{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Republican\", state = \"TX\" and year = 2015 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://marchant.house.gov/2015/12/30/congress-to-send-obamacare-repeal-planned-parenthood-defunding-to-the-presidents-desk/", "Congress to send Obamacare repeal, Planned Parenthood defunding to the presidents desk", "2015-12-30", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Kenny Marchant", "M001158", "marchant.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congress to send Obamacare repeal, Planned Parenthood defunding to the presidents desk\n      \n                         December 30, 2015\n        \n              \n            \n  \n  Congress to send Obamacare repeal, Planned Parenthood defunding to the presidents desk\nInformation from Speaker Ryan Press Office\nDecember 30, 2015\nView Online | http://spkrryan.us/1MH9eWs\nNext week, for the first time, Congress will send the president a billrepealing Obamacareanddefunding Planned Parenthood. That bill is called theRestoring Americans Healthcare Freedom ReconciliationAct, and you canread it here. Here are three reasons why this bill is so important:\nRepeals Obamacare.With each passing day, it becomes more apparent that Obamacare is an unmitigated disaster for hardworking families and our economy. Millions of Americans have already been kicked off plans the presidentrepeatedly promisedthey could keep, while countless others face the sticker shock ofdouble-digit premium increases. This bill effectively repeals the mandates and taxes at the heart of the law.This will be the first Obamacare repeal bill that Congress sends to President Obama since the laws enactment in 2010. This, of course, is a critical step in replacing this law with a patient-centered plan as a part of abold, pro-growth agenda.\nDefunds Planned Parenthood.The horrific videos released earlier this year depicting Planned Parenthood affiliates harvesting and selling fetal body parts should offend everyone regardless of political persuasion. The House has already responded byestablishing a panelfocused on investigating this practice. In the meantime, Americans should not be forced to fund this organization. Thats whyCongress will act to defund Planned Parenthood, and shift those resources to community health centers.\nForces President Obamas Hand.Weve worked tirelessly to dismantle Obamacare and protect Americans from this law. All told, weve forced President Obama to signat least 10 billsthat chip away at parts of Obamacare. The recent year-end funding legislationincludedno new money for Obamacare and prohibited a taxpayer bailout of Obamacares risk corridor program. We also delayed taxes at the heart of the law, forcing the president to make his biggest concession since Obamacare went into effect. Still, thats not enough. So were usingreconciliation, a budget mechanism that can only be used once every year. Its an opportunity to avoid a filibuster from Senate Democrats and put conservative priorities directly on the presidents desk.\nThis is our best shot to stand up for our principles on behalf of the American people. You can use this bill once a year, and were using it for this, Speaker Ryansaid recentlyon Bill Bennetts show. In doing so, were forcing the president to confront the failures of this law once and for all.\nWe owe it to the country to take our best shot at repealing Obamacare, and thats what we will do next week.\n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2567", "Sen. Cruz Tours Tornado Wreckage in Rowlett", "2015-12-30", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today joined U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas), Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, State Sen. Bob Hall (R-Canton), State Rep. Cindy Burkett (R-Sunnyvale), Rowlett Mayor Todd Gottel, and Rockwall County Judge David Sweet to tour the areas ravaged by tornadoes last Saturday.\nAfter witnessing the wreckage, Sen. Cruz said, It is heartbreaking to see these homes that have been utterly destroyed, and yet, it is miraculous that in the face of all of this devastation, there was not more loss of life. Weve seen homes that have been reduced to piles of rubble, and yet miraculously, the families that were there survived. That is something for which we are all thankful. It is also remarkable seeing how Texans respond in the face of tragedy. Over and over again, when faced with natural disasters, Texans come together. We had the opportunity to visit with volunteers from neighboring areas that have come together to help clean up the wreckage, to help patch up the roofs, to help people put together their lives. That sense of community, that sense of love, that sense of togetherness is one of the things that really defines Texas.\nI commend the mayor, the city officials, the county officials, and the local and state governments for stepping up and helping their citizens rebuild their lives. The cleanup operation is incredible. And over and over again, as we visited with people, families who had lost their homes were simply saying, Thank God we survivedphysical possessions can be replaced. People are hurting. People are grieving. And we are coming together as one to pray for and stand with our friends and neighbors in the face of this natural disaster.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://gohmert.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398291", "Gohmert Reflects on 2015 Battles in the U.S. House of Representatives", "2015-12-29", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Louie Gohmert", "G000552", "gohmert.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sen. Bill Ratliff once told me the old adage, Its amazing what you can get done if you dont care who gets the credit. He was so right. Knowing that I had evoked Speaker Boehners wrath, I would tell him I did not care whose name was on a bill that needed to come to the floor for a vote and I have gotten a number of bills passed and others should pass this next year. \r\n\r\nSince my first term in office, I have been pushing to end the automatic increase in every federal department and agency. That would make it a Zero Baseline Budget. Four years ago, Boehner agreed to bring it to the floor under the name of the stellar young House member who managed it in committee. It passed the House, but the Senate did not take it up. About two years later, it was again passed out of the House as the Woodall-Gohmert bill, though I told Paul Ryan not to put my name on it because it might prevent it coming to the floor for a vote. Paul said, Ive already told Boehner everybody knows you are the one who has been pushing this since youve been here, so he said ok. The Senate did not take it up, but I am told in this Congress, we should pass it this year and demand the Senate vote on it. Since Speaker Ryan strongly supports it, it may get a vote in the Senate.\r\n \r\n    THE KARI'S LAW ACT OF 2015 \r\n \r\nWe have worked with various aspects of the lodging industry, phone system providers, and concerned individuals including Hank Hunt, to draft Karis Law that will require phone systems be provided with the default allowing anyone dialing 911 to reach emergency help without dialing any prefix. We expect to get it passed this year.\r\n \r\n    OBAMACARE ORIGINATION CLAUSE\r\n \r\nPreviously, I drafted a bill that would state that it is the sense of the House that the ObamaCare bill did not originate in the House as the Constitution requires for bills that raise revenue or have taxes in them. There are attorneys who have filed suit and gotten different judgments in different Circuit Courts, so there is a good chance that the Supreme Court will take it up. If we pass that resolution, it will be evidence of which an appellate court can take judicial notice and could be persuasive. After drafting it, I talked the Chairman of the Constitution subcommittee into being the lead sponsor and he has done a great job.\r\n\r\nContinue to lead an effort, as personally requested by former U.S. Attorney General Ed Meese, to reform thecriminal code so that no one can be thrown in jail or prison for an innocuous violation of a rule or regulation written by unelectedbureaucrats that Congress has not specifically approved as a criminal violation. That outrage has repeatedly occurred and needs to be stopped.\r\n\r\nHave led efforts for almost five years to ensure the military is always paid in the event of a government shutdown; got a temporary bill passed but continue to push for making the payments for our military automatic as Social Security payments are.\r\n\r\nThere should be no doubt that I led the effort beginning three years ago to get a new Speaker which finally paid off in October of this year. \r\n\r\nContinue to push to get additional legislation in each Congress to deal with Invasive Species such as Giant Salvinia that is destroying some of our East Texas lakes. We have had some success, but need to provide more help to the states on such a critical national issue.\r\n\r\nContinue to be the leading proponent demanding that the Senate take up the Iran deal as the treaty it actually is. It modifies existing treaties which can only be done by another treaty that is ratified with a two-thirds vote in the Senate. The Corker bill cannot change that Constitutional requirement for a treaty. \r\n\r\nWe welcome legal immigrants, but must enforce our border as a matter of national security. In the last Congress, I stopped the House bill that Boehner had secretly drafted the last week of July and had acquired enough Republican pledges to pass it, even without anyone reading it. After it was finally filed Tuesday before the vote on Thursday, I read it through the night on Tuesday to Wednesday morning, realized it was a de facto amnesty bill, so I got copies of all my notes to leading allies in the House and to national talk show hosts. By Thursday morning the Speaker had lost so many of his pledges, he had to pull the bill from consideration. That Thursday night I spent hours with about fifteen other members of Congress changing the bill until we changed it from an amnesty bill to a decent border security bill that we passed late that Friday night with massive Republican support.\r\n \r\n    STANDING UP AGAINST BLANKET AMNESTY \r\n \r\nContinue to be a leader in fighting against granting blanket amnesty to those illegally in the United States. President Obama's unlawful executive action on immigration was frankly outrageous and an offense to the U.S. Constitution. Not only did the administrations unlawful memos trample on the U.S. Constitution, they caused many, who applied to come to the United States legally, to go to the back of the processing line behind those who were breaking the law. This nation was built on the Rule of Law; it is my promise to continue to be a vocal opponent of executive amnesty.There is no doubt that immigration has fortified this country; however, it should be done legally. \r\n\r\nThe original Authorization of Use of Military Force passed seven days after 9-11-2001 gave massive powers to the President allowing him to lock up American citizens without right of Habeas Corpus. In the last Congress, I led a fight to get that corrected in the National Defense Authorization Act. As the Chairman of the Armed Services Committee was negotiating acceptable language with the Senate, he had me come to his conference room privately to work on language acceptable to conservatives and most libertarians each time the Senate sent back a new proposal. I would consult with Constitutional Law professors by phone. We finally worked out a satisfactory solution that protected everyone legally in the U.S., though CAIR and the ACLU wanted everyone illegally here with the same protections that the Immigration laws do not afford them.\r\n\r\nContinue to push legislation that will punish sanctuary cities.\r\n\r\nWas an extremely vocal critic of the TPA and TPP as they gave far too much power to the President to negotiate away our sovereign rights.\r\n\r\nProposed we end the monopoly on scoring potential bills by the Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Tax Committee, by making it competitive and scoring the scorers. Dr. Arthur Laffer, Ronald Reagans economic advisor called me recently to say he had gotten a private grant to come up with a system like I suggested and would be announcing his proposal very soon.\r\n \r\n    PROTECTING & ARMING MILITARY \r\n \r\nHaving been a leader in pushing bills for a number of years that would allow our military members to carry weapons at their U.S. duty station under certain situations, we finally got language included in the NDAA this year that will allow such.\r\n \r\n    PROTECTING STATES NATURAL RESOURCES RIGHTS\r\n \r\nHave also led efforts to pass bills that will allow states to govern certain activity including oil and gas production if the state has an agency that governs it.\r\nIn addition to this, top conservative and policy groups have ranked my strong voting record in the highest percentiles: Heritage (93%), FreedomWorks (100%), NumbersUSA (96%). \r\nIt is my commitment to you, as your humble representative from the First Congressional District of Texas, to stand firmly on the principles that formed this nation and continue to push forward legislation that empower we the people. We must keep fighting the good fight for the generations that will follow us. It is my hope and prayer that 2016 will truly be a year of restoration for this country.\r\nMany blessings to you and your family, \r\nLouie", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=NewsReleases&ContentRecord_id=fe0df18f-629b-4ac5-9a86-f07f6cc5c5d1", "Cornyn Op-Ed: In 2015, New Senate Majority Delivered For The Nation", "2015-12-29", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John Cornyn", "C001056", "www.cornyn.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC Office  \n                    517 Hart Senate Office Bldg.  \n                    Washington, DC 20510   \n                    Main: 202-224-2934  \n                    Get Directions\n\n                  \n                  \n                    \n                  \n                \n                \n              \n              \n                \n                  \n                    \nSoutheast Texas:  \n                    5300 Memorial Drive Suite 980  \n                    Houston, TX 77007   \n                    Main: 713-572-3337  \n                    Fax: 713-572-3777  \n                    Get Directions\n\n                  \n                  \n                    \n                  \n                \n                \n              \n              \n                \n                  \n                    \nSouth Texas:  \n                    222 East Van Buren  \n                    Suite 404  \n                    Harlingen, TX 78550   \n                    Main: 956-423-0162  \n                    Fax: 956-423-0193  \n                    Get Directions\n\n                  \n                  \n                    \n                  \n                \n                \n              \n              \n                \n                  \n                    \nWest Texas:  \n                    Wells Fargo Center  \n                    1500 Broadway, Suite 1230  \n                    Lubbock, TX 79401   \n                    Main: 806-472-7533  \n                    Fax: 806-472-7536   \n                    Get Directions\n\n                  \n                  \n                    \n                  \n                \n                \n              \n              \n                \n                  \n                    \nSouth Central Texas:  \n                    600 Navarro   \n                    Suite 210  \n                    San Antonio, TX 78205  \n                    Main: 210-224-7485  \n                    Fax: 210-224-8569  \n                    Get Directions\n\n                  \n                  \n                    \n                  \n                \n                \n              \n              \n                \n                  \n                    \nCentral Texas:  \n                    Chase Tower  \n                    221 West Sixth Street  \n                    Suite 1530  \n                    Austin, TX 78701   \n                    Main: 512-469-6034  \n                    Fax: 512-469-6020  \n                    Get Directions\n\n                  \n                  \n                    \n                  \n                \n                \n              \n              \n                \n                  \n                    \nEast Texas:  \n                    Regions Bank Building  \n                    100 E. Ferguson Street, Suite 1004   \n                    Tyler, TX 75702  \n                    Main: 903-593-0902  \n                    Fax: 903-593-0920  \n                    Get Directions\n\n                  \n                  \n                    \n                  \n                \n                \n              \n              \n                \n                  \n                    \nNorth Texas:  \n                    5001 Spring Valley Road  \n                    Suite 1125 E  \n                    Dallas, TX 75244   \n                    Main: 972-239-1310  \n                    Fax: 972-239-2110   \n                    Get Directions", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hurd.house.gov/media-center/hurd-hill/hurd-hill-representing-you", "Hurd on the Hill: Representing You", "2015-12-29", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Will Hurd", "H001073", "hurd.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Almost 12 months ago, I started a new job  representing you in Washington. Being an effective leader in D.C. is not easy, especially when you are battling a bureaucracy that is slow and inefficient. But when you work smarter and harder, and surround yourself with a dedicated team, it is amazing what can be accomplished.\nThe last time a representative from the 23rd Congressional District of Texas had legislation signed into law was 2007 -- a bill that renamed a post office. In 2015, sixty-seven bills became law and two of those are mine. Two additional bills that I introduced were also signed into law when they were added to other pieces of legislation. That means four of my bills have been signed into law, and my fifth one, The State and Local Cyber Protection Act, is on track to be sent to the Presidents desk in the New Year.\nMy bills have a direct impact on the 23rd Congressional District by protecting the paychecks of our brave Border Patrol Agents, giving small businesses and local governments greater access to resources for cyber protection, allowing Texas to invest in border infrastructure for trade and commerce, and keeping hackers out of our governments digital infrastructure.\nHowever, not everything can be accomplished through introducing legislation. Sometimes working with my colleagues, state and federal agency heads, and local leaders is what makes something happen in our district. \n Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, received funding for a much-need security gate update and is on track to finally be able to fix their airfield runways so that a couple of inches of rain no longer brings pilot training to a halt.\n\tSocorro Road, stretching from Ysleta to San Elizario and Highway 132 & 173 in Devine are seeing more regular maintenance because of a call to the Texas Department of Transportation.\n\tThe City of Alpine is moving forward to remediate wastewater infrastructure because of a call to TCEQ.\n\tThe City of Hondo broke ground on a new vocational training facility due to a grant they received from the Economic Development Administration after receiving a letter from our office.\n\tSan Antonio will soon boast a new Federal Courthouse and a National Guard Cyber Unit.\n Fighting for you in Washington is a job I take seriously. \nBeyond legislation and projects, directly helping constituents battle the bureaucracy is a huge focus for our office. We have opened over 560 cases so far this year for people across the district to advocate on their behalf to agencies such as the VA, Social Security, Medicare, the State Department, Department of Defense, and Customs and Border Protection. Not everyone has the time and resources to cut through the red tape and that is why we are here to help. If you need assistance, please contact us today through the website  hurd.house.gov/services/help-with-a-federal-agency\nWe have responded to over 76,000 letters, emails and voicemails from constituents with questions about legislation. And we have proactively reached out with additional information and updates through eNewsletters, mail and frequently scheduled telephone town halls. We have also held more than 200 meetings across the district, having at least one in every one of the 29 counties I represent. You can join in by emailing me at hurd.house.gov/contact or signing up for my eNewsletter at hurd.house.gov/contact/newsletter. I want to hear from you!\nThank you all for the privilege of being your representative in Washington, DC. It is not just my title; it is my job and one that I am humbled to do each day. It has been an amazing first year representing everyone in the 23rd Congressional District of Texas and I look forward to many more.\nWishing all of you a Prosperous and Happy New Year!\nHurd on the Hill: Representndote a ti\nEs mi trabajo, y es mi honor\nHace doce meses, empec mi nuevo empleo  representndolos en Washington. Ser un lder efectivo en D.C. no es nada fcil, especialmente cuando enfrentas una burocracia que es lento e ineficiente. Pero cuando una trabaja ms duro y ms inteligentemente, y te rodeas con un equipo dedicado, es increble todo lo que uno puede lograr.\nLa ltima vez que un representante del Distrito Congresional 23 de Texas tuvo una legislacin firmado a ley era en el 2007  un proyecto de ley que renombro una oficina postal. En el 2015, sesenta y siete proyectos de ley fueron firmados a ley por el Presidente y dos de esos eran mos. Dos proyecto de leyes adicionales que yo introduje tambin fueron firmados a ley cuando fueron agregados a otras piezas de legislacin. Eso significa que cuatro de mis proyectos de ley fueron firmados a ley, y mi quinto, La Acta de Proteccin Ciberntica Local y Estatal, est en rumbo para el escritorio del Presidente para el ao nuevo.\nMis proyectos de ley impactan directamente al Distrito Congresional 23 al proteger los cheques de nuestros valientes agentes de la Patrulla Fronteriza, ofrecindoles a los negocios pequeos y a los gobiernos locales acceso a recursos para proteccin ciberntica, permitiendo que Texas invierta en la infraestructura fronteriza para intercambios y comercio, y manteniendo a los piratas informticos fuera de nuestra infraestructura digital del gobierno.\nSin embargo, no todo puede ser cumplido por medio de legislacin. A veces el trabajar con mis colegas, jefes de agencia en el nivel estatal y federal, y nuestros encargados locales es lo que realmente hace que cosas sucedan en nuestro distrito.\n La Base de la Fuerza Area Laughlin, recibi fondos para una muy necesitada actualizacin de una puerta de seguridad y est en camino para poder finalmente reparar sus pistas aerdromos para que unas pulgadas de lluvia ya no detenga el entrenamiento para pilotos.\n\tSocorro Road, que estira de Ysleta a San Elizario y Highway 132 y 173 en Devine estn recibiendo con ms frecuencia mantenimiento regular por una llamada hecha al Departamento de Transportacin de Texas.\n\tLa ciudad de Alpine est avanzando en la rehabilitacin de la infraestructura de las aguas residuales por una llamada hecha al TCEQ.\n\tLa cuidad de Hondo abri un nuevo centro de entrenamiento vocacional por un subsidio recibido por la administracin de desarrollo econmico despus de recibir una carta de nuestra oficina.\n\tSan Antonio tendr muy pronto una nueva Corte Federal y una Unidad Ciberntica De la Guardia Nacional.\n Peleando por usted en Washington es un trabajo que tomo en serio.\nMs all de la legislacin y proyectos, el ayudar a constituyentes directamente batallar contra la burocracia es un gran enfoque de nuestra oficina. Hemos abierto ms de 560 casos hasta la fecha para personas a lo largo del distrito para abogar de su parte a agencias como l VA, Seguro Social, Medicare, el Departamento del Estado, el Departamento de Defensa, y la Aduana y Proteccin Fronteriza. No todos tienen el tiempo o los recursos para luchar en contra la burocracia, y es por eso que estamos aqu para ayudar. Si necesitan asistencia, por favor contctenos hoy por medio del sitio web  hurd.house.gov/services/help-with-a-federal-agency\nHemos respondido a ms de 76,000 letras, correo electrnico y correo de voz de constituyentes con preguntas sobre legislaciones. Tambin hemos comunicado activamente, proveyendo informacin adicional y mandando actualizaciones por medio de boletn electrnico, correo, y llamadas programadas al distrito. Hemos sostenido ms de 200 reuniones a lo largo del distrito, realizando al menos uno en cada de los 29 condados que represento. Pueden aadirse mandndome un correo electrnico a Hurd.house.gov/contact o suscribindose a mi boletn electrnico a Hurd.house.gov/contact/newsletter. Quiero escuchar de ti!\nGracias a todos ustedes por el privilegio de ser su representante en Washington, D.C. No es solo mi ttulo; es mi trabajo y uno que me siento honrado desempear cada da. Ha sido un ao asombroso representando a todos en el distrito Congresional 23 de Texas y espero con ansiedad representar a muchos ms.\nDesendoles a todos un prspero Ao Nuevo!", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/content/cornyn-op-ed-2015-new-senate-majority-delivered-nation", "Cornyn Op-Ed: In 2015, New Senate Majority Delivered For The Nation", "2015-12-29", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John Cornyn", "C001056", "www.cornyn.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) published the following op-ed on FoxNews.com recapping the Senate\u2019s accomplishments in the first year of the new Republican Majority:\nIn 2015, New Senate Majority Delivered For The Nation\nFoxNews.com\nU.S. Senator John Cornyn\nDecember 29, 2015\nhttp://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/12/28/sen-john-cornyn-in-2015-new-senate-majority-delivered-for-nation.html\nCongress is often characterized as a place of partisan bickering and gridlock\u2014where debate and partisan rancor is widespread, but little is actually accomplished. Too often, this assessment has proven accurate. But last fall, the American people decided to change that, sending a Republican majority to the U.S. Senate. Since January, and under Republican leadership, the Senate has delivered on our promise to pass legislation to help American families, grow our economy, and keep us safe.\nAt the beginning of the 114th Congress, I introduced the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act\u2014legislation aimed at defeating the scourge of human trafficking in this country. Human trafficking is a horrendous practice that, tragically, can be found in every state. Fortunately, members in both parties, and in both Chambers, understood the great need to urgently fight this reprehensible practice.\nLegislators from across the political spectrum united under a common cause: to help victims of modern-day slavery recover and rebuild their lives. In the spring, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act passed with 99 votes in the Senate, and paved the way for these brave survivors\u2014some young children\u2014to find a path to healing. It\u2019s now the law of the land.\nCongress also tackled major issues concerning our national security. This fall, both Chambers overwhelmingly passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA is integral to ensuring that our military is resourced, trained and ready for action when called upon.\nAnd in the wake of several serious security breaches of federal government computer servers over the summer\u2014and the brazen theft of the personal information of millions of Americans\u2014the clear need for robust cyber security legislation became even more apparent. So, the Senate passed the Cyber Information Sharing Act to give the public and private sectors the tools to act more nimbly when attacks are detected.\nWe\u2019ve also passed legislation to grow our economy not just for today, but for years down the road. In June, Congress passed Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) legislation. TPA is a blueprint for pending and future trade negotiations\u2014one that ensures that American farmers, ranchers, and manufacturers get the best deal possible. By setting the ground rules on agreements with countries in Asia, Latin America, and Europe, TPA opens doors of opportunity to our country\u2019s businesses around the world, and is essential to growing our economy.\nBut perhaps the most significant achievement was confronting entrenched policy problems that proved too divisive or complicated to tackle in the past.\nIn April, Congress came together to bring about much-needed reform to the payment system for doctors who treat Medicare patients. The legislation preserved seniors\u2019 access to care, and ended years of uncertainty for physicians.\nCongress also passed the first significant education reform since 2001. The Every Student Succeeds Act ensures that parents, teachers, and local school boards will hold the reins to their children\u2019s education, not the federal government.\nAnd for the first time in more than a decade, Congress passed a multi-year transportation bill\u2014the result of hard work across party lines over the course of this year. Passage of this bill marked an end to years of short-term extensions, and will allow states the freedom and flexibility to plan for and deliver major transportation and infrastructure projects across the country. This will help make our nation\u2019s transportation system safer and more efficient, and lays the groundwork for even greater economic growth.\nLast fall, Republicans set the bar high for the new Senate majority. We pledged to get back to work, and to create and pass substantive pieces of legislation. We did that, and proved that inaction didn\u2019t have to be the norm. Effective governance and principled leadership doesn\u2019t shy away from confronting long-standing, seemingly intractable policy problems head-on.\nAs we look to the year ahead, our work is far from over. But by keeping the American people in the drivers\u2019 seat, we will continue to deliver real solutions for our country.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2566", "Sen. Cruz: Prayers for Victims of Severe Weather in Texas", "2015-12-27", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today released the following statement on the devastating storms and tornadoes in North Texas yesterday that killed at least 11 people and damaged more than 600 buildings:\nYesterday evening, horrific storms and tornadoes hit the state of Texas. Tragically, lives were lost, many were injured, and still many more left homeless. While the damage is great, our perseverance is greater. At times like these, we all come together to help one another. The Red Cross and first responders in the area have acted swiftly to tend to those in need. Heidi and I ask that you join us in keeping the victims of this tragedy in your hearts and prayers, and we encourage you to lend a hand to those affected as storms continue throughout the day.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://flores.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398743", "Waco Tribune: Flores honors Army vet with commendation", "2015-12-25", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Bill Flores", "F000461", "flores.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Retired U.S. Army Col. Jon Ker, of Valley Mills, received a 2015 Congressional Veterans Commendation from U.S. Rep. Bill Flores. He was one of several veterans honored who live in the 17th Congressional District served by Flores.\r\nKer served in the U.S. Army for nearly 40 years. He served with the 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam in 1969 at the Dak Seang and Ben Het Special Forces camps in the Tri-border area where Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos converge.\r\nHe fought throughout the siege at Ben Het, which at the time was the second-longest battle of the war. He earned a Bronze Star, among other commendations, during his combat duty in Vietnam.\r\nIn 2003, he volunteered to deploy to Iraq with the 5th Special Forces Group, and part of his job was to work on the capture of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. After his capture, one of the men in Kers group drove Saddams car to the U.S. safe house.\r\nTo read full article click here", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hensarling.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/wsj-consumer-watchdog-pushed-discrimination-case-on-vulnerable-firm-report", "WSJ: Consumer Watchdog Pushed Discrimination Case on Vulnerable Firm: Report", "2015-12-24", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Jeb Hensarling", "H001036", "hensarling.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Republicans say Consumer Financial Protection Bureau targeted Ally on likelihood of settlement to gain restructuring approval \nWASHINGTONWhen federal regulators launched a crackdown on alleged discrimination in auto lending two years ago, they knew their methodology would be questioned. But they calculated they could secure a market-shaping settlement by going after a company unlikely to fight the charges because it needed to avoid a complaint to clinch government approval for a broader restructuring.\nThat is the conclusion of a report, based on internal documents and emails written by the staff of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, releasedTuesdayby congressional Republicans who have long criticized the discrimination probe.\nSome of the claims being made in this case present issuesthat would pose litigation risks, CFPB staff members wrote in one 2013 memo addressed tothe bureaus director, Richard Cordray,which was included in the report.\nBut such concerns, the officials said in the same 23-page document, would be offset by the likelihood of a settlement by the target company,Ally FinancialInc.Ally may have a powerful incentive to settle the entire matter quickly without engaging in protracted litigation, the agencys lawyers wrote, noting that the companys failure to secure approval to become a holdingcompany would force it to divest itself of key businesses, primarily its insurance subsidiaries.\nThe document showed Mr. Cordray approved the staffs report by signing his initials.\nSamuel Gilford, a CFPB spokesman, said the bureau wasnt able to comment immediately, adding that it hadnt had the time to review the report or verify the authenticity of the accompanying documents.\nThe CFPBs goal has been, and continues to be, the elimination of illegal discrimination, he said, adding that the bureau will fairly and consistently enforce the related law to ensure borrowers harmed by discrimination receive the relief they deserve.\nThe $98 million settlementwith Ally was the governments biggest case involving alleged discrimination in the auto-loan market and the first case for the CFPB in the industry. The regulators accused the auto lender, formerly known as GMAC, of offering a pricing system that resulted in 235,000 minority borrowers being charged higher interest rates than white customers by auto dealers.\nThe agencys campaign to pursue auto lenders has set off fury among industry officials and many lawmakers. They have two main complaints: The CFPBs foray into the industry despite its lack of authority over auto dealers; and the methodology used to measure the extent of discrimination based on guesswork, rather than concrete data.Proponents of the action say the CFPB has shed light on questionable industry practices previously unknown to the public and succeeded in reaching settlements worth over $200 million.\nIdentifying racial bias in auto lending has proved a challenge for the CFPB, as auto-loan applicants, unlike mortgage borrowers, dont have to disclose their race or ethnicity. So the CFPB used a proxy method where they looked at applicants names and locations to make educated guesses about what their races were.\nThe report was put together by the Republican majority staff of the House Financial Services Committee, which has led the political charge by conservatives trying to defang the CFPB, created by the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act following the financial crisis. The report was released days after the House passed legislation that would rescind the bureaus 2013 guidance aimed at protecting minority borrowers from being charged higher rates by auto dealers. The bill received bipartisan support, with 88 Democrats joining 244 Republicans.\nAn Ally spokeswoman said, It is a very comprehensive report, and we decline to comment further.\nPart of the 54-page document prepared by the Financial Services Committee examines the December 2013 deal that the CFPB and Justice Department reached with Ally, in whichthe company agreed to settle the allegations of discrimination without admitting or denying wrongdoing.\nOffering a rare look into regulators tactics for a major enforcement case, the report cites, among other things, the 23-page memorandumaddressed to Mr. Cordray anddatedOct. 7,2013, from staff members of the bureaus Office of Enforcement and Office of Fair Lending, including Patrice Ficklin, assistant director of fair lending and equal opportunity.\nThe staffers identified Ally as one of the largest auto loan lendersin the U.S. that was in the end stages of a major reorganization. They explained the company hoped to exit from the government control it was put under during the financial crisis and was trying to raise capital through an initial public offering.\nTo do so, Ally, which had been hit by the subprime crisis, needed to receive approval from the Federal Reserveand FederalDeposit Insurance Corp. to convert to a holding company and maintain key business units.\nAlly may be strongly inclined to reach a timely and robust resolution of this matter if it can potentially result in (Allys) successfully converting to a financial holding company, the CFPB lawyers wrote.\nThey explained to Mr. Cordray that the Fed had indicated that a finding of a fair-lending violation would most likely result in the denial of holding company status. They added the Fed had also suggested that if Ally took prompt and robust corrective action, that would be taken into consideration.\nThe FDIC, the lawyers said, had also indicated a similar intent in awarding a rating needed for Ally to convert to a new status.\nFive days before its deadline to achieve financial holding company status, Ally on Dec. 20, 2013, signed a settlement with the CFPB and Justice Department. On Dec. 23, the company said the Fed approved its application to become a financial holding company.\nIn essence, settlement of the Bureaus fair lending investigation was a prerequisite for Allys status change, the House Republicans report said.\nAlly isnt the only company that has settled with the CFPB cases over alleged violations offair-lending rules. In September this year, Hudson City Bancorp. Inc.reached a settlementover allegations thatthe New Jersey bank withheld mortgages from minority borrowers. Days later, the bank received regulatory approval onits long-awaited merger withM&T BankCorp., announced more than three years earlier.\nBeginning with its settlement with Ally, its first case in the auto lending industry, the CFPB has reached agreements worth more than $200 millionwith several other auto financing companies.The cases center on the dealer markup, which allows car dealers to add or subtract a few percentage points to the interest rates borrowers pay. Regulators say that dealers have been charging higher markups for minority borrowers than for their nonminority counterparts.\nCorrections & Amplifications\nThe document showed Richard Cordray approved the staffs report by signing his initials. An earlier version of the online article incorrectly stated the document showed no evidence of Mr. Cordray approving the report.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://williams.house.gov/media-center/columns/looking-back-with-thanks-and-ahead-with-hope", "Looking Back with Thanks and Ahead with Hope", "2015-12-23", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Roger Williams", "W000816", "williams.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "As we approach the new year, it is a great time to reflect on 2015. While the past year has brought much frustration and disappointment from Washington, it is the Texas spirit of resolve, determination and willingness to confront challenges head-on that give me hope for the future.  \n\t  \n\tNovember marked six years since the unspeakable tragedy that occurred at Fort Hood. This year we were finally able to get the Obama Administration to admit the events that transpired on that fateful day were an act of terrorism and not workplace violence.  \n\t  \n\tIn April, I attended an emotional ceremony at the Great Place where soldiers and their civilian counterparts received their Purple Hearts and Defense of Freedom medals that were so rightfully deserved. Although we will mourn this day every year, we can go forth knowing that these brave men and women were at last appropriately honored after making the ultimate sacrifice. But the spirit of resolve and determination neither starts nor ends at Fort Hood.  \n\t  \n\tEarlier this year, Texas was in the midst of the most extreme drought in recent memory. But in a cruel twist of fate, we got too much of what we so desperately needed. While many communities statewide were severely impacted by the flooding, some of the worst damage occurred in the southern portion of the 25th district.  \n\t  \n\tIn what should have been another kickoff to summer marked by barbeques and baseball, many will instead remember this past Memorial Day weekend as the time when the rising waters of the Blanco River ripped through properties and devastated families. As I said at the time, the strong Texas spirit of resolve proved more powerful than Mother Natures fury.  \n\t  \n\tSure enough, the people of Wimberley took care of each other, looked out for their own and pushed forward. Remarkably, one month later, local news stations declared Wimberley was open for business. Today, flattened foundations along the river bring back painful memories, but open signs in restaurants and shops remind us that our willpower rose higher than the floodwaters.  \n\t  \n\tThat same individualism remains true when our nation is faced with a threat that our president refuses to identify  radical Islamist extremism. In July, Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez killed four marines and a sailor when he fired upon two military installations in Tennessee. Inaction from our commander-in-chief prompted Texans to stand watch at military recruiting offices in Cleburne. The group appropriately named themselves Operation Hero Guard.  \n\t  \n\tOur military holds a special place in my heart. Their selfless devotion to our country is admirable and their humility is something we can all learn from. We are lucky to have such fine men and women in our state, and I am lucky to have them in our district.  \n\t  \n\tIn April, I had the pleasure of meeting Richard Overton, the oldest living combat veteran in America. He resides in the same house he purchased when he returned to Austin after World War II. At 109 years old, he is full of life and laughter. During my visit to Fort Hood in April, I was reunited with Sgt. Alonzo Lunsford who was my guest to the State of the Union two years ago. Sgt. Lunsford was shot seven times during the terrorist attack on Fort Hood. He is an inspiration to me, and I am proud to call him my friend.  \n\t  \n\tSo while I share much disagreement with this current administration and am far too often appalled by its tactics and agenda, I remind myself of my duty to look out for the best interests of the wonderful Texans whom I have the pleasure of serving. Have a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy new year.  \n\t  \n\t- Congressman Roger Williams  \n\t  \n\tCongressman Williams (R  Austin) represents the 25th congressional district of Texas. Williams serves on the Financial Services Committee and is the chairman of the House Conservatives Fund.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2565", "The News with Sen. Cruz - December 23, 2015", "2015-12-23", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 23, 2015\nGreetings,\nChristmas is upon us again, a time not only to cherish the company of loved ones, but also to celebrate and heed the Lord  to remember that Holy Night in Bethlehem when Christ was born.\nDuring this season of giving, Texas has once again come alive with an unparalleled spirit of love and fellowship. From the McAllen Police Departments and Walgreens toy drive serving roughly 3,000 kids, to Fair Parks annual Christmas in the Park event in Dallas helping families in need; from Houstons Star of Hope Mission facilitating at least 48 homes for homeless families, to the Harlien family in Georgetown who hung 70,000 lights this year to raise money for the Make-A-Wish foundation. Indeed, in South Texas, my office helped a veteran receive retroactive disability pay that was owed to him so that his four children would not have to go without Christmas presents.\nThis remarkable generosity and goodwill demonstrated across the Lone Star State reflects the true meaning of Christmas and spreads the Lords promise of enduring love, hope, and redemption.\nI pray your Christmas season is filled with joy and peace. May God bless you, and may He continue to bless the great state of Texas and the United States of America.\n  Ted Cruz\nSen. Cruz Recaps 2015: A Year Fighting For Freedom\nOn Tuesday, Sen. Cruz released a powerful video and comprehensive review, highlighting his efforts to break the Washington Cartel and address critical issues facing the American people in the 114th Congress.\nThe video can be watched here, and an inclusive list of Sen. Cruzs year fighting for freedom is available here.\nSen. Cruz: Prayers for the American Troops Killed in the Recent Afghanistan Suicide Bombing\nSen. Cruz on Tuesday released the following statement on Mondays terrorist attack in Afghanistan that killed six U.S. service members, including Michael Anthony Cinco, an airman from the Rio Grande Valley:\nToday, Heidi and I are lifting up in prayer the Cinco family and all those affected by this horrific act of terrorism  an act of pure and unadulterated evil. The victims of this attack are patriots who have given their utmost for liberty so that we may remain safe and free. As details continue to unfold surrounding this suicide bombing, a signature tactic of radical Islamic terrorism, lets pause to remember the selflessness and bravery of Americas fallen servicemen and women.\nRead the full release here.\nCruz, Meadows to Secretary Kerry: Close the Palestinian Liberation Organizations Office in Washington, D.C.\nLast week, Sen. Cruz and Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry, requesting that the State Department revoke the Palestinian Liberation Organizations (PLO) waiver to maintain an office in Washington, D.C. The letter, signed by 32 members of Congress, cites Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) reports that the PLO funds terrorism by paying salaries to Palestinians who are put in Israeli jails as a way of rewarding and incentivizing terror attacks.\nOur close ally Israel is enduring another wave of Palestinian terrorism in the form of car-ramming, rock-throwing, and brutal knife attacks, Sen. Cruz said. These horrific acts of terrorism are due to the continued incitement and glorification of violence by Palestinian leadershipIt is long past time for the United States to hold the PLO and its leaders accountable for engaging in such rampant incitement, for celebrating the murder of Jews, and for providing payment to Palestinian terrorists jailed in Israel and their families.\nRead Sen. Cruzs full statement and the letter in its entirety here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://williams.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-williams-and-zinke-make-friendly-wager-on-alamo-bowl", "Reps. Williams and Zinke make friendly wager on Alamo Bowl", "2015-12-22", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Roger Williams", "W000816", "williams.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Congressmen Roger Williams (R  Texas) and Ryan Zinke (R  Mont.), former college athletes, today announced the terms of a friendly and delicious bet surrounding this years Alamo Bowl between the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs and the Oregon Ducks.\nWilliams was an All-Southwest Conference center fielder at TCU, and Zinke was an All PAC-10 center with the Oregon Ducks.\nIf TCU prevails, Zinke has agreed to treat Williams to a bison burger, a native fare of his home state of Montana. Should the Ducks win, Williams will deliver Texas-style BBQ to Zinke.\nMy Horned-Frogs had an incredible season, and I have no doubt they will once again bring home a victory, and lets remember they also have the advantage playing in their home state, said Williams. The Ducks may put up a fight, but Im already looking forward to that bison burger. \nThis years Alamo Bowl will be a crowd pleaser with big offenses colliding to put big points on the board. But too bad for TCU fans, Oregon is hot right now, finishing the season winning the past six games, said Zinke. Im confident my Ducks will take home the trophy, and Ill take home some delicious Austin, Texas-style BBQ.  \n\t\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hurd.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/lawmaker-encryption-going-be-big-issue-2016", "LAWMAKER: 'ENCRYPTION IS GOING TO BE A BIG ISSUE IN 2016", "2015-12-22", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Will Hurd", "H001073", "hurd.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The thorny debates around encryption, national security and privacy likely arent going anywhere and will probably heat up next year.\nThats according to Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reforms technology subcommittee.\nOne of the biggest issues were going to be dealing with in 2016 is the issue of encryption and this is intimately tied to privacy, said Hurd, a former agent for the Central Intelligence Agency.\nHurd, speaking on information technology at an event hosted by Nextgov last week, said he favors strengthened encryption. That effectively puts Hurd in opposition to some law enforcement leaders like CIA Director John Brennan and FBI Director James Comey, whove advocated for the installation of back doors into devices that would give the government the opportunity to skirt encryption.\nA multitude of tech companies and privacy experts, however, believe any encryption-weakening legislation would do more harm than good.\nWhat we do know is that strong encryption is crucial to allow political organizers, government officials, and ordinary people around the world to protect their security, privacy and safety from criminals and terrorists alike, Electronic Frontier Foundation executive director Cindy Cohn recently told Defense Ones Patrick Tucker. Any back door into our communications will inevitably (and perhaps primarily) be used for illegal and repressive purposes rather than lawful ones.\nPresident Barack Obama hasnt firmly committed to choosing a side in the encryption debate but has offered hints he might favor law enforcements arguments.\nTo Hurd, who formerly carried out offensive cyber operations in the Middle East before being elected to Congress in 2014, building back doors into U.S. industry products and platforms has the potential to harm national security and weaken the economy.\nMy fundamental belief is that encryption is important for our national security and important for our economy and we need to do everything we can to strengthen it, Hurd said. We also need to be working with law enforcement so we can help solve challenges.\nHurd suggested alternative methods for law enforcement to collect intelligence on suspects without the need for built-in back doors. As encryption technologies continue to grow in popularity in todays post-Edward Snowden, privacy-conscious culture, Hurd was clear that he doesnt want law enforcement hung out to dry, either.\nIf you know two people are talking on an encrypted channel, you already know a whole lot of information about those individuals, Hurd said. There are opportunities to leverage that knowledge to help law enforcement do what it needs to do. We need to do everything we can for law enforcement.\nWhile Republican presidential candidates have outdone each other downplaying the importance of civil liberties and Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton recently called for a Manhattan-like project to break encrypted communications, the news last week regarding tech giant Juniper Networks ought to serve as a reminder for how dangerous back doors can be.\nJuniper disclosed security vulnerabilities on Dec. 17 on its widely-used systems. It was particularly troubling news for U.S. officials, as the breach involved hackers installing back doors into systems, including federal networks, that may have allowed attackers to spy on supposedly encrypted government communications.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2563", "Sen. Cruz Recaps 2015: A Year Fighting For Freedom", "2015-12-22", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today released a powerful video and comprehensive review, highlighting his efforts to break the Washington Cartel and address critical issues facing the American people in the 114th Congress.\nBelow is a brief outline of the video, which can be watched here, and Sen. Cruzs efforts included therein. An inclusive list of Sen. Cruzs year fighting for freedom is available here.\nBreaking the Washington Cartel\n \nDelivered a speech at The Heritage Foundation revealing the cronyism that runs deep in Washington,powered by the Washington Cartel of establishment politicians and corporate lobbyists who continue to benefit big government and big business at the expense of millions of Americans.\nDelivered a powerful speech on the Senate floor shining a light on the corrupt deal struck by Senate Republican leadership to allow the reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank.\nIssued a statement highlighting Republican leaderships tendencies to side with Democrats.\nPenned an op-ed for POLITICO, describing the Republican Partys surrender politics.\n \nProtecting Americans from IRS Abuse\n \nIntroduced two bills to protect Americans from partisan abuses and political targeting by the IRS.\nSent a letter to IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, asking for information regarding the tax-exempt status of The PeaceWorks Network Foundation, most commonly known by the name \"OneVoice,\" after several media reports indicated OneVoice, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, had been using its resources to influence the outcome of the Israeli elections.\nSent a letter to IRS Commissioner John Koskinen asking him to confirm that his agency will respect Americas longstanding principle of religious liberty in light of the Supreme Courts recent decision in Obergefell v. Hodges requiring a nationwide redefinition of marriage.\nHeld a hearing on the IRS targeting of conservative groups.\n \nStopping Illegal Immigration\n \nQuestioned U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Sarah Saldaa in the Senate Committee on the Judiciary hearing regarding the Administrations failure to enforce immigration law against criminal illegal aliens.\nIntroduced Kates Law, the Establishing Mandatory Minimums for Illegal Reentry Act of 2015, to amend federal law to impose a mandatory minimum sentence of five years for any illegal reentry offense.\nReintroduced Kates Law and placed the bill directly on the Senate calendar.\nAsked for unanimous consent to pass Kates Law.\nDelivered a speech on the Senate floor citing the Obama Administrations persistent negligence of immigration law enforcement and bolstering the Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act as a small step in the right direction.\nIntroduced the Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act, to end sanctuary cities and combat illegal reentry.\n \nBlocking the Catastrophic Iran Nuclear Deal\n \nFiled an amendment with Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) to the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015, which would require affirmative Congressional approval of any Iranian nuclear deal before sanctions relief can occur.\nSent a letter to President Obama declaring his intention to hold reauthorizing legislation and block nominees for the U.S. State Department unless the President provides written assurances that he will block any U.N. Security Council resolution approving the Iranian nuclear deal until the statutory timeline for Congressional review has run its course.\nIntroduced legislation clarifying the congressional review period for the Iran Nuclear Deal.\nReleased a video rejecting the Iran Nuclear Deal.\nDelivered a speech on the Senate floor strongly opposing the Administrations Iran nuclear deal and urging 42 Democrats to reconsider their stances on this catastrophic agreement.\nSent a letter to Leader McConnell and Speaker Boehner outlining the legal approach to prevent the Iran nuclear deal from taking effect.\n \nBolstering National Security\n \nIntroduced two bills to protect national security and support men and women in uniform.\nHeld a press conference with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on national security legislation.\nSent a letter to the Obama Administration demanding the immigration history of the San Bernardino attackers.\nRequested unanimous consent on his Expatriate Terrorist Act and Terrorist Refugee Infiltration Prevention Act, both of which would protect the safety and security of the American people.\nPenned an op-ed for The Washington Times, emphasizing the need for his Terrorist Refugee Infiltration Prevention Act of 2015.\nDelivered a national security address at The Heritage Foundation, detailing strategic points to keep America safe at home and strong abroad, while protecting Americans liberty.\n \nRedirecting Taxpayer Funds from Planned Parenthood\n \nCalled for an investigation into Planned Parenthood following reports that Planned Parenthood is selling body parts of aborted babies.\nSent letters to Dr. Francis Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Cate Dyer, CEO of StemExpress. The letters requested documents and additional information from NIH and StemExpress in order to determine their potential involvement in Planned Parenthoods possible illegal conduct.\nSpoke at the Students for Life of America #WomenBetrayed Rally at the U.S. Capitol, where he called on the U.S. Department of Justice to enforce the criminal laws and investigate Planned Parenthood.\nPenned an op-ed for USA Today, urging congressional action to block Planned Parenthood funding and calling for the Department of Justice to launch an investigation into potential criminal actions within the abortion industry.\nApplauded Texas for dropping Planned Parenthood from its Medicaid program.\nContinued fighting against federal funding for Planned Parenthood after an undercover video surfaced featuring a Texas abortion provider.\n \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2564", "Sen. Cruz: Prayers for the American Troops Killed in the Recent Afghanistan Suicide Bombing", "2015-12-22", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) released the following statement on Mondays terrorist attack in Afghanistan that killed six U.S. service members, including Michael Anthony Cinco, an airman from the Rio Grande Valley. Cinco and five other service members died. Two service members and a contractor were also injured in the attack.\nToday, Heidi and I are lifting up in prayer the Cinco family and all those affected by this horrific act of terrorism  an act of pure and unadulterated evil. The victims of this attack are patriots who have given their utmost for liberty so that we may remain safe and free. As details continue to unfold surrounding this suicide bombing, a signature tactic of radical Islamic terrorism, lets pause to remember the selflessness and bravery of Americas fallen servicemen and women.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://flores.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398742", "KBTX: Local Firefighters Applaud Passing of 9/11 HealthCare Act", "2015-12-21", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Bill Flores", "F000461", "flores.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "By: Whitney MillerFirefighters in College Station are rejoicing after Congress re-authorized the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. The extension allows first responders, residents and survivors of the September 11th terrorist attacks to continue receiving federally backed healthcare. Jeff Keffaver, spokesperson for the College Station Firefighters Association, said the bill ensures that those who put their lives on the line are taken care of going forward. \"We want to say, 'hey, we've got your back. We support you and we care about you.' This isn't just about firefighter in one particular area. This is about firefighters everywhere,\" said Keffaver. Congressman Bill Flores, who voted to extend the fund said in a statement: \"Our nation's first responders put themselves in harm's way for the good of their families, their neighbors, and their communities. Their service to our country cannot ever be overlooked, taken for granted or forgotten, especially when they are in need of care...By reauthorizing the World Trade Center Health Fund, we not only honor our heroes but do so in a fiscally responsible way that ensures that they have the resources they need on a permanent basis.\" Initially, the act expired back in September. Friday's re-authorization will allow the fund to continue for 75 years. To read full article click here", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://sessions.house.gov/index.cfm/weekly-newsletters?ContentRecord_id=1694FC8B-045C-42CC-B003-59D8F38AD043", "The Hill Report: Week of December 14 - 18, 2015", "2015-12-21", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Pete Sessions", "S000250", "sessions.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Yesterday Chairman Kevin Brady oftheWays and Means Committee introduced HR 1,theTax Cuts and Jobs Act, which representedthefirst public unveiling of legislation that could lead to tax reform this Congress. According totheWall Street Journal, this bill is, on net, about a $1.5 trillion tax", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hurd.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/benefits-hybrid-networking", "The benefits of hybrid networking", "2015-12-21", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Will Hurd", "H001073", "hurd.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Under the Cross-Agency Prioritization goals set by the current administration, the federal government has made significant progress in modernizing outdated legacy technologies. Initiatives like the Federal Cloud Computing Strategy and the Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act have enabled easier access to more capable technologies, but they have also put a heavier burden on federal networks. Current technology trends, which range from the connected devices of the Internet of Things to bring-your-own-device initiatives and high-performance applications, are demanding more and more bandwidth. Unfortunately, the one aspect of federal technology modernization that has been overlooked is also the most important: the network backbone on which all the new technologies rely to operate.\nAlthough the concern over inadequate bandwidth is widespread among federal IT professionals, these pressing needs are not reflected in agency budgets. Too often, agencies do not have the funding they think is needed to increase their bandwidth to levels that would support optimized and increasingly automated day-to-day operations. This situation leads to patchwork solutions that are limited in scalability and highly inefficient, both technologically and financially. What is needed is a new federal network standard.\nThankfully a model for such a standard is available, and already being adopted by private sector enterprises. Hybrid networks -- systems that blend traditional Multiprotocol Label Switching (MLPS) networks with managed broadband -- address the weak points that currently limit federal networks: a lack of bandwidth, budget, capacity and availability, particularly at the agencys field offices.\nHybrid networks provide additional bandwidth by either supplementing or replacing the traditional dedicated access circuits of MPLS networks with the bandwidth of a managed broadband network. For agency networks that must support a growing number of connected devices and new applications, especially at distributed locations, hybrid networks prevent congestion when the traditional network access technologies cannot handle the volume of higher traffic on their own. The hybrid model achieves this by taking advantage of the Internet and its lower price points and by intelligently prioritizing and routing traffic when needed. A managed hybrid network can help add bandwidth and alleviate the strain on network capacity.\nCurrently, when a federal agency needs additional bandwidth at distributed sites, it will purchase additional (sometimes multiple) T1 lines that are expensive for the limited amount of capacity they offer. The hybrid network alternative-- implementing managed broadband at these sites -- can offer higher levels of bandwidth at a substantially lower price.\nThe hybrid network solution can also add desperately needed redundancy and resiliency to federal networks. Currently many agencies consider their networks to have built-in resiliency because they have two different terrestrial lines acquired from two separate service providers, whether fiber, cable or DSL. However, what agencies may not be considering is that these lines, although provided by two different companies delivering adequate bandwidth, are often routed through the same underground conduits. This approach yields limited or no additional gain in network availability should a natural disaster, deliberate attack or human error sever one of those side-by-side conduits. Indeed, only implementing a true alternate communications path, which broadband satellite provides, increases the overall availability. Should the primary line be disrupted or lost, all mission-critical traffic could be seamlessly shifted to a satellite link during the terrestrial network outage.\nDespite the tangible improvements that a hybrid network solution offers, some agencies will still be hesitant to adopt it because of security concerns related to Internet-based transport as opposed to dedicated networks -- concerns that Rep. William Hurd (R-Texas), chairman of the IT Subcommittee of the House Committee on Government Oversight and Reform, recently described as a huge misconception. This is because cloud-based technologies are capable of utilizing the highest level of security standards, such as the AES-256 encryption standard used by intelligence agencies to protect classified information. Completely managed, secure end-to-end solutions are able to offer this kind of encryption to protect sensitive information, both at rest and in transit.\nWith rising bandwidth demands and plateauing budgets, the situation is clear: Agencies must adopt the new, cheaper and more efficient standard -- hybrid networks. Every day that they perpetuate the antiquated model of legacy networks is one more day of wasted budget dollars and underperforming networks, limiting the potential of new applications and cloud-based solutions.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hurd.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/mississippi-one-three-states-host-cyber-protection-teams", "Mississippi One of Three States to Host Cyber Protection Teams", "2015-12-21", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Will Hurd", "H001073", "hurd.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The federal government is stepping up to further its protection against cyber terrorism.\nTexas, Louisiana, and Mississippi have been chosen host a Cyber Protection Team consisting of 39 National Guardsmen across the three states.\nNational Guard units in the three states will be laying down their arms and breaking out their laptops to protect the U.S. against an emerging cyber terrorism threat.\nThe capabilities that these teams bring in defending our digital infrastructure is second to none, said Congressman Will Hurd (R-TX).\nCongressman Hurd studied computer science in college and says he understands the severity of this evolving threat. Congressman Gregg Harper (R-MS) says this will add another workload to the already heavy plate in front of the Mississippi National Guard.\nThis is something that, you know, we wouldnt even have dreamed about ten years ago. And now the attacks take place everyday, said Harper.\nSenator Roger Wicker (R-MS) says not taking these precautions could lead to widespread and disastrous consequences.\nIt makes perfect sense that this group thats done such a good job and stood in the gap to protect us from military attacks are now being called on to protect us against this more modern type of attack, said Wicker.\nCongressman Hurd says this shows off the versatility of the men and women in the U.S. National Guard.\nThis is one more tool in our tool kit in order to keep us safe from those that want to do us harm, said Hurd.\nThe Army National Guard expects to have 10 cyber units to be activated in 23 states by the end of 2019. They have not yet selected locations for the cyber units in Mississippi or Texas, but Senator Wicker says the announcement of the locations is coming soon.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2560", "Sen. Cruz Announces New Staff Roles", "2015-12-21", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today announced new staff roles in his Senate D.C. office, effective immediately. He has named Steve Chartan legislative director and promoted Alec Aramanda to deputy legislative director. Following is brief background:\nSteve Chartan, Legislative Director: Chartan most recently served as executive director of the House Freedom Caucus (HFC). Under the chairmanship of Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), he led the organization as its top strategist. Previously, Chartan served as policy advisor for the Senate Steering Committee under Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and prior to that Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.). His policy portfolio included judiciary, finance, banking, budget, foreign relations, and defense. Before joining the Steering Committee, he was a legislative staffer for Sen. Toomey. Chartan is a graduate of Duke University.\nAlec Aramanda, Deputy Legislative Director: Prior to joining Sen. Cruzs office as a legislative assistant in January 2013, Aramanda served as legislative assistant in the office of then-Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) from 2010-2012. There he handled health, tax, welfare and Social Security issues. Before working in the Senate, Aramanda spent three years at The Heritage Foundation as strategic operations coordinator, among other roles. Aramanda received a bachelors degree in political science from Haverford College.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2561", "Cruz, Meadows to Secretary Kerry: Close the Palestinian Liberation Organization's Office in Washington, D.C.", "2015-12-21", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Last week, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry, requesting that the State Department revoke the Palestinian Liberation Organizations (PLO) waiver to maintain an office in Washington, D.C. The letter, signed by 32 members of Congress, cites Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) reports that the PLO funds terrorism by paying salaries to Palestinians who are put in Israeli jails as a way of rewarding and incentivizing terror attacks.\nOur close ally Israel is enduring another wave of Palestinian terrorism in the form of car-ramming, rock-throwing, and brutal knife attacks, Sen. Cruz said. These horrific acts of terrorism are due to the continued incitement and glorification of violence by Palestinian leadership. Just last week, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called the recent attacks a justified popular uprising following his remarks in September, in which he said, We welcome every drop of blood spilled in Jerusalem. It is long past time for the United States to hold the PLO and its leaders accountable for engaging in such rampant incitement, for celebrating the murder of Jews, and for providing payment to Palestinian terrorists jailed in Israel and their families. We must make it clear such actions are blatantly unacceptable and close the PLO office in Washington, D.C.\nFor too long the PLO has not just tolerated acts of terrorism against the Israeli people-but incited others to commit acts of violence in the name of jihad, Rep. Meadows said. It goes against everything we stand for as an American people to allow the PLO to retain an office in our nations capital, considering its long and well-documented history of encouraging violence and terror against our Israeli allies. Its time we send a clear signal that the United States does not tolerate extremism and demonstrate our unwavering support for our allies in Israel by revoking this waiver.\nThe full text of the letter can be read here or below:\nThe Honorable John F. Kerry  Secretary of State  U.S. Department of State  2201 C Street NW Washington, DC 20520\nDecember 18, 2015  Dear Secretary Kerry,\nPalestinian incitement to violence is a serious and ongoing threat to peace. In recent months, Israel has seen a dramatic increase in deadly attacks carried out by Palestinians sympathetic to the message of hatred and intolerance proclaimed by leaders within the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). The spike in violence in Israel is directly connected to the Palestinian governments teaching of hate and glorification of terrorism.\nPalestinian Media Watch (PMW) reported that the PLO funds terrorism by paying salaries to Palestinians who are put in Israeli jails as a way of rewarding and incentivizing terror attacks. The longer the term, the higher the salary. Each year, the PLO provides about $150 million to terrorists imprisoned in Israel and families of deceased terrorists.\nShockingly, despite being complicit in spreading hatred and terror, the PLO retains an office in Washington, D.C. In the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987, Congress forbade the PLO from establishing or maintaining an office in the United States. However, each year since 1994, a President has signed a waiver allowing the PLO office in Washington, D.C. to remain open.\nThis fall, both the House of Representatives and the Senate unanimously passed resolutions condemning Palestinian incitement. The United States government has an obligation to publicly denounce the PLOs actions and should immediately revoke its waiver. Allowing the PLO to maintain an office in Washington, D.C. provides no benefit to the United States or the peace process.\nWe ask that the State Department revoke the Palestinian Liberation Organizations waiver to maintain an office in the United States. Closing the PLO office in Washington, D.C. would send a clear statement that the kind of incitement to violence perpetrated by the PLO and its leaders will not be tolerated. \nSincerely,  Mark Meadows  Member of Congress\nTed Cruz  United States Senator\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://kaygranger.house.gov/weekly-e-newsletter-momentous-appropriations-bill", "Weekly E-Newsletter: A Momentous Appropriations Bill", "2015-12-19", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Kay Granger", "G000377", "kaygranger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend,\nThe Congress passed a momentous Appropriations bill this week that is good for the nation and very good for Texas. Here is what Texans did:\nThe most important part of the bill was authored by Texan Joe Barton. Joe has tried to get this done for decades, and with the help of Speaker Paul Ryan, he was successful in allowing our domestic oil to be sold internationally, creatingthousands of jobs and predicted to have a $17 billion benefit to Texas in its first year.\n\tTexan Kevin Brady, who has just been named to chair the powerful Ways and Means committee, was able to get a provision to allow Texans to deduct their sales taxes permanently. Texans have fought for this each year and now will not have to do that.\n\tNASA, once so powerful in science for the world, was finally funded at levels it has not seen for decades. That came about by John Culberson from Houston. He has worked on this issue since coming to Congress.\n\tMy focus has always been our military and defense funding. I got 68 Joint Strike Fighters in the bill. The JSF is, of course, made by Lockheed Martin Corp. in Fort Worth and their fine, skilled workers. The helmets the pilots wear to fly those fighters are made by another Fort Worth defense firm, Elbit Systems.\n\tTerrorists are on our minds daily, and John Carter chairs Homeland Security Appropriations. He and Michael McCaul put in the security provisions we needed. The visa issue you keep seeing in the news was a hole in our security. It was covered in this bill by Carter, McCaul and Armed Services Chair Mac Thornberry.\n\tOthers played a big part with Michael Conaway in the agriculture provisions that will help our farmers.\n\tYou should be proud of your Texans, and we are proud to represent you.\n\nSincerely,\nKay Granger  \n\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://babin.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=562", "Babin Opposes Funding Bill that Fails to Address Refugee Concerns", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Brian Babin", "B001291", "babin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  U.S. Representative Brian Babin (TX-36), who is leading the charge in Congress to stop President Obamas plans to bring in tens of thousands of Syrian refugees into the U.S., voted against the year-end government omnibus spending bill (H.R. 2029) because it failed to include much-needed provisions that he has fought so hard for to protect American citizens and stop President Obamas dangerous refugee policies.\r\nWhile there is one really good, but unrelated, provision in this bill the lifting of the ban on exporting crude oil  it is not enough to offset thedanger to our national security, which far outweighs anything else, said Rep. Babin. Since JulyIhave been leading the effort to address the national security vulnerabilities we face in our dangerous and reckless U.N.-led refugee program. \r\nUnfortunately, this legislation fails to take the necessary steps to protect American citizens from ISIS sympathizers who have begun to infiltrate the refugee population. Whats worse is the fact that it provides a$100 million increase to the refugee resettlement program. At a time when the Presidents own DHS, DNI and FBI directors say we cannot properly screen these folks, the failure to stop this dangerous Obama Administration initiative is a huge mistake that leaves the American people vulnerable.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://burgess.house.gov/blog/?postid=397863", "Burgess Votes to Protect National Security & Support U.S. Troops", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Michael Burgess", "B001248", "burgess.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Burgess Votes to Protect National Security & Support U.S. Troops\r\n  \r\n    Washington, D.C.  Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade, issued the following statement on the passage of the FY 2016 Omnibus funding legislation by the House of Representatives:\r\nIt is the constitutional responsibility of Congress to protect the Americans who are selflessly serving and who have heroically served our country. My vote was founded in my strong sense of duty to protect our national security and ensure that our troops overseas, who put their lives on the line every day, continue to have the resources required to carry out their missions around the world and here at home. Especially at a time when radical extremists are waging war on the United States of America and her people, the passage of this funding bill is critical to maintaining and strengthening our armed forces.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://carter.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=40&itemid=2080", "Carter Fights to Protect the Nation, Secure the Border, Support Military, Veterans", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John Carter", "C001051", "carter.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(WASHINGTON, DC) Representative John R. Carter (R-TX-31) is fighting for Central Texas values, protecting our nation against increasing threats, securing our border, and supporting our military and veterans. This past year in Congress, Rep. Carter and House Republicans have led the fight against President Obama and his liberal policies, including his unlawful executive amnesty.\r\n\r\n\tAs Rep. Carter and Congress wrap up the first session of the 114th Congress, highlights of Rep. Carter fighting for Central Texans include: strengthening our national and border security, supporting our military and veterans, standing up for parents and educators by lessening the federal footprint on our education system and returning to more local control, avoiding a government shutdown, reducing the burden on American tax payers by extending important tax regulations, some that had expired in 2014, and investing in Americas infrastructure.\r\n\r\n\tI am committed to keeping Texans safe, and securing our borders, said Rep. Carter. Much of the legislation we passed, and the President signed into law this past year is focused on protecting the homeland. Our nation is facing increased global threats from radical Islamic terrorists and I will not sit by and allow these murderous thugs to infiltrate our nation. We must take the fight to them, to their home base, and destroy their operations. What we have done this past year will strengthen our national security, provide for our military men and women, and bolster our border security. We did not ask for this fight, but we must win this war on terror.\r\n\r\n\tIn order for us to win this war on terror, we must retain the most powerful and best trained military force. While I would like to see a greater share of funding directed to the support of our military, I believe we have put into the place the tools necessary to maintain and build upon the best armed services in the world. It is imperative to the future of our freedoms that we do all we can to support the men and women who proudly serve to protect this great nation.\r\n\r\n\tWe are investing in our economy and paving the way for job creation and economic prosperity. We prevented tax increases that would further burden millions of tax paying Americans and businesses, we lifted the ban on U.S. oil exports, and we delayed an Obamacare provision that would increase taxes on privately held healthcare plans. We also protected American taxpayers from the IRS by reigning in their abusive practices.\r\n\r\n\tLifting the ban on oil exports will be a significant boost to our economy, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, and will enhance our national security. Texans know how important the energy industry is to our prosperity, and by lifting the ban on oil exports we will increase our national GDP by $134 billion, raise government revenues by $29 billion and lower gas prices by roughly 12 cents per gallon. Repealing the ban allows us to better compete with OPEC, and loosing the grip on the global oil market by rogue nations such as Iran and Russia. \r\n\r\n\tAdditionally, we put into place measures that will allow for more investment in Texas infrastructure. Central Texans are well aware of the importance of reliable transportation. The ability to move goods and people through Central Texas and across our nation is essential to our quality of life, and it is vital to our economy.\r\n\r\n\tWe restored local control over education. Our children deserve the best education possible and I believe putting the power back in the hands of parents, teachers and principals is the most effective way to prepare our students for their future.\r\n\r\n\tUnfortunately, the Senate was unable to pass several pieces of key legislation passed by the House. On numerous occasions I voted to repeal Obamacare and to defund Planned Parenthood. The Senate was unable to do the same. I fully support both measures, and will continue to fight for our Central Texas values and repeal these pro-tax, pro-abortion policies.\r\n\r\n\tNational and Border Security: \r\n\r\n\tRep. Carter is committed to keeping Texans, and all Americans safe. He has proven this time and time again by supporting legislation to strengthen our national security and bolster border security.\r\n\r\n\tNDAA- supports our military, secures our nation, and this year included Rep. Carters amendment which empowers installation commanders to allow soldiers to carry a concealed weapon on base for their personal or force protection.http://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-fights-to-protect-those-who-protect-us/\r\n\r\n\t  \r\n\tDefense Appropriations - This year includes funding tocombat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and other U.S. enemies, to conduct successful military operations, and to maintain a well-equipped and prepared military force.\r\n\r\n\tVisa Waiver Program Improvement Act  Places stricter regulations on the Visa Waiver program. The bill was passed with an overwhelming majority. http://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-supports-stricter-security-measures-for-the-visa-waiver-program/\r\n\r\n\tStopping Syrian and Iraqi Refugees--Rep. Carter supported the American SAFE Act to secure the nation against the threat of terrorists exploiting the refugee system. The SAFE Act prevents admission to the United States of any Syrian or Iraqi refugee until our top security officials unanimously certify that the individual does not represent a security threat. http://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-votes-to-protect-texans-the-homeland1/\r\n\r\n\tHalting the refugee and resettlement program  Rep. Carter is a proud cosponsor of the Refugee Resettlement Oversight and Security Act. This bill will halt the Obama Administrations plan to bring an additional 10,000 refugees from Syria, and give Congress more control over the process by requiring congressional approval from before any refugees may be admitted into the United States.\r\n\r\n\t  \r\n\tPunishing Sanctuary Cities--Supports cutting funds to Sanctuary Cities by supporting the Enforce the Law for Sanctuary Cities Act, which Rep. Carter is a co-sponsor. http://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-supports-cutting-funds-to-sanctuary-cities/\r\n\r\n\t  \r\n\tFighting surge of illegal immigrant minorsRep. Carter Introduced the Protection of Children Act which will close loopholes in current law and force the Obama Administration to deport thousands of illegal immigrant minors that are exploiting our immigration system and Americans good will.. http://carter.house.gov/press-releases/rep-carters-bill-protects-children-from-human-traffickers/\r\n\r\n\tKeeping nuclear weapons away from IranRep. Carter voted to reject President Obamas Iran Nuclear Agreement - http://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-rejects-obamas-iran-nuclear-agreement/\r\n\r\n\thttp://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-obama-violated-the-iran-nuclear-agreement-review-act-by-not-disclosing-information-on-iran-side-deals/\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tMilitary and Veterans:\r\n\r\n\tRep. Carter continues to fight for our Military and Veterans. He was able to secure Purple Hearts benefits for the victims of the 2009 Fort Hood terrorist attack and he called on the FBI to investigate the VA for abuses and misconduct, which has led to positive reforms at the Temple VA. Additionally, he is a strong proponent of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which supports our military and further secures our nation.\r\n\r\n\tPurple Hearts and benefits for Fort Hood Victims - http://carter.house.gov/press-releases/fort-hood-heroes-to-receive-purple-hearts/\r\n\r\n\thttp://carter.house.gov/press-releases/rep-carter-and-fort-hood-delegation-release-statements-on-fort-hood-purple-heart-benefit-announcement-by-secretary-of-the-army/\r\n\r\n\tCalled on the FBI to investigate the VA, supports VA reform - http://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-supports-va-reform/\r\n\r\n\tNDAA, including Rep. Carters provision to all military installation commanders the authority to allow military personnel to carry personal firearms (as permitted by law) when on the installation. - http://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-fights-to-protect-those-who-protect-us/\r\n\r\n\tSecured $49.8 million for Ft. Hoods 1st CAV HQ Renovation - http://carter.house.gov/press-releases/rep-carter-and-rep-williams-secure-498-million-for-ft-hood-renovations/\r\n\r\n\tEducation: \r\n\r\n\tThe Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) replaces the No Child Left Behind Act with a conservative solution that holds schools accountable, reduces federal overreach, restores power back to the parents, teachers and principals.\r\n\r\n\thttp://carter.house.gov/press-releases/rep-carter-votes-to-restore-local-control-to-schools/\r\n\r\n\tReducing Taxes:\r\n\r\n\tPATH Act  This legislation prevents tax increases on millions of families and business, makes permanent several important tax provisions like the Research and Development tax credit, and protects taxpayers from abuse by the IRS.\r\n\r\n\tFor more information on the PATH Act visit:\r\n\r\n\thttp://waysandmeans.house.gov/more-details-on-the-protecting-americans-from-tax-hikes-act-of-2015/\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tInvesting in Americas Infrastructure: \r\n\r\n\tHighway bill  The FAST Act, the conference report for the highway bill, will improve our Nations surface transportation infrastructure, including roads, bridges, transit systems, and the rail transportation network.\r\n\r\n\thttp://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-votes-to-invest-in-transportation-infrastructure-jobs-and-economic-growth/\r\n\r\n\tDefending our Second Amendment Rights, Defunding Planned Parenthood and Repealing Obamacare: \r\n\r\n\tRep. Carter continues to fight to preserve and protect the Second Amendment and he is fighting the Obama Administrations attempts to restrict our Constitutional rights. He successfully blocked the ATF from banning the M855 green tip ammunition used in the AR-15 rifle.\r\n\r\n\thttp://carter.house.gov/press-releases/rep-carter-halt-on-atf-ammo-ban-a-victory/\r\n\r\n\tOn numerous occasions, Rep. Carter and House Republicans supported defunding Parenthood and repealing Obamacare. Unfortunately, the Senate was unable to pass this legislation with enough votes to force a veto by President Obama.\r\n\r\n\thttp://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-votes-to-defund-planned-parenthood-and-dismantle-obamacare/\r\n\r\n\thttp://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-says-states-should-be-allowed-to-deny-medicaid-funds-state-funds-to-abortion-providers-for-all-health-care-services/\r\n\r\n\thttp://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-stands-for-life-votes-to-defund-planned-parenthood-protect-human-life/\r\n\r\n\thttp://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-votes-to-defund-obamacare-protect-life-create-jobs/\r\n\r\n\tThis is just a sampling of the work done this past year in the first session of the 114th Congress. For more press releases from Rep. John Carter visit: http://carter.house.gov/press-releases/and follow Rep. Carter on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/judgecarter/?fref=nf\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://conaway.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398072", "Conaway Votes to Lift Oil Export Ban, Repeal COOL, Fund Military", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "K. Conaway", "C001062", "conaway.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Conaway Votes to Lift Oil Export Ban, Repeal COOL, Fund Military \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        December 18, 2015\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      \r\n\r\n    \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Washington\u2013Today, Congressman Mike Conaway voted to lift the decades old oil export ban, repeal the harmful Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) regulation, provide for our national defense, and block Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) overreach. These provisions, and the many others in the 2016 Omnibus Appropriations bill, passed the House of Representatives with overwhelming Republican support. The Senate passed this bill shortly after the House of Representatives did.\r\n            \u201cThe House of Representatives has voted multiple times to lift the antiquated oil export ban, and with each vote, we\u2019ve gained more support and momentum for this critical issue. The 11th Congressional District of Texas will benefit immensely from the economic growth and job creation that will stem from allowing crude oil exports. Thanks to the hard work of my colleagues and all those who made their voice heard on this important matter, we finally saw the Senate vote to lift the oil export ban and the President is expected sign this bill into law, improving our nation\u2019s economy and increasing our national security,\u201d said Rep. Conaway.\r\n            \r\n        \r\n    \r\n\r\n\r\n\u201cWith this legislation, we helped negate the drastic cuts President Obama has made to the military. It is vital that we provide for our national defense by ensuring that our men and women in uniform have the resources they need to be successful, and rolling back the damaging cuts from this President was an important first step. \r\n\r\n\r\n    \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            \u201cIn addition, this bill repeals COOL for beef and pork products, helping the United States avoid over $1 billion in annual retaliatory fees. The COOL regulation is a violation of our trade commitments, making this repeal critical to the future of our trading relationships. This bill contains no funding for new or expanded EPA programs, and keeps the agency at its lowest funding levels since before President Obama took office. The EPA has meddled in far too many communities and businesses, stunting economic growth and job creation. This bill is a great step towards reining in EPA overreach.\r\n            \u201cIn light of recent terror attacks, this legislation also tightened the visa waiver program for individuals who have visited high risk nations, such as Syria, Iraq, Iran, or Sudan since 2011. By using a higher standard for visa waivers, we are reducing the hazard of high risk individuals entering the United States.\r\n            \u201cAmerica needs the security of a strong national defense and a growing economy.It is because of these programs and many more that I and the majority of Republicans in the House of Representatives voted for this legislation, and look forward to the President signing it into law.\u201d\r\n            \u00a0\r\n            \u00a0\r\n            \u00a0\r\n            \r\n        \r\n    \r\n\r\n\r\n###\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://flores.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398738", "Flores Statement on Passage of Omnibus Appropriations Bill", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Bill Flores", "F000461", "flores.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act for FY2016. Congressman Bill Flores (R-Texas) issued the following statement regarding its passage: The most essential constitutional function of our government is to provide for our national security. For this critical reason, I voted for todays bill. This plan funds our national defense and homeland security at increased levels necessary to confront the growing threats posed by an increasingly dangerous world. This bill addresses one of the biggest, single internal threats that our nation faces - the weakness of our visa waiver program. Currently, anyone with a passport from one of the 38 participating visa waiver countries can come to the United States without applying for a visa and without a basic background check.By tighteningcontrol of our nations visa waiver program,we can eliminate the possibility of someone entering one of the waiver countries, such as France, obtaining a passport, boarding a flight into the United States and entering our country unchecked. While the administration has failed to stop this possible threat, House Republicans saw its importance and acted to have provisions to strengthen security of the program included in the omnibus bill. Enacting this provision along with the veto proof House-passed SAFE Act, which bans Syrian refugees from entering America until more stringent vetting processes are put in place, will stop the Obama Administrations negligence towards our homeland security.  This bill also lifts the four decade old ban on crude oil exports. This action creates an estimated one million new American jobs and adds $170 billion a year to our GDP. Lifting the ban will expand economic growth, lower consumer energy costs, move the United States closer to energy security, improve national security and reduce the trade deficit. This issue, along with national security, is so important to Texas that over 75 percent of its Congressional delegation voted for passage of the bill.  Closer to home, this bill presents significant policy improvements for Texas and the 17thCongressional District. It provides relief to ranchers and farmers by repealing the harmful country-of-origin labeling  requirements. It improves funding to address deferred maintenance issues with Texas ports, which will enhance the ability of Texas farmers to export their products. The bill strengthens funding for National Science Foundation andNational Institutes of Health basic research, which is critical to the three major research and educational institutions that have footprints in our district  Texas A&M University, Baylor University and The University of Texas. It also provides funding stability for important defense contractors, like the manufacturers of the F-35, which are built in Texas. Additionally, it provides critical funding for our Texas military bases and supports our troops and their families. While this bill is far from perfect, it takes stands against the Obama Administrations agenda by restricting transfers of Guantanamo detainees, increasing funding for abstinence education, prohibiting taxpayer funding for abortion, blocking EPA and IRS overreach and not funding Obama's proposed Green Climate Fund. These important measures, combined with the House-passed tax extenders bill, will improve Americas economic opportunity for hardworking Texas families. This bill has a lot to dislike and a lot to like. Unfortunately, this represents what happens in Washington when government is divided. As Chairman of the Republican Study Committee, we worked hard to insert over 100 important conservative policy riders in the earlier appropriations bills and into this bill. Fortunately, some of those were included; however, many of them were not. After reading the bill closely and listening to input from our constituents, it became readily apparent that national security concerns are the most important issue for Texas. Thus, I voted for the bill to address these concerns. As we move into 2016, Conservatives will continue to fight for increased national security, protections for life and to rein in out-of-control federal bureaucrats. We look to advance a bold, conservative agenda which lays out our vision for national security, tax reform, economic growth, deficit reduction and other matters important to hardworking Texans.\r\nCongressman Bill Flores represents the 17th District of Texas and is an entrepreneur, former energy executive, Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Chairman of the Republican Study Committee (RSC) and member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://gohmert.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398289", "Conservatives angry at 'no limits' spending bill", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Louie Gohmert", "G000552", "gohmert.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Critics of the massive spending bill currently before Congress aren't hard to find. One of those  a Christian pro-family pundit  is upset the bill completely funds President Obama's resettlement plan for Muslim refugees.\r\n\"There's absolutely nothing to block the president from bringing in as many Muslims from war-torn, dangerous areas as he chooses without the proper vetting and signing up for benefits, bringing in their children and relatives,\" says Sandy Rios, director of governmental affairs at the American Family Association. \"There are absolutely no limits in this bill.\"\r\nOn Tuesday night, House Speaker Paul Ryan unveiled the $1.1 trillion omnibus funding bill, giving Congress and the public just two days to review it before debate begins.\r\n\"Paul Ryan thinks it's a great bill,\" notes Rios, who laments the measure should have no trouble passing and being signed by the president. \"[Ryan] made a statement that this was a bill that advanced Republican priorities, when quite the opposite is the case.\"\r\nSpeaking on Fox News, Ryan admitted Republicans didn't get everything they wanted  but neither did the Democrats. \"So that's the nature of compromises in divided government,\" he added.\r\nRios isn't alone in her criticism of the omnibus bill. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama), chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest, released a statement warning that the bill would also fund sanctuary cities and quadruple a controversial foreign worker program replacing Americans  all during a time of increasing concerns about threats to U.S. security and finances.\r\nGohmert 'frustrated' at missed opportunity\r\nTexas Congressman Louie Gohmert said during television interviews that while there are good parts of the bill, he has grave concerns over funding included in the thousands of pages of text.\r\n\"We didn't get the defunding of the president's efforts to bring in refugees from Syria  or wherever they would be from  because we can't really know where they would be from if they claim theyre from Syria,\" the Republican lawmaker told Dana Loesch of The Blaze.\r\n\"And of course, some of us have been screaming about funding Planned Parenthood and stopping that when we have seen in videos  that they're abusing the money they've been getting and using it for things that are just horrendous for most of us  but, we didn't get that defunded.\r\n\"I'm just so frustrated,\" Gohmert added on The Fox Business Network. \"Here, once again, our leadership has negotiated with Democrats to get votes to pass the funding bill, rather than work with those of us, who make up the majority of the Republican Party.\"\r\nThe omnibus spending bill will fund the federal government through September 30, 2016. In Gohmert's opinion, that's a problem.\r\n\"... Do you honestly think that things we didn't put in this spending bill will be different six weeks before the election? You really think we are going to get more out of Obama as he is going out of office and doesn't really care about re-election?\" he wonders. \"That is not going to happen. We needed to do it now.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://gohmert.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398290", "Gohmerts Statement on End of the Year Spending Bill", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Louie Gohmert", "G000552", "gohmert.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Louie Gohmert (TX-01) released the following statement regarding his vote against the year-end spending bill in the U.S. House of Representatives:\r\nThe Omnibus included some good initiatives such as ending the ban on oil exports, which will help relieve political blackmail by OPEC and Russia; however, the Presidents war against people with jobs involving coal is funded as are federal programs that allow millions more acres to be put off limits for oil, gas, or other mineral production.\r\nSadly, this bill continues to fund Planned Parenthood, whose videotaped abortion abuses shock most consciences. Tragically, Democrats demanded and got full funding of President Obamas plan for bringing alleged Syrian refugees into the United States  alleged because there is no way to be sure where they are actually from or who they really are. The provision on visa waivers has a hole big enough to drive truckloads of radical jihadists through. Unfortunately, the Omnibus bill that passed today also failed to stop President Obamas illegal amnesties.\r\nI really wanted to vote for this bill because of some of the good things in it; but, when Americas number one concern is not addressed nor were so many current abuses of the Constitution, it is a bridge too far and I could not vote for it.\r\nCongressman Gohmert is the Chairman of the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and the Vice Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security. Prior to being elected to serve in Congress, he was elected to three terms as District Judge in Smith County, Texas and was appointed by then Texas Governor Rick Perry to complete a term as Chief Justice of the 12th Court of Appeals.\r\n\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://hensarling.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/hensarling-statement-on-funding-tax-legislation", "Hensarling Statement on Funding, Tax Legislation", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Jeb Hensarling", "H001036", "hensarling.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Congressman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, issued the following statement upon House passage of a legislative package to fund the government and make permanent several temporary tax provisions. \nThe American people expect and deserve better than last minute, omnibus spending legislation that lumps almost all government programs, both good and bad, into one massive bill. While Speaker Ryan and the members of this House had to play the bad hand that was dealt to us months ago  before he became speaker  I am encouraged by the speakers commitment to move away from this irresponsible practice.\nThe president wont admit it, but we are a nation at war. At a time when the threat from ISIS and radical Islam is increasing at an alarming rate, funding our national defense and ensuring our fighting men and women have the tools necessary to carry out their mission and defend their homeland  not reducing their ranks, as President Obama has done  must be our top priority. This legislation represents billions more in our national defense than if Congress had not taken any action. Earlier in the year, Defense officials told Congress that operating under scheduled cut levels would lead to decreased readiness, more casualties of American troops and a lack of confidence among allies around the world. These dire warnings were made before ISIS began its new offensive against the West. Ultimately, I voted for this bill because victory against radical Islam is the only acceptable outcome and time is of the essence.\nLike all omnibus spending bills, this bill spends way too muchand much of what it spends is on bad programs. While I am disappointed by many aspects of the bill, there are several notable provisions worthy of supportincluding lifting the 40 year ban on crude oil exports that can help make the world less depending on OPEC and Russian oil; strengthening the Visa Waiver Program to protect against terrorists exploiting Western passports; and prohibiting any taxpayer funded bailout of insurance companies losses from participating in Obamacare. In addition, the inclusion of the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act to make permanent several temporary tax provisions will provide much needed certainty for hardworking American taxpayers and businesses, grow our economy, and rein in the IRS  while setting the stage for fundamental tax reform in the future.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://kaygranger.house.gov/press-release/congresswoman-kay-granger-releases-statement-support-protecting-americans-tax-hikes", "Congresswoman Kay Granger releases statement in support of the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Kay Granger", "G000377", "kaygranger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  Congresswoman Kay Granger issued the following statement on the passage of the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015, which extends many of the most popular federal tax deductions:\nAmericans will save billions of dollars on their federal taxes with the passage of this  \n\ttax extender bill. This legislation makes many important tax deductions and provisions permanent, including the ability to deduct state and local sales taxes on your IRS return, which is especially important for Texans. Additionally, the research & development tax credit is made permanent, which will encourage our innovators to invest and develop cutting edge technologies here in the US. Finally, the bill supports American businesses by making permanent the increased small-business expensing deduction on equipment and property, allowing them to plan ahead and grow their businesses and the economy.\nMore information on the legislation is available at https://waysandmeans.house.gov/brady-highlights-how-the-path-act-helps-american-taxpayers/", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://kaygranger.house.gov/press-release/ending-crude-oil-export-ban-supports-our-economy-and-national-security", "Ending Crude Oil Export Ban Supports Our Economy and National Security", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Kay Granger", "G000377", "kaygranger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  The U.S. energy industry will be able to create thousands of new jobs in America and provide a stable oil market to our allies around the world once it is freed from the outdated federal prohibition against exporting crude oil, Congresswoman Kay Granger said Friday.\nGranger said she was proud to cast a vote to end the 40-year-old crude oil export prohibition, which was included in the Fiscal Year 2016 omnibus Appropriations bill.\nGetting rid of the policy blocking U.S. crude oil exports is one of the most important decisions Congress has made this year, Granger said. We need to take away control of the world oil policy from the OPEC oil ministers and put it in the hands of American innovators and workers.\nGranger co-sponsored legislation passed by the House which was authored by Congressman Joe Barton of Texas to eliminate the prohibition. The provisions in the omnibus Appropriations bill were based on that legislation.\nUkraine and many of the nations of Europe receive much of their energy supply from Russia, and other nations are dependent on supplies from unstable nations in the Middle East like Libya. U.S. oil producers can provide a stable supply that will reduce the possibility of blackmail policies, Granger said.\nCreating global security is more than just providing military support  giving our allies an energy supply they can depend on is extremely important, Granger said. We have the best energy technology, the most creative business minds and the most reliable source of crude oil. Releasing Americas crude exports into the global oil market will bring rewards to us and our allies.\nProviding US oil producers access to the global market will have tremendous benefits for the U.S. economy, Granger said. The added business will bring as many as 300,000 new jobs nationwide  35,000 just in Texas, where the energy industry has suffered recent job losses. The Brookings Institute estimates that allowing crude oil exports could increase U.S. gross domestic product by as much as $1.9 trillion by 2039.\nStability and free market competition will also benefit U.S. consumers with lower prices at the pump, and help avoid the price spikes seen in the past decade.\nWe have an abundance of crude oil production, our refineries are running at near capacity, our storage is at record highs, and this will help our producers move forward into the world market, Granger said. The elimination of this out-of-date policy is a win-win for the American economy and our global allies.\nThe Government Accountability Office report on allowing U.S. oil exports is available here:\nhttps://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-15-745T\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://lamarsmith.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/smith-statement-on-omnibus-appropriations", "Smith Statement on Omnibus Appropriations", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Lamar Smith", "S000583", "lamarsmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC -Congressman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today released the following statement after voting against a year-end omnibus appropriations bill.\nCongressman Lamar Smith: This bill includes priorities such as funding for the dilapidated San Antonio courthouse and a repeal of the outdated oil export ban.\nOverall, I could not support this $1.1 trillion bill. It lacks serious reforms of our refugee policy and fully funds plans to admit tens of thousands of Syrian refugees into our country. It does nothing to prohibit the White House from funding its Green Climate Fund and serves as an endorsement of the presidents extreme agenda he committed to in Paris. Similarly, it omits congressionally-passed restrictions on controversial EPA regulations. It admits 264,000 unskilled guestworkers to compete in the job market against unemployed Americans for scarce jobs. Finally, it does nothing to defund Planned Parenthood despite the fact that it appears the organization engaged in the sale of unborn baby body parts.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://olson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/olson-applauds-lifting-40-year-old-oil-export-ban", "Olson Applauds Lifting 40 Year Old Oil Export Ban", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Pete Olson", "O000168", "olson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX) today voted to lift the antiquated, 40 year old ban on the export of US crude oil as part of the year-end spending bill that also includes many provisions that ensure no new funding for Obamacare and prohibits funds for Obamacare Risk Corridors. It also delays the so called Cadillac tax, includes theVisa Waiver Program reforms bill the House passed and provides a one-year extension of the Internet Tax Freedom Act. It also maintains all critical existing pro-life policy and funding provisions and includes Second Amendment rights protections. The FY2016 Omnibus Appropriations Bill passed by a vote of 316-113.\nLifting the 40 year ban on oil exports is a game changer for American national security and will directly help our largest employer in Houston, the energy industry that has been losing jobs Rep. Pete Olson said. While not perfect, this bill blocks any new funding for Obamacare and continues to prevent a taxpayer bailout of Obamacares risk corridor program. It strengthens the Visa Waiver Program to protect the homeland and prevents the transfer of Guantanamo detainees to American soil. As a strong advocate for American energy independence, Im thrilled we finally lifted the oil ban. This action means up to a million new American jobs will be created and we can help our allies across the globe reduce their energy reliance on hostile regimes like Russia and Iran.\nHighlights include:\n Repeals the antiquated oil export ban.\n\tIncreases resources for our military.\n\tStrengthens the Visa Waiver Program to protect the homeland.\n\tProhibits new funding forObamacare.\n\tPrevents the transfer of Guantanamo detainees to American soil.\n\tBlocks EPA overreach.\n\tReins in the IRS.\n\tMaintains strong protections for life.\n\tHonors our commitment to our veterans.\n The full bill textis here.\n###\nMedia Contact: Melissa Kelly\n\t(202) 225-5951", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://poe.house.gov/press-releases?ID=8847386A-7AB0-4FE7-ADC8-8D5F3F14B4B2", "The Omnibus Explained", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Poe", "P000592", "poe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC.  This week, Congressman Ted Poe (TX-2) voted on legislation to end the 40-year old ban on crude oil exports, permanently allow Texans to deduct their state and local sales taxes, increase defense spending to combat ISIS and radical Islamic terror and provide care for our veterans and 9/11 first responders. The legislation also guts many of the Administrations unconstitutional actions and political priorities (detailed list below).\r\nEnding the ban on crude oil exports is a huge win for Texas and Houston, the energy capital of the world, said Poe. The impact cannot be understated: it will change the global dynamic of our worlds energy. Here at home, it will create thousands of jobs, bring in billions in new tax revenue, and boost our nations energy security. Around the world, it helps to end the economic stranglehold that Russia and the Middle East have on our allies. Now the United States can compete on the world market with OPEC.\r\nIn addition, the legislation makes the deduction for sales tax in Texas permanent. The tax code currently favors states that have a state income tax, but that now changes. Making the sales tax deduction permanent means more money in every taxpaying Texans wallet, said Poe. \r\nThese two provisions were included in separate amendments that will pass the Senate and be signed into law. Overall, the legislation includes a number of conservative victories and will help grow the Texas economy. Previously, the House acted to defund Planned Parenthood and halt the Presidents refugee resettlement program. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has committed in writing to take up the refugee resettlement issue in early January, and I have joined Senator Ted Cruz to empower State Governors to refuse refugees until they are thoroughly vetted. \r\nA large appropriations package was necessary because the Senate failed to take up a single appropriations bill that passed the House.\r\n\r\nProvisions in the Amendment to the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act\r\nFunds Texas-Made F-35s; Increases Defense and National Security Funding to Fight ISIS and Radical Islamic Jihad\r\n \r\nProvides funding that allows 68 of our Texas-manufactured F-35s to help defeat ISIS; includes a 1.3% pay raise for our military; prohibits the transfer or release of any individuals detained at Gitmo; prohibits the use of sensitive missile defense data to be shared with Russia; provides funds needed for shipbuilding to complete the Navys fleet; and includes Rep. Poes legislation to require the president to submit a plan on how to defeat ISIS.\r\n \r\nStrengthens Visa Waiver Program to Protect us From Terrorists; Targets Sanctuary Cities; and Increases Border Security Funding\r\n \r\nStrengthens visa waiver program to protect us from terrorists; increases funds for the FBI to combat terrorism; prohibits any future Fast and Furious operations by preventing the federal government from distributing weapons to drug cartels; strengthens a federal program (SCAAP) to help state and localities with the costs of incarcerating illegal alien criminals; directs ICE to detain illegal immigrants until they can be deported; funds our Border Patrol agents as well as border security and air operations, ensuring round-the-clock surveillance of air, land, and sea approaches to the border and maintaining no less than 95,000 operational flight hours for law enforcement and surveillance; withholds funds from DHS until ICE informs Congress of its efforts to combat sanctuary cities; and funds efforts to combat human trafficking.\r\n \r\nProtects the 2nd Amendment:\r\n \r\nProhibits implementation of the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty, includes authority to import firearms into the U.S. and to export firearms to Canada without a license, and excludes so-called gun-control measures.\r\n \r\n\r\nStops Insurance Company Bailout; Funds Cancer Research and Provides Care for 9/11 Responders: \r\n \r\nStops the Obamacare insurance company bailout by eliminating the risk-corridors program; defunds the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB, the so-called death panels); increases funding for the National Institutes of Health, the worlds largest funder of medical research; and reauthorizes a program to provide health care benefits to our nations first responders, some of whom are from Texas, who suffered injuries or illnesses attributed to the 9/11 attacks.\r\n \r\nSafeguards Pro-Life Measures:\r\n \r\nProhibits taxpayer dollars from being spent on abortions and abortion services; protects conscience rights in healthcare coverage by prohibiting Obamacares mandate to cover abortion; and includes a ban on creating embryos for research purposes.\r\n \r\nIncreases Oversight over VA:\r\n \r\nExpands oversight of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Departments Office of Inspector General; increases funding to end the VAs disability compensation claims backlog; and increases funds for VA medical services in order to make sure they get the care that our nation promised and that they need.\r\n \r\nAdds Flexibility and Addresses Abuse in Federal Benefits:\r\n \r\nProvides schools with more flexibility in the school lunch program with exemptions from certain strict requirements; seeks to ensure that WIC and SNAP benefits are only made available to eligible participants; and requires USDA to work with states to ensure compliance with federal benefit eligibility.\r\n \r\nCuts EPA Funding and Restores NASA Funding:\r\n \r\nCuts funding for the EPA to its lowest level since 2008; restores funding for NASA to its highest level in years; blocks any new EPA regulation of non-navigable waters; allows the sale of incandescent light bulbs, which was prohibited in 2008; and increases oversight of climate-change research.\r\n \r\n\r\nProvisions in the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act\r\n \r\nMakes permanent the deduction of state and local sales taxes\r\nMakes permanent the deduction for teachers who pay out-of-pocket for school supplies\r\nSuspends the medical device tax that was included in Obamacare\r\nProhibits the IRS from targeting nonprofit organizations for political purposes\r\nExcludes mortgage debt that has been forgiven and would otherwise count as taxable income\r\nExtends deduction of mortgage insurance premium for a personal residence\r\nRenews deduction for higher-education expenses\r\nAllows a tax credit of as much as $2,500 per year for qualified tuition and related expenses (The American Opportunity Tax Credit)\r\nReduces individual tax liability by $1,000 per qualifying child under age 17 (The Child Tax Credit)\r\nIncreases monthly tax exclusion for employer-provided transit benefits\r\nMakes permanent the research tax credit for a broad range of industries\r\nMakes permanent 5 charity-related tax provisions that would have expired on December 31, 2014\r\nEnhances deduction for businesses to donate food inventory to charities\r\nExpands deduction for charitable contributions of real property made for conservation purposes\r\nExcludes military housing allowances from an individuals gross income\r\nRenews bonus depreciation for businesses", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://samjohnson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398064", "Sam Johnson Opposes Omnibus Spending Bill", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Sam Johnson", "J000174", "samjohnson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sam Johnson Opposes Omnibus Spending Bill \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        December 18, 2015\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Washington, D.C. In keeping with his conservative record, today U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson (TX-03) voted against the Consolidated Appropriations Act, also known as the Omnibus. The bill passed 316-113. Johnson was one of 95 Republicans to oppose the bill.\r\nAfter casting his vote against the Omnibus, Johnson made the following statement:\r\nAs a staunch social and fiscal conservative, there is a laundry list of reasons I oppose this Omnibus spending bill  not the least of which is the fact that a vast majority of my constituents oppose it! Besides the fact that it spends too much, this bill also 1) funds Obamas executive amnesty, 2) funds Obamacare, 3) funds Planned Parenthood, 4) funds the Syrian refugee resettlement program, and 5) dramatically increases the numbers of visas available to foreign workers at a time of economic and national security uncertainty. This bill is simply not responsible, and its certainly not conservative. Despite the fact that this bill passed, my constituents can rest assured that I will continue to stand should-to-shoulder with them as we fight together against Obamas liberal agenda.\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://sessions.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=81C2D93B-43A8-4A90-9BAF-B1A56A89CAC7", "Sessions Praises Passage of Spending Bill, Tax Extenders", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Pete Sessions", "S000250", "sessions.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S Congressman Pete Sessions, Chairman of the House Committee on Rules, joined Co-Chairs of the Job Corps Caucus Congressman Lou Barletta and Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr., in addition to 118 Members of Congress in sending a letter to the Department of Labor requesting a reevaluation of their proposed cuts to the Job Corps Program.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://thornberry.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398081", "House passes budget and tax bills", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "William Thornberry", "T000238", "thornberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) voted this week in support of the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015 that passed the House by vote of 318-109 and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 that passed by a vote of 316-113.There are a number of good and important provisions for the country and for our area in these bills, said Thornberry. While there are also a number of provisions that I support  and have voted for  that did not survive negotiations, many did. Some of the chief provisions include: Providing essential funding for our military;  \r\nRepealing the 40-year-old ban on exporting crude oil;  \r\nLimiting EPA funding to its lowest level since 2008;  \r\nRepealing the Country-of Origin-Labeling (COOL) law that threatened to harm the beef and other livestock industries;  \r\nExtending and then phasing out the wind production tax credit;  \r\nDelaying implementation of several provisions and taxes associated with Obamacare; and  \r\nStrengthening security of the Visa Waiver Program. The PATH bill also made permanent over 20 tax provisions that Congress has been extending one year at a time, making it difficult for businesses and individuals to plan. These permanent deductions include: State and local sales tax deduction, which is important in states like Texas that do not have a state income tax;  \r\nSection 179 expensing for small businesses;  \r\nThe Research and Development Tax Credit;  \r\nCharitable deduction for contributions of food inventory; and  \r\nMany other tax provisions were extended for two or five years. Finally, attached to the measure is a cybersecurity bill, similar to that recommended by the Cyber Security Task Force, which Thornberry chaired in 2011 and 2012. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://babin.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=562", "Babin Opposes Funding Bill that Fails to Address Refugee Concerns", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Brian Babin", "B001291", "babin.house.gov", "babin", "https://babin.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Washington, DC \u2013 U.S. Representative Brian Babin (TX-36), who is leading the charge in Congress to stop President Obama\u2019s plans to bring in tens of thousands of Syrian refugees into the U.S., voted against the year-end government omnibus spending bill (H.R. 2029) because it failed to include much-needed provisions that he has fought so hard for to protect American citizens and stop President Obama\u2019s dangerous refugee policies.\n\n\u201cWhile there is one really good, but unrelated, provision in this bill \u2013 the lifting of the ban on exporting crude oil \u2013 it is not enough to offset the danger to our national security, which far outweighs anything else,\u201d said Rep. Babin. \u201cSince July I have been leading the effort to address the national security vulnerabilities we face in our dangerous and reckless U.N.-led refugee program.\n\n\u201cUnfortunately, this legislation fails to take the necessary steps to protect American citizens from ISIS sympathizers who have begun to infiltrate the refugee population. What\u2019s worse is the fact that it provides a $100 million increase to the refugee resettlement program. At a time when the President\u2019s own DHS, DNI and FBI directors say we cannot properly screen these folks, the failure to stop this dangerous Obama Administration initiative is a huge mistake that leaves the American people vulnerable.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T20:33:33Z"], ["https://carter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1195", "Carter Fights to Protect the Nation, Secure the Border,  Support Military, Veterans", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John R. Carter", "C001051", "carter.house.gov", "carter", "https://carter.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Representative John R. Carter (R-TX-31) is fighting for Central Texas values, protecting our nation against increasing threats, securing our border, and supporting our military and veterans. This past year in Congress, Rep. Carter and House Republicans have led the fight against President Obama and his liberal policies, including his unlawful executive amnesty.\n\nAs Rep. Carter and Congress wrap up the first session of the 114th Congress, highlights of Rep. Carter fighting for Central Texans include: strengthening our national and border security, supporting our military and veterans, standing up for parents and educators by lessening the federal footprint on our education system and returning to more local control, avoiding a government shutdown, reducing the burden on American tax payers by extending important tax regulations, some that had expired in 2014, and investing in America\u2019s infrastructure.\n\n\u201cI am committed to keeping Texans safe, and securing our borders,\u201d said Rep. Carter. \u201cMuch of the legislation we passed, and the President signed into law this past year is focused on protecting the homeland. Our nation is facing increased global threats from radical Islamic terrorists and I will not sit by and allow these murderous thugs to infiltrate our nation. We must take the fight to them, to their home base, and destroy their operations. What we have done this past year will strengthen our national security, provide for our military men and women, and bolster our border security. We did not ask for this fight, but we must win this war on terror.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn order for us to win this war on terror, we must retain the most powerful and best trained military force. While I would like to see a greater share of funding directed to the support of our military, I believe we have put into the place the tools necessary to maintain and build upon the best armed services in the world. It is imperative to the future of our freedoms that we do all we can to support the men and women who proudly serve to protect this great nation.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are investing in our economy and paving the way for job creation and economic prosperity. We prevented tax increases that would further burden millions of tax paying Americans and businesses, we lifted the ban on U.S. oil exports, and we delayed an Obamacare provision that would increase taxes on privately held healthcare plans. We also protected American taxpayers from the IRS by reigning in their abusive practices.\u201d\n\n\u201cLifting the ban on oil exports will be a significant boost to our economy, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, and will enhance our national security. Texans know how important the energy industry is to our prosperity, and by lifting the ban on oil exports we will increase our national GDP by $134 billion, raise government revenues by $29 billion and lower gas prices by roughly 12 cents per gallon. Repealing the ban allows us to better compete with OPEC, and loosing the grip on the global oil market by rogue nations such as Iran and Russia.\u201d\n\n\u201cAdditionally, we put into place measures that will allow for more investment in Texas infrastructure. Central Texans are well aware of the importance of reliable transportation. The ability to move goods and people through Central Texas and across our nation is essential to our quality of life, and it is vital to our economy.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe restored local control over education. Our children deserve the best education possible and I believe putting the power back in the hands of parents, teachers and principals is the most effective way to prepare our students for their future.\u201d\n\n\u201cUnfortunately, the Senate was unable to pass several pieces of key legislation passed by the House. On numerous occasions I voted to repeal Obamacare and to defund Planned Parenthood. The Senate was unable to do the same. I fully support both measures, and will continue to fight for our Central Texas values and repeal these pro-tax, pro-abortion policies.\u201d\n\nNational and Border Security:\n\nRep. Carter is committed to keeping Texans, and all Americans safe. He has proven this time and time again by supporting legislation to strengthen our national security and bolster border security.\n\nNDAA- supports our military, secures our nation, and this year included Rep. Carter\u2019s amendment which empowers installation commanders to allow soldiers to carry a concealed weapon on base for their personal or force protection. http://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-fights-to-protect-those-who-protect-us/\n\nDefense Appropriations - This year includes funding to combat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and other U.S. enemies, to conduct successful military operations, and to maintain a well-equipped and prepared military force.\n\nVisa Waiver Program Improvement Act \u2013 Places stricter regulations on the Visa Waiver program. The bill was passed with an overwhelming majority. http://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-supports-stricter-security-measures-for-the-visa-waiver-program/\n\nStopping Syrian and Iraqi Refugees--Rep. Carter supported the American SAFE Act to secure the nation against the threat of terrorists exploiting the refugee system. The SAFE Act prevents admission to the United States of any Syrian or Iraqi refugee until our top security officials unanimously certify that the individual does not represent a security threat. http://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-votes-to-protect-texans-the-homeland1/\n\nHalting the refugee and resettlement program \u2013 Rep. Carter is a proud cosponsor of the Refugee Resettlement Oversight and Security Act. This bill will halt the Obama Administration\u2019s plan to bring an additional 10,000 refugees from Syria, and give Congress more control over the process by requiring congressional approval from before any refugees may be admitted into the United States.\n\nPunishing Sanctuary Cities--Supports cutting funds to Sanctuary Cities by supporting the Enforce the Law for Sanctuary Cities Act, which Rep. Carter is a co-sponsor. http://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-supports-cutting-funds-to-sanctuary-cities/\n\nFighting surge of illegal immigrant minors\u2014Rep. Carter Introduced the Protection of Children Act which will close loopholes in current law and force the Obama Administration to deport thousands of illegal immigrant minors that are exploiting our immigration system and American\u2019s good will.. http://carter.house.gov/press-releases/rep-carters-bill-protects-children-from-human-traffickers/\n\nKeeping nuclear weapons away from Iran\u2014Rep. Carter voted to reject President Obama\u2019s Iran Nuclear Agreement - http://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-rejects-obamas-iran-nuclear-agreement/\n\nhttp://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-obama-violated-the-iran-nuclear-agreement-review-act-by-not-disclosing-information-on-iran-side-deals/\n\nMilitary and Veterans:\n\nRep. Carter continues to fight for our Military and Veterans. He was able to secure Purple Hearts benefits for the victims of the 2009 Fort Hood terrorist attack and he called on the FBI to investigate the VA for abuses and misconduct, which has led to positive reforms at the Temple VA. Additionally, he is a strong proponent of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which supports our military and further secures our nation.\n\nPurple Hearts and benefits for Fort Hood Victims - http://carter.house.gov/press-releases/fort-hood-heroes-to-receive-purple-hearts/\n\nhttp://carter.house.gov/press-releases/rep-carter-and-fort-hood-delegation-release-statements-on-fort-hood-purple-heart-benefit-announcement-by-secretary-of-the-army/\n\nCalled on the FBI to investigate the VA, supports VA reform - http://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-supports-va-reform/\n\nNDAA, including Rep. Carter\u2019s provision to all military installation commanders the authority to allow military personnel to carry personal firearms (as permitted by law) when on the installation. - http://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-fights-to-protect-those-who-protect-us/\n\nSecured $49.8 million for Ft. Hood\u2019s 1st CAV HQ Renovation - http://carter.house.gov/press-releases/rep-carter-and-rep-williams-secure-498-million-for-ft-hood-renovations/\n\nEducation:\n\nThe Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) replaces the No Child Left Behind Act with a conservative solution that holds schools accountable, reduces federal overreach, restores power back to the parents, teachers and principals.\n\nhttp://carter.house.gov/press-releases/rep-carter-votes-to-restore-local-control-to-schools/\n\nReducing Taxes:\n\nPATH Act \u2013 This legislation prevents tax increases on millions of families and business, makes permanent several important tax provisions like the Research and Development tax credit, and protects taxpayers from abuse by the IRS.\n\nFor more information on the PATH Act visit:\n\nhttp://waysandmeans.house.gov/more-details-on-the-protecting-americans-from-tax-hikes-act-of-2015/\n\nInvesting in America\u2019s Infrastructure:\n\nHighway bill \u2013 The FAST Act, the conference report for the highway bill, will improve our Nation\u2019s surface transportation infrastructure, including roads, bridges, transit systems, and the rail transportation network.\n\nhttp://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-votes-to-invest-in-transportation-infrastructure-jobs-and-economic-growth/\n\nDefending our Second Amendment Rights, Defunding Planned Parenthood and Repealing Obamacare:\n\nRep. Carter continues to fight to preserve and protect the Second Amendment and he is fighting the Obama Administration\u2019s attempts to restrict our Constitutional rights. He successfully blocked the ATF from banning the M855 \u201cgreen tip\u201d ammunition used in the AR-15 rifle.\n\nhttp://carter.house.gov/press-releases/rep-carter-halt-on-atf-ammo-ban-a-victory/\n\nOn numerous occasions, Rep. Carter and House Republicans supported defunding Parenthood and repealing Obamacare. Unfortunately, the Senate was unable to pass this legislation with enough votes to force a veto by President Obama.\n\nhttp://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-votes-to-defund-planned-parenthood-and-dismantle-obamacare/\n\nhttp://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-says-states-should-be-allowed-to-deny-medicaid-funds-state-funds-to-abortion-providers-for-all-health-care-services/\n\nhttp://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-stands-for-life-votes-to-defund-planned-parenthood-protect-human-life/\n\nhttp://carter.house.gov/press-releases/carter-votes-to-defund-obamacare-protect-life-create-jobs/\n\nThis is just a sampling of the work done this past year in the first session of the 114th Congress. For more press releases from Rep. John Carter visit: http://carter.house.gov/press-releases/and follow Rep. Carter on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/judgecarter/?fref=nf", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T20:33:33Z"], ["https://hurd.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/hurd-language-included-cyber-information-sharing-legislation", "Hurd Language Included in Cyber Information Sharing Legislation", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Will Hurd", "H001073", "hurd.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC -Included in the Fiscal Year 2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which passed House of Representatives today by a vote of 316-113, was an important cybersecurityagreement that creates a voluntary information sharing processbetween the public and private sectors. The bill also included provisions authored by U.S. Representative Will Hurd that will authorize the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to deploy the EINSTEIN 3A (E3A) program, which is an advanced tool that the U.S. government can use to respond to and mitigate cyber threats. E3A provides a perimeter defense snapshot and acts as a first line of defense against cyber espionage. DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson has explicitly called for EINSTEINs authorization by Congress.\nEvery day and every hour, hacktivists and foreign adversaries are attempting to breach U.S. government systems, said Congressman Hurd. High-profile breaches such as OPM and Anthem have only illustrated how much of an issue this is today. I believe that the EINSTEIN program is a valuable tool that the U.S. Government can deploy to respond to and mitigate cyber threats, and I am thrilled that this provision was included in final passage of this landmark information sharing legislation.\"\nCongressman Hurds knowledge on this issue was extremely beneficial during our negotiations.His leadership on the EINSTEIN authorization language was also key, as this program will play a large role in giving DHS the tools necessary to protect our digital infrastructure. I want to thank Will for his efforts and look forward to working with him to protect our digital landscape moving forward,saidChairman of the House Homeland Security CommitteeRep. Michael McCaul.\nCongressman Hurd played a vital role in negotiations on the cyber bill and in building support for its passage,\" said Congressman Devin Nunes (R-CA), Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.\"He understands that its critical for our economy and for our national security to strengthen defenses of our digital infrastructure. Im grateful for his help in getting this crucial bill enacted into law.\nThe FY16 Consolidated Appropriations Act has been sent to the Presidents desk.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hurd.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/important-transportation-announcement-schleicher-crockett-and-pecos", "Important Transportation Announcement for Schleicher, Crockett and Pecos County Residents", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Will Hurd", "H001073", "hurd.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  The long-term highway funding bill, or FAST Act, thatwas signed into law on December 4, 2015, created a designated highway corridor that will become Interstate 14. The proposed TX-23 portion of thecorridor will be built on the existing infrastructure of Highway 190 and run from Interstate 10 just west of Iraan, through Eldorado and all the way to Augusta, Georgia.\nThis is exciting news for the residents of Schleicher, Crockett and Pecos Counties, said U.S. Representative Will Hurd who represents these counties. Transportation infrastructure is a proven driver of jobs and economic development. \nHurd supported the legislation and helped negotiate the compromise legislation between House and Senate versions. This is an exciting win for the communities of Iraan and Eldorado, who are sure to see an uptick in business and commerce with the development of this new interstate. Ilook forward to one daytraveling downI-14 in the 23rd Congressional District of Texas.\"\nThe timeline for the completion of thecorridor will be dependent upon numerous factors, including state and local funding and environmental and route studies.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hurd.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/measures-strengthen-national-security-energy-security-economy-pass-house", "Measures to Strengthen National Security, Energy Security, Economy Pass the House", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Will Hurd", "H001073", "hurd.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC The 23rd Congressional District of Texas notched several wins today with the passage of the FY 2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act by the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill provides full funding for defense and national security initiatives, tightens the Visa Waiver Program to prevent terrorist travel into the US and repeals the outdated oil export ban.\nThe economy and security are the two most important issues to my constituents, said U.S. Representative Will Hurd. We are strengthening national security so we can confidently confront radical terror threats. Were also including several game-changing measures that will recharge our nations economy and protect small businesses from over-burdensome taxes. Lifting the oil ban alone will generate billions for our nations economy, enhance National Energy Security, and provide jobs for thousands of Texans.\nThe FY 2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act passed with a final vote of 316-113 and has been sent to the Senate.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kevinbrady.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399445", "Brady Fights Terrorism, Backs Texas Energy Workers", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Kevin Brady", "B000755", "kevinbrady.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC Today U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady (R-TX) voted to fund the federal government in 2016, including critical national defense funding, adding 1,000 new border agents and protecting America against foreign terrorist travelers. Brady also played a crucial role in lifting the federal ban on selling crude oil to the world  a change that will create an estimated 300,000 energy jobs in Texas.\r\nI refuse to surrender to terrorists by crippling our military. I refuse to let dangerous Islamic jihadists travel to America. And I refuse to turn my back on Texas energy workers who are on the verge of losing their jobs. \r\nIm voting yes to fully fund our national defense in the war on terror, secure our border and set up the historic House vote in early January to send to the Presidents desk our law to defund Planned Parenthood and dismantle ObamaCare.\r\nBackground: The House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 2029 would provide funding for appropriated programs for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2016.It contains critical national defense funding, it adds 1,000 new border patrol agents, and it protects America against foreign terrorist travelers. The bill also lifts the outdated ban on selling crude oil around the world which will add 300,000 jobs in Texas.\r\nThe full text of the bill can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://ratcliffe.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/ratcliffe-votes-no-fy-2016-funding-package", "Ratcliffe Votes NO on FY 2016 Funding Package", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John Ratcliffe", "R000601", "ratcliffe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  In response to the FY 2016government fundingpackage voted on Friday by the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) issuedthe following statement:\nI just voted against the FY 2016 omnibus funding deal. I simply could not support a measure which funded many of President Obamas policies that Ive spent the last year actively fighting against.Specifically, this funding package failed to prohibit the presidents executive amnesty policies, failed to establish new restrictions on refugees from Syria and Iraq and failed to defund Planned Parenthood  all the while, it increasedgovernment spending over the caps that I voted not to lift in the first place.\n\"While there were some policy wins for conservatives included in the bill, now is the time for wholesale reform, not minor tweaks around the edges. Ive said it before, and Ill say it again. We cannot solve problems by passing more legislation that kicks the can even farther down the road. We need legislation that addresses the issues head on and puts an end to the reckless cycle of borrowing and spending.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://weber.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=194", "Weber Votes to Lift Decades-Old Oil Export Ban", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Randy Weber", "W000814", "weber.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Randy Weber (TX-14) released the following statement on House passage of H.R. 2029, the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2016:\nIn Congress, I often spend many hours reviewing complex legislation before deciding how to vote, and ultimately this decision comes down to what is best for my constituents. While I don't agree with everything in this bill, it does contain major provisions that increase support for America's border and immigration enforcement, and boosts funding for critical functions at NASA and the Army Corps of Engineers. Most significantly, this legislation contains a provision that permanently lifts the decades-old oil export ban, which will have huge long-term positive economic benefits to Texas, including the potential creation of up to 40,000 jobs in the energy industry supply chain. \nThe legislation also includes language authored by myself and Rep. Lois Frankel (FL-22) that would allow the State Department to hire embassy security based on best value versus lowest price. Some of the other positive provisions in the bill would:\n \n\tStop the IRS from interfering with 501(c)(4) organization's public participation and protect their 1st Amendment right of free speech.\n\t\t\n\tStrengthen our national security by closing loopholes and making other reforms in the Visa Waiver Program.\n\t\t\n\tPrevent a taxpayer bailout of insurance companies in Obamacare's risk corridors program and reduces Obamacare's tax burdens on hard working Americans.\n\t\t\n\tReduce EPA's budget by $452 million below the President's request, a 20 percent cut since FY10 and the lowest staffing levels since 1989.\n\t\t\n \nAnother win for hard-working Americans was the passage of the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act. This legislation contains provisions that make several tax benefits permanent, which will create certainty for our economy and allow taxpayers and small businesses to keep more of their hard-earned dollars.\nWhile the Omnibus does not include everything I would like to see addressed this year, this legislation along with the tax extenders will create a solid foundation to begin the New Year putting America first.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2557", "Sen. Cruz Votes Against Spending Bill Funding President Obama's Agenda", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today voted against the $1.1 trillion, 2,000-plus page spending bill that was passed by the U.S. House at approximately 9:30 a.m. today and subsequently rammed through the Senate after being hastily merged with tax extender provisions.\nFollowing the bills passage in the Senate, Sen. Cruz said, What weve seen in Congress today is profoundly disappointing. This spending bill does not honor the promises we made to the men and women who elected us. It funds Obamacare. It funds Planned Parenthood. It funds executive amnesty. It fails to protect our national security and stop Syrian refugees from coming to this country. It fails to do anything to stop the Iranian Nuclear Deal. And what does it do? It jacks up yet more low-skilled immigration, which will only drag down wages, kill American jobs, and hurt working men and women.\nThis bill is the big-government agenda of Democrats that effectively forfeits our massive Republican victories of 2014 and cements Obamas priorities for nearly the full remainder of his term. This is the Washington Cartel in action, and its precisely why the American people from coast-to-coast are so volcanically frustrated.\nSen. Cruz penned an op-ed for Politico on Thursday detailing his opposition to the spending bill. Read Sen. Cruzs op-ed here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2559", "The News with Sen. Cruz - December 18, 2015", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 18, 2015\nGreetings,\nThis week, we witnessed the Washington Cartel in action yet again  working for big businesses and lobbyists, rather than the American people  this time in the form of a $1.1 trillion, 2,000-plus page spending bill. This big-government bill demonstrates that we have a government of the lobbyist, by the lobbyist, and for the lobbyist.\nThere is profound disappointment among the American people because we keep winning elections, and then we keep getting leaders who dont do anything they promised. This institution should not operate at the beck and call of lobbyists in Washington. This institution, the majority and minority leader, arm-in-arm again, should not team up against the American taxpayers.\nI voted against the bill today in the Senate, and, although it ultimately passed Congress, I will continue to oppose this sort of cronyism that is bankrupting our kids.\nPlease keep reading for an update on the latest in the Senate.\nKeep Texas Strong,\n  Ted Cruz\nSen. Cruz Votes Against Spending Bill Funding President Obamas Agenda\nToday, Sen. Cruz voted against the $1.1 trillion, 2,000-plus page spending bill that was passed by the U.S. House at approximately 9:30 a.m. today and subsequently rammed through the Senate after being hastily merged with tax extender provisions.\nFollowing the bills passage in the Senate, Sen. Cruz said, What weve seen in Congress today is profoundly disappointing. This spending bill does not honor the promises we made to the men and women who elected us. It funds Obamacare. It funds Planned Parenthood. It funds executive amnesty. It fails to protect our national security and stop Syrian refugees from coming to this country. It fails to do anything to stop the Iranian Nuclear Deal. And what does it do? It jacks up yet more low-skilled immigration, which will only drag down wages, kill American jobs, and hurt working men and women This is the Washington Cartel in action, and its precisely why the American people from coast to coast are so volcanically frustrated.\nRead the full release here.\nCruz, Palazzo Pass the Emergency Information Improvement Act\nOn Wednesday, Sen. Cruz released a statement after the House passed S. 1090, the Emergency Information Improvement Act, that works to increase and safeguard the availability of critical information during times of emergency and crisis. It passed the Senate in September of this year under the co-sponsorship of Sen. Cruz and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.).\nWhen disaster strikes, it is critical that the American people have access to real-time emergency information that can save lives. Texas understands the seriousness of these threats more than most states, as it has made 90 major disaster declarations since 1953 and routinely prepares for tornadoes, floods, wildfires, and hurricanes. Public radio and broadcast stations can play a significant role providing critical information during and after natural disasters and terrorist attacks. The Emergency Information Improvement Act will help eliminate any ambiguity in current law by allowing critical service communications facilities to quickly make necessary repairs and prepare for the next disaster, Sen. Cruz said. I commend my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in both chambers for passing this legislation, and look forward to sending this bill to the Presidents desk.\nRead the full release here.\n \nHouse Passes Red River Private Property Protection Act\n \nLast week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Red River Private Property Protection Act, authored by Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas). Sen. Cruz is an original cosponsor of this bills companion legislation in the Senate, authored by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas).\nStrong property rights are a cornerstone of our most basic freedoms. Unfortunately, BLM continues to seek control of privately-owned lands along the Red River. We must protect landowners from federal overreach, and I applaud the House for passing Rep. Thornberrys legislation that will prevent the federal government from unlawfully encroaching upon private property rights. I call on my colleagues to pass the Senate companion bill that Sen. Cornyn and I introduced in June, Sen. Cruz said.\nRead more here.\nSen. Cruz Op-Ed in Politico: The Republicans in Congress Are Surrendering to Obama\nOn Thursday, Sen. Cruz penned an op-ed for Politico, outlining the reasons he will not support the latest last-minute $1.1 trillion spending bill passed by Congress today and expected to be signed into law by President Obama.\nAn excerpt of Sen. Cruzs op-ed is below. The full article may be viewed here.\nIts Christmastime in Washington, D.C., and that can mean only one thing: Congress is once again playing Santa Claus. The names at the top of its list are the Washington Cartel: The big businesses and lobbyists who get in bed with career politicians to do nothing but grow government. And left off the list: the American taxpayer.\nThanks to last years landslide elections, Republicans now control more seats in Congress, more governorships and more state legislative seats across the country than at any time since the 1920s. We retired Harry Reid and took control of the Senate. And yet today marks a milestone and an ignominious one. Before long, Republican leaders in the Senate and House intend to join hands with a majority of Congressional Democrats to pass a bill that funds President Barack Obamas disastrous agenda well into 2016.\nAnd while I am encouraged that the GOP-led Congress finally took a significant step toward repealing Obamacare and defunding Planned Parenthood in this months budget reconciliation bill, GOP leadership included it in a bill that commanded no leverage with Obama. They placed it in a bill the president will instantly veto, instead of including these priorities in Fridays government funding bill, one that must be signed into law if the president wants to keep the federal government open.\nSince taking control of the Senate, Republican leadership has joined hands with a majority of Democrats to thwart their own caucus efforts to stop the Obama agenda 24 times. During each of these 24 votes, this so-called Republican majority successfully passed legislation with a majority of Democrats in support and a majority of Republicans opposed. This is why I have said that Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is the most effective Democratic leader in modern times.\nRead Sen. Cruzs op-ed in its entirety here.\nA Regional Update from North Texas Deputy Regional Director Michael Flusche\nNorth Texas Deputy Regional Director Michael Flusche recently saw firsthand the operations of the temporary facility used to house unaccompanied minors at Lakeview Camp and Retreat Center in Waxahachie, Texas.\nFlusche, who has been working directly with the Department of Health and Human Services and Baptist Child Family Services, toured the command center, sleeping quarters and processing facility, where he was able to gather information from staff to better assist the community and address growing concerns regarding the situation.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://carter.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=40&itemid=2076", "Carter Tells Obama \"No\" to Housing Illegal Immigrants at Fort Hood", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John Carter", "C001051", "carter.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(WASHINGTON, DC) Representatives John R. Carter (R-TX-31) sent a letter to President Obama, and the Secretaries of Defense, Health and Human Services and Homeland Security urging the Obama Administration not to provide temporary housing for unaccompanied alien children (UACs) at any U.S. military installation, including Fort Hood.\r\n\r\n\tIt is outrageous that this Administration would even consider usingourmilitary installations to shelter illegal immigrants that have crossed our southern border, said Rep. Carter. President Obama needs toenforceour immigration lawsandsecureour border, notundermine our military at a time when our country is facing increased threats from radical Islamic terrorists. I urge him not to furtherburdenour militaryby forcingthem to babysithundreds of illegal immigrants ontheir bases, especially when their solefocus should be fighting the war on terrorand keeping America safe.\r\n\r\n\tThe letter was sent in response to a notification from the Office of the Secretary of Defense that a survey team will assess the possibility of using military bases, including Fort Hood, to house unaccompanied minors who have crossed our border illegally.\r\n\r\n\tA copy of the letter is below:\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tThe President  \r\n\tThe White House  \r\n\t1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW  \r\n\tWashington, DC 20500\r\n\r\n\tDear Mr. President,\r\n\r\n\tThe Department of Defense (DOD) has received a formal request for assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide temporary housing for unaccompanied alien children. We have been informed that a survey team will soon be investigating Fort Hood as a possible location for housing these illegal immigrants.\r\n\r\n\tWe strongly urge your Administration not to house illegal immigrants on any military base. Furthermore, your Administration should commit to securing the border and focus your efforts on reuniting these children with their families in their native countries.\r\n\r\n\tWhile housing these unaccompanied minors may be a challenge for you, seeking support from military bases when their resources have already been stretched thin is unacceptable. Our country is at war with radical Islamic extremism at home and abroad, and our military assets must be used to train and prepare our troops, not house illegal aliens. Fort Hood has already suffered two shootings, including one terrorist attack. This military base is clearly a target and our country cannot afford to further burden it with the duties of running a safe house.\r\n\r\n\tAs Members of Congress who represent Fort Hood, one of the largest military installations in the United States, we ask you to reaffirm that our military installations exist to project power around the world and to serve our men and women in uniform and their families  not house illegal immigrants. In addition, we ask that Secretary Jeh Johnson and Secretary Sylvia Burwell meet with us before any action is taken to use Fort Hood as a housing unit for illegal aliens.\r\n\r\n\tWe respectfully request your immediate attention and quick response to this matter.\r\n\r\n\tSincerely,\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t  _________________ _________________  \r\n\t Rep. John Carter  Rep. Roger Williams  \r\n\t Member of Congress Member of Congress\r\n\r\n\tCC: U.S. Department of Defense  \r\n\t U.S. Department of Health and Human Services  \r\n\t U.S. Department of Homeland Security\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t####", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://carter.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=40&itemid=2077", "Carter Votes to Support our Military", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John Carter", "C001051", "carter.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(WASHINGTON, DC)  Today, Rep. John R. Carter (R-TX-31) voted to support our military and boost our national security by helping pass the amended National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in the House of Representatives. The President vetoed the original version of the NDAA passed in October.\r\n\r\n\tI am proud to support this very important, bipartisan legislation that supports our military, strengthens our national security and keeps GITMO prisoners out of the United States, said Rep. Carter. At a time when we are facing growing global threats to our national security, and Russia is filling the void in global leadership once proudly held by the United States, we must stand on the side of our brave military men and women, and to stand up for our great nations security.\r\n\r\n\tI was also pleased that my amendment to allow members of our armed services to carry personal firearms at military installations, reserve centers and recruiting centers, remains in the NDAA bill. After the tragedies at Ft. Hood, and this year in Chattanooga, I saw the need to empower installation commanders to decide what policy is best and who should be allowed to carry a concealed weapon for their personal or force protection. I have the utmost confidence in our senior military leadership and the Soldiers who serve and I trust they will use this new authority to improve security and prevent future tragedies.\r\n\r\n\tKey points of the NDAA include:\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t Rep. Carters Military Firearms Amendment.\r\n\r\n\to Allows military post commanders to permit a member of the Armed Forces to carry appropriate firearms, including personal firearms, at Department of Defense installations, reserve centers, and recruiting centers. The Secretary of Defense must implement a policy to empower post commanders no later than December 31, 2015.\r\n\r\n\t Expands Military Retirement.\r\n\r\n\to Agreed on changes that provide additional retirement options to individuals who serve the nation for a period of less than 20 years. For the first time, this plan would allow the 83 percent of service members not eligible for military retirement to participate in a retirement plan.\r\n\r\n\t Military Basic Allowance for Housing.\r\n\r\n\to Preserves Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for dual-military couples.\r\n\r\n\to Maintains the tax-free BAH benefit in the long-term, preserves payments to cover 95 percent of estimated housing expenses, which is a 1% annual reduction per year for four years versus the proposed 4% immediate one-time reduction.\r\n\r\n\t TRICARE Pharmacy.\r\n\r\n\to Rejected more than 60 percent of the proposed increases to Tri-Care Pharmacy co-pays supported by the President and the Senate.\r\n\r\n\t BRAC.\r\n\r\n\to Did not authorize the President and Department of Defenses request for another round of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) efforts.\r\n\r\n\t Force Structure.\r\n\r\n\to Directs a new capacity study that reflects the current threat profile and makes conservative assumptions about future end strength (there is specific language that forces the Army to assess how troop reductions impact their ability to execute the National Security Strategy)\r\n\r\n\t GTMO.\r\n\r\n\to Reauthorizes the prohibitions against transferring Guantanamo Bay (GTMO)detainees to the United States and against building detention facilities in the United States.\r\n\r\n\to Limits the Secretary of Defenses ability to transfer GTMO detainees by reverting to the stronger transfer policy established in the FY13 NDAA.\r\n\r\n\t Ukraine.\r\n\r\n\to Authorizes $300 million over two years to the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative of which $50 million is intended for lethal assistance.\r\n\r\n\t Russia.\r\n\r\n\to Increased funding for U.S. intelligence and warning capabilities, technologies supporting U.S. information operations and strategic communications activities, the Javelin missile system, and Stryker combat vehicle upgrades.\r\n\r\n\t Iran.\r\n\r\n\to Extends the Iran Military Power Report for 10 years, reflecting the Conferees view that Irans illicit pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability and its malign military activities constitute a grave threat to regional stability and U.S. national security interests.\r\n\r\n\to Requires the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the President, to submit a strategy to counter unconventional warfare threats being posed by Iran.\r\n\r\n\t Central America.\r\n\r\n\to Allocates $30 million for Department of Defense-unique capabilities in areas such as aerial and maritime capabilities, building partnership capacity, and the detection and monitoring of illicit trafficking to complement Department of State efforts in Central America. Provides an additional $20 million for SOUTHCOM ISR requirements.\r\n\r\n\t Army Modernization.\r\n\r\n\to Provides additional funding to address an Army unfunded requirement and urgent operational need to procure and develop improved countermeasures to better protect deployed Apache attack helicopters against the latest and most lethal threats (to include those our troops face right now in the Middle East).\r\n\r\n\to Accelerates rotorcraft modernization for the Army National Guard, and recommends additional funding for UH-60M Blackhawks for the Army National Guard.\r\n\r\n\t Russian RD-180 Rocket Engines.\r\n\r\n\to Expresses the concern that reliance on Russian-designed rocket engines is no longer acceptable. Authorizes $184.4M for the development of a new, U.S. rocket propulsion system, and directs the Air Force to move faster than it is planning to end reliance on Russian rocket engines.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tFor more information on the NDAA bill passed today, please visit: https://rules.house.gov/sites/republicans.rules.house.gov/files/114/PDF/114-CRHR1735-SxS.pdf\r\n\r\n\tRep. Carter represents Texas District 31, which includes Fort Hood, the largest military installation in the free world. He serves as Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Appropriations, is on the Subcommittee for Commerce, Justice and Science and the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee.\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://conaway.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398071", "Critical Tax Relief Passes House", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "K. Conaway", "C001062", "conaway.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Critical Tax Relief Passes House \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        December 17, 2015\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      \r\n\r\n    \r\n        \r\n            \r\n            Washington\u2013Today, Congressman Mike Conaway (TX-11) voted with the majority of House Republicans to pass H.R. 2029, legislation that includes several critical tax relief provisions. This bill permanently extends and expands the small business expensing limitation for Section 179 property, permanently extends the option to deduct State and local sales taxes, and renews a number of charitable giving provisions.\r\n            \u201cA permanent expansion of Section 179 provisions ensures that small businesses have the certainty they need to make capital purchases and better plan for the future,\u201d said Rep. Conaway. \u201cIt is critical that our government supports economic growth and job creation by allowing small businesses to invest in their surrounding communities, rather than get in their way.\r\n            \u201cOther critical provisions in this bill include the option to deduct State and local sales taxes instead of State and local income taxes. This allows Texans, who do not pay State income taxes, the opportunity to take advantage of a deduction not previously available to them. This legislation also encourages charitable giving by renewing a number of tax relief provisions. These extensions will, among other things, incentivize food donations and land preservation, and make it easier for non-profits to provide a helping hand to those in need.\u201d\r\n            \u00a0\r\n            \u00a0\r\n            \u00a0\r\n            \r\n        \r\n    \r\n\r\n\r\n###\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://flores.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398737", "Flores Votes for Tax Extenders Package", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Bill Flores", "F000461", "flores.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act. Congressman Bill Flores (R-Texas) released the following statement regarding its passage: Improving our tax code and providing economic opportunity are important steps to creating more jobs and better paychecks for hardworking Americans. The PATH Act sets the stage for meaningful, pro-growth tax reform next year and gives us the opportunity to deliver the bold, conservative vision America needs. While this tax extenders package is not perfect, it delivers many significant, conservative provisions that will improve economic opportunity. By making key pro-growth tax provisions permanent, this bill allows our nations businesses and families to better plan for the future. It makes permanent tax extensions that foster research and development, driving long-term economic growth and innovation. It reforms fraud-ridden tax programs, saving billions of taxpayer dollars. It also includes measures that will help Americas small businesses thrive, will ensure fairness for taxpayers and will support charitable Americans who give to those in need. The PATH Act also permanently extends the state and local tax deduction. This is a big win for Texas and other states that do not have an income tax. By making this deduction permanent, Texans will be assured that they will be able to keep more of their hard earned paychecks. Another solid win from this package is that it omits a provision to open up more taxpayer funds to support Obamacares risk corridor program. We achieved this protection despite an aggressive push from the White House and Democrats. The program, which has been called a taxpayer bailout for insurance companies, will be prohibited from using taxpayer funds for this purpose. Congressman Bill Flores represents the 17th District of Texas and is an entrepreneur, former energy executive, Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Chairman of the Republican Study Committee (RSC) and member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://kaygranger.house.gov/press-release/congresswoman-kay-granger-delivers-statement-house-floor-national-security-provisions", "Congresswoman Kay Granger delivers statement on House floor on national security provisions of 2016 federal funding bill", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Kay Granger", "G000377", "kaygranger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  Congresswoman Kay Granger (TX-12), the chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations and vice-chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, made the following statement on the floor of the House of Representatives Thursday highlighting the national security provisions in the Fiscal Year 2016 omnibus federal funding bill:\nMr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this omnibus Appropriations bill. My top priority is to ensure we provide for our national security. This omnibus does precisely that.\nThis is one of the most dangerous times in history. We must ensure that the United States remains not only the greatest country in the world, but also the strongest.\nThe United States and our allies face threats from countries such as Iran, Russia, China, and North Korea. Additionally, radical Islamic terrorists, such as ISIS, continue to threaten everything we stand for.\nAs chair of state and foreign operations appropriations and vice chair of defense appropriations, I am very proud of what this bill does to ensure resources are available to counter all of these threats.\nWe have worked hard to ensure that our military has the tools it needs. We fund the equipment required to confront our enemies head on, and we take care of our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and their loved ones. Not only does the bill provide funds needed for training and readiness, it also funds critical family services.\nAssistance is provided for our allies, including Israel, Jordan, Egypt, and Ukraine, who are our vital partners in this fight. To address security issues closer to home, we prioritize funds for counter-narcotics and law enforcement assistance in Mexico, Colombia, the Caribbean and Central America, including funds to stem the flow of unaccompanied children to our borders.\nThere are increased funds in the bill for embassy security and to prevent and protect against future terrorist attacks, unrest, and other acts of violence at home and abroad. The bill also includes provisions that will make our foreign visitor visa system more secure.\nPassage of this omnibus is critical to ensuring America can continue to lead from the front in this very dangerous world.\nI want to thank Chairman Rogers, Chairman Frelinghuysen, and Ranking Members Lowey and Visclosky for their tireless work on this bill.\nI urge a yes vote.\n___________________________\nA video clip of the Congresswomans statement can be viewed here: https://kaygranger.house.gov/video/congresswoman-kay-granger-statement-house-floor-fy-2016-omnibus-spending-bill\nDetails of the Fiscal Year 2016 omnibus spending bill are available at https://appropriations.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=394337\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://kaygranger.house.gov/press-release/congresswoman-kay-granger-supports-federal-spending-bill-provides-vital-support", "Congresswoman Kay Granger supports federal spending bill that provides vital support to national defense", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Kay Granger", "G000377", "kaygranger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  A federal spending bill set for a Congressional vote Friday includes important support for our troops and the nations defense, Congresswoman Kay Granger said Wednesday. The bill includes major support for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the keystone to air superiority for the United States and its allies.\nThe Fiscal Year 2016 omnibus Appropriations bill allocates $514.1 billion for national defense, as well as $58.6 billion to continue funding of operations against terrorists around the world. It increases defense spending by $23 billion over Fiscal Year 2015. As the vice chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, Granger was a lead supporter of the increase in defense spending.\nOne of the top priorities of my time in Congress has been to ensure we provide support for our troops as they defend our nation around the world, Granger said. We are facing a terrible new enemy in the Middle East, and we must ensure our defenders have the resources to defeat ISIS at its roots.\nGranger praised the bills inclusion of funding for 68 new F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, which are manufactured at the Lockheed-Martin Corp. plant in Fort Worth.\nThis is the top fighter in the world, which is why I have fought so hard to get as many as possible in the hands of our Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force pilots, as well as our allies around the world, Granger said. The Fort Worth workers who manufacture the F-35 with such excellence can be proud of their contribution to our national security.\nThe project is estimated to provide 129,000 jobs statewide in Texas.\nA summary breakdown of defense spending in the Fiscal Year 2016 omnibus bill is available at https://appropriations.house.gov/uploadedfiles/12.15.15_fy_2016_omnibus_-_defense_-_summary.pdf\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://lamarsmith.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/smith-it-s-time-to-impeach-irs-commissioner-koskinen", "Smith: Its Time to Impeach IRS Commissioner Koskinen", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Lamar Smith", "S000583", "lamarsmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  Congressman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today joined fellow lawmakers in sponsoring a resolution to impeach Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner John Koskinen.\nCongressman Lamar Smith: The IRS Commissioner should have put the public interest ahead of this administrations political agenda. What the IRS did was a threat to democracy. Americans have lost confidence in IRS Commissioner Koskinens ability to lead what should be one of the most non-partisan agencies in the federal government. He has sought to cover up the agencys political harassment of conservative organizations. This is inexcusable. It is a shame that Congress has to file an impeachment resolution because this administration should have fired him over a year ago.\nThe resolution specifically cites the following charges against Commissioner Koskinen:\n Failed to comply with a subpoena resulting in destruction of key evidence. Commissioner Koskinen failed to locate and preserve IRS records in accordance with a congressional subpoena and an internal preservation order. The IRS erased 422 backup tapes containing as many as 24,000 of Lois Lerners emails  key pieces of evidence that were destroyed on Koskinens watch.\n\tFailed to testify truthfully and provided false and misleading information. Commissioner Koskinen testified the IRS turned over all emails relevant to the congressional investigation, including all of Ms. Lerners emails. When the agency determined Ms. Lerners emails were missing, Commissioner Koskinen testified the emails were unrecoverable. These statements were false.\n\tFailed to notify Congress that key evidence was missing. The IRS knew Lois Lerners emails were missing in February 2014. In fact, they were not missing; the IRS destroyed the emails on March 4, 2014. The IRS did not notify Congress the emails were missing until June 2014  four months later, and well after the White House and the Treasury Department were notified.\n In addition to sponsoring the impeachment resolution, Smith today voted for a tax extenders bill that included previously-passed House measures to protect taxpayers and rein in the IRS.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://lamarsmith.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/smith-votes-to-extend-tax-relief-for-texas-families", "Smith Votes to Extend Tax Relief for Texas Families", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Lamar Smith", "S000583", "lamarsmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC -Congressman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today released the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 2029, the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act.\nCongressman Lamar Smith: I will take every opportunity to ease the tax burden on Texas families. This package makes several positive reforms permanent, including crucial research and development tax credits, provisions to assist small businesses, state and local sales tax deductions, and deductions for charitable giving. It also extends mortgage debt forgiveness for another year, and delays harmful ObamaCare taxes such as the medical device tax and the cadillac tax that would result in even larger health insurance increases for many families across the country. It also includes provisions to curb illegal immigrants fraudulent collection of tax credits. Finally, the bill includes a series of reforms that the House has passed to rein in the IRS, fire employees who take politically-motivated actions against taxpayers, and prohibit IRS employees from using personal email accounts for official business.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://samjohnson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398063", "Sam Johnson Scores Four Victories Against IRS", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Sam Johnson", "J000174", "samjohnson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC Today U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson (TX-03) voted in support of the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act (H.R. 2029), a bill that includes permanent extensions of tax provisions important to Texas such as the state and local sales tax deduction, the Research & Development (R&D) tax credit, and small business expensing. The bill passed the House by a vote of 318 to 109. Included in the bill was legislation spearheaded by Congressman Johnson cracking down on IRS tax refund handouts to illegal immigrants as well as ending the IRSs cruel and unjust taxation of restitution awards given to those wrongfully imprisoned.\r\nTime after time, the Obama Administration has used the IRS to advance President Obamas radical liberal agendafrom targeting conservatives for their beliefs, to giving away billions of taxpayer dollars to illegal immigrants, said Johnson. And while lawbreaking people  who arent even from our country  are collecting checks paid by American taxpayers, wrongfully convicted and imprisoned Americans are actually being forced to hand over part of their restitution awards to the IRS! NOTHING about this situation is right or fair  and the American people deserve better. The tax bills I introduced this year are all about righting these wrongs and putting the IRS in its place.\r\nTo learn more about Johnsons four legislative measures with respect to the PATH Act, please see below:\r\n#1: No Amnesty Tax Refunds for Illegals Act (H.R. 1298)\r\nAt a February 11th, 2015 Ways and Means Oversight hearing with IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, Congressman Johnson exposed the Presidents bogus claim he made in November 2014 that, among the requirements for getting his executive amnesty, illegals must be willing to pay your fair share of taxes. In fact, the IRS Commissioner grudgingly confirmed that, as a result of the Presidents executive amnesty, illegals could actually get as much as $24,000 from the IRS by retroactively claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a refundable tax credit. To STOP these amnesty refunds from going to illegals, Johnson introduced H.R. 1298 earlier this year.\r\n#2 ITIN Reform Act of 2015 (H.R. 2478)\r\nBack in 2012, the Inspector General for the IRS issued a shocking report exposing the IRSs troubling management of the Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) program. According to the IG,IRS managers were encouraging employees to ignore questionable applications and blatant fraud for the sake of fast-tracking ITINs. (The IRS issues ITINs to individuals ineligible for Social Security numbers.) Originally put in place to allow individuals without Social Security Numbers to report their income and pay taxes in the U.S., the ITIN process has become a ticket for illegal immigrants to get cash benefits from the federal government such as the $1,000 refundable child tax credit.\r\nIn response, Johnson called on the then-IRS Commissioner to resign as well as introduced the Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) Reform Act that would protect the American taxpayer through commonsense anti-fraud reforms such as putting in place stronger safeguards with respect to the ITIN application process. The PATH Act includes ITIN reforms inspired and modelled off of Johnsons bill. According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, these reforms will save $3.4 billion.\r\n#3 Refundable Child Tax Credit Eligibility Verification Reform Act of 2015 (H.R. 2334)\r\nThe PATH Act includes one of two provisions included in Johnsons bill targeting fraud and abuse with the $1,000 refundable child tax credit. The included provision would prohibit individuals committing fraud from being able to claim the child tax credit for 10 years.\r\n#4 Wrongful Convictions Tax Relief Act of 2015 (H.R. 3086)\r\nTo ensure individuals who were wrongfully imprisoned dont suffer the additional injustice of the IRS taxing their restitution, Johnson introduced legislation  included in the PATH Act  that prohibits the IRS from taxing these innocent folks compensation. (This law is supported by FreedomWorks and Americans for Tax Reform.)", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://carter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1193", "Carter Tells Obama \"No\" to Housing Illegal Immigrants at Fort Hood", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John R. Carter", "C001051", "carter.house.gov", "carter", "https://carter.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Representatives John R. Carter (R-TX-31) sent a letter to President Obama, and the Secretaries of Defense, Health and Human Services and Homeland Security urging the Obama Administration not to provide temporary housing for unaccompanied alien children (UACs) at any U.S. military installation, including Fort Hood.\n\n\u201cIt is outrageous that this Administration would even consider using our military installations to shelter illegal immigrants that have crossed our southern border,\u201d said Rep. Carter. \u201cPresident Obama needs to enforce our immigration lawsand secure our border, not undermine our military at a time when our country is facing increased threats from radical Islamic terrorists. I urge him not to further burden our military by forcing them to babysit hundreds of illegal immigrants on their bases, especially when their sole focus should be fighting the war on terror and keeping America safe.\u201d\n\nThe letter was sent in response to a notification from the Office of the Secretary of Defense that a survey team will assess the possibility of using military bases, including Fort Hood, to house unaccompanied minors who have crossed our border illegally.\n\nA copy of the letter is below:\n\nThe President\n\nThe White House\n\n1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW\n\nWashington, DC 20500\n\nDear Mr. President,\n\nThe Department of Defense (DOD) has received a formal request for assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide temporary housing for unaccompanied alien children. We have been informed that a survey team will soon be investigating Fort Hood as a possible location for housing these illegal immigrants.\n\nWe strongly urge your Administration not to house illegal immigrants on any military base. Furthermore, your Administration should commit to securing the border and focus your efforts on reuniting these children with their families in their native countries.\n\nWhile housing these unaccompanied minors may be a challenge for you, seeking support from military bases when their resources have already been stretched thin is unacceptable. Our country is at war with radical Islamic extremism at home and abroad, and our military assets must be used to train and prepare our troops, not house illegal aliens. Fort Hood has already suffered two shootings, including one terrorist attack. This military base is clearly a target and our country cannot afford to further burden it with the duties of running a safe house.\n\nAs Members of Congress who represent Fort Hood, one of the largest military installations in the United States, we ask you to reaffirm that our military installations exist to project power around the world and to serve our men and women in uniform and their families \u2013 not house illegal immigrants. In addition, we ask that Secretary Jeh Johnson and Secretary Sylvia Burwell meet with us before any action is taken to use Fort Hood as a housing unit for illegal aliens.\n\nWe respectfully request your immediate attention and quick response to this matter.\n\nSincerely,\n\n________________\u00ad_ _________________\n\nRep. John Carter Rep. Roger Williams\n\nMember of Congress Member of Congress\n\nCC: U.S. Department of Defense\n\nU.S. Department of Health and Human Services\n\nU.S. Department of Homeland Security\n\n####", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T20:33:33Z"], ["https://carter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1194", "Carter Votes to Support our Military", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John R. Carter", "C001051", "carter.house.gov", "carter", "https://carter.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Today, Rep. John R. Carter (R-TX-31) voted to support our military and boost our national security by helping pass the amended National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in the House of Representatives. The President vetoed the original version of the NDAA passed in October.\n\n\u201cI am proud to support this very important, bipartisan legislation that supports our military, strengthens our national security and keeps GITMO prisoners out of the United States,\u201d said Rep. Carter. \u201cAt a time when we are facing growing global threats to our national security, and Russia is filling the void in global leadership once proudly held by the United States, we must stand on the side of our brave military men and women, and to stand up for our great nation\u2019s security.\u201d\n\n\u201cI was also pleased that my amendment to allow members of our armed services to carry personal firearms at military installations, reserve centers and recruiting centers, remains in the NDAA bill. After the tragedies at Ft. Hood, and this year in Chattanooga, I saw the need to empower installation commanders to decide what policy is best and who should be allowed to carry a concealed weapon for their personal or force protection. I have the utmost confidence in our senior military leadership and the Soldiers who serve and I trust they will use this new authority to improve security and prevent future tragedies.\u201d\n\nKey points of the NDAA include:\n\n\u00b7 Rep. Carter\u2019s Military Firearms Amendment.\n\no Allows military post commanders to permit a member of the Armed Forces to carry appropriate firearms, including personal firearms, at Department of Defense installations, reserve centers, and recruiting centers. The Secretary of Defense must implement a policy to empower post commanders no later than December 31, 2015.\n\n\u00b7 Expands Military Retirement.\n\no Agreed on changes that provide additional retirement options to individuals who serve the nation for a period of less than 20 years. For the first time, this plan would allow the 83 percent of service members not eligible for military retirement to participate in a retirement plan.\n\n\u00b7 Military Basic Allowance for Housing.\n\no Preserves Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for dual-military couples.\n\no Maintains the tax-free BAH benefit in the long-term, preserves payments to cover 95 percent of estimated housing expenses, which is a 1% annual reduction per year for four years versus the proposed 4% immediate one-time reduction.\n\n\u00b7 TRICARE Pharmacy.\n\no Rejected more than 60 percent of the proposed increases to Tri-Care Pharmacy co-pays supported by the President and the Senate.\n\n\u00b7 BRAC.\n\no Did not authorize the President and Department of Defense\u2019s request for another round of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) efforts.\n\n\u00b7 Force Structure.\n\no Directs a new capacity study that reflects the current threat profile and makes conservative assumptions about future end strength (there is specific language that forces the Army to assess how troop reductions impact their ability to execute the National Security Strategy)\n\n\u00b7 GTMO.\n\no Reauthorizes the prohibitions against transferring Guantanamo Bay (GTMO)detainees to the United States and against building detention facilities in the United States.\n\no Limits the Secretary of Defense\u2019s ability to transfer GTMO detainees by reverting to the stronger transfer policy established in the FY13 NDAA.\n\n\u00b7 Ukraine.\n\no Authorizes $300 million over two years to the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative of which $50 million is intended for lethal assistance.\n\n\u00b7 Russia.\n\no Increased funding for U.S. intelligence and warning capabilities, technologies supporting U.S. information operations and strategic communications activities, the Javelin missile system, and Stryker combat vehicle upgrades.\n\n\u00b7 Iran.\n\no Extends the \u201cIran Military Power Report\u201d for 10 years, reflecting the Conferee\u2019s view that Iran\u2019s illicit pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability and its malign military activities constitute a grave threat to regional stability and U.S. national security interests.\n\no Requires the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the President, to submit a strategy to counter unconventional warfare threats being posed by Iran.\n\n\u00b7 Central America.\n\no Allocates $30 million for Department of Defense-unique capabilities in areas such as aerial and maritime capabilities, building partnership capacity, and the detection and monitoring of illicit trafficking to complement Department of State efforts in Central America. Provides an additional $20 million for SOUTHCOM ISR requirements.\n\n\u00b7 Army Modernization.\n\no Provides additional funding to address an Army unfunded requirement and urgent operational need to procure and develop improved countermeasures to better protect deployed Apache attack helicopters against the latest and most lethal threats (to include those our troops face right now in the Middle East).\n\no Accelerates rotorcraft modernization for the Army National Guard, and recommends additional funding for UH-60M Blackhawks for the Army National Guard.\n\n\u00b7 Russian RD-180 Rocket Engines.\n\no Expresses the concern that reliance on Russian-designed rocket engines is no longer acceptable. Authorizes $184.4M for the development of a new, U.S. rocket propulsion system, and directs the Air Force to move faster than it is planning to end reliance on Russian rocket engines.\n\nFor more information on the NDAA bill passed today, please visit: https://rules.house.gov/sites/republicans.rules.house.gov/files/114/PDF/114-CRHR1735-SxS.pdf\n\nRep. Carter represents Texas District 31, which includes Fort Hood, the largest military installation in the free world. He serves as Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Appropriations, is on the Subcommittee for Commerce, Justice and Science and the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T20:33:33Z"], ["https://hurd.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/carter-us-seeking-more-coalition-help-against-islamic-state", "Carter: US Seeking More Coalition Help Against Islamic State", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Will Hurd", "H001073", "hurd.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Thanking the men and women of the military for their service, Obama said: \"Because of you, the America that we know and love and cherish is leading the world in this fight\".\nPope Francis' comments that human activity is mostly to blame for global warming top a list of the most notable quotes of 2015, as compiled by a Yale Law School librarian who also included several sound bites...\nMerriam-Webster has picked a small but powerful suffix as word of the year: ism. \"Every day we destroy more of ISIL's forces, their fighting positions, bunkers and heavy weapons - their bomb-making factories, compounds and training camps\", Obama said.\nSounding a notably more strident tone, Obama said that the United States and its allies were taking the fight to Islamic State extremists in Iraq and Syria, but admitted that progress needed to come faster.\n\"We are hitting ISIL harder than ever\", said Mr Obama, in a second address following the seemingly ISIS-influenced attack in San Bernardino, California that has raised questions about his strategy.\nUS President Barack Obama voiced fresh determination to destroy the Islamic State on Monday, vowing to kill the group's leaders and win back territory in the Middle East.\nEarlier this month, Carter announced that the USA would deploy up to 150 special operations forces to conduct ground combat raids againstISIStargets in both Syria and Iraq. Speaking at the Pentagon after meeting with his National Security Council, Obama cited this - in addition to intensified bombing of the oil infrastructure in Syria that provides much of the Islamic State's revenue - as an example of aggressive new action. Obama is also hoping to draw a contrast with Donald Trump and his inflammatory remarks about Muslims, which Obama's administration has warned emboldens extremists looking to pull the USA into a war with Islam.\n\"The President will speak about the American tradition of being a welcoming society and the incredible contributions of immigrants and refugees to our nation\", a White House official said previewing the event.\nCarter said US commanders are working on new tactics and strategies, as well as ways to amplify the coalition effort.\n\"Let's assume that we were to send 50,000 troops into Syria\", Obama said.\nAt the National Counterterrorism Center, which analyzes intelligence at its facility in suburban Virginia, Obama planned to address reporters Thursday after a briefing by intelligence and security agencies on threat assessments.\nCarter's trip comes with US Secretary of State John Kerry due Tuesday in Moscow for talks with the Russian government to further the diplomatic process that has spawned plans for a meeting next month between the Syrian government and more moderate rebels.\nRep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, said the threat from IS and other terrorist groups presents \"a clear and present danger to the United States\".", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hurd.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/national-guard-cyber-unit-set-activate-cyber-city-usa", "National Guard Cyber Unit Set to Activate in Cyber City, USA", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Will Hurd", "H001073", "hurd.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The National Guard announced plans to activate new cyber units, known as Cyber Protection Teams, one of which will be based in San Antonio, Texas. In July, U.S. Representative Will Hurd was joined by San Antonio Congressmen Joaquin Castro, Henry Cuellar and Lamar Smith in sending a letter to General Frank Grass, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, advocating for the consideration of San Antonio when choosing cities for these new units to be based in.\nSan Antonio is known as both Military City, USA, as well as Cyber City, USA, so there is no question that the National Guard has chosen the right city at the right time, said Hurd, a former undercover CIA officer who handled cyber offensive operations while serving overseas. When you consider the presence of the 24th and 25th Air Force, NSA-Texas, and the second-to-none cyber programs at the University of Texas at San Antonio, its clear that we have the resources and professional workforce necessary to support these kinds of operations.\nProtecting Texas and the United States in the cyber domain is a complex and multifaceted journey, said Maj. Gen. John F Nichols, the Adjutant General for Texas. We are excited to be given such a robust role in protecting the state and nations critical cyber infrastructure.\nWe are honored the nation has recognized Texas as a center of robust knowledge and understanding in revolutionary technology, said Brig. Gen. Dawn Ferrell, Deputy Adjutant General-Air, Texas Military Department. If you want to be on the cutting-edge of cyber, come to San Antonio.\nRep. Hurd has advocated for this decision since coming into office in January, meeting with stakeholders and decision makers to present a strong case for San Antonios readiness and capabilities.\nThe cyber threats our nation faces are real and it makes me enormously proud to see my hometown at the forefront of this ongoing battle, Hurd concluded.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hurd.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/tax-legislation-prevents-widespread-hikes-families-and-protects-small", "Tax Legislation Prevents Widespread Hikes on Families and Protects Small Business", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Will Hurd", "H001073", "hurd.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DCLegislation that will prevent significant tax hikes for millions of Americans and extend tax relief programs that empower job creators, was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives today. The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act makes permanent over 20 tax relief provisions and extends for 5 years or 2 years a number of other tax relief measures that expired in 2014.\nLess taxes to Washington means more money in the pockets of hard-working Americans, said U.S. Representative Will Hurd. This bill will drive economic growth by saving businesses money and empowering them to invest in future development.\nHighlights of the bill include:\n A permanent tax credit for research and development that is estimated to increase the amount of research American companies undertake by 10%\n\tA deduction for teachers who spend their own money on classroom expenses\n\tA 2-year moratorium on the medical device tax, the existing speedbump for inventors that develop breakthrough medical technologies\n\tSection 179 expensing for cyclical businesses, especially farms, so that they may invest in new property and equipment in more profitable years\n\tA 15-year recovery for leasehold and restaurant improvements, so the thousands of family-owned restaurants in TX-23 can invest in their facilities\n\tCharitable deduction allowed for contributions to agricultural research organizations\n\tA number of reforms designed to better protect taxpayers from IRS abuse including easier terminations for IRS employees and a streamlined process for political organizations seeking 501(c)4 status\n This is one of the most important tax initiatives for small business in the past decade and were very grateful to Rep. Hurd for having been a strong supporter, said NFIB President and CEO Dan Danner. Rep. Hurd clearly understands that small business is the largest employer, the biggest taxpayer and the most important part of the economy and his vote today makes a real difference.\nTax policies should incentivize innovation and business development, not create additional risks for entrepreneurs and business owners. Americans need certainty when planning their expenses and should not have to worry each December if their businesses and investments will be put at risk, added Hurd. By making these tax cuts permanent, this legislation delivers predictability, clarity, and certainty for individuals, families and job creators.\nThe Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act passed with a final vote of 318-109 and has been sent to the Senate.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://marchant.house.gov/2015/12/17/marchant-meets-with-army-corps-of-engineers-to-discuss-lewisville-dam/", "Marchant Meets with Army Corps of Engineers to Discuss Lewisville Dam", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Kenny Marchant", "M001158", "marchant.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Marchant Meets with Army Corps of Engineers to Discuss Lewisville Dam\n      \n  \n  U.S. Congressman Kenny Marchant (TX-24) and a group of Texas delegation members met today with officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding efforts to address potential vulnerabilities in the Lewisville Dam. \nMarchant issued the following statement after the conclusion of the meeting: \nIn a meeting today at the U.S. Capitol, I was personally told by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that work to fortify the Lewisville Dam will begin as soon as January 4, 2016. The people of North Texas are very concerned by reports of structural vulnerabilities in the Dam and the disastrous consequences that could result from its failure. Moving forward, I call on the Corps of Engineers to be completely open with the people of North Texas about the extent of the Dams structural deficiencies and the progress of repair efforts. This is a major public safety issue that must be addressed with the utmost care and transparency.\n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://marchant.house.gov/2015/12/17/marchant-votes-to-strengthen-tax-certainty-irs-accountability/", "Marchant Votes to Strengthen Tax Certainty, IRS Accountability", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Kenny Marchant", "M001158", "marchant.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Marchant Votes to Strengthen Tax Certainty, IRS Accountability\n      \n  \n  The House today voted 318-109 to pass the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015, or the PATH Act. The legislation takes significant strides to promote tax certainty by making permanent a number of important tax credits for families and small businesses. Additionally, the bill contains a number of provisions to increase transparency and accountability in operations of the Internal Revenue Service. \nU.S. Congressman Kenny Marchant (TX-24) issued the following statement after voting to pass the PATH Act: \nThis legislation is a big win for small businesses and working families in Texas. By making permanent a number of long-standing and important tax provisions, the PATH Act delivers exactly the kind of tax certainty that Americans need to plan for the future. Our entire economy will benefit as a result. Of particular note, this bill makes permanent the state and local sales tax deduction. I have long supported making this deduction permanent because it ensures tax fairness for Texas families and serves as a vital source of tax relief for millions across the state. \nIn addition to the strides taken by this bill to simplify the tax code, the PATH Act contains several provisions to strengthen IRS transparency and accountability. That includes the legislative text of my IRS Email Transparency Act, which makes it against the law for the IRS to use a personal email account for official businesses. This bill, which passed the House in April, will help protect the American people from IRS abuse and Im pleased its now even closer to becoming law.\nMarchants IRS Email Transparency Act is a direct response to evidence uncovered by the Ways and Means Committee that Lois Lerner  the ex-IRS official at the center of the agencys political targeting scandal  routinely used a personal email account to transmit confidential taxpayer information. More information about the IRS Email Transparency Act can be found here. \nThe tax legislation passed by the House today also contains a provision similar to Marchants FAIRR Act, which would prohibit illegal immigrants from claiming retroactive tax refunds under the Earned Income Tax Credit. More information about the FAIRR Act can be found here. \nFor a section-by-section summary of the PATH Act, please click here. \n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://olson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/olson-votes-to-protect-taxpayers", "Olson Votes to Protect Taxpayers", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Pete Olson", "O000168", "olson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX) today acted to help Americans keep more of their hard earned money by voting to pass H.R.2029, the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act. This bill provides certainty to families and businesses by making more than 50 temporary tax deductions a permanent part of the tax code. Among its provisions, the PATH Act permanently extends deductions for charitable tax donations and state and local taxes, a critical provision for the State of Texas. The bill also includes several reforms to rein in the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and prevent tax fraud and abuse. The House passed H.R. 2029 by a vote of 318 to 109.\nMaking many of these tax provisions permanent provides needed certainty for families and businesses, Rep. Pete Olson said. Since Texas has no state income tax, allowing Texans to deduct state and local sales taxes from their federal returns levels the playing field and keeps more money in their wallets. Making charitable donation deductions permanent also encourages community giving to our neighbors in need. This is an important step to protecting American taxpayers and strengthening our economy.\nClick here to view key provisions of H.R. 2029.\n\n###\nMedia Contact: Melissa Kelly\n\t(202) 225-5951", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/content/cornyn-government-funding-tax-relief-bills-include-key-texas-priorities", "Cornyn: Government Funding, Tax Relief Bills Include Key Texas Priorities", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John Cornyn", "C001056", "www.cornyn.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) spoke on the Senate floor today about the FY2016 Omnibus Appropriations bill and theProtecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015,legislation the Senate will consider this week.\nExcerpts of Sen. Cornyn's remarks are below, and video of his speech can be foundhere.\nOn Lifting the Crude Export Ban:  By doing away with thisantiquated policy and allowingour own domestic production toreach global markets, we cankick start the United Stateseconomy and provide a realopportunity for job creation inthe country.\nOn Renewing a Public-Private Partnership Program at Land Ports of Entry:  This bill also renews aninnovative port of entrypartnership program modeledafter the Cross-Border TradeEnhancement Act.This, too, is bipartisanlegislation Specifically, it provides new opportunities for border communities and businesses to improvestaffing levels and upgradeinfrastructure at ourinternational border crossingsto help move people and goodsacross our border more safelyand efficiently.\nOn Repealing of Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) Regulations:  This omnibus legislation alsoincludes a provision to fullyrepeal the Country of Originlabeling regulations, known asCOOL.This has been a real problem forour livestock producers in Texasand in the United States.By repealing these costly foodlabeling mandates, the U.S. willavoid a trade war with Canadaand Mexico, two of our largestexport and trading partners, andit will help Texas farmers andranchers and manufacturers.\nOn Making State and Local Sales Tax Deduction Permanent:  This legislation also includes apermanent extension of state andlocal sales tax deduction,something that amounts to morethan $1 billion in annual taxrelief for Texans.This will ensure that Texans areon a level playing field withthose who deduct their stateincome tax because we don't havean income tax and never will.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2558", "ICYMI: Sen. Cruz Op-Ed in Politico: 'The Republicans in Congress Are Surrendering to Obama'", "2015-12-17", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) penned the following op-ed for Politico, outlining the reasons he will not support the latest last-minute $1.1 trillion spending bill expected to be passed by Congress on Friday and signed into law by President Obama.\nAn excerpt of the Senators op-ed is below. Full article may be viewed here.\nThe Republicans in Congress Are Surrendering to Obama  Why I wont support the latest last-minute $1.1 trillion spending bill  Politico  By Sen. Ted Cruz  Dec. 17, 2015\nIts Christmastime in Washington, D.C., and that can mean only one thing: Congress is once again playing Santa Claus. The names at the top of its list are the Washington Cartel: The big businesses and lobbyists who get in bed with career politicians to do nothing but grow government. And left off the list: the American taxpayer.\nThanks to last years landslide elections, Republicans now control more seats in Congress, more governorships and more state legislative seats across the country than at any time since the 1920s. We retired Harry Reid and took control of the Senate. And yet today marks a milestone and an ignominious one. Before long, Republican leaders in the Senate and House intend to join hands with a majority of Congressional Democrats to pass a bill that funds President Barack Obamas disastrous agenda well into 2016.\nSo how did the Republican leadership in Congress embrace its mandate for change? Let me count the ways:\nFirst, shortly after taking the reins of power in the Senate, the GOP-led Congress fully funded President Obamas illegal and unconstitutional amnesty.\nThen, the GOP-led Congress institutionalized and expanded Obamacare policies by permanently surrendering on the so-called doc fix. To accomplish this feat GOP leadership broke with the long-established bipartisan practice of paying for the doc fix and added half a trillion dollars to our nations debt over two decades.\nThen, GOP leadership confirmed Loretta Lynch, Obamas nominee for attorney general, who told us all ahead of time that she intended to ignore the plain text of the law.\nNext, Senate GOP leadership facilitated the approval of Obamas disastrous Iranian nuclear deal. They did so via a convoluted, backwards disapproval process that was designed to fail, and then did nothing to prevent the deals implementation or stop more than $100 billion from going to Iran and its terror proxies.\nThen the GOP-led Congress forfeited what was left of its budget discipline and passed former Speaker John Boehners Golden Parachute budget deal. This deal added $80 billion in federal spending and debt above the 2011 budget caps, the one conservative budget victory in the Obama era.\nIn December, the GOP-led Congress ushered through an irresponsible multibillion-dollar highway funding bill that reauthorized the expired, cronyist Export-Import Bank, and put taxpayers on the hook for billions of dollars in corporate welfare.\nThe GOP-led Congress this month also passed yet another massive education overhaul with unanimous Democratic support. The overhaul perpetuated top-down mandates that do little to reduce the large and ever-growing role of the federal government in education.\nAnd while I am encouraged that the GOP-led Congress finally took a significant step toward repealing Obamacare and defunding Planned Parenthood in this months budget reconciliation bill, GOP leadership included it in a bill that commanded no leverage with Obama. They placed it in a bill the president will instantly veto, instead of including these priorities in Fridays government funding bill, one that must be signed into law if the president wants to keep the federal government open.\nTo understand the priorities of Republican leadership, contrast these actions with the last-minute stocking stuffers that did make their way into this must-pass bill to fund the government:\n   Quadrupling of H-2B visas for low-skilled workers, which will only drag down wages, kill American jobs, and hurt working men and women\n   An open door to fund the presidents Green Climate Fund that will effectively rubber stamp the job-killing Paris climate accords\n   Relief from Obamacare taxes for well-connected labor unions and the healthcare industry, while millions of Americans continue to suffer under Obamacares skyrocketing premiums, deductibles, and lower quality of care\n   And a complete failure to prevent the resettling of refugees from nations where ISIL or Al-Qaeda controls large swaths of territorythis despite a veto-proof majority in the House of Representatives in favor of strengthening the screening process for refugees\nSince taking control of the Senate, Republican leadership has joined hands with a majority of Democrats to thwart their own caucus efforts to stop the Obama agenda 24 times. During each of these 24 votes, this so-called Republican majority successfully passed legislation with a majority of Democrats in support and a majority of Republicans opposed. This is why I have said that Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is the most effective Democratic leader in modern times.\nFull article may be viewed here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://burgess.house.gov/blog/?postid=397861", "Burgess Statement on Funding of Lewisville Dam", "2015-12-16", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Michael Burgess", "B001248", "burgess.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.  Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade, today issued the following statement in response to concerns of the structural soundness of the Lewisville Dam located in the 26th District of Texas:\r\nMy staff and I remain in regular contact with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fort Worth District regarding the proper functionality of the Lewisville Dam and the timeline for upcoming construction projects. Just this week, I toured the dam to view the slide, and despite its physical appearance, the engineers have assured me that the core of the dam is not in eminent danger of failure and a contract has been put in place to resolve the problem.\r\nThis past June, when the lake reached the pool of record following torrential rainfall, the dam performed as designed, further laying testament to its structural integrity.\r\nThe Lewisville Dam is over 60 years old and as such with structures of this nature and age, constant supervision and maintenance are required.\r\nFor as long as I have been in office, the safety and funding of the Lewisville Dam has been a top priority of mine. Every year that I have represented the 26th District of Texas, the Lewisville Dam maintenance project has received the requested level of fundingan average of $3.2 million appropriated each year with an increase to $4.2 million for fiscal year 2015.\r\nAs always, I continue to have full confidence in the USACEs emergency preparedness plans and their dedication to taking whatever action necessary to keep North Texans safe.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://culberson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398349", "Culberson Language Prevents Obama's Internet Giveaway", "2015-12-16", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John Culberson", "C001048", "culberson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC- Congressman John Culberson (TX-07) today issued the following statement regarding his language in the fiscal year 2016 omnibus bill that prevents the Department of Commerce from surrendering control over Internet domain registration to the international community. \u201cThe Internet is the freest form of communication there is,\u201d Culberson explained. \u201cThe Obama Administration\u2019s intent to relinquish control over the Internet domain name system with no American oversight could lead to broad censorship by the international community.\u201cAs the Chairman of the Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee on Appropriations, I included language to keep oversight of the Internet in the hands of the United States and stop President Obama\u2019s plan in its tracks. The most effective tool to combat President Obama\u2019s unconstitutional action is the power of the purse and it\u2019s crucial that Congress continue to use the purse strings to combat dangerous policies coming from the White House.\u201d # # # Congressman John Culberson represents the 7th District of Texas and serves as the Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS), which oversees the Department of Commerce, the Department of Justice, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation, and other related agencies", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://culberson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398350", "Culberson Keeps His Word To Restore NASA To The Glory Days of Apollo", "2015-12-16", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John Culberson", "C001048", "culberson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC- Representative John Culberson (TX-07) today issued the following statement regarding the funding appropriated to NASA in the fiscal year 2016 omnibus bill. \r\n\u201cThis is the largest vote of confidence that Congress has ever given to NASA. As CJS Chairman, my goal is to restore NASA to the glory days of Apollo. This funding is a down payment to ensure that NASA will always have the ability to preserve America\u2019s undisputed role as a world leader in space.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cToday\u2019s CJS bill will speed up the return of American astronauts to low earth orbit and the International Space Station. It will also get the deep space SLS heavy lift rocket off the ground as quickly as possible. \r\n\u201cAlso, my bill will help revitalize Houston\u2019s Johnson Space Center, because we have significantly increased funding for manned space programs and the Orion manned spacecraft.\u201d\u00a0 \r\n# # #\r\nCongressman John Culberson represents the 7th District of Texas and Chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS), which oversees the Department of Commerce, the Department of Justice, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation, and other related agencies.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://lamarsmith.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/noaa-officials-finally-surrender-staff-emails-to-lawmakers", "NOAA Officials FINALLY Surrender Staff Emails To Lawmakers", "2015-12-16", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Lamar Smith", "S000583", "lamarsmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The battle between National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) officials and congressional investigators may be winding down as bureaucrats have finally handed over emails to lawmakers after months of refusing to do so.\nI am encouraged by NOAAs acknowledgment of its obligation to produce documents and communications in response to the Committees lawfully-issued subpoena, Texas Republican Rep. Lamar Smith said in a statement after NOAA handed over its initial batch of records to the HouseCommittee on Science, Space, and Technology. I am also glad to see that NOAA has committed to produce additional items as they are identified. We will carefully review these documents and expect additional productions from NOAA, Smith said.\nFor months, Smith and NOAA have been locked in a battle over email records between agency officials regarding a June study by government scientists claiming toeliminate the hiatus in global warming from the temperature record. Smith quickly requested agency records related to the highly controversial study by NOAA scientist Tom Karl.\nNOAA gave Smith some of the records he asked for, like the methodology and data behind the agencys study, but officials refused to hand over email records from its staff. Smith eventually issued a subpoena in September, demanding the records NOAA was withholding from elected officials.\nNOAA refused and launched a vicious media push to make Smiths request about trying to force scientists to give up emails about their research. Smith slammed NOAA for spreading a false narrative about his committees investigation.\nNOAA told a reporter in October that [w]e stand behind our scientistswho conduct their work in an objective manner. It is the end product of exchanges between scientists that are key to understanding the conclusions reached. NOAA said it wanted to protect the confidentiality of deliberative scientific discussions.\nSmiths NOAA investigation sparked a massive media backlash. Liberal news outlets attacked Smith for demanding emails from taxpayer-funded scientists. Vox said Smiths investigations are Orwellian attempts to intimidate some of the nations leading scientistsand scientific institutions.\nScience groups also attacked Smiths investigation  though a Daily Caller News Foundation story exposed that one major science groups letter to Smith wasdrafted by an environmental activist.\nNOAA eventually agreed to allowing House science committee staff to interview officials about the June climate study, though the agency still refused to hand over emails to the committee.\nSmith, however, then came out and saidagency whistleblowers told the committee NOAAs major hiatus-busting studywas rushed and was published before all appropriate reviews of the underlying science.\nNow NOAA has handedover the first tranche of emails to Smiths staff, except for emails from agency scientists responsible for Junes study  Republican staffers opted to get non-scientist emails from NOAA.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://lamarsmith.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/smith-responds-to-noaa-delivery-of-documents-and-communications", "Smith Responds to NOAA Delivery of Documents and Communications", "2015-12-16", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Lamar Smith", "S000583", "lamarsmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Chairman Lamar Smith:I am encouraged by NOAAs acknowledgment of its obligation to produce documents and communications in response to the Committees lawfully-issued subpoena. I am also glad to see that NOAA has committed to produce additional items as they are identified. We will carefully review these documents and expectadditional productions from NOAA.\n\t\t\t\t\tIn aletterto the Committee, NOAA asserted that it is continuing to search for additional documents that may be responsive to this request.\n\t\t\t\t\tIn June, NOAA widely publicized a study as refuting the nearly two-decade pause in climate change. After three letters requesting all communications from the agency surrounding the role of political appointees in the agencys scientific process, Chairman Smith issued a subpoena for the information. Smith subsequently sent a letter on December 1st offering to accept documents and communications from NOAA political, policy and non-scientific staff as a first step in satisfying the subpoena requirements. Information provided to the Committee by whistleblowers appears to show that the study was rushed to publication despite the concerns and objections of a number of NOAA employees.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://poe.house.gov/press-releases?ID=5184DA02-8B9F-4BF4-A842-D822E62FDF37", "POE ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF CUBA WORKING GROUP", "2015-12-16", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Poe", "P000592", "poe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.  Today, Congressman Ted Poe (TX-2) announced that he has joined a bipartisan group of 10 Members of Congress to launch the Cuba Working Group, a group that will focus on crafting new policies and ways to appropriately restore U.S.-Cuba diplomatic relations. The group announced its formation in a letter sent to Speaker Paul Ryan and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Its launch comes one year after President Obama announced that he would unilaterally try to normalize U.S. relations with Cuba.\r\nFifty years after America placed its isolating embargo on Cuba, we know that this policy failed to accomplish its goals, said Poe. Its time for Congress to step up and its my hope that the Cuba Working Group can help pave the path forward for relations between our two nations, including pushing for advancements on human rights, economic development and political reforms. New opportunities exist in our own backyard that we should leverage. For example, restricting our agricultural trade has punished Texas and Texas farmers while Cuba has continued to trade with other countries around the world.\r\nCongressman Poe has championed opening up agricultural trade with Cuba. In October, he worked with Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) and the Committee on Agriculture Chairman Michael Conaway (R-TX) to introduce H.R. 3687, the Cuba Agricultural Exports Act, legislation that would repeal restrictions on exporting agricultural goods and allow producers access to the U.S. Department of Agricultures marketing programs.\r\nThe Cuba Working Groups steering committee members are: Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Rick Crawford (R-AR), Tom Emmer (R-MN), Ted Poe (R-TX), Reid Ribble (R-WI), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Jim McGovern (D-MA), Sam Farr (D-CA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), and Rosa Delauro (D-CT).", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://samjohnson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398059", "Sam Johnson Introduces K-1 Visa Program Suspension Act", "2015-12-16", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Sam Johnson", "J000174", "samjohnson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC In response to the San Bernardino terrorist attack and increased national security concerns among the American people, today U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson (TX-03) introduced The K-1 Visa Program Suspension Act.\r\nDuring his House Floor remarks about the legislation, Johnson stated:\r\nMr. Speaker, the terrorist attack in San Bernardino  the deadliest attack on U.S. soil since September 11th  made it clear that our homeland is vulnerable to terrorism. This terrorist couples attack ALSO made it clear that there are serious screening problems associated with the K-1 fianc visa program. Thats exactly how the wife involved in these attacks came to the United States to begin with! \r\n\r\nProtecting our homeland is my most sacred duty, which is why I want the American people to know that right now I will be introducing legislation to put a halt on the K-1 visa program until Congress votes to resume it. In the meantime, my legislation would require the GAO to review the national security risks associated with this program and to submit the findings to Congress. \r\n\r\nThis is the right and common-sense thing to do. We must protect our homeland.\r\nTo watch Johnson deliver his Floor remarks on December 16, 2015, CLICK HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://williams.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/roger-williams-to-white-house-do-not-house-illegal-immigrants-at-fort", "Roger Williams to White House: Do not house illegal immigrants at Fort Hood", "2015-12-16", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Roger Williams", "W000816", "williams.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  Congressman Roger Williams (R-Texas) today announced that he has sent a letter to President Barack Obama, the Department of Defense, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Homeland Security urging the Obama Administration not to provide temporary housing for unaccompanied alien children at any U.S. military installation, including Fort Hood.\nWhile housing these unaccompanied minors may be a challenge for you, seeking support from military bases when their resources have already been stretched thin is unacceptable, wrote Williams.\nThe letter was sent in response to a notification from the Office of the Secretary of Defense that a survey team will assess the possibility of using Fort Hood to house unaccompanied minors.\nA copy of the letter is below:\n  \n\tThe President  \n\tThe White House  \n\t1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW  \n\tWashington, DC 20500\nDear Mr. President,  \n\t  \n\tThe Department of Defense (DOD) has received a formal request for assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide temporary housing for unaccompanied alien children. We have been informed that a survey team will soon be investigating Fort Hood as a possible location for housing these illegal immigrants.  \n\t  \n\tWe strongly urge your Administration not to house illegal immigrants on any military base. Furthermore, your Administration should commit to securing the border and focus your efforts on reuniting these children with their families in their native countries.  \n\t  \n\tWhile housing these unaccompanied minors may be a challenge for you, seeking support from military bases when their resources have already been stretched thin is unacceptable. Our country is at war with radical Islamic extremism at home and abroad, and our military assets must be used to train and prepare our troops, not house illegal aliens. Fort Hood has already suffered two shootings, including one terrorist attack. This military base is clearly a target and our country cannot afford to further burden it with the duties of running a safe house.  \n\t  \n\tAs Members of Congress who represent Fort Hood, one of the largest military installations in the United States, we ask you to reaffirm that our military installations exist to project power around the world and to serve our men and women in uniform and their families  not house illegal immigrants. In addition, we ask that Secretary Jeh Johnson and Secretary Sylvia Burwell meet with us before any action is taken to use Fort Hood as a housing unit for illegal aliens.   \n\t  \n\tWe respectfully request your immediate attention and quick response to this matter.  \n\t  \n\t Sincerely,\n\n  \n\t _________________       _________________  \n\t Rep. John Carter Rep. Roger Williams  \n\t Member of Congress  Member of Congress\n\nCC: U.S. Department of Defense  \n\t U.S. Department of Health and Human Services  \n\t U.S. Department of Homeland Security\n\n  \n\t# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=NewsReleases&ContentRecord_id=104178cb-08a7-45ea-8d6e-c66f9fde2da7", "Cornyn: Ending Crude Export Ban a Win-Win for U.S., Allies Abroad", "2015-12-16", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John Cornyn", "C001056", "www.cornyn.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC Office  \n                    517 Hart Senate Office Bldg.  \n                    Washington, DC 20510   \n                    Main: 202-224-2934  \n                    Get Directions\n\n                  \n                  \n                    \n                  \n                \n                \n              \n              \n                \n                  \n                    \nSoutheast Texas:  \n                    5300 Memorial Drive Suite 980  \n                    Houston, TX 77007   \n                    Main: 713-572-3337  \n                    Fax: 713-572-3777  \n                    Get Directions\n\n                  \n                  \n                    \n                  \n                \n                \n              \n              \n                \n                  \n                    \nSouth Texas:  \n                    222 East Van Buren  \n                    Suite 404  \n                    Harlingen, TX 78550   \n                    Main: 956-423-0162  \n                    Fax: 956-423-0193  \n                    Get Directions\n\n                  \n                  \n                    \n                  \n                \n                \n              \n              \n                \n                  \n                    \nWest Texas:  \n                    Wells Fargo Center  \n                    1500 Broadway, Suite 1230  \n                    Lubbock, TX 79401   \n                    Main: 806-472-7533  \n                    Fax: 806-472-7536   \n                    Get Directions\n\n                  \n                  \n                    \n                  \n                \n                \n              \n              \n                \n                  \n                    \nSouth Central Texas:  \n                    600 Navarro   \n                    Suite 210  \n                    San Antonio, TX 78205  \n                    Main: 210-224-7485  \n                    Fax: 210-224-8569  \n                    Get Directions\n\n                  \n                  \n                    \n                  \n                \n                \n              \n              \n                \n                  \n                    \nCentral Texas:  \n                    Chase Tower  \n                    221 West Sixth Street  \n                    Suite 1530  \n                    Austin, TX 78701   \n                    Main: 512-469-6034  \n                    Fax: 512-469-6020  \n                    Get Directions\n\n                  \n                  \n                    \n                  \n                \n                \n              \n              \n                \n                  \n                    \nEast Texas:  \n                    Regions Bank Building  \n                    100 E. Ferguson Street, Suite 1004   \n                    Tyler, TX 75702  \n                    Main: 903-593-0902  \n                    Fax: 903-593-0920  \n                    Get Directions\n\n                  \n                  \n                    \n                  \n                \n                \n              \n              \n                \n                  \n                    \nNorth Texas:  \n                    5001 Spring Valley Road  \n                    Suite 1125 E  \n                    Dallas, TX 75244   \n                    Main: 972-239-1310  \n                    Fax: 972-239-2110   \n                    Get Directions", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hurd.house.gov/media-center/editorials/hurd-promoting-truth-distorted-reality", "Hurd: Promoting Truth in a Distorted Reality", "2015-12-16", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Will Hurd", "H001073", "hurd.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Walking into the lobby of the Old Headquarters Building of the CIA, a visitor is greeted with the biblical quote,And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.These words are etched into the wall across from the collection of stars that represent the individuals, many still anonymous to the world, who gave their lives serving this country as members of the CIA. Those brave men and women made the pursuit of truth their lifes mission, because they recognized exposing the truth was the way to liberate humanity.\nThe members of the National Clandestine Service of the CIA are called the collectors of last resort.They are tasked to seek the truth when all other avenues of intelligence collection have failed.Despite unprecedented levels of technological advancement and the interconnectedness of the world, the pursuit of truth in the realms of foreign policy and national security remains a critical issue. This is because the level of noise that must be sifted through has also reached an unprecedented size and scope.\nOur adversaries like ISIS are significantly contributing to this noise. One of the scariest things about ISIS is their ability to leverage social media to inspire individuals who have never been to Syria and Iraq. If we are going to stop future cowardly attacks like those that happened in Paris, Beirut, or Garland, then we must understand how our enemies are relying more heavily on propagating disinformation to achieve their objectives than ever before.\nDisinformation is more than just lying:its the denial and twisting of reality in order to present some desired image to the rest of the world.The tools of the Internet have made disinformations creation and dissemination easier and more effective. Unless the U.S. government is more proactive in its efforts to expose disinformation where it is presented, our adversaries campaigns to warp reality will prevail. Their images will be strengthened and their messages will be propagated at the expense of U.S legitimacy.\nThe Disinformation Kings\nAn analysis of arguably the best practitioners of disinformation, Russia, can give us insight on how newer adherents to this strategy are operating. The Ukrainian Mohyla School of Journalism participated in a project aimed at fact checking news coming out of the conflict in Ukraine and described Russias disinformation strategy as a 4-D approach:dismiss,distort,distract, anddismay. Russiadismissesallegations against it. Russiadistortsloosely fact-based narratives to fit its goals. Russias accusations against the Westdistractglobal attention from its morally-deplorable and illegal actions, and Russian threats against actions it opposes spreaddismayamong global actors.\nISISs Disinformation Campaign\nISIS asserts its own version of the 4-D approach. ISISdismissesall factual reports whenever it loses ground in Iraq and Syria. ISISdistortsthe image of life inside the Islamic Caliphate in order to present the territory under its rule as a utopian society. ISIS blames civilian deaths within their caliphate on coalition airstrikes in order todistractthe world from the number of civilian casualties caused by ISIS. And ISIS threats to launch spectacular attacks on Western nations to fosterdismaywithin Western societies.\nThere exists a key difference between the disinformation campaigns of Russia and ISIS: Russia propagates disinformation to veil its intentions to contest more easily the Western-dominated global order. ISIS has been clear about its objectives from the very beginning: to establish an Islamic Caliphate and eventually wage an apocalyptic war with the West. ISISs disinformation is a studio-like production of an entirely new reality.\nIt is that realityor fantasythat poses the most serious threat to U.S. national security. Their media campaign, which spreads lies and false images of life as an ISIS fighter or life under their rule, successfully motivates U.S. citizens and Westerners to join this terrorist organization.The House Homeland Security Committees Foreign Fighters Task Force discovered more than 250 Americans and 4,500 total Westerners have attempted to join militant groups in Iraq and Syria.Security officials discovered these individuals were radicalized in some capacity online in about 80% of all documented cases. Furthermore, evidence suggests those individuals are reaching back to acquaintances at home to convince them also to join ISIS in Iraq or Syria. Its a scary snowball effect. The more Americans who join ISIS in the Middle East, the more will return battle hardened and equipped with the skills to carry out attacks on the homeland.\nThe genius behind ISISs disinformation strategy is that it is self-fulfilling. If successful, it will turn the fantasy it presents to the world into reality. ISIS presents false images that it controls a society of people finally happy to be practicing what they consider to be the correct version of Islam, and radicalized individuals from around the globe are motivated to populate those territories under their control. ISIS claims there is a crusader coalition waging war against Muslims, and its spectacular attacks on Western targets succeed in uniting the global community against it. ISIS posts videos of training camps to advertise that recruits can become skilled fighters, and as the war is prolonged, their battle tactics and training improve remarkably. Many of their fighters have, indeed, become skilled fighters.\nThe risk of failing to wage a serious, deliberate war on the distorted reality ISIS presents is that it will become less and less distorted. That is why it is critical the United States leads the fight against ISISs disinformation campaign. The Department of StatesThink Again, Turn Awaycampaign to expose ISISs dissemination of untruths should be lauded for its efforts. However, it falls short of being an effective tool to combat the image ISIS presents to the world. The campaign against them needs to be more targeted and more robust.\nRussias Disinformation Campaign\nRussia is now applying its 4-D Ukraine disinformation strategy in Syria: Russia continues todismissallegations its airstrikes in Syria are causing civilian casualties. This is in direct contrast to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which reports Russian strikes have killed at least 150 civilians thus far. Russia continues todistortfacts on the ground, falsely claiming its air campaign in Syria targets primarily ISIS positions. Evidence clearly indicates Russian strikes aim to destroy any faction that contends with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. This includes moderate Syrian rebel forces backed by the United States. Russia also claimed Western-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) representatives visited Moscow to meet with Russian officials and that Russia would happily provide Syrian rebels air support in their fight against ISIS. The FSA completely denied this claim, rejected Russias offer of assistance, and called on Russia to stop bombing FSA positions. Russian President Vladimir Putindistractsattention away from the negative consequences of their actions in Syria by accusing the United States of backing terrorist groups to overthrow regimes it does not like. Russias efforts todismayhave taken the form of prominent displays of air and naval capabilities around the globe. As an example, recent reports emerged revealing Russian submarines and spy ships were operating in close proximity to vital undersea Internet data cables.\nFew in the United States deny the reality of Russias actions in Syria. The question we must turn to, then, is notwhatRussia is doing, butwhy.What do they hope to achieve by supporting President Assad, while veiling their strategy and intentions in the process?Those who study Russian military history are well aware that Russias actions are based heavily on calculations surrounding its adversaries responses to those actions. In a strategy known as reflexive control, Russia deliberately presents its adversaries with information it predicts will elicit a specific response from the adversariesresponses that ultimately serve Russias aims. In essence, the goal is to influence their adversarys decision-making process.\nA growing number of people in the United States do not view Russias involvement in the Syrian crisis as necessarily negative. They argue we should let them fight ISIS and bring stability back to Syria so that America does not have to. Sadly, these individuals have all been deceived by Russias reflexive control strategy. Russia knew that its involvement in the conflict would make the United States more hesitant to enforce the demand that Bashar al-Assad be removed from power. They knew the U.S. would respond by rushing to find a political solutionthis time a political solution more on Russian terms than American terms. President Putin also knows the Obama Administration would do almost anything to avoid putting boots on the ground in Syria, even if that means deferring some of the fight against ISIS to Russia.\nThe United States must expose Russia for exploiting the media to paint a false positive picture of its intentions and actions in the Middle East and elsewhere.The failure to do so will have negative consequences for the United States relationships with other countries, and the ability to attain foreign policy objectives more broadly. Russias aims are more than self-promoting. Russia seeks to challenge the legitimacy of the American-led international system. The systems image will weaken unless the United States and its partners confront Russias media campaign directly.\nRussia and ISIS are just two current examples of why America must lead the fight for the truth. We cannot allow our adversaries to present the world with false realities that play into their aims. If we do, we are essentially empowering them to control the reality of events. Today, those who control the narrative control reality. When the battle for the truth lies in the balance,we cannot give them one inch.\n###\nAs published in Medium\n\t\t\t\tA former undercover CIA officer, entrepreneur and cybersecurity expert, Will Hurd is the U.S. Representative for the 23rdCongressional District of Texas. In Washington, he serves as Vice Chair of the Maritime and Border Security Subcommittee on the Committee for Homeland Security, and as the Chairman of the Information Technology Subcommittee on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hurd.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-continues-fight-against-isis", "House Continues Fight Against ISIS", "2015-12-16", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Will Hurd", "H001073", "hurd.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC Bipartisan legislation that strengthens tracking capabilities for jihadist travelers seeking safe havens beyond Iraq and Syria was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives today. The Tracking Foreign Fighters in Terrorist Safe Havens Act was introduced by House members of the Foreign Fighter Task Force as a result of key findings which can be found in their September 2015 Final Report on Combating Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel.\nISIS has explicitly encouraged fighters who cannot make it to Iraq and Syria to join their struggle in other locations, said U.S. Representative Will Hurd, a member of the Foreign Fighter Task Force and driving force for Congressional leadership in the fight against ISIS. Tracking foreign fighters who travel to Iraq and Syria alone is not enough to mitigate the threat they pose to our national security. These terrorist safe havens throughout the Middle East, Asia, and Africa can be used for bad guys planning attacks against the U.S. and migration trends can change on a dime. This legislation proactively supports our intelligence communitys efforts to stop terrorists in their tracks.\nThe task force report expresses that in addition to Syria and Iraq, ISIS operatives are urging followers to travel to safe havens in 19 countries throughout the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. In order to keep diplomatic, intelligence, law enforcement, and policy resources ahead of evolving foreign fighter flows, the bill requires the intelligence community to provide Congress with regular updates on extremist migration and terrorist sanctuaries outside of Iraq and Syria.\nThe Tracking Foreign Fighters in Terrorist Safe Havens Act passed in the House with a final vote of 423-0 and has been sent to the Senate.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hurd.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/hurd-announces-approval-funds-build-new-san-antonio-federal-courthouse", "Hurd Announces Approval of Funds to Build New San Antonio Federal Courthouse", "2015-12-16", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Will Hurd", "H001073", "hurd.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  Nearly $948M forFederal CourthouseConstruction was placed in the FY16 omnibus bill, including funds for theDistrict Court for the Western District of Texas in San Antonio.This bipartisan effort comes on the heels of legislation introduced by the San Antonio delegation to provide emergency funding back in September and ongoing efforts by Rep. Hurd and others to engage key stakeholders on an issue of criticalimportanceto San Antonio.\nA new federal courthouse is long overdue. The current building is a security liability, putting at risk the employees and citizens who work and visit there, says Hurd. Almost 50 years old, the John H. Wood Jr. U.S. Courthouse building was built to host the 1968 Worlds Fair and is poorly suited for its current use.\nThis is an issue that we have worked across the aisle on, with a great deal of help from Senator John Cornyn, Rep. Henry Cuellar (R-TX), and Rep.Ander Crenshaw (R-FL), Chairman of the Financial Services Appropriations Subcommittee. This accomplishment is a real win for the people of San Antonio and has significant impacts on the citys immediate future including security, economic development, and tourism. Im glad I was able to help drive a big-picture initiative for my hometown, Hurd concluded.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://marchant.house.gov/2015/12/16/marchant-votes-to-cut-off-hizballah-financing-protect-u-s-and-israeli-security/", "Marchant Votes to Cut Off Hizballah Financing, Protect U.S. and Israeli Security", "2015-12-16", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Kenny Marchant", "M001158", "marchant.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Marchant Votes to Cut Off Hizballah Financing, Protect U.S. and Israeli Security\n      \n  \n  The House today voted 425-0 to pass Senate-amended legislation placing sanctions on all banks and financial intuitions that do business with Hizballah, an Iran-backed terrorist group responsible for numerous attacks on Americas military personnel and international allies. \nWith the exception of al-Qaeda, Hizballah has taken more American lives than any other terrorist group in history, said U.S. Congressman Kenny Marchant (TX-24). The group also serves as Irans main terrorist proxy in efforts to threaten Israel and undermine the stability of the Middle East. I am pleased the House voted unanimously to cut Hizballah off from the international financial system. This is an important step we can take to stifle the ability of these terrorist to bring further harm to America, Israel, and our allies around the world.\n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mccaul.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/mccaul-and-langevin-urge-administration-to-weigh-in-on-wassenaar", "McCaul and Langevin Urge Administration to Weigh in on Wassenaar", "2015-12-16", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Michael McCaul", "M001157", "mccaul.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.  Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus Co-chairs Congressmen Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Michael McCaul (R-TX) today sent a letter to National Security Advisor Susan Rice urging the Administration's involvement in revising the U.S. implementation of export controls on cybersecurity software. The letter, which is signed by 125 bipartisan Members of Congress, expresses concerns that, without careful tailoring, export controls could have both a chilling effect on research and a negative impact on the nation's overall cybersecurity posture.\n\nThe underlying goal of the export controls, which were agreed to by the 41 member states of the Wassenaar Arrangement, is to restrict the export of hacking tools, or intrusion software, that could be used for cybercrime and illegal surveillance. Although well intended, the legislators argue such terminology is very broadly defined in the original language of the Arrangement and that the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) did not sufficiently tailor the definition when issuing its draft regulations. As a result, the original rule could have included a number of cybersecurity research products and defensive tools, thereby potentially hindering the ability of network operators to defend against cyber-attack. Langevin and McCaul, along with Congressmen Ted Lieu (D-CA) and David Schweikert (R-AZ), submitted public comments in July outlining flaws in the original draft.\n\nBIS has conducted an unprecedented degree of outreach on this issue, and I greatly appreciate their flexibility and transparency, said Langevin, a senior member of the House Committee on Homeland Security and its Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection and Security Technologies. However, I think it is incumbent upon the White House to weigh in and help deconflict the guidance BIS has been receiving from the various agencies, particularly the State Department.\n\nThis proposed rule  and perhaps the underlying agreement itself  would have significant unintended consequences for security researchers, cybersecurity providers, and our overall cyber posture. As reports emerge that the Departments of Homeland Security and Commerce share our concerns, I hope that this bipartisan message from the House of Representatives will spur the rest of the Administration to right the ship. We cannot let the good intentions of these export controls trump the fact that in their current form they would depreciate cyber security at home and for billions around the world, said McCaul, chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security.\n\nThe letter calls for the revised rule to greatly narrow the range of affected technologies so that the regulations conform to the United States' broader cybersecurity strategy. In addition to sending the letter to Ambassador Rice, Langevin and McCaul today called for oversight hearings on the implementation of cybersecurity export controls and their potential implications on national security.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://olson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/olson-latta-kirkpatrick-cuellar-introduce-ozone-bill", "Olson, Latta, Kirkpatrick, Cuellar Introduce Ozone Bill", "2015-12-16", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Pete Olson", "O000168", "olson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Reps. Pete Olson (R-TX), Bob Latta (R-OH), Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ), and Henry Cuellar (D-TX), today introduced bipartisan legislation that would update how the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) addresses ozone requirements in the Clean Air Act. EPA recently issued a new standard requiring a reduction in the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ozone, from the current level of 75 parts per billion (PPB) down to 70 PPB.\nThis bill is intended to be the first in a series of legislative efforts on ozone, with upcoming legislation to focus on how local air authorities make the leap from an existing standard to a new one. In this first step in the wake of EPAs new standard, Olson and his colleagues introduced H.R. 4265, the Clean Air Implementation Act, which would require a brief pause while EPA studies the impacts of foreign pollution on non-attainment areas, review the current standard every eight years (to allow more time for implementation) instead of every five, and allow for limited consideration of feasibility when EPA moves to draft the next ozone rule.\n\"As communities across America try to navigate an ever changing standard process, we must have better information on how foreign sources of pollution impact our air quality, Rep. Pete Olson said. Understanding how much ozone is under our control is a critical component of how states develop plans to improve air quality. Our bill provides a needed pause in implementing the current standard while we streamline the process with needed information.\nThe EPA, when releasing new standards, must ensure that they are achievable, and do not cause significant harm to our economy, said Rep. Bob Latta. As we work to gain a full understanding of the impact of foreign pollution in areas of the country that go out of attainment, it is imperative we postpone the implementation of these standards to avoid unnecessary and burdensome costs on communities working towards compliance until further review is conducted.\nI represent several Arizona communities where energy production drives the local economy, so I want to ensure there is local input on the impact of these federal rules. We cannot allow these rules to be administered in a way that kills jobs and undermines local economies,Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick said.\"Im pleased to cosponsor this bill with support from communities in Arizona as well as our state Department of Air Quality.\"\nBusinesses and economic growth provide opportunities for the families I represent, Congressman Henry Cuellar said. I know the negative impact that rapidly implementing the EPAs new ozone standard could have on economic development in my district. We need to find a way to balance the need for environmental protection with the feasibility of implementing these standards in an economically viable way.\n\nHighlights of Clean Air Implementation Act:\n Timeline Revision - EPA shall update the Ambient Air Quality Standards at eight year intervals unless the Administrator finds that specific circumstances warrant a review earlier in the cycle.\n\tSecondary Consideration of Feasibility  EPA can use as a factor in determining the range of levels for a new NAAQS feasibility when setting a new standard.\n\tForeign Transport  EPA in coordination with the National Academies of Sciences shall report to Congress within two years, the extent to which foreign sources of pollution impact achievement of NAAQS standards in the US. The 2015 standard will be paused until the study is complete.\n ###\nOlson Contact: Melissa Kelly\n\t(202) 225-5951", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/content/cornyn-ending-crude-export-ban-%E2%80%9Cwin-win%E2%80%9D-us-allies-abroad", "Cornyn: Ending Crude Export Ban a Win-Win for U.S., Allies Abroad", "2015-12-16", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John Cornyn", "C001056", "www.cornyn.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement regarding the inclusion of a provision ending the ban on crude oil exports in the Omnibus Appropriations bill for FY2016:\nEnding the ban on crude oil exports will serve as a shot in the arm to a sluggish economy, and will open up new markets for job creators in Texas and across the country. By making American energy available to the world market, we also will help our allies abroad diversify their resources and enhance their security. Lifting the antiquated ban is a win-win, and I applaud the bipartisan support for this pro-growth policy.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2556", "Cruz, Palazzo Pass the Emergency Information Improvement Act", "2015-12-16", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.) released a statement today after the House passed S. 1090, the Emergency Information Improvement Act, that works to increase and safeguard the availability of critical information during times of emergency and crisis.\nThis bill amends the Stafford Act to make clear that local public radio and broadcasting stations are eligible recipients of disaster relief. It passed the Senate in September of this year under the co-sponsorship of Sen. Cruz and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.).\nWhen disaster strikes, it is critical that the American people have access to real-time emergency information that can save lives. Texas understands the seriousness of these threats more than most states, as it has made 90 major disaster declarations since 1953 and routinely prepares for tornadoes, floods, wildfires, and hurricanes. Public radio and broadcast stations can play a significant role providing critical information during and after natural disasters and terrorist attacks. The Emergency Information Improvement Act will help eliminate any ambiguity in current law by allowing critical service communications facilities to quickly make necessary repairs and prepare for the next disaster, Sen. Cruz said. I commend my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in both chambers for passing this legislation, and look forward to sending this bill to the Presidents desk.\nRep. Palazzo, who introduced the House companion bill to S.1090, said, Disasters strike every year in every corner of America. When these disasters strike, our local public radio stations play a vital role in providing information about response efforts. This bill is a simple but very important step in helping to keep Americans safe by ensuring citizens and communities across our country have access to vital information during times of emergency and crisis. I also thank Sen. Cruz for his leadership on this bill and assuring its passage in the Senate.\nCurrent federal emergency response and relief statutes are ambiguous on whether local public broadcasting stations are eligible for emergency financial assistance when damaged by storms and other disasters. This legislation ensures that locally licensed stations are eligible for federal disaster relief funding in the event their facilities are impacted by a disaster. \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://gohmert.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398288", "Rep. Gohmert: Weve Got to Take A Stand Here", "2015-12-15", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Louie Gohmert", "G000552", "gohmert.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "House Speaker Paul Ryan calls theomnibus spending bill a compromise that gives both sides of the aisle some of what it wants, but Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, says the bill is a non-starter because it doesnt take the steps necessary to keep terrorists from entering the country.\r\nWe took an oath. Were supposed to protect this country, the Constitution. Were supposed to provide for the common defense. Weve got to take a stand here. Its worth taking a stand to save American lives, said Gohmert, a former judge and a current member of the House Judiciary Committee.\r\nOf greatest concern to Gohmert is what he sees as Congress continuing to fund the refugee program without meaningful changes or taking a pause to re-evaluate how best to keep Islamic radicals away from our shores.\r\nThe negotiators from the Senate intend to allow the risk of dramatic harm, said Gohmert. The Senate is not agreeing to allowa pause in the visa waiver program that would wait until we can be sure that no terrorists are coming in with the refugees since ISIS says theyre sending in terrorists with the refugees, said Gohmert.\r\nHe says keeping the status quo in the face of such a threat is unacceptable.\r\nWe have no way of vetting any of the Syrian refugees. We can ask them questions but weve got no way to check their answers. Most Americans get that. Its only in Washington where were having a problem convincing people that are elected how important that is, said Gohmert.\r\nThe legislation does reportedly contain language to significantly tighten the general visa waiver program, which is separate from the evaluation of refugees. Gohmert says on the surface thats a step in the right direction.\r\nThat means that countries that are allowed to send people directly from their country into the United States without a visa, without us being able to check whether or not theyre actually a terrorist or a threat to us. That needed to be suspended, and apparently there is a provision that will suspend that, said Gohmert.\r\nHowever, the congressman says thats not as much of an improvement as it seems.\r\nThe trouble is its now been reported that that has a massive hole in it. Some of the countries like France and Belgium, where we know there are terrorists, theyre not going to be restricted. So they can send people straight from France to the United States without us getting a chance to check out their application, said Gohmert.\r\nPresident Obama and many of his Democratic allies are opposed to any pause in the refugee program, with Obama repeatedly questioning the GOPs purported toughness.\r\nApparently theyre scared of widows and orphans coming into the United States of America as part of our tradition of compassion, said Obama last month at the G-20 Summit in Turkey.\r\nThe omnibus compromise suggests Obama is not alone in that sentiment. Gohmert strongly bristles at the implication that pausing the refugee program over national security concerns is somehow un-American.\r\nWhen it comes to some moron saying, Thats not who we are as Americans, traditionally who we are as Americans are people that are glad to have people come in if we knowingly grant them a visa as long as theyre not a threat to America, said Gohmert.\r\nHe continued, Were a country where well send people to die to fight for other peoples freedom. But we have not traditionally been a country that was so stupid that we welcomed terrorists in our midst to come kill us.\r\nGohmert says President Obama is the first president in centuries to miss the threat posed by Islamic radicals.\r\nWho we really are is a country that before President Obamas administration, we didnt want terrorists among us and we recognized radical Islam. We knew it was a threat to us, going back to Thomas Jefferson. He knew that. Its time for somebody in this administration to understand radical Islam is a threat, said Gohmert.\r\nAs evidence of the administrations oblivious approach to the threat, Gohmert pointed to recent reports that the Department of Homeland Security refused to allow immigration officials to examine the public social media postings of people applying for entry into the U.S. Its drawing fierce criticism after the FBI announced that San Bernardino terrorist Tashfeen Malik pledged her loyalty to ISIS and to jihadism on social media long before coming to America.\r\nThe secretary of DHS (Jeh Johnson) is putting Americans at risk. He has put us at risk. Hes continuing to put Americans at risk. Its time American leaders were more concerned about the lives and safety of Americans than they are with their political agenda. Right now their political agenda is trumping the safety of Americans, said Gohmert.\r\nGohmert says he plans to learn all he can about the omnibus package before votes are held, but right now the contents leave him only one option.\r\nIf were not taking these steps in the omnibus to save American lives, then I would have to be a no. Thats correct, said Gohmert.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://poe.house.gov/press-releases?ID=CEECC21E-0017-4D8D-90A1-59FDB4C3E943", "HOUSE PASSES POE BILL TO COMBAT TERRORIST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA", "2015-12-15", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Poe", "P000592", "poe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, the House of Representatives unanimously passedH.R. 3654, the Combat Terrorist Use of Social Media Act of 2015, authored by Congressman Ted Poe (TX-2), Chairman of the Terrorism Subcommittee. This bipartisan legislation requires the President to produce an Administration-wide strategy to combat terrorists online.\r\nToday, terrorists use social media to recruit, fundraise, spread propaganda and teach future fighters, said Congressman Poe. Online weve seen recipes for bombs, instruction manuals for attacks, a Q&A forum for terrorists and even a livestream of an attack. Potential terrorists dont have to go to Syria or Iraq to train anymore. All they have to do is log-on. My legislation, H.R. 3654, the Combat Terrorist Use of Social Media Act of 2015, will help change this by requiring the President come up with a comprehensive strategy to combat terrorists online  something that the Administration promised in 2011. Unfortunately, today there is no strategy and consequently, weve seen individual agencies making unilateral decisions and not coordinating with one another. For example, DHS unilaterally decided not to look at visa applicants social media postings; the FBI does not know how far it should push private social media companies to prohibit them from allowing terrorist content on their sites; the State Department does not know how to effectively counter terrorist messaging because it does not have the expertise of the intelligence community; and the intelligence community approaches social media as a capture everything because it has not been made clear what it should look for. We must first have a strategy before we can effectively defeat this enemy on every battlefield, including the cyber battlefield. H.R. 3654 requires just that.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://williams.house.gov/media-center/newsletters/the-real-threat-to-america", "The Real Threat to America", "2015-12-15", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Roger Williams", "W000816", "williams.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Real Threat to America \n\t\t\t\t Obama refuses to recognize Islamic Extremism  \n\t\t\t\tBy Congressman Roger Williams  The followingop-ed originally appeared in The Washington Times on Thursday, December 10, 2015\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tIn his Oval Office address Sunday [December 6], President Obama made clear that he never misses an opportunity to advance his anti-gun agenda, the United States is still leading from behind, and he believes the American people are students in his lecture hall. Mr. Obama grouped together the July attack on the military center in Chattanooga, the most recent shooting in San Bernardino, and the 2009 attack in my district at Fort Hood. It doesnt take a constitutional scholar to realize all of the perpetrators of these horrific acts were Islamist extremists. But regardless of Californias arguably unconstitutional restrictions on gun purchases and gun ownership, our president tried to make us believe our nations supposed Wild West gun laws are responsible for these tragedies. It has been six years since Nidal Hasan murdered 13 of his fellow soldiers and injured 30 more on base in central Texas, and our president still refuses to acknowledge the real enemy that is threatening the safety of the homeland  radical Islamist extremism. I can tell you firsthand the outrageous lengths I had to go through to get the Obama administration to change its classification of the attack on Fort Hood from workplace violence to an act of terrorism. We saw this common trend from the White House continue after the first reports out of San Bernardino last week. Two hours after the incident Mr. Obama responded, We have a pattern of mass shootings in this country that has no parallel anywhere else in the world. Two days later, he slowly walked back that line when it was discovered that shooter Tashfeen Malik pledged allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. If the president had it his way, he would never admit terrorist activity and attacks are happening in America under his watch because it would imply he and his administration have failed to keep America safe. Instead, he would rather conveniently portray these incidents as failures of Congress. The reality is these three shootings happened because Mr. Obama has refused to identify radical Islamist extremism as an enemy to the United States, and he has, therefore, taken no measures to fight it at home while making little effort to fight radicalized groups abroad. The president has never publicly called on imams in the United States to denounce the actions of Muslims whom he says do not represent Islam. He has given no incentives for followers of Islam to work with federal and local law enforcement in an effort to build transparency and strengthen intelligence capabilities. He has placed zero accountability on the Muslim population in America  which, by the way, numbers somewhere between 5 million and 10 million  we dont actually know. For whatever reason, this president would rather practice political correctness than confess that Muslims, whom all read from the same book, need to step up to the plate and help combat this threat rather than sit back and try to differentiate good Muslims from bad Muslims. Abroad, Mr. Obama is only willing to do just enough to make it look like he is doing something. Incredibly, our commander in chief has completely disregarded the prospect of putting boots on the ground to combat ISIS terrorists before he knows the needs of his supposed mission to defeat them. Even more remarkable, today there are U.S. special forces actually on the ground  suggesting that his rhetoric is to make good on his campaign promises. The only international effort Mr. Obama would like the United States to lead is fighting climate change, and it is pitiful. Thepresident still believes he is a college professor. For those of us who have held real-world jobs outside of government and academia, who just dont see the world as he does and the role the U.S. should play in it, we are, in his eyes, just misguided students.  Roger Williams is a Republican member of the U.S. House ofRepresentatives from Texas and chairman of the House Conservatives Fund.\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tRoger Williams on Fox Business Network\n\t\t\t\tOn Friday I spoke with Ashley Webster on Fox Business Network to discuss the recent tragedy in San Bernardino and the 2009 terrorist attack at Fort Hood.   \n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tClickhere or on the image above to watch me speak on Fox Business Network.\n\t\t\t\tSincerely,    Roger Williams  \n\t\t\t\t\tMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://lamarsmith.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/national-guard-cyber-unit-coming-to-sa", "National Guard Cyber Unit coming to S.A.", "2015-12-14", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Lamar Smith", "S000583", "lamarsmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "San Antonio has been chosen for one of the National Guards 13 new cyber units.\nThe decision was celebrated by U.S. Reps. Will Hurd, Joaqun Castro, Henry Cuellar and Lamar Smith, all of whom requested Cyber City, USA be considered for the new units.\nThe cyber threats our nation faces are real and it makes me enormously proud to see my hometown at the forefront of this ongoing battle, Hurd said in a news release.\nArmy Gen. Frank Grass, chief of the National Guard Bureau, announced the units last week, saying, the cyber squadrons and teams will provide trained and ready soldiers and airmen to support requirements established by the services and U.S. Cyber Command.\nSeven new Army Guard cyber protection teams will be activated across Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin; adding to the four previously announced teams spread across California, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan and Ohio.\nIn partnership with the Air Force, the Air Guard will activate four new cyber operations squadrons in Idaho, Michigan, Texas and Virginia. There also will be a cyber Information Surveillance Reconnaissance squadron in California and a cyber intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR, group in Massachusetts.\nAir Force Col. Kelly Hughes, chief of the Space and Cyber Warfare Operations Division at the Air National Guard Readiness Center, said the rollout was just the beginning.\nThis is a massive amount of force structure the Guard has laid into the mission, but this is just the first layer, Hughes said.\nHughes said that the focus of the current activation plan is to get that presence in as many states as possible and especially making sure we have all the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) regions covered.\nThe FEMA tie-in fits the Guards mission to respond to large-scale emergencies and disasters at home and gives state governors another response asset to use as needed, saidAir Force Col. Timothy Lunderman, director of joint cyber operations at the National Guard.\nThe units are expected to be online by the end of fiscal year 2019.\nSan Antonios will complement a military cybersecurity presence that includes the 24th and 25th Air Force and NSA-Texas as well as the University of Texas-San Antonios top ranked cybersecurity program and a number of private sector cybersecurity firms.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://sessions.house.gov/index.cfm/weekly-newsletters?ContentRecord_id=5CEC7682-1276-4F63-9016-0022087D7B70", "The Hill Report: Week of December 7 - 11, 2015", "2015-12-14", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Pete Sessions", "S000250", "sessions.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Yesterday Chairman Kevin Brady oftheWays and Means Committee introduced HR 1,theTax Cuts and Jobs Act, which representedthefirst public unveiling of legislation that could lead to tax reform this Congress. According totheWall Street Journal, this bill is, on net, about a $1.5 trillion tax", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://williams.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/roger-williams-statement-on-passing-of-mayor-george-marti", "Roger Williams Statement on Passing of Mayor George Marti", "2015-12-14", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Roger Williams", "W000816", "williams.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "CLEBURNE, TEXAS  Congressman Roger Williams (R-Texas) today released the following statement after the death of inventor, businessman, philanthropist and former Mayor of Cleburne George Marti:\nToday, we lost a true Renaissance man whose immense talents made him a household name to many and whose devotion to helping others improved the lives of so many more. George honorably served his country and community and made it his lifes work to putting others before himself. I am proud that I was able to call him a friend. \nMarti served as Cleburne mayor from 1974-1986.\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://williams.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/roger-williams-statement-on-passing-of-mayor-george-marti-0", "Roger Williams Statement on Passing of Mayor George Marti", "2015-12-14", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Roger Williams", "W000816", "williams.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "CLEBURNE, TEXAS  Congressman Roger Williams (R-Texas) today released the following statement after the death of inventor, businessman, philanthropist and former Mayor of Cleburne George Marti:\nToday, we lost a true Renaissance man whose immense talents made him a household name to many and whose devotion to helping others improved the lives of so many more. George honorably served his country and community and made it his lifes work to putting others before himself. I am proud that I was able to call him a friend. \nMarti served as Cleburne mayor from 1974-1986.\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hurd.house.gov/media-center/editorials/how-defeat-isis", "How to defeat ISIS", "2015-12-14", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Will Hurd", "H001073", "hurd.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On December 2, 14 people were murdered and 21 injured in San Bernardino, California, in the deadliest terrorist attack on U.S. soil since Sept. 11, 2001. The investigation is ongoing, but it is clear the perpetrators were inspired by the Islamic State in Iraq andSyria(ISIS). This comes on the heels of a string of major ISIS operations. Indeed, the world witnessed three ISIS terrorist attacks on three continents in just three weeks, including the massacre on the streets of Paris, brutal attacks in Lebanon and the downing of a Russian jet in Egypt  the first successful terrorist attack on an airline since 9/11.\n\t\tEach of us has fought violent Islamist extremism or worked to keep our country safe before coming to Congress  at the Justice Department, CIA and in the military. We dealt with al Qaeda and became familiar with its hierarchical structure and desire to conduct large-scale attacks.\n\t\tISIS is different. It has the same ideology and desire to destroy us and our way of life, but has metastasized into a new form, one that is effective, ubiquitous and dangerous. And when it comes to large versus small-scale attacks, ISIS is interested in all of the above. We say this not to invoke fear, but to instill vigilance. We are in a generational fight for our nation, interests, allies and freedoms.\n\t\tISIS declared its caliphate in Iraq andSyria17 months ago. Since then, the Obama administrations anemic airstrikes have done little to eliminate their leadership, or destroy command and control, logistics, and flow of resources to fund their operations. As a result of our hesitation, ISIS has flourished. They now have a growing presence in 19 different countries. Over 30,000 foreign fighters from 100 different nations have traveled to Iraq andSyriato join the fight or receive training. 5,000 of these foreign fighters come from Western and visa waiver countries and 250 are Americans. This is just what we know. Intelligence officials have admitted that there are probably many more.\n\t\tISIS takes advantage of social media to recruit, train, direct and inspire terrorists all over the world. There are an estimated 200,000 pro-ISIS tweets a day, pushing out the groups insidious message, searching for new enthusiasts, and celebrating their momentum. This reliance on social media, and other forms of communications, presents new opportunities, but also creates challenges when it comes to tracking and targeting those who seek to do us harm.\n\t\tTheir vision is to inspire jihadists worldwide to commit terrorist acts in their own communities. The attacks in Garland, Texas, Chattanooga, Tennessee and now San Bernardino, California, highlight the challenges law enforcement have to keep up with this pervasive threat. It is already difficult to monitor all of the terror suspects on our radar screen, but an even more dangerous threat comes from those who have quietly radicalized before law enforcement can take notice.\n\t\tISIS sophistication and the unprecedented volume of fighters flowing to the Middle East raise serious security concerns. That is why, in March, Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee Michael McCaul appointed the three of us and five other members of Congress to a bipartisan task force to examine the threat. In September we released our final report, including more than 50 recommendations to enhance Americas defenses against terrorists. These included proposals to close security gaps here at home and overseas to keep violent extremists from crossing borders.\n\t\tFor example, 38 countries, mostly in Europe, participate in our Visa Waiver Program (VWP), which allows a citizen of that country to travel to America for 90 days without a visa after filling out an online questionnaire. In order to participate, countries agree to share intelligence information with us, but too few actually comply or do not share information with us regularly.\n\t\tIn addition, one-third of countries in the international community still do not use fraud-resistant e-passports and the majority of countries cannot even validate whether a secure passport actually belongs to the traveler presenting it. Worse still, most of our foreign partners are not screening travelers against INTERPOL databases in real-time at their borders, meaning that they miss out on a crucial opportunity to detect potential terrorists or suspicious travel documents, all of which INTERPOL helps to track.\n\t\tWhile we share our terrorist watch list information with many European partners, it is EU policy to refrain from checking their own citizens against any watch lists or no-fly lists. Considering thousands of Europeans have traveled to join jihadists inSyria, this is a stunning security weakness.\n\t\tThere is no shortage of vulnerabilities in the system. That is why our bipartisan task force laid out specific, actionable recommendations to improve our security. Unfortunately, none of them have been acted on by the administration with the sense of urgency required to counter this aggressive threat.\n\t\tLast month, the House passed bipartisan legislation to prevent terrorists from exploiting our refugee programs to enter the United States  which we know terrorists are interested in doing  and last week, passed an overwhelmingly bipartisan bill to tighten the security of the Visa Waiver Program, which would fulfill major recommendations from our task force. These initiatives are an important start and should be signed into law immediately.\n\t\tSo much more must be done to protect our country against the rising terrorist threat and to ultimately defeat ISIS. But much of it cannot occur without presidential leadership that takes this threat seriously and commits the resources needed to destroy ISIS.\n\t\tIn the meantime, we will do our part, and we stand ready to move our task force recommendations forward to strengthen American security, protect our communities and defend our way of life.\n\t\tMartha McSally, Arizona Republican, Will Hurd, Texas Republican, and John Katko, New York Republican, are U.S. representatives.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hurd.house.gov/media-center/hurd-hill/hurd-hill-fighting-radicalization", "Hurd on the Hill: Fighting Radicalization", "2015-12-14", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Will Hurd", "H001073", "hurd.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "I was in the CIA when the 9/11 terrorist attacks shook America. Like most of you, I watched in horror as events unfolded, wondering if the friends I had in the area were safe. As the dust settled and it became clear who was behind the attacks, our military and intelligence agencies mobilized to hunt down those responsible and bring them to justice. And they have not stopped since.\nIf you had told me on September 12 that we would go 14 years without another major terrorist attack on our own shores, I would not have believed you. The credit to this remarkable feat goes to our brave men and women who daily risk their lives for the safety of our nation. We owe a great debt for their remarkable sacrifice and courage.\nRecently, however, the attacks have hit closer to home. Garland, Texas and San Bernardino, California seem like unlikely targets for terrorists radicalized by ISIS, which means that no city or town can be presumed to be safely out of their crosshairs. According to the November Terror Threat Snapshot released by House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul:\n The vast majority of 900 active homegrown extremist investigations involve links to ISIS.\n\tAuthorities have already arrested nearly 60 individuals this year in ISIS-related cases.\n\tFrom July through September this year, ISIS-affiliated groups launched around 12 attacks every daykilling more than 30 people worldwide.\n\tISIS has directed or inspired62 plots to attack Western targets, including18 inside the United States.\n\tThere have been more than twice as many ISIS-linked attack plots against Western targets in 2015 (42) than in 2014 (20).\n It is clear the threat is growing. ISIS isnt the JV squad as once claimed by President Obama. They are as serious a threat as al Qaeda and are a clear and present danger to the US. ISIS is unparalleled in their use of social media as a way of radicalizing young people thousands of miles away from their base of power.\nWhen I was fighting al Qaeda, they used something called night letters to get their message out. They would literally write letters containing their propaganda and then leave them on doorsteps overnight. They could reach maybe a few hundred people a night that way. In contrast, ISIS launches dozens of campaigns daily on social media platforms in 40 different languages, trying to convince young people all over the world that adventure awaits if they will join the fight. And if they cannot travel to the Middle East to fight alongside ISIS, they are instead encouraged to commit an act of terror at home.\nWe are simply not doing enough to combat this pervasive and sustained outreach. Despite the enormous amount of surface area their campaigns give us on which to track them, our posture in this area remains too passive. We need to get aggressive, actively infiltrating their networks, learning more and stopping them in their tracks.\nWe have the greatest military in the world. Our intelligence officers are second to none. What they need is for our Commander-in-Chief to commission the creation of a comprehensive plan to defeat ISIS, which includes more aggressive intelligence gathering, better utilization of our partners on the ground, and keeping Russia from undermining our efforts.\nI know what our intelligence agencies are capable of. Unleashed, they will penetrate these organizations and get the right information to the right people. This is what keeps terrorists on the run and off our shores.\nCombatiendo el Radicalismo\nDando la informacin correcta a las personas correctas\nForme parte del CIA durante los ataques terroristas del 9/11. Como muchos de ustedes, vi con horror como se desarrollaban los eventos, y me preguntaba si mis amigos en el rea estaban fuera de peligro. Cuando se calm el caos, y se hizo claro quin estaba detrs de los ataques, nuestra fuerza militar y agencias de inteligencia se movilizaron para buscar a los responsables y traerlos a juicio. No han parado desde que comenzaron.\nSi me hubieran dicho el 12 de septiembre que pasaran 14 aos sin otro ataque terrorista en nuestras tierras, no lo hubiera credo. El crdito de este logro va a nuestros hombres y mujeres valientes que a diario arriesgan sus vidas para la seguridad de nuestra nacin. Estamos endeudados con ellos por su extraordinario sacrificio y valenta.\nSin embargo, los ataques recientes continan a afectarnos. Garland, Texas y San Bernardino, California eran dos sitios inesperados para un sucedido de terror organizado por ISIS, significando que ninguna ciudad ni pueblo est seguro y libre de ser blanco. Segn el Reporte de la Amenaza de Terror de noviembre publicado por el Congresista Michael McCaul, presidente del Comit de Seguridad Nacional:\n La gran mayora de las 900 investigaciones abiertas sobre extremistas estn involucrados con ISIS.\n\tAutoridades han hecho cerca de 60 arrestos este ao en casos relacionados con ISIS\n\tDe julio a septiembre de este ao, grupos afiliados con ISIS lanzaron cerca de 12 ataques diarios, asesinando a ms de 30 personas mundialmente.\n\tISIS ha dirigido o inspirado 62 complots para atacar destinos en el oeste, incluyendo 18 adentro del E.E.U.U.\n\tSe han visto ms del doble de complots de ataques afiliados con ISIS en contra del oeste en el 2015 (42) que en el 2014 (20).\n Est claro que la amenaza sigue creciendo. ISIS no es el equipo segundario como una vez fueron clasificados por el Presidente Obama. La amenaza que posean es igual que la de Al Qaeda y es claro que son un peligro presente en los E.E.U.U. ISIS es incomparable en su uso de las redes sociales como una manera de radicalizar a jvenes a miles de millas de su base.\nCuando yo estaba luchando en contra de al Qaeda, ellos usaban una tctica conocida como cartas nocturnas para difundir su mensaje. Ellos literalmente escriban las cartas conteniendo su propaganda para dejarlos afuera de las puertas por la noche. Ellos podan alcanzar tal vez a unos cientos de personas de esa forma. Por el contrario, ISIS lanza docenas de campaas a diario en varias plataformas por la redes sociales en 40 idiomas diferentes, tratando de convencer a la los jvenes alrededor del mundo que una aventura les espera si se unen a la causa. Y si no pueden viajar al Medio Oriente para unirse con ellos, los animan para cometer un acto terrorista en su pas natal.\nSimplemente no estamos combatiendo lo suficiente en contra de esta extensa forma de comunicacin que se ha sostenido. A pesar de la enorme rea que sus campaas nos da para vigilarlos, nuestra postura en esta rea se mantiene demasiada pasiva. Necesitamos infiltrar sus redes de comunicacin agresivamente, aprendiendo ms para detenerlos en sus pasos.\nTenemos el mejor ejrcito en el mundo. Nuestros oficiales de inteligencia son insuperables. Lo que ellos necesitan es que nuestro Comandante-en-Jefe comisione la creacin de una propuesta comprensiva para derrotar a ISIS, que incluye recopilacin de inteligencia ms agresiva, mejor utilizacin de nuestros socios, y cuidar que Rusia no perjudique nuestros esfuerzos.\nSin duda, se de lo que son capaz nuestras agencias de inteligencia. Desatados, ellos penetraran estas organizaciones y recibieran la informacin e inteligencia debida a las personas correctas. Esto es lo que mantienen a los terroristas huyendo y fuera de nuestras tierras.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mccaul.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/mccaul-introduces-bill-to-save-christmas-tree-farms", "McCaul Introduces Bill to Save Christmas (Tree Farms)", "2015-12-14", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Michael McCaul", "M001157", "mccaul.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC Today, Representative Michael McCaul (R-TX) introduced the Christmas Tree Tax Exclusion Act which would allow choose- and-cut Christmas tree producers, like the Elgin CHRISTmas Tree Farm in Texas' 10th congressional district, the choice to opt out of the Christmas Tree Promotion and Research Program, a USDA administered commodity checkoff program that forces choose-and-cut growers to pay for a promotional campaign for the entire Christmas tree industry.\n\nMcCaul: While I understand the importance of these checkoff programs to certain industries, said Representative McCaul, the choose-and-cut Christmas tree industry is a niche market that does not fit the mold of other commodities and therefore does not benefit from this promotional program. Instead this industry thrives off the local culture surrounding it, allowing for local customers to pick and cut their own Christmas tree and rewarding them with the unique experience of doing so. By federally mandating that choose-and-cut businesses take part in this national promotional program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is forcing the entire industry to pay for an advertising campaign that primarily benefits large, national Christmas tree producers selling to the wholesale market, not small tree farms like the Elgin CHRISTmas Tree Farm in my district.\n\nThe Christmas Tree Tax Exclusion Act would continue to allow USDA to proceed with the check-off program, but would restrict the Federal government from forcing small businesses to take part and afford them the option to opt out if they so choose.\nThe Christmas tree tax was first proposed in November 2010, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a regulation establishing a program for large-size Christmas tree producers to tax consumer for the purpose of marketing their trees. The Administration suspended the implementation of the regulation after a public backlash, only to see the regulation quietly revived in the 2014 Farm Bill. Last year an amendment offered in the House of Representatives by Representative Jackie Walorski (R-IN), and supported by Representative McCaul, would have blocked the tax from going into effect, but it was narrowly defeated. No similar vote was taken in the Senate.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mccaul.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/mccaul-statement-on-concerns-regarding-syrian-refugee-program", "McCaul Statement on Concerns Regarding Syrian Refugee Program", "2015-12-14", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Michael McCaul", "M001157", "mccaul.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. Today in his inaugural State of Homeland Security Address, House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul brought to light new concerns regarding refugees with ties to terrorist groups in Syria who might try to enter the United States. This year, Chairman McCaul wrote to intelligence officials regarding possible terrorist exploitation of Syrian refugee flows, and today he released unclassified excerpts from a response letter provided by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence earlier this year, which informed the Chairman that:\n \nThe National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) has identified individuals with ties to terrorist groups in Syria attempting to gain entry to the U.S. through the U.S. refugee program.\n\tIn the same response letter, NCTC also offered that: The refugee system, like all immigration programs, is vulnerable to exploitation from extremist groups seeking to send operatives to the West. U.S. and Canadian authorities in 2011 arrested several refugees linked to what is now ISIL. Early in 2011, Canadian authorities arrested dual Iraqi-Canadian citizen Faruq Isa who is accused of vetting individuals on the internet for suicide operations in Iraq. The FBI, in May of the same year, arrested Kentucky-based Iraqi refugees Wa'ad Ramadan Alwan and Mohanad Shareef Hammadi for attempting to send weapons and explosives from Kentucky to Iraq and conspiring to commit terrorism while in Iraq. Alwan pled guilty to the charges against him in December 2011, and Hammadi pled guilty in August 2012.\n \nChairman McCaul made the following statement in response to these revelations:ISIS has said in their own words that they want to exploit the refugee program to enter the West.They have already proven their ability to do so with the attacks in Paris, which were reportedly perpetrated by terrorists who infiltrated Europe through refugee flows.I have deep concerns with what I have heard from the intelligence community regarding the vulnerability of the U.S.-bound Syrian refugee pipeline, and these revelations reaffirm my belief that we need tighter security to keep terrorists from slipping into the United States.I call on the Senate to take up our refugee security bill and the President to sign it.\nCorrection: An earlier comment by Chairman McCaul that the specific terrorist group ISIS has attempted to exploit the refugee program to get to the United States was a misstatement.\nLearn more about Chairman McCaul's bill to enhance the security of refugee screening, click here. To see a recent Committee report on counterterrorism challenges associated with Syrian refugees, click here. \n*Due to classification concerns, no additional information from this letter can be provided.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/content/cornyn-renews-call-president-pursue-additional-military-options-against-isis", "Cornyn Renews Call on President to Pursue Additional Military Options Against ISIS", "2015-12-14", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John Cornyn", "C001056", "www.cornyn.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONU.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) issued the following statement in response to President Obama's remarks regarding our fight against ISIS at the Pentagon today:\nThe President again failed to acknowledge a harsh truth: his strategy against ISIS is simply not working, and we need to pursue additional military options in our fight against this terrorist army. While I am glad the President met with our military leaders, he needs to do more to give our armed services the resources and flexibility to accomplish their mission.\nOnly with a dramatic change in strategy will our military be able to eliminate the threat posed by ISIS and keep the American people safe.\nLast week, Senator Cornyn wrote a letter co-signed by nine Senate Republicans calling on the President to consider additional military options to degrade and destroy ISIS abroad and protect the nation from further attacks against American citizens. Text of the letter can be foundhere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/content/cornyn-thornberry-op-ed-victory-all-american-private-property-owners", "Cornyn, Thornberry Op-Ed: A Victory for All American Private Property Owners", "2015-12-14", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John Cornyn", "C001056", "www.cornyn.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONU.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) published the following op-ed in theWichita Falls Times Record Newson theirRed River Private Property Protection Act, which passed the House of Representatives last week:\nA Victory for All American Private Property Owners  U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and Rep. Mac Thornberry  Wichita Falls Times Record News  December 13, 2015  http://www.timesrecordnews.com/opinion/national/a-victory-for-all-american-private-property-owners-26a1fdc8-e081-3877-e053-0100007f6c98-361683461.html\nImagine that you had worked hard to purchase a piece of property, pay your taxes on the land, and plan to pass it along to your children for their use and enjoyment. All seems well until an agency of the federal government decides that it really owns your land and swoops in to take it away. You try to fight the government in court but while you do, a cloud hangs over the title to the property for years.\nThat is the nightmare facing more than 150 land owners along a 116-mile stretch of the Red River. However, stopping this land grab by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is important for more than just those directly affected. Property rights affect all of us, and we must stand together to protect them.\nAs part of BLM's update to its Resource Management Plan two years ago, the agency originally claimed that it owned up to 90,000 more acres than it previously suggested along the Red River. It later reduced that estimate to approximately 30,000 acres. But the federal government has only surveyed about 6,400 acres of the land in question, and these spot surveys are highly contested. They appear to stray greatly from the survey method mandated by the Supreme Court in the 1920s. BLM has also stated that it does not plan to survey the rest of the land in question.\nSince 2013, our offices have held countless meetings, phone calls, and site visits with these landowners, as well as local and state officials, to coordinate action. As a result of these interactions, we introduced theRed River Private Property Protection Actin the House and Senate  legislation that seeks to end questions about the federal government's ownership of the disputed land. And in one of the most encouraging developments in this long fight, the U.S. House of Representatives this week passed the bill.\nThe legislation will require that an actual survey be taken of the entire 116-mile stretch in question using the gradient boundary survey method developed and backed by the Supreme Court. This survey must also be conducted by licensed state land surveyors chosen by the Texas General Land Office and be paid for by the government. Importantly, the final survey must ultimately be approved by the State of Texas.\nThe bill also allows the landowner to appeal any further federal government ownership claims to their land through an Administrative Law judge. Once these claims are settled, BLM must sell off the surface rights of the remaining publicly-owned land at fair market value after the proper boundary line is located and settled. The bill also explicitly states that the interest of the states and the sovereign rights of the federally-recognized Indian tribes will not be affected. And the Congressional Budget Office estimates that this legislation would save U.S. taxpayers about $3 million. In short, this legislation would keep Texans from losing their property to a federal land grab.\nBy establishing a process to resolve uncertainty, this commonsense legislation would ultimately protect the property rights of Texans. The right to own private property is a cornerstone of our way of life. We will continue to do everything we can to protect that right for these landowners and all Texans.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://lamarsmith.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/gop-lawmakers-unveil-plan-to-defund-refugee-program-keep-terrorists-out", "GOP Lawmakers Unveil Plan to Defund Refugee Program, Keep Terrorists Out", "2015-12-11", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Lamar Smith", "S000583", "lamarsmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "A group of Republican House members have introduces legislation that would temporarily suspend the refugee resettlement program by blocking its funding.\n\tOur bill is simple: no more refugee admittance until we can strengthen the system and better ensure the safety of Americans,\n\tRep. Lamar Smith (R-TX)one of the bills co-sponsors, said in a statement. For this administration to force foreign refugees on American communities at this time ignores the very real security threats we face.\n\tDespite the recent radical Islamic terrorist attacks in San Bernardino and Paris as well as vulnerabilities in the refugee vetting system voiced by top officials, the Obama administration has continued to move forward with plans to resettle at least 10,000 Syrian refugees in the U.S. this fiscal year.\n\tThursday, Smith, Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA), and Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-TN) introduced a bill that would stop the President's plan.\n\tThe attack in California demonstrated once again that there are radical Islamic terrorists whose main goal in life is to kill Americans, Barletta said.While the United States has always been a nation that welcomes people seeking refuge, it is only prudent to suspend our refugee program until we know exactly who we are letting in.\n\tAccording to their offices, the foursomes bill would block funding for refugee resettlement until:\n\tCongress passes a joint resolution approving the Presidents refugee resettlement plan  \n\t\t [Congressional Budget Office] provides a report to Congress scoring the long term cost of refugee resettlement operations  \n\t\t [Department of Homeland Security] submits a report to Congress identifying terrorist and criminal activity of refugees admitted into the U.S. since 2001  \n\t\t The President submits a report to Congress of the prior years cost of admitting refugees and proposes offsetting spending cuts to pay for resettlement\n\tThe House is expected tounveilits final year end spending bill early next week. In the midst of national security concerns conservative Republicans have pushed for the legislation to also block funding for the refugee program.\n\tPresident Obamas plan to admit thousands of additional Syrian refugees into this country at a time of heightened jihadist threats and the San Bernardino massacre is beyond reckless, Blackburn said. It endangers our national security and costs hard working taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars, which is why an omnibus funding bill should not include a blank check for refugee resettlement.\n\tAdded DesJarlais, President Obamas own administration has publicly admitted that under the current framework, Syrian refugees cannot be vetted in a way that meets the rigorous security standards we rightfully expect. Therefore, it is critical we halt the refugee program until Congress is satisfied any individual admitted will not pose a security risk now or in the future.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://hurd.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/national-guard-cyber-unit-set-activate-cyber-city-usa", "National Guard Cyber Unit Set to Activate in Cyber City, USA", "2015-12-11", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Will Hurd", "H001073", "hurd.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  The National Guardannounced plansto activate new cyber units, known as Cyber Protection Teams, one of which will be based in San Antonio, Texas. In July, U.S. Representative Will Hurd was joined by San Antonio Congressmen Joaquin Castro, Henry Cuellar and Lamar Smith in sending a letter to General Frank Grass, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, advocating for the consideration of San Antonio when choosing cities for these new units to be based in.\nSan Antonio is known as both Military City, USA, as well as Cyber City, USA, so thereisno question that the National Guard has chosen the right city at the right time, said Hurd, a former undercover CIA officer who handled cyber offensive operations while servingoverseas.When you consider the presence of the 24thand 25thAir Force, NSA-Texas, and the second-to-none cyberprogramsat the University of Texas at San Antonio, its clear that we have the resources and professional workforce necessary to supportthese kindsof operations.\n\"Protecting Texas and the United States in the cyber domain is a complexand multifaceted journey,\" said Maj. Gen. John F Nichols, the Adjutant General for Texas. \"We are excited to be given such a robust role inprotecting the state and nation's critical cyber infrastructure.\"\n\"We are honored the nation has recognized Texas as a center of robustknowledge and understanding in revolutionary technology,\" said Brig. Gen.Dawn Ferrell, Deputy Adjutant General-Air, Texas Military Department.Ifyou want to be on the cutting-edge of cyber, come to San Antonio.\"\nRep. Hurd has advocated for this decision since coming into office in January, meeting with stakeholders and decision makers to present a strong case for San Antonios readiness and capabilities.\nThe cyber threats our nation faces are real and it makes me enormously proud to see my hometown at the forefront of this ongoing battle, Hurd concluded.\n###\nSADEL CPT Support Letter.pdf", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://marchant.house.gov/2015/12/11/house-passes-trade-enforcement-legislation-bill-includes-marchant-measure-to-streamline-trade/", "House Passes Trade Enforcement Legislation, Bill Includes Marchant Measure to Streamline Trade", "2015-12-11", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Kenny Marchant", "M001158", "marchant.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "House Passes Trade Enforcement Legislation, Bill Includes Marchant Measure to Streamline Trade\n      \n  \n  The House today voted 256-158 to pass the Conference Report to H.R. 644, the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015. This legislation provides tools to strengthen U.S. trade enforcement and enhance the flow of legitimate trade at Americas borders and ports of entry. \nIncluded in this bill is the legislative text of the REST Act, a bill by U.S. Congressman Kenny Marchant (TX-24) to remove an onerous Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requirement that would inhibit international trade and increase compliance costs for American businesses. \nTexas has led the nation in international commerce for 13 years running and that has created millions of well-paying jobs throughout the state, said Marchant. Supporting future job growth through trade requires innovative tools to strengthen and streamline our trade enforcement policies. Thats what the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act delivers. And with the inclusion of the REST Act, the bill helps harmonize trade practices at our borders and reduce unnecessary compliance costs on American businesses  both of which are key to promoting a healthier U.S. economy. I am pleased that the House passed this trade enforcement legislation with broad support and I encourage the Senate to do the same.\nIn addition to the trade enforcement and facilitation provisions of this Conference Report, the bill also includes a permanent ban on state taxation of internet access and other state taxes on internet commerce. These provisions are similar to those of H.R. 235, the Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act, which Marchant cosponsored and voted to pass earlier this year.\n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 3100, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"party\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Republican", "p1": "TX", "p2": "2015"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=TX&year=2015", "results": [{"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 3100, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=TX&year=2015", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=TX&year=2015", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 3100, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=TX&year=2015&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=TX&year=2015", "results": [{"value": "TX", "label": "TX", "count": 3100, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2015", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=TX&year=2015", "results": [{"value": "2015", "label": "2015", "count": 3100, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=TX", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2015-12-11,https~3A~2F~2Fmarchant~2Ehouse~2Egov~2F2015~2F12~2F11~2Fhouse-passes-trade-enforcement-legislation-bill-includes-marchant-measure-to-streamline-trade~2F", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=TX&year=2015&_next=2015-12-11%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fmarchant~2Ehouse~2Egov~2F2015~2F12~2F11~2Fhouse-passes-trade-enforcement-legislation-bill-includes-marchant-measure-to-streamline-trade~2F&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 540.2908809483051, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}