COURT HOUSE – U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-2nd) warned listeners at the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce’s breakfast meeting, Aug. 17, that he planned to use some blunt language.
“I’m going to warn you about one thing. I’m going to be blunt. I’m going to tell you what is going on in my eyes,” Van Drew said.
The congressman did not disappoint. He spoke about his opposition to wind farms, transgender athletes, and selective enforcement by federal law enforcement agencies.
Van Drew also spoke plainly about how he feels the government has responded to alleged crimes committed by Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, as well as some of the president’s economic initiatives.
Van Drew saved one of the biggest local issues for last in his presentation, speaking in opposition to the wind farm projects proposed off the coast of Cape May County.
Van Drew said he had personal experience with a wind turbine on his 6-acre property in Dennis Township, and it did not turn out well. He said the 120-foot turbine was supposed to provide 100% of his electrical needs. He said it only provided 40%. When it broke after eight years, he said, the manufacturer was defunct, and it was going to cost $40,000 to repair the turbine.
Van Drew said he has spoken to many parties related to the wind farm project, including those in the fishing industry and the wind turbine industry, saying the latter claimed there would be a 15% reduction in tourism. That figure was cited in a resolution passed by the Cape May County Board of County Commissioners.
Van Drew said he believed the wind farm concept was not working in Europe, and it was an overall bad idea. He said it is opposed by commercial fishing, the tourism industry, and national security agencies.
“It will take up millions of acres, use hundreds of turbines, and utility rates will go up two or three times,” he said.
He said Cape May County currently has “upwards of seven lawsuits” against the wind farm project. He said the longer the project can be delayed, the greater the chance of the opponents winning out. He said he is planning to host another hearing in Washington, D.C., but did not give a date.
Van Drew began the bulk of his remarks by saying this is a unique time in American history, and he feels the nation is facing its greatest challenge since the Civil War. However, he started with the “good stuff,” as he called it, referring to the federal money he has been able to bring into the district, saying that Cape May County has received more federal funding than at any time in history.
Van Drew mentioned $15 million and $10 million, respectively, for seawall projects in Stone Harbor and North Wildwood. He mentioned $2 million dedicated to a terminal project at the Cape May County Airport, $1.9 million for the water project in Cape May, and $1 million for the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Atlantic Cape Community College for entrepreneurs.
“I believe in capitalism,” Van Drew said, in reference to the SBDC.
On the other hand, Van Drew said he did not support the notion of “equity,” which he said was ensuring the same result for everyone.
“We cannot guarantee outcomes, only make sure everyone has an opportunity,” he said.
Van Drew said there was $1.7 million in the federal budget for the Cape May water desalination plant that they would have to make sure wasn’t “stripped out” by Congress. Also pending in the budget was money for sand in Stone Harbor and a living shoreline in Strathmere.
Van Drew also mentioned a multimillion-dollar project for the development of a “droneport” at the Woodbine airport that he said was very important, particularly in terms of jobs.
Van Drew also mentioned bipartisan support for keeping the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Tech Center in New Jersey.
The congressman moved on to some of his own legislation, including a Credit Card Compensation Act, which would affect swiping fees when people use credit cards. The fees, he said, amount to $100 billion in the U.S. alone. He said the bill would allow credit card users to choose from competing entities before being charged a fee.
Van Drew also mentioned the REIN IN Inflation Act, which he said would include limits on the number of executive orders being issued. He said Republicans and Democrats in Congress agree they have a right to be involved in what is de facto legislation, and to see the cost of these actions.
Van Drew also urged legislation to protect the American petroleum reserve and not use it to artificially lower gas prices.
“Using it to lower costs is not the way to go,” he said.
Van Drew said the U.S. should be producing so much energy that it is being exported to other countries. He said the U.S. also has to be tougher in its relations with some other countries, including China, which the U.S. still lists as a “developing nation” in terms of trade relations.
He also pointed out countries such as China, India, and Russia that are building coal-fired electrical power plants, while the U.S. is “taking it on the chin” with environmental regulations. He said the problem of global climate change originates in these other countries, not in the U.S.
Van Drew also expressed his support of the military and police and commented on the matter of the border with Mexico.
“A strong nation cannot have an open border,” Van Drew said.
He said having an open border allows drug and human trafficking in the U.S., and allows drug cartels to import enough fentanyl “to kill every (American) 10 times over.”
Van Drew described the current form of border enforcement as a “catch and release” tactic. As a member of the Judiciary Committee, Van Drew called for the impeachment of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for his department’s handling of border security.
Van Drew moved on to the REINS Act, which would allow Congress to review agency rulemaking. He said Congress can pass a bill with a particular intent and government agencies can interpret the bill differently. The bill also provides for the designation, review, and approval of at least 20% of agency rules currently in effect (from Congress.gov).
Van Drew spoke about the My Child, My Choice bill he first introduced in 2022, which he said helps parents be involved when their children want to make choices. He said issues being debated related to schools include a child’s decision to change his or her name, gender, or pronouns, and denying the parents the right to know. He also mentioned books being used in the school that include sexual references, types of sexual activity, and sentient responses.
“That’s not good for America,” Van Drew said. (School’s) not the time or place.”
Van Drew also spoke about protecting women and young women in athletics, saying, “Women’s sports are for women.”
He said he would not interfere with an individual’s right to transition, but it should not be “shoved down our throats or make us pay for it.”
He said every part of the government is opting to pay for sex change operations for its members, including the military. He said Congress stripped the defense bill, in its latest form, of those requirements.
Van Drew also said he had evidence that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been overstepping its bounds in terms of surveillance, even to the point of having undercover agents in Catholic churches, saying they tend to be terrorists.
He criticized the FBI director and the spending of hundreds of thousands of dollars to build a case against Donald Trump for colluding with the Russians to affect the 2020 election. He criticized the employment of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which he said was misused 250,000 times by this administration. He also claimed he has evidence that the crimes committed by Hunter Biden, such as lying on a federal gun permit form, have simply been overlooked.
“He got a special deal. Nothing is happening and they made it so there would be no future charges,” Van Drew said.
Van Drew also raised the issue of cocaine being found in the White House, which he said was the most protected building in the world, yet they have no evidence as to how it got there. Van Drew said they destroyed the alleged cocaine, saying it might be dangerous.
He also raised the issue of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg being called before Congress, saying it was because the administration wanted Facebook to ban certain individuals from its platform.
Van Drew also spoke out against the Inflation Reduction Act, which he called “a bad bill.” Among other things, it contained $599 billion in new taxes, he said, and called for the hiring of 87,000 new Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents at about $80 billion.
A Time.com article calls this point a Republican lie (see https://time.com/6260075/irs-87000-agents-republican-lie/). The Time.com article says it is being falsely claimed that the $80 billion in the Inflation Reduction Act going to the IRS budget is for the new auditors alone. Van Drew, however, said he would rather the $80 billion go to Hawaii, referring to the devastating wildfires on Maui, or to help U.S. military veterans.
When asked about a recent Herald article that reported a 66% increase in homelessness and a lack of affordable housing in Cape May County, Van Drew said those were principally state issues, but he would be happy to help. He referred to some of his previous comments in saying the government needs to “stop spending on nonsense” and to start facing American issues.
“Instead, they are spending on crazy things,” he said.
When asked about second homeowners wanting a vote where their second home is located, Van Drew said he “still does not support the idea,” suggesting he has thought about it before. He said people would likely feel entitled to vote wherever they owned property, and would likely not support paying for services they don’t receive, such as winter snow plowing.
“The people who live and work here should have the influence,” he said.
Contact the author, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or 609-886-8600, ext. 128.
