Andy Biggs

Congressman Biggs Introduces the PROTECT Act

Position: Congressman Biggs introduced legislation to modernize the Department of Defense's Law Enforcement Support Office (1033 program), which provides surplus federal equipment to state and local law enforcement. The bill aims to improve program administration through enhanced coordination, standardized procedures, coordinator training, and transparent reporting.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05) introduced the Providing Resources and Oversight for Tactical Equipment to Communities and Troops (PROTECT) Act. The bill modernizes the administration of the Department of War’s Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO) or “1033 program,” which allows state and local law enforcement agencies to acquire surplus equipment. This update will help the program operate more efficiently and better serve communities nationwide. The LESO program equips state and local law enforcement with surplus federal resources (ranging from office supplies, vehicles, and specialized gear) used in active shooter response, disaster relief, counterdrug operations, and border security – at minimal cost to these agencies. The LESO program, housed in the Defense Logistics Agency, was created in 1995 after authorization under the National Defense Authorization Act (Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991). “I introduced the PROTECT Act following conversations with Arizona stakeholders who were frustrated with the growing lack of coordination between state and federal partners,” said Congressman Biggs. “This necessary update ensures greater oversight, clearer standards, and more effective state-federal coordination to carry out the program’s mission. I’m grateful for another opportunity to stand with our Arizona law enforcement community as these agencies protect our communities and respond to emergencies, natural disasters, and public safety threats." The PROTECT Act strengthens the role of State Coordinators and addresses local requests for greater consistency across the program by requiring standardized state-federal consultation procedures, annual coordinator training, regular Defense Logistics Agency program reviews, and transparent biennial reporting to Congress and the public. ###

Major Law Enforcement Organizations Announce Support for Biggs’s Monitor Accountability Act

Position: Congressman Biggs supports the Monitor Accountability Act, which would increase transparency, public accountability, and oversight of court-appointed monitors in federal law enforcement consent decrees, while establishing clearer standards for monitor appointments, compensation, and duration.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the Monitor Accountability Act set to come to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives this week, Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05) shared several letters of support for his legislation from law enforcement organizations: “Court-appointed monitors play an important role in ensuring compliance with federal court orders, and we support efforts to ensure that these monitorships are structured, transparent, and focused on measurable progress. We are encouraged by provisions that increase public accountability, including transparency in monitor activities and costs, public input, and clearer expectations around structure and duration.”– Navajo County Sheriff David Clouse, President of the Arizona Sheriffs’ Association “Recent data, including PORAC’s March 2026 research brief, Evaluating Police Consent Decrees: From Compliance to Results, which examined decades of federal monitorships, shows that federal monitorships divert resources from communities, cost over $10 million per year on average, and often last more than a decade. While imposing these steep burdens on communities, the process operates behind closed doors, obstructs departments’ good-faith efforts to achieve compliance, and threatens public safety. In fact, monitors have a financial disincentive to find agencies in compliance and have repeatedly moved the goal posts in some cases. This legislation advances the targeted, transparent, and outcome-driven reforms we have long advocated.”– Brian R. Marvel, President of the Peace Officers Research Association of California “This legislation introduces necessary accountability by establishing clear standards, enhanced oversight, and greater public visibility into a process that has too often lacked meaningful checks and balances. Notably, the language in this bill reflects principles outlined in a 2021 memorandum issued by then–Attorney General Merrick Garland under the administration of former President Joe Biden, underscoring a bipartisan foundation for these reforms.”– Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, President of the Major County Sheriffs of America “The current court monitor system exercises substantial authority over local law enforcement agencies while operating with limited oversight and transparency. Given the significant financial and operational impact monitors can have on departments and the communities they serve, greater accountability within this process is both appropriate and necessary. H.R. 8365 provides important reforms by creating clearer standards for monitor appointments, compensation, reporting requirements, and overall oversight.”– Darrell Kriplean, President of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association “By placing reasonable limits on fees, terms, and appointments, while requiring public reporting and opportunities for input, this bill helps ensure that monitorships remain focused, efficient, and results-driven. These reforms will help prevent unnecessarily prolonged and costly consent decrees and court orders that place a heavy burden on local agencies and the taxpayers who fund them. At the same time, the legislation preserves the core purpose of monitoring—achieving constitutional and sustainable compliance.” – Joe Clure, Executive Director of the Arizona Police Association If enacted into law, the Monitor Accountability Act would require federal district courts to follow common-sense rules when appointing monitors to oversee state or local government agencies. This legislation includes the following terms: Term limits: Monitors may serve no more than five years and cannot be reappointed under the same court order, preventing long‑term control by any single individual. No revolving door: Successive monitors cannot come from the same law firm or employer, ensuring independence. Fee caps & transparency: Monitor compensation is capped and courts encouraged to require pro bono or reduced-cost work to control costs and ensure transparency. Public input: Courts must announce the proposed monitor and allow public comment before appointment. Off-ramp for states / localities: A monitorship may only be extended if the state or locality has not achieved substantial and sustained compliance, preventing open‑ended oversight. Judicial transfer: After six years, the case must be reassigned to a different judge to avoid prolonged control by a single court. Retroactive fix: Immediately covers monitorships older than six years, including Maricopa County, triggering required replacement of both monitor and judge. Read the letter from the Arizona Sheriffs’ Association here. Read the letter from the Peace Officers Research Association of California here. Read the letter from the Major County Sheriffs of America here. Read the letter from the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association here. Read the letter from the Arizona Police Association here.

Congressman Biggs Introduces the TRUE Accountability Act

Position: Congressman Biggs and Congressman Subramanyam introduced legislation requiring federal agencies to develop fraud-prevention plans during emergencies by incorporating GAO frameworks, citing substantial annual losses to fraud in federal programs.

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05) introduced the Taxpayers Resources Used in Emergencies (TRUE) Accountability Act – a bipartisan piece of legislation to require agencies to develop plans to prevent fraud during an emergency or crisis. Congressman Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) joined as a co-lead on the bill. The bill requires that two U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports – A Framework for Managing Improper Payments in Emergency Assistance Programs and A Framework for Managing Fraud Risks in 20 Federal Programs – be incorporated into agency plans so they have a proven, data-driven framework for preventing fraud. GAO estimates that the federal government loses between $233 billion and $521 billion annually to fraud. In 2020-2023 alone, GAO estimates that over $300 billion in fraud occurred across COVID-19 relief government programs, and that 19 different pandemic relief programs were targeted and defrauded as of 2024. "For decades, fraud has run rampant in bloated government programs,” said Congressman Biggs. “American taxpayers work extremely hard for their money, and they deserve to know that government agencies are committed to wisely stewarding their dollars – not allowing the funds to be stolen by fraudulent entities, especially in times of emergency or crisis. This is an issue that Members of both parties can support, and I am grateful for Congressman Subramanyam’s leadership in pushing the TRUE Accountability Act. I call on my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to send this legislation to the U.S. Senate and then to the White House.” “We must ensure that federal agencies are prepared to handle emergency funds as effectively as possible,” said Congressman Subramanyam. “The American public deserves confidence that emergency funds are going to the people who need it the most, not ending up in the hands of fraudsters. This commonsense bill will increase accountability and improve fiscal management at federal agencies.” The TRUE Accountability Act will be marked up in the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform this week before being transmitted to the full House for consideration. ###

Congressman Biggs Introduces the Monitor Accountability Act

Position: Congressman Biggs advocates for federal legislation to impose term limits, fee caps, transparency requirements, and other restrictions on court-appointed federal monitors overseeing state and local government agencies, citing concerns about cost, scope creep, and accountability.

WASHINGTON, D.C.- This week, Congressman Andy Biggs introduced The Monitor Accountability Act to set clear rules for courts’ use of federal monitors. The bill responds to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) monitorship, appointed in 2013 and expanded repeatedly despite near‑total compliance. The Department of Justice has acknowledged the county’s progress and supports ending the monitorship. Since 2013, three Maricopa County sheriffs have implemented the court’s mandated reforms, yet the monitor has added new demands far beyond the original ruling. Taxpayers have absorbed nearly $350 million in costs, including more than $32 million paid directly to the monitor and his firm. The prolonged intervention has also worsened deputy attrition and recruitment challenges, affecting MCSO’s ability to serve Maricopa County. "I have watched the consequences of these federal monitors up close and personal in Maricopa County for over a decade,” said Congressman Biggs. “The federal monitor’s continued existence in our county and propensity for moving the goalposts from his original charge only serves to exploit taxpayers and undermine the brave work of the men and women who serve our communities – and this is only one of dozens of similar arrangements across the country. It’s time for Congress to take back the reins from rogue judges and monitors who have exceeded appropriate bounds. That’s why I’ve introduced the Monitor Accountability Act to protect taxpayers and public safety.” If enacted into law, the Monitor Accountability Act would require federal district courts to follow common-sense rules when appointing monitors to oversee state or local government agencies. This legislation includes the following terms: Term limits: Monitors may serve no more than five years and cannot be reappointed under the same court order, preventing long‑term control by any single individual. No revolving door: Successive monitors cannot come from the same law firm or employer, ensuring independence. Fee caps & transparency: Monitor compensation is capped and courts encouraged to require pro bono or reduced-cost work to control costs and ensure transparency. Public input: Courts must announce the proposed monitor and allow public comment before appointment. Off-ramp for states / localities: A monitorship may only be extended if the state or locality has not achieved substantial and sustained compliance, preventing open‑ended oversight. Judicial transfer: After six years, the case must be reassigned to a different judge to avoid prolonged control by a single court. Retroactive fix: Immediately covers monitorships older than six years, including Maricopa County, triggering required replacement of both monitor and judge. “Congressman Biggs’s Monitor Accountability Act will bring much-needed oversight to the practice of court-appointed federal monitors,” said Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels. “We’ve seen this problem first-hand in Arizona: Maricopa County has been the victim of a rogue monitor for more than 13 years, costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars and shifting resources away from keeping the community safe. This bill will correctly re-prioritize law enforcement over the financial interests of monitors exploiting the system.” In February, Congressman Biggs chaired a House Judiciary field hearing in Phoenix highlighting the detrimental impacts of the MCSO monitorship. You can watch the hearing here. The Monitor Accountability Act will be marked up in the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on the Judiciary on Wednesday. ###

Congressman Biggs Co-Sponsors the SWALWELL Act

Position: Congressman Biggs supports the SWALWELL Act, which would prohibit use of taxpayer funds for congressional workplace misconduct settlements, require personal financial accountability for members and senior staff, ensure transparency of past settlements while protecting victims, and mandate referral of criminal allegations to the Department of Justice.

WASHINGTON, D.C.- This week, Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05) co-sponsored the SWALWELL Act, which would prohibit the use of taxpayer funds for settlements of workplace misconduct claims involving Members of Congress or their senior staff, require personal financial accountability, ensure transparency of past settlements while protecting victims, and mandate referral of criminal allegations to the Department of Justice. The introduction of the bill by Congressman Paul Gosar (AZ-05) responds to a pattern of Members of Congress committing serious crimes or indiscretions and American taxpayers footing the bill for the settlements arising from the unethical or illegal actions. Most recently, Eric Swalwell resigned from the U.S. House of Representatives after horrifying allegations were revealed about his behavior in office, including with a member of his congressional staff, prompting the legislation. “For far too long, many Members of Congress have used their shielded positions of power to harm and exploit vulnerable individuals, all while misusing the trust and dollars of hardworking taxpayers without any transparency,”said Congressman Biggs.“This behavior is beneath the sacred trust given by the American people, and it’s past time for these disgusting actions to end. That's why I'm co-sponsoring the SWALWELL Act to send a message to future violators that they will be held accountable while protecting victims' privacy and safety.” Read the bill here. ###

Congressman Biggs Highlights Savings Under Republican Tax Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Today, millions of Americans are marking Tax Day 2026 with increased tax benefits and savings thanks to the Working Family Tax Cuts Act passed by Republicans in Congress and signed into law by President Trump last year. According to the White House, more than 53 million filers have claimed at least one of the new tax cuts from the legislation, and the average refund has put 11 percent more money than the previous year back into the pockets of hardworking Americans. Arizonans have benefited greatly from the historic tax cuts bills. Thanks to this legislation, many Arizonans have seen a substantial increase in wages, and 133,000 jobs have been protected. Well over a million Arizona seniors stand to benefit from the no-tax-on-Social Security provision. Approximately two-thirds of workers across the state are likely employed in overtime-eligible occupations, which could allow them to take advantage of the no-tax-on-overtime provision. Three percent of Arizona laborers could be eligible for the provision that exempts tips from taxes. “Throughout my time in Congress, I have been pleased to vote on two major tax cut laws that return money to where it belongs: the American people,”said Congressman Biggs. "The Working Family Tax Cuts Act was historic legislation that provided benefits to Americans where they needed it most – an expanded standard deduction, a larger Child Tax Credit, the elimination of taxes on overtime and tips, and a new bonus deduction for Social Security recipients. Republicans are taking action to protect the interests and future of Americans, as we seek to expand opportunities and savings for all.” ###

Congressman Andy Biggs Co-Leads Letter to California Governor over Alleged Hospice Fraud

GILBERT, ARIZONA- Late last month, Congressman Andy Biggs co-led a letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom over “reports of widespread waste, fraud, and abuse in federally funded health care programs.” The letter was co-signed by Members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, investigating alleged fraud within California’s hospice programs. In the letter, the House Oversight Members requested information about California’s oversight of the state’s hospice program with a deadline of this week for response. The Committee is working with California officials on producing documents and is committed to holding the state accountable for its failure to stop fraud. The inquiry highlights a March 2022 report from the California State Auditor, which showed that Los Angeles County “experienced a 1,500 percent increase in registered hospice providers since 2010 – more than six times the national average of hospice agencies relative to Los Angeles County’s senior population." Despite this report and even the state’s attorney general describing this hospice fraud as “an epidemic,” California does not appear to have taken the issue seriously, as many red flags and warnings continue to appear throughout the health care industry. “American taxpayers work extremely hard for their money, yet government agencies across America allow rampant misuse and abuse of these funds at alarming rates,” said Congressman Biggs.“Under Governor Newsom’s purview, rogue operators and organizations have exploited taxpayers for years with no end in sight. If California won’t end this dereliction of duty by state officials, then Congress will step in to protect unsuspecting men and women. We will not tolerate this shameless disregard of the duty of government to responsibly steward taxpayer dollars." Read the letter here. ###

Congressman Biggs Votes to Again Restore DHS Funding

Position: Congressman Biggs opposes the Senate's continuing resolution for DHS funding, arguing it inadequately funds Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and calls for full funding of all DHS operations including border enforcement and immigration enforcement activities.

Washington, D.C.- Today, Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05) voted on a continuing resolution to restore funding to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for sixty days. The vote marked the fourth time the U.S. House of Representatives has approved a funding package for DHS. Congressman Biggs issued the following statement: "In the middle of last night, the U.S. Senate cowered to Minority Leader Chuck Schumer by passing a woefully inadequate resolution to restore funding to parts of DHS, which effectively defunded Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This package inexplicably withheld funding for operations combating child and sex trafficking, and it lacked funding for CBP agents and thousands of ICE staff. "While I could take the easy way out and vote to fund most of DHS and hope everything turns out alright, that's not what I came to Washington, D.C. to do. I will not allow my friends in CBP and ICE to wonder where their future payments might be, while the Members of Congress playing these political games receive theirs. These men and women on the front lines of our border and immigration enforcement deserve much more commitment and backing from their elected representatives. That is why I have voted for the fourth time to fund DHS- all of it. As part of the solution, President Trump has made sure TSA agents will be paid until the Democrats come to their senses and join us in fully funding DHS. "The House has done its job. Now, the Senate must return to fulfill its responsibility." ###

Congressman Biggs Applauds EPA Decision Not to Escalate Maricopa County Air Quality Designation

Position: Congressman Biggs supports the EPA's decision to maintain Maricopa County's ozone designation at 'moderate' rather than escalate it to 'serious,' arguing that stricter regulations would harm economic growth without meaningfully improving air quality since most emissions originate outside the state.

Today, Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) applauds the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision not to escalate Maricopa County’s ozone designation from “moderate” to “serious,” sparing Arizona families and businesses from a new wave of costly and ineffective federal regulations. In February 2025, Congressman Biggs led a letter to President Donald Trump urging his Administration to halt the redesignation of Maricopa County’s ozone nonattainment status. The letter highlighted that more than 80 percent of emissions affecting Arizona originate outside the state’s control and warned that additional regulations would “only serve to halt economic and industrial development” without improving air quality. “The decision by the EPA is a win for common sense, sound science, and the people of Arizona,” said Congressman Biggs. “For years, bureaucrats in Washington ignored the reality that the overwhelming majority of Maricopa County’s air pollution comes from natural sources or international transport. Imposing stricter local regulations would have done nothing to meaningfully improve air quality while crushing economic growth in one of the fastest-growing regions in the country. “Arizona is home to critical industries—from semiconductor manufacturing to national defense—that are essential to our national security and future growth. We cannot afford to strangle that progress with ineffective mandates. I’m grateful the EPA recognized the facts and followed the law. I will continue working with President Trump’s Administration to ensure Arizona’s economy remains strong while pursuing practical, results-driven environmental policies.”

Congressman Biggs Issues Statement Following House’s Failure to Adopt Balanced Budget Amendment

Position: Congressman Biggs advocates for a balanced budget amendment to require Congress to live within its means and reduce federal spending, arguing that the House's failure to adopt the amendment reflects a lack of political will for fiscal responsibility.

Today, the House of Representatives failed to adopt H.J.Res. 139, Congressman Andy Biggs’s (R-AZ) Balanced Budget Amendment. Congressman Biggs issued the following statement: “Today, Washington had a choice: restore fiscal sanity or continue down the reckless path of endless spending and generational theft. Unfortunately, too many chose the latter. For decades, both parties have talked about fiscal responsibility while racking up trillions in debt and passing the bill to our children and grandchildren. My Balanced Budget Amendment is a straightforward, common-sense solution to force Congress to do what every American family must do: live within its means. The failure of this amendment is a stark reminder that there is no political will to rein in spending in Washington. Instead of making the tough decisions today, Congress continues to kick the can down the road, fueling inflation, weakening our economy, and threatening America’s long-term stability. Despite today’s setback, I will never stop fighting to restore fiscal discipline, rein in out-of-control spending, and put our nation back on a sustainable path. The American people demand a government that is accountable, responsible, and committed to protecting their future—not bankrupting it.”