Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is correct. The $1.4 trillion Omnibus Spending package is a “piece of garbage.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation recently released its annual crime statistics report. There hasn’t been much media coverage of the report, but it does show the violent crime rate in 2018 was at its second-lowest point since this particular crime metric peaked in 1991. Generally, crime rates fell across the board compared to 2017.

In the wake of the federal prison and sentencing reform legislation, the First Step Act, states that have not yet embarked on criminal justice reform as well as states whose reforms served as models for the federal legislation have moved in their 2019 legislative sessions to contribute to the momentum behind the shift toward smart-on-crime policies.

Welcome to FreedomWorks Foundation’s sixth regulatory review of 2019! Our Regulatory Action Center proudly updates you with our favorite tidbits from the swamp. We want to smash barriers between bureaucracy and the American people by delivering regulatory news straight to FreedomWorks activists. Check back in two weeks for the next edition.

Competition is the hallmark of our economy. It promotes freedom of choice, innovation, and will lead to better products and prices for consumers. Not only that, but it is a key driver of job growth for Americans.

Coming off a week-long recess and without any significant legislative victories this year, the pressure is on the Senate this week to pass the FY 2018 budget resolution, S.Con.Res. 25, which provides reconciliation instructions for fundamental tax reform. The House passed its own version of the FY 2018 budget, H.Con.Res. 71, on October 5 by a vote of 219 to 206.

On behalf of our activist community, I urge you to contact your representative and urge him or her to cosponsor the Export-Import Bank Termination Act, H.R. 3114, sponsored by Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.). Several other House conservatives have cosponsored the bill, including Reps. Dave Brat (R-Va.), Michael Burgess (R-Texas), Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), and Tom McClintock (R-Calif.). The bill would abolish the Export-Import Bank, a relic of the New Deal and the face of cronyism.

Boeing, the very same company, that received a whopping $7.4 billion in long-term loan guarantees from the Import-Export bank in 2014 recently submitted a formal U.S. trade complaint against Bombardier, a Canadian aircraft company on May 18 for its unfair trade practices. The pot calling the kettle black is an understatement when referring to Boeing’s complaint against Bombardier.

The justice reform movement is a truly unique issue, touted as the only genuine point of bipartisan consensus in a sea of political conflict. While advocates continue their work to promote changes in the federal system, the focus has been shifted to the state level, where incarceration rates are actually higher. It is in this precise area of focus where we find conservative states leading the way with significant change and garnering positive results.