WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- The U.S. Senate confirmed the nominations of four individuals for positions in the federal government on Feb. 11: John Hennessey-Niland, of Illinois, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Palau. Donald Wright, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania. Dorothy Shea, of North Carolina, to be Ambassador to the Lebanese Republic. Todd C. Chapman, of Texas, to be Ambassador to the Federative Republic of Brazil.  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- The House Science, Space and Technology subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics issued the following opening statement on Feb. 11 by Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, at a hearing entitled "Space Situational Awareness: Key Issues in an Evolving Landscape": During the 116th Congress, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology has been focusing on a number of complex issues, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, climate change, and energy innovation   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- The House Science, Space and Technology subcommittee on Research and Technology issued the following opening statement on Feb. 11 by Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, at a hearing entitled "More Hires, Fewer Hacks: Developing the U.S. Cybersecurity Workforce": I want to welcome and thank the expert witnesses for their testimony. We spend a lot of time in the Science, Space, and Technology Committee focusing on the challenges in developing a skilled STEM workforc  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- 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 a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler requesting information on the effects of a draft memorandum titled, "Science Advisory Board Engagement Process." The draft memorandum lays out new guidance for engaging with the EPA's Science Advisory Board (SAB) on a  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman, Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, issued the following statement regarding President Trump's budget request for Fiscal Year 2021: * * * - Trump's budget cuts programs crucial to American families in order to fund inhuman policies and useless border wall * * * "Our national budgets should be a statement of our values and invest in programs that improve everyday life for American families and ensure a future for our children. "Instea  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, issued the following statement in response to President Trump using transfer authority to reprogram $3.8 billion in military funding to instead fund border wall construction: "President Trump's reckless abuse of power makes a mockery of our Congress, our Constitution, and basic separation of powers. "We've seen this before and Congress should have known to expect the Administration to ransack government fun  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Oklahoma, issued the following news release: Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03) recently named Megan Trantham as a Field Representative in his Canadian County Office. Megan, a native of Boise City, Oklahoma, graduated from Oklahoma State University in May of 2019 from the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources where she majored in Agricultural Communications and Agribusiness. She will serve 12 counties which include Cimarron, Texas, Beaver  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a decision denying a bid protest filed by DynCorp International of Fort Worth, Texas. According to the GAO, DynCorp International LLC, "protests the corrective action taken in connection with request for proposals (RFP) No. 70B02C18R00000063, issued by the Department of Homeland Security, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), for national aviation logistics and support. The protester maintains that the proposed   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a decision dismissing in part and denying in part a bid protest filed by Air Tractor of Olney, Texas. According to the GAO, Air Tractor Inc., a small business, "protests the issuance of request for proposal (RFP) No. FA8637-20-2-0001 by the Department of the Air Force to Textron Aviation Defense, LLC, located in Wichita, Kansas, seeking light attack aircraft for use in the agency's light attack experimentation (LAE) III prog  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on Medicaid eligibility. The report (GAO-20-157) is entitled "Accuracy of Determinations and Efforts to Recoup Federal Funds Due to Errors". The report was sent to Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pennsylvania chairman of the Senate Finance subcommittee on Health, Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, Republican leader of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and R  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on virtual currencies. The report (GAO-20-188) is entitled "Additional Information Reporting and Clarified Guidance Could Improve Tax Compliance ". The report was sent to Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee on Feb. 12, 2020. Here are excerpts of summaries associated with the report. What GAO Found: "Taxpayers are required to report and pay taxes on income from virtual cur  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on child welfare. The report (GAO-20-110) is entitled "Increased Guidance and Collaboration Needed to Improve DOD's Tracking and Response to Child Abuse". The report was sent to Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, and Rep. Jackie Speier, D-California, chairwoman of the House Armed Services subcommittee on Military Personnel on Feb. 12, 2020. Here are excerpts of summar  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on the GAO audits involving Department of Defense. The report (GAO-20-391R) is entitled "Status of DOD's Efforts to Schedule and Hold Timely Entrance Conferences". The report was sent to Sen. James M. Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, chairman, Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Richard C. Shelby, R-Alabama, chairman, Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Illinois, ranking member of th  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on aviation security. The report (GAO-20-275) is entitled "TSA Could Strengthen Its Insider Threat Program by Developing a Strategic Plan and Performance Goals". The report was sent to Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Alabama ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Arizona, ranking member of the House Homeland Security subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security, Rep. John Katko, R-  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on aviation security. The report (GAO-20-278) is entitled "TSA and Airport Stakeholders Have Enhanced Airport Public Area Security, but a Plan Is Needed for Future Collaboration". The report was sent to Rep. Danny K. Davis, D-Illinois, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, Rep. John Katko, R-New York, Rep. Michael T. McCaul, R-Texas, and on Feb. 11, 2020. Here are excerpts of summaries associated with t  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- The House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency issued the following testimony on Feb. 12 by Wesley Bissett, director of Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, at a hearing entitled "Animals in Disasters": All too often, the impact of disasters on animals and owners are seen as separate issues, but as you will hear from my testimony, they   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, issued the following statement: Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement as the House of Representatives filed a reply brief in Republicans' Texas v. U.S. lawsuit, asking the Supreme Court to act swiftly to hear the case and deliver a ruling this term. In December, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals had sided with Republicans and given instructions to the District Court to redetermine how much of the law to strike down,  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- The House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management issued the following hearing information: "Animals in Disasters" at 2167 Rayburn House Office Building at 10 a.m. on Feb. 12: WITNESS LIST: * Wesley T. Bissett, DVM, PhD, Director, Veterinary Emergency Team, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University * R. Douglas Meckes, DVM, State Veterinarian, Department of Agric  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, issued the following news release: At the National Rural Health Association's 2020 Policy Institute, Congressman Jodey Arrington (TX-19) announced the introduction of H.R. 5808, the Save Rural Communities Act, which would provide rural hospitals the option to scale down to an outpatient only, 24 hour emergency care center. Under current law, hospitals have very limited tools to adjust the services they offer to meet their community's health   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, issued the following statement after the announcement of President Trump's budget proposal: "Over the past four years, the Trump Administration and House Republicans have worked together to rebuild our nation's military with an unprecedented investment in our armed services of over $2 trillion. "As the voice for the Big Country, I am proud to have fully funded Dyess Air Force Base and it's priorities, including the design, development, and  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Congressman Brian Babin (TX-36) released the following statement after the announcement by the Trump Administration that the Houston Ship Channel would receive vital funding in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fiscal Year 2020 Work Plan to deepen and widen the waterway. The Houston Ship Channel-Expansion Channel Improvement Project (HSC-ECIP) will receive $1,130,000 in the Work Plan for pre-construction a  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Feb. 11: U.S. Congressman Brian Babin (TX-36) released the following statement after the announcement by the Trump Administration that the Cedar Bayou Navigation District's Channel Improvement Project has been allocated $32.125 million in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fiscal Year 2020 Work Plan. These funds will be used to complete the dredging of Cedar Bayou in order to aid in flood mitigation and enhanc  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following opening statement on Feb. 11 at a hearing on corporate income taxes: "The whole premise of this hearing is false. "Corporate taxes aren't disappearing, they are growing - more than 12% last year. And according to CBO, corporate revenues are set to rise over the next decade both in real dollars and as a percent of GDP. "The claim that corporations shoulder a s  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following opening statement on Feb. 12 at the markup of the Consumer Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills Act: "It's time to end surprise medical bills on American families. "They are too frequent, too expensive, and horribly unfair. "Whether they are $1,000 or $100,000, they can be too much for a family to bear. "The reality is that insurance companies and heal  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following statement on Feb 10 on President Trump's budget for fiscal 2021: "The President's pro-growth leadership has led to more workers, higher paychecks, and greater prosperity, and his budget announcement today lays a marker for continued growth. "We are in a stronger position to face down the deficit and address spending, which is the real driver of our debt. If yo  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Rep. Timothy Burchett, R-Tennessee, issued the following news release: Yesterday, the Trillion Trees Act, legislation that would plant 1 trillion trees globally by 2050 and incentivize the use of wood products as carbon sequestration devices, was introduced by Congressman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) with Congressman Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) as an original cosponsor. U.S. Reps. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Rob Wittman (R-Va.), Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), Andy Barr (R-Ky.), Pete Staub  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, issued the following remarks on Feb. 12: Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), Republican Leader of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health prepared the following opening remarks for today's hearing on Protecting Women's Access to Reproductive Health Care. As Prepared for Delivery Thank you, Madam Chair. Today's hearing is an unfortunate indication of where the Democratic party is headed. While the policy concerns surro  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, issued the following statement: Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), member of the House Rules Committee and Republican Leader of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health released the following statement after learning about the unexpected death of Midshipman Duke Anthony Carrillo of Flower Mound, TX. "My thoughts and prayers are with the Carrillo family as they mourn the loss of their son and brother, Duke Anthony Carr  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, issued the following op-ed published in the The Hill outlining how innovation can bring forward a clean future: At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, leaders from around the world gathered to discuss the pressing issues of the day. Climate change was among the issues discussed. Unfortunately, the treatment many of these elites prescribe is worse than the disease. As I see it, the next 10 days may look bleak, but the next 10 mont  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, issued the following statement: Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, released the following statement after the passing of Sergeant First Class and San Antonio native Javier J. Gutierrez fr  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, issued the following statement: Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, released the following statement after President Trump released his budget for fiscal year 2021: "My initial reaction t  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15 -- Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, issued the following statement: * * * - The Third Re-Introduction of Castro's Resolution Follows Trump's Latest Attempt to Steal Military Funding for Border Wall * * * Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, issued the following statement: Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, released the following statement after the confirmation of one coronavirus diagnosis in San Antonio, Texas: "My job as  more

BROWNSVILLE, Texas, Feb. 14 -- Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Missouri, issued the following news release: This week, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MO) visited Matamoros, MX to witness firsthand the Trump Administration's Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) or as it is more commonly referred, the "Remain in Mexico" policy. Marking one year since implementation this week, the policy has created an unmitigated human rights disaster on our southern border. There are nearly 60,000 asyl  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Dan Crenshaw (TX-02) introduced legislation to boost carbon capture at natural gas power plants. The New Energy Frontiers Through Carbon Innovation Act will promote research and development for carbon capture technology, and establish a "Carbon Innovation Hub" to achieve an environmental moonshot: turning CO2 and other greenhouse gasses into valuable commodities. "It's time to stop offering the Am  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, issued the following news release: The House of Representatives passed two bills introduced by Congressman Dan Crenshaw (TX-02) that would safeguard and strengthen the national security objectives of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Crenshaw's legislation - the Drone Origin Security Enhancement Act (H.R. 4753) and the DHS Acquisition Reform Act (H.R. 3413) - passed the House with bipartisan support. Further information on the legisla  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 -- Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Henry Cuellar has helped secure $26 million in reimbursements for the San Antonio/Bexar County Mission Reach Project in the 2020 Army Corps of Engineers Work Plan. This comes from federal funding the Congressman allocated this year, as a senior member of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee. The Mission Reach Project is a United States Army Corps of Engineers project, designed to prevent San An  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, issued the following news release on Feb. 12: U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Chair of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee and the first congressional author of legislation to protect patients from surprise medical bills, offered amendments during today's Ways and Means markup of surprise medical bill and private equity transparency legislation. His private equity amendment was formally adopted. The three amendments on the s  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, issued the following statement: U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), member of the House Budget Committee and Chair of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, released the following statement about President Trump's proposed budget: "For Trump and his enablers, impeachment shows facts don't matter; the climate crisis shows science doesn't matter; and this Republican budget shows math doesn't matter. "Less than a wish list, it's a   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15 -- Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, issued the following statement: Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following after the U.S. Department of Defense notified Congress it will reprogram $3.8 billion of military funds to build President Trump's border wall: "President Trump claims to love our military but his latest attempt to steal critical funding from our troops demonstrates his complete disregard for our servic  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, issued the following statement: Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Vice Chair of the Democratic Women's Caucus and member of the House Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement on her vote in support of H.J.Res. 79, a bipartisan resolution that would remove the deadline for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA): "As our nation continues to celebrate the centennial of the 19th Amendment, I am proud to have vot  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following statement on Feb. 12 expressing her opposition to the Ban Fracking Act that was introduced in Congress: "Today, some of my colleagues introduced legislation in the House of Representatives that would ban hydraulic fracturing (fracking) nationwide. This legislation is misguided. I do not support this bill or any similar proposal to ban fracking. "As a representative for the energy capital of the world, I am committed to   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) voted in support of H.J.Res 79, a bipartisan resolution to remove the deadline for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). The ERA would amend the U.S. Constitution to guarantee women equal rights under the law. The resolution passed the House yesterday 232-183. The ERA states: "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the Unite  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15 -- Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) condemns the Administration's reckless and unlawful plan to transfer $3.8 billion from important defense accounts for border wall construction. For the second year in a row, Trump will raid the Department of Defense's resources for money for the U.S.-Mexico border wall. Congresswoman Garcia and several lawmakers have fiercely opposed such transfers and will continue to deno  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, issued the following remarks: In the House Judiciary Committee, Representative Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) delivered the following remarks during the markup of H.R. 2214, the National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants (NO BAN) Act: "Mr. Chairman I move to strike the last word. In 2017, when the administration implemented the first travel ban, nearly 1,000 college students around Texas were forced to make a choice. Either stay in t  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 -- Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29) released a statement expressing her opposition to President Donald Trump's FY2021 Budget. Statement from Congresswoman Garcia: "The President's FY2021 Budget has shown once again that he is not interested in protecting the economic interests and health of the vast majority of Americans. His demand for Congress to slash funding for a wide array of critical departments a  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) joined Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and 31 other lawmakers in cosponsoring the House Resolution 820 calling for the designation of February 2020 as National Citizenship Month. The resolution raises awareness about the process of naturalization and advocates for the modernization and streamlining of such. The United States has been rec  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Rep. Louie Gohmert (TX-01) is the recipient of FRC Action's True Blue award for the first session of the 116th Congress. The honor is reserved for lawmakers who earn a 100 percent score on FRC Action's scorecard for unfaltering support for policies which defend faith, freedom and family. "It's an honor to receive this award rooted in American principles which most people in Texas' First District hold dear to  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following news release on Feb. 11: Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced an opportunity for fire departments and first responders in the 15th District of Texas to receive funding for enhanced safety equipment and training. Operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program is offering federal funding and assistance to improve resp  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced that Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, and Brooks Counties were designated as contiguous disaster counties by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue qualifying them for federal assistance. "Hidalgo, Jim Hogg and Brooks have been named contiguous disaster counties due to ongoing drought conditions in South Texas," said Congressman Gonzalez. "This design  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced $108,034,097 in preliminary federal funds for Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) Title I for schools in the Rio Grande Valley in the 15th District of Texas. The U.S. Department of Education will release final totals in June 2020. Title I Grants to local school districts are intended to ensure that the most financially and socially disadvantaged children have an equal op  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced $11,686,696 in preliminary federal funds for Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) Title I allocations for South Texas schools in the 15th District of Texas. The U.S. Department of Education will release final totals in June 2020. Title I Grants to local school districts are intended to ensure that the most financially and socially disadvantaged children have an equal oppo  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced $99,401,933 in federal funding for 26 independent and consolidated school districts in the 15th District of Texas for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020. This is a preliminary allocation. The U.S. Department of Education will release final totals in June 2020. "One of my priorities is funding our public education institutions at the highest levels," said Congressman Gonza  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following statement on the confirmed case of coronavirus in San Antonio, Texas: "I am aware of the confirmed case of coronavirus in Texas. Please know that the individual is under federal quarantine at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas where they have been isolated and are receiving necessary medical care. "I will be in contact with federal and state officials as we continue to monitor the situation. "I also encoura  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following news release on Feb. 13: Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) took a historic step and voted in favor of H.J.Res.79 to remove the arbitrary deadline for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and put the country closer to ratification. The ERA will enshrine women's equality in the Constitution by prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex and ensuring women and men are equal under the eyes of the law. H.J.Res.79 is cospo  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, issued the following statement: Top Appropriations Committee Republican Kay Granger (R-TX) released the following statement after a briefing by Administration officials on the response to the coronavirus that originated in China in 2019. "For years, I have fought to ensure that funds are available in case of a public health emergency, and I was assured the Administration has the resources to address the coronavirus and will let Congress know if  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, issued the following statement about the Defense Department's reprogramming action. "I unequivocally support President Trump's efforts to secure our nation's borders and support our men and women in uniform. "Democrats have refused to work with us on border security, which has forced the President to redirect funds from other defense programs in the short term in order to secure the southern border. "The President has come up with a reasonabl  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, issued the following statement in response to President's request for a doubling of research and development spending on Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Information Science in the next two fiscal years: "America must lead in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and other technologies that will define the 21st century," said Hurd. "I applaud the Administration for recognizing the importance of AI and quantum research and will continue to   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Representative Will Hurd (TX-23) proudly supported enshrining the incredible story of women and their collective role in United States history by voting with an overwhelming bipartisan majority of his colleagues in support of creating a women's history museum as part of the Smithsonian Institution. As an original cosponsor Hurd has long been a supporter of this initiative. "A national museum dedicated to th  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, issued the following statement: Congresswoman Johnson announced House passage of H.R. 1494, the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Homeland Security Partnerships Act, legislation that strengthens the partnership between The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and HBCUs. "HBCU's and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) have provided a quality education to millions of people seeking to better their career prospe  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, issued the following statement on the release of President Trump's fiscal 2021 budget request: "While I am still reviewing the President's Fiscal Year 2021 budget request, I am deeply concerned and disappointed with the destructive cuts to important civilian R&D and science and technology programs it contains. "While there are bright spots, overall this proposal damages vi  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15 -- Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and Congressman David P. Joyce have introduced a House resolution recognizing 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, as designated by the World Health Organization in honor of the 200th birthday of Florence Nightingale, a founder of modern nursing. The House of Representatives recognizes and celebrates the essential contributions that nurses an  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, issued the following statement, which was published in the Congressional Record on Feb. 13, entitled "Department of Homeland Security Climate Change Research Act": As a senior member of Congress, I rise in support of H.R. 4737, the "Department of Homeland Security Climate Change Research Act," which requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to evaluate existing federal research regarding approaches to mitigate climate change on h  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, issued the following statement, which was published in the Congressional Record on Feb. 13, entitled "Homeland Security for Children Act": I rise in support of H.R. 2932, the "Homeland Security for Children Act," which would direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to identify and integrate the needs of children into activities to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate against the risk of natural  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on Feb. 13 regarding Senate passage of a war powers resolution: "The dangerous War Powers Resolution passed by the Senate is in defiance of the realities on the ground and is based on the false premise that the U.S. is engaged in hostilities with Iran. "It directs the President to withdraw U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran that do not exist  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on the Trump administration's fiscal 2021 budget request: "During this unprecedented time of global instability, diplomacy must be our first line of defense. As Admiral Mullen, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, "the more we cut the International Affairs Budget, the higher the risk for longer and deadlier military operations." It i  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Rep. Michael T. McCaul, R-Texas, issued the following news release: During a House Homeland Security Committee hearing, Congressman Michael McCaul (TX-10), the Lead Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Chairman Emeritus of the House Homeland Security Committee, touted the importance of the Department of Homeland Security's use of biometric technology to prevent entry to bad actors, like suspected terrorists or members of transnational criminal organizatio  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Rep. Tom McClintock, R-California, issued the following remarks on Amendment to require County approval of Wilderness Designations (H.R. 2546): The federal government owns just 7/10ths of one percent of the State of New York. It owns just 1.1 percent of the State of Illinois. It owns just 1.8 percent of the State of Texas. The federal government owns only one fourth of Washington, D.C. But then go farther west and you will see the problem. The Federal Government owns an  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Rep. Steven Palazzo, R-Mississippi, issued the following news release: Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4) applauded the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) announcement of the final rule to implement a program that allows Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida the authority to increase state management over red snapper recreational fishing by private anglers in federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico. Beginning several years ago, Palazzo sta  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, issued the following statement on Feb. 13 regarding the first confirmed case of coronavirus in Texas: Early Wednesday evening, the first case of the coronavirus in Texas was confirmed - this is one of 15 known cases currently in the U.S. We have been advised the patient is isolated and receiving medical care in San Antonio after arriving to quarantine at Lackland Air Force Base upon repatriation from the Hubei Province in China. Our office is told  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Rep. Mark Takano, D-California, issued the following news release on Feb. 13: Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) led 16 Members of Congress in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish guidelines for state and local governments to receive federal reimbursements for costs they incur in response to the Coronavirus outbreak. In the letter, the Representatives state, "The administration has already identified military bases and health f  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement on President Trump's budget request for fiscal 2021: "The President's DOD budget request for FY21 is consistent with the bipartisan budget agreement Congress passed last year. As a result, at a time when senior commanders and national security experts have repeatedly called for 3-5% real growth through 2025, DOD's resources are essentially unchange  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement on Feb. 13: The Department of Defense notified Congress of its intent to divert funding already approved by Congress and signed into law away from critical military weapons and equipment to border security. Funding for these programs was directed by Congress in the FY20 Defense Authorization and Appropriations acts. Congress arrived at these fundin  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, issued the following statement on Feb. 13: Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33), co-chair of the Congressional Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Caucus, released the following statement after the Trump Administration announced that it plans to shift $3.8 billion in previously appropriated Pentagon funds--including $400 million from F-35 and $155 million from V-22 programs-to fund southern border wall construction: "The fact that the Administration is willi  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Filemon Vela (D-TX) announced $292,500 in FY 2020 grant funding for the Community Development Corporation of Brownsville (CDCB). CDCB is a private, non-profit community housing development organization that has helped South Texans obtain safe and affordable housing since 1974. As one of 250 national NeighborWorks local and regional partner organizations, CDCB has utilized their national network to  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Texas, issued the following news release: The House of Representatives voted in favor of the bipartisan Protecting America's Food and Agriculture Act of 2019, legislation introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Filemon Vela. The U.S. agriculture sector is crucial to the U.S. economy and generates more than $1 trillion in annual economic activity. Agricultural specialists at U.S. ports of entry intercept thousands of invasive  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Rep. Vela and over 100 congressional Members called on Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf to immediately terminate the Trump Administration's "Remain in Mexico" policy, otherwise known as the Migrant Protection Protocols. This policy has led to multiple human and civil rights violations at our border, while also causing the mass suffering of tens of thousands of migrants and asylum seekers. In the  more

MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 15 -- Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), member of the House Armed Services Committee, joined a congressional delegation led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the 2020 Munich Security Conference, NATO Headquarters and to the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium. "As a member of the House Armed Services Committee and Freshman Co-Representative to Leadership, it is a privilege to participate in these crit  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas, issued the following news release: February 10, 2020, Each spring, a nation-wide high school arts competition is sponsored by the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Artistic Discovery Contest is an opportunity to recognize and encourage the artistic talent in the nation, as well as in our congressional district. The Artistic Discovery Contest is open to all high school students in the District. The over-all winner of our district  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Arkansas, issued the following news release: U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) introduced the Trillion Trees Act, legislation that would plant 1 trillion trees globally by 2050 and incentivize the use of wood products as carbon sequestration devices. U.S. Reps. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Rob Wittman (R-Va.), Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), Andy Barr (R-Ky.), Pete Stauber (R-Minn.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), Steve Stivers (R-Ohio), Don Bacon (R-Neb.) and Dav  more

FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb. 15 -- Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Roger Williams (R-TX-25) delivered Valentine's Day cards from students at the Cleburne Independent School District to veterans at the Fort Worth Veterans Affairs (VA) Clinic. Participating schools include Adams, Gerard, Santa Fe and Irving Elementary Schools, along with those from TEAM School and Cleburne High School. "I'm proud to partner with the Cleburne Independent School District as   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Reps. Kay Granger, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Appropriations Committee, and Tom Cole, R-Oklahoma, ranking Republican member of the subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, issued the following statements on Feb. 12 after a briefing by the Trump administration officials on the response to the coronavirus: "For years, I have fought to ensure that funds are available in case of a public health emergency, and I was  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Representatives Will Hurd (TX-23) and Henry Cuellar (TX-28) announced an additional $26 million in federal reimbursements for the Mission Reach Project in San Antonio and the greater Bexar County area. "Mission Reach has already produced tremendous cultural and economic gains, not just for the Southside - but for all of San Antonio - and this reimbursement will only help further advance revitalizing these a  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following joint statement on Feb. 12 with Reps. Joe Wilson, R-South Carolina, ranking Republican member of the Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa and International Terrorism, and Lee Zeldin, R-New York, ranking Republican member of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, in response to the United Nations' release of a blacklist of companies doing   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.), John Boozman (Ark.), Tom Cotton (Ark.), Josh Hawley (Mo.), Roger Wicker (Miss.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (Miss.), John Cornyn (Texas), and Ted Cruz (Texas) released a letter they sent this week urging the Trump administration to push for increased market access for U.S.-grown rice during potential negotiations over a new trade agreement with the United Kingdom (U.K.). In a letter to U.  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Sen. Thomas Carper, D-Delaware, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, questioned Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alexander Azar on President Trump's FY2021 budget proposal to cut HHS funding by nine percent and cut Medicaid and other safety net programs by over $1 trillion. This slash in funding comes at a time when millions of Americans living with pre-existing conditions could lose  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) helped introduce the Hazard Eligibility and Local Projects (HELP) Act to alter eligibility for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) hazard mitigation program to allow local municipalities and states to more quickly begin land acquisition and simple construction projects following a natural disaster. Under current law, local stakeholders applying for federal funding f  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Wednesday introduced Drew Tipton to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Texas in Corpus Christi. Tipton's confirmation will fill the last vacancy in Texas. Since 2017, the Senate has confirmed 20 judges for the state. As Sen. Cruz said: "Drew's experiences as a trial advocate and his deep history with the Southern District  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * - Bill overturns a Chinese Communist Party-requested policy of the United States concerning Taiwan * * * U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced the Taiwan Symbols of Sovereignty (Taiwan SOS) Act, which would allow diplomats and service members in the Taiwanese military to display their flag and wear their uniforms while in the United States on official b  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following statement: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, this week participated in a full committee hearing focused on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, where he denounced Democrats' extreme pro-abortion statements and defended the need to protect the precious lives of the unborn. On the Left's radical pro-abortion stance, Sen. Cruz said: "The topic of this hearing, in my view,  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following statement on Feb. 13: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on the passage of his amendment, based off his resolution, honoring members of the military and intelligence community and President Trump, for carrying out the successful mission that killed Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) and a designated t  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following statement: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement in response to the publication by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights of its database listing companies operating in Israeli controlled territories: "The United Nations has descended to a new antisemitic low. This database of companies operating in Israeli-controlled territor  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following statement on Feb. 13: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement after voting against the Senate's Iran War Powers resolution: "President Trump had the clear authority to take out Qasem Soleimani, who posed an imminent threat to the safety and security of the United States. Those responsible for carrying out this successful mission should be commended - and th  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Sen. Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release: * * * - Legislation would allow certain eligible disaster mitigation projects to begin without the risk of losing potential federal funds * * * U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) joined Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and James Lankford (R-Okla.) to introduce bipartisan legislation that would expedite the start of certain ha  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Arizona, issued the following news release: * * * - Sinema's bill improves border security by ensuring agents receive fair pay for overtime work * * * Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema introduced the Border Patrol Pay Security Act with Republican Senator John Cornyn (Texas). The Senators' bipartisan bill ensures Border Patrol agents who work over 80 hours per week receive overtime pay at time and a half their normal rate, bringing the Border   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.) , John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced the Medical License Verification Act to prevent fraud in the healthcare system by requiring the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to verify that an applicant's medical license is valid and in good standing prior to issuing them a National Provider Identifier (N  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, issued the following news release: * * * - Over Two Years after Hurricane Maria, Only $1.5 Billion of $19.9 Billion Appropriated for Puerto Rico through a HUD Program Has Reached the Island - GAO Recently Found Trump Administration Broke Law by Delaying Congressionally Appropriated Security Aid to Ukraine * * * United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), along with Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- The Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee issued the following hearing information: "Threats Posed by State-Owned and State-Supported Enterprises to Public Transportation" at 538 Dirksen Senate Office Building at 10 a.m. on March 5: Witnesses: Panel I * John Cornyn, United States Senator, Texas * Tammy Baldwin, United States Senator, Wisconsin Panel II * Michael O'Malley, President, Railway Supply Institute * Scott Paul, President, Alliance for America  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee issued the following testimony on Feb. 11 by Amanda Crawford, executive director for the Texas Department of Information Resources, at a hearing entitled "What States, Locals and the Business Community Should Know and Do: A Roadmap for Effective Cybersecurity": My name is Amanda Crawford, and I serve as the Executive Director for the Texas Department of information Resources ("DIR"). Thank you for inviting me  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- The Senate Judiciary Committee issued the following hearing information: Nominations at 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building at 10 a.m. on Feb. 12: Witnesses: * John Leonard Badalamenti, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Florida * Anna M. Manasco, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Alabama * Drew B. Tipton, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas * Kathryn C. Davis, to be a Judge of t  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15 -- Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, issued the following news release: Senators Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and Marco Rubio (R-Florida) along with Senators Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) yesterday introduced the Financial Defense of Industrial Contractors (FDIC) Act, which would combat political discrimination by some of the largest banks operating in the United States against federal contractors, including those which operate f  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Feb. 13: U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) introduced the Financial Defense of Industrial Contractors (FDIC) Act, which would combat today's political discrimination by some of the largest banks operating in the United States against federal contractors, including those which operate facilities on behalf of the Immigration   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Feb. 12: * * * - Legislation would allow certain eligible disaster mitigation projects to begin without the risk of losing potential federal funds * * * U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) introduced bipartisan legislation that would expedite the start of certain hazard mitigat  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein, D-California, issued the following statements: Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-California) today made these statements after their legislation to keep dangerous drugs off the streets was signed into law by President Trump. The Temporary Reauthorization and Study of the Emergency  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: United States Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Representatives Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Darren Soto (D-Fla.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), James P. McGovern (D-Mass.), Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), and Jose E. Serrano (D-N.Y.), in writing to the Department of Housing and Ur  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 -- Sen. Todd Young, R-Indiana, issued the following news release: * * * - Bill overturns a Chinese Communist Party-requested policy of the United States concerning Taiwan * * * U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced the Taiwan Symbols of Sovereignty (Taiwan SOS) Act, which would allow diplomats and service members in the Taiwanese military to display their flag and wear their uniforms while i  more