The Republican Recap: Week of December 9, 2024

Improving Servicemember Quality of Life and Strengthening Our National Security ✅

As our national security remains at risk, the men and women who serve in the U.S. military defend our freedom and democracy everyday. Unfortunately, the House Armed Services Committee Quality of Life Panel found that servicemember quality of life has gotten increasingly worse, causing low morale amongst servicemembers, stressing military families, undermining recruitment and retention, and threatening our military readiness. 

Due to insufficient pay and allowances, servicemembers have been forced to rely on food stamps and pantries to provide for their families and pay housing costs out of their own pockets. Unaccompanied housing for servicemembers is in terrible condition, and both medical care and childcare have long wait times. Also, 22 percent of military spouses are unemployed thanks to constant movement and difficulty transferring licenses. This year, the NDAA focuses on servicemember quality of life improvement by including funding for housing maintenance, oversight, and upgrades; giving junior enlisted servicemembers a 14.5 percent raise and supporting a 4.5 percent raise for all other servicemembers; reducing healthcare wait times and improving access to childcare; and better supporting employment for military spouses.

Additionally, the FY25 NDAA supports the deployment of National Guard to the southern border to combat the influx of illegal immigrants and drugs; deters China and prevents CCP espionage in our research institutions, supply chains, and armed forces; permanently bans TRICARE coverage of dangerous transgender medical care for minors; requires promotions be based on merit; supports Israel and counters antisemitism by banning the sale and exchange of goods at DOD commissaries that have or are currently boycotting Israel; guts DEI and cuts Critical Race Theory; and enhances fiscal responsibility by cutting $31 billion in inefficient programs, Pentagon bureaucracy, and obsolete weapons. 

S. Amdt. to H.R. 5009, the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025, sponsored by Rep. Mike Rogers, strengthens our national security by deterring China, restoring lethality, and cracking down on inefficient uses of funds, while also supporting our servicemembers by taking meaningful steps to improve their quality of life. 

“The threats facing our nation are more complex and dangerous than anything we’ve faced in over 40 years,” Chairman Mike Rogers said. “The House sent a clear message to our adversaries by passing the FY25 NDAA. The FY25 NDAA strengthens our military by improving the quality of life for our servicemembers; expediting the fielding of innovative technologies; and investing in the capabilities we need to deter China and other adversaries.”  

What Members Said:

 

“This year's NDAA supports the war fighter; counters aggression imposed by the CCP, Russia, Iran; and authorizes a much needed pay raise for our men and women in uniform, with a special focus on our junior enlisted service members. In the face of global instability and unprecedented threats, this year's NDAA furthers military readiness and increases lethality,” said Rep. Dale Strong. “The U.S. has got to get our clip full for everything from small arms to long range missiles. And to do this, we must provide stability and predictability to our organic and defense industrial base. America is ready to roll.”

Rep. Jen Kiggans celebrated the passage of S. Amdt. to H.R. 5009 and highlighted how the FY25 NDAA improves the quality of life for our servicemembers and will ensure our military has the necessary tools go preserve peace through strength.  

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Making Justice More Accessible to Americans ✅

Currently, many Americans are being denied access to our justice system thanks to an overload of cases and a shortage of judges, making it harder for Americans to get their day in court, significantly delaying the justice process, while placing the burden on current judges. Congress has not authorized new judgeships in more than 20 years, and comprehensive judgeship legislation has not been enacted since 1990 – the longest period of time that Congress has not authorized new permanent district court judgeships since district courts were established in 1789.

Meanwhile, the United States population has grown by nearly 100 million people, and with that population increase, federal case filings have increased by 40 percent. This means there are not enough judges to address cases in a timely fashion, resulting in delays, crushing caseloads, and the judges we do have being overworked as they try and fail to keep pace with increased case filings.

Americans deserve a justice system that is efficient, just, and has the amount of judges needed to give Americans their day in court. House Republicans passed legislation to create new district court judgeships to aid with the rise in case filings, alleviating the burden on current judges and making our justice system more accessible for those seeking to be heard wherever they live.

S. 4199, the Judicial Understaffing Delays Getting Emergencies Solved (JUDGES) Act of 2024, introduced by Sen. Todd Young, would add 66 new federal judgeships in overworked districts across the country to help address case filing increases and ensure Americans have access to justice in a timely manner.

“The JUDGES Act represents the diligent work and hard-won agreement of national stakeholders that ultimately earned the support of a unanimous Senate and a strong bipartisan majority in the House. This is the durable solution our nation needs to solve a national judge shortage that is widely acknowledged, causing a backlog in our courts, and only getting worse. As he enters his last days in office, President Biden might make good on his partisan political threat to veto this overwhelmingly popular bill, but that won’t stop for long a consensus idea whose time has come,” said Rep. Darrell Issa. 

What Members Said:

“As a Republican co-lead of this House companion version of the bill, alongside my colleague Representative Issa, this legislation will not only address multi-year case backlogs, but will also ensure the administration of justice in a reasonable time frame. And make no mistakes folks, the sudden opposition to this bill from my friends on the other side of the aisle is nothing more than childish foot stomping. The Democrats know this is a fair bill, and they know that it doesn't give any president or party an advantage in appointing judges, since they are to be added in six segments over 10 years,” said Rep. Troy Nehls. “Because they are angry over the results of this election, the official Democrat position now seems to be that our federal trial court system should be left to languish over the weight of crippling backlogs. This bill is common sense. One of our most basic obligations as a Congress is to oversee the judiciary and ensure it functions well.”

Rep. Mike Simpson noted that S. 4199 brings us closer to meeting the needs of Americans across the country and strengthening our judicial system.

  

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Protecting Your Choice of Washing Machine from Biden’s War on Home Appliances ✅

Under the EPCA, the Department of Energy (DOE) sets efficiency standards for 60 product categories – but these standards must be cost-effective, significantly save energy, and be technologically feasible. Unfortunately, President Biden’s DOE has consistently abused their authority to push a radical energy agenda on American families and consumers, attempting to implement conservation standards that don’t meet these standards. 

These overreaching rules would take away consumer choice and burden American families struggling to get by, raising costs and forcing Americans to use appliances that do not perform as well. Additionally, the Biden DOE’s proposed standards aim to shut down the use of natural gas and force electric appliances on the American people, regardless of cost, performance, or availability – putting their radical Green New Deal agenda before the needs of hardworking Americans. 

While the Biden Administration fights to impose a stream of new burdensome regulations for a multitude of vital home appliances including residential washing machines, House Republicans passed legislation to protect consumer choice and keep government agencies out of your home. Let’s be clear: President Biden and Washington bureaucrats' war on everyday household appliances only hurts American families and small businesses.

H.R. 7673, the Liberty in Laundry Act, introduced by Rep. Andy Ogles, prevents the Secretary of Energy and the DOE from implementing new or amended energy efficiency standards for clothes washers that are not technologically feasible and economically justified.

“I have spent much of my time in Congress fighting back the federal government’s vast overreach into the lives of hardworking Americans. In a slew of woke, “environmental” nonsense rulemaking attempts by the Biden Administration, the Secretary of Energy issued new standards for clothing washers and dryers in March,” said Rep. Andy Ogles. “In response, I introduced the Liberty in Laundry Act, which will prohibit the Secretary of Energy from imposing “energy conservation standards” for clothes washers that are not economically feasible and economically justified. Americans should be able to do their laundry in peace without the input of Big Brother.” 

What Members Said:

Majority Whip Tom Emmer underlined that H.R. 7673 puts an end to the Democrats' push for costly and unnecessary home appliance regulations.