Congress has been working on a lot over the last month, and I am excited to share some of those developments.
Republicans are committed to reining in the irresponsible spending that has been going on in Washington and passing legislation that truly helps Americans. That is why the House passed the Limit, Save, Grow Act. This bill will limit federal spending, save taxpayer dollars, and grow the economy. In exchange for these pro-growth policies, the debt ceiling would be responsibly lifted until next year. Now this bill will move to the Upper Chamber, where I hope the Senate and, ultimately, President Biden will be as serious as House Republicans in their debt ceiling negotiations.
We have also passed the Lower Energy Costs Act, which will increase domestic energy production, reform permitting processes, reverse anti-energy policies, and boost the production and processing of critical minerals. It also includes the Permitting for Mining Needs (PERMIT-MN) Act to unleash domestic mining abilities, which would be safer and cleaner than relying on foreign entities and will directly benefit Minnesotans. Three and a half years ago, America was energy independent, but American energy production has been under attack. Republicans are committed to reversing this course.
The House passed the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which strengthens Title IX and the amazing progress that has been made in women’s sports by stating that sex in an athletic setting must be recognized based only on a person’s reproductive biology at birth. There are clear biological differences between men and women, regardless of how a person identifies. Ignoring these differences and allowing biological men to participate in women’s sports puts women and girls at an inherent disadvantage and robs them of rewards for their hard work and perseverance, like scholarships and place medals.
When schools shifted to online learning during the pandemic, parents were able to see exactly what their children were being taught, and many were shocked to see things like Critical Race Theory and progressive gender ideology throughout their coursework. In response, parents understandably wanted to regain oversight of their children’s education, calling for schools to refocus curriculum to essential subjects without political ideology, but when they brought this up at their local school board meetings, they were met with hostility and were even labeled domestic terrorists. Parents know what is best for their children, and to ensure they have a say in their child’s education, the House passed the Parents Bill of Rights Act.
The Ways & Means Committee has also been hard at work. I went to Mexico, Ecuador, and Guyana with the Trade Subcommittee, where, among other things, we saw that there are still many opportunities to expand our trade exports to places like Guyana. I also went to Georgia to participate in a field hearing where we heard from the Peachtree City community about the struggles small businesses are facing. Not every idea that comes out of Washington is a good one, and Ways & Means Republicans are committed to working on real ways the government can be helpful to the hard-working people across this country.
This Congress is going to continue keeping its commitment to America. We are working on legislation to secure the border, strengthen the economy, and hold the government accountable for its actions.
I am always eager to hear from the 7th District about what Congress can be doing to empower its citizens. If you have ideas or if my office can help you with anything, please do not hesitate to contact my team in Washington, D.C., Willmar, or Moorhead.
By Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach
