Friends,

I was back in Washington this week, where I had the opportunity to join House leadership to discuss two pieces of legislation that are incredibly important for the preservation of our Republic.

I also joined a bill to address our nation’s healthcare shortage, heard testimony highlighting how collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement is critical to keeping our communities safe, and hosted another wonderful slate of Kansas visitors.

I joined Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Majority Whip Tom Emmer, and House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain to bring attention to two very important pieces of legislation: the No Rogue Rulings Act (NORRA) and the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act.

H.R.1526, the No Rogue Rulings Act, would limit the power of district judges to issue nationwide injunctions. As attorney general, I spent years suing the Obama and Biden administrations for government overreach. I know firsthand that these injunctions are designed to be an extraordinary remedy; unfortunately, that remedy is currently being abused.

In recent years, we’ve seen a sharp uptick in the use of this extraordinary power, especially against President Trump. His first term saw far more nationwide injunctions than any other President in our nation’s history. Perhaps more striking is that 92% of those injunctions were issued by Democrat-appointed judges.

Though they’re currently being abused, nationwide injunctions are an important tool, which is why I successfully added an amendment to H.R. 1526 to allow them to take place if they’re requested by two different attorneys general in two different federal circuits and found necessary by a panel of three federal judges. My amendment also specifies that appeals of such rulings or denials by the three-judge panel can be expedited to the Supreme Court. Our state attorneys general must still have the power to seek these injunctions, especially if we have an administration down the road that mirrors the previous one.

H.R. 22, the SAVE Act, would require Americans to show proof of U.S. citizenship when they register to vote in federal elections. Years ago, Kansas implemented an essentially identical law. At the time it was adopted, it was a broadly bipartisan measure that was supported by Democrat leadership in the statehouse; unfortunately, many of them had a change of heart somewhere along the line and became bitter opponents of the measure.

Importantly, the SAVE Act does not require citizens to re-register or show proof of citizenship every time they go to the ballot box. It simply ensures the enforcement of the law that’s already on the books prohibiting noncitizens from voting.

Think of it like this: if you had to sign an affidavit stating you’re 21 years of age every time you go into a bar instead of showing ID, there would be widespread abuse of drinking laws. That’s why we require ID – documentary proof of age – prior to allowing the sale and consumption of alcohol. Surely we should have at least that standard in place for protecting the sanctity of our elections.

The past few years put a strain on every American, particularly our healthcare workers. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a healthcare worker shortage our nation is still recovering from. In Kansas alone, 29% of registered nurses and 23% of licensed practical nurses are planning to retire within the next five years, presenting a serious challenge for our communities.

Congress certainly has a role to play in addressing these crises, which is why I joined fellow Kansan Representative Tracey Mann and Representative Joe Neguse from Colorado to introduce the States Handling Access to Reciprocity for Employment (SHARE) Act. By requiring the FBI to share information with state agencies conducting background checks on healthcare providers, this legislation will expedite the licensing process and make it much easier for qualified providers to work across state lines wherever they’re needed.

I’m proud this legislation is supported by many important healthcare organizations including the American Medical Association, Federation of State Medical Boards, and Kansas Association of Nurse Anesthetists. It’s imperative we continue to look for creative solutions to this problem that affects all Americans.

On Wednesday, our House Judiciary Oversight Subcommittee held a hearing on the problems at the FBI under the Biden administration, chiefly the politicization of our nation’s federal law enforcement.

As attorney general, I worked with federal, state, and local law enforcement every day. I never had the experience of an agent or officer performing less than admirably. Outside of the DC bubble, collaboration between our agencies is productive, not to mention critical to ensuring justice is served.

I’m proud our committee is taking the lead to undo the gross politicization of America’s federal law enforcement agencies. The FBI is once again focused on pursuing and arresting criminals instead of Catholics.

We had another full week of Kansas visitors here in Washington! Thank you to the Portland Cement Association/Ash Grove, Kansas Rural Center, National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association, Kansas Beverage Association, Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association, and Kansas Dental Association for making the trip to see me in DC.

I’m headed back to Washington next week to pass both the No Rogue Rulings Act and the SAVE Act. Carrying out the will of the people by instituting President Trump’s America First agenda and restoring Americans’ faith in their government is too important of a task to let anything derail us.