| Last week marked the third bill that my team and I have successfully gotten across the finish line and passed in the House of Representatives. The bipartisan bill, the Subterranean Border Defense Act, would help ensure that Congress has the necessary data to forge another much-needed layer of security at our southern border. As I’m sure everyone in Arizona is aware, our border security has been effectively dismantled under the Harris-Biden regime, with their reversal of President Trump’s successful border policies. What many people might be unaware of is the covert methods utilized by Transnational Criminal Organizations to smuggle deadly drugs and people into the United States. As these criminal enterprises grow in size and sophistication, their use of illicit cross-border tunnels along the southwest border is becoming a significant threat to our national security. Since 1990, officials have discovered nearly 150 underground tunnels that have breached the U.S. border, with a whopping 80% increase in tunnel activity occurring since 2008. The Subterranean Border Defense Act, which I introduced alongside Congressman Lou Correa, a Democrat from California, would help Congress address this growing threat by requiring the submission of annual reports on counter tunneling operations, fortifying our security system at the border. Currently, Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) has only been required to submit one report to Congress on a strategic plan to counter the tunnelling operations. This one report has mobilized Congress to exercise much-needed oversight while empowering CBP to adopt successful strategies to counteract illegal tunnels under our border. The Subterranean Border Defense Act would expand on this success by mandating a report every year going forward to make sure Congress has sufficient knowledge and oversight to combat this dynamic threat. This bill, as with my first two successfully passed pieces of legislation, are reflective of my priorities up in Washington—namely, looking out for our nation’s heroes, getting the federal government out of the way of our district’s tribal citizens so they access their own resources, and securing our southern border. It’s sadly a challenge to find bipartisan ground in fighting for these objectives up in Washington, but I’ve been committed to forging a new, effective path. That’s why all three of my bills that have passed the House have done so with bipartisan support. In April of this year, the Pleasant Valley Veterans Retreat Act, the first bill I introduced when I got to Congress, passed the House without opposition. This piece of legislation would enable Gila County, Arizona to operate a veterans’ center on 232 acres in Young, Arizona, making the center the first of its kind in northern Arizona, providing resources and support to primarily rural veterans and their families. It’s a big win anytime Congress votes in favor of legislation that returns power to the states. In a similar vein, it’s also an achievement when we can help people overcome bureaucratic obstacles created by the federal government. That’s why I co-introduced the Native American Entrepreneurial Opportunity Act—another bipartisan bill, which I introduced alongside Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS). While Tribal entrepreneurs should have the ability to access the Small Business Administration’s programs just like anyone else, these communities don’t currently experience adequate access or outreach. It’s essential that they receive specialized expertise to assist them in navigating the unique complexities of running a business on a reservation. This bill would help ensure they’re able to overcome these bureaucratic complexities through the establishment of the Office of Native American Affairs (ONAA) within the Small Business Administration by adding it to the Small Business Act. This office would formally be responsible for establishing a working relationship with Tribal communities by promoting SBA programs related to entrepreneurial development, contracting, and capital access. As the representative for over half of Arizona’s Tribes, I’m pleased that the House passed our bill, which would serve Tribal citizens of our district well. Taken together, these three bills illustrate the agenda I’m fighting for in Washington. I’ve been principled and faithful to my conservative principles and remained effective and practical in my legislative efforts—managing to successfully break through the gridlock and corruption in our Capitol advocate for bipartisan solutions for Arizonans. Throughout my first term, I’ve consistently fought to crush the status quo—regardless of which side perpetuates it—that has steamrolled the voices of the American people for too long. I intend to continue that approach in the future. |
September 19, 2024