New Year’s Resolutions for Congress
Whether it’s a new gym membership, plans to save money for a dream vacation, or reading over a dozen books by next December, many of us are starting 2024 with new goals. Eagle Forum has some resolutions for Congress to work toward as well.
Secure the Border
House Republicans unified around the Secure the Border Act (H.R. 2) which laid out an excellent plan to close loopholes within the immigration system that illegal aliens have exploited for many years. Since President Joe Biden took office, a crisis has erupted at the border resulting in historic numbers of encounters occurring daily.
The Senate has been engaged in border security talks for months, but Republicans and Democrats are at an impasse. Some Republicans like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) are standing firm on including H.R. 2 language in upcoming bills, but others think that beginning negotiations with this language is worthless and are proceeding to write much weaker language. Now that we are entering a major election year, the chances of passing immigration reforms are even slimmer.
Just as H.R. 2 was a top priority of House Republicans in 2023, we implore the Senate to do the same in 2024. Even though Senate Republicans are in the minority, they should come to the negotiation table with the full H.R. 2 language and nothing less.
Protect American Sovereignty
The COVID pandemic opened the door for communist and authoritarian ideologies to permeate the United States. We are undoing much of the harm forced lockdowns and vaccinations have caused. Although the American people are moving on with their lives, other entities are quietly working to gain sole control of future pandemics on a global level. The World Health Organization (WHO) under the direction of the United Nations (UN) drafted a treaty to declare itself the “directing and coordinating authority” for future health crises. This is a serious threat to our Constitutional freedoms.
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) have introduced the Disengaging Entirely from the United Nations “DEFUND” Act (S. 3428/H.R. 6645) to eliminate funding to the UN and remove the U.S. from its membership. No one and no institution should have that much power, especially one that sympathizes with regimes that oppress their own people. Passing the DEFUND Act must be a top priority for the House and Senate to protect the American people.
Be a Voice for Babies
For most of 2023, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) put pressure on the Department of Defense (DOD) to repeal their decision to reimburse military personnel and their families to obtain abortions across state lines. He placed holds on military promotion nominees not only sending the message to the DOD to stand down but also revealing that some of these nominees were doing the left’s bidding. Fortunately, Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) is picking up where his colleague left off. He is placing holds on five of the most problematic nominees. We applaud Sens. Tuberville and Schmitt’s actions.
More must be done to protect life this coming year. The Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Supreme Court decision was an incredible feat in overturning Roe v. Wade, however, some of our elected officials have used it as an excuse to take a back seat on the life issue. The Biden administration continues to find ways to use taxpayer money for abortions, force medical professionals to participate in abortions, and facilitate the buying and selling of fetal tissue from elective abortions for research. Republicans need to be vigilant and unwavering in their pro-life stance in 2024 to hold the Biden administration accountable.
Protect Women and Girls
Through bureaucratic regulations, the left’s LGBT agenda has been forced in every facet of the federal government attempting to erase women and indoctrinate children. They have warped the interpretation of “sex” in the Bostock v. Clayton Supreme Court decision to include sexual orientation in all programs that explicitly benefit men or women. The blurring of these lines has resulted in the erasure of women.
One such instance has been the Department of Education’s proposed changes to the Title IX program that ensures girls and women have access to education and their own sports. The proposed rule includes gender identity allowing boys in girls’ private spaces and to compete against them in sports. Girls who speak out against this have lost their positions on teams while others who complied lost their rankings and scholarships by being outperformed by men. This completely upends the original intention of Title IX.
House and Senate members can employ their powers under the Congressional Review Act to disapprove of rules like these to prohibit their implementation. This is part of the checks and balances duty of the Executive Branch. The GOP must be diligent in reviewing all new regulations and opposing those that devalue the American people.
Upholding the Family Unit
This year, the House passed the Parents Bill of Rights (H.R. 5) giving parents access to public school curriculums, communication with school boards and administration, and notification of changes in the classroom including a child’s decision to use a bathroom opposite of their sex. Although it hasn’t been taken up in the Senate, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) has different plans. He has introduced the Parental Rights Over Education and Care of Their “PROTECT” Kids Act (S. 200) to ensure that parents are the ultimate authority in the education of their children. Eagle Forum supports this measure and urges the passage of this language.
New Year’s resolutions can be like campaign promises though. These ideals are often broken. To see these through, the grassroots must hold our elected members accountable. You can take action by calling or emailing your elected officials on legislation moving in Congress. With 2024 being an election year, you can volunteer for conservative, pro-family candidates or donate to Eagle Forum PAC which can spread out resources to candidates across the nation. Additionally, you’ll have opportunities this year to vote for these candidates, so researching those on the ballot is key to making your voice heard. Eagle Forum will continue to elevate your voice, educate you on the issues we are currently facing, and equip you to make a difference. We wish you a blessed and happy New Year!
