With just a few days left to tackle a jam-packed legislative agenda, lawmakers are feeling the pressure to wrap up as much business as possible, but Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) has his eye on Congress’ next six months instead.
In a letter to Republican lawmakers last week, Rep. Roy outlined 14 key agenda items he is urging his colleagues to complete before the end of the 119th Congress. From border security to election integrity legislation, Rep. Roy is pushing to get all of these items done in the remaining 50 legislative days before the session concludes.
“We were elected to deliver what we promised the American people, not to campaign for re-election,” Rep. Roy wrote. “Delivering on decisive policy mandates is the best way to grow a majority.”
Although Rep. Roy recognized the “transformative policies” the party has passed, he said there is still much more to be done.
“We simply have not done enough — failing to codify border security, pause immigration and define birthright citizenship, protect citizens from warrantless surveillance, ban congressional stock trading, Make America Healthy Again and countless other issues,” he wrote.
Another key issue Rep. Roy highlights in his letter is to end the “warrantless surveillance” of Americans, as he was one of a handful of Republican members not to vote to renew the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which is still expired.
Other issues outlined by the congressman include securing energy independence, banning congressional stock trading, healthcare reform, deficit reduction, gun rights and congressional term limits.
But the party’s majority in the Senate is growing slim after the passing of Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) and the prolonged absence of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
Meanwhile, Republican members in the House of Representatives, along with President Donald Trump, are growing impatient over passing the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act.
Despite the uncertainty of the next few days, Rep. Roy said the more pressing matter is delivering the longer-term Republican agenda.
“We must deliver in the remaining six months of this Congress,” Rep. Roy wrote. “Let’s finish the job.”
