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Welcome back to the Burlison Brief!
In this edition, I'll cover:
1) Honor Flight of the Ozarks: Welcoming America’s Heroes
2) Disappearing Scientists Raise National Security Alarms
3) Reconciliation 2.0: Senate Weakness on Full Display
4) Fresh Freedom Episode 68: Why High-Tax States Are Losing People and Still Raising Taxes
5) My Op-Ed in The Washington Reporter: Using Tariff Revenue to Expand HSAs
6) 417 Spotlight: Lowering Healthcare Costs Starts Locally
7) Oversight Roundtable: Farmers Targeted by Regulatory Overreach
8) FISA Deadline Looms as Warrant Fight Takes Center Stage
9) Constituent and Organization Meetings
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Honor Flight of the Ozarks: Welcoming America’s Heroes
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On Wednesday, it was my privilege to welcome veterans from Southwest Missouri to Washington for their Honor Flight. Seeing these heroes is a powerful reminder of what service and sacrifice truly mean. Representing them in Congress carries real weight, knowing the freedoms we debate each day were secured by their actions. I am grateful for the opportunity to meet with them, hear their stories, and say "thank you."
Click the photo below to view moments from the day.
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Disappearing Scientists Raise National Security Alarms
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This week, I appeared on multiple national outlets to address growing concerns surrounding a series of cases involving scientists and officials tied to sensitive U.S. aerospace, nuclear, and defense programs who have gone missing or died under unusual circumstances. While each case is distinct, the number of incidents and similarities in several disappearances raise legitimate national security questions that cannot be ignored.
In response, I joined House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer in formally requesting briefings from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of War, Department of Energy, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration to determine what these agencies know and how they are protecting personnel with access to critical scientific information.
Click here to read the letters, and click the image below to watch my segment on The Ingraham Angle.
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Reconciliation 2.0: Senate Weakness on Full Display
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On Wednesday, I shared my blunt assessment of the proposed “skinny” reconciliation bill during an appearance on Fox News. Reconciliation provides a rare opportunity to enact meaningful reforms, and Republicans must deliver on lowering costs for families. Using reconciliation without addressing affordability issues, particularly healthcare costs, would be a missed opportunity. My Great American Healthcare Plan offers a clear path to reduce costs and put Americans back in control of their healthcare dollars, and it should be part of this conversation.
Click here to hear my thoughts on KZRG and the graphic below to watch the clip on Fox News.
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Fresh Freedom Episode 68: Why High-Tax States Are Losing People and Still Raising Taxes
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In Episode 68 of Fresh Freedom, I sat down with Jonathan Williams, President and Chief Economist at the American Legislative Exchange Council, to break down what the data shows about economic freedom across the states. We discussed why some states continue to grow while others fall behind, and why policymakers so often ignore the results.
The closer government is to the people, the more accountable it becomes—and right now, Washington is moving in the wrong direction.
Click the graphic below to watch Episode 68.
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My Op-Ed in The Washington Reporter: Using Tariff Revenue to Expand HSAs
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I recently published an op-ed in the Washington Reporter outlining a proposal to use tariff revenue to expand access to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and put more control in the hands of American workers.
While tariffs are not a substitute for broader tax reform, they generate revenue that is not directly tied to taxing American paychecks. That creates an opportunity to make a one-time investment in HSAs—putting those dollars directly in the hands of workers instead of allowing them to be absorbed into government spending.
This approach aligns with President Donald Trump’s call to “give the money to the people” by expanding access to tax-free healthcare dollars and giving Americans greater control over how they spend them.
Click the graphic below to read the full op-ed.
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417 Spotlight: Lowering Healthcare Costs Starts Locally
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In my latest 417 Spotlight series, I focused on the rising cost of health care and how it is affecting families across Missouri. I highlighted local physicians using the direct-primary-care model to deliver more affordable, straightforward care by cutting out insurance middlemen and reducing administrative costs. Their approach reflects the same principles behind my Great American Healthcare Plan, which aims to increase transparency, restore competition, and put patients back in control of their healthcare dollars. This is a practical example of how costs can come down while improving the doctor-patient relationship.
Click the graphic below to watch the full spotlight.
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Oversight Roundtable: Farmers Targeted by Regulatory Overreach
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On Tuesday, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a roundtable on “Farming on Trial: A Roundtable on the Growing Use of Lawfare Against American Agriculture.” During the roundtable, I spoke about the growing pressure on Missouri farmers from rising costs and an increasingly aggressive regulatory environment.
Unelected bureaucrats are pushing “guidance” that gets enforced like law, creating uncertainty for family farms.
To address this, earlier this Congress, I introduced the Guidance Clarity Act, which makes clear that agency guidance does not carry the force of law. Farmers deserve clear rules, and Congress needs to step in to stop regulators' shifting standards.
Click the graphic below to watch my line of questioning.
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FISA Deadline Looms as Warrant Fight Takes Center Stage
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Congress faces an April 30 deadline to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a tool intended to monitor foreign threats but that can also sweep up Americans’ communications. In a new op-ed with Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (R-CO-4), I warned that abuse of Section 702 authorities, combined with federal agencies buying Americans’ personal data from commercial data brokers, can be used to build detailed profiles of law-abiding citizens, including gun owners, without a warrant.
The House rejected a clean reauthorization last week, but whether that leads to real reform remains to be seen. Any extension should include a real warrant requirement to protect Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights.
Click the graphic below to read the op-ed.
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Constituent and Organization Meetings
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Congressional App Challenge Winners Thuc Chi Do & Ronin Gambill
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Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI)
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National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (NATM)
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Missouri Hospital Association
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Wren Hall, Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr. Pepper Bottling Company VP of Public Affairs and Communications
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Missouri Beer Wholesalers Association
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Need Help with a Federal Agency?
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If you are having a problem getting a timely answer from a federal agency or feel like you've been treated unfairly, my office may be able to help.
My office helps constituents with issues involving the VA, the IRS, Social Security, the State Department, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and other federal agencies.
Click the button below to learn more and submit a request for help with a federal agency.
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As constituents of Missouri's 7th Congressional District, you may request tickets and tours for the White House and U.S. Capitol. Tickets are provided on a first-come, first-serve basis so get your tickets in early!
Use the button below to request tours and tickets!
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Are you or someone you know interested in a career in public service? We have opportunities in my Joplin, Springfield, and Washington offices. Click the button below to learn more about our internship program and apply today!
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And that's it for the Burlison Brief!
Thank you again for subscribing. If you know someone that isn't subscribed, send them over to burlison.house.gov!
Best,
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Rep. Eric Burlison
Member of Congress
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Sign up for my newsletter!
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Joplin District Office
2727 E. 32nd Street Suite 2
Joplin, MO 64804
Phone: (417) 781-1041
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Springfield District Office
3232 E. Ridgeview St.
Springfield, MO 65804
Phone: (417) 889-1800
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Washington DC Office
1108 LHOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-6536
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