Stauber visits Cook County

Congressman Pete Stauber, R-Hermantown, 8th District Photo by Brian Larsen

Congressman Pete Stauber, R-Hermantown, 8th District, paid a visit to Cook County on Monday, October 4. The Congressman met with forest service officials and traveled up the Gunflint Trail, meeting folks there before speaking for about an hour to about 25-30 supporters at the Birch Terrace Restaurant.

Stauber took questions from the audience that ranged from foreign policy to calls for new standards on policing, gun rights and the Second Amendment, U.S. Foreign policy, especially as it concerns the recent pullout of troops in Afghanistan, the current drone killing of innocent civilians by the U.S. military, the budget battle in D.C. and the ongoing crisis at the southern border with illegal immigrants coming across while Canadians are told to stay away; the Congressman had his hands full.

Concerning the request by the White House to pass a $3.5 trillion budget, Stauber said 14 additional programs would come online if that budget passes, adding, “President Reagan said that when you start a program in Washington, it never goes away.” He said he hoped Democratic Senators Joe Manchin and Krysten Sinema would hold the line and not vote for the $3.5 trillion bill.

Saying the country was at a crossroads, “We either go far left or take the country back,” Stauber used the example of Congressman Jeff Van Drew, who left the Democratic party to join the Republican party, the first person from Congress to leave a majority party to join a minority party. “He followed his heart, and he was reelected.”

On the issue of abortion, Stauber stated he is against the practice and supports the Hyde Amendment, which bans most abortions from federal funding. President Joe Biden defended the Hyde Amendment for 42 years, and then he abandoned his stance, said the Congressman.

How divisive is Congress? Three weeks ago, a bill was put forth calling on the U.S not to buy minerals that had been mined by countries that use child labor with Republicans supporting the bill and Democrats against, and the vote went down a party vote, Stauber said, shaking his head.

Another source of frustration, as a former Duluth police officer with more than 20 years of experience, Stauber led a bipartisan police reform in the House of Representatives by introducing Senator Tim Scott’s bipartisan JUSTICE Act to the House Floor, but his effort was blocked. The bill, said Stauber, didn’t defund police but backed best practice reforms (better training, increased use of body cameras, creating more transparency, etc.) which he said could have been a win for the public.

As a small business owner for more than 31 years (Pete and his brothers own Duluth Hockey), Pete said that experience and his time serving on the Hermantown City council and Duluth City council has greatly aided him in his work as a congressman. He said he is fighting for small businesses in the Northland. Broadband, said Stauber, “is not a luxury; it’s a necessity,” and he is working with area legislators to see Broadband built into areas where it hasn’t been developed yet.

On voter rights, Stauber explained, “The last thing we want is the Feds telling us what we want. Thirtyone states have voter ID, and they (Biden administration) want to eliminate that.” He added that states have the responsibility for setting election procedures, not the federal government. “I’m a state’s rights person.” And when it comes to elections, “I want it easy to vote but hard to cheat.” He also called for honest voter rolls.

On the recent pullout of American troops from Afghanistan, Stauber said President Trump’s Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had promised Congress that when the U.S. left, that $86 billion in weapons and gear and high technology wouldn’t be left behind. That $86 billion in hardware doesn’t count all the dollars it took to create those military weapons we left there, said Stauber. Guns and bullets left by the U.S. are now used to “kill Christians,” he added. And Congress is digging into who organized the pullout. Still, according to General Milley’s testimony in front of Congress, the order came directly from the President, who apparently didn’t heed any advice from anyone before ordering the evacuation.

On the call for a national mandate for vaccinations, Stauber mentioned that 2 ½ months ago, both President Biden and Jen Psaki announced the administration would never force anyone to get vaccinated. Still, that opinion has now appeared to have changed. “I think getting the shot is between a doctor and patient.”

The southern border crisis is ongoing, with states sending National Guard troops to help with the illegal border crossings. Congressman Stauber said 1.5 million people from 150 countries had entered the U.S. from the southern border, and some of those apprehended are on the Terrorism Watchlist.

So why won’t the Biden administration allow Canadians into the U.S.? The Congressman said the White House hadn’t offered any reasonable explanation for keeping Canadians from coming into the country for casual travel or to visit family members, but his team has been working hard to get the border reopened.

President Biden’s call for a national red-flag law drew several questions. Currently, 19 states and Washington D.C. have one type of redflag law or another. Red flag laws are also called Extreme Protection Order laws, which give courts the right to order temporary seizure of someone’s firearms if they are believed to be dangerous to themselves or the public. Stauber worried that the law was the start of taking away the Second Amendment without due process.

On energy and the recent rise of gas and fuel oil, Stauber said he is a strong proponent of developing those resources safely in the U.S. In a letter to President Biden, he stated, “Mere hours of the inauguration, you signed Executive Order 13990 which canceled the Keystone XL pipeline; soon after you signed Executive Order 14008 which imposed a moratorium on a new lease for oil and gas on all federal lands. Beyond these harmful executive orders, your administration has also proposed targeting increases in the domestic oil and gas industry. In both word and deed, Mr. President, you have signaled to the American producers and workers to not deliver the American energy needed to support our economy and way of life.”

Congressman Stauber noted that National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan issued a request on August 11, 2021, to foreign countries who make up the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC+) to increase their oil and gas production, adding in his letter, “Mr. President, it is hard to understand your energy policy.”

After three years in Congress, Stauber said he is tired at the end of every week. He likened the experience to his time as a professional hockey player where he would “leave it all out on the ice”. However, he called his service more than a job. “This is a passion and love. It’s a hot blue flame right now, but I don’t know how long it will last.” He called on folks to vote their true values. “You can’t lose sight of what you are.”