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House Republicans unveil 2023 agenda in Pennsylvania

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and other House Republicans unveiled their 2023 policy agenda on Friday. Pool Photo by Jabin Botsford/UPI
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and other House Republicans unveiled their 2023 policy agenda on Friday. Pool Photo by Jabin Botsford/UPI | License Photo

Sept. 23 (UPI) -- House Republicans promised to increase fossil-fuel production, curb illegal immigration, and enact tough on crime policies as they formally unveiled their 2023 agenda on Friday in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Minority leader Kevin McCarthy and Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., also promised to open investigations into China's role in the Covid outbreak, Covid vaccinations, and the increase in southern border crossings if they take back the House in November.

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"We will give Secretary [Alejandro] Mayorkas a reserved parking spot, he will be testifying so much about this," Scalise said to loud cheers from the roughly 150 supporters, referring to the Homeland Security secretary, according to Politico.

Notably though the Republicans avoided even more controversial topics like abortion, election denialism and former President Donald Trump. Instead, McCarthy talked about going after the IRS.

"On our very first bill, we're going to repeal 87,000 IRS agents," he said.

McCarthy told The Hill that he had talked to Trump a little bit about the plan when they spoke on the phone the other day, but that their conversation focused on other topics. "He thought a lot of it looked pretty good," McCarthy said.

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The plan was inspired by former speaker Newt Gingrich's "Contract for America." Gingrich himself called the GOP's plan "more sophisticated" than his own 1994 blueprint, which helped propel that fall's so-called "Republican revolution" which ended 40 years of Democratic dominance in the lower chamber.

President Joe Biden held his own event in Washington on Friday and criticized the Republicans for "thin policy goals" that don't talk about the big issues.

"In the course of nearly an hour, here's a few of the things we didn't hear: We didn't hear him mention the right to choose, we didn't hear him mention Medicare, we didn't hear him mention Social Security," Biden said according to CNN.

Biden also warned of a nationwide abortion ban if Republicans win control of Congress.

"In 46 days, America is going to choose," the President said. "If Republicans win control (of) the Congress, abortion will be banned. And by the way, it will be initially banned. But if they win Congress, I will veto it."

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