WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) joined U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and 21 of their Senate GOP colleagues in sending a letter to President Biden reiterating concerns over the White House’s refusal to respond to the senators’ previous demands for transparency regarding Biden’s Executive Order 14019—which instructs federal agencies to engage in voter mobilization and submit to the White House a plan for doing so—and its potential violation of federal law prohibiting agencies from expending federal funds without congressional authorization. 

“We are concerned by your failure to respond to our previous inquiry on May 10, 2023, regarding Executive Order 14019 on ‘Promoting Access to Voting,’” the senators wrote. “This policy directive merits congressional oversight both as a general matter and under the Antideficiency Act. Accordingly, we write to reiterate our request for information regarding the implementation of this executive order, including copies of the plans submitted to the White House.” 

“Federal agencies should be focused on their defined missions in a nonpartisan manner, not using taxpayer funds for voter mobilization efforts with potentially partisan impacts,” the senators continued. “In other words, it’s not the job of the federal government to drive voter turnout.”

In order to determine the voter mobilization and electioneering activities for which the Biden Administration is using taxpayer dollars, the senators once again request that the Biden administration provide the American people the following basic information:

1.            Copies of all federal agency “strategic plans” required under the Order and a list of which agencies have not yet submitted a strategic plan;

2.            The strategic plan required by the General Services Administration under the Order;

3.            The recommendations provided by the Office of Personnel Management under the Order; and

4.            All procedures established by the Attorney General under the Order.

Sens. Johnson and Hagerty are joined on this letter by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kan.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho.).

Read more about the senators’ November 28, 2023 letter to the president in FOX News.

Full text of the letter can be found here.

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