This Week with Gosar

Top Stories – Washington, D.C.

Gosar Named Chairman of Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

This week it was announced that I would be named Chairman of the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.  I am grateful to Speaker McCarthy and Natural Resources Chairman Westerman for their trust in me.  I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues on the committee to root out the widespread abuse and fraud and get our federal agencies working for America again.  It begins with holding Joe Biden accountable by ensuring thorough oversight and transparency of the Biden administration that has been absent for the past two year.  It also includes prioritizing the need for critical mineral, rare earth and energy independence.  Maybe we even finally get some answers from the U.S. Park Police on its failures to secure the Capitol. Joe Biden’s time of unsupervised recklessness is quickly coming to an end! There is much work to be done and I am ready to hit the ground running. 

Biden Escalates War, Sends Tanks to Ukraine

This week, the Biden administration announced it would send 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine.  This despite the fact that not too long ago, Biden had this to say: “the idea that we’re going to send in offensive equipment and have planes and tanks and trains with American pilots and American crews just understand no matter what you say, that is called World War III.”  

Biden’s decision to circumvent Congress and unilaterally send American tanks to Ukraine brings us one step closer to dragging America directly into a massive, global war.  By his own admission and, with this latest decision, by his very actions, World War III is more and more possible each passing day thanks to Joe Biden.  America should not send any tanks to Ukraine, or any war material at all, or help to prolong a needless war and adding to the body count.   We need peace between Ukraine and Russia, not more American equipment and tanks.  

Under our Constitution, only Congress can declare war.  Congress has not done so.  Arming one side of a war, and sending troops to “advise” and “train” is engaging in a war.  We need to follow the Constitution, and have a vote to declare war on Russia.  Of course, I would vote no, but we need to have that debate.

Click here to read my full statement regarding this dangerous decision.  I’d also encourage you to read this very well written article to learn more about the troubling history of Ukraine.

The Truth About Republicans and Social Security

For some time now, and with increasing frequency, the left has been falsely accusing Republicans of wanting to reduce Social Security benefits or Medicare.  Most recently, socialist Ruben Gallego claimed, without evidence, that Republicans want to reduce Social Security, claiming falsely he will “fight back against the ultra-MAGA Republicans in their efforts to cut Social Security and Medicare.”  He will be shadow boxing in this “fight” since we are not cutting any benefits and, in fact, he ignores my efforts to increase benefits.  For example, in 2021 I submitted my “No Tax on Social Security Act of 2021.”  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 have to pay income taxes, which can take up to 33% of your benefits.  Under my bill, you would not pay federal income taxes, 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 also cosponsored a bill H.R. 864 and H.R. 756, bills 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, that would repeal the laws that offset Social Security benefits against people who have other income sources, whether it is a side job, or retirement benefits from another source.  This nonsense 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 drive an Uber, mow lawns, do some handyman work, or have a pension from another career.  

The bottom line is this:  I have been, and will continue, to fight for more and better Social Security benefits.  You deserve to keep the benefits you have earned.  As for the democrats like Gallego, he can pretend all he wants, but the record is clear where we stand.

Gosar Champions National School Choice Week

This week is National School Choice Week and I have been an outspoken champion of expanding school choice and empowering parents to pick the best school for their kids. Thankfully, the State of Arizona passed a law last year that allows up to $7,000 per student to “follow the student” to whatever school the family chooses.  This is a vast and long overdue improvement that allows parents and children to select the schools that are right for them without facing a financial penalty.  No surprise that the Leftist school unions stood in opposition to this law as they see this money belonging to them.   Arizona recognizes the importance of helping families have a say in their education and is leading the way in the country.  House Republicans in Congress have put forth a plan to increase school choice to more than a million students nationwide and this will continue to be one of my top priorities.

An Update on Deaths Caused by the Covid-19 Shot

Research is beginning to quantify what many people long-feared: the COVID-19 shot, mandated by many employers at the urging of panic stricken and power-hungry democrats, may have killed 278,000 in one year.  That is more than the total combined deaths in Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam War and Korean War.  The study, published this week in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, concluded that “the total number of fatalities due to COVID-19 inoculation may be as high as 278,000 (95% CI 217,330–332,608).”   You can read the study here.   This is very troubling.  I am sympathetic to anyone who got this shot because they were threatened, coerced or simply mislead.  

Why Did Speaker McCarthy Prevent Reps. Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell from Sitting on the House Intelligence Committee?

You may have learned that Speaker McCarthy, with the full backing of the Republican conference, denied Representatives Schiff and Swalwell from participating on the House Intelligence Committee.   Here is the inside scoop on why that was done. 

Rep. Schiff above—a known leaker.  He is a threat to national security and has no business being in Congress.

Accordingly to CIA Director and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Schiff leaked classified information to our enemies while he was head of the democrat run committee:  “Adam Schiff lied to the American people, and during my time as CIA director and secretary of State, I know that he leaked classified information that had been provided to him,” Pompeo said in a Fox News interview, adding that Schiff’s tenure as Intel chairman “almost ruined that committee.”  In addition, Schiff lied to the American people about the Russia Collusion Hoax and colluded with democrat and Ukrainian operatives to lie about President Trump in order set up an impeachment trial.   Pompeo concluded that “Adam Schiff should be nowhere near the Intel committee.”  

Speaker McCarthy for his part noted that Schiff “openly lied to the American public” about Russian collusion.   He is a known, if not pathological, prevaricator.  He also engaged in hate-filled tirades against journalists and attempted to get journalist Paul Sperry banned from Twitter.  Twitter, to its credit, scorned Schiff’s effort to censor is enemies, but his penchant for tyranny was clear, as exposed by independent journalist Matt Taibbi in the Twitter Files. Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton stated that Schiff’s misconduct, and efforts to stop the freedom of the press, should be “another reason to expel Schiff from Congress?"  On Twitter, actor Randy Quaid quipped, "Schiff is a piece of Schiff!" 

In 2019 President Trump suggested Schiff could be tried for treason: “Rep. Adam Schiff illegally made up a fake and terrible statement, pretended it to be mine as the most important part of my call to the Ukrainian President, and read it aloud to Congress and the American people,” Trump said on Twitter. “It bore no relationship to what I said on the call. Arrest for treason?”

Schiff was also a major source of misinformation and lies about Covid-19 and its treatment.   For these reasons and more, Speaker McCarthy rightfully and prudently removed Schiff for the Intelligence Committee, and committee charged with national secrets.  

Rep. Swalwell—Corrupted by Chinese Sex Spies and Honeypots?

Rep. Swalwell, on the other hand, took an interest in a Chinese “honeypot” spy—an attractive woman sent to learn secrets through pillow talk and eavesdropping.  

Chinese honeypot spy known as Christine “Fang Fang”—who allegedly lured Rep. Swalwell into a sexual relationship to gather information for her Chinese spy masters. 

Swalwell, who had a position on the House Intelligence Committee, had top secret information that he carelessly allowed Fang Fang potential access to as he hired her as his campaign fundraiser.  Not until the FBI went public and contacted Speaker McCarthy and others did Swalwell end his relationship. Kentucky Senator Rand Paul suggested Swalwell “probably ought to just resign from Congress” in disgrace.  

Speaker McCarthy barred Swalwell from serving on the House Intelligence Committee and said  “if you want to talk about Swalwell, let’s talk about Swalwell because you have not had the briefing that I had. I had the briefing and Nancy Pelosi had the briefing from the FBI …McCarthy said the FBI decided to tell the leadership of Congress that Swalwell “had a problem with a Chinese spy.”

Swalwell also filed a frivolous and harassing lawsuit against Congressman Mo Brooks and others regarding the January 6^th riot.   Swalwell once accused President Trump of “radicalizing” me and further pretended that a cartoon was real life.   For these reasons and more, Swalwell was removed from the House Intelligence Committee as a potential threat to the nation.   

Speaker McCarthy has my full support for these common-sense actions.   Our nation cannot allow men of such low character to risk our national security by serving on this important committee.  Speaker McCarthy is to be commended.

It’s Mail Time! 

I receive a lot of mail – nearly 6,000 letters this month! Here’s a sample of some of those letters:

Stephanie G. from Mohave County received asked me for some help and recently received some good news:

I received my Special Issuance Medical Certificate from the FAA last week. I cannot thank you and Congressman Gosar enough for your assistance. This is an ongoing issue in the aviation industry and I believe Congressman Gosar’s letter expedited my medical certificate. 

Dear Stephanie – this is great news!  I’m very pleased that my office was able to assist you. 

If anyone needs help with a federal agency, please contact my District Director, Penny Pew, at penny.pew@mail.house.gov and we will go to work to try to be helpful.

Susanne S. From Cochise County shared her thoughts regarding sending tanks to Ukraine and wrote:

100% agreement with your assessment.  Catastrophic consequences and Congress just seems to be along for the ride.  I don't know what else we can take away from the deafening silence.  Thank you for speaking out.  

Steve B. thoughtfully shared his disagreement:

I am 100% voting supporter of our congressman however, I disagree on our whole hotter support of the Ukraine. Appeasement just as prior to World War II is not a solution to the world’s problems. giving Russia bits and pieces of other people’s territory just to keep them from taking more didn’t work then it doesn’t work now. we’re better than that. Just one voter’s opinion. Thank you. 

Scott P. also disagrees:

Please convey to Congressman Gosar that my wife and I strongly disagree with his position about supporting Ukraine. President Biden is a disaster but the one thing he is doing somewhat well is supporting Ukraine.

Dictators respect strength and the will to use it.  President Obama’s lack of action when Russia invaded Crimea in 2014 and Biden’s terrible withdrawal from Afghanistan encouraged Putin to start this war.  By helping Ukraine defeat Russia (with no loss of US lives), we are deterring future actions by Russia and China. We respectfully request that Congressman Gosar reassess his position with consideration to deterrence.

Thank you, Scott.  Whether one believes getting into a war in Ukraine is good for our country or not, our Constitution requires Congress to authorize any war actions.  However, all of Biden’s actions have been unilateral.  We need a vote, up or down, to be in a war with Russia.  And make no mistake, by arming one side to a conflict, we are at war with the other side.  Prior to Pearl Harbor, and our declaration of war against Japan and Germany, we were sending war supplies to England.  The Germans routinely sunk our convoy ships for the very obvious reason that we were helping its enemy.  My point here is that it is an act of war to supply one side in a conflict and we should be honest about this and have a debate and a vote.  

I continue to maintain that our own borders remain open.  Almost six million illegal aliens have invaded our country in the last two years.   Fewer than 100,000 Russians invaded Ukraine, and we jump to action and spend $100 billion to defend its borders. Meanwhile we do nothing to stop the invasion here.    

This is not America First.  I also do not agree that we are to be the world’s policeman.  Our national debt exceeds $31 trillion.  We spent trillions of dollars and thousands of American lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.  For nothing.  Ukraine will be no different.  Ukraine is not our problem.  We have no dog in that fight.  The conflict between Ukraine and Russia has historic roots, ethnic rivalries, territorial disputes, and cultural differences.  Russia made clear for 40 years it would not accept a NATO country on its border.   Ukraine sought NATO membership, and then engaged in terrorist attacks against ethnic Russians since 2014.  Ukraine brought on this war by its own belligerence and provocations.   

Our role, as a global leader, should be to help restore peace.   There is no upside that I can see for the U.S. to get involved in Ukraine in any capacity.

Tweet of the Week:

Photo of the Week:

Dusty Spitler from Prescott shared this breathtaking photo of our great state!  Thanks for sharing, Dusty.  Nice snap!

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:

Pressenza: https://www.pressenza.com/2023/01/gosar-addresses-bidens-reckless-decision-to-escalate-war-and-send-tanks-to-ukraine/

Axios: Here comes the "most exciting committee" in Congress

American Greatness: Inside the Nazi Whitewash of Ukraine

Washington Examiner: Top House Intel GOP says Biden probe 'looks more like a cover-up than an investigation'

Washington Examiner: School choice is the great equalizer

Daily Wire: Seattle Running Out Of Storage For Dead Bodies As Fentanyl Crisis Worsens

Daily Mail: MAJORITY of Americans vaccinated with new Omicron Covid shot are NOT protected against falling ill with the latest XBB.1.5 variant, CDC report suggests — despite US paying $5bn for the new vaccines

Citizen Free Press: Transgender child of top Democrat arrested for assaulting Boston police

New York Post: Justice Department finds 6 more classified documents in search of Biden’s home

New York Post: George Soros spent $40M getting lefty district attorneys, officials elected all over the country

New York Post: There’s no hiding Biden’s fright over classified document scandal