It is a great honor to announce that I have been chosen to serve on the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee for the 118th Congress.
The committee, first created in 1795, is the oldest in the House of Representatives and has broad jurisdiction over energy, environment, technology, health care, data privacy and security, broadband, and much more.
My appointment is significant, as it is the first time Midland and Odessa have been represented on the committee tasked with securing our Nation’s energy supply, and the first time a West Texan has served on the committee in nearly half a century.
In addition to the critical energy responsibilities, this committee will be part of the solution for nearly every major issue currently facing our Nation. This includes holding Big Tech accountable, addressing America's drug addiction crisis, and ensuring our rural communities have the quality health care they deserve. I am committed to leveraging my position on the committee to lower costs for American families, fight for free speech, and preserve the free market.
In the first week of our new Republican Majority, we have begun fulfilling our Commitment to America, which includes working for a safer nation, a strong economy, an accountable government, and a future that is free.
This week, we PASSED legislation to:
Rescind $80 billion in funding for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that would have gone towards hiring 87,000 new IRS Agents to perform audits on American families and businesses.
Establish two Select Subcommittees on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party and the Weaponization of the Federal Government.
This is especially important given the recent politicization we’ve seen from our nation’s federal agencies. From CDC Covid censorship to an unresponsive FBI – I want to investigate the investigators.
Two strong pro-life initiatives condemning recent attacks on pro-life facilities and the Born-Alive Survivors Protection Act, which requires that health care practitioners provide infants that survive an attempted abortion the same standard of medical care as any other newborn.
Last Congress, as a Freshman serving in a Democrat majority, I am proud that our team passed 5 pieces of legislation and secured millions of dollars for TX-11 hospitals, roads, and rural fire departments.
Now, as we enter a new Republican majority, I plan to reintroduce several key pieces of legislation.
Already, I introduced a bill to block illegal migrants from voting in Washington, D.C. and a measure to force the Biden Administration to publish the number of Known and Suspected Terrorists (KSTs) crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.
These measures will ensure that the Biden Administration is held to account for the terrorists streaming into our country and block noncitizens, including foreign diplomats and illegal aliens, from influencing the affairs of our Nation’s capital city.
In the coming weeks, I plan to submit legislation to:
Repeal the harmful “natural gas tax” put in place by President Biden
Streamline permitting timelines for energy projects in the Permian Basin
Secure our southern border
Stop taxpayer dollars from going to universities with ties to the Chinese Communist Party
Give our farmers and ranchers the tools they need for predator control
Sanction Chinese tech companies enabling genocide
and much more…
Honoring Staff Sergeant John Footman
This week, Staff Sergeant (Ret.) John Footman was presented a Purple Heart and Bronze Star Medal with Valor for his selfless service during the Vietnam War.
After 20 years of honorable service and serving in Vietnam twice, the Army never formally presented Sgt. Footman with his honors. Upon learning this story, Fort Hood Garrison commander Col. Chad Foster and III Armored Corps commanding Lt. General Sean Bernabe hosted a ceremony to award him with the honors that have been long overdue.
Such a touching moment that over 50 years after his heroic actions, our community can still recognize Sgt. Footman with this long-awaited ceremony, which Cayssia from our Killeen office was proud to attend. Thank you to Sgt. Footman for his service and thank you to Fort Hood leaders for their continued community guidance. Our country can never fully express our gratitude for the incredible sacrifice of our service members and their families.
Register for our next Telephone Town Hall
This week I held my first Telephone Town Hall of the year with constituents throughout our district. Thank you to everyone who tuned in and shared your thoughtful questions.
As your voice in Washington, it is my first priority to advocate for you in Congress.
I am proud to introduce you to our two Spring semester interns who are serving in Washington, DC!
Maribel Lopez (left), is from Del Rio, Texas, and is a second-year graduate student at Angelo State University pursuing her Masters Degree in Homeland Security. She is particularly interested in immigration and human trafficking.
Karlee Busher (right), is from Winters, Texas, and is a junior at Texas Tech University pursuing a degree in agricultural communications and a minor in agricultural and applied economics.
These talented students answer phone calls, work on legislative research, and help keep our offices up and running. We are honored to have them on the team.
As the first Texas member to ever use this office since our building was completed in 1933, we are bringing the Great State of Texas to Washington. We are fully stocked with Longhorn coffee and West Texas high school football helmets on display.
Thank you for reading. It is the honor of my lifetime to serve you in Congress. Please follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for daily updates.
