2021 Year in Review - Part 2
PART 1 | PART 2
One year ago this week, I took the oath on the Constitution to serve the 15th District of Illinois. Representing you in Congress this past year is the honor of a lifetime.
I am proud of the progress we made in the first year championing conservative values and standing up for an America First Agenda.
I am sending recaps of my first year in Congress throughout the week. If you missed Part One, you can view it on my website here.
If you haven't been receiving my regular email updates, make sure to sign up here for my Newsletter to stay updated on what I'm doing in D.C. and back home in Illinois.
FIGHTING FOR OUR CHILDREN
As a member of the House Education and Labor Committee, I have strongly opposed every effort by radical elites in DC to push racist Critical Race Theory, perverted sex-ed curriculum, and dangerous transgender policies that harm our children into our schools.
I cosponsored the Defending Students' Civil Rights Act, that clarifies that teaching Critical Race Theory is a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The first bill I introduced as a Member of Congress was the Safety and Opportunity for Girls Act, which adds a clear definition of sex to Title IX to clarify that “sex” means biological sex, not gender identity.
On his first day in office, President Joe Biden signed an Executive Order to interpret Title IX as requiring schools to allow access to bathrooms, locker rooms, and sports teams based on gender identity. Title IX was created for the exact opposite purpose, to enhance athletic opportunities for girls, not to eliminate girls’ sports.
As the Biden Administration continues to push radical gender ideology on our children, parents must draw the line to protect our daughters. No girl or boy should have to feel insecure or unsafe in the bathroom or locker room at school because of the presence of a member of the opposite sex and no girl should be robbed of athletic opportunities by being forced to compete with biological males in school sports.
My bill was highlighted by the Republican Policy Committee in 2021 and was included in the Republican Study Committee's budget proposal. Below, you can watch me speak more about the Safety and Opportunity for Girls Act.
This year, I questioned President Biden's Secretary of Education on their agency's federally administered guidance that stated teachers could be accused of harassment for saying that there are only two genders.
During the hearing, I asked the Secretary if teachers will be punished for telling their students that there are two genders, male and female. I asked Biden's Secretary to please specify how many genders there are, but he refused to answer. You can watch the full exchange below, and read about it in an article by Fox News.
When the Biden Administration tried to have the FBI silence and intimidate parents, parents stayed strong in defense of their children. The American people will never bow to authoritarianism from Washington.
I led a letter with members of the Illinois Congressional delegation urging the Illinois Association of School Boards to withdraw from the National School Boards Association. Soon after, the Illinois Association of School Boards announced that they would be terminating their membership from the National School Boards Association effective immediately.
I believe that Illinois parents and families should play a central role in their children’s education, not the federal government.
Parents should NEVER be treated as domestic terrorists for showing up at school board meetings to advocate for their kids.
I offered an amendment in the House Education & Labor Committee to require parental consent before children could receive a vaccination from their school. I got in a back and forth with the Democrat leadership on the Committee, who brazenly said, "parents DO NOT know what is best for their children"! You can read more about my fight for parental rights in a piece by Breitbart News, or you can watch the video below.
It is time for parents to take back control of our schools!
BACK THE BLUE
This year, we commemorated the 20th Anniversary of 9/11, and I would like to thank our law enforcement officers and first responders nationwide for everything you do to keep our communities safe. You are on front line of the rising crime wave, often coming face to face with danger and death. Thank you for your sacrifices and God Bless you & your families.
At a time when we need law enforcement the most, we are witnessing politicians on the Left calling to defund the police.
Leftist governors, mayors, and district attorneys across the country engaged in harmful rhetoric against our police officers and implemented policies to eliminate bail, which made our neighborhoods less safe and the job of law enforcement even more dangerous.
In Congress this year, I was proud to support our local law enforcement officers by hosting Law Enforcement roundtables in the 15th District. Together, we discussed the drug epidemic, the crisis at our Southern Border, the rising national crime rate, and more.
I want to give special recognition to the brave officers from our community, Chris Oberheim, and Deputy Sean Riley, who we tragically lost this year in the line of duty. Like so many law enforcement officers, they put the people of their community first and were a true credit to the badges they wore.
The life and service of Officer Oberheim and Deputy Sean Riley will not and should not be forgotten, and their families remain in my prayers.
Below, you can view my tribute earlier this year to Officer Oberheim on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.
In Congress, I fought back against the Left's push to legitimize the looting and rioting in our country by cosponsoring H.R. 272, which calls for the designation of Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization.
We need to protect our law enforcement, which is why I co-sponsored H.R. 288, the Qualified Immunity Act, which would shield police officers from frivolous litigation when they perform their duty responsibly.
I spoke on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to address the Left's plans to defund the police and take away your right to own a firearm to defend yourself and your family, which you can watch below.
BIDEN ENERGY CRISIS
President Trump put American First. This meant American jobs first, and American energy independence first.
On President Biden's first day in office, he killed over 11,000 American jobs that were created by the Keystone Pipeline. I cosponsored H.R. 859, the Protecting American Energy Jobs Act, which repeals all of Biden’s job-killing energy executive orders.
It's hard to believe that instead of making it easier for American companies to increase domestic energy production and hire more U.S. workers, President Biden begged OPEC and Russia to increase global output to ease rising prices. I co-sponsored H.Res. 614 Condemning the Biden Administration's Energy Executive Actions.
Americans are now paying over 50% more nationally for a gallon of gas, which is the most Americans have paid at the pump since the Obama-Biden Administration. Home heating costs are also projected to rise by as much as 59% for some American households this winter.
I OPPOSED the Democrats’ Reconciliation bill that allocated billions to the Green New Deal and energy dependence on China. The Biden Administration is subsidizing China’s mining and manufacturing of lithium car batteries instead of supporting American energy production, including renewable biofuels like ethanol. I will always support our farmers and an America First energy agenda!
AROUND THE DISTRICT
Traveling around Illinois' 15th District and meeting so many of you was a highlight of my year. Illinois has so much to offer and has everything it needs to be successful: natural resources, fertile land, and salt of the earth people!
On Veteran's Day, I traveled across Illinois' 15th to meet with our heroes. I encourage you all to spend time with your children and grandchildren teaching them about the sacrifices our veterans made to protect American freedom in the face of so much evil around the world.
Thank you to all of our IL-15 veterans and their families. Your courage is not forgotten, and your sacrifices are valued.
Thank you to the hardworking farmers who produce our nation's food! We collected photos this October of our beautiful Congressional District during harvest season. Thank you to all who participated!
America's best days are still ahead of us!
I look forward to sending you more updates this week about our hard work in 2021 on a wide range of issues!
Blessings to all in the new year.
Sincerely,
Mary E. Miller
Member of Congress