2023 Year in Review

In 2023 alone, and with the help of the Republican majority, I successfully passed six bills, 65 amendments, and 31 appropriations victories through the House of Representatives! I passed major legislation into law in the form of Pueblo Jobs Act and secured nearly $20 million for important water and infrastructure projects in the Third Congressional District. A comprehensive list of my accomplishments can be found HERE  and below are just a few of my major legislative victories in 2023:

• Getting my first bill signed into law! My Pueblo Jobs Act was signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This bill will create at least 1,000 new jobs in Pueblo and help bring new businesses to Southern Colorado.
• Securing $19.7 million for 10 essential water infrastructure projects in the District that will enhance reservoirs, provide cleaner water to rural areas, and help ease the damage being done from the Western drought.
• Cosponsoring and voting in favor of the strongest border security bill ever passed by Congress.
• Passing six of my amendments through the House with bipartisan support to increase funding for veterans’ care by $13,000,000.00 by redirecting funds from the bureaucracy to funding for veterans.
• Passingmy Western Water Accelerated Revenue Repayment Act through the House Committee on Natural Resources that permanently authorizes a provision that will significantly increase water storage while also allowing agriculture and municipal water users to prepay what they owe to the federal government.
• Securing Glenwood Springs a $50 million grant for the South Bridge project. This project would establish a new bridge connection that will provide a critical second access point between State Highway 82 and the western side of the Roaring Fork River in the south corridor of Glenwood Springs.
• Passing the largest military pay raise in 20 years into law.
• Voting to increase veterans’ benefits by over $1.5 billion.
• My Colorado Energy Prosperity Act passed the House as part of the Interior Appropriations Bill for FY24 and prohibits the Bureau of Land Management from locking up 1.6 million acres of land in Colorado from responsible oil and gas production.
• My Restoring American Energy Dominance Act passed the House as part of the Interior Appropriations Bill for FY24 and blocks the Bureau of Land Management’s proposed Fluid Mineral Leases and Leasing Process rule to protect domestic energy producers from excessive costs and regulations put forth by the Biden Regime.
• Two of my bills passed the House as part of H.R.1, the Lower Energy Costs Act. The first is my 90-Day Review Act, which shortens the length of time from 150 days to 90 days that an opposition party can file a petition for judicial review to try and permit, license, or grant approval of a major infrastructure project. And the second bill is my American Energy Act, which cuts red tape to unleash American energy, streamline the energy permitting process, reduce gas prices, and eliminate frivolous lawsuits threatening American energy independence.
• My Clifton Opportunities Now for Vibrant Economic Yields (CONVEY) Act passed the House Natural Resources Committee and directs the Bureau of Land Management to convey over 31 acres to Mesa County for new economic development in Clifton.
• My Trust the Science Act, which delists the gray wolf from the Endangered Species List and allows state management of this species to protect farmers and ranchers’ livestock, passed the House as part of the Interior Appropriations Bill and also passed the House Natural Resources Committee as a standalone bill.
• My Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins Endangered Fish Recovery Programs Reauthorization Act passed the House Natural Resources Committee and safeguards four endangered fish species while providing long-term certainty for 2,500 water and power users that benefit from the program.
• I played a pivotal role in keeping the Space Command headquarters in Colorado.
• I passed three amendments to the Strategic Production Response Act through the House of Representatives to help reduce gas prices, increase American energy production, and protect Colorado energy jobs.  
• I cosponsored H.J. Res 44, which protects millions of veterans and gun owners by nullifying the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' (ATF’s) unconstitutional pistol brace ban rule.

Honoring our Nations Heroes

In 2023, I had the honor of participating in two meaningful Purple Heart ceremonies, each dedicated to recognizing the valor of distinguished veterans who endured injuries while defending our nation. In June, I presented Sergeant Jerry Harris, a courageous Vietnam War veteran and former Marine, with a Purple Heart. Despite sustaining serious injuries in an artillery blast that claimed the lives of two fellow Marines on November 13, 1968, Sergeant Harris remained resilient and committed to fulfilling his mission.

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I was also privileged to assist in honoring Sergeant First Class William Montgomery, an Army veteran who had long sought recognition for injuries sustained during Operation Iraqi Freedom. After contacting my office in July, we expedited the typically lengthy Purple Heart approval process, ensuring SFC Montgomery received the well-deserved award within just two months.

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Holding Joe Biden Accountable

At the start of the 118^th Congress, I was selected to serve on the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability. The Biden regime has been abusing its power and providing misleading information to the American people regarding the fraud and abuse they have committed throughout the federal government. Being on this committee allows me to shine the light on Joe Biden's corruption. For years, the Biden Crime Family has been selling out the American people to foreign nations in exchange for over $20 million. See a detailed timeline of the committee’s investigation into the Biden Crime Family here.

In June, I became the first House Republican in 24 years to successfully initiate Impeachment Proceedings against a sitting Democratic President. We are experiencing the most severe border crisis of our lifetime and Joe Biden is directly responsible for it. His open border policies have allowed more than 8 million, unvetted illegal aliens to enter our country. Our cities have been flooded with crime and the amount of fentanyl coming across the borders has never been higher. Over 1,800 Coloradoans and 100,000 Americans have been killed by fentanyl.

Fighting to Cut Wasteful Government Spending

The American people deserve better than wasteful spending that makes inflation worse and piles up our debt. I held up the Speakers race to stop corrupt Democrats like Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer from lumping 12 spending bills together for their own gain. We've been working for months to keep the government open by passing each of the 12 spending bills separately. Democrats want more money for their woke, DEI agenda, but not on my watch. I've secured some wins that cut useless spending and put money where it actually helps the American people.

• Transferred $5,000,000 to hazardous fuels reduction activities within the Bureau of Land Management from federal bureaucracy.
• Transferred $5,000,000 to fund active forest management at the United States Forest Service from federal bureaucrats to prevent catastrophic wildfires, save lives and property, and improve water quality.
• Cutspending by $416,897,000 to prevent IRS bureaucrats from spying on your bank account.
• Prohibited federal funds from going to Sanctuary Cities.
• Redirected $3 million from other wasteful spending to fund research for combat-related traumatic injuries.
• Prevented USDA from using funds for woke courses, books, and study guides.
• Transferred$2 million from government bureaucrats to suicide prevention research and techniques to help combat the mental health epidemic.
• Prohibited bonuses for senior executive service employees at the Internal Revenue Service.
• Prohibited funds from being used by the Department of Veterans Affairs to grant illegal aliens VA benefits.
• Prohibited funding for institutions of higher education that teach Critical Race Theory. 
• Prohibited federal funds for gain of function research in China

POLL - Do you support slashing funding for woke, DEI initiatives in the federal government?

Traveling the District

In 2023, I had the chance to travel all around Colorado's Third District, meeting local leaders and touring small businesses that make a big difference. While most members of Congress took August recess off to enjoy a break, I was hard at work for my constituents. Read all about my work in August and the amazing businesses and leaders I met with HERE.

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Standing up for my Constituents

Since becoming a member of Congress, my office has been able to return over $5 million from federal agencies to my constituents. We returned $2,678,715.17 from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), $603,401.84 from the Veterans Affairs (VA), $467,381.58 from the Social Security Network (SSN), $211,943.99 from Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and $72,847.00 from the Department of Labor (DOL). Additionally, we helped return $1,535,917.09 from other agencies to being the grand total to $5,585,510.31! This is the result of hosting 233 in person office hours and working on over 2,716 cases.

Looking Ahead

As we bid farewell to 2023, a year marked by its share of challenges and triumphs, the collective effort of working together has yielded the passage of significant legislation, exemplified by the success of my Pueblo Jobs Act. This achievement reflects our commitment to enhancing our nation. As we step into the promise of 2024, I renew my pledge to continue the fight for the people of Colorado's Third Congressional District and all the citizens of this great nation. With unwavering dedication, let's embark on a new year, filled with hope, unity, and progress. May God bless you all, and may God continue to bless the United States of America.