Pastor Darin Wood of the First Baptist Church of Midland Serves as House Guest Chaplain
It was a pleasure to recommend Pastor Darin Wood of The First Baptist Church of Midland to serve as a Guest Chaplain and deliver a morning prayer to open the official proceedings on the Floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Pastor Wood grew up in Joshua, Texas, and started his career in pastoral ministry in 1999. The Wood family moved to the Permian Basin in 2016 when Pastor Darin began preaching at First Baptist Church of Midland. Since that time, their family has been a force for good in Midland and Odessa.
Pastor Wood's leadership and stalwart faith inspire our entire community. He is a personal mentor to me and has been a great source of wisdom and strength throughout my years in Congress. He delivers a message of hope—that through our faith, we can rest in the knowledge that God is in control.
Darin was joined in D.C. by his wife Julie and their son Joshua. During their time at the Capitol, we had the honor of meeting with Speaker Mike Johnson, another incredible man of faith, who showed us the special Chapel outside of his office where Members go to pray and reflect. We are blessed to have strong men of faith leading in Congress and at home.
Watch Pastor Wood's prayer on the House Floorhere or below.
I also had the opportunity to honor Pastor Wood on the House Floor for his contributions and leadership to the Permian Basin. Watch here or below for my full remarks.
Defunding DHS 'Experts Group' Bill Passes Committee
This week, the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security passed my legislation to block the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from establishing partisan advisory boards within the agency.
In September of last year, DHS established a Homeland Intelligence "Experts Group" allegedly meant to advise DHS’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis, assist with decision-making, and provide outside perspectives on intelligence and counterterrorism.
Two of the so-called "experts" in this group were John Brennan and James Clapper, who both signed a discredited public statement on October 19, 2020, that incorrectly implied reports of Hunter Biden’s political influence peddling were the product of Russian disinformation. The letter was used by various media organizations and social media companies to downplay and censor reports before the 2020 presidential election. These men abused their positions of power perpetuating the Russia Hoax and serving as partisan operatives for the Democrat Party.
I worked to get the Experts Group shut down, and my bill ensures that DHS cannot establish another similar group in the future.
We must ensure that U.S. intelligence officials are nonpartisan and remain focused on protecting the country. Watch my full remarks on the bill here.
White House Relied on Flawed Data to Ban LNG Exports
Yesterday, I sent a letter with Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) and over 40 colleagues to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm blasting the Biden-Harris Administration for using the flawed Howarth study that called liquefied natural gas (LNG) "worse than coal" as the basis for their decision to halt LNG exports.
The Biden-Harris Administration has used every tool in its arsenal to attack American energy production, including relying on a flawed study to shut down LNG exports—endangering energy security for the U.S. and our allies.
President Biden and Vice President Harris must answer for their political targeting of the Permian Basin.
I joined my colleagues in writing a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson urging him to put the 2024 Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024, most commonly known as the Farm Bill, on the U.S. House Floor for a vote. The Farm Bill is essential to providing a safety net for our nation's agriculture producers.
As operating prices rise, farmers and ranchers need a strong Farm Bill to bolster agriculture production. Read the full letter here.
Pioneer for Prosperity
I am honored to have received the “Pioneer for Prosperity” Award from my good friends at Americans for Prosperity! Thank you for stopping by to meet with me and discuss how we can unleash freedom and prosperity for all Americans.
Killeen ISD in Washington
Thank you to members from Killeen ISD for meeting with me in our Nation’s capital this week to discuss how we can better support teachers and students especially now that the school year has begun. We have bright educational leaders from across Texas-11 paving the way for their students and faculty.
Concho Valley Head Start
I was pleased to meet with the Concho Valley Head Start Director Carolina Raymond this week. Head Start is a valuable program for children to develop their physical, cognitive, and social development before entering a traditional classroom. We discussed how Congress can better support Head Start programs nationwide that service children and their families.
Applications Extended for Congressional Youth Advisory Council
I am excited to announce the re-launch of the Congressional Youth Advisory Council for high school juniors and seniors in the 11th Congressional District of Texas.This esteemed program offers a unique opportunity for passionate and driven young leaders to engage with the government, collaborate with peers, and serve their communities.
Participants will have the chance to interact directly with me, special guests, and senior staff members in up to four interactive virtual meetings. Additionally, CYAC participants will be provided special admittance to the Pfluger Youth Leadership Conference in Spring 2025 (Date TBD).
Interested students are encouraged to apply by completing an application HERE.
The deadline for submissions is September 30, 2024.
For questions about the program or application, please contact Corbette Padilla in the Midland district office at 432-687-2390.
Upcoming Service Academy Night
On MONDAY, September 30th, my office will be hosting a Service Academy Night from 6:00-7:30 p.m. for high school students interested in pursuing an education and military career through the U.S. military service academies.
The event will be held at the Angelo State University Houston Harte University Center in the CJ Davidson Conference Center, 1910 Rosemont Drive, San Angelo, Texas, 76901.
Students, parents, and educators are encouraged to attend! If you have questions or would like to RSVP, please reach out to Mary O'Connor in my office at mary.oconnor@mail.house.gov.
2024 Congressional App Challenge
My office is now accepting submissions for the 2024 Congressional App Competition. The competition is open to all 6-12 grade students in the 11th Congressional District of Texas and is an opportunity for students to develop their skills in computer science and STEM skills.
The deadline is October 24th, 2024 at 12:00 pm ET. Students can register and upload their app here.
Step-by-Step Video Guide
The Congressional App Challenge website has a step-by-step video guide that walks students, parents, and educators through the application process. Click here to access the video guide.
PRIZES
The winner from the 11th Congressional District, chosen by a panel of expert judges, will be featured on the House of Representatives website, House.gov, as well as on CongressionalAppChallenge.us. The winning app will also be displayed in the U.S. Capitol among other winners from across the country. Additional sponsor prizes to be announced.
RULES
· Students will create an application (aka app) for PC, web, tablet, robot, mobile, etc Any programming such as C, C++, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, or "block code" will be accepted.
· There are NO LIMITS on the application theme or topic.
· Students may work individually or in teams made up of no more than four.
Students are highly encouraged to review the competition’s complete rules and regulations on the Congressional App Challenge's website. For more information, please visit congressionalappchallenge.us/or contact Kathy Keane in the San Angelo Office at Kathy.Keane@mail.house.gov.
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