Issa Calls for U.S. Passport Services to be Surged

In a letter on June 18 to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50) is calling on the Biden Administration to surge resources to meet increasingly high citizen passport demand, which has created a backlog of requests that continues to grow and impact travel plans for Americans across the country.

“Thankfully, Americans are on the move again and the resumption of travel is essential to our national economic rebound. Unfortunately, the federal government’s response to the growing backlog of U.S. passport requests is indifferent at best, and absent at worst. Our fellow citizens have every right to expect their government to meet this need. That’s why I am calling on the State Department to surge resources by resuming full staffing, adding extra hours of service and operations to assist customers, and provide the necessary support and resources to relieve overburdened staff and clear the backlog of passport requests,” Issa said.

The letter states:

“Unfortunately, State Department resources have not been restored to full pre-COVID capacity, and passport office staffing levels remain restricted, with limited appointments and fulfillment capabilities.”

The letter continues:

“My office has observed firsthand the degree to which current staff are working hard to meet need, and for that, my constituents are very grateful.  But more help is needed in this unprecedented time, and it is within your ability to bring these team members support. Only the federal government can fix this problem right away to restore international travel. We owe the American people responsive and timely essential services.”
Read the full request for action here.

Congressman Issa Declares Censorship of Conservatives “Singular Big Tech Crisis of Our Times”

Senior Member of Judiciary Committee details fundamental flaws of Democrat bills
On June 23  Congressman Darrell Issa, Ranking Republican Member on the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet, issued the following statement during today’s proceedings on a package of antitrust legislation:

“This is a landmark day in the fight to rein in the antitrust abuses of Big Tech – but not in the way the Democrat majority would like you to believe. While the legislative package we are debating today makes repeated references to “breaking up monopolies” and “opening up platforms,” it will do little or nothing of the kind.

It is, instead, an unprecedented expansion of big government, an invitation for China to gain even greater access to our data, the creation of new and broader powers for Biden Administration regulators, and a grab-bag of anti-business provisions that won’t empower consumers and will, at best, create a multiple of problem entities out of currently larger ones.

Worst of all, this legislative approach sidesteps the singular Big Tech crisis of our time: The relentless targeting of Americans’ free speech and daily censorship of conservatives online. Let me be clear: There can be no reform of Big Tech without addressing its discrimination and denials of the words and speech it doesn’t want others to read and hear.”

That’s why I am today proposing and supporting a series of amendments that will actually fix what’s wrong with today’s tech industry by addressing market abuses, threats to consumer privacy and end the silencing of conservative voices. This is a fight worth having. And it is long overdue.”

Reps. Issa, Deutch Introduce Bill to Ensure Artists Receive Fair Pay for FM/AM Radio Airplay

On June 24, U.S. Representatives Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Ted Deutch (D-FL) introduced the bipartisan American Music Fairness Act to ensure that artists and music creators are paid when their songs are played on FM/AM radio.

Earlier, Reps. Issa and Deutch Issa introduced the legislation at a press event at the U.S. Capitol and were joined by legendary recording artists Dionne Warwick, Sam Moore, Ken Casey, as well as working musicians to mark the occasion.

“Every musical artist who first picked up a drumstick, sang in front of a mirror or wrote a lyric from the heart did so because they were inspired to create and share. While that is their gift to us, ultimately, they are the true owners, and we need to protect their rights,” said Rep. Issa.

“Since the global pandemic shuttered live venues and closed recording studios, music makers have struggled almost as never before. But corporate broadcasters have continued to profit from the artists and musicians whose performances make all of it possible. It’s time for all of them to receive compensation for their hard work and timeless art. I’m proud to join with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and introduce the American Music Fairness Act.”

“The status quo is unfair to artists. Across America, recording artists and music creators are working to build a good life for themselves and their families by playing the music they love, but the rules are rigged against them,” said Rep Deutch. “For far too long, our broken system has let FM/AM radio stations get away with refusing to pay artists when they play their music. It’s time to right this wrong, because paying people for their hard work is the fair thing to do. This bipartisan bill will require that corporate broadcasters fairly compensate recording artists and music creators when they play their songs on FM/AM radio.”

For decades, American terrestrial radio stations have not been required to compensate performers when they play their music — making the United States one of the only developed countries in the world with these outdated laws. The American Music Fairness Act would close this loophole and require broadcasters to pay artists when they use their work.

The legislation includes a specific exemption for small radio stations that make less than $1.5 million per year, requiring them to pay only a nominal annual fee to play as much music from as many artists as they want while large corporate broadcasters would pay full freight.

The bill was cosponsored by Congressmen Jerry Nadler (D-NY) and Tom McClintock, (R-CA), as well as Congresswomen Karen Bass (D-CA), Judy Chu (D-CA), and Diana Harshbarger (R-TN).

The American Music Fairness Act would level the playing field for artists and music creators by:

·   requiring terrestrial radio stations to compensate all artists for their property.

·   creating a fair market value for music performance royalties by closing the loophole that allows AM/FM radio stations to play music without compensating artists.

·  exempting radio stations that fall under $1.5 million in annual revenue and whose parent companies fall under less than $10 million in annual revenue overall. For less than $2 per day ($500 annually), small and local stations can play unlimited music.

·  ensuring that foreign countries pay U.S. artists when their songs are played overseas.

The American Music Fairness Act is endorsed by the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), the American Federation of Musicians, the Recording Academy, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), SAG-AFTRA and SoundExchange.

Office of Congressman Issa to Host Virtual Military Spouse Employment Webinar

On July 7, The Office of Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50) will host a free online military spouse informational webinar Thursday, August 12, 2021 from 11:00-12:00 p.m. PT. The Department of Defense will provide an overview of the extensive career and education resources available to military spouses, including the launching of an online “My SECO” portal.

Our military presenters will answer questions and help participants register for these services.

Congressman Issa said: “Military spouses and their families sacrifice like no other. That’s why we are working to connect them with the opportunities and services that support their families. My office is bringing in experts from the Department of Defense to share tools and resources for job searches, scholarships and occupational licensing transition assistance.”

To register for this free virtual information session and receive resources for job searches, scholarships, and occupational licensing transition assistance, click here.

The August 12 event is part of an ongoing series of informational webinars provided by the Office of Congressman Darrell Issa to residents of the 50th Congressional District. Previous events focused on student aid, rural development assistance through USDA, NASA and admissions to the U.S. military academies.

Issa Leads Bipartisan Effort to Reauthorize “Johanna’s Law”
Gynecological Cancer Awareness Campaign

On July14, Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50) announced that he is now an original cosponsor of legislation to reauthorize “Johanna’s Law,” which supports federal campaigns to raise knowledge and awareness among women and health care providers about gynecologic cancers.

Congressman Issa also authored the original 2006 bipartisan effort to establish a federal outreach and education program to encourage women to discuss with their physicians and health care providers the risks, signs, and symptoms of gynecologic cancers.

This year’s legislation, authored by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and cosponsored by Congressman Issa, is supported by a bipartisan coalition of Members of Congress and authorizes $45 million for FY 2022-2024 for the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to public or nonprofit entities for public education campaigns. These programs will increase awareness about the early warning signs, risk factors, prevention, screening, and treatment options of gynecologic cancers.

It is estimated that more than 113,000 new cases of these cancers are diagnosed each year, and when diagnosed at a late-stage, ovarian cancer has a less than 50 percent survival rate. This increases to a 90 percent survival rate if detected early.

The law is named for Johanna Silver Gordon, who lost her life to ovarian cancer in 2000. Like many women, Johanna had symptoms of ovarian cancer that went unnoticed.

“We know that education and awareness can make the critical difference for women and health care providers to test, diagnose and treat gynecologic cancers,” Rep. Issa said. “Johanna’s Law has proven year after year to help women and their doctors overcome a disease that when diagnosed early is truly treatable.

Darrell Issa is the Representative of California’s 50th Congressional District. The District encompasses the central and northeastern parts of San Diego County and a portion of Riverside County, including the communities of Fallbrook, San Marcos, Valley Center, Ramona, Escondido, Santee, Lakeside, El Cajon, Temecula, and the mountain and desert areas of the San Diego-Imperial County line. Issa served as the Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform from 2011-2015.