Since so many of us will be spending Easter Sunday worshiping or with our families, I wanted to send this month’s update earlier than usual.

In February, during his State of the Union Address, President Trump announced that Vice President J.D. Vance would be spearheading a national fraud prevention task force. Less than a month later, the President signed an executive order “Establishing the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud,” with the Vice President serving as Chairman. With the stunning, but not surprising, news out of Minnesota earlier this year and a recent CBS report detailing the massive fraud in Los Angeles County hospices, this task force is coming at just the right time.

ALEC members across the country have been leading the charge in their states to discover and root out fraud, waste, and abuse. That’s why I wrote a letter to Vice President Vance, offering ALEC and its members as a resource to the task force. From our State Budget Reform Toolkit, to our model policies to detect and prevent fraud, and our Government Efficiency Coalition, ALEC has been a leader in this field for years.

Here in the Washington, D.C. area, we were proud to welcome more than 100 members of the Texas legislature to the White House for their fly-in day. The members were joined by cabinet secretaries and White House advisors in their discussion of the great policies Texas is implementing to keep their state safe and affordable.

Texas has been in the top ten in our first two rankings of the year—in education freedom (#9) and our brand-new report on energy affordability (#10). Released earlier this week, the 5th edition of the ALEC Energy Affordability Report ranks all 50 states based on electricity prices and details how less regulation and good energy policies can lead to lower prices for American families.

This report saw Louisiana jump 16 spots to second in the nation for lowest energy prices, with North Dakota moving to the top spot. As other states implement policies that will needlessly drive prices up, like Virginia’s announcement that they are rejoining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, they should look to the top states in our report to find out how to reduce the burden of high energy prices on their taxpayers.

Common Sense Comeback of the Month

Early last month, AT&T announcing they were investing $250 billion over five years in the building and shoring-up of critical communications infrastructure. AT&T, which traces its routes back to Alexander Graham Bell and the Bell Telephone Company, has been an American institution for nearly 150 years. This major announcement marks another U.S. company dedicating itself to investments right here at home and will lead to more jobs, more infrastructure security, and a brighter future—not just in the telecoms industry, but across the entire economy. This announcement is fitting for America’s 250th, and I’m looking forward to more companies investing in the United States.

Nelson: Is Common Sense Returning? Let’s Hope So

Also, last month Newsmax ran an op-ed I penned called “Is Common Sense Returning? Let’s Hope So.” It’s a full-length version of my “Common Sense Comeback of the Month.” I hope you’ll check it out!

Also in D.C., the Supreme Court heard arguments in Watson v. RNC, a case concerning the return of mail-in ballots. At question is whether Mississippi’s law, which allows ballots postmarked on Election Day to be received and counted up to five days after the close of polls, violates federal law. ALEC, along with its partners in the election integrity sphere, filed an amicus brief in the case siding with the respondents. ALEC’s model policy, the Deadline for Return and Receipt of All Ballots Act, calls for all absentee ballots to be received no later than the close of polls on Election Day. Not only is setting such a deadline in line with federal law, but it ensures timely results and will increase confidence in American elections.

As we approach the 250th anniversary of America’s independence (now just three months away!), ALEC’s Lee Schalk sat down with Hillsdale’s Dr. Matthew Spalding to talk about our Founder’s principles and philosophies. It’s a fascinating and timely discussion, and I hope you’ll watch!

ALEC will also be debuting a weekly series beginning this month called “This Week in American History” to celebrate America 250 on our social media channels—so make sure you’re following ALEC on our platforms!

And don’t forget—we’re inching closer to the 53rd Annual ALEC Annual Meeting in Orlando! Be sure to join us in Florida from July 22-24 by signing up here!

As we reflect on the hope we have through the resurrection, I hope you’ll enjoy this Easter holiday with your family and friends. God bless you—and see you in the states!