Press Releases

Washington, DC—June 15, 2022....Today, Republicans on the House Committees on Administration, Agriculture, Appropriations Subcommittees on Agriculture and Financial Services and General Government, Education and Labor, Energy and Commerce, Oversight and Reform, and Small Business sent a series of letters to 12 federal agencies raising concerns about the Biden Administration’s lack of constitutional and statutory authority to enact the Executive Order on Promoting Access to Voting.

Ranking Members Rodney Davis (R-IL), Bryan Steil (R-WI), Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA), Andy Harris, M.D. (R-MD), Steve Womack (R-AR), Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), James Comer (R-KY), and Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO) released the following statement:

“Federal agencies should be focused on serving the American people by fulfilling their respective missions, not engaging in the Biden Administration’s political activities. At a time when our nation is facing many crises, we want to ensure that President Biden is not diverting resources away from important programs that fall directly under our congressional oversight.”

The letters sent:

House Education & Labor Committee:

• U.S. Department of Education
• U.S. Department of Labor
• National Labor Relations Board
• U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Small Business Committee:

• U.S. Small Business Administration

Oversight and Reform Committee:

• U.S. Office of Personnel Management
• General Services Administration

Energy and Commerce Committee:

• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• U.S. Department of Energy
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• U.S. Department of Commerce

Agriculture Committee:

• U.S. Department of Agriculture

Background:

On March 7, 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Executive Order on Promoting Access to Voting (E.O. 14019).

On March 29, 2022, nine House Republican Committee leaders sent a letter to the Biden Administration raising concerns about its lack of constitutional and statutory authority to enact the Executive Order on Promoting Access to Voting, which directs federal agencies to engage in activities beyond their authorized mission, including increasing federal government employee involvement in elections and registration activities. To date, they have not received a response.

Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) has represented Arkansas’s Third Congressional District since 2011. He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

womack.house.gov

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