Kevin McCarthy to House GOP: We’re winning

“We did our work to make sure the Department of Homeland Security is fully funded while also defying the president’s unconstitutional executive action on immigration,” said McCarthy, whose 23rd District comprises parts of the southern San Joaquin Valley. “We will keep working, we will keep passing smart conservative bills that attract bipartisan support, and we won’t let up.”

Congress and the Obama administration will have less than a week to resolve their differences on the DHS funding bill when the House and Senate reconvene Feb. 23 or risk a partial shutdown of the agency. The House bill, passed in early January, would fully fund DHS while reversing Obama’s executive order to legalize and grant work permits to 4.1 million illegal immigrants. In the Senate, the majority Republicans have tried to bring the bill up for debate but have been stymied by a Democratic filibuster.

Obama has vowed to veto the legislation in any event. Below is a copy of McCarthy’s memo:

MEMORANDUM

TO: House Republicans

FROM: Kevin McCarthy

DATE: February 13, 2015

SUBJECT: Six Week Recap

At the beginning of this year, we came together to start work on an American Opportunity Agenda that focuses on the people’s priorities.

We just completed six straight weeks in session-an unprecedented start of a new Congress. And despite a few detours along the way, we should be proud of what we’ve accomplished in passing bills that not only have the backing of the American people and have united Republicans, but that have divided Democrats to vote against the Obama/Pelosi agenda.

While the President has spent the year threatening to veto over six times as many bills as he’s signed, the House hasn’t stopped tackling important issues and proposing good legislation.

From the very first week, we have made Democrats defy the President’s veto threats on issues like the 40-hour workweek and regulatory reform for small businesses. And we ended the marathon work period strongly.

Earlier this week we sent Keystone to the President’s desk. It was exactly the kind of bill we said we would pass-bipartisan, bicameral, good for our country, and popular with the American people. If the President decides to follow through on his veto threat, the country will be able to see with complete clarity the difference between Democrats and Republicans.

And just yesterday-the day before finishing our first six weeks-we achieved a major accomplishment: 39 Democrats defied the President’s veto threat and joined with Republicans to pass the Fighting Hunger Incentive Act (H.R. 644) with a veto-proof majority. That was the second bill passed under a rule that two-thirds of the House voted for after our liquefied natural gas bill (H.R. 351).

These past six weeks, we have made the people’s priorities our priorities. We have passed bipartisan bills to stop the harmful effects of Obamacare, improve veteran mental health resources, combat human trafficking, and more.

We did our work to make sure the Department of Homeland Security is fully funded while also defying the President’s unconstitutional executive action on immigration. And even the President recognizes the problem of Senate Democrats continuing their filibuster and stopping the Senate from even having a debate to avert a shutdown of Homeland Security. In the President’s recent interview with Vox, he said, “Probably the one thing that we could change without a constitutional amendment that would make a difference here would be the elimination of the routine use of the filibuster in the Senate.” I couldn’t agree more.

So as you head back home, here are a few important facts to remember.

Bills Passed by the House

In these first six weeks, the House passed 14 bills under a rule and 28 suspensions for a total of 42 bills. It is especially important to note that all but one of these bills received bipartisan support. Our accomplishments include:

— H.R. 22, the Hire More Heroes Act

— H.R. 26, the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2015

— H.R. 3/S. 1, the Keystone XL Pipeline Act

— H.R. 30, the Save the American Workers Act

— H.R. 37, the Promoting Job Creation and Reducing Small Business Burdens Act

— H.R. 161, the Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act

— Twelve Anti-Human Trafficking Bills

— H.R. 203, the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans (SAV) Act

— H.R. 7, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act

— H.R. 351, the LNG Permitting Certainty and Transparency Act

— H.R. 50, the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act

— H.R. 527, the Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act

— H.R. 644, the Fighting Hunger Incentive Act

— H.R. 636, the America’s Small Business Tax Relief Act

Our committees have been busy at work as well. Every House committee has met, working on issues ranging from crafting a responsible budget, holding the VA accountable, and conducting oversight on Benghazi and nuclear negotiations with Iran, for a collective total of over 75 hearings.

For America, the Choice is Clear

When we return at the end of this month, the House will start quickly with a series of bills expanding equal opportunity in education. And, as I’ve said before, our number one priority is creating a budget, so we’ve already begun listening sessions to develop a blueprint for America’s economic and fiscal future. We will keep working, we will keep passing smart conservative bills that attract bipartisan support, and we won’t let up.

So far, the President has plainly chosen obstruction over compromise-he would rather block bipartisan bills than work with us to get them across the finish line. Thanks to your good work, when the American people look to Washington to see who is increasing freedom, promoting opportunity, and holding government accountable, the answer is crystal clear.