Education

As the Israel-Hamas War continues, 111 of the 251 hostages taken by Hamas terrorists in the October 7th attacks remain in Gaza. This week, in southern Gaza, Israeli forces recovered five bodies of hostages killed by their Hamas captors. Of the American citizens taken hostage, eight have yet to be recovered, and, tragically, three of these are known to have lost their lives. It remains uncertain how many other hostages are still alive.

On July 4, 1851, the 75^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the federal government embarked on a project to add two major wings to the U.S. Capitol Building and enlarge its dome. In the ensuing decade, through Congress’ most contentious years then the first three years of the Civil War, construction carried on. In December 1863, the Statue of Freedom was installed on the now completed dome, signifying confidence the Union would be preserved at a fateful moment in American history.

On my recent trip to the beaches of Normandy, I witnessed a striking testimony of patriotism when American veterans of the D-Day invasion made the extraordinary effort to stand resolutely for the presentation of the American flag at a ceremony. Each of these men were around 100 years of age, and for many, standing came with extreme difficulty. Time had taken much of the strength from their legs and backs, but it had not taken the love of their country from their hearts.

This week, I traveled to France with a delegation of my congressional colleagues, led by House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), to honor the 80th anniversary of the Allied invasion on D-Day on the battlefields where 150,000 young men from the United States and our allies commenced the largest invasion by sea in the history of the world. We participated in commemorative events alongside veterans of the Second World War and their family members, current U.S. servicemembers, leaders from Allied nations, and local civilians from Normandy.

In June 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled President Biden did not have the constitutional authority to mass transfer up to $400 billion in student loan debt from borrowers to American taxpayers. Rather than properly acknowledge the ruling of the court, earlier this year, the president unveiled a new student loan forgiveness plan, again handing the bill to hardworking Americans. Biden’s new plan already faces similar legal challenges on which the Supreme Court will likely again weigh in.

In 2014, President Obama famously said, “I’ve got a pen and I’ve got a phone,” telling the American people he didn’t care whether Congress had provided legislative authority for his favored policies—he would go it alone whenever he felt like it. Ten years later, Obama’s then-Vice President, now-President Joe Biden has been ruling in the same fashion daily. President Biden’s executive actions don’t just ignore congressional intent; they are expensive, unwise, and unworkable.