On This Day...

On March 20, 1854, a group of former Whig Party loyalists came together in the small central Wisconsin town of Ripon. Their objective was to replace the failing Whig Party - plotting a new path forward during a perilous and uncertain time in American history.

What emerged from that meeting was the modern-day Republican Party.

Today, the party of small government, free market economics, personal responsibility, and military might is tasked with leading both the legislative and executive branches of government in Washington, D.C.

But with that power comes significant responsibility, and the understanding that we must hold true to the Republican ideals that resonated with Americans last November.

That means rewriting a tax code designed for growth and simplicity - not loopholes and mandates.

It means replacing Obamacare with policies that empower the free market, restore personal freedoms, and increase access to more diverse and affordable forms of coverage.

It means eliminating useless federal regulations that kill jobs and stifle private sector innovation.

And it means ensuring America’s military is the strongest, most envied body of national defense in the world. One so powerful that it would deter even the most aggressive or ambitious foreign actor from testing our military capabilities.

But, in the end, it's more than any one simple policy that defines our party.

Ultimately, our approach to governing comes down to this simple fact: we believe that individuals, families and God are better suited to make decisions about the lives of people than government.

That is what drives me in Congress. And it is what continues to drive the party founded 163 years ago today.

Sincerely,

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Sam Graves