Our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms for self-protection is an essential right protected by the Constitution. However, many states, including New York, Massachusetts, and California, unconstitutionally restrict this right by requiring concealed carry applicants to justify their need for the permit, empowering local and state authorities to reject applications from law-abiding Americans for arbitrary reasons or for no reason at all. The Supreme Court case NYSRPA v. Corlett looks to finally address unconstitutional limits to Americans’ rights. Specifically, this case will decide if New York’s law concerning concealed-carry licenses for self-defense violates the Second Amendment.

The gun control measures being challenged in this case amount to a blanket ban on the right to keep and bear arms outside the home. In particular, this brief focuses on the racist origins of the particular gun control measures in question, arguing they were enacted at the time to ensure only the elite and politically connected were able to own firearms. While the government, in this case the State of New York, may argue it has an interest in preventing law abiding citizens from bearing arms, we do not apply this logic to other constitutionally protected rights. The very nature of the Second Amendment being enshrined in the Constitution means that certain public policy options to abridge our rights must simply be off the table. The Supreme Court came to this conclusion in Heller v. District of Columbia, yet lower federal courts fail to accept it.  Success of the plaintiff in this case will help end these false interpretations of our constitutional rights and be the first major pro-Second Amendment decision since Heller v. District of Columbia.

We must stop Blue State coastal elites from telling us what rights we are and are not allowed to have. This is why I joined my colleagues in standing up for our Second Amendment rights by joining  the amicus brief regarding the Supreme Court case, NYSRPA v. Corlett.  Read the full text, here.

Inflation 

Inflation is taxation and Americans understand it is because of Democrats' failed policies. 

According to a recent study 83% of Americans surveyed said they noticed price increases on their commonly purchased groceries or household goods in June & July and 54% of Americans are moderately or significantly concerned about future price increases. 

BIDEN’S INFLATION TAX BY THE NUMBERS:

• Americans are making 1.7% LESS than they did a year ago, when inflation is factored in. 
• Inflation has increased every month since Biden took office. 
• The consumer price index (CPI) increased 5.4% from a year ago, the largest jump since just before the 2008 financial crisis. 
• Americans are paying more for just about everything:
  • Gas prices are up 45.1%
  • Milk is up 5.6%
  • Fruit is up 7.3%
  • Washing machines are up 29.4%
  • Car rentals are up 87.7%
  • Hotels are up 16.9%
• Consumers may see prices overall up 4.8% in the next 12 months, according to a New York Fed survey. 

It’s simple: Inflation is taxation!   

President Biden and Democrats’ reckless spending is causing inflation to surge. This means Americans are paying more for groceries and household goods, while also taking home less. 

Last week, White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced the Biden administration was working with Facebook to flag “problematic” posts with “misinformation” about COVID-19.

Joined by the Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Psaki told reporters that the Surgeon General’s Office had “increased disinformation research and tracking” and added that it was important for Facebook to take faster action in removing "harmful posts."

Astonishingly, the Biden administration is openly colluding with Big Tech to censor Americans.  Even when they get it so shamefully wrong. Remember July of 2020 when the Social-media giants came out swinging against a video pushing
“misleading” information about hydroxychloroquine as a COVID-19 treatment — which led to Twitter’s partially suspending Donald Trump Jr.’s account? Yet a year later when no longer politically prudent, they admit they got it wrong.

When it suited their hyper-partisan political objectives—to influence the outcome of the presidential election, among other things—Big Tech shut down the ability of ordinary Americans to communicate their real-world experiences with such therapies as Hydrochloroquine, for example.  Today, the same “useful idiots” in the bought-and-paid-for legacy media blithely ignore their own egregious errors, as though no one is paying attention.

But you and I ARE paying attention.

This is why I joined my colleagues in a letter to President Biden condemning his tyrannical decision to monitor and flag Facebook posts of U.S. citizens.

Read the full letter, here! 

Recent Co-Sponsored Legislation

• H.R. 4441 - To prohibit the imposition of mask mandates on public transportation.
• H.Res. 527 - Expressing solidarity with the Cuban people in their demands for freedom and respect for basic human rights.
• H.R. 3482 - National Center for the Advancement of Aviation Act of 2021
• H.R. 4517 - To prohibit international travel by the Secretary of State until all passport agencies are fully reopened, and for other purposes.
• H.Res. 529 - Standing with the Cuban people and their struggle for freedom, democracy, and human rights.
• H.Res. 540 - Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the motivations of the members of the Texas Legislature who have fled to the Nation's capital from Texas and urging the Sergeant at Arms of the House, the United States Capitol Police, and Department of Justice to cooperate with the Texas Department of Public Safety in their efforts to return these members to Texas.
• H.R. 287 - FORCE Act
• H.R. 4614 - To expedite under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and improve forest management activities on National Forest System lands, on public lands under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management, and on Tribal lands to return resilience to overgrown, fire-prone forested lands, and for other purposes.
• H.R. 4630 - To prohibit the use of Federal funds for the airfare of aliens unlawfully present in the United States, and for other purposes.

In the era of information overload, we are witnessing growing concerns over fake news.  Recent polls show more and more Americans distrust the media and are worried about mainstream media bias and censorship on social media platforms. I, too, share those concerns. 

But, I want to hear from you! 

Do you think the federal law requiring all airline passengers in the U.S. to wear a face mask in airports and on board should be repealed?

Don't Forget to Renew Your Passports

Many constituents have reported: in-person appointments being fully booked for several weeks out;  overall delays in service; and passport processing taking an unnecessarily protracted amount of time—even for expedited service. 

As a result of these shortcomings, several constituents have contacted my office to inquire about the status of their passports because they cannot reach passport workers.  Some constituents have even missed their planned trips because of the inordinate service delays. 

As such, I wrote a letter to U.S. Department of State Secretary, Antony Blinken, requesting and explanation and a remedy for returning to normal passport processing times.  

I will keep you updated! 

 PLEASE CHECK YOUR PASSPORTS

Before you make any travel plans, please remember to check the expiration date!  It is a little known fact that some countries won’t allow entry if the visitor’s passport expires in six months or less.  This effectively means that your passport may expire months before you think it does.  Please check your family’s passports and if any will expire in less than a year, begin the renewal process now. 

The Department of State is experiencing delays in receiving passport applications due to unprecedented mail volume and other COVID-19 impacts on both the U.S. Postal Service and local passport processing centers.

You can now apply for routine service and expect to receive a passport in 10-12 weeks*. You also hav e the option of paying an additional $60 for expedited service to receive your passport in 4-6 weeks.

These processing times apply to applications submitted by mail and in-person at an acceptance facility in your community. Most acceptance facilities such as post offices, clerks of court, and libraries are open and accepting passport applications. 

The Department of State encourages you to apply by mail when possible because it is a safe, contactless option for certain services. 

If you plan to expedite your passport application due to upcoming travel plans, we recommend that you send your application using USPS' Priority Mail Express.

All of the passport agencies and centers are processing passport applications. Because of increases in COVID-19 cases and changing local health conditions, agencies and centers offer extremely limited in-person services. 

Should you have any issues regarding applying for or renewing a passport for an upcoming trip, don't forget, my office is here to help.  

Bureaucracy often brings red tape, but we know how to cut through it, and we are proud to fight on your behalf.  Whether you need help with immigration, IRS, Medicare, Social Security, passports, stimulus checks, small business loans, VA claims, FEMA relief, or other assistance, please call us! 

We can also help with flags flown over the U.S. Capitol, nominations to the military academies, or tours in Washington D.C.  We welcome opportunities to serve you.  For assistance or more information, please call or go online or visit weber.house.gov

God Bless you and God Bless Texas!