Week One Review
Day one: We began with the Senate chambers prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and roll call. Then we were excused to House Chambers for Governor Little’s State of the State address. You can find my thoughts below, which are summarized by the Idaho Freedom Caucus Press Release the governor’s speech.
Day Two: Roll call in Senate chambers was followed by visits with many officials, attending events and working on figuring out what my new roll as Vice Chair of the Health & Welfare committee consists of.
Day Three: More of the same.
Day Four: I attended the ESA (Education Savings Account) town hall. If you are interested and want to watch the recording of the town hall, click here. Be aware that this is a Facebook Live video, so if you don’t have a Facebook account, you will not be able to watch it.
Day Five: We took our committee pictures and I got more work done on editing the Health &Welfare Committee Rules. To learn more about the Idaho Senate’s Rules and Procedures click here.
My quote of the week: “I was extremely busy but not much was done.”
I promised to highlight the other Idaho Freedom Caucus Members’ Websites, so here they are! Visit their websites to sign up for their newsletters and get updates from them about what our caucus is working on.
Co-Chair Senator Tammy Nichols
Co-Chair Rep. Heather Scott
Senator Scott Herndon
Senator Dan Foreman
Senator Cindy Carlson
Senator Chris Trakel
Senator Brian Lenney
Rep. Elaine Price
Rep. Mike Kingsley
Rep. Jacyn Gallagher
Political Art by Hilber Nelson with MVLA
This photo captures what IFC (Idaho Freedom Caucus) is all about. The Senate members of the Idaho Freedom Caucus were asked to meet with senate pro tempore Winder. He wanted to know what we are all about, and he had concerns that we would bring division to the Senate and might become a “clique.”
What we actually are is a support system of legislatures who have committed ourselves to upholding our Constitution, protecting our state sovereignty, and to standing on the Republican party platform. There will be no division if all the Republicans in the Senate vote accordingly. Division only comes when legislators stray away from these guiding principles.
The Idaho Freedom Caucus is also welcoming to any who would like to join and gain the support and accountability our caucus provides.
Constituent Homework!
Here is a list of websites that you need to get familiar with. My suggestion is to click on every tab and all the highlighted words. This will help you get familiar with the sites and keep you informed and engaged. I would spend an hour every day learning different websites.
Idaho State Legislature: https://legislature.idaho.gov/
Growing Freedom Idaho: https://growingfreedomidaho.com/
Transparent Idaho: https://transparent.idaho.gov/transparentidaho/Pages/home.aspx
Hillsdale Course:
https://lp.hillsdale.edu/american-left-preregister/?sc=00497N0035L24DODSES
On Next Week’s CalendarState Affairs Committee @8:00 am.
RS 29974 / Relating to Abortion
RS 29982 / Relating to Abortion
RS 29983 / Relating to Purchasing by Political Subdivisions
RS 30000 / Relating to Self-Defense
https://legislature.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sessioninfo/2023/standingcommittees/230116_ssta_0800AM-Agenda.pdf
Capitol Clarity
January 19 @ 12:00pm
In the Lincoln Auditorium
(there is a prayer group that prays in the hallways at 11:00am)
David’s Desk
I will include something from my Intern David Leavitt every week. He is giving of his time and money to be my intern for the entire session. It will be fun to hear his point of view.
A Fresh Start and a New Beginning
Through my military career I experienced things which I pray most men will never have to experience – from the violence and hell of war, to the loss of people I loved who died while in combat or from suicide. I became my own worst enemy, consumed by the darkness of despair which fogged my mind for so many years. I cursed God, wondering why I had to endure all of this pain and suffering in my life.
I know now God wanted me to experience all of this because He has a plan, and this was His way of preparing me for the battle ahead. I am a sinner, and I know I’m not worthy of this calling. Yet God has a plan for me, and I’m here to do my best.
We may not understand immediately why we must go through the ambiguities that exist in this life, but He has a purpose for each of us and a reason for everything. God does not give us everything we want in life, instead God provides us opportunity. When God delivers opportunity it is up to us to seize that opportunity.
God has given me a fresh start and new beginning – an opportunity, and it’s now up to me to seize it. I hope that you will join Senator Zuiderveld as we put on the armor of God and march forward into battle. It’s time to stop asking God to do things for us, but instead it’s time for us to start asking ourselves what we can do for God!