Welcome back to Hill Happenings, your source for the most and least talked about stories on and around Capitol Hill. In a nutshell – these are the stories we won't miss – even if others have.
Congress is currently in its first recess period of the first session of the 118th Congress. This is notable as the first two weeks of the year only involved one week of actual congressional business due to members not being formally sworn in until January 7th, thanks to the McCarthy speakership debacle we saw earlier this month. Still, House Republicans are already making their mark.
A Productive First Week For House Republicans
Last week was the first in 2023 of the Republican-controlled House which marked the end of a two-year Democrat Trifecta in Washington. Boy, was it a welcome sight for sore-CSPAN-gazing eyes such as mine. Here are a few notable highlights:
National Conceal Carry Bill Introduced
North Carolina Congressman Rich Hudson introduced a national concealed carry reciprocity bill with 118 original co-sponsors … even including one Democrat.
This bill is one that members of the pro-gun community such as myself are glad to see being made a GOP priority this year. There are too many gun laws that don't make sense in America today, and this bill could make the lives of law-abiding gun owners much easier. As I recently mentioned during an appearance on Common Sense America with my friend Eden Gordon – Hill, gun owners (such as those in the DC area) often cross multiple state lines within the course of a day, and having to comply with the individual carry laws in each state – despite permitting requirements that all show proficiency to the same standards -places a truly undue burden on gun owners, now more than ever in a post-Bruen world.
Jim Jordan Launches First Biden Investigations
Conservative firebrand Jim Jordan is back chairing a committee in the U.S. House of Representatives again and is making sure that the Biden Presidency is being scrutinized to the same extent as the Democrats did when they dug into Trump.
Campaign Update: Senate Shake-Up Coming in 2024?
Campaign side, we have two major announcements which could shake up the U.S. Senate that our American Liberty News team is tracking this morning.
Republican Indiana Congressman Jim Banks attempted to step up his ranking within the House GOP Conference for this new year, and, after a failed attempt to do so, set his eyes on the Senate instead. Banks has been hinting at a Senate announcement for weeks and made his run official earlier today:
Ohio Democrat Senator Sherrod Brown also has his first official challenger in a state where Republicans are feeling the momentum after electing JD Vance last fall. Read all about his new challenger, Republican Ohio State Senator Matt Dolan:
One Last Thing: March For Life Returns Friday!
The annual March for Life returns to the Nation's Capital on Friday with a very important change. This is the very first Post-Roe March for Life! Join your fellow Pro-Life advocates from across America at this historic event. Backed by last year's historic SCOTUS decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the pro-life community is sure to be more energized than ever as we continue to march and fight for unborn lives.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
As I have said for years, it is far past the time for Republicans to stand up as a united group and say “No” to the democraps liberal-left wing agenda agenda. NO MORE rolling over to the dems! NO MORE allowing a splintered and divided voting bloc! NO MORE allowing the rinos to lead the party and its congressional actions! DO IT NOW! NO MORE WAITING! COME TOGETHER and be an actual constructive movement! We have been waiting for you republicans to stand together for years…..and we are getting damned tired of waiting for you to do this. Or is it time for a new party?
Victory Hooray awesome
VA Day: Victory in America Day