By Cong. Kevin Brady
During my time in Congress, I’ve found success working with Presidents of both parties. With President Obama, for example, I helped negotiate an end to the 40-year ban on selling crude oil overseas – a historic change that has helped make America energy independent.
No matter your party, you have an obligation to find common ground where you can to improve the lives of everyday Americans.
Unfortunately, after pledging “unity” the Biden Administration is the most partisan administration in modern history.And led by unpopular Speaker Nancy Pelosi, partisan Democrats in Congress are following his lead, quickly jamming through radical, dangerous bills and the Covid “stimulus” while gleefully rejecting any discussion of Republican ideas.
Last year, Republicans and Democrats worked together with President Trump to pass five bipartisan bills, and we were able to provide over $3.5 trillion in targeted relief to help our nation recover. I hoped that that spirit of compromise and teamwork would continue in our most recent stimulus talks, but the Democrats decided to go it alone.
Instead of focusing on our main priorities – crushing the virus and rebuilding our economy – they are wasting billions of dollars on unrelated, unnecessary projects.
The fact is, only 9% of the $1.9 trillion in their package goes directly to defeating the virus.
And despite labeling it as a “stimulus”, President Biden has refused to say just how many jobs it creates.
Spoiler alert – not enough.
And despite labeling it as a “stimulus”, President Biden has refused to say just how many jobs it creates.
Spoiler alert – not enough.
It’s truly saddening that Democrats refused to work across the aisle with us on this package, because the American people need and deserve better.
But the partisanship didn’t stop there.
Every bill that Democrats have brought to the House Floor for a vote has been irresponsible, and H.R. 1, the “For the Politicians Act,” gives D.C. politicians more control while taking power away from state and local governments. It:
Every bill that Democrats have brought to the House Floor for a vote has been irresponsible, and H.R. 1, the “For the Politicians Act,” gives D.C. politicians more control while taking power away from state and local governments. It:
- Threatens our Freedom of Speech
- Removes important Voter ID Laws
- Legalizes Ballot Harvesting
- Increases vulnerability for Foreign Election Interference
- and weaponizes the Federal Election Commission
They even want to allow 16-year-olds and felons behind bars to vote.
They’ve also taken steps to impose far-left views about gender on every American with the so called “Equality Act”, legislation that makes extreme revisions to civil rights laws, undercuts protections for women, and guts safeguards for churches and religious organizations.
Next, they pushed ineffective police reform that focuses on radical policies, like defunding the police, while impeding the ability of good police officers to do their jobs effectively. But the American people know that we don’t need these far-left policies, we need meaningful changes that focus on increased training, accountability, and transparency.
And now, they’re purposely ignoring a drastic crisis at the border – that was caused by President Biden – for fear of upsetting their base. Here in Texas, we know what happens when border security is not a priority, and it’s us who will pay the price if Biden and his party continue down this dangerous path.
2020 was a tough year for us all, and Americans deserve thoughtful, bipartisan responses to address our many challenges, rebuild our economy, reopen our businesses and defeat Covid. We can’t do that unless we work together.
