Congressman Good Update: The State of Our Union

THE STATE OF OUR UNION UNDER BIDEN

I am honored to have hosted Sergeant Steven Knichel of the 5th district of Virginia as my guest at the State of the Union address. Sgt. Knichel has been a voice for those patriotic men and women in uniform who choose not to take the experimental COVID vaccine. Even though the vaccine mandate on our military has now been lifted, thousands were involuntarily separated from service, others have been denied promotions, and the Biden Pentagon has left many unanswered questions about their future.

I was disappointed in what President Biden had to say in his address. From massive spending, to higher gas prices, to a wide-open border, to a woke agenda in our schools, to weaponizing the government against conservatives, I do not believe his policies have been in the best interest of the American people. In my opinion, this should have been a one-sentence speech, where he said, "I am sorry to the American people for the harm I've caused, and I am reversing all of my policies."

One of the victims of the Biden Administration was Mark Houck. Mr. Houck was wrongfully arrested in front of his wife and seven children, then prosecuted for standing up for innocent human life. Thank you to Rep. Scott Perry and Rep. Chip Roy for bringing Mark and Ryan-Marie Houck to the State of the Union address. It was a privilege to meet this brave couple who have seen Biden's corrupt anti-life agenda at work.

No Asylum from Criminals President Biden continues to implement America-last immigration policies and purposefully facilitate an invasion of 6 million illegal aliens, surrender operational control of our border to the Mexican crime cartels, and compromise the safety and security of all Americans. Currently, every resource committed to the border by the Biden Administration is intended to quickly process and release as many illegal aliens as possible into the interior of our country. This week, I introduced the No Asylum for Criminals Act to prohibit dangerous criminals from qualifying for asylum. This should be a non-controversial bi-partisan effort to protect the American people and clear the way for legitimate asylum seekers to have their cases decided.

Prioritizing Students in Education Our first Committee on Education & the Workforce hearing of the new Congress was on the state of education. I discussed the importance of holding school administrators accountable and pointed to cases like the failure to notify recipients of national merit scholarship awards in Virginia in the name of "equity." We must ensure that we shift the focus from radical indoctrination back to the education of our students.

On the Floor This week, I voted to condemn the CCP's balloon that violated U.S. sovereignty, end the vaccine requirement for travelers to the U.S., and disapprove the Washington D.C. voting law that would allow illegal aliens to vote in local elections. Additionally, I reiterated the importance of Second Amendment rights as outlined by the Constitution and NOT subject to bureaucratic interpretation.

GOOD News from Washington Our first Ed and the Workforce Committee hearing of the new Congress was on the state of education. I discussed the importance of holding school administrators accountable and pointed to cases like the failure to notify recipients of national merit scholarship awards in Virginia in the name of "equity." We must ensure that we shift the focus from radical indoctrination back to the education of our students.

Meetings in Washington It was great to see friends from the 5th District, Christian and Amy Snead, who push back against woke ideology together by actively working to help school board members strengthen the education system in Virginia. Students and families deserve the best!

I met Michele, a loving grandmother and a 5th district constituent from Appomattox. Her 14-year-old granddaughter Sage was secretly being transitioned to a male name and pronouns by her high school without parental knowledge. She ran away and became a victim of human trafficking. By the grace of God, she was later recovered.

After her family endured this heinous tragedy, Michele began to courageously speak out against schools going behind parents' backs with radical gender ideology. It was a pleasure to meet this warrior for protecting students and reforming education. Read Michele and Sage's story here.

It was great to meet with Telly Tucker, President of the Institute for Advance Learning and Research, and Todd Yeats, Executive Vice President for Manufacturing Advancement, to discuss exciting work happening in Danville to train a skilled workforce that will contribute to our military readiness.

I met with Glenn Clary, Kenny Craig, and John Reid with Liberty University to discuss the impact of Department of Education regulations on universities, fair credentialing for students after they graduate, and the financial concerns around Biden's student loan transfer scheme.

Congratulations to Sebastian Enrique Medina for his appointment to the United States Military Academy. Thank you for your desire and bravery to serve our country! It was a pleasure to deliver this exciting news to Sebastian over the phone.

In the Media Thank you to Kevin Roberts of the Heritage Foundation for having me on his podcast to share about my PISTOL Act, the importance of the second amendment, and why it is important to push beyond the status quo and bring transformative change as conservatives in Washington. I enjoyed joining Leland Vittert on set at the NewsNation DC Bureau to discuss the debt ceiling fight and how Republicans must hold the line in fiscal responsibility.

Stay Connected One of the ways we work to serve you more effectively is by conducting Mobile Office Hours in your community. Each month members of my team travel the 5th District to bring you the convenience of meeting in person with a congressional staff member. On February 15, the team will be in Amherst County from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and in Nelson County from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. On February 16, the team will be in Charlotte County from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., and in Halifax County from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, please call my District Office at (434) 791-2596. You do not need to visit us during Mobile Office Hours to receive assistance from my office. Whether you need help with a federal agency, are trying to find out if federal grants are available for your local project, or are considering applying to a service academy, you can visit the following link to see how my staff and I are here to serve you: https://good.house.gov/ services/help-federal-agency. I look forward to continuing to update you on my actions to keep our communities safe, protect the unborn, and put Americans first. For daily updates you can follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Gettr. I will continue to do my best going forward to fight for you in Congress and for the principles that continue to make America the greatest nation in our history.