K. Conaway

We oppose. Congress is failing to address its fiscally and constitutionally irresponsible budgeting and appropriating process that yielded an annual federal deficit of $3.1 trillion in fiscal 2020. Congress is minimizing its accountability to voters by combining all "discretionary" federal spending and coronavirus aid into one gigantic bill and only holding two votes on that bill in the House. Moreover, most of the coronavirus aid provisions, including direct checks, federal unemployment benefits, and subsidization of the economy, exceed the federal government's authority.

We oppose. The bill advances a radical environmentalist agenda and increases federal government meddling in the energy market. Under the Constitution's Interstate Commerce Clause, the federal government is empowered "to regulate Commerce … among the several States" only to prevent the restriction of the free flow of goods among the states. Moreover, H.R. 4447 infringes on U.S. sovereignty and will cause energy costs to skyrocket.

We oppose. Nowhere in the Constitution is the federal government authorized to regulate private employers, and federal requirements for covered benefits usually mean decreased pay. This is a matter reserved for the states and the people under the 10th Amendment.

We oppose. The statues that fill the National Statuary Hall are sent by the states at their discretion, and Congress should not be assuming the authority to tell the states which statues they are and are not allowed to place in the hall. This is plainly an attempt to erase American history.

We oppose. This bill irresponsibly increases the federal deficit and diverts energy royalties from being spent for needed constitutional purposes. Additionally, the Constitution does not authorize Congress to purchase private property except "for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings." Moreover, the federal government already owns a huge percentage of land directly -about 28 percent of the nation - and is a demonstrably poor steward of public lands.

We oppose. The federal government should not be funding highways, addressing transportation-related "climate-change" issues, promoting motor-vehicle safety, or imposing a tax on driving in order to pay for highway construction and maintenance. Such projects should be left in the hands of state or municipal governments, where the Constitution intends such issues to be handled.

We oppose. The push for D.C. statehood is merely a politically motivated effort to gain two Democratic Party senators and thus more easily advance a left-wing agenda. Moreover, granting statehood to the District of Columbia violates Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution. H.R. 51 purports to circumvent this constitutional prohibition by reducing D.C. to basically the Capitol and surrounding governmental buildings.

We oppose. Law enforcement is a local or state matter, and that is where decisions such as requiring police officers to wear body cameras should be made. By contrast, H.R. 7120 would move the country further in the direction of a federalized police force beholden to Washington.

It is unconstitutional for Congress to bail out the U.S. economy.

We oppose. The time to ratify the ERA has long ended. Any further attempt to resurrect it to continue the ratification process is unconstitutional and inconsistent with the amendment ratification process as laid out in Article V of the Constitution.

We oppose. The "obstruction of Congress" charge does not rise to the level of the "high crimes and misdemeanors" for which a president may be impeached and removed. There is uncontestable truth to the charge: Trump did direct the executive branch to ignore subpoenas issued by highly partisan, pro-impeachment House committees. What is contested is whether a president may constitutionally ignore such subpoenas. But that is an issue for the federal judiciary, not impeachment, to decide.

We oppose. In his actions on Ukraine, Trump did not commit "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors," the constitutional requirement for impeaching and removing a president or other U.S. "civil officer." The House presented no evidence of any "high crimes." Trump was accused of withholding aid from Ukraine, but the aid was provided. Also, there is no crime in making a request to investigate Hunter Biden and Burisma, as was alleged.

Expands definition of protected classes in federal law to include "gender identity." Males who identify as females would be able to use public restrooms of the opposite sex - and vice versa.

Would prohibit the use of federal funds for withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. Fulfilling the agreement would stifle U.S. economy without impacting on alleged man-made global warming.

Extends federal background checks to private sales, severely and unconstitutionally infringing on the right to keep and bear arms.