If you’re a frequent reader of this newsletter, then you’re aware of my distaste for making policy decisions at the 11th hour, as they usually result in poor legislative outcomes. This is why I have stated time and again that no solution would be reached on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program until a bill was brought to the Floor for a vote. Whether it passed or failed, at least a vote requiring Members to show where they stood on the issue would be a step in the right direction – especially after a decade of political posturing. This is also why, on November 29, 2017, I signed onto a Discharge Petition to bring DACA legislation to the Floor where it would have been subject to amendments and debate.
Now, as we're nearly a week away from the President’s March 5th deadline for Congress to pass a permanent solution on DACA, we find ourselves in the latest chapter of ‘he said, she said’ while the issue continues to flounder.
As you may know, recently, the Senate attempted to strike a deal on immigration reform through a rare open-ended debate process. The process allowed Senators to offer up any proposal – alternating back and forth between Democrats and Republicans – with each measure having a chance to earn the 60 votes needed to pass. Unfortunately, the Senate failed to advance any of the four immigration bills that were eventually brought to the Floor for a vote – ending the week with no legislative solution.
Even if the Senate was able to clear the 60-vote threshold on one of those four bills, the House would still need to pass its own version. This is why House leadership began whipping votes recently on H.R. 4760, the Securing America's Future Act of 2018, an immigration proposal from House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte. H.R. 4760 contains numerous provisions I’ve cosponsored, voted in favor of, or supported in the past, such as: increased border security, mandatory E-Verify, withholding funding for sanctuary cities, merit-based Visa reform, restrictions on family-based petitions, biometric entry-exit tracking, and other enforcement measures. My staff and I are continuing to review this legislation and comparing it against other proposals in the House, including bills I’m a cosponsor of, such as: H.R. 1468, the Recognizing America’s Children Act, H.R. 4796, the Uniting and Securing America Act, and H.R. 60, the Encouraging New Legalized Immigrants to Start Training (ENLIST) Act, a bill to allow undocumented immigrants brought here as children to earn legal status through military service.
At this point, the frustration over an ongoing game of political ping-pong continues to defy any notion of shame – regardless of party affiliation or regions represented. After 31 years, it’s high time Congress follows through by producing a voting record on this issue. Continued inaction on immigration reform when Congress is running out of time, and when there are several Members who have been working diligently over the last several months to produce legislation, is both unfortunate and irresponsible.
Washington Wrap-Up
While Congress has made some notable accomplishments over the last twelve months, like passing tax reform, there is still much work to be done on issues like immigration and national security. Below is an update on some of the current issues being discussed in Washington:
Tax Reform
In December, President Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act into law. Since its enactment, this landmark legislation is already putting more money into people’s pockets and reviving our economy. The reforms to our nation’s tax code have not only delivered widespread relief to hardworking Americans, but they have simplified the filing process while giving our nation’s job creators significant potential for reinvestment and growth. This is true in Nevada where small businesses in CD-2 are already increasing employees’ wages and plan to continue investing in their businesses as the economy continues to grow.
In fact, Nevadans working for International Test Solutions, a Reno-based company specializing in high-quality polymer for semiconductor chips, is just one of many companies that should expect to see a number of positive changes. As a result of the new tax bill, International Test Solutions said it plans to purchase new equipment, expand existing facilities, and hire more workers.
While these reforms have only been implemented since January, I’m pleased to already be seeing the benefits of tax reform here in Nevada and across our country. You may also be interested to know the Treasury Department recently estimated that 90 percent of wage-earners would experience an increase in their take-home pay this month under the 2018 withholding tables. Without a doubt, these changes to our nation’s tax code are continuing to make a meaningful difference in the lives of millions of Americans, putting more money into people’s pockets to pay for things they choose, instead of what Washington chooses.
Surveillance Abuse by Leadership at the FBI & DOJ
As you may know, Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee recently released a classified memorandum alleging that top officials at the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) abused a top-secret surveillance process to spy on one of President Trump’s campaign advisers.
Prior to the memo’s release, the Committee voted to allow any House Member to come to a secure location in the Capitol to read the document. While I certainly believe that the majority of our rank-and-file employees at the DOJ and FBI are honorable public servants, after reading through this memorandum that is now publicly available here, I do find it extremely concerning that top officials at these agencies appear to have abused the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) process to ensure the approval of surveillance warrants. If these allegations are proven to be illegal, this would mean that leadership at two of our nation’s top government agencies – whose mission should be to uphold the rule of law – intentionally weaponized federal agencies for political gain.
Team Amodei Update
I would like to take a second to extend my sincerest congratulations to Lauren Billman, a former Reno resident and a Senior Legislative Assistant in my Washington office who recently accepted the Legislative Director position for Congressman Dave Young (IA-03). I’m confident that her legislative knowledge and experience will bring tremendous value to the Young Office, and I thank her for working tirelessly on behalf of CD-2 for the last three and a half years. I wish her the best of luck in this new role.
Nevada News
Constituent Services
Tracy Spears, a constituent services representative in our Reno office, recently participated in a panel discussion at the Food Bank of Northern Nevada. The discussion encouraged members of the community to ask questions about the specific role constituent services representatives play in district offices, and how they can be helpful to individuals who are unable to get the answers they need from a federal agency. When it comes to constituent services, our top priorities will always be accessibility and responsiveness. If my office can ever be of assistance to you or someone you know, please do not hesitate to give us a call. We’re happy to help.
As always, thank you for subscribing to the Amodei Report. I look forward to continuing to keep you up to date on the issues you care about most.
For additional information, please visit my website at amodei.house.gov or call my Washington office: (202) 225-6155, Reno office: (775) 686-5760 or Elko office: (775) 777-7705. To receive updates on what I am doing in Washington and in Nevada’s 2nd District follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube.
