WASHINGTON, March 26 -- Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21), joined by 20 of his House Republican colleagues, called on the Biden administration to stop stonewalling journalists amid the ongoing immigration crisis and allow the American public to see what is really going on at their southern border. "This crisis is out of control. Indeed, it is far worse than most realize, largely because your Administration is not only mischaracterizing the crisis   more

WASHINGTON, March 26 -- Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, issued the following news release on March 25, 2021: During a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing, Ranking Member Rob Portman (R-OH), pressed Deanne Criswell, the nominee to be Administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), on the request for FEMA to provide disaster assistance to address the surge of migrants at   more

WASHINGTON, March 27 -- Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Energy, issued the following opening statement as part of a video conference hearing entitled "Building Technologies Research for a Sustainable Future" on March 25, 2021: * * * The sustainability of our buildings is a topic that touches on every American across the country. Buildings make up almost 40% percent of the total energy consumption in the United States, an  more

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, issued the following opening statement as part of a video conference hearing entitled "Examining Research and Development Pathways to Sustainable Aviation" on March 24, 2021: * * * I would like to begin by welcoming Chairman Beyer as the new Chairman of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee for the 117th Congress. I also want to welcome back R  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R42581) on March 23, 2021, entitled "State Small Business Credit Initiative: Implementation and Funding Issues": (Continued from Part 1 of 2) Texas Treasury's OIG examined five investments, totaling $6.3 million, financed by the Texas Small Business Venture Capital Program and $105,000 of administrative costs that the state charged against SSBCI funds. The OIG found the program in full compliance with   more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- The House Energy and Commerce Committee issued the following testimony by Ex-Energy Secretary Ernest J. Moniz, president and CEO of Energy Futures Initiatives, as part of a virtual hearing entitled "Leading Infrastructure for Tomorrow's America Act: Revitalizing our Nation's Infrastructure and Economy" on March 22, 2021: * * * Thank you for the opportunity to testify today and to discuss the LIFT America Act. Coming on the heels of the disaster in Texas, this hearing a  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following news release: On the 11th anniversary of the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) worked to build on the ACA's historic coverage gains and strengthen the nation's health care system. During a House Committee on Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing, members considered more than a dozen bills to lower health care costs, expand coverage, and protect Americans with pre-e  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, issued the following news release on March 23, 2021: This afternoon on CNN's The Lead with Jake Tapper, Senator Portman discussed his recent trip to the southern border in El Paso, Texas, where he witnessed firsthand the ongoing migrant and unaccompanied children crisis. Portman has made it clear that the Biden administration's border crisis of unaccompanied chi  more

WASHINGTON, March 23 -- Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: This evening on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, discussed his recent trip to the southern border in El Paso, Texas, where he witnessed firsthand the ongoing migrant and unaccompanied children crisis. Senator Portman has made it  more

WASHINGTON, March 26 -- Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, issued the following news release on March 25, 2021: On Tuesday, on WSPD Toledo's The Scott Sands Show, Senator Portman discussed his recent trip to the southern border in El Paso, Texas, where he witnessed firsthand the ongoing migrant and unaccompanied children crisis. Portman has made it clear that the Biden administration's border crisis of unaccompanied chi  more

GARLAND, Texas, March 23 -- Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, issued the following news release on March 22, 2021: Congressman Colin Allred (TX-32) visited the Garland VA Medical Center, attended their coronavirus vaccination clinic, and spoke with staff about the newly established hospital's efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic and care for North Texas veterans. Download video and photos from the visit here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MWeBIWQJKnHe1IeaGH6oiVbkRgOA9jWt?usp=sharing   more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, issued the following statement: * * * Congressman Colin Allred (TX-32), today voted in favor of the American Dream and Promise Act of 2021. Allred is an original cosponsor of the measure which passed the House with bipartisan support. "The Dream and Promise Act is a common sense, bipartisan bill that will provide a pathway to citizenship for countless young people who have known no home other than Texas. "Dreamers are service members, front  more

WASHINGTON, March 27 -- Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, issued the following joint transcript with Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, on Fox News' "America Reports": Congressman Jodey Arrington (TX-19) joined Fox News' "America Reports" along with his Democrat colleague Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX-28) to discuss Biden's disaster at the southern border. Click here (https://youtu.be/pJasPqcPpDI) or the image above to watch the interview. On the health crisis President Biden is allowing at the southern bord  more

WASHINGTON, March 27 -- Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following news release on March 26, 2021: The top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee Kevin Brady (R-TX), with 14 original Republican cosponsors, introduced the Reopening America by Supporting Workers and Businesses Act of 2021. This bill will help local businesses rebuild their workforce quickly by turning enhanced unemployment benefits into a back-to-work  more

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following news release on March 24, 2021: Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has so far provided little information in response to 21 state Attorneys General, who raised concerns in a March 16 letter about a provision in recently enacted COVID-19 response legislation that could severely restrict states' ability to provide tax relief to local workers, families, small busine  more

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following news release on March 24, 2021: Ways and Means Republican Leader Kevin Brady (R-TX) led a roundtable to discuss the disastrous tax policies being pursued by Democrats in their continued push for a partisan tax-and-spend agenda. Rather than safely reopening the economy and restoring our pre-pandemic economic strength, Democrats' economic policies will limit gr  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following news release on March 23, 2021: In a forceful opening statement, Ways and Means Republican Leader Kevin Brady (R-TX) announced that Republicans would not be participating in Democrats' partisan "Members' Day" hearing that allows for no meaningful dialogue between both parties on a crucial issue like infrastructure. Following his remarks, Rep. Brady logged off   more

WASHINGTON, March 27 -- Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following news release on March 26, 2021: Asked about President Biden's crusade to raise taxes on American corporations, Ways and Means Republican Leader Kevin Brady (R-TX) replied, "This is insane. No president has ever raised business taxes to recover from an economic crisis." In a conversation with Larry Kudlow on his new Fox Business show, Rep. Brady remarked on th  more

WASHINGTON, March 26 -- Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following news release on March 25, 2021: New York and Pennsylvania are under increased congressional scrutiny for their handling of nursing home death data following a Health and Human Services (HHS) briefing to congressional staff on the collection of nursing home data and COVID-19, and whether certain states may have misled the public and the federal government. In n  more

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, issued the following op-ed to the Denton Record Chronicle: * * * In response to Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations' hearing on the COVID-19 vaccine, Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX) drafted an op-ed for the Denton Record Chronicle to stress the importance, safety, and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine. The Congressman is appreciative of the efforts made by Denton County Public Health, Tarrant C  more

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, issued the following news release on March 24, 2021: Congressman Pat Fallon (TX-04) joined the Texarkana Chamber of Commerce today for a legislative briefing, including discussions on the crisis at our Southern border. "Immigration really does help continue your growth, but you have to manage it, you have to do it legally," said Congressman Fallon. "There are five million people in the world trying to come to this country legally and to allow   more

WASHINGTON, March 26 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher announced that ten community health centers across Houston will receive more than $61.9 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds. Specifically, health centers will be able to use the funding to support and expand COVID-19 vaccination, testing, and treatment for vulnerable populations; deliver needed preventive and primary health care services to those at higher risk for COVID  more

WASHINGTON, March 26 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following news release: At an Energy and Commerce Committee hearing focused on social media's role in promoting extremism and misinformation, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) pressed Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai on their commitment to transparency related to the January 6th attack on the United States Capitol. "We've seen that the real-world costs of this unchecked sp  more

HOUSTON, Texas, March 26 -- Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, issued the following statement: * * * Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) issued the following statement in response to the announcement that the River Oaks Theater in Houston will be closing: "As a lifelong film fan and loyal patron of River Oaks Theatre since I moved to Houston, I am saddened that it has been forced to close. More than just a place for movies, it is a cultural asset for our community. For many years, it has been the  more

DEL RIO, Texas, March 24 -- Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, issued the following news release on March 23, 2021: Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) today announced over $1 million in grant money from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the Del Rio International Airport. This grant provides economic relief funds for costs related to cleaning, sanitization, janitorial services, and combating the spread of COVID-19 at the airport, among others. The funds were directed from the Coronavirus R  more

CARRIZO SPRINGS, Texas, March 24 -- Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, issued the following news release on March 22, 2021: Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) today announced over $3.4 million in grant money from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for Head Start Projects in Texas's 23rd District.The grant will be awarded to Kids Are First, Inc. in Carrizo Springs for $3,450,405. Congressman Gonzales previously served as the Community Representative for the City of San Antonio Head   more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, March 24 -- Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, issued the following news release on March 22, 2021: Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) today issued the following statement after photos were released showing the overcrowding of border facilities in Donna, Texas. The photos were released by Axios (https://www.axios.com/photos-overcrowded-border-patrol-migrant-tents-0525a96b-0dc8-473f-b59c-38b0b3e52760.html?utm_campaign=organic&utm_medium=socialshare&utm_source=twitter ) and reveal s  more

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Rep. Lance Gooden, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Lance Gooden (R-TX) and Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) have introduced the End Child Trafficking Now Act. The legislation requires DNA testing to confirm a familial relationship between an alien and accompanying minor during their petition for asylum in America. To read the text of the bill, click here: https://gooden.house.gov/ "The exploitation of innocent children taking place at our border   more

WASHINGTON, March 26 -- Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, issued the following e-newsletter on March 25, 2021: Dear Friends, Today is National Medal of Honor Day, a day to remember that America is the land of the free only because it is the home of the brave men and women who answer the call to serve. Our Medal of Honor recipients, the heroes awarded America's highest honor for valor in action, are among the bravest of the brave. In the history of our great nation, nearly 40 million heroes have serve  more

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Virginia, ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, issued the following prepared remarks on March 24, 2021, in a hearing on the need for proper planning, preparation and weatherization of energy grids across the country, not just in Texas: * * * Excerpts and highlights from his prepared remarks: "Thank you, Chairwoman DeGette, for holding this hearing on the challenges facing our power grid, b  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30) marked the 11th anniversary of the landmark Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) by highlighting transformative health care savings for Americans across the country thanks to the Biden American Rescue Plan. The plan builds on the ACA's critical benefits by lowering the cost of coverage and expanding eligibility for federal subsidies to millions   more

WASHINGTON, March 27 -- Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, chairwoman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, issued the following news release on March 26, 2021: Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK) along with Subcommittee on Research and Technology Chairwoman Haley Stevens (D-MI) and Ranking Member Michael Waltz (R-FL) introduced the National Science Foundation for the Future Act. This legislation increases the funding for more excell  more

FLINT, Michigan, March 26 -- Rep. Daniel Kildee, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05), Chief Deputy Whip of the House Democratic Caucus, has secured a commitment from the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to conduct new training and implement new procedures to better serve individuals with disabilities. Several states, including Michigan, Texas and Arkansas, have recently passed legislation allowing individuals with autism, hearing loss,  more

WASHINGTON, March 26 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on March 25, 2021: * * * House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul released the following statement following the full committee vote to repeal the 2002 authorized use for military force (AUMF). "There is bipartisan support for updating the outdated authorized uses of military force. But we must do this as part of a compr  more

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on March 24, 2021: * * * House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul released the below statement following Secretary of State Blinken's participation in this week's NATO Foreign Ministerial. NATO continues to serve as the vital transatlantic forum to address shared security challenges, including terrorism, and the malign act  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on March 23, 2021: * * * House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul has released the following statement after the Biden Administration implemented human rights sanctions on two additional individuals involved in the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) genocide against Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minorities. For the f  more

WASHINGTON, March 26 -- Rep. David McKinley, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release on March 25, 2021: Yesterday the House Energy and Commerce Committee held two hearings focused on energy policies that would weaken the nation's grid reliability and result in American job losses. The first hearing of the day focused on why the Texas electric grid failed during extreme weather conditions in February. The second hearing focused on the CLEAN Future Act, a partisan Democrat bill that a  more

WASHINGTON, March 26 -- Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, issued the following op-ed to the Southeast Iowa Union: * * * March 24th, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02) penned an op-ed in the Southeast Iowa Union, where she discussed the importance of robust energy infrastructure. To read the op-ed, click here (https://www.southeastiowaunion.com/subject/opinion/commentary-20210324) or read below: Texas energy crisis sheds light on how grid works The recent weather and energy crisis in  more

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following opening remarks on March 24, 2021, at an Energy Subcommittee legislative hearing entitled "The CLEAN Future Act: Powering a Resilient and Prosperous America": * * * The Energy Subcommittee is holding its first legislative hearing on H.R. 1512, the CLEAN Future Act, comprehensive and ambitious legislation to combat the climate crisis. This hearing will examin  more

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following opening remarks on March 24, 2021, at an Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing entitled "Power Struggle: Examining the 2021 Texas Grid Failure": * * * We are examining the causes of the recent widespread power outages in Texas and how to fortify the electrical grid against extreme weather events and climate change. The enormity of this disaster a  more

WASHINGTON, March 22 -- Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-California, issued the following statement: * * * Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) released the following statement about the current challenges at the southern border and his upcoming visit to a southern border facility in Carrizo Springs, Texas: "Despite an historic week in Congress in which the U.S. House of Representatives passed bipartisan immigration reform legislation, that I helped to author, to protect our Dreamers, TPS recipie  more

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, issued the following news release: With the crisis on the southern border intensifying, Congressman Pfluger joined 71 Members of Congress and 40 Republican Senators in calling on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate the Biden Administration for suspending congressionally-appropriated border wall construction contracts. In a letter to Comptroller General Gene Dodaro, the lawmakers wrote, "We are writing to be added as co  more

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Washington, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following opening remarks on March 24, 2021, at an Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing about the need for a diverse and reliable energy base: * * * Excerpts and highlights from her prepared remarks: "I want to express my sorrow to all the families and friends who lost loved ones during this terrible event. "It's my hope that we focu  more

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Washington, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following opening remarks on March 24, 2021, at an Energy Subcommittee hearing about the need for a diverse and reliable energy base: * ** Excerpts and highlights from her prepared remarks: TEXAS & OTHER EMERGENCIES "One of our most important jobs is to make sure our federal laws and policies will enable, not disable--the affordable and reliable  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, issued the following statement: * * * Congressman Roy issued the following statement Tuesday in response to President Biden's call to ban so-called "assault weapons" and "high capacity" magazines: All killers -- regardless of race -- should be punished to the fullest extent of the law, as I said last week to the wailing and gnashing of teeth of leftists and blue check mark hand-wringers. I stand by it unapologetically, just as I stand by my uneq  more

DALLAS, Texas, March 27 -- Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, issued the following news release on March 26, 2021: Rep. Beth Van Duyne (TX-24) yesterday hosted a roundtable discussion with small business and franchise owners across North Texas. "Small businesses are a vital component of our economy," Van Duyne said. "In previous conversations with small business owners, many expressed concerns over the Paycheck Protection Program ending this month, even though the economy in Texas is just reopening  more

WASHINGTON, March 26 -- Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, issued the following news release on March 25, 2021: Rep. Beth Van Duyne (TX-24) today questioned Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Hearing over the Administration's priorities. Click here (https://youtu.be/ZCdnYBl4nvY) to watch the video. On the Crisis at the Border "The crisis at the border is astounding in its scale as thousands of illegal immigrants, enabled   more

DALLAS, Texas, March 24 -- Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, issued the following news release on March 23, 2021: Rep. Van Duyne (TX-24) and Rep. Van Taylor (TX-03) today visited the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center where 1600 undocumented immigrant teenagers ages 13-17 are being housed after illegally crossing the United States Southern Border. "What I witnessed today was heartbreaking," said Rep. Van Duyne. "We cannot be surprised that after Biden campaigned on open borders, we are experi  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, issued the following news release on March 23, 2021: Rep. Veasey (TX-33), co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Voting Rights Caucus, released the following statement today as the Texas Legislature prepares to hold public hearings on Senate Bill 7 and House Bill 6--voter suppression legislation designed to undermine communities of color of their right to the ballot box: "During the 2020 election, we saw Americans across the country brav  more

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Texas Reps. Marc Veasey (TX-33) and Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) joined their colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee to hold a hearing to investigate the Texas power grid failures during last month's winter storm that left millions of Texans without power or heat for days. Today's hearing specifically examined the causes of the recent widespread power outages in Texas and how to fortify the electrical grid  more

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Texas, issued the following statement: * * * Congressman Filemon Vela released the following statement regarding the situation at the Southern border. "There is no perfect fix here. The administration is doing the right thing because the law requires that we process unaccompanied minors. However, we are in the middle of a pandemic and our systems are being overwhelmed. At some point, it is important to take a practical approach. Thirteen percent   more

MISHAWAKA, Indiana, March 27 -- Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Indiana, issued the following news release on March 26, 2021: U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.) today joined Ways and Means Committee Republican Leader Kevin Brady (R-Texas) in reintroducing legislation to help businesses rebuild their workforce by turning enhanced unemployment benefits into a return-to-work bonus. As the top Republican on the Worker and Family Support Subcommittee, Walorski earlier this week hosted a roundtable discussio  more

WASHINGTON, March 26 -- Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas, issued the following statement: * * * March 25, 2021 U.S. Rep. Randy Weber (TX-14) announced Congressional Medal of Honor Society's Citizen Honors recipient Chris Stone of Santa Fe, has posthumously received the Society's Young Hero Award. "The Medal of Honor, created in the midst of the Civil War, is awarded to service members who exhibit a level of gallantry above and beyond the call of duty at the risk of his or her life. In honor of all w  more

WASHINGTON, March 23 -- Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas, issued the following news release: March 23, 2021 U.S. Rep. Randy Weber (TX-14) introduced H.R.2180--the "Redirecting Resources to the Border Act," which would relocate the extraneous fencing around the U.S. Capitol, installed by Speaker Pelosi, to the southern border, and direct the Secretary of Defense to reassign members of the National Guard, deployed to the U.S. Capitol, to the southern border to address the recent surge in illegal immigra  more

WASHINGTON, March 27 -- Rep. Jennifer Wexton, D-Virginia, issued the following statement on March 26, 2021: * * * After visiting an Office of Refugee Resettlement site housing asylum-seeking unaccompanied minors in Carrizo Springs, Texas, today, Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), a member of the House Appropriations Committee and State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, released the following statement: "As a mother, hearing the stories of children who left everything they knew to journe  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, issued the following news release on March 23, 2021: Representative Roger Williams (TX-25) today introduced the Eliminate the Digital Divide Act to help bring critical access to broadband to rural and low-income communities. The bill would create a $10 billion State Broadband Program where governors receive funds based on the number of unserved individuals in their state and then partner with broadband service providers to build out networks  more

WASHINGTON, March 27 -- Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Roger Williams (TX-25) and Congressman Gregory Meeks (NY-05) reintroduced the bipartisan Bank Service Company Examination Coordination Act (BSCECA) of 2021 to make banking supervision more efficient. "There is a dire need for banking regulators to communicate and resolve the current inefficiencies between state and federal coordination," said Congressman Williams. "This legislation promotes goo  more

WASHINGTON, March 27 -- Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, issued the following joint news release with Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas: Rep. Jodey Arrington (TX-19) and Rep. Brian Babin (TX-36) sent a letter to newly appointed border czar and Vice President Kamala Harris inviting her to join their upcoming trip to the southern border. Just this week President Biden announced that Vice President Harris would lead diplomatic efforts, work with other nations to deter illegal immigration at their borders a  more

WASHINGTON, March 27 -- Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, chairwoman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, issued the following joint statement on March 26, 2021, with Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Oklahoma: * * * House Science Space, and Technology Committee Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK) released a joint statement in support of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students and researchers in the United States. "Asian Americans a  more

WASHINGTON, March 27 -- Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Oklahoma, ranking Republican member of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, issued the following joint statement on March 26, 2021, with Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas: * * * House Science Space, and Technology Committee Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK) released a joint statement in support of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students and researchers in the United States. "Asi  more

WASHINGTON, March 26 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following joint statement on March 25, 2021, with Rep. Mike Rogers, -R-Alabama: * * * House Foreign Affairs Lead Republican Michael McCaul (R-TX) and House Armed Services Ranking Member Mike Rogers (R-AL) released the following statement on the recent weapons testing developments in North Korea. "North Korea's decision to resume military provocations through weap  more

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-New York, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following joint statement on March 24, 2021, with Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas: * * * Ahead of Freedom Day in Belarus, which is celebrated on March 25th to commemorate the anniversary of the Belarusian National Republic's proclamation of independence from Czarist rule in 1918, Representatives Gregory W. Meeks and Michael McCaul, Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Af  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Massachusetts, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following news joint statement on March 23, 2021, with Reps. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, Bill Pascrell Jr., D-New Jersey, and Danny K. Davis, D-Illinois: * * * House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA), Health Subcommittee Chairman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), and Worker and Family Support Subcommittee Cha  more

WASHINGTON, March 27 -- Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Alabama, ranking Republican member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement on March 26, 2021: * * * House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) and House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Michael McCaul (R-Texas) released the following statement on the recent weapons testing developments in North Korea: "North Korea's decision to resume military provocations through weapons testing is unsu  more

MISSION, Texas, March 27 -- Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyoming, issued the following news release on March 26, 2021: U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) traveled to Texas with 17 other Republican senators to see firsthand the immigration crisis at the southern border. The senators met with Border Patrol agents, went on a midnight patrol, toured the Donna processing facility, inspected the border wall and went on a boat patrol of the Rio Grande. Barrasso said the senators made it a priority to than  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyoming, issued the following floor statement on March 23, 2021: * * * U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) spoke on the Senate floor about how the Biden administration's policies are squarely to blame for the crisis on our southern border. Barrasso also previewed the trip he plans to make to the border in Texas later this week to inspect the situation firsthand. Excerpts of Senator Barrasso's remarks: "I come to the floor to talk about the crisis t  more

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release on March 24, 2021: U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) along with Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) introduced the End Child Trafficking Now Act. During her recent trip to the Southern border, Senator Blackburn heard how drug cartels and transnational criminal gangs traffic and exploit migrant children to gain illegal entry into the country. Representative  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) along with Senators Mike Lee (R-Utah), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced the Stopping Border Surges Act, a bill to address loopholes in our immigration system which encourage vulnerable immigrant populations to take dangerous, illegal paths of entry into the United States. "Migrants exploit our immigration system   more

MCALLEN, Texas, March 27 -- Sen. Susan M. Collins, R-Maine, issued the following news release on March 26, 2021: U.S. Senator Susan Collins joined a CODEL of 18 Senators to learn more about the crisis on the U.S.-Mexico border, where an unprecedented number of migrants, including unaccompanied children, have entered the United States during the past several weeks. Last month, the Department of Homeland Security reported that Border Patrol encounters with people crossing the southern border spi  more

WASHINGTON, March 26 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following remarks: * * * Today in the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) discussed how Vanita Gupta's ties to the firm Avantor, which sells a chemical involved in the illicit drug trade in Mexico, disqualify her for the position of Associate Attorney General. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn's remarks are below, and video can be found here https://youtu.be/j_qn01HluYg. "The reason why this is relevant to Ms. Gupta'  more

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following floor statement on March 24, 2021: * * * Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) discussed the ties of Vanita Gupta, nominee to be Associate Attorney General, to the firm Avantor, which sells a chemical that has been linked to the illicit drug trade in Mexico. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn's remarks are below, and video can be found here (https://youtu.be/mjI-ftTvoyk). "A Bloomberg report last year brought... to li  more

MCALLEN, TEXAS, March 27 -- Sen. John Hoeven, R-North Dakota, issued the following news release on March 26, 2021: Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Committee, today joined a delegation led by Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn to review the ongoing illegal immigration crisis at the southern border. The senators met with border patrol agents, reviewed U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations and processing facilities, visited border crossings  more

WASHINGTON, March 27 -- Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Mississippi, issued the following news release on March 25, 2021: U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) is part of a Senate delegation headed to the southern border today to evaluate the surging crisis arising from the Biden administration policy changes to immigration and border security. Hyde-Smith is among 19 Republicans, led by Texas Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, who will travel to the McAllen, Texas, region for briefings and tours Th  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, issued the following news release: Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Monday introduced the Stopping Border Surges Act, a bill to address loopholes in our immigration system which encourage vulnerable immigrant populations to take dangerous, illegal paths of entry into the United States. "Loopholes in our immigration system perversely compel women and child  more

WASHINGTON, March 26 -- Sen. Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) along with Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) introduced the End Child Trafficking Now Act to prevent drug cartels and transnational criminal gangs from trafficking and exploiting migrant children to gain illegal entry into the country. Representative Lance Gooden (R-Texas) introduced companion legislation today in the Hou  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, issued the following news release on March 23, 2021: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Reps. Ro Khanna, (D-Calif.), Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Cori Bush (D-Mo.), along with more than two dozen colleagues, on Tuesday introduced sweeping legislation to drastically reduce the cost of prescription drugs in the United States. The package of bills includes: The Prescription Drug Price Relief Act to peg the price of prescrip  more

ST. LOUIS, Missouri, March 24 -- Rep. Cori Bush, D-Missouri, issued the following news release on March 23, 2021: Congresswoman Cori Bush (D-Mo.), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Congressmen Ro Khanna, (D-Calif.), Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), along with more than two dozen colleagues, on Tuesday, introduced sweeping legislation to drastically reduce the cost of prescription drugs in the United States. The package of bills includes: The Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Act to di  more

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, issued the following news release on March 24, 2021: The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee unanimously passed bipartisan legislation authored by U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today aimed at modernizing and investing in our nation's crumbling water infrastructure. The Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 (DWWIA 2021) was introduced yesterday and comes after water crises earlier this year ac  more

WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee issued the following testimony by Scott Melbye, president of Uranium Producers of America, and executive vice president of Uranium Energy Corp., at a hearing on nuclear energy on March 25, 2021: * * * My name is Scott Melbye and I am the Executive Vice President of Uranium Energy Corp (UEC) with operations in the states of Wyoming and Texas. As a second-generation American uranium miner, I am proud to serve as the Presid  more

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-Maryland, issued the following news release on March 24, 2021: U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.), welcomed the Senate Foreign Committee on Relations unanimous approval of a Rubio and Menendez led resolution (S.Res.44), which condemns last year's fraudulent legislative elections by the Maduro regime. The bipartisan resolution also denounce  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news release on March 23, 2021: U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Chris Coons (D-DE) today introduced the Jaime Zapata and Victor Avila Federal Law Enforcement Protection Act, a bill to ensure individuals who have killed or attempted to kill U.S. federal officers and employees serving abroad can be brought to justice and prosecuted in the United States. "U.S. law enforcement officers sacrifice their own safety for their  more

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, issued the following news release on March 24, 2021: U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) today introduced the Revitalizing American Priorities for Infrastructure Development (RAPID) Act, which would streamline the application process for the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program and increase transparency in vetting the projects requesting these funds. "TIFIA loans have supported numerous i  more

WASHINGTON, March 25 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news release on March 24, 2021: U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) today introduced the Revitalizing American Priorities for Infrastructure Development (RAPID) Act, which would streamline the application process for the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program and increase transparency in vetting the projects requesting these funds. "TIFIA loans have supported numerous imp  more

WASHINGTON, March 23 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) wrote a letter to President Biden asking him to address the surge in migrants at the southern border and reaffirming their commitment to work on bipartisan legislation to help solve this crisis. They wrote, "We write to urge you to use your full authorities to effectively respond to and successfully manage the ongoing crisis at our Southwest Border. I  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news release on March 23, 2021: U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) today reintroduced their Human Trafficking Survivor Tax Relief Act, which would exempt civil damages, restitution, and other monetary awards given to human trafficking survivors from federal income taxes. It would also codify current Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance that makes restitution payments ma  more

WASHINGTON, March 27 -- Sen. James M. Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, issued the following news release on March 26, 2021: Yesterday, U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) joined Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), John Kennedy (R-La.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) in introducing the Natural Gas Export Expansion Act, which eliminates onerous regulations that discourage liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade and increases LNG exports to the over 160 countries in the World Trade Organization (WTO). This legi  more

WASHINGTON, March 26 -- Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release on March 25, 2021: Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today joined Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) in introducing the Natural Gas Export Expansion Act, which would remove regulatory bottlenecks that discourage the liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade and increase LNG exports to the more than 160 countries in the World Trade Organization. "LNG ex  more

WASHINGTON, March 24 -- Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Arizona, issued the following news release: Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema--Chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Border Management--and Republican Senator John Cornyn (Texas) wrote a letter calling on the administration to address the surge in migrants at the southern border and reaffirming their commitment to work on bipartisan legislation to help solve this crisis. The Senators wrote, "We write to urge you to use your full authorities to e  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 24 -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, issued the following statement on March 23, 2021, on the retirement of Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Texas at the end of the 117th Congress: * * * "Congressman Filemon Vela is a proud son of Brownsville, who has dedicated decades to helping advance justice, opportunity and prosperity for the people of the Rio Grande Valley. His leadership in the Congress will be missed when he departs. "Over a lifetime of public service,   more