I wanted to give you an update on the ongoing government funding negotiations in Congress and my stance on the issue. I am deeply frustrated with the current standstill in Washington. The continued gridlock and inability to reach a consensus on crucial funding measures is unacceptable—especially for our service members and military communities in Killeen and San Angelo.
I stayed in Washington to negotiate. The way I see it, we must pass government funding legislation that provides for full border security. This week has been one of the worst on record at the southern border—with a near-constant stream of thousands of illegal immigrants crossing into Eagle Pass, Texas, and across the southern border. The crisis at our border is simply untenable. The House must send a clear message to the Senate and President Joe Biden that this migration crisis will no longer be ignored. In addition to my major concerns surrounding the border, our nation is $33 Trillion in debt. That's nearly $100,000 for every man, woman, and child in this country. Our funding bills must reverse course and lower spending.
As always, I am eager to hear your thoughts, concerns, and ideas. Please do not hesitate toreach out to my officewith any feedback you may have. I remain steadfast in my dedication to serving you.
Americans Should Not Be Footing the Cost of Biden's Open Border
It has been two years since I was under the bridge in Del Rio, Texas, with 15,000 Haitians who crossed our border illegally. Unfortunately, in the past two years under the Biden Administration, the illegal migration crisis has only worsened.
This week, I joined my colleagues on the Homeland Security Committee to examine the southern border's financial cost to Americans.
Texas has spent $4.5 billion on protecting our border in the last two years and has allocated an additional $5.1 billion for the next two years. This means Texas taxpayers will be on the hook for over $10 billion dollars spent on border security by 2025. This doesn't include the $9.9 billion in benefits and services the State of Texas has provided to over 2 million illegal migrants residing in Texas and an additional $2.5 billion on the estimated 750,000 children of illegal migrants born in the United States.
We need to bring logical solutions to Washington and fix our southern border.
To watch my line of questioning, clickhereor below.
Advocating for our Men and Women in Uniform
I was selected by my colleagues to be a key negotiator in the budgeting process to craft the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with my colleagues in the Senate.
I am honored and humbled to have been entrusted with this important responsibility to advocate for our military heroes—including those at Goodfellow Air Force Base and Fort Cavazos.
Ensuring that our armed forces have the resources and support they need to protect our nation is a duty I take very seriously. I look forward to working tirelessly alongside my colleagues to craft a final NDAA that supports our troops and strengthens our national defense and security posture while cutting wasteful spending and combatting woke policies in our military.
Livestock Marketing Association
The Livestock Marketing Association stopped by the Washington D.C. officethis week to discuss issues impeding their ability to operate efficiently. I want to especially thank the Lampasas Cattle Auction for joining us. I will always support farmers and ranchers in the district. Thank you all for stopping by.
Mayorkas Appoints Hunter Biden Laptop-Deniers to "Experts Group"
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas recently appointed former CIA Director James Clapper and former DNI Director John Brennan to a "Homeland Intelligence Experts Group" where they will advise on matters of national security.
Both Clapper and Brennan deserve to be stripped of their security clearances for their years of lying to the American people about the so-called 'Russia Hoax.' In fact, both of these men signed a letter naming the information on Hunter Biden's laptop 'Russian Misinformation.' We cannot allow these partisan hacks to influence our nation's security apparatus.
In response, I joined my colleagues on the Homeland Security Committee demanding answers from DHS Secretary Mayorkas about their appointment.
Read more in the Daily Caller, by clickinghereor below.
Probing Chinese Nationals Access to U.S. Military Bases
Recently, individuals with ties to the Chinese Communist Party have been committing acts of espionage on U.S. soil and testing security practices at U.S. military installations and other U.S. government sites.For instance, some Chinese nationals were reportedly detected crossing into a U.S. missile range in New Mexico and others were caught disguised as scuba divers swimming close to a rocket-launch site in Florida—a site used for surveillance satellites and other sensitive military purposes.
In another case, while claiming they were ‘tourists,’ a group of Chinese nationals attempted to physically bypass security guards at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, asserting they had reservations at a hotel on the military base, which is a strategic location for U.S. homeland defense and houses the U.S. Army’s 11th Airborne Division. Additionally, three Chinese foreign nationals were sentenced to prison for their illegal photography of military sites at the U.S. Naval Air Station in Key West, Florida.
These persistent and multi-faceted threats posed by the CCP to U.S. homeland security have only intensified under the Biden Administration. I am demanding the details of how the Biden Administration is responding to these threats.
Read more in the Wall Street Journal by clickinghereor below.
TX-11 Educators in Washington This Week
It was great to meet with Killeen ISD in my office in D.C. to discuss the issues teachers, administrators, and our communities are facing in school districts. Thank you for stopping by and speaking with me during your visit to our Nation's Capitol!
Students Should be Learning About Reliable Energy, Not Climate Change
Eighth graders in Texas will be required to learn about climate change beginning next year as a part of a new science curriculum. We cannot allow the radical climate lobby to infiltrate Texas middle schools and brainwash our children. Students in Texas must be told the truth about the importance of secure, reliable energy produced in the Permian Basin.
Over the past 10 years, innovators in the Permian Basin have brought methane emissions down by almost 15% while increasing production by over 50%. No government mandate could come close to that, and we're only beginning to tap into the incredible asset that is liquefied natural gas. Not only is it good for our economy, but it's good for the environment.
Upcoming Service Academy Night
I am pleased to host a Service Academy Night for high school students interested in pursuing an education and military career through the U.S. military service academies on October 3rd from 6-8 p.m.
The event will be held at the Angelo State University Junell Center in the Larry C. Clark VIP Room, 2235 S. Jackson Street, 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 atmary.oconnor@mail.house.gov.
Thank you for reading. It is the honor of my lifetime to serve you in Congress. Please follow me onFacebook,Instagram, andTwitterfor daily updates.
