protecting National Guard

If you are a regular reader of my weekly newsletter, follow me on social media or read my press releases you know that I am an outspoken critic of endless wars that put our soldiers at great risk, increase our national debt and accomplish next to nothing.  During my time in congress, I have attempted to reign in the empire’s nation-building, foreign aid giveaways, and bloody regime-change wars.

Sadly, many in Congress have no appetite for enforcing the checks and balances of our Constitution and debating whether we should be at war and what that would mean for our country.   Too often our military, including members of the National Guard, are deployed into costly wars without consent or consultation from the people’s representatives.  The National Guard is the backbone of the United States military, and it ought to play an integral role in our national defense.  However, our National Guard should not be forced to fight undeclared wars based on executive whim.

This week, I wrote an important editorial about the Defend the Guard Act, legislation being considered by the Arizona legislature requiring a declaration of war by Congress before the Arizona National Guard is sent into active combat. That’s the same precondition the Founding Fathers gave in Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution.

The Defend the Guard Act would not inhibit the use of the Arizona Guard to complete a domestic mission under Title 10, or even the Guard’s deployment overseas for training missions. It simply ensures that the Arizona National Guard could not be deployed into an unconstitutional war like the one in Syria, or into Ukraine if Joe Biden continues our country’s descent into World War III.

This legislation is moving through the Arizona legislature and it puts our soldiers, and America, first. And I’m grateful to the veterans’ organization Bring Our Troops Home for bringing it to my attention.

Click here to read my editorial in its entirety.

Gosar Demands Answers from Biden About COVID Spending

This week, Joe Biden issued another continuation of the COVID-19 national emergency declaration. The truth is that COVID-19 no longer warrants treatment as a national emergency and the House of Representatives recently passed my resolution terminating the continued declaration with overwhelming bipartisan support.

Did you know that Section 1641(c) of the National Emergencies Act (NEA) requires the Joe Biden to provide to Congress all expenditures attributable to the exercise of powers and authorities conferred by a declaration of a national emergency within 90 days of the end of each six-month period following the declaration? To date, Mr. Biden has refused to provide any such report.

In response, I joined U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (KS) in sending a bicameral letter to Mr. Biden requesting an expenditure report on the extended COVID-19 national emergency declaration.

To quote my friend, Senator Marshall: “For Joe Biden, the national emergency declaration was always about power and politics, not the pandemic, and his answers to our letter will prove that.”

Click here to read a copy of the bicameral letter and here to read a copy of my press release from earlier this week.

Gosar Sponsors Legislation Taking Back Unused COVID Money

Speaking of COVID-19 spending, this week I also cosponsored H.R. 1011, the Audit and Return it Act.  This legislation requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to conduct an audit of any unobligated coronavirus-related funding and to rescind any unobligated amounts for the sole purpose of reducing the deficit.  Billions of taxpayer dollars remain unspent.  This money needs to be returned to the Treasury and used to drive down the deficit, which now exceeds $31 trillion dollars.

Gosar Sets the Record Straight About Protecting Social Security

For some time now, and with increasing frequency, the Left has been falsely accusing conservatives of wanting to reduce Social Security benefits or Medicare.   Let me set the record straight: I have repeatedly tried to increase social security benefits.  For example, in 2021 I submitted H.R. 4453, the No Tax on Social Security Act and I will be reintroducing this bill this year.  This legislation would change current tax policies by excluding Social Security benefits from being counted as annual gross income and subject to taxation.

 

In other words, if you get Social Security benefits, today you must pay income taxes, which can take up to 33% of your benefits.   Under my bill, H.R. 4453, you would not pay federal income taxes on these benefits, and this would increase your benefits by up to 33% or whatever your tax rate has been.   I said last year that the “decision by Congress to tax Social Security benefits in 1983 has been a public policy disaster from the beginning.  Not only has it deprived America’s senior citizens of benefits which they rightfully earned after a lifetime of hard work and paying into Social Security, but its failure to account for inflation means senior citizens are subject to an annual tax hike.  It makes no sense for the federal government to punish senior citizens who saved for retirement or who continue to work.  All this does is increase the scope of the federal government and deprive Americans of which they are rightfully entitled.”

 

I have another bill, HR 3564, to eliminate the Optional Practice Training (OPT) Program which allows foreigners to work here but not pay into social security, but they can claim it, thus giving employers an unfair incentive to hire inexpensive foreign labor while displacing American workers.

I also cosponsored H.R. 864 and H.R. 756, common-sense legislation to eliminate social security benefits to illegal aliens.  Every dollar they steal in benefits is a dollar lawful citizens can’t get.

I co-sponsored another very important bill, H.R. 82, legislation repealing the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO).  Sadly, many of my constituents have seen their benefits cut because of four-decade old federal laws eating into their Social Security entitlements they paid into. This legislation would finally repeal WEP and the GPO which have unfairly penalized thousands of Arizonans who worked tirelessly their entire lives. This non-sense policy punishes hard work and prudent planning.   If you paid into Social Security, the government should not punish you and take your lawfully earned benefits just because you’re a fire fighter, police officer or a teacher.

The bottom line is this:  I have, and will continue, to fight for more and better Social Security benefits because I want you to keep the benefits you have earned.

January Illegal Border Crossings Was the WORST January in 20 Years

This week the Biden Regime announced that 156,274 lawbreakers crossed the southern border this past January, making it the WORST January on record in more than 20 years. For the 23^rd month in a row more than 150,000 illegals have crossed our border, including another 15 more that were on the national terrorist watchlist. In fiscal year 2023, 53 terrorists have now crossed our southern border.  Since Biden took office, nearly six million illegal aliens have crossed the border…that we know of.

If that isn’t bad enough, more than 1,400 pounds of fentanyl were seized in last month.  The Biden Regime and democrats in Congress are complicit in this crisis with their support for sanctuary cities, stimulus checks to illegal immigrants and votes to hire less border patrol agents.  In the new House Republican Majority, we are working to secure our border, demand transparency for the American people, and hold Joe Biden accountable for his failed open-border policies.

It’s Mail Time! 

I receive a lot of mail from constituents on many topics.  Here’s a sample of some of those letters I received this week:

Donna A. from Chino Valley writes:

Thank you for trying to keep the Social Security in our retired people’s hands where it belongs. I would ask that somewhere in your news releases when you succeed, please include that everyone should continue to file their taxes even though they may not owe anything or have a refund coming back. If they file, it protects them from Social Security fraud because the IRS will only accept one filing a year against any Social Security number. We at the Prescott AARP Tax Aide office try to get this word out but it seems it is a little-known way of protecting yourself. I am afraid if our Social Security is not taxable then many people will not file and open themselves up to fraud since the very young and the retired citizens are who are the majority of who are singled out for targets of fraud.

Thanks Donna!  I will be holding an upcoming roundtable on Social Security and will be sure to raise this important point.

  

Windy V. from Lake Havasu City is concerned about American involvement in Ukraine:

While it is very sad what is happening to innocent people in Ukraine and Russia, I am adamantly opposed to sending support to Ukraine. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT!!! If a country cannot defend themselves it is NOT for us to send military weapons, money and oil reserves to support one side. Especially, when the opposite country is Russia. The results of this move will have long term negative affects for the USA. Thank You!

Dear Windy, I completely agree.  The current posture is untenable and a pathway to peace is long overdue. Months of escalation in weaponry and rhetoric endangers not just the citizens of Russia and Ukraine, but the whole world.  It’s long past time to seek a peaceful resolution in Ukraine.

Larry E. from Fort Mohave has similar concerns and writes:

We must stop funding Ukraine. Reports show Ukraine using chemical warfare. Ukraine has no regard for the safety of its people. Ukraine is forcing Russia to bombard its land and innocent people. The US must demand an end to this nonsense and force Ukraine to meet the demands of Russia. The only reason Ukraine is not surrendering is because the Biden regime is protecting its own interests shared with oligarchs from around the world. In short, we must stop Biden and the military industrial complex. The way to stop Biden is to expose him, impeach him. We the People demand it.

Dear Larry, we agree! I cannot remain silent as death and destruction not only continue unabated in Ukraine but are financed by the United States.  

David M. from Surprise writes:

I want to thank you for your response to my inquiry regarding the ATF/pistol brace issue and am greatly reassured that you hold that opinion and are working against them. Thank you, Sir! I am a retired federal agent and am appalled by the current direction these agencies are taking under the Biden Administration. It is sickening to me both as a former military member and as a former federal civilian employee to see the direction our country has taken, being led by this corrupt administration. I just do not understand how this “president” with all of his appearances of impropriety, continues to remain president. There are so many issues, this is one of many but an important one for our free society.
I stand with you and thank God, that there are members like you who remain to fight for the American citizen. Please let me know how I can help. May God bless you, your efforts and the United States of America.

Dear David, this is latest attempt by the ATF to build a list of gun owners–which is currently illegal under federal law, not to mention the fact that they would make millions of American criminals overnight. As I mentioned in my letter to you, the ATF is an unconstitutional agency allowing the government to wage war on the 2^nd Amendment.  I will do everything in my power to overturn these regulations and their implementation.

Tweet of the Week:

Photo of the Week:

Sandy Wadlow from Wickenburg recently snapped this photo of the Bradshaw Mountains from her backyard!  What a view and a fantastic photo!  Thanks for sharing.

Now, who is next!?

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 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:

The Libertarian Institute: Arizona Must Pass ‘Defend the Guard’

Washington Examiner: A world of hurt: Workshops aim to help federal employees cope with ‘ecogrief’

The Buzz: Representative Gosar and Senator Marshall Demand Answers from Biden About COVID Spending

Fox News: This is one of the greatest federal government scandals of all time

New York Post: Hunter Biden’s link to disgraced ex-FBI official Charles McGonigal

New York Post: How Mexico outfoxed Joe Biden on illegal immigration, knowing he’d never fight back