This Week with Gosar

Feb 18, 2024

Gosar Votes to Impeach Secretary Mayorkas (again)

After the initial attempt failed because some Members of Congress were absent, this week, I joined nearly all my Republican colleagues in the House of Representatives and voted to impeach United States Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for failing to uphold and execute our immigration laws and repeatedly lying to Congress and the American people.  The vote passed 214-213 and marks the first time in 150 years that a cabinet secretary has been impeached, and for good reason.  More than 10 million illegal aliens, 340 terrorists, 90,000 convicted criminals and 27 tons of fentanyl have been welcomed into our country by Secretary Mayorkas and Joe Biden.  In short, their open border policies are enabling the invasion along our southern border.  

The impeachment trial now goes to the United States Senate, where Senator Schumer is threatening to quickly dismiss the charges.  I will be sure to keep faithful Gosar Newsletter readers updated on these developments.

Read my full statement by clicking here.

176,205 Illegal Aliens Cross Southern Border in January

Speaking of our open border: the latest numbers are in, and the border crisis rages on.  This week, Customs and Border Protection released new data showing more than 176,000 lawbreakers crossed the southern border last month.  As I mentioned above, more than 10 million illegal aliens have crossed the border since Joe Biden took office.  Not included in that number are the nearly two million additional illegals, known as “gotaways,” who have evaded border patrol officials.   Tragically, another 1,778 pounds of deadly fentanyl were seized in January but so much more makes its way into our neighborhoods.  Care to guess how many illegal aliens get deported?  If you guessed ZERO, you would be correct.  Experts say the likelihood that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers will remove them is "virtually nonexistent" and that they "are here indefinitely, if not forever."

Did you know the United States decennial census counts illegal aliens for purposes of reapportionment and allocating congressional seats?  Thus, states that harbor illegal aliens will have their population numbers increased.  With a population increase, those states may well get additional congressional seats in the House of Representatives and other states will lose seats. 

The surge of illegal aliens will generally benefit blue states and cause Congress to have an artificially high number of democrat congressional districts.  This exact phenomenon occurred in California after massive illegal immigration there for the last 40 years. California used to have Republicans governors, senators and congressmen.  Today they are ghosts of the past.

Cato Analysis: Congress Should Take Up Gosar Spending Reform Bill

This week, Revolver News published an opinion editorial I drafted highlighting a recent analysis by the Cato Institute concerning excessive and wasteful government spending with emergency designations.  If you missed my editorial, I got you covered:  here it is!  I encourage you to spend a few minutes reading the Cato analysis but the upshot is that Congress is “increasingly abusing emergency designations, which were originally intended to provide a safety valve for responding to urgent and unexpected crises, to evade spending limits.”  Cato’s analysis notes that Congress has designated $12 trillion as emergency spending over the last 30 years and recommends seven reforms Congress should consider to curb abusive and wasteful emergency spending.  That’s one third of our $34 trillion national debt.  One recommended reform, H.R. 4615, the National Emergency Expenditure Reporting Transparency Act, is legislation I introduced that tightens the reporting requirements related to spending during national emergencies by requiring federal agencies provide detailed public reports related to emergency expenditures. As Cato points out, current emergency spending requirements are complicated, easily ignored and difficult to trace.   I’m proud that in its analysis, Cato notes that my bill provides much-needed transparency and is a “big step in the right direction” towards curtailing executive emergency spending abuses.  For example, Joe Biden has yet to produce one expenditure report related to the COVID-19 national emergency.  My legislation would withhold federal funding to agencies for failing to comply with the periodic reporting requirements.  I have been very outspoken about the nearly four dozen still active emergency declarations and the need for Congress to debate terminating them, as it required by law under the National Emergencies Act.  It’s time Congress start taking steps to reform emergency spending and demonstrate a commitment to fiscal responsibility.  

Gosar Reintroduces Veterans Expedited TSA Screening Legislation

This week, I was proud to reintroduce the Veterans Expedited TSA Screening (VETS) Safe Travel Act, bipartisan legislation that would provide expedited security screening under the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) PreCheck program to severely injured or disabled veterans. Traveling through airport security with prosthetics, wheelchairs, or other mobility aids often presents a challenge to disabled veterans, including waiting in long lines and difficulty removing shoes, belts and garments.  My legislation will provide injured or disabled veterans an easier and more dignified experience when passing through domestic airport security checkpoints by enrolling them in the expedited PreCheck program free of charge – a service already offered to Active Duty, Reservists and National Guard servicemembers.  No American veteran, particularly disabled veterans, should be hassled at our airports.

Read more about the VETS Act by clicking here.

Gosar Votes No on Ridiculous Syrian Resolution

This week Congress passed a non-sensical bill against “normalizing” relations with Syria.  The legislation passed easily, but four members of Congress -  Representatives Gaetz, Massie, Taylor Greene and I - were the only Republicans to vote no.  The bill presents a series of falsehoods about Syria and arrogantly suggests we, in the United States, should be telling the people of Syria how to run their country.   I am certain none of us would appreciate the Syrians telling us what to do.  We should recognize that.  Worse, this bill strangely supports ISIS.  Yes, that ISIS, the one that we were told is the world’s biggest terrorist group since 2015.  ISIS terrorists are fighting to take over Syria.  This bill supports ISIS and is directed against the current Syrian government.  This makes no logical sense to anyone, but logic and reason are at a premium when it comes to people serving in Congress.  I refuse to support ISIS in Syria.  I refuse to get involved in Syrian domestic politics, just as I reject any effort by other countries to get involved in our politics. 

Congress Launches Investigation into Biden’s Decision to Reinstate Funding to the United Nations’ Relief and Work Agency

A few weeks ago, I noted in my newsletter that a dozen or more officials from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) were directly involved in the horrific October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks in Israel that killed more than 1,200 people, including many Americans.  Since 2013, the United States has provided UNRWA more than $2.5 billion in taxpayer dollars, apparently to fund terrorist activities.  President Trump rightfully cut funding to UNRWA only to have Biden reverse course when he took office. 

This week, I joined other members of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability notifying Mr. Biden that the committee is launching an investigation into his decision to reinstate funding to UNRWA in light of these troubling reports.  Reversing course simply because of hatred for Donald Trump is not only foolish but is dangerous, as demonstrated once again by Biden’s decision to renew funding to UNRWA.  Read the full letter to Secretary Blinken here.

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It’s Mail Time!

I receive thousands of letters each week and do my very best to respond to everyone.  Here are samples of some of the letters I received this week:

Dave T., a veteran from Lake Havasu City, writes:

How come Biden can give illegals benefits? Every day our veteran benefits go away and now they’re going to give it to illegals. This is not right.

Dear Dave - Biden does whatever Biden wants, Constitution be damned.  Illegal immigrants take advantage of our generous welfare programs and every American pays the price for these illegals, including veterans.  In fact, a 2023 study by the Federation for American Immigration Reform estimates that the fiscal burden of illegal immigration costs American taxpayers more than $150 billion.  As I have said, elections can have devastating consequences.

James B. from Surprise shares:

Is there any way that you can help get House Speaker Johnson the help he needs from EVERY Republican to make sure the Ukraine multi-billion dollar check does not get cut?  I’m told that if ANY Republicans vote for the discharge petition, I will have to start working more to PAY Ukraine wages and health insurance.  I'm 73 and trying to retire, not work more to pay the taxes needed to give to Ukraine employees!!!

James, I have opposed every dime spent on the proxy war in Ukraine and will continue to do so.  Thankfully, Speaker Johnson has said he will not take up the Ukraine spending bill that recently passed the Senate.  I hope he keeps his word.  I have made my case loud and clear to anyone who is listening, including Speaker Johnson: the United States has no business being in Ukraine.  Today, more and more of my colleagues in Congress are coming around to my thinking.  Imagine if we spent the billions in the United States we have wasted in Ukraine?  Many of our problems would be resolved.  Rest assured that I’ll keep the pressure on my colleagues.  In the meantime, you enjoy your well-earned retirement!

Kathy P. from Kingman writes:

I read your newsletters weekly, appreciate your insight of what is going on within our legislative branch.  The impeachment of Mayorkas is truly not the person to have been impeached, the person that should be held accountable and impeached is President Biden.  He is the reason and orchestrator of the open border invasion.  Mayorkas takes his orders from the President, so if he is found guilty of the crime of no border security, that also means Biden is guilty. Do you agree?

Hi Kathy, thanks for the note and I am pleased to know that you enjoy my newsletter.  I certainly believe Joe Biden should also be impeached.  Biden very well may be the most corrupt and incompetent president in American history.  Every week, new revelations come out on how his dealings with foreign governments enriched him and his family.  His border crisis gets worse and worse every day, and his only reaction is to pour more gasoline on that dumpster fire.  Not to mention the recent revelations that he is mentally unfit to serve in office.

I could go on about all his failings of the American people, but I’ll cut to the chase: If the question of impeachment were to come to the floor for a vote I would proudly vote yes.  

Tweet of the Week:

Photo of the Week:

Becky Hess from Lake Havasu City shares this beautiful sunrise.  Thanks for sharing, Becky.  Please keeping sending your photos!

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 along with a brief description 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 Revolver News: Grifter’s Worst Nightmare: Time for Transparency Over “National Emergency” Spending

Cato Institute: Seven Emergency Spending Reforms Congress Should Consider

The National Pulse: REPORT: Obama Intel Chiefs Recruited Foreign Agents to Spy on Trump.

Daily Wire: 86% Of Americans Say Biden Too Old For Another Term: Poll

New York Post: Confused Biden looks lost as he wanders behind podium, stares at the floor as Jordan’s King Abdullah II speaks

New York Post: Biden’s outrageous spin on his special-counsel lies could set him up for impeachment

New York Post: Biden ripped special counsel for asking about son Beau’s death — but report says Joe brought it up

New York Post: If Joe Biden is unfit to stand trial, he’s unfit to be president. It’s that simple

NBC News: Biden attacked Hur for asking him when Beau died. That didn't happen, sources say.

National Pulse: INVASION: 300 Chinese Entered America Illegally YESTERDAY Alone, With 20K Since October.

The Federalist: Bobulinski: Joe Biden Was ‘The Brand’ His Family Was Selling To Foreign Governments

Fox News: Morning Glory: President Biden should resign—now

Warning!!  The Gosar Weekly Newsletter is meant for discerning readers with above average intelligence.  If you are a reporter, it probably means you are in over your head already.  We link to interesting stories.  We get stories a couple different ways: Google alerts, a third-party aggregator and sometimes readers send stuff.  We don’t vouch for every publication or every author.  If we link to a story, it is because of that story. The views expressed in any of the publications do not represent any promotion, endorsement or reflection of Congressman Gosar’s views.  While we try our best, we cannot guarantee every news organization spouting hatred, animosity or divisiveness will be filtered from appearing in the Gosar Weekly Newsletter.  We will endeavor to prevent that from happening by never linking to Fake News organizations including CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, Rolling Stone, the Arizona Republic, the Arizona Mirror, Media Matters or the New Republic.