WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Chairman Eliot L. Engel (D-NY) sent a letter to Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei urging him to veto legislation passed by his country's congress that threatens to undermine non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and freedom of assembly in Guatemala. The law bears  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following news release: The top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee Kevin Brady (R-TX) released the following statement after the House voted on H.R. 2339, a tax hike bill Democrats' claim might somehow stem teen vaping: "This tax hike bill would only encourage Americans to return to smoking cigarettes. This bill is a poster child for 'legislative false adv  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- The House Science, Space and Technology subcommittee on Environment and Investigations and Oversight issued the following opening statement on Feb. 27 by Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, at a joint hearing entitled "An Examination of Federal Flood Maps in a Changing Climate": The FEMA flood mapping process is not a topic this Committee has explored very deeply in the past. Our friends in the Financial Services Committee work hard to look after the authorizations  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- The House Science, Space and Technology Committee issued the following opening statement on Feb. 27 by Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, at a hearing to review President Trump's fiscal 2021 budget request for research and development: Dr. Droegemeier, I want to welcome you before our Committee for the first time in your role as Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. That said, I am disturbed, although not surprised, to see such a disappointing   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 -- Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-New York, chairwoman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, issued the following news release: Rep. Jamie Raskin, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, sent letters to officials in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas seeking information about their compliance with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) through the annual Medicaid renewal p  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 -- Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, issued the following statement on Feb. 25: * * * - In Hernandez v. Mesa, the Court ruled that CBP Agent Jesus Mesa Jr. could not be sued for the shooting death of 15-year-old Sergio Hernandez * * * Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) issued the following statement in response to the Supreme Court 5-4 decision on Hernandez vs. Mesa: "Sergio was an unarmed  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 -- Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, issued the following statement on Feb. 24 marking the implementation of the public charge rule: "Today, President Trump's public charge rule went into effect, cementing in federal policy a wealth test that will punish low-income and working immigrants by blocking their ability to receive a green card if they access certain benefits or programs. "While this policy was created to target immigrants, in partic  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on the Navy ship maintenance. The report (GAO-20-86) is entitled "Actions Needed to Address Maintenance Delays for Surface Ships Based Overseas". 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 the Senate Appropria  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on critical infrastructure protection. The report (GAO-20-299) is entitled "Additional Actions Needed to Identify Framework Adoption and Resulting Improvements". The report was sent to Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Mississippi, chairman, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, chairwoman, and Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Oklah  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on the State Department. The report (GAO-20-237) is entitled "Additional Steps Are Needed to Identify Potential Barriers to Diversity". The report was sent to Sen. Robert Menendez, D-New Jersey, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan, ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Rep. Eliot Engel, D-New York, chairman of the House F  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on Equal Employment Opportunity. The report (GAO-20-450T) is entitled "DHS Could Better Address Challenges to Ensuring EEO in Its Workforce". The report was sent to Rep. Xochitl Torres Small, D-New Mexico, chairwoman, and Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, ranking member of the House Homeland Security subcommittee on Oversight, Management and Accountability on Feb. 27, 2020. Here are excerpts of summaries associated with t  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on Defense Health Care. The report (GAO-20-318) is entitled "DOD Surveys Indicate Beneficiary Experience Generally Unchanged in First Year of TRICARE Select". 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, Rep. Adam Smith, D-Washington, chairman and Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, ranking member of the House Arme  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 -- The House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border Security, Facilitation and Operations issued the following hearing information: "Examining the Effect of the Border Wall on Private and Tribal Landowners" at 310 Cannon House Office Building at 11 a.m. on Feb. 27: Witnesses: * Ned Norris Jr., Chairman of the Tohono O'odham Nation * Reynaldo Anzaldua, Private Landowner from Hidaldo, Texas * Nayda Alvarez, Private Landowner from Roma, Texas * Jim Chilton, Private Landow  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- The House Natural Resources Committee issued the following testimony by A. Carla Staver, associate professor at the Yale University's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, at a hearing on the American Public Lands and Waters Climate Solution Act (H.R. 5435) and Trillion Trees Act (H.R. 5859): On average, the global climate has already warmed by ~ 1oC above pre-industrial levels. Formerly unprecedented climate extremes - from droughts to deluges to heat waves -   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- The House Oversight and Reform Committee issued the following testimony by Ernesto Olivares, member of the Every Child Deserves a Family Campaign, at a hearing entitled "The Administration's Religious Liberty Assault on LGBTQ Rights": My name is Ernesto Olivares and I am 29 years old. I am from San Antonio, Texas. I spent five years in the Texas foster care system. I was thirteen years old when I went into the system. I was still trying to figure out who I was as a young   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-New York, chairwoman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, issued the following news release on Feb. 26: Today, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, the Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and Rep. Jamie Raskin, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, released a staff memo with new documents obtained as part of the Committee's investigation of voter suppression allegations in Georgia, Texas, and Kansas. "O  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- The House Science, Space and Technology Committee issued the following hearing information: "Beyond Coronaviruses: Understanding the Spread of Infectious Diseases and Mobilizing Innovative Solutions" at 2318 Rayburn House Office Building at 10 a.m. on March 5: Witnesses: * Suzan Murray, Program Director, Smithsonian Global Health Program, Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute * John Brownstein, Chief Innovation Officer, Boston Children's Hospital;   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- The House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment issued the following testimony on Feb. 27 by Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, at the Member's Day hearing on proposals for the Water Resources Development Act: I represent Texas' 27th District, which is home to 6 of Texas' 19 ports. When it comes to maritime commerce, Texas ranks second in the nation and handles over 20 percent of all tonnage in the nation. The upcoming Water Resources  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- The House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment issued the following testimony on Feb. 27 by Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, at the Member's Day hearing on proposals for the Water Resources Development Act: I look forward to highlighting water infrastructure priorities for my constituents in El Paso, Texas as the Committee considers a reauthorization of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). El Paso is a vibrant community   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- The House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment issued the following testimony by Rep. Bill Flores, R-Texas, at the Member's Day hearing on proposals for the Water Resources Development Act: I would like to take this opportunity to discuss potential improvements to this year's WRDA that would positively impact projects located in the district I represent in Central Texas. Specifically, the City of Waco, home to over 130,000 Tex  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- The House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment issued the following testimony by Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Texas, at the Member's Day hearing on proposals for the Water Resources Development Act: As you prepare to draft legislation to reauthorize the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), I wanted to bring to your attention some critical flood control needs in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. In just the past two years, South Texas  more

MCALLEN, Texas, Feb. 26 -- Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist invited Congresswoman Kay Granger (R-TX) to visit the southern border near McAllen, Texas. As the top Republican on the Appropriations Committee, Granger has fought tirelessly to support President Donald Trump's efforts to provide meaningful border security, including $2.75 billion over the past two years to build a physical barrier along the border. After visiting  more

FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb. 26 -- Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Top Appropriations Committee Republican Kay Granger (R-TX) hosted Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist in Fort Worth for a tour of Lockheed Martin's F-35 facility, conducting oversight on aircraft production and discussing the future of the U.S. military. Secretary Norquist visited the facility with Granger so that he could see first-hand the world's most lethal fifth-generation aircraft. "Lockhee  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, issued the following statement after the House Ways and Means Committee hearing on U.S.-China trade: "For the first time, our farmers can see greener pastures on the other side for their children and grandchildren," said Arrington. "By distorting markets, manipulating currency, and their list of unfair practices, China has taken us for a ride for years. Presidents of both parties haven't had the political will to stand up to China, take the  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, issued the following statement on the global threat of the coronavirus, COVID-19: "Although coronavirus (COVID-19) has dominated the news this week - there is no need to panic," said Babin. "On January 29, I sent a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar urging him to take every precaution necessary to ensure the protection of American citizens, and I can say with absolute certainty that this is being done. President Trump, Vice President Pence, and   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, issued the following statement: U.S. Congressman Brian Babin (TX-36) released the following statement after Senate Democrats blocked a pair of pro-life bills from passing last night, including the Born-Alive Survivors Protection Act which would allow infants who are born after an attempted abortion to receive life-saving medical care. "To say I'm disappointed with yesterday's Senate vote is an understatement," said Babin. "Protecting innocent b  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Congressman Brian Babin (TX-36) released the following statement after sending a letter to the People's Republic of China's (PRC) Ambassador to the United States, Cui Tiankai, expressing serious concern over the exclusion of Taiwan from the World Health Organization (WHO), especially in light of the growing global threat of the coronavirus (COVID-19). "The ongoing exclusion of Taiwan from the WHO during t  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following opening remarks on Feb. 26 at a hearing on U.S.-China trade and competition: Before the start of today's hearing, Rep. Brady and Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL), the top Republican on the Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee, sent a letter to Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA). Remarks as prepared for delivery: "Thank you, Mr. Chairman. "Befor  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following opening statement on Feb. 27 at a hearing on on the fiscal 2021 proposed budget with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar: "Mr. Secretary, we have quite a contrast before us. "On the one hand, under the leadership of President Trump and yourself - and with the support of congressional Republicans - we are making progress toward creating a health-care   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Rep. Kevin P. Brady, R-Texas, issued the following statement after Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced grant funding for three rural broadband projects in Texas, including the MidSouth Electric Cooperative Association in Navasota, Texas: "I want to thank Secretary Perdue and the Rural Development Broadband ReConnect Program for their commitment to providing broadband to underserved communities. "Many of my constituents in the Eighth Congressional District of Te  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, issued the following statement on Feb. 26: Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), Republican Leader of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health delivered the following opening statement at today's hearing on "The Fiscal Year 2021 HHS Budget and Oversight of the Coronavirus Outbreak." As Prepared for Delivery "Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to thank Secretary Azar for being here today to discuss President Trump's Budget Pr  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Feb. 27: 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 spoke before the House Budget Committee about priorities for the Fiscal Year 2021 Budget. As Prepared for Delivery Chairman Yarmuth and Ranking Member Womack, thank you for the opportunity present priorities for the fiscal year 2021 budge  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 -- Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Representative John Carter (TX-31) announced the allocation of over $4.4 million in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and HOME Grants for Texas' 31st District. These grants are funded through Representative Carter's Appropriations Committee. Killeen, Temple, Round Rock and Williamson County are all recipients of the funding. "These grants are a win for Texas' 31st district and will improve quality of l  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- 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 on coronavirus evacuees being treated at JBSA-Lackland as well as Senator Shelby's ref  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 -- Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, issued the following statement on Feb. 25: 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 following the Supreme Court's ruling that the parents of a 15-year-old boy c  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, issued the following news release: 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, had the following exchange with Secretary Pompeo on Iran during the House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing: CASTRO:  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Dan Crenshaw (TX-02) penned an op-ed in the Houston Chronicle highlighting the need to lower drug costs without crushing the innovation of new cures. Crenshaw is a co-sponsor of the Lower Costs, More Cures Act (H.R. 19), a bipartisan bill that would lower the cost of specialty drugs while ensuring innovation continues to thrive, and bad actors are removed from the system. Houston Chronicle: Dan Cr  more

LAREDO, Texas, Feb. 20 -- Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * - Improvements will provide safe and reliable drinking water for residents * * * Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) announced a $1 million in federal funds for water infrastructure improvements . These federal funds, passed through the Texas Department of Agriculture's Community Development Block Grant, will be used to develop and upgrade the region's water infrastructure. These improvements will s  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, issued the following news release on Feb. 27: This morning, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Chair of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, sharply questioned President Trump's Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar about the Administration's mishandling of coronavirus. You can watch his remarks here or below. Rep. Doggett added, "The inept Administration response, indifferent to the leading expert, is endangering the l  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, issued the following news release: According to documents obtained this week by U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Chair of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, the Commerce Department is encouraging businesses to take advantage of a temporary Chinese import incentive and pushing those U.S. companies to sell more of their medical supplies critical to a coronavirus response abroad. This comes, conflictingly, as Health and Huma  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 -- Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, issued the following statement on Feb. 25 in response to the Supreme Court decision in Hernandez vs. Mesa, blocking relief to Sergio Adrian Hernandez Guereca's family and families of future cross-border shooting victims: "Today's Supreme Court decision denies justice to the family of Sergio Hernandez, an unarmed teenager from Ciudad Juarez, who was fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol agent, and sets a dangerous precedent by making exceptio  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, issued the following testimony on Feb. 26 before the House Appropriations subcommittee on Homeland Security at Member Day hearing: Congresswoman Escobar highlighted El Paso's appropriations priorities for Fiscal Year 2021 as it relates to the Department of Homeland Security. Thank you, Chairwoman Roybal-Allard and Ranking Member Fleischmann. I am here today to speak on behalf of a number of requests that would benefit border communities li  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, issued the following testimony on Feb. 27 before House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment at Member Day hearing: Congresswoman Escobar highlighted El Paso's priorities for the reauthorization of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020. The WRDA is essential to our country's water infrastructure and provides the legislative authority for water resources development projects and studie  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) applauded House passage of five bills to support veterans and their families across the country. The legislation passed includes grants for organizations that provide legal services to veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, increased transparency at the Veterans Affairs department, financial protections for military spouses, and more. "Our veterans and t  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) is pleased the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued interim guidance on the 45Q tax credit following her bipartisan effort. This guidance will help businesses understand how they can benefit from legislation passed in 2018 intended incentivize carbon capture and removal technology projects. Earlier this month, Congresswoman Fletcher and Congressman Schweikert (AZ-0  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following statement regarding the coronavirus and issued guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help keep communities safe: "The CDC has warned that coronavirus could pose a serious and potentially wide-scale public health threat in our country. "While the CDC stressed that current risks remain low, we need to be prepared to take the necessary measures to help keep our communities safe and, when necessar  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), along with Congressmen Matt Cartwright (PA-08), Matt Gaetz (FL-01), and Don Bacon (NE-02), announced bipartisan legislation, the Built to Last Act, to bolster America's infrastructure and systems against the risks of climate change. Damage from climate change-related disasters cost the federal government at least$91 billion in 2018 alone, and these costs are expected  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) announced that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded nearly $11 million to BakerRipley for its Head Start Programs. BakerRipley's Head Start and Early Head Start Programs provide comprehensive child development and familiy support services to low-income infants, toddlers, pre-school children and their families all across the greater Houston area. "  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, issued the following remarks on Feb. 27: In the House Committee on the Judiciary, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) chaired a Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship hearing on "The Current State of the United States Refugee Program." The hearing examined the impact of the administration's efforts to effectively weaken the U.S. refugee resettlement program and make it more difficult for migrants to present asylum claims. Congress has a r  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, issued the following statement on Feb. 26: Congressman Louie Gohmert (TX-01) released the following statement on his vote against H.R. 35, "To amend section 249 of title 18, United States Code, to specify lynching as a hate crime act": "Lynching is one of the most heinous forms of murder. It absolutely deserves to be treated as a capital crime, and those who directly participate in lynching should rightly be subjected to a harsh penalty. Howe  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced the availability of $1 billion to upgrade American infrastructure. The federal funding comes as part of the Department of Transportation's (DOT) Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Transportation Discretionary Grants program. Projects evaluated for BUILD will be based on criteria that include safety, economic competitiveness, quality   more

MCALLEN, Texas, Feb. 28 -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced that he will be hosting a series of Vietnam War 50th commemoration pinning ceremonies to honor Vietnam-era veterans in the 15th District of Texas. The pinning ceremonies are part of an ongoing national effort to honor all Vietnam-era veteran military service members who were on active duty. The first pinning ceremony will be held on Sunday, April 19 at 8   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Kay Granger (R-TX), top Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, announced today that Trinity Metro, previously known as Fort Worth Transportation Authority (FWTA), was authorized to use $38.9 million of leftover Department of Transportation (DOT)-Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant funds to extend TEXRail two more miles into the Fort Worth Medical District. "As the economy of th  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, issued the following e-newsletter: Friends, Earlier this week, I was invited by Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist - second-in-command at the Pentagon - to visit the southern border near McAllen, Texas. During the trip, we saw firsthand ongoing security operations, new border wall construction, and the critical role the Defense Department is playing in securing our nation. What happens along our southern border impacts every community i  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, issued the following statement: Congressman Al Green's bill - the Housing Fairness Act of 2019 - passed out of the Financial Services Committee with a 33 to 25 vote. Congressman Green released the following statement: "More than 50 years ago, the Fair Housing Act of 1968 was enacted to protect all Americans from invidious discrimination in housing. Unfortunately, Newsday's 2019 testing investigation report on Long Island real estate practices high  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, issued the following news release: This week, U.S. Representative Will Hurd (TX-23), who serves on the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee in Congress, was proud to support the passage of several bipartisan bills that aid veterans by providing educational, legal and entrepreneurial assistance. "We must keep the promises we made to those who have served and make sure our veterans have access to the educational an  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Representative Will Hurd (TX-23) joined over 20 of his colleagues in a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, requesting assurances that a potential U.S. agreement with the Taliban would not jeopardize our security or undermine the current Afghan government. "I dealt with a lot of bad guys during my time in the CIA, and one thing I learned is that previous actions are   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Representative Will Hurd (TX-23) was honored by the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) at their annual National State of Latino America Summit with the National Legislative Award for his work in Congress on issues affecting Latino Americans and the Hispanic community. "The United States of America is stronger because of the contributions that Latinos have made across our communities and it's a  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson announces that the Dallas County Health and Human Services Department has been awarded $1,357,181 from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services for the Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America program. This funding supports HIV-related health services through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program and enables communities to implement effective and innovative stra  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson announces that the Parkland Health & Hospital System has been awarded $256,790 from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services through their Health Center Cluster Grant. This funding will be critical in supporting Parkland in their work to improve the health of undeserved communities and vulnerable populations by assuring continued access to comprehensive, cult  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded $31,685,818 to Head Start of Greater Dallas, Inc (HSGD). "Our children are our greatest resource and Head Start funding helps children reach their greatest potential," said Congresswoman Johnson. "This funding will allow Head Start of Greater Dallas to continue providing services t  more

DALLAS, Texas, Feb. 25 -- Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, chair of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, issued the following statement on Feb. 24: This morning, Katherine Johnson, the former NASA mathematician whose calculations played a critical role in the early successes of the U.S. space program, passed away at 101 years old. Katherine Johnson was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal on November 8, 2019, after Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson's (D-TX) bill, H.R. 1396, t  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement after the House Foreign Affairs Asia, the Pacific and Nonproliferation Subcommittee hearing on the coronavirus: "The 2019 Novel Coronavirus now has over 80,000 cases worldwide and has killed close to 3,000 people, mostly in China where the disease originated. China's initial response to this virus was completely unsatisfactory - initially silencin  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on the coronavirus updates, including the Trump administration's funding request: "From the outset of the coronavirus outbreak, the Trump Administration has been vigilant in their efforts to curb its spread worldwide and protect Americans and Texans wherever they may be. "As the Republican Leader of the Committee that oversees the State Departme  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on Feb. 27 after House Democrats rejected consideration of a resolution condemning comments Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, made praising the late Cuban communist dictator Fidel Castro: McCaul is an original co-sponsor of the resolution introduced by Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), whose family fled the Castro regime. "Today House Democrat  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Rep. Michael T. McCaul, R-Texas, issued the following statement on Feb. 27: Congressman Michael McCaul (TX-10), Lead Republican of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the following statement after House Democrats rejected consideration of a resolution condemning comments Senator Bernie Sanders made praising communist dictator Fidel Castro this week. McCaul is an original co-sponsor of the resolution introduced by Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), whose famil  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 -- Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Maryland, issued the following news release: Rep. Jamie Raskin, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, sent letters to officials in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas seeking information about their compliance with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) through the annual Medicaid renewal process. Under regulations implementing the Affordable Care  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Maryland, issued the following news release on Feb. 26: Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, the Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and Rep. Jamie Raskin, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, released a staff memo with new documents obtained as part of the Committee's investigation of voter suppression allegations in Georgia, Texas, and Kansas. "Our investigation confirms that officials in multiple states took s  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) introduced a pair of bills to honor the legacies of two distinguished constituents from the 4th District of Texas. The bills will rename two local post offices in honor of former Rep. Ralph Hall and decorated war hero, Audie Murphy. "From beginning to end, Ralph Hall lived one of the most extraordinary and remarkable lives of anyone ever to serve in Congress, and Audie Murphy r  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following at a hearing on the fiscal 2021 Defense Department budget request: "Let me begin by joining you in thanking our witnesses for being here; but even more importantly thanking each of them for their service. As you point out, this is a challenging security environment. It is also a challenging political environment. To be charged with what I believe is the firs  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following opening remarks oin Feb. 27 at a hearing on the fiscal 2021 Navy and Marine Corps posture: "Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I join you in welcoming our witnesses today and thanking each of them for their service and their many contributions to the country's defense." "As the Chairman referenced there was considerable conversation yesterday with the Secretary and   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Filemon Vela (D-TX) announced that the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded $239,250 in federal funding to the Alice Housing Authority in Jim Wells County through the Resident Opportunity and Self Sufficiency (ROSS) Program. This program promotes the development of local strategies to coordinate the use of public and private assistance available under the Public   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 -- Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Texas, issued the following news release: Congressman Filemon Vela (D-TX) announced that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is awarding WaterSMART grants to two local irrigation districts to help improve water efficiency. The WaterSMART Program focuses on improving water conservation and helping water-resource managers manage water more efficiently. "The use of these federal funds will support conservation of our most valuable resource in Cameron County.  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Texas, issued the following statement on Feb. 28 in response to the 9th Circuit Court ruling 2-1 to uphold a lower-court's injunction on President Trump's "Remain in Mexico" immigration policy. "The "Remain in Mexico" policy is a disgrace. "Today's decision by the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit rejects the punitive sham that is the "Remain in Mexico" policy and moves us a step closer in restoring due process and a fair asylum system that uph  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Texas, issued the following statement on Feb. 27 in response to the Trump administration's announcement of $3.8 billion in the Department of Defense funding for border wall: "Yesterday the Department of Defense testified to Congress that our Military is continuing to dig out from Modernization Shortfalls and struggling to stay ahead of China and Russia. "However, those officials failed to connect how this Administration's robbery of $3.8 billion fro  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Rep. Ron Wright, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, issued the following opening statement on Feb. 26 at a hearing to examine the Department of Labor's oversight of the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund: "Workers in the mining industry have been an extremely important part of the American economy for decades. Congress created the Black Lung Benefits Program to provide benefits to mine workers who are d  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Reps. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, and Eliot L. Engel, D-New York, ranking Republican member and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following joint statement on Feb. 27 on the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Crimea: "Today marks the sixth anniversary of Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula and the beginning of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and its people. Six years later, we continue in bipartisan fashion to con  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado, issued the following news release: House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Ranking Member Mac Thornberry (R-Texas), Subcommittee on Readiness Chairman John Garamendi (D-CA), and Ranking Member Doug Lamborn (R-CO) issued the following statement after the Department of Defense released their Military Housing Privatization Initiative Tenant Bill of Rights: "While the Tenant Bill of Rights outlines a number of protections   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Rep. Adam Smith, D-Washington, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following joint statement with Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, ranking member of the same committee, and Reps. John Garamendi, D-California, Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado, chairman and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Readiness, after the Defense Department released its Military Housing Privatization Initiative Tenant Bill of Rights: House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following joint statement with Rep. Adam Smith, D-Washington, chairman of the same committee, and Reps. John Garamendi, D-California, Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado, chairman and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Readiness, after the Defense Department released its Military Housing Privatization Initiative Tenant Bill of Rights: "While the Tenant Bill of Rights outlines a number o  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following statement: U.S. Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Mark R. Warner (D-VA), co-chairs of the Senate India Caucus, issued the following statement following President Trump's visit to India: "As co-chairs of the India Caucus, we welcome the commitments made by the United States and India during President Trump's recent visit to India to expand the partnership between our two countries and our two peoples. "Both countries agreed to   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following statement about the coronavirus outbreak on a call with Texas reporters: "Last week I had a meeting with [San Antonio] leadership, the Mayor, and a couple of City Councilpersons, along with the U.S. Public Health Service and Department of Defense, about the evacuees." "We know that the Mayor and the City Councilpersons were expressing concerns to me that local health care facilities were not really adequate, given the need   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) voted for both the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act and the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. Sen. Cornyn spoke about this legislation yesterday on the Senate floor. On the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act: "Voting for the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act is how each member of this chamber can go on-record to say they are against kill  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) announced two updates to his senior leadership team. He has promoted Andrew Davis, who joined in April, as Chief Counsel, and named Lauren Aronson, who joined in July, as Communications Director. Both Andrew and Lauren will serve in his Washington, D.C. office. "Andrew and Lauren have been excellent additions to our senior leadership team," Sen. Cruz said. "Andrew's work defending Ame  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, this week at a full committee hearing focused on the challenges of universal injunctions, highlighted the disparity between universal injunctions filed during the eight years of the Obama administration and the past three years of the Trump administration, discrediting criticisms from the Left that the Supreme Court is lifting too many   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) joined Sens. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) in sending a letter to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan requesting information on the agency's readiness to prevent the transmission of coronavirus across American ports of entry. "As southern border Senators, we are concerned about the possible spread of the coronavirus across our   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release on Feb. 25: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, issued the following statement after Senate Democrats voted against the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act and the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, two pieces of common-sense pieces of legislation to restore the fundamental rights of unborn and newborn babies: "Today, Democrats had an opportunity to stand   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * - Announces subcommittee hearing examining global aviation's role in reducing the spread of coronavirus * * * U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation and Space, announced he will convene a hearing on the role commercial air travel plays in both spreading and containing coronavirus, and what Congress can do to prevent further outbreaks. "As more countries are affected  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, issued the following joint statement with Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, co-chair of the Senate India Caucus, after President Trump's visit to India: "As co-chairs of the India Caucus, we welcome the commitments made by the United States and India during President Trump's recent visit to India to expand the partnership between our two countries and our two peoples. Both countries agreed to continue working together to ensure a free and open Indo-  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) introduced the Advancing Research to Prevent Suicide Act, which would require the National Science Foundation to award grants to institutes of higher education that support research on suicide treatment and prevention. "Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for young Texans and is on the rise nationally," said Sen. Cornyn. "This legislation would h  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and dozens of their colleagues this week sent a letter to President Trump urging him to file a petition for a rehearing of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit's decision to invalidate hardship relief for small refineries under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The letter was also signed by Sens. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Jim Inhofe   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, issued the following news release: U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced new legislation that would impose sanctions against Lebanese officials who are involved in the unlawful detainment, arrest or abuse of any United States citizen in Lebanon. The senators' legislation - the Zero Tolerance for Unlawful Detentions of U.S. Citizens in Lebanon Act (Zero Tolerance Act)  more

LAREDO, Texas, Feb. 26 -- Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, issued the following news release: * * * - Funding will go towards buying 33 radios, improving communication between local law enforcement * * * Sheriff Martin Cuellar, District Attorney Isidro Alaniz, and Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) today announced $150,000 in federal funds for Webb County's Sheriff Office as well as the District Attorney's Office. These funds, awarded through the DOJ's Bureau of Justice Assistance Gulf States Reg  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Feb. 24 -- Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, issued the following news release on Feb. 22: Yesterday, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) hosted a roundtable discussion with business, labor, and community leaders at the Port of Houston. They spoke about the House Democrats' new bold Moving Forward infrastructure proposal and how it would help address some of the country's most urgent infrastructure needs, from the massive maintenance backlog, to designing saf  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment issued the following testimony on Feb. 27 by Rep. Pete Olson, R-Texas, at the Member's Day hearing on proposals for the Water Resources Development Act: I represent the 22nd Congressional District in Texas, in the greater Houston region. Sadly, Houston is no stranger to hurricanes, devastating storms and the flooding that they bring. Parts of Texas are still recovering from the devast  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, issued the following news release: Rep. John Ratcliffe's (R-Texas) Gold Star Mothers Families National Monument Extension Act (H.R. 2819) passed with strong, bipartisan support today in the U.S. House of Representatives. Ratcliffe co-introduced the bill with Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) to extend the authorization for the establishment of a monument in honor of Gold Star families at no cost to taxpayers. The extended authorization will allow more   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 -- Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Ways and Means Committee, issued the following news release: * * * - Regular updates will showcase where Opportunity Zones are boosting investments * * * Tax reform changed the trajectory of the economy, paving the way for more jobs, bigger paychecks, and greater opportunity for communities. Now, areas of the country that have been left behind in the past are getting new attention thanks to a provision   more