March 8th, 2023: Weekly Newsletter | Watch my remarks during the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic Roundtable. | Last week, the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic kicked off our investigations by holding a hearing to examine the failures of federal COVID-19 policies. For me, one of the most concerning aspects of the federal response to the pandemic was the Biden administration’s forced vaccination policies and rhetoric. Too many Americans were forced to choose between the job that provided for their families or taking an unproven “vaccine.” It was clear from the beginning that there was no “one size fits all” solution to the pandemic. However, this is exactly what the Biden administration tried to do. These mRNA shots may be effective for some but they never lived up to their promised effectiveness to keep people from receiving or transmitting. In spite of that, the Biden Administration worked overtime to silence critics and accuse the unvaccinated of being heartless and uncaring. If there was one takeaway from the hearing, it would be that the “experts” that we were told never to question, should in fact have been questioned. The past few years show that the federal government should never have such power again. We’ve only just begun our investigation and I look forward to our next hearing. | Addressing the Upcoming Fiscal Cliff | Last week, the House voted on H.R. 347, the Reduce Exacerbated Inflation Negatively Impacting the Nation Act (REIN IN Act). I offered several amendments, including one to require the Office of Management and Budget to assess the inflationary impacts of servicing the debt–otherwise known as “net interest.” My amendment was adopted for inclusion in the REIN IN Act, which passed the House. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget released a report recently that estimated net interest will total $10.5 trillion over the next decade. Growing net interest poses an existential threat to our Nation’s economy, which is why I also recently reintroduced the Cost Estimates Improvement Act. Similar to my amendment to the REIN IN Act, the Cost Estimates Improvement Act would require the Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation to include net interest in their cost estimates that they provide to Congress. Paying down the interest on our $31 trillion debt will soon become the government’s largest annual expenditure, overtaking Social Security and Medicare. The federal government as a whole must be good stewards of taxpayer dollars and more carefully consider the impact of bills. | A few weeks ago, I led the Texas delegation in introducing a resolution that calls on the Biden administration to prioritize the release of Mark Swidan, a native of Luling, Texas, who has been detained in China for over a decade. Last week, the House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously passed this resolution. Mark was arrested in China on false charges of drug smuggling in 2013, and throughout his captivity, he has been cut off from all contact with the outside world and tortured daily. Bringing Mark home to his family should be a top priority for President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken, and I am glad to see the House Republican majority swiftly working to hold the Biden administration accountable to their duty to protect Americans. Too many innocent Americans remain wrongfully imprisoned by authoritarian regimes who are happy to collect human lives as a capital for future political bargaining. More can and must be done, and I am committed to ensuring that these Americans can return home. Please join me in praying for Mark’s strength and for his loved ones. | Celebrating Read Across America Day | In the spirit of National Read Across America Day, I was honored to be invited to read to students at Fannin Elementary in Corpus Christi. The education of our next generation is a priority of mine, and it was a pleasure to spend time with our state and nation’s future leaders. | - I attended the Official Grand Opening Ceremony of the Wildlife Rescue at the Texas State Aquarium this past week!
- Last week I helped introduce a bill to prevent elected officials from profiting off of student loan cancelations. As reckless as canceling student loans is, it would add an extra layer of absurdity if Members of Congress would receive the handout.
| Rep. Michael Cloud Member of Congress | Sign up for my newsletter to get updates on this issue and others! | Corpus Christi Office: 555 N Carancahua St. Tower II Suite 980 Corpus Christi, TX 78401 Phone: (361) 884-2222 | Victoria Office: 111 N. Glass St. Suite 102 Victoria, TX 77901 Phone: (361) 894-6446 | Washington D.C. Office: 171 Cannon HOB Washington, D.C. 20515 Phone: (202) 225-7742 | |