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Monday, July 15, 2024 - 07:13 PM

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

First Published in 1994

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF
UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

Congress Battles the Administrative State

Congress Battles the Administrative State

The Biden Administration, for all its ‘pro-choice’ rhetoric, wants to decide for Americans what kind of appliances they can purchase. For almost four years, the Biden administration has placed extreme restrictions on household appliances such as gas stoves, light bulbs, dishwashers, and refrigerators. This week, the U.S. House of Representatives is attempting to return consumer freedom to Americans regarding two of these items. 

The Stop Unaffordable Dishwasher Standards “SUDS” Act (H.R. 7700) and Refrigerator Freedom Act (H.R. 7637) were voted on Monday to wash away the heavy hand of government bureaucracy. These bills will overturn the Department of Energy’s recent mandates on dishwashers and refrigerators and prevent new regulations from being created unless they result in a “significant conservation of energy or water.” Bothpassed with bipartisan support. Representative Nick Langworthy (R-TX) who sponsored the dishwasher bill stated:

When Congress enacted the Energy Policy and Conservation Act in 1975, the intent was to encourage energy efficiency in a manner that is both practical and cost-effective. However, unelected bureaucrats in the Biden administration have twisted this law to serve a radical environmental agenda, imposing draconian standards that burden hardworking families. I’m proud that a bipartisan group of my colleagues in the House joined me in passing the SUDS Act to push back against these unreasonable and out-of-touch regulations.

Later in the week, Congress voted on a commonsense bill to protect American citizens’ voting rights. The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility “SAVE” Act (H.R. 8281) requires the government to enforce the law that bans non-citizens from voting in federal elections. The bill will require individuals to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote and give states access to federal databases to clean up voter rolls. In addition, it empowers citizens to bring civil suits against election officials who fail to uphold proof of citizenship requirements for Federal elections.

It’s no surprise that one of the consequences of millions of undocumented immigrants residing in our country is the attempt by foreigners to impact our elections. Recently states like Ohio, Massachusetts, and Virginia, among others, have found illegal immigrants on the voter rolls, potentially swaying the election results. This is an affront to our country’s freedoms and sovereignty and dilutes the voices of American citizens

Now is the time, as we approach the presidential election, for Congress to pass the SAVE Act. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), the lead sponsor of the bill in the House, stated:

“Radical progressive Democrats are engaged in a wholesale attack on citizenship and what it means to be an American. Through open borders, lawlessness, and attacks on this nation’s founding principles, the Left is ripping at the very fabric that holds this nation together. 

We will only be able to keep this republic as a republic as long as our citizenship as Americans remains meaningful. That’s why I introduced the SAVE Act in the first place, and it’s why the People’s House passed it today. 

I am grateful for Speaker Johnson’s leadership and my Republican colleagues’ support for getting this across the finish line. Today’s passage is just the beginning, however. We must push forward, pressure the Senate, and keep up the fight for what makes this country great and what it means to be an American citizen.”

On the other side of the Capitol, Senators are working quietly on the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). A few weeks ago, the Senate Armed Services Committee announced that their version of the NDAA contains a provision to require women ages 18-25 to register for the selective service. Unfortunately, Congress keeps bringing up this terrible idea and we must once again work to defeat it. This year, they added language elsewhere in the bill to clarify that women would not serve in combat roles as their way of “putting lipstick on a pig.” Women should not be used as cannon fodder in a war, and they should not be pulled away from their families, especially if they have children or a husband who is also being drafted at the same time. In the past when America was at war, women contributed to the war effort by not only caring for their families but working jobs that helped the U.S. win these wars.  During World War Two, our founder Phyllis Schlafly worked as a ballistics gunner and technician at the largest ammunition plant in the world. Those who argue women need to be drafted to contribute to our nation’s safety are just plain wrong.

Eagle Forum has crafted an alert so that you can contact your Senators to urge them to strip out this provision or oppose the NDAA if this poison pill remains. Our nation’s military should not be drafting our daughters.