The daily bloodletting of news concerning the impeachment investigation has not been enough to rouse Van Drew to support the investigation.
With impeachment on everyone’s minds, Rep Jeff Van claimed that he didn’t agree with an ongoing investigation because there was no evidence of wrongdoing and that he needed to be working on the business of Congress.
According to reporting by the Press of Atlantic City Van Drew said, “If we are going to have an impeachment inquiry and procedure (leading up to the) 2020 elections, it will be very counterproductive. Instead of focusing on issues and who should be the next president and getting work done, everyone will focus on impeachment.”
“As we move forward, if we have clear evidence of impeachable offenses, if the president said, ‘You must investigate Biden’s son and if you don’t I will not help you with your defense,’ then it’s an issue we have got to look at,” Van Drew said. “If something else comes up that is really clear high crimes and misdemeanors it will be so bad the majority of times you are going to have bipartisan support (for impeachment).”
Van Drew went on to say that no one can be sure what actually happened, since the whistleblower was not in the room when the call happened and is making secondhand allegations.
Understandably a lot more has come out since his remarks. Text messages between diplomats, including congressional testimony from at least one of them, as well as news of a second whistleblower with first hand knowledge of the call. That’s not to mention two and a half years of corruption and the violation of the President’s oath of office, which he’s done in plain sight.
In the meantime, let’s look at what Mr. Van Drew has been so busy with in Washington.
The Business of Legislating
According to the Congressional website, Congressman Jeff Van Drew (NJ-2) has sponsored 13 pieces of legislation in Congress this year, all of which were amendments to existing laws or bills. None of which were substantial to the 2nd Congressional District of New Jersey, with the possible exception of H.R.350, a bill requesting that the members of the US Coast Guard be actually paid.
H.R.350 was introduced in the middle of the government shutdown on Jan 9, 2019, during which the USCG was not being paid. The bill was referred to the Committee on Appropriations, never left committee, has not made it to a vote, has not passed the House, let alone the Senate nor ever signed into law. Of course, once the government opened up again, everyone was given back pay.
Rep. Van Drew co-sponsored 322 pieces of legislation, either amendments or bills, 45 of which have passed the House, but have not come up for a vote in the Senate. They include such critical measures as
- H.R.3589, the Greg LeMond Congressional Gold Medal Act
- H.R.1830, the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor Commemorative Coin Act
- H.R.550, the Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2019
- H.R.312, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe (Massachusetts) Reservation Reaffirmation Act
- H.R.113, the All-American Flag Act
This last bill, H.R.113, prohibits US agencies from using taxpayer dollars to procure a U.S. flag unless such flag has been manufactured in the United States from materials that have been U.S. grown, produced, or manufactured. The bill specifies exceptions to this prohibition, including an exception if flags of satisfactory quality and sufficient quantity cannot be procured as needed at market prices. Meaning, unless it costs too much, then screw it, buy it on Amazon.
The Congressman also found time to sign on to five pieces of legislation that actually became law. They are as follows:
1. H.R.2379
Bulletproof vests for police officers that departments can’t afford them. This bill makes permanent the authority for the Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP) Program. The BVP Program provides grants to states and localities to purchase body armor vests for law enforcement officers.
2. H.R.1327
The bill Republicans weren’t going to vote on until they got shamed publicly. This bill funds through FY2092 the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001.
3. H.R.1222
Federal funds for public gun ranges. This bill allows a state to use federal funds to cover a higher percentage of the costs for the construction and expansion of public target ranges. Specifically, a state may use specified federal grant funds to pay up to 90% of such costs (rather than 75%, as under current law). Additionally, amounts provided for these purposes shall remain available for five fiscal years (rather than two, as under current law).
4. H.R.1058
Mostly changes in language to an existing law. To amend the Public Health Service Act to enhance activities of the National Institutes of Health with respect to research on autism spectrum disorder and enhance programs relating to autism, and for other purposes.
5. H.R.299
Amendments to an existing law. To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify presumptions relating to the exposure of certain veterans who served in the vicinity of the Republic of Vietnam, and for other purposes.
You have to admit, that’s a lot of work.
322 pieces of legislation.
45 pieces that passed the House.
Five bills written into law.
What you really have to ask yourself is, where does he get the time?
