WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Colin Allred (TX-32) joined members of the Texas congressional delegation from both sides of the aisle in urging the Department of Defense to review how changing population demographics impact the needs of National Guard Bureaus. Allred and his colleagues asked that the Administration work with them to help Texas' National Guard keep pace with the needs of the state's growing population. "The Texas  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, issued the following news release on June 4, 2021: Congressman Jodey Arrington (TX-19) joined The Faulkner Focus on Fox News for an exclusive on his resolution dropping next week that will assert the rights of states to defend themselves against the drug cartels at the southern border. Click here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l49u67jLJAs) for the full interview. Rep. Arrington on states' rights to defend themselves from the cartels attac  more

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Congressmen Brian Babin (TX-36) and Andy Biggs (AZ-05), co-chairs of the House Border Security Caucus, along with 29 of their colleagues sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell urging that they reject President Biden's nominees to lead U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and U.S. Immigration and Custom  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following statement on June 4, 2021, regarding May's jobs report: * * * "Even with dumbed down jobs expectations based on April's disastrous report, here is another jobs report falling well short of expectations. Long-term unemployment is higher than when the pandemic started, and labor force participation mirrors the stagnant 1970s. "It's time for President Biden to a  more

WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Brady (TX-08) and 160 Members of Congress sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken asking for the State Department to prioritize discussions of intercountry adoption between the Unites State and China, which was paused due to COVID-19. "We write to you today concerning the plight of Chinese children waiting to be united with their adoptive American families and respectfully request that yo  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Castro (TX-20), a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, introduced the Indian Ocean Region Strategic Review Act topromote economic and security cooperation with civil society, the private sector, and the governments in the Indian Ocean region. This bill is also included as part of the EAGLE Act. "The Indian Ocean region is i  more

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) released the following statement regarding Governor Abbott's border declaration and the Department of Homeland Security's termination of the Migrant Protection Protocols Program (MPP): "Today, Governor Abbott announced a "disaster declaration" along Texas's southern border. I cannot in good conscience agree with the governor's decision - this is not a disaster. As someone w  more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, issued the following news release on June 2, 2021: Rep. Beth Van Duyne (TX-24) yesterday introduced H.R. 3290, the Disarming Felons Act, which would prohibit an individual who committed a violent felony between the ages of 15 and 17 from buying a firearm after turning 18. "As crime is increasing across our cities, it is vital Congress consider policies preventing guns from falling into the hands of violent criminals, however, the House has fa  more

WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, issued the following news release on June 1, 2021: U.S. Congressman Pat Fallon (TX-04) issued a statement today following a cyberattack on JBS USA, one of the largest meat producers in the United States with two locations in the Fourth Congressional District of Texas. He also called on Speaker Pelosi to immediately consider legislation he introduced last month to significantly increase penalties for cyberattacks on U.S. infrastructure. "America's  more

WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Last week, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) and Congressman Kelly Armstrong (ND-AL) introduced the bipartisan Revive Economic Growth and Reclaim Orphaned Wells (REGROW) Act of 2021 to clean up orphaned oil and gas wells, which can leak methane, contaminate groundwater, and create safety risks for neighboring communities. There are more than 56,000 documented "orphaned" oil and gas wells across the count  more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) joined more than 100 of her colleagues in a bipartisan effort to replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) and support restaurants that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The American Rescue Plan provided $28.6 billion to establish the RRF. Last week, less than one month after applications for the program opened, Small Business Administrator (SBA) Is  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) joined a bipartisan letter with his House colleagues to Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Lloyd Austin asking to increase the size of the National Guard of Texas, California and Florida. "As elected representatives from the nation's three most populous states, we have an obligation to ensure that these civilian warriors, and our state bureaus, have the resources they need  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) on Thursday sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra for increased transparency on the status and placement of unaccompanied minors who enter the care of HHS. This letter comes after five migrant girls, ages 11-months to 7 years old, were founded abandoned in his district. When unaccompanied minors are found abandoned after cr  more

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S.Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) joined House Republicans in a letter led by House Republican Whip Steve Scalise urging Speaker Nancy Pelosi to perform a full investigation into the origins of COVID-19. Read the full text of the letter here: https://www.republicanwhip.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Letter-to-Speaker-Re-COVID-19-Origins.pdf "We request that you instruct the appropriate Democrat committe  more

WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) joined a bipartisan group of members of the U.S.-Mexico Border Congressional Delegation in sending a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to ease travel restrictions and closures on the land ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico Border. Read the letter to President Biden here (http://gonzales.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/gonzales.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/Souther  more

WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, issued the following news release: The Bipartisan Border Solutions Act, a bill introduced by U.S. Congressmen Tony Gonzales (R-TX-23) and Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) with U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Krysten Sinema (D-AZ), has garnered support from immigration groups, elected officials, and business organizations. The Bipartisan Border Solutions Act is the only bipartisan, bicameral legislation to respond to the surge in migrants coming acr  more

WASHINGTON, May 27 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced $1.8 million in federal funding for the McAllen Center for Urban Ecology awarded by the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Recovery Assistance. The city of McAllen, Texas, will receive an $1.8 million EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to construct an educatio  more

WASHINGTON, May 26 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced a $2 million award from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) for the City of Pharr to build a facility that will be used by the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) to expand its School of Nursing. The project is meant to address nursing shortages and allow for the region to prepare for and best respond to COVID-19   more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following statement: * * * Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) issued a statement in response to the disaster declaration declared by Texas Governor Greg Abbott: "I welcome Governor Abbot's disaster declaration if it helps fund our local law enforcement and sheriff departments in South Texas, especially counties just north of border like Brooks, Duval, Jim Hogg and many others. "However, we need to make intelligent investment  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Rep. Lance Gooden, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Lance Gooden (R-TX) sent a letter to Union Pacific President & CEO Lance Fritz requesting the company reconsider its decision to essentially shut down the Palestine railroad car facility. In his letter, Congressman Gooden makes clear the impact that Union Pacific's decision will have on the Palestine community. "Your decision to essentially close the Palestine Car Facility will have a devastating   more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on June 2, 2021: * * * House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul has released the following statement highlighting his concern with the rehiring of a USAGM executive who was fired after repeated reports of mismanagement, misuse of funds and falsification of credentials, and after a thorough investigation initiated by career c  more

WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul and 20 committee Republicans sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressing concern over the Biden Administration's decision to apply a U.S. national interest waiver to forego the imposition of mandatory sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG, its CEO, Matthias Warnig, and its  more

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following news release on June 3, 2021: Last week, the World Health Assembly elected Belarus and Syria to the WHO's Executive Board. As a member of the General Committee, the United States had the ability to challenge any appointment to this board by calling for a vote, yet the Biden Administration let the election go by consensus, only speaking out afterwards. House   more

WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Rep. Van Taylor, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Van Taylor (TX-03) is honored to announce nominations are now being accepted for the 2021 Congressional Veteran Commendation. Congressman Van Taylor stated, "Texas' Third Congressional District has an outstanding community of Veterans who've gone to great lengths to defend the freedoms we relish today. Their dedication to serving their country and the Collin County community will never be forgotten a  more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Filemon Vela (D-TX-34) announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Children and Families has awarded a $2,900,316 grant to Neighbors in Need of Service (NINOS) Inc. These federal funds are part of the American Rescue Plan, which Congressman Vela helped pass earlier this year. The award will help support children, families and communities who have suffere  more

WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Filemon Vela (D-TX-34) joined Congressman Pat Fallon (R-TX-04), Ronny Jackson (R-TX-13), and Marc Veasey (D-TX-33) in introducing bipartisan legislation to incentivize veteran employment following the devastating spike in veteran job losses during the COVID-19 pandemic. As businesses recover, reopen, and rehire workers following the pandemic, veterans are struggling to compete for positions in a job  more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Florida, issued the following news release: On Tuesday, U.S. Representatives Mike Waltz (FL-R), Stephanie Murphy (FL-D), Ken Calvert (CA-R), Jimmy Panetta (CA-D), Ronny Jackson (TX-R), and Marc Veasey (TX-D) lead a bipartisan, tri-state delegation letter along with 59 total members of Congress to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin highlighting the challenges that the Florida, California, and Texas Guard face and asking what resources and authorities ar  more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Colin Allred (D-TX-32) and Congressman Mike Gallagher (R-WI-08) today re-introduced the Revitalizing American Priorities for Infrastructure Development (RAPID) Act in the House. Both are members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The bill would incentivize investment in infrastructure through participation in the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA)  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following news release: With billions in taxpayer funds reallocated, hundreds of volunteers deployed to the border, and the U.S. foster care system reaching a breaking point, the consequences of President Biden's border crisis are intensifying. Ways and Means Republican Leader Kevin Brady (R-TX), Oversight Subcommittee Republican Leader Mike Kelly (R-PA), Worker Family S  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Castro (TX-20), senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and Congressman Meijer (MI-3) introduced legislation to monitor and address China's censorship and intimidation strategies affecting Americans and American businesses. This legislation is the House counterpart to a Senate bill introduced by Senators Jeff Merkley, Marco Rub  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Rep. James Comer, R-Kentucky, ranking Republican member of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, issued the following news release on June 4, 2021: With billions in taxpayer funds reallocated, hundreds of volunteers deployed to the border, and the U.S. foster care system reaching a breaking point, the consequences of President Biden's border crisis are intensifying. Committee on Oversight and Reform Republican Leader James Comer (R-Ky.) and Ways and Means Republican L  more

MCALLEN, Texas, June 3 -- Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressmen Tony Gonzales (R-TX-23) and Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) on Wednesday joined Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) for a tour of the Texas-Mexico border in the Rio Grande Valley. They toured Border Patrol's Donna Temporary Processing Center, the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Delphi Emergency Intake Site, the McAllen-Hidalgo International Bridge, and met with local el  more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following joint statement on June 2, 2021, with Rep. Gregory W. Meeks, D-New York, regarding the second coup to occur in Mali in less than one year: * * * "We are shocked and dismayed by the second military-led coup in Mali in less than one year, and we strongly condemn the role of the military junta in disrupting the civilian-led transition and progress made toward  more

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: An avalanche of Republican voter suppression bills in state legislatures across America--including an extremely restrictive bill in Texas that was narrowly staved off by state Democrats last week--has continued to contribute to momentous public support from a supermajority of Americans for voting protections and other measures to strengthen America's democracy. To answer that call, Senate Majority Leader Schum  more

WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced comprehensive, bipartisan legislation to dramatically expand behavioral health crisis services in Nevada and across the country. Current national standards for addressing mental health crises are woefully inadequate. As a result, law enforcement and emergency medical personnel who are not trained to deal with behaviora  more

WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news release on June 1, 2021: U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX)'s Bipartisan Border Solutions Act, the only bipartisan, bicameral legislation to respond to the surge in migrants coming across our southern border, has garnered support from immigration groups, elected officials, and business organizations. You can learn more about this legislation here: https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/content/news/cornyn-sinema-cuellar-gonzales-i  more