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Washington D.C. – Yesterday, 19 Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, led by Lead Republican Michael McCaul (R-TX), sent a letter to Speaker Pelosi urging her to schedule floor votes on pressing bipartisan legislative priorities that have been blocked while Democrats instead pursue their partisan impeachment process. With only eight more legislative days left this year, the Members called on Speaker Pelosi to use the remaining time productively and focus on advancing the USMCA and critical border security measures as well as fully funding the government to prevent a harmful shutdown. They added that the Speaker must allow Congress to address these critical issues facing our country, instead of dividing the American people with a partisan impeachment probe less than a year before the presidential election. 

In the letter, HFAC Republicans wrote: “The Democrat’s partisan impeachment process is impeding the House of Representatives from acting on solutions for the American people.  As this session of Congress comes to an end, we respectfully request you bring pressing bipartisan legislation to the floor so we can create more jobs, enhance our border security, and provide funding to better protect the United States from rising threats abroad.  It is vital that Congress show the American people we can work together to solve our nation’s biggest challenges.” 

They continued: “We must pass final FY2020 spending bills that fully fund our military, support our frontline defenders and law enforcement, and provide the necessary resources to the Department of State to help protect against the rising nation state threats including Russia, China, North Korea and Iran.”

Full text of the letter is available here or below:

December 4, 2019

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi

Speaker

United States House of Representatives

Washington, DC  20515

Dear Speaker Pelosi,

The Democrats’ partisan impeachment process is impeding the House of Representatives from acting on solutions for the American people.  As this session of Congress comes to an end, we respectfully request you bring pressing bipartisan legislation to the floor so we can create more jobs, enhance our border security, and provide funding to better protect the United States from rising threats abroad.  It is vital that Congress show the American people we can work together to solve our nation’s biggest challenges.

Nearly a year ago, the United States, Mexico and Canada came together for the initial signing ceremony of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).  On June 19, 2019, Mexico became the first country to ratify it.  This agreement will bolster our already strong economy by adding predictability and certainty for business growth. USMCA will also help combat human trafficking which tragically affects hundreds of thousands of victims a year in cities large and small.  While Congress has acted over the years to tackle this heinous crime, more must be done and USMCA is part of the solution. I urge you to bring this up for a vote before the House recesses in December. 

Another important priority of the American people is achieving operational control of our border. We are constantly reminded that our borders are being exploited, including by those who are intent on doing Americans harm. Transnational gangs, violent criminals, traffickers, drug smugglers, and other nefarious actors continue to do everything they can to get into the United States.  Republicans have offered common sense border security and loophole closing solutions which need action in the House.  We also need to ensure that we are properly supporting our front-line defenders and programs to best address the drivers of mass migration, especially in Central America. 

One of Congress’s main responsibilities set forth in the Constitution is to appropriate taxpayer dollars. Last month, a second continuing resolution was enacted to prevent a government shutdown. However, continuing resolutions are no way to fund the government and provide federal agencies, employees, and our men and women in uniform predictability. We must pass final FY2020 spending bills that fully fund our military, support our frontline defenders and law enforcement, and provide the necessary resources to the Department of State to help protect against the rising nation state threats including Russia, China, North Korea and Iran. As former Secretary Jim Mattis said, “If you don’t fund the State Department fully, then I need to buy more ammunition ultimately.” 

As the political climate in Washington, D.C. feels more partisan than ever before with the Democrats’ drive for impeachment, we urge you to bring these and other bipartisan solutions to the floor. We must show the American people we can come together to tackle our most pressing challenges and to restore their faith in Congress.

Sincerely,

Michael T. McCaul (Ranking Member) 

Christopher Smith 

Steve Chabot 

Joe Wilson

Scott Perry 

Ted Yoho

Lee Zeldin 

Jim Sensenbrenner 

Ann Wagner 

Brian Mast 

Francis Rooney 

John Curtis

Ken Buck 

Ron Wright 

Guy Reschenthaler 

Tim Burchett 

Greg Pence 

Steve Watkins

Michael Guest 

 

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