| Another Broken Promise |
Dear Friends,
Last year, President Biden promised he would not implement vaccine mandates stating, "I don't think it should be mandatory. I wouldn't demand it to be mandatory." But now, as his poll numbers nosedive after he broke his word by abandoning U.S. citizens in Afghanistan, President Biden scurried to break yet another one of his "promises." This time, he is ripping away our personal liberties by forcing all federal employees and contractors as well as workers at businesses with over 100 or more employees to accept the COVID-19 vaccine with zero exceptions. Ironically, his order comes at a time when he is allowing waves of unvaccinated, untested illegal migrants to pour over our southern border. The hypocrisy is UNREAL.
The White House continues to mix politics with medicine – a toxic combination. First, it was mask OR vax. Then, it was mask AND vax. Now, it's forced mask AND forced vax. Biden and Fauci have made it very clear, this is no longer about science. It's only about politics.
What's infuriating is the Biden Administration takes absolutely no consideration of natural immunity and little consideration of religious and medical exemptions with their draconian mandates.
Vaccine mandates are WRONG. Vaccine mandates with no exceptions are INSANE.
Ultimately, vaccines (and any medical treatment) should be a decision made between patients and doctors, not the federal government.
It is critical we do not allow this pandemic to destroy the very identity that makes us the greatest nation in the world. We are a nation of limited government and maximum freedom, and we must not allow these fundamental principles to be snatched away in the blink of an eye by unelected bureaucrats. It’s medical tyranny, and I will fight Biden’s authoritarian policies at every turn.
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| Remembering our Fallen |
As we reflected on the twentieth anniversary of September 11th this past weekend, not a day goes by that I do not pause to remember the events of this heartbreaking day. Terrorists attacked our home soil, children tragically lost parents, and our nation’s course undoubtedly changed forever. However, our American spirit and resolve never surrender through all the unimaginable rubble, destruction, and despair. Neighbors joined in prayer, strangers sacrificed their lives to save others, and Americans united as one. The home of the free and the land of the brave was on true display.
To our heroic first responders, who ran into the collapsing buildings to save fellow Americans, we remember you.
To the fearless, unforgettable patriots, who rushed the cockpit of Flight 93 saving countless lives, we remember you.
To all of our veterans, who have worn the unform that made America the greatest country on earth, we remember you.
To all the servicemen and women, who risked their lives in the years following this tragic attack to protect our own freedoms, we remember you.
To the 13 U.S. service members, who tragically lost their lives in the botched Afghanistan withdrawal, we remember you.
And to the nearly 3,000 lives lost on this catastrophic day, who were mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, neighbors, and friends, we remember you.
While the grief of 9/11 will forever be etched into the fabric of our nation, we are reminded every single day how blessed we are to be an American. May we never forget, and may God bless the USA!
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| Pelosi’s Partisan Pet Projects |
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Even as Members of their own party speak out against the $3.5 TRILLION Bernie-Biden budget "reconciliation" package, Democrats continue to ram their outrageous spending package down the throats of the American people all while using our taxpayer dollars to pay for Pelosi’s partisan pet projects.
Just last week, I witnessed Democrats on the House Natural Resources Committee rejected multiple commonsense amendments to direct funds away from Pelosi’s $200 million pet-project payout to the Presidio, a park for San Francisco’s elite with luxury golf courses and hotels. Yet, despite Republican efforts to redirect Pelosi’s earmark to more worthy projects, Democrats stubbornly refused to shift funds from Pelosi's earmark.
They refused to support the 9/11 memorial in NYC. They refused to improve outdoor recreation opportunities and access for veterans, service members, and Gold Star Families. They even refused to use the Presidio payout funds to increase pay for our heroic firefighters combating devastating wildfires.
What’s more astonishing is Members of Speaker Pelosi's own party defended her $200 million earmark for San Francisco’s elite. In the hearing, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) avowed, "Speaker Pelosi gets maybe a little bit more, and some of the leaders get a little bit more in some of these bills. Well, the truth is, they should."
Well, the truth is, NO they shouldn’t. Our taxpayer dollars are not a personal piggy bank for Democrat leadership, but all Pelosi and her puppets want to do is abuse their power and dictate where they spend our hard-earned money. The American people should never be forced to foot the bill for Pelosi’s partisan pet projects, and as Democrats continue to push their $3.5 TRILLION budget reconciliation package, I urge more of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to join the few who are speaking out against this reckless spending spree before it’s too late and our children get buried under a mountain of debt.
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| Hice on the Homefront |
Whenever I travel the 10th District, I’m grateful for the opportunity to tour local businesses, hear from community stakeholders, and attend forums to discuss the pressing policy areas facing our nation.
On Friday, I was pleased to join Chad Connelly of Faith Wins and David Barton of WallBuilders in Loganville for the American Restoration Tour, one of 40 events for faith leaders around the country. I appreciated the opportunity to share the importance of my faith as I serve in the nation’s capital, and I was deeply moved to receive a beautifully custom-designed, leather Bible that Bobby Stewart, founder of Faith for America Ministries, presents to presidents, vice presidents, governors and Members of Congress. Thanks for this thoughtful gift!
On Monday, I visited the Georgia Institute of Cosmetology in Athens for a tour of its state-of-the-art cosmetology and beauty training. Alongside Owner Fiesal El Kabbani and Executive Director Tracy Behrndt, I was able to see how the 160+ students learn hands-on skills to brighten their future. I greatly enjoyed meeting and speaking with the staff and students!
After the tour, I held a host of meetings with community members in my district office. From government regulation to the crisis in Afghanistan to health care concerns with conditions like Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, I sincerely appreciate hearing the thoughts and concerns of my constituents. Thanks to all who stopped by to share their priorities, including those representing the Athens Tech Student Veterans Association, the pharmacy industry, branches of the Armed Forces, and more. If our office hasn’t had the opportunity to meet with you or your organization yet, please reach out to us by clicking here.
I wrapped up the day at the "Save our Paychecks" rally hosted by Heritage Action and the Coalition to Protect American Workers. This Atlanta event was the final stop on a national tour to expose how disastrous President Biden’s policies have been for the American worker. Speaking alongside Governor Kemp and several of my congressional colleagues, I was able to highlight how businesses and hardworking families across our district are negatively impacted by this Administration’s failed economic agenda.
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| Applying for a Congressional Academy Nomination |
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One of my favorite responsibilities as your representative is to help 10th District students attend one of our nation’s U.S. Service Academies through my nomination process. Members of Congress may nominate candidates for appointment to four of the five U.S. service academies: U.S. Military Academy (USMA), West Point, NY; the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), Annapolis, MD; the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), Colorado Springs, CO; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), Kings Point, NY. The fifth service academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA), New London, CT, does not require a congressional nomination for appointment.
If you would like to pursue an appointment to one of our prestigious U.S. service academies, my deadline for nomination applications is fast-approaching. My office must receive your completed application packets by Friday, October 22, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. Click here to download the application. And if you’d like to learn more, visit my website and sign up for my quarterly service academy newsletter. This email newsletter has helpful advice for those applying for a nomination, reminders about important upcoming dates, and encouraging updates from former service academy nominees.
Click here to watch a special message for those of you who are interested in pursuing this worthy goal.
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| Winners of SkillsUSA Championships |
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Couldn’t be prouder to announce students from across our District competed and won some of the highest awards at the 2021 SkillsUSA Championships. As the largest skills competition in the world, over 3,700 students from across the country competed to showcase their technical, workplace, and personal skills in over 100 hands-on competitions. From robotics, automotive technology, architectural drafting, welding fabrication, aviation maintenance, and public speaking, SkillsUSA empowers our next generation of skilled workforce, and I am extremely proud of the 10th District students who participated in this incredible event. The following students received a SkillsUSA Championships medal:
- Wonuola Abiodun, from McDonough and a student at Union Grove High School, was awarded the high school gold medal in Architectural Drafting.
- Thomas Dickerson, from Athens and a student at Athens Technical College, was awarded the college silver medal in Automotive Refinishing Technology.
- Janell Bloom, from Winterville and a student at Athens Technical College, was awarded the college bronze medal in Early Childhood Education.
- Justin W. McClellan, from Appling and a student at Augusta Technical College, was awarded the college gold medal in Graphic Communications.
- Heather Walls, from Thomson and a student at Augusta Technical College, was awarded the college gold medal in Graphics Imaging-Sublimation.
- Team I consisting of Tyler Cook and Arav Patel, from Union Grove High School, was awarded the high school Silver medal in Quiz Bowl.
- Daniel Jung, from Buford and a student at Mill Creek High School, was awarded the high school gold medal in Related Technical Math.
- Team J consisting of Autumn Behrendsen and Nicholas Vautour, from Athens Technical College, was awarded the college bronze medal in Welding Fabrication.
Please join me in congratulating these exceptional students on their accomplishments. Our future is bright in Georgia’s 10th District!
Sincerely,
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