The Moore You Know December 17 - 30, 2022
Congress ended the year by stuffing the American people’s stocking with a huge lump of coal in the form of an almost $2 trillion omnibus spending bill. It is disappointing so many Senate Republicans voted in favor of this bill and surrendered our leverage to use the power of the purse to fight the Biden administration’s radical policies.
This vote would never have been possible if Republicans hadn’t earlier allowed Democrats to punt this decision into the lame duck session, after the November elections but before Republicans take over the House. By allowing a lame duck spending bill, Republicans unshackled Democrats from accountability from the voters, and the bill that resultedreflected their most radical impulses. Sadly, cries from those of us who predicted this would happen were ignored by many of our Republican colleagues. The American people deserve better.
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We received good news when the Supreme Court temporarily extended the Trump-era Title 42 policy. Title 42 has helped the federal government to turn away 2.5 million additional migrants from entering our country. In recent weeks, even as border crossings continue smashing records, thousands more have massed on the other side or continued marching to our border in anticipation of Title 42 being ended by the Biden administration. Fortunately, the Supreme Court’s actions will help law enforce maintain enforcement tools.
Although this is good news, the border crisis will continue until the Biden administration gets serious about taking steps necessary to fix it. The Republican majority in the House must be the tip of the spear in exposing and holding accountable the Biden administration’s disastrous border policies.
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With my first session in Congress coming to an end, I’ve reflected on my experiences serving the people of Alabama’s Second Congressional District. When I was sworn in, Speaker Pelosi had shut down the Capitol – the People’s House – from the public. For months that first year, razor wire kept the public from getting anywhere near the Capitol complex. With Democrat majorities in the House and the Senate and Joe Biden in the White House, wins were hard to come by. But that didn’t deter us from fighting and working hard.
I am proud to have gotten one of my bills for our veterans and their families signed into law, the Colonel John M. McHugh Tuition Fairness for Survivors Act of 2021. My office sent over 31,000 constituent letters, keeping Alabamians aware of my work in Washington. We resolved over 2,200 federal cases for constituents dealing with IRS, VA, and other agencies, returningover $2 million to constituents. I made a point to hire folks with servants’ hearts, and I am humbled by what we’ve been able to accomplish for the people we serve.
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My staff and I are continuing our commitment to serving you as we move into the new Congress. If you need help with federal casework, I hope you will visit one of my offices in Wetumpka, Dothan, Andalusia, Troy, or Washington, call us at 334-478- 6330, or visit barrymoore.house.gov if we can help you.