WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 -- Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Colin Allred (TX-32), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the following statement after the House passed the bipartisan, Protect Against Conflict by Turkey Act, H.R. 4695. "After the reckless decision to withdraw U.S. troops in northern Syria, it is more important than ever that Congress assert itself and stand up for our values," said Allred. "The heinous actions by the Tur  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 -- Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), and U.S. Senators Chris Coons (Del.) and Roy Blunt (Mo.), introduced the Global Child Thrive Act. The bipartisan legislation strengthens the implementation of policies that advance early childhood development internationally, which includes learning and physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development for children younger  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 -- Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, issued the following news release: Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) sent one final letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator, Andrew Wheeler, seeking relevant documents and transcribed interviews with EPA staff. It was a follow-up to numerous previous requests related to the decision to remove formaldehyde and nine other chemical assessments from   more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 -- The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman, Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, issued the following statement on the end of Kevin McAleenan's tenure as acting secretary of Homeland Security: "The American people will not forget the chaos and human suffering that marked Acting Secretary McAleenan's tenure at the Department of Homeland Security. "Instead of fulfilling the mission of DHS to uphold our national security, Acting Secretary McAleenan worked to enforce some of the Departm  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) supported the passage of H.R. 4842, the Expositions Provide Opportunities (EXPO) Act, which she co-sponsored. The bill passed the House yesterday. Houston is one of two U.S. cities interested in competing to host the 2027 World Expo. Under current law, the U.S. is the only G7 country that relies on private donations to guarantee its presence at world expos, and it is   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) questioned Boeing CEO, Dennis Muilenburg, and Boeing Chief Engineer of Commercial Airplanes division, John Hamilton, about Boeing's design, development, certification, and promotion of the Boeing 737 MAX plane. Over the last six months, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has carried out an investigation of Boeing and its practices after two deadl  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) voted in favor of H.R. 4695, the bipartisan Protect Against Conflict by Turkey (PACT) Act, which imposes sanctions against Turkey for the invasion of northern Syria. It passed the House with bipartisan support, 403 to 16. "Turkey's aggression in Syria has further destabilized the region," said Congresswoman Fletcher. "It is important that our Congress stands together t  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, issued the following news release: Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill) were joined by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) to call on Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, to hold  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on government-wide review of information technology workforce planning. The report (GAO-20-129) is titled "Information Technology: Agencies Need to Fully Implement Key Workforce Planning Activities". The report was sent to Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, D-Virginia, chairman, Rep. Mark Meadows, R-North Carolina, ranking member o  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 -- The House Natural Resources subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Land issued the following testimony by Brownsville Mayor Juan 'Trey' Mendez at a hearing on legislation (H.R. 4139) to provide for the boundary of the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Park to be adjusted, to authorize the donation of land to the U.S. for addition to that historic park: "For 80 years, the Brownsville community and the National Park Service have worked together on projects  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 -- The House Natural Resources subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife issued the following testimony by Juan Parras, executive director of Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services, at a hearing entitled "Sea of Problems: Impacts of Plastic Pollution on Oceans and Wildlife": "T.e.j.a.s has been working on environmental justice issues along the Houston Ship Channel for over 16 years, we work at the intersection of human rights and social justice issues. We call Housto  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- The House Natural Resources subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife issued the following hearing information: Sea of Problems: Impacts of Plastic Pollution on Oceans and Wildlife at 1324 Longworth House Office Building at 2 p.m. on Oct. 29: Witness List * Ted Danson, Actor, Advocate and Board Member, Oceana, Los Angeles, CA * Juan Parras, Founder, Executive Director, Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services (TEJAS), Houston, TX * Jenna Jambeck, Professor of Env  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- The House Small Business Committee issued the following testimony by Frank-Paul King, president of Temple Fork Outfitters, at a hearing entitled "Force of Nature: The Power of Small Businesses in America's Recreational Infrastructure": "Thank you for this opportunity to testify before you today regarding the power of small business in American's outdoor recreational infrastructure. INTRODUCTION "My name is Frank-Paul King and I'm the President of Temple Fork Outfitters   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Rep. Van Taylor, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Congressman Van Taylor (TX-03) recognized the efforts of volunteers who are helping families across North Texas recover from last week's tornadoes. While speaking in the House Chamber, Rep. Taylor said, "Communities with solid foundations do more than just rebuild homes, businesses, and schools, but also help relieve heartache that follows catastrophic loss." He continued, "City leaders including th  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 -- Rep. Scott Peters, D-California, issued the following news release: Today, Rep. Scott Peters (CA-52) released a copy of the remarks he delivered over the weekend at the 54th annual meeting of the U.S.-Mexico Inter-Parliamentary Group led by Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX-28) and attended by Mexican lawmakers and members of Congress representing Texas and California. Rep. Peters opened a section of the meeting on border infrastructure and the environment, and chose to focus his re  more

SAN DIEGO, California, Oct. 28 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX), Lead Republican of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Co-Chair of the U.S.-Mexico Interparliamentary Group (IPG) and Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX), the Chair of the IPG, led a congressional delegation to California to meet with Mexican lawmakers on several critical and timely issues facing   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, issued the following statement after the House voted to begin an impeachment inquiry against President Trump: "Today was a sad day for our country. We now have round two of this phony impeachment process that's purely political, not based in fact, and not based in the pursuit of truth and justice. There's no openness, there's no fairness, and there's really no credibility. "This is a phony process - no matter how you dress it up. We're allo  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, issued the following statement after delivering a letter co-signed by 25 of his colleagues requesting that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, utilize a call of the roll if she makes the misguided decision to move forward with a vote on the impeachment inquiry resolution (H.Res. 660): "These sham impeachment proceedings are nothing but a farce forced on us by the Democrat majority, as a means to the end they have been seeking ever since th  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 -- Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following statement in response to the Labor Department's October 2019 jobs report: "With 128,000 jobs added in October, this is a solid report that shows workers continue to be the driver in this strong economy. "Despite some outside factors, including the GM auto strike, this economy continues to add jobs at a record pace under this new tax code - with upward revisions  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 -- Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following statement after Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, announced that he will retire at the end of the 116th Congress: "Greg Walden has been a great partner in the fight to make health care more affordable and accessible for patients across the country. "Chairman Walden's tenure at the Energy and Comme  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 -- Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, Republican leader of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's subcommittee on Health, issued the following statement on the announcement of Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, to retire at the end of the 116th Congress: "While sad to hear the news of Leader Greg Walden's retirement. I look forward to working with him for the remainder of this Congress to accomplish the leader's priorities. "Greg Walden has a proven, successful track record of lea  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX) joined WBAP 820's Rick Roberts Show to discuss the upcoming impeachment inquiry vote happening this week. Highlights: It should have started this way: "You don't start an impeachment proceeding with a press conference, that's what Pelosi did four weeks ago. This should have been the first item that was covered, deciding on the rules of this investigation." Its   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 -- Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), Republican Leader of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health appreciates the House voting to pass H.R. 2781, EMPOWER for Health Act. "This legislation reauthorizes the Title VII health professions workforce programs through 2024," Burgess said. "Reauthorizing Title VII programs is long overdue, especially in a time when our existing physician workforce is  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, issued the following statement after voting against the impeachment inquiry resolution (H. Res. 660): "After moving forward with this political stunt without a vote on the floor to begin with, House Democrats are now attempting to legitimize their closed-door, partisan investigation only because the American people recognize their antics for what they are. "This resolution continues an entirely political investigation by Chairman Schiff, who lo  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, issued the following statement after Vice President Pence's visit to Fort Hood in Texas' 31st Congressional District: "It was an honor to welcome Vice President Pence to Fort Hood in Texas' 31st District. This Administration has been a great partner in our fight to improve the lives of Soldiers at the Great Place and Central Texas Veterans. "I especially appreciate the focus the Vice President has regarding the transition military men and women  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, a member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor committees and co-chair of the U.S.-Japan Caucus, issued the following statement after the House Foreign Affairs Committee approved the resolution (H.Res.349) that reaffirms the role of the U.S.-Japan alliance in promoting stability and economic development in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. The resolution was first introduced in May: "For more than 70 years, the partnership betwe  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- Rep. K. Michael Conaway, R-Texas, issued the following statement after voting against the impeachment inquiry resolution (H.Res. 660): "This is anything but a fair and transparent impeachment process. It is designed by the Democrats to benefit the Democrats, and it falls far below the standards laid out in the oath we as Members of Congress vowed to uphold. "It is worth saying once more: none of the impeachment-related interviews that have taken place in the Intelligence  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27 -- Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, issued the following statement regarding the raid that took out ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: "Today is a good day in America. ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead and our enemy is significantly weaker. "I'm proud of our U.S. Special Operators who carried out this high-risk mission and applaud the administration for its decisive action. This is what is possible with a forward deployed presence and strong, intelligence-sharing relations  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) co-sponsors H.R. 2452, the Deborah Sampson Act, which aims to address inequities in accessing VA healthcare and benefits for women veterans. The Deborah Sampson Act will improve access to healthcare, legal services, housing, and other resources for women veterans. "Veterans deserve the highest quality care when they return home, regardless of gender. Unfortunately, too many   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following statement after the Washington Nationals defeated the Houston Astros in game seven to win the 2019 World Series Championship: "Congratulations to the Washington Nationals on a hard-won World Series. "Your teamwork, drive, and energy are inspiring, and the D.C. fans' warm welcome to visiting Houstonians was a great reminder of our country's unity. "And to the 2019 Houston Astros, we could not be prouder. "You played  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following statement on her vote in favor of the resolution directing committees of jurisdiction to continue their investigations as part of the existing House of Representatives impeachment inquiry and establishing further procedures: "The matters before the Congress are matters of utmost importance for our country and our Constitution. As a member of Congress, I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United S  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- Rep. Bill Flores, R-Texas, issued the following statement regarding the House Democrats impeachment inquiry resolution: "Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats have spent over a month deceiving the American public behind closed doors, hiding key facts, not sharing interview transcripts, as well as breaking long-established rules and precedents in an attempt to impeach the president. Now, after recognizing that the American people are turning against their Soviet-style process  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 -- Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, issued the following statement regarding the news announced by President Trump that ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed in a U.S. military operation in northwest Syria: "Yesterday was a great day for Americans who love justice. Under the leadership of Commander-in-Chief Trump, one of the world's most ruthless, evil, terrorist leaders, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi along with his reign of terror was brought to an abrupt but appropriate end. "We  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced the opening of applications for the 2020 Environmental Education (EE) Grants Program sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA has $3 million in funding available for locally-focused environmental education projects under the program. In addition to other environmental topics, the 2020 EE Grants Program will fund education-based p  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following statement regarding the vote on the resolution (H.Res. 296) affirming the U.S. record on the Armenian genocide: "For too long the U.S. government has fallen short of calling the slaughter of millions of innocent Armenians what it is - a genocide. "As Turkey falls further into the grips of an authoritarian dictator who actively seeks to limit the freedom of speech, we celebrate ours. "Today's vote to formally recognize  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following statement in response to the Homeland Security Department announcement to issue an environmental waiver to expedite the building of the border wall in the Rio Grande Valley: "President Trump continues to blatantly misappropriate government funds, ignore the pleas of Texas landowners and seize land like a medieval feudal lord. "We do need to secure our border and crack down on criminal activities. "But that is done bes  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following statement on vote on a resolution (H.Res. 660) directing the House Permanent Select Intelligence, Financial Services, Foreign Affairs, Judiciary, Oversight and Reform and Ways and Means committees, to continue their investigations as part of the impeachment inquiry: "Our Constitution has never faced a greater test than what we face today. "I took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies, forei  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) praised the House Judiciary Committee on Immigration and Citizenship for holding a hearing entitled "The Impact of Current Immigration Policies on Service Members and Veterans, and their Families". The hearing sought to address the Trump Administration's tragic immigration policies and how U.S. immigrant veterans are being deported despite their service to our co  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, Republican leader of the House Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement after voting against a Democrat resolution to establish the rules, process and committees of jurisdiction to continue with the impeachment inquiry into President Trump: "For the past 37 days, the Democrat impeachment inquiry has been marked by closed door testimony, selective leaks to the press aimed at deliberately swaying public opinion, and a process that   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 -- Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, ex-chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee's subcommittee on Defense, released the following statement praising news that the Department of Defense had reached a deal with Lockheed Martin to purchase 478 F-35 aircraft valued at $34 billion: "The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which is built in the heart of my district, is the world's most capable and lethal aircraft. "This landmark deal is a huge win for Fort Worth and the hardworking men   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 -- Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Dear Friends, Human traffickers, money launderers, and terrorists too often utilize anonymous shell companies to evade law enforcement and hide their illegal activities. This clearly poses a risk to not only our national security, but also the safety and security of our Texas families. In an effort to get at this issue, H.R. 2315 was introduced, and it requires companies to disclose their true, beneficial owne  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 -- Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, issued the following statement on House passage of a resolution (H.Res. 660) that establishes the process and procedures for open hearings as the House moves forward with the next phase of the impeachment inquiry: "I first called for impeachment from the Floor of the United States House of Representatives on May 17, 2017. I did so after the President obstructed the FBI investigation of Russian intrusion into his 2016 presidential campaign by firing   more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 -- Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, issued the following speech, which was published in the Congressional Record on Oct. 31, remembering ex-Michigan Rep. John Conyers Jr.: I rise in remembrance of Chairman John Conyers, Jr., the tireless Fighter for Justice and Equality, Chairman of House Committees on Oversight and on the Judiciary, Founding Member of Congressional Black Caucus, Member of Congress From Michigan For 53 years, my mentor, a beloved colleague, and dear friend w  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, issued the following speech, which was published in the Congressional Record on Oct. 29, supporting the Dignity in Aging Act (H.R. 4334): I rise in strong support of H.R. 4334, the "Dignity in Aging Act of 2019." H.R. 4334 reauthorizes the Older Americans Act (OAA), which authorizes funds to state and local programs to ensure aging seniors have access to food, transportation, and other basic services they need to live independently and w  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, issued the following speech, which was published in the Congressional Record on Oct. 29, supporting the Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness for Health Act (H.R. 2781): I rise in strong support of H.R. 2781, the "EMPOWER for Health Act of 2019." H.R. 2781 reauthorizes funding at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for health professions workforce, education, and training pr  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, issued the following speech, which was published in the Congressional Record on Oct. 29, supporting the Federal Disaster Assistance Coordination Act (H.R. 1306): I rise in strong support of H.R. 1306, the "Federal Disaster Assistance Coordination Act." H.R. 1306 amends the Disaster Recovery Reform Act to help federal agencies streamline and consolidate information collection and Preliminary Damage Assessments following disasters. H.R. 1  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, issued the following speech, which was published in the Congressional Record on Oct. 29, supporting the Full Utilization of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Act (H.R. 2440): I rise in strong support of H.R. 2440, the "Full Utilization of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Act." H.R. 2440 creates a discretionary spending limit adjustment for full utilization of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund to ensure that funds are used to support nav  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 -- Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, issued the following speech, which was published in the Congressional Record on Oct. 31, supporting the Full Utilization of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Act (H.R. 2440): I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2440 the "The Full Utilization of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Act." In 1986, Congress enacted the Harbor Maintenance Tax to recover the operation and maintenance dredging costs for federally-authorized ports from maritime   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, issued the following speech, which was published in the Congressional Record on Oct. 29, supporting the Public Disclosure of Drug Discounts Act (H.R. 2115): I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2115, the "Public Disclosure of Drug Discounts Act." H.R. 2115 will require the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to publish certain payment information regarding pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and prescription drugs. H.R. 2115 a  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 -- Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, issued the following speech, which was published in the Congressional Record on Oct. 31, supporting the Public Disclosure of Drug Discounts Act (H.R. 2115): I rise in strong support of H.R. 2115, the "Public Disclosure of Drug Discounts Act." H.R. 2115 requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to publish certain payment information regarding pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and prescription drugs. Specifically, the CMS   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, issued the following speech, which was published in the Congressional Record on Oct. 29, supporting the Women's Suffrage Centennial Commemorative Coin Act (H.R. 2423): I rise in strong support of H.R. 2423, the "Women's Suffrage Centennial Commemorative Coin Act, as amended." H.R. 2423 directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue up to 400,000 $1 silver coins that are emblematic of the women who played a vital role in rallyin  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Oct. 26 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) held a community conversation and resource fair with veterans from Texas' Seventh Congressional District and representatives from organizations that focus on veterans issues. In a city with the second largest veterans population in the country, Congresswoman Fletcher convened federal, state, and municipal agencies, along with community organizations providin  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) cosponsored and voted to pass H.R. 2440, the Full Utilization of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Act, a bipartisan bill requiring funds collected in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund for authorized harbor maintenance needs, including to the Port of Houston, be spent on such activities. The bill passed the House, 296 to 109. "The Port of Houston is a critical driver o  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on President Trump's confirmation on the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a U.S.-led special operations raid in northwest Syria: "This morning, President Trump announced that the leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, has been confirmed dead in a US-led special operations raid in Northwest Syria. His death marks a significant milestone   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 -- Rep. Pete Olson, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Rep. Pete Olson (TX-22) today voted to hold Turkey accountable for their military invasion into northeast Syria against our Kurdish allies. Olson voted in support of the Protect Against Conflict by Turkey Act, bipartisan legislation that imposes sanctions on Turkey as a strong, targeted response to the crisis caused by their invasion. Olson was a co-sponsor of the legislation. Olson stated: "Turkish forces hav  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- Rep. Pete Olson, R-Texas, issued the following statement in opposition to the Democrats effort to validate their bad faith so-called impeachment inquiry: "America needs action to help lower the cost of prescription drugs, an updated trade agreement with Mexico and Canada and a Congress that properly keeps our government operating. "Today's action is a sad attempt to legitimize a hijacked process that has hidden from the American people the information being provided to r  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 -- Rep. Pete Olson, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Rep. Pete Olson (TX-22) today joined with a bipartisan group of members to pass legislation that paves the way to invite the international World Expo to Houston in 2027. The bill, H.R. 4842, the Expositions Provide Opportunities Act, ensures a United States presence at the World Expo in Dubai in 2020 to showcase America -- in particular Houston -- as a potential future venue for this global event. Rep. Dean Phil  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27 -- Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, issued the following statement regarding the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: "I'm glad al-Baghdadi is dead. And we believe we followed it up with killing the voice of ISIS, Abu Hassan al-Muhajir, spokesman of the Islamic State. America should continue sending the message to our enemies that no matter where you hide, we will rout you out, we will find you, and we will ensure that justice is served. "I am grateful for the continued, tirel  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, issued the following statement regarding Master Sgt. Matthew Williams receiving the Medal of Honor: "I am thrilled that TX-21 native Master Sgt. Matthew Williams recieved the Medal of Honor at the White House today for his heroic actions while serving as Weapons Sergeant, Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha 3336, Special Operations Task Force-33, in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. "According to the Medal of Honor citation, on April   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 -- Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on the mark-up of a veterans legislation: "The VA Committee met today to mark-up - or amend and then vote on - 10 pieces of legislation on issues ranging from how we allow our Gold Star Families to be treated, the GI bill and benefits use, veterans suicide, veterans childcare, and 2nd amendment protections. "It is a shame that Chairman Takano would not allow basic par  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 -- Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement on the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: "Killing Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is an important achievement in the fight against ISIS. "I am grateful to our men and women in uniform, our intelligence professionals, and our allies who contributed to this success. We have robbed ISIS of their founder and leader. "That is significant, but the threa  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, issued the following statement after the House passed a resolution that establishes procedures for the next phase of the impeachment inquiry into President Trump: "It is clear that Donald Trump endangered our national security and undermined our democracy when he continually asked various foreign governments to interfere with our elections. "Last month, I joined my colleagues to hold Donald Trump accountable for this abuse of power when we open  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * - Legislation Will Break Employment Barriers That Face Women Entering Into Technical, Manufacturing Occupations * * * Today, Congressman Marc Veasey built upon his staunch support for women's rights by introducing the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations Amendment Act--a piece of legislation that would urge more support of women in apprenticeship programs. "Women comprise nearly half  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 -- Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, issued the following news release: This week co-chairs of the Joint Strike Fighter Caucus, Reps. Marc A. Veasey (TX-33), John B. Larson (CT-01), Martha Roby (AL-02), and Michael R. Turner (OH-10), applauded the announcement by the Pentagon and Lockheed Martin that the next contract for 478 F-35 aircraft has been finalized and the cost is now the lowest in program history. "The announcement of the F-35 Lot 12-14 contract is a welcomed step forwar  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following statement on President Trump's nomination of Stephen M. Hahn to serve as Food and Drug Administration Commissioner: "I applaud President Trump for nominating Dr. Stephen M. Hahn to Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). "Dr. Hahn has a strong background in medical treatment, education, and management through a long career in academia and   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, issued the following statement after voting against House Democrats impeachment inquiry resolution: "Speaker Pelosi's vote on impeachment proceedings was pure political theater by Democrats. This has never been about a fair or transparent process, and their attempt to paint it that way is disingenuous. "From the very beginning, they have blocked the American public and Members of Congress from viewing evidence behind closed doors while denyi  more

FORT HOOD, Texas, Oct. 29 -- Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Roger Williams (R-TX-25) today joined Vice President Mike Pence at Fort Hood to participate in a veterans roundtable and training demonstrations. Congressman Williams released the following statement: "I'm honored to join Vice President Pence at Fort Hood. 'The Great Place' is the gold standard for the U.S. Army, and I'm proud to join the Vice President in thanking our veterans and servic  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Reps. K. Michael Conaway, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Agriculture Committee, and Austin Scott, R-Georgia, ranking Republican member of the Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy and Credit, issued the following remarks on the passage of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission reauthorization bill (H.R. 4895): "This reauthorization provides the CFTC with the tools it needs to successfully regulate the U.S. derivatives market, safeguard consumers,   more

SAN DIEGO, California, Oct. 28 -- Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28), the Chair of the U.S.-Mexico Interparliamentary Group (IPG), and Congressman Michael McCaul, Co-Chair of the IPG and Lead Republican of Foreign Affairs Committee, led a congressional delegation to California to meet with Mexican lawmakers on several critical and timely issues facing our countries, including ratifying the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMC  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Reps. K. Michael Conaway, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Agriculture Committee, and Neal Dunn, R-Florida, ranking Republican member of the Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture and Research, issued the following remarks at a hearing to review the state of organic agriculture from the perspective of producers: "At today's hearing, we heard directly from farmers who have chosen to use the organic program to earn a premium on their products. Just like   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24 -- Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today led the introduction of new, bipartisan legislation that would ban the U.S. export of crowd control equipment to the Hong Kong Police Force. The legislation follows documented reports by human rights groups that U.S.-made police equipment has been used by Hong Kong police to violate th  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- Sen. Susan M. Collins, R-Maine, issued the following floor statement, which was published in the Congressional Record on Oct. 29, on the costs of prescription drugs: I want to associate myself with the comments that were just made by the Senator from Texas on the important issue of lowering the cost of prescription drugs. Not only the Finance Committee and the Judiciary Committee but also the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee have all reported good b  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following floor statement, which was published in the Congressional Record on Oct. 29, on appropriations bills: This isn't part of the remarks I had planned for, but let me just surprise the Senator from Ohio and say I agree with him. We need to pass a transportation bill. He mentioned some of the union workers he was talking to this morning, and they want Congress to function as it should, which means we should pass our appropriatio  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following floor statement, which was published in the Congressional Record on Oct. 29, on the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, founder and leader of ISIS: Let me talk about some good news. Of course, this weekend, the world celebrated as the hunt for the leader of ISIS--the latest terrorist organization that has dominated the news--finally came to an end, and President Trump announced the successful raid by U.S. troops that led to the d  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following floor statement, which was published in the Congressional Record on Oct. 29, on health care: On another matter, I continue to hear from my constituents back home about the number of Texans who are struggling to cover the cost of their prescription medication. We know that deductibles, particularly under the Affordable Care Act, have gotten to be very high. As a matter of fact, it is not uncommon to hear people say that they  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following floor statement, which was published in the Congressional Record on Oct. 30, on Health care: So far, the 116th Congress has been full of a number of dubious measures, as I might characterize them, by our friends across the aisle as it relates to our healthcare system. For starters, our Democratic colleagues in the Senate and the House and on the Presidential campaign trail are hailing Medicare for All as the gold standard fo  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following statement after President Trump announced that he will nominate Stephen Hahn, chief medical executive at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, to be Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration: "Dr. Hahn is a skilled physician and dedicated researcher with a keen understanding of medicine and hospital management. "He has served patients from all over the world well at the nation's premier cancer   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following statement thanking Master Sgt. Matthew O. Williams for his service and bravery in advance of attending Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House: "Later today I'll go to the White House where the President will present Master Sergeant Williams of Boerne, Texas with the Medal of Honor. "Master Sergeant Williams is credited with saving the lives of four wounded soldiers under intense gunfire and keeping his troops from being  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Today on Fox News' America's Newsroom, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) discussed the House's impeachment proceedings and its effect on Congress's ability to accomplish its legislative agenda for the American people. Excerpts of his interview are below, and video can be found here (https://youtu.be/EEyYUDeJ3wE). "While you don't have to agree with what the President said or the way he said it to believe that th  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) discussed the Minority Leader's reported opposition to bringing his and Sen. Blumenthal's (D-CT) bipartisan drug pricing legislation to the Senate floor. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn's floor remarks are below, and video can be found here (https://youtu.be/hhf6gfUCxBc). "Our country is a leader in pharmaceutical innovation and partly because we offer robust protect  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Nov. 1 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * - Sends letter highlighting dangers of trade agreements that provide 'near-blanket legal immunity' to technology companies * * * U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), chairman of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary's Subcommittee on The Constitution, today sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, urging him to remove language in U.S. trade agreements similar to Section 230 of  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Oct. 27 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement after President Trump confirmed the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: "Today, there is less evil in the world as a result of the successful military operation to eliminate the leader of ISIS, ordered by President Trump and carried out by our brave men and women in uniform. "The operation is a major testament to our counterterrorism forces, who go into the  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following statement after attending the White House Medal of Honor ceremony to recognize the bravery and service of Texas native U.S. Army Master Sgt. Matthew O. Williams: "Master Sergeant Williams is a Texan and American patriot. "Under immense enemy fire, he risked his life to protect his troops from being overrun and saved numerous lives, including those of four wounded soldiers. "Today, he was awarded one of our country's highest h  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement after Denmark approved the construction of Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline through the Danish seabed moving the project one step closer to completion: "Time is running out to stop Nord Stream 2. "In a few short months, Russia will have completed its natural gas pipeline - putting President Putin in a position to further expand his military, exploit our European allies  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, chairman of the House Judiciary subcommittee on The Constitution, issued the following op-ed in response to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey's announcement banning all political ads from the platform, which was provided to The Hill: For those who care about free speech, the last couple weeks saw two major developments from two people who have enormous influence over our public discourse. First, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, whom I have previously criticize  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Aviation and Space, today participated in the committee's hearing with Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg - the company's first congressional testimony since the two fatal 737 MAX crashes that resulted in the deaths of 346 innocent people. During his line of questioning, Sen. Cruz described Mr. Muilenburg's testimony as "dismaying  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Aviation and Space, released a video ahead of the Commerce Committee's hearing with Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg - the company's first congressional testimony since the two fatal 737 MAX crashes that resulted the deaths of 346 innocent people. Tomorrow's hearing follows Sen. Cruz's hearing earlier this year, which launched th  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 -- Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, issued the following floor statement, which was published in the Congressional Record on Oct. 30, on health care: I listened carefully to the Senator from Texas, my colleague--and we have worked together and will continue to. For the record, there is something that I think needs to be mentioned. It was a year ago, maybe even longer, that the attorney general from his State of Texas initiated a lawsuit with more than a dozen Republican a  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 -- Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Mississippi, chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas., chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation and Space, will convene a hearing titled, "Building NASA's Workforce of the Future: STEM Engagement for a 21st Century Education," at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 5, 2019. Witnesses will discuss how engaging students in projects with the National Aeronautics and   more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, issued the following news release: Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), along with U.S. Senators Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas), introduced the Hong Kong Be Water Act to combat Beijing's steady erosion of Hongkongers' basic liberties. The Hong Kong Be Water Act condemns the Chinese Communist Party for violations of Hongkongers' freedoms of speech, assembly, and demonstration -- rights that Beijing previously agreed to uphold  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 -- Sen. Christopher Coons, D-Delaware, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), along with U.S. Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), introduced the Global Child Thrive Act. The bipartisan legislation strengthens the implementation of policies that advance early childhood development internationally, which includes learning and physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development f  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Dianne Feinstein, D-California, issued the following statements after the House passed the Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act: This legislation, introduced in the House by Reps. Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) and Kelly Armstrong (ND-AL), would prevent online sales of electronic cigarettes to minors by applying the same safeguards already in place for regular cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products. "Electronic cigarette use am  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and Doug Jones (D-AL) today introduced the Patient Access to ESRD New Innovative Devices Act, legislation that calls for the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to make changes to the Medicare payment program for dialysis to allow for new medical devices that can improve dialysis treatment and patient out  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) today introduced a resolution withdrawing the United States from the Open Skies Treaty. "Russia is in open violation of the Open Skies Treaty," Sen. Cruz said. "It enhances Russia's surveillance of major American cities, strengthens Russia's espionage capabilities, and costs the United States millions of d  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement in response to the reports that the Trump administration will renew the civil nuclear waivers allowing Iran to build up areas of its nuclear program: "This is disappointing and another lost opportunity to tear up the catastrophic Obama-Iran nuclear deal once and for all. "President Trump should immediately order his administrat  more

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2 -- The U.S. Senate received the nomination of six individuals for positions in the Trump administration on Oct. 30: Lanny Erdos, of Ohio, to be Director of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. Robert J. Feitel, of Maryland, to be Inspector General, Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Sarah C. Arbes, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services. Todd C. Chapman, of Texas, to be Ambassador to the Federative Republic of Brazil. Micha  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 -- Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 403-0 to pass the Public Disclosure of Drug Discounts Act (H.R. 2115) - bipartisan legislation introduced by Congressman Jodey Arrington (TX-19), Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger (VA-7), and Congressman Brendan Boyle (PA-2) to provide greater transparency to the discounts negotiated between insurance companies and drug manufacturers through Pharmaceutical Benef  more