Thursday - November 21, 2024
U.S. Congressional Tipoffs Involving Texas Newsletter for Sunday November 17, 2024 ( 30 items )  

Arrington Applauds House Passage of Pro-Energy Legislation
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 -- Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Today, House Budget Chairman Jodey Arrington (TX-19) applauded House passage of two pieces of pro-energy legislation. The HEATS Act (H.R. 7409) would remove the requirement for a federal drilling permit for geothermal activities on non-federal land. "For too long, American oil and gas production has been hamstrung by overregulation and extreme environmental activism," said Chairman Arrington. "Removing ba  more

Arrington Urges Passage of His Legislation to Ensure Teachers, Police, and Firefighters Receive What They Contribute to Social Security
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 -- Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Today, House Budget Chairman Jodey Arrington (TX-19) spoke on the House floor to urge his colleagues to pass his legislation the Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act (H.R. 5342) to ensure public servants subject to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) receive their fair share of Social Security benefits in retirement. For decades, millions of teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other public s  more

Burgess Honors Veterans of the 26th Congressional District
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 -- Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, issued the following news release: On Veterans Day, Congressman Michael Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), Chairman of the Rules Committee, honored five Veterans with the 26th Congressional District Veteran Commendation at the Highland Village Business Association's 'Salute Our Veterans' Luncheon. Chairman Burgess also spoke at the Denton County Veterans Day Ceremony on the Denton Square. "Our veterans are not merely heroes in uniform; they are the livi  more

Comer, Higgins & Nehls Press GAO to Assess U.S. Treasury Compliance With Law to Protect U.S. Shrimp Industry
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 -- Rep. James Comer, R-Kentucky, chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, issued the following news release: House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.), Congressman Clay Higgins (R-La.), and Congressman Troy Nehls (R-Texas) are pressing the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to examine whether the U.S. Treasury Department is following legal requirements to oppose international economic assistance projects that t  more

Congressman August Pfluger Elected Chairman of the Republican Study Committee
WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 -- Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, issued the following news release: This morning, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) was elected to serve as the Chairman of the Republican Study Committee (RSC) in the 119th Congress. Rep. Pfluger previously served as the Chairman of the RSC House Energy Action Team. The Republican Study Committee is the largest caucus of House Conservatives on Capitol Hill. The organization works to enact strong conservative policies that provide for and p  more

Congressman Moran Votes for the Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 -- Rep. Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-01) voted to support Congressman Jodey Arrington's (R-TX-19) H.R. 5342, the Equal Treatment of Public Services Act, to provide a legislative fix to ensure teachers, firefighters, law enforcement officers, and other public servants receive what they contribute to Social Security. "The Windfall Elimination Provision unfairly impacts the retirement of teachers, firefighters,   more

Cramer Statement on Department of Interior Attempt to Overturn Venting, Flaring Preliminary Injunction
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 -- Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-North Dakota, issued the following news release: In September, North Dakota won a preliminary injunction against the U.S. Department of the Interior to block the Biden administration venting and flaring rule in North Dakota v. U.S. Department of the Interior. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) venting and flaring rule establishes a new royalty on flared gas, institutes monthly limits on allowable flaring, and adds new application requirements for ope  more

House Budget Committee Chairman Arrington Issues Statement on President Trump Department of Government Efficiency
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 -- Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, chairman of the House Budget Committee, issued the following news release on Nov. 13, 2024: Yesterday, President Trump announced the formation of a new outside government entity named the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), spearheaded by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, dedicated to identifying wasteful spending and expunging it from federal agencies throughout the government. The DOGE's first task will be to conduct a complete audit   more

House Budget Committee Chairman Arrington, Rep. Grothman Laud Passage of Legislation to Eliminate Useless Reports
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 -- Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, chairman of the House Budget Committee, issued the following news release: Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed the bipartisan H.R. 5301, the Eliminate Useless Reports Act of 2023, by a voice vote. House Budget Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-TX), joined by original cosponsor Representative Glenn Grothman (R-WI), released the following statements applauding House passage of H.R. 5301: Chairman Arrington's Statement on H.R. 5301: "We  more

House Education Committee Chairwoman Foxx on Court Rejecting Biden-Harris Overtime Rule
WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 -- Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-North Carolina, chairwoman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement on Nov. 15, 2024: * * * Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) issued the following statement after the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas invalidated the Biden-Harris overtime rule: "Once again, the Biden-Harris administration has had its hand slapped for government overreach. Is it ever go  more

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman McCaul Issues Commentary to First Things: America's Atheist Diplomacy
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 -- Rep. Michael T. McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following commentary to the First Things on Nov. 13, 2024: * * * Today, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul published an op-ed in "First Things" magazine criticizing the Biden-Harris administration for using taxpayer dollars to promote atheism programs abroad. Over the past few years, Chairman McCaul has conducted an investigation into the misallocation of fun  more

House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee Sets Nov. 20 Hearing on Meeting Challenges of Global Brain Health
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 -- The House Foreign Affairs Subcommittees on Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations issued the following information for a hearing entitled "Meeting the Challenges of Global Brain Health: Diagnosis and Treatment for the 21st Century" at 2 p.m. on Nov. 20, 2024, at 2172 Rayburn House Office Building: Witnesses * Gladys E. Maestre, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Alzheimer's Disease Resource Center for Minority Aging Research, University of Texas * Benjam  more

House Small Business Committee Chairman Williams: We Honor Our Veterans Who Continue to Serve Our Nation
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 -- Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, chairman of the House Small Business Committee, issued the following statement on Nov. 11, 2024: * * * Today, Congressman Roger Williams (TX-25), Chairman of the House Committee on Small Business, issued the following statement in support of National Veterans Small Business Week. "This Veterans Small Business Week, we once again honor and recognize those who have carried on their contributions to America through running a small business of   more

House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance & Memorial Affairs Chairman Luttrell at National Cemeteries Hearing: 'We Must Ensure Every Veteran Nationwide Has a Final Resting Place.'
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 -- Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas, chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, issued the following news release on Nov. 13, 2024: Today, Rep. Morgan Luttrell (R-Texas), the Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, delivered the following opening remarks, as prepared, at the start of the subcommittee's hearing on a review of the Army's progress to re  more

ICYMI: Cruz, Colleagues Demand Answers from VA Secretary about Unauthorized Records Access of Political Candidates
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sent a letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough raising concerns over reports that numerous VA employees improperly accessed the medical records of then-vice-presidential candidates Sen. JD Vance and Gov. Tim Walz. In the letter, the senators wrote, "Nine million veterans rely on the VA to protect their medical records. Rece  more

N.M. Delegation Urges DOJ and Interior to Resolve Texas v. New Mexico and Colorado Legislation Before End of Year
WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 -- Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-New Mexico, issued the following news release: Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) are calling on the U.S. Department of Interior and U.S. Department of Justice to resolve longstanding litigation affecting water users in the Rio Grande Basin, Texas v. New Mexico and Colorado, before the end of the year. In a letter  more

New GAO Report on Gun Trafficking: 73% of Guns Recovered in Caribbean Can Be Traced Back to United States
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 -- Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Today, Rep. Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Sen. Majority Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led the release of a new report from the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) that examines the role of U.S  more

Pfluger Statement on EPA's Final Rule for Natural Gas Tax
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 -- Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) issued the following statement regarding the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) final rule to implement a natural gas tax against American energy producers: Rep. August Pfluger (TX-11): "President Biden's promise to end fossil fuels hurt the hardworking energy producers of my district, who have worked diligently to increase production while reducing emissions. The Bid  more

Rep. Cuellar Passes Bipartisan Bill to Restore Social Security Benefits for Thousands in South Texas
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 -- Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) helped pass the bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act of 2023, legislation that he supported as a co-sponsor and as a co-signer of a discharge petition to force a floor vote. This bill removes provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for teachers, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other critical public servants. This legislation is now headed to the Senate.  more

Rep. De La Cruz Introduces 'Saving Lives on Campuses Act of 2024' to Combat Opioid Overdose Crisis
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 -- Rep. Monica de la Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz (TX-15) recently introduced the bipartisan Saving Lives on Campuses Act of 2024, a bill requiring public colleges and universities to provide opioid overdose rescue kits, including Narcan (naloxone), to help address the deadly rise in opioid-related deaths among young adults. Rep. Lou Correa (CA-46) is the bill's lead co-sponsor. "Fentanyl is the number one killer of Ameri  more

Rep. Jackson Applauds President-Elect Trump Picks for His Administration
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 -- Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, issued the following statement on Nov. 13, 2024: * * * Today, Congressman Ronny Jackson (TX-13) released the following statement on President-elect Trump's picks for his administration. Jackson said: "It is time to shake the foundations of our nation's capital, and President-elect Trump has already begun doing so by tapping an incredibly talented team thus far to execute his national security agenda in pursuing peace through strength once a  more

Rep. Luttrell Cosponsors Legislation to Restore Full Social Security Benefits for Public Servants, Passes House With Bipartisan Support
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 -- Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Morgan Luttrell (R-TX) cosponsored H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act, a bipartisan effort to repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). This legislation aims to restore the Social Security benefits public servants have rightfully earned, ensuring a fair retirement for teachers, police officers, firefighters, emergency responders, and other st  more

Rep. Monica De La Cruz Introduces 'South Texas Agriculture Emergency Assistance Act'
WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 -- Rep. Monica de la Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz (TX-15) has introduced H.R. 10113, the "South Texas Agriculture Emergency Assistance Act," aimed at providing vital financial support to agricultural producers in Texas with operations along the Rio Grande. The bill is designed to address the economic losses these producers have endured during the 2023 and 2024 crop years due to Mexico's failure to meet its water delivery o  more

Rep. Nehls, Comer, Higgins Press GAO to Assess U.S. Treasury Compliance With Law to Protect U.S. Shrimp Industry
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 -- Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Nov. 12, 2024: Congressman Troy E. Nehls (R-TX-22), House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-KY-01), and Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA-03) are pressing the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to examine whether the U.S. Treasury Department is following legal requirements to oppose international economic assistance projects that threaten American industries, including the  more

Rep. Roy issues statement on H.R. 5342 and H.R. 82
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 -- Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, issued the following news release: On Tuesday, Representative Chip Roy (TX-21) issued the following statement: "Today, I voted for H.R. 5342, which would have responsibly fixed the issues stemming from Social Security's Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). Many of America's police, firefighters, teachers, and other public servants have unfairly seen their Social Security benefits reduced because of the poorly crafted WEP, despite many of these i  more

Rep. Sylvia Garcia Applauds $25.359M Grant to Strengthen Port of Houston Export Capacity & Flood Resilience
WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 -- Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, issued the following news release on Nov. 15, 2024: Today, Congresswoman Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX-29) proudly announced a $25,359,216 federal grant awarded to the Port of Houston through the Biden-Harris Administration's Port Infrastructure Development Program. Earlier this year, Congresswoman Garcia called for funding to expand the port's grain export capacity and improve flood resilience. Today's award, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrast  more

Rep. Sylvia Garcia Calls On Congress to Pass American Dream & Promise Act to Protect Dreamers
WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 -- Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, issued the following news release on Nov. 14, 2024: Today, Congresswoman Sylvia R. Garcia (D-TX-29) delivered a speech on the House floor, urging her colleagues to act quickly to pass the American Dream and Promise Act, which provides a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) recipients. In her speech, Congresswoman Garcia highlighted the vital economic contribution  more

Sen. Cruz Named NICE 2024 Congressional Champion of Interior Enforcement
WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Constitution, has been named by the National Immigration Center for Enforcement (NICE) as a 2024 Congressional Champion of Interior Enforcement for his leadership to secure the southern border. Sen. Cruz earned this recognition for authoring the Justice for Jocelyn Act, one of NICE's top-priority bills,   more

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Risch, Colleagues Ask Biden Admin to Reverse Course on Potentially Constraining U.S. Manufacturing, Development of Chemicals, Plastic Products
WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 -- Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today led Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Marsha Blackbu  more

Sens. Moran, Tester Bill to Authorize New VA Medical Facilities Nationwide
WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 -- Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, ranking member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news: The U.S. Senate passed legislation led by Sens. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) - ranking member and chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee - to authorize several new Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) construction projects for medical facilities across the nation. The Fiscal Year 2024 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authoriz  more