Congress is Back and Open for Business
Over the past two years, the American people have endured a complete shutdown of the People’s House in a way never before seen in our lifetime. In recent months, as the threat of COVID-19 waned, the halls of Congress once again bustled with members, staff, and constituents. Hospital rates remain low and Americans are filling our airports, train stations, and highways at normal levels. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, however, has continued to exert tight control over the House of Representatives, limiting the number of people able to enter the Capitol and its office buildings to petition their government, as is their constitutional right.
Even after President Joe Biden, the leader of the Democrat party, announced that the pandemic was over, the Speaker continued using fear of COVID-19 to justify extending proxy voting and virtual hearings until the very end of the 117th Congress. From the very beginning, proxy voting and virtual hearings have never worked. Americans witnessed an embarrassing display from their representatives as Members of Congress attended hearings by Zoom from the road, their boat, or their bed, often caught on hot mics or even without proper clothing.
Tune into C-SPAN on any given voting day and you will listen to a long list of absent members voting by proxy, for no other reason than their preference to stay home or attend another event. Legislating is a serious responsibility granted by the American people and should never be taken lightly. Congress has the ability to radically shape Americans’ lives, and that’s more than enough reason to show up to work. When members refuse to come to Washington, D.C., they can’t look each other in the eyes to discuss solutions for the issues facing our country, and their constituents suffer.
In the new Congress, under Republican leadership, the Capitol will become the People’s House once again. Visitors will be able to come and go as they please, meeting with members and staff and touring the Capitol without hindrance. Members will vote in person, as is their duty. As Chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, I will ensure that members in my committee show up to work, as they were elected to do. For meaningful bipartisanship, members of Congress on opposite sides of the aisle must work with each other and find common ground, but that is virtually impossible when members are phoning it in from the other side of the country.
Republicans are ready to hit the ground running in the New Year, bringing normalcy back to the House of Representatives and working hard to bring results back to our constituents. The sign on Congress’ front door on January 3, 2023, will be “Open.” I look forward to welcoming all Fourth District residents to the People’s House in the 118th Congress. If you are visiting Washington, D.C., please contact my office to set up a tour by calling 202-225-3772.