In an interview with Chris Ryan, the Representative from New Hampshire’s First Congressional District, Chris Pappas, comments on the moves being made by House Republicans to remove Liz Cheney from leadership position; discusses the upcoming 2022 Congressional elections; addresses the immigration crisis at our southern border; examines the process for passing President Biden’s $4.1 trillion Infrastructure plan; and talks about his bill which extends the ban on fentanyl and its substitutes or analogues.
Liz Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, is the lone representative from Wyoming and has been a very outspoken critic of President Donald Trump. Her position as the Chair of the GOP Conference makes her the third most powerful member of the Republican Party in the House of Representatives.
As the Republican Minority Leader, Kevin McCarthy, is maneuvering to oust Liz Cheyney from her position,Congressman Pappas offers her his support.
“I think that these efforts to undermine Liz Cheney and to take her out of her leadership position are very damaging not just to Republicans, but to the truth and to democracy overall. I think she’s a profile in courage. It’s important that Liz Cheney isn’t punished for speaking the truth.”
As a result of the 2020 census, five states will have one more representative and Texas gains two representatives; and seven states will have one fewer representative in Congress. Republicans are expected to gain at least five seats in the House of Representatives.
All fifty states must now begin to redraw the districts that will elect members of Congress and of the state legislatures, accounting for any changes in population so that all districts’ numbers of residents are roughly equal. In most states, the legislatures determine the election districts. In some states, the district lines are drawn by bipartisan or independent redistricting committees. Republicans control a majority of state legislatures.
With the country so evenly divided politically, Congressman Pappas discusses the importance of the 2022 election and the importance of the redistricting process.
“I hope that whatever happens that we are able to address the problem of partisan gerrymandering. That’s why legislation like HR 1—The For the People Act is so important because it would require states to have independent commissions.”
Congressman Pappas supports the Biden Administrations policies and calls for a comprehensive approach to solving the immigration crisis at our southern border, which would include the following: have systems in place which will treat migrants humanely and allow families to stay together; reduce the flow of migration by improving conditions in the northern triangle of Central American countries; and provide an orderly system for people who are seeking safe refuge in the United States.
President Biden’s proposed infrastructure plan is in two parts--the $1.8 trillion American Families Plan and the $2.3 trillion American Jobs Plan. Congressman Pappas believes that passage will be long after the original target date of Memorial Day. He describes the bipartisan give and take which is happening.
“Things will be slower and more deliberative than we saw with the COVID relief packages. That is because we are talking about long term bills that are hopefully going to be making a difference in this country over a long period of time and get people back to work.“
President Biden has signed into law a bill sponsored by Congressman Pappas which extends the ban on the highly addictive and deadly synthetic opioid, fentanyl and its copycats or analogues. The law also categorizes these analogue fentanyl products as a schedule one level drug for prosecution by law enforcement.
As the Granite State has been ravaged by the opioid epidemic, Congressmen Pappas says, “It’s an important step forward for public safety, and we’ve got to couple that with more support for individuals, especially during this time when we know that addiction is such a problem, to get the help and services which they need.”