WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Sen. Tom Carper, D-Delaware, chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, issued the following opening statement on March 10, 2021, at a hearing entitled "Building Back Better: Addressing Climate Change in the Electricity Sector and Fostering Economic Growth": * * * "Experts talk about climate change in technicalities like 'parts per million' or 'carbon dioxide equivalent.' Get beyond these terms, though, and the reality is more severe and the urgency   more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, chairwoman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, issued the following opening statement as part of a video conference hearing entitled "The Science Behind Impacts of the Climate Crisis" on March 12, 2021: * * * Welcome to the first climate change hearing of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee in the 117th Congress. I want to thank our esteemed panel for joining us today. Our communities are already dealing w  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Reps. Ted Deutch, D-Florida, and Jackie Walorski, R-Indiana, chairman and ranking member of the House Ethics Committee, issued the following statement regarding Rep. Louis Gohmert, R-Texas: * * * Pursuant to Committee Rule 7, the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Ethics (Committee) determined to release the following statement: On February 5, 2021, the Committee received a notification from the Office of the Sergeant at Arms that Representative Louis Gohm  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security issued the following testimony by Howard Henderson, director of the Center for Justice Research and professor of justice administration at the Texas Southern University, at a hearing entitled "Controlled Substances: Federal Policies and Enforcement": * * * I am appreciative of the opportunity to testify on the impact of federal drug policies and their criminalization of people of color and pover  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security issued the following information for a hearing entitled: "Controlled Substances: Federal Policies and Enforcement" at 10 a.m. at 2141 RHOB: Witness List * Nicole M. Austin-Hillery, Esq., Executive Director, US Program, Human Rights Watch * Howard Henderson, Ph.D., Founding Director, Center for Justice Research, Texas Southern University, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Governance Studies Brookings I  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- The House Science, Space and Technology Committee issued the following information for a virtual hearing entitled: "Lessons Learned from the Texas Blackouts: Research Needs for a Secure and Resilient Grid" at 10 a.m. on March 18, 2021: Witnesses * Dr. Jesse Jenkins, Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment at Princeton University * Dr. Varun Rai, Associate Dean for Research; Professor of Public Affairs  more

WASHINGTON, March 10 -- The House Small Business Committee issued the following testimony by Lisa Bombin, president and CEO of Unico Communications Inc., as part of a hybrid hearing entitled "The Next Steps for the Paycheck Protection Program": * * * Thank you for affording me a moment of your time to share my story as a Latina Small Business Owner. I have been the proud owner of Unico Communications, a 16-year event production company and a Latina-owned business headquartered in San Antonio,  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures issued the following testimony by Dallas CFO Elizabeth Reich as part of a virtual hearing entitled "Tax Tools to Help Local Governments" on March 11, 2021: * * * Thank you for holding today's hearing on tax tools to help local governments. My name is Elizabeth Reich and I am the Chief Financial Officer of Dallas, Texas. My remarks today are as a member of the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA).  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Colin Allred (TX-32) voted to pass the American Rescue Plan Act. When signed into law, this bill will establish a national vaccination program as well as support comprehensive testing and tracing, put money in the pockets of Americans and provide relief for small businesses, and, through investments in doing so safely, get kids back in school and people back in jobs. "North Texas families, worker  more

WASHINGTON, March 9 -- Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Colin Allred (TX-32) led his bipartisan colleagues, Reps. Jack Bergman (MI-01), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA-03), Joe Neguse (CO-02), and Andy Kim (NJ-03), in introducing the Homeland and Cyber Threat (HACT) Act. This bill would allow Americans to make claims in federal or state courts against foreign states that conduct or engage in cyberattacks against Americans. "Cyberat  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, issued the following remarks: Congressman Jodey Arrington (R-TX) led a press conference with House Republicans from southern border states affected by President Biden's irresponsible immigration policies. Click here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRKPODYcyec) or on the image below to watch Rep. Arrington's full remarks Remarks as Delivered: We are representatives, we are Members of Congress who represent border states. Our communities   more

WASHINGTON, March 9 -- Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, issued the following op-ed to the Daily Signal: * * * Babin Releases Op-Ed on H.R. 1 U.S. Congressman Brian Babin (TX-36) wrote the following Op-Ed detailing the dangerous impacts that the Democrats' For the People Act (H.R. 1) will have on future elections, our First Amendment rights, and more. Rep. Babin's Op-Ed, originally featured in the Daily Signal, is transcribed below. Let's Be Clear: 'For the People Act' Will Benefit Leftist Politici  more

WASHINGTON, March 10 -- Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following news release: Democrats will push for tax increases immediately following passage of their partisan $1.9 trillion bill, warned Ways and Means Republican Leader Kevin Brady on Fox Business. In an interview with Neil Cavuto, Brady outlined how the Democrats' bill will do nothing for the economy, and their push to increase taxes will make the economy even worse.   more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following statement on March 11, 2021: * * * "It's time to call it: President Biden's call for unity has been an absolute fraud. "Despite the success of five previous bipartisan bills totaling $3.5 trillion, Democrats hijacked relief efforts and rejected GOP efforts in this bill to get vaccines distributed even more widely, to strengthen child poverty funding, to reop  more

WASHINGTON, March 8 -- Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, issued the following news release: After reports of more than 100 migrants testing positive for COVID-19 and then being released, Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX) led a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas asking that the agency prioritize the health care and safety of Americans by having Customs and Border Protection (CBP) fully enforce Title 42. The Congressman was joined by Congressman Br  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), released the following statement after voting against both Democratic Gun Control Bills - H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446. "I do not know a single Member of Congress who does not want to prevent senseless gun violence," said Burgess. "There is a consensus in Congress to address what reforms are truly needed; however, adding more regulation without having proper oversight   more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), Republican Leader Designee to the Budget Committee, released the following statement after voting against the Democrats' partisan American Rescue Plan. "Throughout the entire Budget Reconciliation process, Americans watched as Democrats, with a slight majority, rejected opportunities to work in a bipartisan manner," said Burgess. "Last week, I made statements a  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Sean Casten, D-Illinois, issued the following news release on March 11, 2021: Today U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) introduced the Tradeable Performance Standard Act, which would eliminate emissions from the electricity and industrial thermal energy sectors by 2040. In 2018, those sectors combined to emit roughly 2.7 billion tons of greenhouse gases - roughly 40% of all US emissions. Casten said, "After a year when we've seen wildfires rage across the West,  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and six of his colleagues in the Texas Congressional Delegation sent a letter to Governor Greg Abbott urging him to expand vaccine eligibility to farmworkers, meatpackers, and other agricultural workers in line with CDC recommendations. Texas is one of only a few states that have excluded such workers from Tier 1B of its vaccination rollout. "Throughout the pandemic, the   more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, issued the following news release: The House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Development, International Organizations, and Global Corporate Social Impact held its first hearing of the 117th Congress under the leadership of Chairman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and Ranking Member Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11). The hearing focused on COVID-19's impact on global development one year after the pandemic began, and how the United States' inte  more

WASHINGTON, March 10 -- Rep. James Comer, R-Kentucky, ranking Republican member of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, issued the following news release on March 9, 2021: House Oversight and Reform Committee Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.), Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.), Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), House Small Business Committee Ranking Member Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Mo.), Subcommittee on Government Operations Ranking Member Jody Hice (R-Ga.), and Congres  more

WASHINGTON, March 10 -- Rep. James Comer, R-Kentucky, issued the following news release: House Oversight and Reform Committee Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.), Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.), Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), House Small Business Committee Ranking Member Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Mo.), Subcommittee on Government Operations Ranking Member Jody Hice (R-Ga.), and Congressman Bob Good (R-Va.) this week introduced the Guidance Out Of Darkness (GOOD) Act, whic  more

WASHINGTON, March 10 -- Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, issued the following news release on March 9, 2021: Congressman Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) introduced bipartisan legislation today to reimburse states like Texas who have spent significant resources on enforcing federal immigration laws, which is a responsibility of the federal government. The Border Security Reimbursement Act would reimburse states who have spent more than $2.5B on border security in the last 10 years. "Texans have paid billions in  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) has been selected by House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to serve on the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis for the 117th Congress. Crenshaw will also continue to serve on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where he serves on the Subcommittee on Climate Change. "If we're serious about tackling climate change, we need to get serious about advancing biparti  more

LAREDO, Texas, March 5 -- Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) helped deliver $4,000,000 in federal funds to PILLAR Laredo. This funding, awarded through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) grant program, will be used to Implement Project Consolidated Treatment Services (CTS) that will establish a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic offering integrated behavioral health, substance abuse, p  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Henry Cuellar voted for final passage of the American Rescue Plan Act, landmark, life-saving legislation that will provide urgently-needed resources to defeat the virus, put vaccines in people's arms, money into families' pockets, children safely back into classrooms and people back to work. This legislation will now go to President Biden's desk for his signature. "This week is one of great prog  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, issued the following statement: * * * Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) released the following statement regarding President Biden, the Departments of State and Homeland Security (DHS) reinstating the Central American Minor (CAM) program to reunite children from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras with their parents who are lawfully in the United States: "I want to thank the Biden administration for listening to border communities and work  more

LAREDO, Texas, March 12 -- Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, issued the following statement: * * * Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) released the following statement regarding U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Southwest Land Border Encounters in February 2021: February CBP Encounters: * Total - 100,441 * Unaccompanied Minors/Single Minors - 9,457 * Family Unit Aliens - 19,246 * Single Adults - 71,598 "In the month of February alone, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is reporting tha  more

LAREDO, Texas, March 9 -- Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, issued the following statement: * * * Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) released the following statement on migrants being transported into Laredo and other border communities from the Rio Grande Valley: "The recent surge of migrant apprehensions by U.S. Border Patrol in the Rio Grande Valley has overwhelmed U.S Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) processing capacity, requiring the transport of migrants to Laredo and other border cities  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), a member of the Ways and Means Committee, and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Finance Committee, introduced the Stop Tax Haven Abuse Act to close egregious offshore tax loopholes that allow companies with armies of lawyers to avoid taxes by making profits earned here in America magically appear on the books in tax havens like the Cayman Islands. It would a  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) and Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), joined by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Jack Reed (D-RI) and over 100 House members, introduced the No Tax Breaks for Outsourcing Act. The bill would level the playing field for American workers and small businesses by making sure mul  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Chair, led colleagues in introducing the Medicaid Report on Expansion of Access to Coverage for Health (Medicaid REACH) Act to require official disclosure and verification by states, like Texas, of the data identifying who suffers when they continue denying their citizens health coverage financed with federal dollars to expand Medic  more

WASHINGTON, March 10 -- Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Ahead of tomorrow's final House vote on the American Rescue Plan, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin) announced that the following estimated COVID-19 relief funds are expected to come to Central Texas governments once the package is signed: Direct relief funds to local governments expected from the American Rescue Plan, as estimates in millions: See table here: https://doggett.house.gov/media-cent  more

WASHINGTON, March 10 -- Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, issued the following news release on March 9, 2021: Ahead of tomorrow's final House vote on the American Rescue Plan, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-San Antonio) announced that the following estimated COVID-19 relief funds are expected to come to San Antonio-area local governments once the package is signed: Direct relief funds to local governments expected from the American Rescue Plan, as estimates in millions: See table here: https  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, issued the following statement on March 9, 2021: * * * Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) issued the following statement on Texas Governor Greg Abbott's executive order ending COVID-19 mandates, including mask-wearing and limited occupancy, going into effect tomorrow: "Governor Abbott's decision to end COVID-19 restrictions is dangerously deadly and a dereliction of his fundamental obligation to protect the health and safety of Texan  more

WASHINGTON, March 9 -- Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, issued the following statement on March 8, 2021: * * * Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Vice Chair of the Democratic Women's Caucus, issued the following statement in recognition of International Women's Day: "Today we celebrate and honor the transformative contributions that women have made to our nation and the world. As we remember generations of trailblazing women who have fought for progress, we also recognize our unfinished w  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, issued the following news release on March 11, 2021: Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) voted to pass H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and H.R. 1446, the Enhanced Background Checks Act, two bipartisan commonsense gun violence prevention measures to require background checks on all gun sales and close the Charleston Loophole that allowed the hate crime at Mother Emanuel AME Church. In the 116th Congress, the House passed ver  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) voted to pass the American Rescue Plan Act and send it to President Biden's desk to be signed into law. This comprehensive bill delivers critical relief to El Paso families and small businesses, will lift millions out of poverty, and accelerates vaccination efforts to finally defeat the virus. "One year ago, the COVID-19 pandemic swept across our nation and El Paso,  more

HOUSTON, Texas, March 13 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) announced that Spring Branch Community Health Center has been awarded a $3,099,900 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Spring Branch Community Health Center is a non-profit community health center in Texas' Seventh Congressional District that provides quality, affordable healthcare services to the underserved and uninsured communities  more

WASHINGTON, March 10 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) announced the launch of the annual Congressional Art Competition for Texas' Seventh Congressional District. "I am excited to launch this year's Congressional Art Competition for students across our district," said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. "Each year, talented young artists have produced beautiful art that reflects the diverse experiences and beauty across our di  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) voted in support of two common-sense bills to help protect people in Texas' Seventh Congressional District and communities across the country from gun violence: H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021, and H.R. 1446, the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021. Congresswoman Fletcher is a co-sponsor of the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021, which est  more

HOUSTON, Texas, March 13 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) and West University Mayor Bob Higley joined Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis (Precinct 1), Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia (Precinct 2), and other local leaders to highlight the positive impacts of the American Rescue Plan Act for the City of Houston and Harris County. The bipartisan group of community leade  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following news release on March 10, 2021: Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) voted to pass The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, a COVID-19 relief package to address the health and economic crisis caused by the pandemic. The legislation now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law. "The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 provides much-needed assistance to people across our community as we confront this devastating pu  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher's (TX-07) bill to incentivize states to expand Medicaid was signed into law as a part of The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Fletcher's bill, H.R. 871, the Expand Medicaid Now Act, provides a new incentive for holdout states like Texas to expand Medicaid by increasing the amount of federal funding to any new expansion state. Texas is one of 12 states that have not expanded   more

WASHINGTON, March 10 -- Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, issued the following statement: * * * Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) issued the following statement in response to the Biden- Harris administration's announcement that Venezuelans residing in the United States will now qualify for Temporary Protected Status. "I am thrilled to see that the Biden-Harris administration is once again taking steps to improve the lives of immigrants. I spoke directly to the White House three weeks ago about   more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) joined Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), and Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) in a bipartisan letter encouraging Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to ensure DHS law enforcement officers and agents receive immediate access to the COVID-19 vaccine and inquired about efforts to keep DHS law enforcement safe. "As you know,   more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) and his fellow House Republicans held a press conference Thursday to address the ongoing crisis at the southern border. Congressman Gonzales spoke alongside Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, Republican Whip Steve Scalise (LA-01), Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney (WY-AL) and several other House members to highlight the Biden administration's inept response to the border  more

WASHINGTON, March 10 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) sent a letter requesting to meet with President Joe Biden, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Acting Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Norris Cochran about the adoption of common sense solutions to relieve border agents and communities bearing the brunt of the recent influx of migrants. The Congressman cites th  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following news release on March 12, 2021: Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) today announced he helped secure $125,273,000 in federal funds as part of the American Rescue Plan for Central and South Texas Title I schools in the 15th District of Texas. These funds come after state and local education leaders across the country expressed the urgent need for more resources to cope with the pandemic. The nearly $130 billion in K-1  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following news release on March 12, 2021: Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) today announced he helped to secure $920,367,000 in federal funds as part of the American Rescue Plan for Rio Grande Valley Title I schools in the 15th District of Texas. These funds come after state and local education leaders across the country expressed the urgent need for more resources to cope with the pandemic. The nearly $130 billion in K-12 f  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced that he helped secure more than $120 million with the passage of the COVID-19 relief package The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 for Central and South Texas. The package would provide approximately $124,063,667.86 in federal COVID-19 relief funding to cities and counties throughout the 15th District of Texas. These funds will be used to help these communiti  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced that he helped secure more than $380 million with the passage of the COVID-19 relief package The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The package would provide approximately $380,708,022.26 million in federal COVID-19 relief funding to cities and counties throughout South Texas. These funds will be used to help these communities recover from the devastating effe  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced that he helped secure over $504 million with the passage of the COVID-19 relief package The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The package will provide approximately $504,771,690.12 in federal COVID-19 relief funding to cities and counties throughout the 15th District of Texas. These funds will be used to help these communities recover from the devastation of   more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, issued the following statement: * * * Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), Lead Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Commerce announced a $4.2 million CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to improve Iron Horse Boulevard in the city of North Richland Hills. The grant will be matched with over $1 million in local investments through the North Central Texas Council of Governments, and   more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Appropriations Committee, issued the following news release on March 11, 2021: House Appropriations Lead Republican Kay Granger (R-TX) and Republican Leadership, including GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA), and Conference Chair Liz Cheney (R-WY), held a press conference on the ongoing border crisis that the Biden Administration refuses to acknowledge. Homeland Security   more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Appropriations Committee Republicans sent a letter to Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) requesting that the Committee hold hearings on the ongoing security and humanitarian crisis at our southern border as soon as possible. The letter, led by the Republican Leader of the Committee, Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), comes as illegal border crossings continue to surge and the Biden Administration denies   more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Appropriations Committee, issued the following news release on March 10, 2021: Appropriations Committee Republicans sent a letter to Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) requesting that the Committee hold hearings on the ongoing security and humanitarian crisis at our southern border as soon as possible. The letter, led by the Republican Leader of the Committee, Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), com  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, issued the following news release on March 10, 2021: On Wednesday, March 10, 2021, Congressman Al Green released the following statement after the final House passage of the American Rescue Plan: "I am pleased to announce that the American Rescue Plan - which passed the House for a final time today - includes two pieces of legislation I proposed at the request of House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters. H.R. 1669 reauthorizes   more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Yvette Herrell, R-New Mexico, issued the following news release on March 11, 2021: Congresswoman Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.) joined House Republicans this morning at a press conference on President Joe Biden's growing border crisis. The congresswoman spoke at a similar press conference (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FywE8u73XoQ) organized by Congressman Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) yesterday. Next week she will travel to the border with Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy   more

WASHINGTON, March 10 -- Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Ronny Jackson (TX-13) signed on as an original co-sponsor to the Ports-to-Plains Highway Act of 2021, sponsored by Congressmen Jodey Arrington (TX-19) and Henry Cuellar (TX-28). This legislation would designate Interstate 27 as a route on the federal Interstate Highway system, specifically benefitting TX-13 by paving the way for I-27's extension through the Texas Panhandle. Jackson said: "I prom  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressmen Ronny Jackson (R-TX) and Henry Cuellar (D-TX) introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at helping the Texas agriculture community recover from the recent winter storm. H.R. 1692, the RESTORE (Rehabilitating Economic Success Through Overcoming Rural Emergencies) Act, would help our farmers recover from natural disasters by reauthorizing the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildfire Hurricane Indemn  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) voted in support of H.R. 842, the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. This legislation protects the rights of workers to organize and collectively bargain. The PRO Act passed the House of Representatives, 225-206. "Free association, collective action, and organization are at the core of our democratic society. I voted today to protect those rights for workers   more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Michael T. McCaul, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Michael McCaul (TX-10) sent a letter to the Departments of Health and Human Services and Defense after hearing troubling reports of delayed or cancelled vaccine appointments for U.S. troops and their families stationed at home and abroad. Reportedly, some U.S. military hospitals are experiencing significant delays in resupplies of the vaccine, which has caused appointments to be cancelled, l  more

WASHINGTON, March 10 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following news release on March 9, 2021: House Foreign Affairs Lead Republican Michael McCaul and 20 Republican Members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee introduced the Iran Sanctions Relief Review Act of 2021. This bill would enable Congress to review, and if necessary block, any effort by the Biden Administration to terminate U.S. sanctions against the Irania  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on March 10, 2021: * * * House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul has issued the following statement ahead of Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan meeting with the Director of the Chinese Communist Party's Foreign Affairs Commission Yang Jiechi and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on March 11, 2021: * * * House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul released the following statement after China's National People's Congress, a non-democratic body controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), approved a plan to tighten control over Hong Kong's electoral system. "While the CCP claims the plan aims to "im  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on March 12, 2021: * * * House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul released the below statement following President Biden's virtual meeting with leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad). The Quad includes leaders from Japan, India, and Australia. "Members of the Quad, and other important regional partners like   more

WASHINGTON, March 9 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following news release on March 8, 2021: House Foreign Affairs Lead Republican Michael McCaul (R-TX), House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), and Reps. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and August Pfluger (R-TX) sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressing concerns over the Biden Administration's implementation plans for the man  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, R-North Carolina, issued the following news release on March 11, 2021: Congressman Patrick McHenry (NC-10) joined his North Carolina Republican colleagues in sending a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas expressing concerns about recent changes to border security policies. The letter addresses concerns raised by recent reports of COVID-19 positive illegal immigrants being released at the border and taking   more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, issued the following news release on March 11, 2021: Yesterday, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) joined Representatives Ronny Jackson (R-TX), Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and 11 other members of the Texas delegation in introducing legislation that directs relief towards farmers who have faced damages from natural disasters. H.R. 1692, the RESTORE (Rehabilitating Economic Success Through Overcoming Rural Emergencies) Act, works by reauthorizing the  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, issued the following floor statement on March 10, 2021: * * * Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) spoke on the House Floor during debate on H.R. 8, the so-called Bipartisan Background Checks Act. Watch the Congressman's remarks here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WSDegOCub8) , or read a transcription below: "Madam Speaker, "I rise today as a Texan and constitutional conservative in strong opposition not only to the amendments, but to H  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Wednesday, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) voted no on the so-called American Rescue Plan-- the Biden Administration's $1.9 trillion job-killing leftist wish list that sends billions to locked down states and closed schools, funds Democrat priorities like Planned Parenthood, and devotes only 9% of its funding to defeating COVID-19. "I am extremely disappointed that Democrats have forced a hyper-partisan  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, issued the following news release on March 10, 2021: On Wednesday, Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) along with Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced legislation to empower parents by allowing federal education dollars to follow students, rather than being tied down solely to government-run public schools. The Support Children Having Open Opportunities for Learning (SCHOOL) Act allows federal funds for K-12 education to follow the eligible child, regardless of wh  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, issued the following news release: On Wednesday, Representative Chip Roy (TX-21) and House Veterans Affairs Committee Ranking Member Mike Bost (IL-12) reintroduced the Defending Veterans' Second Amendments Rights Act, an effort to protect the Second Amendment rights of the brave men and women who have served our nation. This legislation would prohibit the Department of Veterans Affairs from transferring veterans' information to the Federal Bureau  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, issued the following news release: On Wednesday, Representative Chip Roy (TX-21) introduced the Sister City Transparency Act, an effort to conduct a study to evaluate the legitimacy of the activities of the sister city partnerships in the United States. The United States maintains 1,800 sister city partnerships with countries around the world, including 157 partnerships with Chinese communities. These partnerships exist ostensibly to promote cult  more

WASHINGTON, March 9 -- Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, issued the following news release: On Monday, Representative Chip Roy (TX-21), along with Committee Ranking Members Jim Jordan (OH-4), Rodney Davis (IL-13), and James Comer (KY-01) sent a letter to the National Council of State Legislatures urging members to enact safeguards to guarantee that only legitimate votes are cast and counted in future elections. "Republicans in Congress sought to highlight the problems with these last-minute changes to s  more

WASHINGTON, March 10 -- Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, issued the following news release: On Tuesday, Representative Chip Roy (TX-21) led 17 of his House colleagues in the reintroduction of The Border Visibility and Security Act, an effort to eradicate the invasive carrizo cane that blocks Border Patrol Agents' visibility and ultimately undermines border security. The legislation provides for the eradication of carrizo cane growing along the Rio Grande and construction of navigable roads along the en  more

WASHINGTON, March 9 -- Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, issued the following news release: On Monday, Representative Chip Roy (TX-21) reintroduced the 'Know Debt Resolution,' to mount debt clocks in the main meeting rooms of the House Budget Committee and House Appropriations Committee, displaying the rising national debt to emphasize the gravity of the economic issues that lie ahead. "Our republic has been racing towards fiscal self-destruction for decades now, and it is time that Congress confront it  more

WASHINGTON, March 8 -- Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, issued the following statement on March 6, 2021: * * * Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) issued the following statement Saturday: 185 years ago today, Texans at the Alamo facing almost certain death fought and gave their last full measure of devotion to the cause of liberty. Today, Democrats in Washington are working to take that liberty away. It's time for us to say no.  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, issued the following news release on March 12, 2021: On Thursday, Rep. Chip Roy (T-TX) 21, along with several Texas Republicans in the House and Senate, introduced the Highway Formula Fairness Act, which would help ensure that Texas and other states receive a fairer share of infrastructure funding via the federal Highway Trust Fund (HTF). Currently, 19 states, including Texas, receive a less than 95 percent rate of return on their contribution to  more

WASHINGTON, March 9 -- Rep. Van Taylor, R-Texas, issued the following news release on March 8, 2021: U.S. Congressman Van Taylor (R-TX-03) introduced legislation to help end the practice of forced child marriage in the United States by closing the information gap on this dark practice. Joined by Representatives Joe Morelle (D-NY-25) and Gwen Moore (D-WI-04), Congressman Van Taylor (R-TX-03) introduced H.R. 1606, the End Forced Child Marriages Act to gather additional data and information perta  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, issued the following news release on March 10, 2021: Rep. Beth Van Duyne (TX-24) today introduced her first piece of legislation, the "Ensuring Economic Recovery Act." The legislation will mandate the Small Business Administration (SBA) to conduct and submit a report to the House Committee on Small Business and Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship on the recovery of small businesses from the COVID-19 Pandemic, including po  more

WASHINGTON, March 3 -- Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, issued the following floor statement: * * * Rep. Beth Van Duyne (TX-24) today spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives in opposition to H.R. 1, the "For the Politicians Act." Click here (https://youtu.be/P0Le2jUNfyM) to watch the Floor Speech Remarks as prepared: I rise today, in opposition to H.R. 1, "the destroy election integrity and centralize all power in Washington, D.C. Act," that Democrats are once again pushing because   more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, issued the following floor statement on March 10, 2021: * * * Rep. Beth Van Duyne (TX-24) today spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives in opposition to H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446, legislation that would infringe on American's Second Amendment rights. Click here (https://youtu.be/sgExarL44mA) to watch the full speech Remarks as prepared: Thank you, Ranking Member Jordan Mister/Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to the legislation we  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, issued the following news release: House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (SC-06) introduced H.R. 1783, the Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act, which authorizes over $94 billion to ensure unserved and underserved communities have affordable high-speed internet access. The comprehensive package includes provisions from Rep. Veasey's Enhanced Emergency Broadband Act that was introduced earlier this week. The legislation will builds and ex  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33) voted for final passage of H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act, landmark, life-saving legislation that will provide urgently-needed resources to defeat the virus, put vaccines in people's arms, money into families' pockets, children safely back into classrooms and people back to work in Texas and across the United States. This legislation will now go to President Biden's des  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33) voted to pass H.R. 842, the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. The historic PRO Act will help rebuild the middle class by protecting workers' basic right to join a union, holding employers accountable for violating workers' rights and securing free, fair and safe union elections. "As chairman of the Congressional Blue Collar Caucus, I will never stop fighting to streng  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Filemon Vela (D-TX) announced that the Texas General Land Office (GLO) has awarded Hidalgo County and the City of Kingsville nearly $17M for flood mitigation projects as part of their second round of flood mitigation grants funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Hidalgo County will receive $9,962,444.40 towards phase 2 of expanding the main floodwater channel t  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Filemon Vela (D-TX) announced that his office is now accepting submissions for the 2021 Congressional Art Competition. This annual event is open to all high school students who reside in Texas' 34th Congressional District. This year, due to the ongoing pandemic, the reception will be hosted virtually. Students who are interested in participating may submit a clear, well-lit photo of their work to  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Filemon Vela (TX-34) announced final passage of H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan. This bold piece of legislation follows through on the promise that Democrats would deliver assistance to hurting families quickly. This legislation will help get more Americans vaccinated, provide stimulus checks to American households, help safely reopen schools and spur economic recovery by assisting small busin  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Filemon Vela (TX-34) voted yes on H.R. 842 the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, legislation that strengthens and protects workers' rights to form a union by allowing the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to assess penalties on employers who violate this right and protects workers that suffer any retaliation for these efforts. The final vote was 225-206, and a previous version of the  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Texas, issued the following news release: President Joe Biden announced the appointment of Rose Vela as Director of the President's Commission on White House Fellowships, U.S. Office of Personal Management. Former President Lyndon B. Johnson established the President's Commission on White House Fellowships (PCWHF) in 1964 by Executive Order. PCWHF is responsible for selecting emerging leaders interested in public service to gain first-hand experience  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, issued the following statement: * * * Congressman Roger Williams (R-TX-25) released the following statement after voting NO on H.R. 8, the Universal Background Checks Act and H.R. 1446, the Enhanced Background Checks Act. "President Biden and Speaker Pelosi fulfilled their campaign promise to disarm America and restrict the gun rights of responsible, law-abiding citizens with H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446. These proposals would not stop criminals f  more

WASHINGTON, March 10 -- Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Jodey Arrington (TX-19) and Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) introduced the "Ports-to Plains Highway Act of 2021." This bill would expand and upgrade the Ports-to-Plains Alliance Corridor to a modern four-lane, divided facility to improve economic development, safety, and efficiency for America's Heartland. If signed into law, this legislation would be a critical step in highway expansion that  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following news release on March 11, 2021: House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul and Congressman Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-5) have sent a bipartisan letter to Secretary Antony Blinken, urging the administration to use its leverage to obtain a better, comprehensive deal with Iran, including IAEA access to all nuclear sites. The letter also highlig  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Rep. Van Taylor, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Representatives Van Taylor (R-TX-03), Don Bacon (R-NE-02), and Seth Moulton (D-MA-06) introduced bipartisan legislation amending the United States Code to criminalize lynching and provide for enhanced sentencing under existing federal hates crimes statutes. H.R. 1727, the Emmett Till and Will Brown Justice for Victims of Lynching Act, would recognize lynching as a tool used to intimidate and deny civil rights   more

WASHINGTON, March 10 -- Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Reps. Marc Veasey (TX-33) and Lisa Blunt-Rochester (DE-AL) introduced legislation that will build and expand on his 2020 Emergency Broadband Benefit bill to bolster more access to broadband for low-income and people of color. The Enhanced Emergency Broadband Act authorizes additional funds to the Emergency Broadband Benefit program--a free or low-cost internet service to low-income individuals that have dispro  more

DALLAS, Texas, March 9 -- Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, issued the following news release: On Friday, Representatives Marc Veasey (TX-33), Colin Allred (TX-32), and Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30) toured the FEMA vaccine site at Dallas' Fair Park. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins led the members of Congress on the tour where they were briefed on the site's operations. Following the tour, Reps. Veasey, Allred, and Johnson spoke about their efforts in Congress to pass the American Rescue Plan and del  more

WASHINGTON, March 9 -- Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressmen Marc Veasey (TX-33) and Blake Moore (UT-01) introduced the National Medal of Honor Monument Act--bipartisan legislation to pave the way for the creation of a monument in our nation's capital recognizing the Medal of Honor and its fewer than 4,000 recipients. "I am proud to reintroduce this legislation that will honor these brave men and women for risking their lives to protect our democracy," said   more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, issued the following news release on March 11, 2021: This morning at a Senate Committee and Energy and Natural Resources hearing, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) spoke on the need for a "smarter, cleaner, more secure, more resilient grid" and questioned witnesses from the energy sector on the exorbitant energy bills charged to Texans in the aftermath of Winter Storm Uri, which left four million Texans freezing in their homes without   more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Sen. Thomas Carper, D-Delaware, issued the following news release on March 10, 2021: U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) joined Senators Chris Coons (also D-Del.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) to reintroduce gun safety legislation that will help states enforce existing laws against individuals who attempt to purchase firearms by lying on their background checks. The NICS Denial Notification Act would require federal authorities to alert state and local law enforcement within 24  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. Christopher Coons, D-Delaware, issued the following news release on March 11, 2021: U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas), alongside U.S. Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Tom Cole (R-Okla.), and Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), introduced the Civics Secures Democracy Act to restore the importance placed on civics education in American classrooms with targeted federal investments to support and expand access to civics and history education. "C  more

WASHINGTON, March 10 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Today U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture will extend its waiver allowing schools to continue to serve no-cost meals to low-income students during school closures this summer. Sen. Cornyn supported this waiver when he voted for the Families First Coronavirus Response Act last March. The waiver negates the National School Lunch Act requirement that schools serve foods i  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following transcript of an interview on March 10, 2021, on Fox News' Special Report: * * * Today on Fox News' Special Report, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) discussed the consequences of the Biden Administration's immigration policies and the looming humanitarian crisis at the border. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn's interview are below, and video can be found here: https://youtu.be/tLX_H8lzhmw "Unfortunately, we've seen this movie bef  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news release on March 10, 2021: U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) today introduced the NICS Denial Notification Act, bipartisan legislation that would help states enforce existing laws against individuals who attempt to purchase firearms but have no legal right to do so. This bill would require federal authorities to alert state and local law enforcement within 24 hours when an ineligible individual lies on a background check  more

WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following statement: * * * U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement after voting against the Democrats' $1.9 trillion spending bill: "Republicans and Democrats worked together last year in a true show of unity to provide roughly $4 trillion in relief across five bipartisan bills. We could have built on that record this year, but instead Democrats put together a package of unrelated, wasteful, and downright pa  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news release on March 11, 2021: Today U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and U.S. Representatives Henry Cuellar (TX-28) and Tony Gonzales (TX-23) encouraged Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to ensure DHS law enforcement officers and agents receive immediate access to the COVID-19 vaccine and inquired about efforts to keep DHS law enforcement safe. They wrote: "As you kno  more

WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following remarks: * * * U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) today condemned Senate Democrats for voting to block his amendment to the COVID-19 'Relief' bill to address the growing humanitarian crisis at our southern border. Sen. Cornyn's amendment would have shifted funding in the COVID-19 'Relief' bill from the National Endowment for the Humanities to fund bed space for unaccompanied children and efforts to mitigate coronavirus transmi  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and a bipartisan group of senators to introduce the NICS Denial Notification Act, which would help states enforce existing laws against individuals who attempt to purchase firearms but have no legal right to do so. This bill would require federal authorities to alert state and local law enforcement within 24 hours when an ineligible individ  more

WASHINGTON, March 13 -- Sen. James M. Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, issued the following news release on March 12, 2021: U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) joined Tim Scott (R-S.C.) to introduce the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act, along with Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Josh Hawle  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin, issued the following news release: This week, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.), and Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced the Guidance Out Of Darkness (GOOD) Act, which requires federal agencies to publish their regulatory guidance on the internet in an easily accessible location. "This commonsense legislation has passed the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee by voice vote twice and   more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, issued the following news release on March 11, 2021: Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) today reintroduced the Undoing NEPA's Substantial Harm by Advancing Concepts that Kickstart the Liberation of the Economy (UNSHACKLE) Act, legislation that would comprehensively reform the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The bill is cosponsored by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.). "Environmental planning is essential to sustainable growth, but u  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Sen. Tim Scott, R-South Carolina, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) introduced the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act, along with Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jim In  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, issued the following news release on March 11, 2021: United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) unveiled a resolution to mark the forthcoming 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre. The resolution is a reminder that the fight to end racist violence against Black people in the United States -- often state-sanctioned and at the hands of the police -- continues. The resoluti  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Sen. Christopher Coons, D-Delaware, issued the following news release on March 10, 2021: U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) reintroduced gun safety legislation that will help states enforce existing laws against individuals who attempt to purchase firearms by lying on their background checks. The NICS Denial Notification Act would require federal authorities to alert state and local law enforcement within 24 hours when an ineligible individual t  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-New Hampshire, issued the following news release on March 11, 2021: U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) today introduced the Jenna Quinn Law, which would allow current grant funds to be used to train and educate students, teachers, caregivers, and other adults who work with children in a professional or volunteer capacity on how to prevent, recognize, and report child sexual abuse. The bill is named for Jenna Quinn, a Texan and  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news release on March 11, 2021: U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) today introduced the Jenna Quinn Law, which would allow current grant funds to be used to train and educate students, teachers, caregivers, and other adults who work with children in a professional or volunteer capacity on how to prevent, recognize, and report child sexual abuse. The bill is named for Jenna Quinn, a Texan and child abu  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, D-Vermont, issued the following news release on March 10, 2021: U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) today introduced the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium Act to authorize the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to work with the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium (NCPC) to help prepare for and respond to cybersecurity risks at the national, state, and local levels. "Our communities must be prepared   more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news release on March 10, 2021: U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) today introduced the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium Act to authorize the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to work with the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium (NCPC) to help prepare for and respond to cybersecurity risks at the national, state, and local levels. "Our communities must be prepared to defe  more

WASHINGTON, March 12 -- Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and John Hoeven (R- ND) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to help prevent carbon monoxide (CO) related deaths following reports of CO poisoning and deaths after the extreme winter storms in Texas. The Nicholas and Zachary Burt Memorial Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act, named for two young brothers from Kimball, Minnesota, who died from CO poisoning, would dire  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship and Border Safety, and Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) joined Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), along with Congressman Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), in reintroducing the bicameral COVID-19 in Immigration Detention Data Transparency Act, which would require immigration-d  more

WASHINGTON, March 10 -- Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, issued the following news release on March 9, 2021: U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Congressman Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) reintroduced the bicameral COVID-19 in Immigration Detention Data Transparency Act, which would require immigration-detention facilities to collect and publicly report data about COVID-19 cases, vaccine distribution, and the preventative measures in place i  more

WASHINGTON, March 10 -- Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, issued the following news release on March 9, 2021: United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Congressman Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) and Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship and Border Safety, reintroduced the bicameral COVID-19 in Immigration Detention Data Transparency Act, which would require immigration-detention facilities to collect and publicly report d  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, issued the following news release on March 10, 2021: United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Congressman Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) and Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship and Border Safety, reintroduced the bicameral COVID-19 in Immigration Detention Data Transparency Act, which would require immigration-detention facilities to collect and publicly report   more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Mississippi, issued the following news release on March 10, 2021: U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today joined colleagues from other rice-producing states to encourage U.S. and Iraqi officials to take steps to increase U.S. rice exports to Iraq. In separate letters to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Dr. Fareed Yasseen, the Iraq Ambassador to the United States, Senators from Mississippi, Arkansas, Lo  more

WASHINGTON, March 11 -- Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Mississippi, issued the following news release on March 10, 2021: U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., today joined colleagues from other rice-producing states to encourage U.S. and Iraqi officials to take steps to increase U.S. rice exports to Iraq. In separate letters to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Dr. Fareed Yasseen, the Iraq Ambassador to the United States, Senators from Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisi  more