{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Republican\", state = \"TX\" and year = 2022 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://nehls.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-troy-e-nehls-military-sexual-trauma-legislation-signed-law", "Rep. Troy E. Nehls' Military Sexual Trauma Legislation Signed Into Law", "2022-12-28", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Troy E. Nehls", "N000026", "nehls.house.gov", "nehls", "https://nehls.house.gov/media", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, legislation authored by Congressman Troy E. Nehls (R-TX-22) was signed into law after passing the U.S. Senate by Unanimous Consent last week. H.R. 6064 will improve the VA's Military Sexual Trauma (MST) disability exam process by requiring the V.A. to partner with the National Academies to complete a comprehensive review of the process. The bill would also require the VA to provide the House Veterans Affairs Committee and the Senate Veteran Affairs Committee with a report on any actions they plan to take as a result of findings and recommendations in the NASEM study.\n\n\"I am proud that my bill has received broad bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress and has been signed into law,\" said Congressman Nehls. \"It takes tremendous courage for survivors of military sexual trauma to come forward and submit a claim for compensation, so it is important that V.A. gets these claims right the first time.\"\n\nBackground:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=494", "Rep. Jackson Rejects Democrats\u2019 $1.7 Trillion Spending Bill", "2022-12-23", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ronny Jackson", "J000304", "jackson.house.gov", "jackson", "https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 Today, Representative Ronny Jackson (TX-13) voted against Democrats\u2019 $1.7 trillion, 4,155-page omnibus spending bill.\n\nJackson said: \u201cThis bill is a slap in the face to my constituents who are sick of runaway spending and \u201cwoke\u201d politics in Washington. It is nothing more than a last-ditch effort for the lame duck Democrat majority, and unfortunately a few RINO Republicans, to get their taxpayer funded pork and destructive priorities across the finish line before Republicans take over the House in January. Any bill that expressly prohibits increased border security measures here at home while allocating nearly $500 million for foreign countries\u2019 border security is by definition America Last and anti-American. Democrats\u2019 latest spending spree will make inflation and the horrible economy worse, and it will exacerbate Biden\u2019s Border Crisis and all the crime and drug issues that come with it. This is something my constituents and I cannot and will not stand for.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://mccaul.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/mccaul-slams-democrats-lame-duck-spending-spree", "McCaul Slams Democrats\u2019 Lame-Duck Spending Spree", "2022-12-23", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Michael T. McCaul", "M001157", "mccaul.house.gov", "mccaul", "https://mccaul.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) released the following statement after voting \u2018no\u2019 on the Democrats\u2019 $1.7 trillion lame-duck spending spree.\n\n\u201cLast month, Americans voted for a Republican House majority to keep the Biden administration in check. Yet in the final hours of their one-party rule, Democrats rammed through 4,155 pages that will fund their failing agenda for another year.\n\n\u201cWhile families struggle to afford food and gifts this holiday season, Democrats are spending $1.7 trillion on their own Christmas wish list, which includes a ridiculous $410 million for border security in the Middle East \u2014 and zero additional dollars for border security in Texas.\n\n\u201cI look forward to working with House Republicans in the new year to stop President Biden\u2019s radical agenda, secure our border, and bring back the economy Americans deserve.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://nehls.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-troy-e-nehls-opposes-fy23-omnibus-spending-bill", "Rep. Troy E. Nehls Opposes FY23 Omnibus Spending Bill", "2022-12-23", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Troy E. Nehls", "N000026", "nehls.house.gov", "nehls", "https://nehls.house.gov/media", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy E. Nehls (R-TX-22) released the following statement after voting against the FY23 Omnibus spending bill:\n\n\"This is a reckless 4,155-page, $1.7 trillion spending bill, on top of the $3 trillion that Democrats have already spent outside the normal appropriations process in the last two years. This bill does not address our nation's most pressing issues, like securing our southern border, and instead gives away $47 billion more to Ukraine,\" said Congressman Nehls. \"This Administration has always put the best interests of the American people last, and this behemoth of a bill is no different. Democrats have ignored the American voters, who gave Republicans back the House majority beginning January 3rd by cramming this bill through Congress at the last minute. Congressional support for this legislation reinforces everything that is wrong with Washington and furthers the divide between the American people and the DC swamp.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-roys-remarks-how-congress-royally-screwed-country-17t-4100-page-omnibus", "Rep. Roy's remarks on how Congress 'royally screwed the country' with $1.7T, 4,100-page omnibus", "2022-12-23", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Chip Roy", "R000614", "roy.house.gov", "roy", "https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014Thursday evening, Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) spoke on the House floor in fervent opposition of lame duck Democrats' last-ditch $1.7 trillion, 4,100-page omnibus bill. Excerpts of his full speech can be found below.\n\n\"Today, the United States Senate, the Senate supposedly the 'upper chamber,' the House of Lords in the United States, if you will, sent us, or is in the process of sending us after voting for it, a 4,155-page bill unveiled yesterday morning at 1:30am that will cost 1.7 trillion dollars. This bill will increase spending: 118 billion dollars.\"\n\n\"This bill has 45 billion dollars for the country of Ukraine. 21 percent over President Biden's request, by the way. 40 billion dollars for disaster relief. 15 billion dollars for 7,234 earmarks with the senior senator of Alabama, Richard Shelby walking out of the Senate with his legacy of 670 million dollars.\"\n\n\"I could go on and on and on for all of the things that are put in here divvying us up by race, divvying us up by gender ideology, all of those earmarks just flooding out with money we don't have. But that's not even the worst of it. That's not even the actual irresponsibility of this body. That's just pork, spending that this body is used to doing to the tune of 15, 16 billion dollars. The real problem is that we are funding a whole alphabet soup of federal agencies that are demonstrably not doing their job, but more importantly are demonstrably targeting the American people.\"\n\n\"What is more important than sitting down here on the floor and highlighting the fraud being perpetrated on the American people right before our eyes? A complete and utter disastrous fraud, endorsed by 18 Republican senators...I hope none of my Republican colleagues in this chamber, but we'll see. A bill that will fundamentally limit our ability to secure the border, it's actually in the dang bill. They don't even pretend anymore, ladies and gentlemen. They don't even try to hide it. They actually put the text in the bill that says this money cannot be used to secure the border of the United States, it can only be used to process people. That is in the text of this bill. Let me be clear to those 18 United States Senators: that alone, that alone should have been enough to have you vote no on this bill. And yet you voted for it.\"\n\n\"Mike Lee dared to try to do something about that. Oh, and you should have seen the wailing and gnashing of teeth. 'What are you going to do? We don't want to be here until Christmas.' Why don't you tell that to George Washington and the boys crossing the Delaware in 1776? Or the boys in Bastogne in 1944? What were they doing on Christmas? Were they trying to fly out of the nation's capitol in their jets back to their homes, run their warm fireplaces, so they can be with their families after they absolutely just royally screwed the country and their kids and grandkids? Because that's what they just did. That's what this body, this House chamber, the people's house is going to do.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://sessions.house.gov/2022/12/congressman-sessions-denounces-largest-spending-bill-in-history", "Congressman Sessions Denounces Largest Spending Bill in History", "2022-12-23", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Pete Sessions", "S000250", "sessions.house.gov", "sessions", "https://sessions.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014 Congressman Pete Sessions (TX-17) released the following statement after House passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, which will provide funding for the federal government for the remainder of fiscal year (FY) 2023.\n\n\u201cDemocrats have used the lame duck to jam through the largest spending bill in history which excessively supports anti-American interests. This $1.7 TRILLION package exasperates persistent inflation, the border crisis in Texas, and rapidly increasing fentanyl overdoses, among other crises American families are facing due to federal government inaction.\n\nSome of the most egregious portions of this bill include:\n\n\u00b7 $1.75 BILLION for the ATF\u2013 An increase of $215.9 MILLION from FY2022\n\n\u00b7 $200 MILLION for new Gender Equity & Equality Action Fund and gender programs in Pakistan\n\n\u00b7 $ 3 MILLION for an LGBTQ+ Museum in New York City\n\n\u00b7 $108 MILLION for new environmental justice programs nationwide\n\n\u00b7 $26 MILLION for the House Office of Diversity & Inclusion\n\n\u00b7 $2 MILLION for the new \u201cNancy Pelosi Fellowship\u201d\n\n\u00b7 $8.6 MILLION for the new gender advisory programs at the Pentagon\n\n\u00b7 $3.6 MILLION for the new \u201cMichelle Obama Trail\u201d\n\nWhile I could not support the outgoing Majority\u2019s underlying bill, this bill does include a number of measures that I would support independently, including many Texas 17th District growth, infrastructure, and water projects that I worked hard to include in this package. I am proud of these priorities and believe that they will support Central & East Texas\u2019 position as one of the nation\u2019s most sought-after places to live, work, learn, and raise a family.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://vanduyne.house.gov/2022/12/van-duyne-s-statement-on-omnibus-bill", "Van Duyne's Statement on Omnibus Bill", "2022-12-23", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Beth Van Duyne", "V000134", "vanduyne.house.gov", "vanduyne", "https://vanduyne.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congress voted on and passed a $1.7 trillion spending bill. Read Rep. Van Duyne's statement below:\n\n\"It's often been said you don't want to see sausage or legislation being made. Considering this new Omnibus spending package wasn't seen being made by nearly anyone in Congress, I can't attest to how ridiculous the backroom wrangling must have been. I can say this is a terrible and disgraceful way to run a nation.\n\nFor far too long, Congress has refused to do its work during the course of the year, responsibly debating and passing (or scrapping) budget items in the light of day for everyone to see. As a mayor and city councilwoman for the City of Irving, we openly debated, and made adjustments to numerous yearly budgets, all of which were balanced because we were legally bound to ensure we didn't spend money we didn't have. Perhaps I'm still 'too new' to Congress to believe we shouldn't pass gargantuan spending bills that few, if any, have read.\n\nWithout significant debate, bi-partisan agreement where possible, and time enough for the American people to provide their thoughts there's simply no sensible reason to vote for this giant new package of spending, policies, and Lord only knows what in terms of regulations or new big government powers.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://weber.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1500", "Rep. Weber votes against Democrats' bloated spending spree", "2022-12-23", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Randy K. Weber, Sr.", "W000814", "weber.house.gov", "weber", "https://weber.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Randy Weber (TX-14) released the following statement after voting against the omnibus package that doubles down on the very failed Far Left agenda that the American people have already rejected, and rubber stamps the Democrats' agenda for years to come.\n\n\"In the dead of night, a small handful of members behind closed doors negotiated a massive 4,000-page spending bill that will hamstring the American taxpayers with another $1.7 trillion of debt,\u201d said Rep. Weber.\u201cLame Duck Democrats' bloated omnibus does NOT properly address our nation's historic border crisis, rein in wasteful government spending, unleash American energy dominance, or uphold government accountability. It does the complete opposite and puts more fuel to the fire of every single crisis under the Biden administration. Any Republican that voted for this omnibus voted for nine more months of the Biden agenda.\u201d\n\n\"Our nation is reeling from the effects of fiscal recklessness by Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, and this is Washington's solution \u2013 more spending. Our grandchildren will be paying for the reckless liberal wish list. Clearly, a vote for this monstrosity was a slap in the face to every taxpayer. This is Washington at its worst.\"\n\nA few of the troubling spending provisions:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://arrington.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=901", "Arrington: Senate Republicans Helping Democrats Pass Big Spending Bill in Lame Duck is \u201cIndefensible and Inexcusable\u201d", "2022-12-22", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Jodey C. Arrington", "A000375", "arrington.house.gov", "arrington", "https://arrington.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Representative Jodey Arrington (TX-19) released the following statement regarding the $1.8 trillion spending bill being considered in the Senate:\n\n\u201cThis $1.8 trillion, 4,155-page bill is a fiscal abomination.\n\n\u201cWith $31 trillion in debt and a looming financial crisis, Democrat leadership is choosing to fund big labor unions, a running trail named after Michelle Obama, climate research, LGBTQ museums in New York City, welfare without work expansion, and more Green New Deal subsidies.\n\n\u201cThis bill fails to spend a dime on the unprecedented security crisis at our southern border while offering tens of billions of additional aid to Ukraine and millions of dollars in legal services to detained illegal immigrants.\n\n\u201cWe have the highest debt in our nation\u2019s history and are on track to add another $16 trillion over the next decade. Meanwhile, Republicans in the Senate are working to help Democrats pass another big spending bill in a lame duck session \u2013 indefensible and inexcusable.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://arrington.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=902", "Arrington on Presidential Tax Return Bill: \u201cThis Unprecedented Action Injects New Level of Toxicity into American Politics\u201d", "2022-12-22", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Jodey C. Arrington", "A000375", "arrington.house.gov", "arrington", "https://arrington.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Representative Jodey Arrington (TX-19) released the following statement upon the House\u2019s passage of legislation that would overturn decades of privacy protections for average Americans:\n\n\u201cThis bill is not to improve internal processes at the IRS, it is to paint the false perception that Democrats\u2019 efforts to weaponize the tax code and release the private information of the former First Family, and their chief political enemy, were legitimate. This unprecedented action injects a new level of toxicity into American politics and is an abuse of power for which every American, not just a former president or politician, should be alarmed,\u201d said Rep. Arrington.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://mccaul.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/mccaul-celebrates-passage-childhood-cancer-star-reauthorization-act", "McCaul Celebrates Passage of Childhood Cancer STAR Reauthorization Act", "2022-12-22", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Michael T. McCaul", "M001157", "mccaul.house.gov", "mccaul", "https://mccaul.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas), founder and co-chair of the Childhood Cancer Caucus, released the following statement after Congress passed the Childhood Cancer STAR (Survivorship, Treatment, Access, and Research) Reauthorization Act, legislation he introduced along with Representatives G. K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), and Jackie Speier (D-Calif.).\n\n\u201cThirteen years ago, I founded the Childhood Cancer Caucus to increase bipartisan efforts to address pediatric cancer and ultimately eliminate this heartbreaking disease. Each day since its passage, the STAR Act has brought us closer to that goal,\u201d said Rep. McCaul. \u201cThe most comprehensive childhood cancer bill ever signed into law, the STAR Act works to improve the lives of cancer patients and cancer survivors through increased research. I\u2019m thankful my colleagues voted to reauthorize it today and will continue raising my voice on behalf of these beautiful children until cancer is no longer a threat to their futures.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am pleased to see the Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment, Access, and Research (STAR) Act heading to President Biden\u2019s desk for another five-year reauthorization,\u201d said Rep. Butterfield. \u201cThe STAR Act is a critical piece of bipartisan legislation that has provided hope to families in North Carolina and across the country suffering from pediatric cancer. We must continue to fund childhood cancer research and pave the way towards lifesaving pediatric-focused cancer treatments. Reauthorizing the STAR Act will do exactly that, ensuring our young people can lead healthy and full lives.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe STAR Act has proven its immense value since it was first passed in 2018,\" said Rep. Kelly. \"Children are 25% of our population, but they are 100% of our future. It\u2019s our duty to fund the research that will protect them in their most vulnerable moments and to ultimately find a cure. I\u2019m grateful that Congress is prioritizing this research and will reauthorize the STAR Act.\"\n\n\u201cThe good news is more and more childhood cancer patients are beating the odds, with the population of survivors estimated to be over half a million people today. But that survival comes with immense care and quality of life challenges for children and their families. Even with cure rates increasing to 85 percent, many childhood cancer survivors must endure ongoing pain, disability, and medical needs,\u201d said Rep. Speier. \"The 2018 STAR Act was the most comprehensive bipartisan childhood cancer bill ever signed into law. I\u2019m proud and grateful that Congress will continue building on its life-saving initiatives with the STAR Act reauthorization, and to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure that our inspiring childhood cancer survivors not only live, but thrive.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nRep. McCaul first introduced the STAR Act in 2015, and it was signed into law in 2018. Since then, it has worked to expand opportunities for childhood cancer research, improve efforts to identify and track childhood cancer incidences, and enhance the quality of life for childhood cancer survivors. The Childhood Cancer STAR Reauthorization Act of 2022 will allow programs included in the successful STAR Act to continue for the next five years.\n\nClick here for more detailed information on the STAR Act.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-issues-statement-on-omnibus-vote", "Sen. Cruz Issues Statement On Omnibus Vote", "2022-12-22", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today issued the following statement on the omnibus vote:\n\n\u201cToday we saw unaccountable politicians pass a 4,155-page, $1.7 trillion spending monstrosity. This is the kind of wasteful and irresponsible spending that has plagued Washington, D.C. for far too long.\n\n\u201cIt is the height of recklessness for Senate Republican leadership to cut a deal with House Democrats who were just voted out of power and give away the leverage that the incoming Republican majority in the House of Representatives could have used to force the Biden administration to change course on policies that are harming America. Without this leverage, the Biden administration will now be able to continue the reckless spending spree that has led to uncontrolled inflation. They will keep pushing anti-energy policies that have caused gas prices and home heating prices to rise. They will continue reckless immigration policies that have led to open borders and a massive influx of deadly drugs and illegal immigration. Their soft-on-crime policies will continue to endanger our communities. The main beneficiaries of this bill are those on the receiving end of left-wing pet projects and pork-barrel spending while the American people will get stuck paying the bill as they continue to suffer.\n\n\u201cDue to the disastrous polices of Joe Biden and Congressional Democrats, inflation is out of control, the border is wide open, and crime is soaring. This $1.7 trillion spending boondoggle will drive inflation and prices even higher. For the sake of Texan and American families I voted no.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://arrington.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=899", "Arrington Urges Texas Officials to Take Steps Necessary to Support Rural Hospitals", "2022-12-21", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Jodey C. Arrington", "A000375", "arrington.house.gov", "arrington", "https://arrington.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Last week, Representative Jodey Arrington (TX-19) led his Texas colleagues in a letter urging Governor Greg Abbott to implement emergency rulemaking to permit Texas hospitals to become licensed and operate as Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs). In December 2020, Rep. Arrington\u2019s \u201cSave Rural Communities Act\u201d was signed into law. The legislation repealed burdensome mandates and created the REH designation within Medicare, giving rural hospitals on the brink of closure the ability to scale down to an outpatient-only, 24-hour emergency care center. Upon passage of the Save Rural Communities Act, Rep. Arrington worked closely with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency tasked with developing regulations for the new Medicare designation. While CMS finalized their rulemaking in November 2022, Texas has failed to complete the regulatory process that would allow hospitals to utilize the REH designation, creating unnecessary uncertainty for rural hospitals eager to convert to REHs and keep their doors open.\n\n\u201cTexas officials must prioritize rulemaking for the REH model as quickly as possible because our rural hospitals cannot afford to wait any longer,\u201d said Rep. Arrington. \u201cI appreciate my fellow Texans in Congress for focusing on the critical needs of rural patients and providers. We will continue to monitor the implementation of REH in Texas, and we stand ready to assist in any way we can.\u201d\n\n\u201cRepresentative Arrington championed a bill to give rural community hospitals a new option and path to survival with the Rural Emergency Hospital designation, and TORCH appreciates his continued support for accelerated implementation here in Texas,\u201d said John Henderson, CEO of the Texas Organization of Rural Community Hospitals (TORCH).\n\n\u201cCreating the REH designation is critical to maintaining availability of care in some rural communities. Texas hospitals in financial distress need to be able to pursue this model without unnecessary delays in order to avoid closure,\u201d said Texas Hospital Association (THA) President & CEO John Hawkins. \u201cWe commend Rep. Arrington for his leadership on legislation to create the REH model and for encouraging the state, alongside Reps. Jackson, Pfluger, and Sessions, to pursue expedited rulemaking so that access to care in rural areas of the state is protected.\u201d\n\nEffective on January 1, 2023, eligible hospitals may seek an REH designation. This is a last resort option for hospitals who would otherwise be faced with closure.\n\nCosigners of the letter include Representatives Ronny Jackson (TX-13), August Pfluger (TX-11), and Pete Sessions (TX-17). Click here to access the full letter.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://arrington.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=900", "Arrington Responds to President Zelensky\u2019s Congressional Address", "2022-12-21", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Jodey C. Arrington", "A000375", "arrington.house.gov", "arrington", "https://arrington.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Representative Jodey Arrington (TX-19) issued the following statement in response to an address given by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a Joint Session of Congress:\n\n\u201cI appreciate the gratitude President Zelensky expressed on behalf of his countrymen for the generosity of the American people. Most Americans want to help the Ukrainian people in their fight for their freedom and independence, but they are incensed \u2013 as am I \u2013 by the fact that Democrats are willing to spend billions of dollars on Ukraine\u2019s security while totally failing to spend a dime to protect our own citizens against an invasion at our southern border. I can\u2019t celebrate using billions of taxpayer dollars to help another country while politicians allow our own nation to burn to the ground.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=493", "Rep. Jackson Calls for CDC, FDA Transparency on COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Data", "2022-12-21", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ronny Jackson", "J000304", "jackson.house.gov", "jackson", "https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 Last week, Representative Ronny Jackson, M.D. (TX-13) led his colleagues in sending a letter to Rochelle Walensky, M.D., MPH, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Robert Califf, M.D., Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), concerning their lack of transparency surrounding the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. Specifically, Jackson looks to determine if the CDC and FDA have conducted certain analyses on adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines, in accordance with the CDC\u2019s Standard Operating Procedures on its Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. If so, Jackson\u2019s letter calls for those results to be shared with the American public.\n\nJackson said: \u201cGiven the unprecedented speed with which COVID-19 vaccines were rushed to market, it is unbelievable that the federal government is refusing to be transparent with the American people about potential safety risks. The Biden Administration has gone to great lengths to manipulate Americans into thinking that wanting to make an informed decision on whether to receive the COVID-19 vaccine is a bad thing. Frankly, it is among their greatest of many failures. The data mining analyses that the CDC and FDA have been directed to complete could help the public better understand the benefits or risks of getting vaccinated. Instead, this administration has chosen to hide behind the liberal mantra that we should shut up and do what the government says simply because they said so. The time for transparency is long overdue. Nonetheless, I will continue to press for the answers we deserve.\u201d\n\nThe full letter can be foundhere. Co-Chair of the GOP Doctors Caucus Brad Wenstrup (OH-02) signed on to Jackson\u2019s letter in addition to Representatives Barry Moore (AL-02), Debbie Lesko (AZ-08), Greg Steube (FL-17), Louie Gohmert (TX-01), Byron Donalds (FL-19), and Diana Harshbarger (TN-01).\n\nBackground:\n\nIn January 2021 and February 2022, the CDC\u2019s Immunization Safety Office tasked the CDC and FDA with performing two types of data mining analyses to establish patterns and determine the rate at which COVID-19 vaccines produce adverse reactions.\n\nIn response to a Freedom of Information Act request from The Epoch Times, the FDA refused to provide the results of these analyses or even confirm that the CDC\u2019s directive had been completed.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/31-house-republicans-led-rep-roy-vow-oppose-any-legislative-priority-senators", "31 House Republicans, led by Rep. Roy, vow to oppose any legislative priority of senators who vote for omnibus", "2022-12-21", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Chip Roy", "R000614", "roy.house.gov", "roy", "https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014 On Wednesday, Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) and 30 House Republicans warned that they would do everything in their power to \u201cthwart even the smallest legislative and policy efforts\u201d of senators who vote for this week\u2019s $1.7 trillion omnibus bill.\n\nThe Members urged Senate Republicans to \u201cuse every tool possible to kill this bill\u201d and warned that \u201cfailure to do so will result in not only legislative and political consequences, but irrevocable consequences for our nation.\u201d\n\nThe letter lists several of the omnibus\u2019 most egregious provisions that will \u201ccontinue the Washington status quo,\u201d including funding a Federal Bureau of Investigation suppressing free speech and labeling parents as domestic terrorists, a State Department promoting all manner of radical ideology abroad, and, perhaps most importantly, a Department of Homeland Security refusing to secure the border.\n\n\u201cWe must stop the assault on Texans and the American people,\u201d the Members concluded. \u201cKill this terrible bill or there is no point in pretending we are a united party, and we must prepare for a new political reality.\u201d\n\nFull text of the letter can be found here and below.\n\nDear Senate Republican Colleagues, As you know, yesterday at 1:30a.m., the text of the Democrat-led omnibus appropriations package was released, and it confirmed what we already knew to be true \u2013 this bill is a full-scale assault on the American people. This 4,155-page bill spends $1.7 trillion to further empower the Biden administration\u2019s tyrannical attack on the liberty and security of our constituents, and it must be opposed with any fiber of political fortitude Senate Republicans still have.\n\nOnce again, we urge Senate Republicans to use every tool possible to kill this bill. Failure to do so will result in not only legislative and political consequences, but irrevocable consequences for our nation.\n\nThis omnibus will undeniably continue the Washington status quo that Americans are fed up with. It will fuel the rampant inflation that is cutting into Americans\u2019 paychecks. It will add to our $31 trillion national debt, digging a deeper hole for our children and grandchildren to crawl out of. And because almost every Senate Republican has bloviated about inflation and the national debt at some point in the past two years, a vote for this bill should be viewed as a blatant display of hypocrisy.\n\nAs expected, the bill increases funding for President Biden\u2019s bureaucrats and wholly fails to impose meaningful checks on his radical agenda. It increases funding for an FBI that is colluding with big tech to suppress free speech, labeling parents as domestic terrorists, and targeting pro-life Americans. It gives more money to the NIH, CDC, FDA, and other agencies that are actively conspiring with big healthcare to our detriment. It increases funding for a State Department that failed in its basic function to get Americans out of Afghanistan while funding things like drag shows in foreign countries. It further empowers EPA and other agencies to wage war on reliable US energy. And it provides another $45 billion for Ukraine while failing to hold the Pentagon brass accountable for promoting the woke ideology that is gutting the culture of our Armed Forces.\n\nBut perhaps most offensively, for at least nine months, this omnibus will deny the incoming House GOP majority any leverage to enact crucial policy changes needed to secure our border through the power of the purse. And not only does this bill disregard actual border security, it also doubles down by providing DHS with an additional $3.2 billion to continue processing and releasing illegal migrants at a faster pace and larger scale, which will only make this crisis worse. With this bill, the American people will endure at least nine more months of record fentanyl overdoses, surging migrant crossings, rampant cartel activity, property destruction, and migrant deaths. A vote in favor of this bill is a vote for every bit of it, and it will solidify Senate Republicans\u2019 role in perpetuating this crisis.\n\nOn Monday, the Senate Republican leader inexplicably called this bill \u201ca strong outcome for Republicans.\u201d We wholly disagree \u2013 this bill completely contradicts everything the Republican party claims it stands for. We have a duty to stand up for Americans and put an end to the border crisis. We have a duty to use the power of the purse to stop the Biden administration\u2019s radical agenda. And we have a duty to stand athwart the rampant government spending that has caused crushing inflation. Voting in favor of this bill is a dereliction of our duty on all counts.\n\nThe released legislative text confirmed this omnibus is an assault on the American people. As such, we reiterate that if any omnibus passes in the remaining days of this Congress, we will oppose and whip opposition to any legislative priority of those senators who vote for its passage \u2013 including the Republican leader. We will oppose any rule, any consent request, suspension voice vote, or roll call vote of any such Senate bill, and will otherwise do everything in our power to thwart even the smallest legislative and policy efforts of those senators.\n\nAgain, we must stop the assault on Texans and the American people. Kill this terrible bill or there is no point in pretending we are a united party, and we must prepare for a new political reality.\n\nSincerely,\n\nChip Roy\n\nMember of Congress\n\nScott Perry\n\nMember of Congress\n\nDan Bishop\n\nMember of Congress\n\nAndy Biggs\n\nMember of Congress\n\nMatthew Rosendale, Sr.\n\nMember of Congress\n\nMatt Gaetz\n\nMember of Congress\n\nRalph Norman\n\nMember of Congress\n\nBob Good\n\nMember of Congress\n\nByron Donalds\n\nMember of Congress\n\nAndrew S. Clyde\n\nMember of Congress\n\nDiana Harshbarger\n\nMember of Congress\n\nBarry Moore\n\nMember of Congress\n\nYvette Herrell\n\nMember of Congress\n\nLouie Gohmert\n\nMember of Congress\n\nRandy K. Weber\n\nMember of Congress\n\nLauren Boebert\n\nMember of Congress\n\nClaudia Tenney\n\nMember of Congress\n\nMary E. Miller\n\nMember of Congress\n\nMarjorie Taylor Greene\n\nMember of Congress\n\nRonny L. Jackson\n\nMember of Congress\n\nClay Higgins\n\nMember of Congress\n\nRuss Fulcher\n\nMember of Congress\n\nMayra Flores\n\nMember of Congress\n\nBill Posey\n\nMember of Congress\n\nW. Gregory Steube\n\nMember of Congress\n\nJody Hice\n\nMember of Congress\n\nAnna Paulina Luna\n\nMember of Congress-Elect\n\nAndy Ogles\n\nMember of Congress-Elect\n\nEli Crane\n\nMember of Congress-Elect\n\nKeith Self\n\nMember of Congress-Elect\n\nEric Burlison\n\nMember of Congress-Elect", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://arrington.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=898", "Arrington: \u201cDemocrats\u2019 Decision to Weaponize Tax Code Against Political Opponents Will Unleash Arsenal of Political Abuses\u201d", "2022-12-20", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Jodey C. Arrington", "A000375", "arrington.house.gov", "arrington", "https://arrington.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Representative Jodey Arrington (TX-19) issued the statement below following a House Ways and Means Committee hearing on Democrats\u2019 intention in releasing former President Donald Trump\u2019s tax returns:\n\n\u201cIt was clear from today\u2019s hearing that this was about political vengeance, not real process reform. There is absolutely no legitimate or defensible reason to release President Trump\u2019s private tax returns. Any credible effort to evaluate the Presidential Audit Program, which was the Democrats\u2019 pretext for this exercise, would have included information from other presidents, hearings and debate, and safeguards for private citizens\u2019 information. The Democrats\u2019 unprecedented decision to weaponize the tax code against political opponents will unleash an arsenal of political abuses \u2013 not only on politicians, but every taxpaying American citizen.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://vanduyne.house.gov/2022/12/van-duyne-introduces-bill-to-hold-higher-education-accountable", "Van Duyne Introduces Bill to Hold Higher Education Accountable", "2022-12-20", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Beth Van Duyne", "V000134", "vanduyne.house.gov", "vanduyne", "https://vanduyne.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Rep. Van Duyne introduced legislation that will allow prospective college students to make better informed school choices based on increased transparency of the school\u2019s cost.\n\nThe Higher Standards for Higher Education Act would require the Secretary of Education to track and report on eight additional student loan repayment categories. The data on these repayment categories will allow prospective college students to better consider and plan for the financial burden of taking out a student loan to attend a certain college or university. This bill would only affect institutions of higher education with an endowment size of $1 billion or more.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://arrington.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=896", "Arrington Leads Letter to Appropriators in Support of Cotton Farmers", "2022-12-16", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Jodey C. Arrington", "A000375", "arrington.house.gov", "arrington", "https://arrington.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 This week, Representative Jodey Arrington (TX-19), along with Representatives Ronny Jackson (TX-13) and August Pfluger (TX-11), led several Texas colleagues in a letter to both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, urging leadership to support funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s (USDA) Emergency Relief Program (ERP) for the 2022 crop year. This crop season \u2013 particularly cotton \u2013 has faced historic production loss not only in West Texas, but across the entire nation.\n\n\u201cAgriculture is the lifeblood of rural economies like West Texas, and all Americans benefit from a safe, affordable, and abundant source of food. Unfortunately, producers across the nation have experienced unprecedented challenges this year \u2014 from historic drought conditions to record input costs, supply chain disruptions, and labor shortages. Congress must maintain a reliable and stable food supply to ensure food security for all Americans,\u201d said Rep. Arrington.\n\n\u201cTexas\u2019 cotton farmers help clothe the world, making their operations critical to the state and global economy. Texas is the largest cotton-producing state in the country with the High Plains region alone accounting for 65% of production. The devastating drought we experienced this year is a serious threat to everything our cotton farmers have built, and it is not something Congress can ignore. The cotton industry is critical to the success and vibrancy of the communities I represent in TX-13. I am proud to lead my colleagues in this effort to help ensure Texas\u2019 cotton farmers have the resources they need to be successful for future generations and that cotton gins can weather the devastating effects of this year\u2019s drought,\u201d said Rep. Jackson.\n\n\u201cTexas\u2019 agriculture producers, and the programs that allow them to continue to operate, are critical to National Security. Our farmers and ranchers have suffered through several tough years. Without an extension of the Emergency Relief Program (ERP), this year\u2019s losses will be devastating to our communities that support and depend on agriculture. Congress must provide this relief immediately,\u201d said Rep. Pfluger.\n\n\u201cPlains Cotton Growers Inc. fully supports the request for an extension of the Emergency Relief Program funding for the 2022 crop year. In addition, we support that adequate assistance be allocated to cotton infrastructure segments to help mitigate the economic challenges they continue to face. Texas has been plagued by one of the most catastrophic droughts on record in 2022, which has had a detrimental effect on our cotton producers and infrastructure segments, particularly cotton gins. PCG fully supports and appreciates the bipartisan effort led by Representatives Ronny Jackson, Jodey Arrington, and August Pfluger, along with additional House and Senate members, acknowledging the challenges faced by the cotton industry. We look forward to working with Congress to ensure these key initiatives are addressed in the upcoming omni legislative package,\u201d said Plains Cotton Growers Inc. CEO Kody Bessent.\n\n\u201cTexas Farm Bureau appreciates Congressmen Ronny Jackson, Jodey Arrington, and August Pfluger for leading a bipartisan letter to key appropriators requesting disaster funding be extended through the 2022 crop year. We are also glad the letter addresses the needs of cotton gins that have faced economic challenges due to staggering crop losses this year. We urge the inclusion of these provisions in the FY2023 appropriations package and look forward to continuing to work toward solutions that will keep farmers and ranchers in operation,\u201d said Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening.\n\nAdditional cosigners include Representatives Brian Babin (TX-36), Kevin Brady (TX-08), Michael Cloud (TX-27), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Jake Ellzey (TX-06), Pat Fallon (TX-04), Louie Gohmert (TX-01), Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15), Lance Gooden (TX-05), Troy Nehls (TX-22), and Pete Sessions (TX-17).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://gonzales.house.gov/2022/12/congressman-tony-gonzales-urges-dhs-secretary-mayorkas-extend-title-42-order", "Congressman Tony Gonzales Urges DHS Secretary Mayorkas to Extend Title 42 Order", "2022-12-16", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Tony Gonzales", "G000594", "gonzales.house.gov", "gonzales", "https://gonzales.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Representative Tony Gonzales (TX-23) led 48 of his House Republican colleagues in writing a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas expressing concern over the December 21st, 2022 discontinuation of Title 42.\n\nThe Members said in part, \u201cUnder Title 42, migrants were expelled at rates 40 percent or higher for nearly every month in FY22, which considerably alleviated congestion along our borders. As this policy approaches its deadline next week, it is no surprise that illegal crossings are skyrocketing.\n\nThe Members continued, \u201cYour agency has systematically dismantled successful border security measures such as the Remain in Mexico policy, and severely restricted the ability of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to deport illegal immigrants. In the absence of these enforcement tools, Title 42 has served as the last effective deterrent against illegal border crossings. Without it, federal, state, and local law enforcement will be stretched beyond their limits, and threats to our national security will inevitably multiply.\u201d\n\nCo-signers of the letter include Representatives Dan Newhouse (WA-4), Scott Franklin (FL-15), Mike Kelly (PA-16), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Michelle Steel (CA-48), Burgess Owens (UT-04), Dan Crenshaw (TX-02), Vern Buchanan (FL-16), David Valadao (CA-21), Byron Donalds (FL-19), Mayra Flores (TX-34), Brian Babin (TX-36), Brad Wenstrup (OH-02), Andrew Garbarino (NY-02), Tracey Mann (KS-01), Blake Moore (UT-01), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02), Carlos A. Gim\u00e9nez (FL-26), Randy Weber (TX-14), Young Kim (CA-39), August Pfluger (TX-11), Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Glenn Grothman (WI-06), Matt Rosendale (MT), John Rutherford (FL-04), Stephanie Bice (OK-05), Randy Feenstra (IA-04), Victoria Spartz (IN-05), Diana Harshbarger (TN-01), Yvette Herrell (NM-02), Mary Miller (IL-15), Michael Burgess (TX-26), Ronny Jackson (TX-13), Michael Guest (MS-03), Claudia Tenney (NY-22), Ashley Hinson (IA-01), Dan Bishop (NC-09), Jerry Carl (AL-01), Mike Garcia (CA-25), Van Taylor (TX-03), Mike Waltz (FL-06), Dusty Johnson (SD-AL), Larry Bucshon (ID-08), Darrell Issa (CA-50), John Moolenaar (MI-04), and Brett Guthrie (KY-02).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://mccaul.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/mccaul-urges-dhs-secretary-mayorkas-extend-title-42-order", "McCaul Urges DHS Secretary Mayorkas to Extend Title 42 Order", "2022-12-16", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Michael T. McCaul", "M001157", "mccaul.house.gov", "mccaul", "https://mccaul.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (Texas-10) joined Representative Tony Gonzales (Texas-23) and 47 of their House Republican colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, expressing concern over the discontinuation of Title 42 on December 21st, 2022.\n\nThe members said in part, \u201cUnder Title 42, migrants were expelled at rates 40 percent or higher for nearly every month in FY22, which considerably alleviated congestion along our borders. As this policy approaches its deadline next week, it is no surprise that illegal crossings are skyrocketing.\u201d\n\nThe members continued, \u201cYour agency has systematically dismantled successful border security measures such as the Remain in Mexico policy, and severely restricted the ability of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to deport illegal immigrants. In the absence of these enforcement tools, Title 42 has served as the last effective deterrent against illegal border crossings. Without it, federal, state, and local law enforcement will be stretched beyond their limits, and threats to our national security will inevitably multiply.\u201d\n\nCo-signers of the letter include Representatives Dan Newhouse (Wash.-4), Scott Franklin (Fla.-15), Mike Kelly (Pa.-16), Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.-01), Michelle Steel (Calif.-48), Burgess Owens (Utah-04), Dan Crenshaw (Texas-02), Vern Buchanan (Fla.-16), David Valadao (Calif.-21), Byron Donalds (Fla.-19), Mayra Flores (Texas-34), Brian Babin (Texas-36), Brad Wenstrup (Ohio-02), Andrew Garbarino (N.Y.-02), Tracey Mann (Kan.-01), Blake Moore (Utah-01), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Iowa-02), Carlos A. Gim\u00e9nez (Fla.-26), Randy Weber (Texas-14), Young Kim (Calif.-39), August Pfluger (Texas-11), Gus Bilirakis (Fla.-12), Glenn Grothman (Wis.-06), Matt Rosendale (Mont.), John Rutherford (Fla.-04), Stephanie Bice (Okla.-05), Randy Feenstra (Iowa-04), Victoria Spartz (Ind.-05), Diana Harshbarger (Tenn.-01), Yvette Herrell (N.M.-02), Mary Miller (Ill.-15), Michael Burgess (Texas-26), Ronny Jackson (Texas-13), Michael Guest (Miss.-03), Claudia Tenney (N.Y.-22), Ashley Hinson (Iowa-01), Dan Bishop (N.C.-09), Jerry Carl (Ala.-01), Mike Garcia (Calif.-25), Van Taylor (Texas-03), Mike Waltz (Fla.-06), Dusty Johnson (S.D.-AL), Larry Bucshon (Idaho-08), Darrell Issa (Calif.-50), John Moolenaar (Mich.-04), and Brett Guthrie (Ky.-02).\n\nThe full letter is available here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://mccaul.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/mccauls-peace-through-music-diplomacy-act-clears-senate", "McCaul\u2019s PEACE Through Music Diplomacy Act Clears Senate", "2022-12-16", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Michael T. McCaul", "M001157", "mccaul.house.gov", "mccaul", "https://mccaul.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "\u201cThe passage of the PEACE Through Music Diplomacy Act is a reminder of the power of music and its capacity to increase understanding between diverse cultures and people around the world. The Recording Academy is grateful to Rep. McCaul, former Rep. Deutch, and Senators Leahy and Tillis for their support of this important legislation, and we look forward to championing future cross-sector partnerships that will allow music creators to promote peace across the globe,\u201d said Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy.\n\nSenators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.\n\n\u201cAmerica\u2019s creative industries spread our values\u2014freedom, liberty, justice, and hope\u2014throughout the world,\u201d said Senator Tillis. \u201cI\u2019m proud this bipartisan legislation will become law so we can promote America\u2019s music industries and all the ideals we share and treasure.\u201d\n\n\u201cMusic transcends borders and plays an important role in connecting people, and musicians can be excellent peacebuilders around the globe. I am grateful to Chairman Reed and the other leaders of the Armed Services Committees for recognizing the value these exchange programs will bring to our country by advancing peace abroad. I am so glad we were able to pass it in these last few weeks of the year,\u201d said Senator Leahy.\n\nBackground:\n\nThe PEACE Through Music Diplomacy Act directs the Department of State (DOS) to leverage partnerships with the private sector when designing and implementing the music-related exchange programs run by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). It also specifically authorizes music-related exchange programs that advance peace abroad, and it encourages the DOS to integrate a focus on conflict resolution into all relevant exchange programs for young musicians.\n\nClick here for more information on the PEACE Through Music Diplomacy Act.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://gonzales.house.gov/2022/12/congressmen-gonzales-cuellar-introduce-bipartisan-bill-prevent-cbp-suicides", "Congressmen Gonzales, Cuellar Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Prevent CBP Suicides", "2022-12-15", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Tony Gonzales", "G000594", "gonzales.house.gov", "gonzales", "https://gonzales.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON D.C. \u2013 U.S. Representatives Tony Gonzales (R-TX-23) and Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) on Wednesday introduced the Taking Action to Prevent Suicide (TAPS) Act. The TAPS Actcreates a comprehensive, anti-suicide task force to assess the underlying factors leading to high suicide rates at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This legislation is endorsed by the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC).\n\n\u201cThis year, 14 CBP agents and officers have taken their own life - that is 14 too many,\u201d said Congressman Tony Gonzales. \u201cWorking long hours and responding to high-stress situations, our men and women in green and blue are being pushed to their breaking point every single day. I am proud to lead this bipartisan legislation with the support of my colleagues to help prevent the loss of another life at CBP.\u201d\n\n\"The ongoing border crisis has highlighted the increased challenges CBP employees face every single day. Although the workforce has been dealing with suicides for many years, DHS has only recently tried to get a handle on it, and there is much to learn. We are happy to support this legislation in the hopes that we can encourage more employees to come forward for help,\u201d said the National Border Patrol Council.\n\n\u201cThree CBP agents committed suicide last month. That marks 14 total suicides this year alone, almost more than any other year since 2007, when suicides were first tracked by CBP. This is unacceptable,\u201d said Congressman Henry Cuellar. \u201cThe TAPs Act is a bipartisan measure designed to prevent further loss of life among CBP agents. I thank Rep. Tony Gonzales for his leadership and bipartisanship in working with me to deliver for the men and women in green and blue. As Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, I look forward to working with my colleagues to provide relief for the CBP agents that keep South Texas safe.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nThree Border Patrol agents committed suicide over the course of three weeks in November. This brings the 2022 suicide count at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to a staggering 14.\n\nThis is part of a larger and historic trend. Between 2007 and November 2022, CBP has lost 149 people to suicide- among the highest rates compared to other law enforcement agencies.\n\nRecent appropriations have led to the hiring of additional mental health clinicians at CBP. However, there is still a shortage of mental health support, education, and destigmatization at the agency.\n\nThis bill will address CBP suicides by:\n\nIDENTIFICATION\u2013 the TAPS Act creates a comprehensive, anti-suicide task force to assess the underlying factors leading to high suicide rates at CBP.\n\nCOMPOSITION\u2013 the task force will be comprised of leadership from the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Health and Human Services, the labor unions representing Border Patrol agents, Customs officers, and experts in the field of suicide prevention policy. It will also incorporate the feedback of families related to affected CBP personnel.\n\nACTION\u2013 Not later than 12 months after the task force has been assembled, the group will be required to submit a report containing recommendations for a comprehensive policy designed to prevent suicide and improve mental health resiliency initiatives at CBP. Specifically, the task force will examine:\n\nCausal factors and trends related to suicides by CBP personnel\n\nMethods to establish or improve suicide education and prevention programs at CBP\n\nMethods to reduce stigma related to coming forward with a mental health issue at CBP\n\nMethods to protect confidentiality and limit repercussions for CBP employees that receive mental health assistance.\n\nACCOUNTABILITY- The Secretary of Homeland Security shall develop a plan based on task force recommendations and submit to the appropriate congressional committees not later than 180 days after enactment of this legislation.\n\nOriginal co-sponsors of this legislation include Representatives Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN-03), Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28), Jared Golden (D-ME-02), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI-08) and Mayra Flores (R-TX-34).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://gonzales.house.gov/2022/12/congressmen-gonzales-cuellar-introduce-bipartisan-bill-prevent-cbp-suicides-0", "Congressmen Gonzales, Cuellar Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Prevent CBP Suicides", "2022-12-15", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Tony Gonzales", "G000594", "gonzales.house.gov", "gonzales", "https://gonzales.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON D.C. \u2013 U.S. Representatives Tony Gonzales (R-TX-23) and Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) on Wednesday introduced the Taking Action to Prevent Suicide (TAPS) Act. The TAPS Act creates a comprehensive, anti-suicide task force to assess the underlying factors leading to high suicide rates at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This legislation is endorsed by the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC).\n\n\u201cThis year, 14 CBP agents and officers have taken their own life - that is 14 too many,\u201d said Congressman Tony Gonzales. \u201cWorking long hours and responding to high-stress situations, our men and women in green and blue are being pushed to their breaking point every single day. I am proud to lead this bipartisan legislation with the support of my colleagues to help prevent the loss of another life at CBP.\u201d\n\n\"The ongoing border crisis has highlighted the increased challenges CBP employees face every single day. Although the workforce has been dealing with suicides for many years, DHS has only recently tried to get a handle on it, and there is much to learn. We are happy to support this legislation in the hopes that we can encourage more employees to come forward for help,\u201d said the National Border Patrol Council.\n\n\u201cThree CBP agents committed suicide last month. That marks 14 total suicides this year alone, almost more than any other year since 2007, when suicides were first tracked by CBP. This is unacceptable,\u201d said Congressman Henry Cuellar. \u201cThe TAPs Act is a bipartisan measure designed to prevent further loss of life among CBP agents. I thank Rep. Tony Gonzales for his leadership and bipartisanship in working with me to deliver for the men and women in green and blue. As Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, I look forward to working with my colleagues to provide relief for the CBP agents that keep South Texas safe.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nThree Border Patrol agents committed suicide over the course of three weeks in November. This brings the 2022 suicide count at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to a staggering 14.\n\nThis is part of a larger and historic trend. Between 2007 and November 2022, CBP has lost 149 people to suicide- among the highest rates compared to other law enforcement agencies.\n\nRecent appropriations have led to the hiring of additional mental health clinicians at CBP. However, there is still a shortage of mental health support, education, and destigmatization at the agency.\n\nThis bill will address CBP suicides by:\n\nIDENTIFICATION\u2013 the TAPS Act creates a comprehensive, anti-suicide task force to assess the underlying factors leading to high suicide rates at CBP.\n\nCOMPOSITION\u2013 the task force will be comprised of leadership from the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Health and Human Services, the labor unions representing Border Patrol agents, Customs officers, and experts in the field of suicide prevention policy. It will also incorporate the feedback of families related to affected CBP personnel.\n\nACTION\u2013 Not later than 12 months after the task force has been assembled, the group will be required to submit a report containing recommendations for a comprehensive policy designed to prevent suicide and improve mental health resiliency initiatives at CBP. Specifically, the task force will examine:\n\n1. Causal factors and trends related to suicides by CBP personnel\n\n2. Methods to establish or improve suicide education and prevention programs at CBP\n\n3. Methods to reduce stigma related to coming forward with a mental health issue at CBP\n\n4. Methods to protect confidentiality and limit repercussions for CBP employees that receive mental health assistance.\n\nACCOUNTABILITY- The Secretary of Homeland Security shall develop a plan based on task force recommendations and submit to the appropriate congressional committees not later than 180 days after enactment of this legislation.\n\nOriginal co-sponsors of this legislation include Representatives Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN-03), Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28), Jared Golden (D-ME-02), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI-08) and Mayra Flores (R-TX-34).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://nehls.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-troy-e-nehls-and-rep-houlahan-introduce-bipartisan-bill-allow-truckers", "Rep. Troy E. Nehls and Rep. Houlahan Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Allow Truckers Access to Bathroom Facilities", "2022-12-15", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Troy E. Nehls", "N000026", "nehls.house.gov", "nehls", "https://nehls.house.gov/media", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy E. Nehls (R-TX-22) and Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-06) introduced the Trucker Bathroom Access Act. This bill would ensure truckers can access bathroom facilities when picking up or delivering cargo. It would not require businesses to construct new restrooms. It only requires that if a business has a bathroom available to their customers or employees, truckers have the same access.\n\n\"I am proud to introduce legislation to ensure our great American truckers have basic access to restroom facilities while working,\" saidCongressman Troy Nehls (R-TX-22). \"American truckers are this nation's backbone, and we owe them a debt of gratitude for the tremendous contributions they made during the pandemic. I thank Rep. Houlahan, OOIDA, and the Women In Trucking Association for partnering with me on this important legislation.\"\n\n\"Time and again, we've seen that when we include more women in our workforce, our economy prospers\u2014that's true for the trucking industry, too,\" said Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-06). \"But restricted access to bathrooms is putting that progress in jeopardy. In response, our new bipartisan legislation will give all truckers, and female drivers in particular, the confidence of having access to a restroom when they deliver goods to businesses and American families. Especially as the trucking industry continues to face employee retention challenges, we must ensure that we provide truckers a working environment that honors their vital role in growing our economy. Ultimately, keeping more drivers on the road means fewer supply chain delays and lower costs. I'm proud to partner with Rep. Nehls on this straightforward effort.\"\n\n\"The men and women of America's trucking industry keep our supply chain moving and it's only reasonable that their most basic of needs be accommodated while they are on the job,\" said Todd Spencer, President and CEO of OOIDA. \"We've heard from countless drivers who have been forced to 'hold it' because they were not allowed to access the bathroom when they were picking up or delivering freight. We thank Representatives Nehls for showing tremendous leadership on this issue and we look forward to continue working with him and our coalition partners to get this legislation signed into law.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-roy-demands-epa-reverse-flawed-inaccurate-decision-denying-small", "Rep. Roy demands EPA reverse \u2018flawed, inaccurate\u2019 decision denying small refineries relief from crony mandate", "2022-12-15", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Chip Roy", "R000614", "roy.house.gov", "roy", "https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014 On Thursday, Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) and ten of his House Republican colleagues demanded the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reverse its decision to deny small refineries relief from the crony Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) mandate.\n\nA recent Government Accountability Office report found EPA based its decision to deny small refineries relief from the RFS on flawed, inaccurate, and unverified information and administers the relief exemptions in a wholly arbitrary manner.\n\n\u201cThis decision imposes an enormous burden on US refineries and will lead to job losses, diminished gasoline and diesel production, and increased costs for refined products,\u201d the Members wrote to EPA. \u201cPut simply, EPA appears to be handing down decisions that have massive implications for the nation\u2019s energy supply in the midst of an unprecedented energy crisis based on the unfounded whims of unelected bureaucrats.\u201d\n\nThe Members urged EPA to immediately reverse its decision, improve its administration of the RFS, and reduce the program\u2019s burden on American refiners, workers, and families.\n\nRep. Roy previously criticized EPA\u2019s decision to deny small refineries relief in March 2022, writing that it could force a small independent refinery in San Antonio, Texas to close.\n\nFull text of the letter can be found here and below.\n\nDear Administrator Regan,\n\nWe write today to express serious concerns about the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s (EPA) decision to deny small refinery hardship relief, or small refinery exemption (SRE) petitions, under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program. In a recent report, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that EPA based the decision to deny SRE petitions on a flawed, inaccurate, and unverified assumption and administers the SRE program in a wholly arbitrary manner. This information is especially concerning considering the decision\u2019s potential to further deteriorate US refining capacity, which is currently at an eight-year low, and increase the skyrocketing energy prices that are harming American families.\n\nAs you know, in June 2022, EPA issued a denial of 69 outstanding SRE petitions for the 2016- 2021 compliance years. This decision imposes an enormous burden on US refineries and will lead to job losses, diminished gasoline and diesel production, and increased costs for refined products. To put the situation into perspective, one independent refinery in San Antonio, Texas that, prior to EPA\u2019s wholesale denial of SRE petitions, had always merited and received an exemption, found that the newly imposed compliance costs stemming from the EPA decision are up to 10 times greater than its annual payroll. Such astronomical costs will ultimately force the small refinery into bankruptcy. And small refineries throughout the nation face a similar reality, which puts roughly 17 billion gallons of annual gasoline and diesel production at risk.\n\nMany noted that EPA\u2019s refusal to consider each SRE petition on its own merits was misguided and neglected statutory requirements, 5 but GAO\u2019s report raised even more alarming issues with EPA\u2019s decision-making. EPA based the decision to deny all outstanding SRE petitions on the finding that \u201call refineries face the same costs to acquire RINs,\u201d which EPA asserted meant \u201cthere is no disproportionate cost to any party, including small refineries, and no hardship given that the costs are recovered.\u201d6 GAO found that this was not only a \u201cpotentially flawed assumption\u201d but also, EPA\u2019s own data \u201csuggests the assumption is incorrect.\u201d EPA\u2019s data demonstrates that small refineries \u201cwere either paying more to buy [RFS compliance credits] or receiving less when they sell [RFS compliance credits], relative to larger companies from 2013 through 2021.\u201d This finding illustrates that small refineries experience the \u201cdisproportionate economic hardship\u201d necessary to receive an exemption from the RFS and contradicts EPA\u2019s incorrect justification of its denial of outstanding SRE petitions.\n\nEqually concerning is the fact that EPA and the Department of Energy (DOE) have administered the SRE program in an inconsistent and arbitrary manner. GAO found that EPA had not even analyzed whether the assumption that all refiners face the same RFS compliance costs was valid. Further, GAO found that \u201cneither EPA nor DOE has policies and procedures for administering the small refinery exemption program.\u201d These findings suggest that EPA is wielding its regulatory power in a completely arbitrary manner and calls into question not only EPA\u2019s administration of the RFS program, but its decision-making processes agency wide. Put simply, EPA appears to be handing down decisions that have massive implications for the nation\u2019s energy supply in the midst of an unprecedented energy crisis based on the unfounded whims of unelected bureaucrats.\n\nWith these serious concerns in mind, we request answers to the following questions by January 20, 2023:\n\n1. Does EPA intend to reverse its decision to deny all outstanding SRE petitions following GAO\u2019s finding that the decision was based on a flawed, inaccurate, and unverified assumption? If not, please explain.\n\n2. Does EPA plan to publicly retract its finding that all refineries \u2013 regardless of size \u2013 face the same costs when complying with the RFS? If not, please explain.\n\n3. If a small refinery is forced into bankruptcy because of RFS compliance costs, does EPA consider that to satisfy the statutory definition of \u201cdisproportionate economic hardship\u201d? If not, what would satisfy the definition?\n\n4. Have any small refineries that had their SRE petitions denied notified EPA that they were now at risk of closure, bankruptcy, or other financial harm? If so, how many have contacted EPA?\n\n5. Does EPA, in conjunction with DOE, intend to implement clear, publicly available policies and procedures that govern its administration of the SRE program? If so, when would small refineries have access to these policies and procedures?\n\nThe RFS imposes a massive burden on refineries and the US energy supply and EPA\u2019s recent actions have exacerbated this burden. In light of GAO\u2019s recent report, we urge you to reverse the decision to deny all outstanding SRE petitions, take further steps to improve EPA\u2019s administration of the RFS, and reduce the program\u2019s burden on American refiners, workers, and families.\n\nSincerely,\n\nChip Roy\n\nMember of Congress\n\nMatthew Rosendale, Sr.\n\nMember of Congress\n\nVan Taylor\n\nMember of Congress\n\nRandy K. Weber\n\nMember of Congress\n\nGary Palmer\n\nMember of Congress\n\nAndy Biggs\n\nMember of Congress\n\nW. Gregory Steube\n\nMember of Congress\n\nClay Higgins\n\nMember of Congress\n\nMichael Guest\n\nMember of Congress\n\nLouie Gohmert\n\nMember of Congress\n\nBrian Babin, D.D.S\n\nMember of Congress\n\nCC: The Honorable Jennifer Granholm, Secretary, US Department of Energy", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://arrington.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=894", "Arrington Addresses Bipartisan Solutions to Tackle Windfall Elimination Provision, Providing Fairer Social Security for Public Servants", "2022-12-14", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Jodey C. Arrington", "A000375", "arrington.house.gov", "arrington", "https://arrington.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Representative Jodey Arrington (TX-19) joined Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (MA-02) and Ranking Member Kevin Brady (TX-08) to discuss bipartisan solutions to address the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) \u2013 an unfair Social Security provision that reduces millions of public employees\u2019 benefits.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m honored to stand with my colleagues to address this inequity, which is a sad situation that is more than unfortunate. For nearly 40 years, we have failed to live up to our social contract with American senior citizens and allow them to benefit from what they have invested and earned from this important safety net,\u201d said Rep. Arrington. \u201cBecause of the leadership of my colleagues \u2013 especially that of Ranking Member Brady and Chairman Neal \u2013 I am encouraged about the prospects of targeted, bipartisan solutions to address this problem and make good on what we\u2019ve done to shortchange our public servants like teachers, firefighters, and police officers.\u201d\n\nRep. Arrington is an original cosponsor to Rep. Kevin Brady\u2019s legislation \u2013 the Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act. This legislation permanently replaces the unfair Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) Social Security formula with a new, fair formula that treats our teachers, firefighters, and police officers just like the rest of America\u2019s workers.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=491", "Rep. Jackson Leads Colleagues in Support of Texas\u2019 Cotton Industry", "2022-12-14", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ronny Jackson", "J000304", "jackson.house.gov", "jackson", "https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 Today, Representative Ronny Jackson (TX-13) and two of his West Texas colleagues, Representatives Jodey Arrington (TX-19) and August Pfluger (TX-11), led a letter to House and Senate Appropriations Committee leadership in support of Texas\u2019 cotton industry. Specifically, the letter calls for funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s (USDA) Emergency Relief Program (ERP) for the 2022 crop year and adequate assistance for cotton infrastructure\u2013especially cotton gins\u2013to help mitigate the devastating production losses farmers and ranchers have experienced this past year.\n\nJackson said: \u201cTexas\u2019 cotton farmers help clothe the world, making their operations critical to the state and global economy. Texas is the largest cotton-producing state in the country with the High Plains region alone accounting for 65% of production. The devastating drought we experienced this year is a serious threat to everything our cotton farmers have built, and it is not something Congress can ignore. The cotton industry is critical to the success and vibrancy of the communities I represent in TX-13. I am proud to lead my colleagues in this effort to help ensure Texas\u2019 cotton farmers have the resources they need to be successful for future generations and that cotton gins can weather the devastating effects of this year\u2019s drought.\u201d\n\nArrington said: \u201cAgriculture is the lifeblood of rural economies like West Texas, and all Americans benefit from a safe, affordable, and abundant source of food. Unfortunately, producers across the nation have experienced unprecedented challenges this year \u2014 from historic drought conditions to record input costs, supply chain disruptions, and labor shortages. Congress must maintain a reliable and stable food supply to ensure food security for all Americans.\u201d\n\nPfluger said: \u201cTexas\u2019 agriculture producers, and the programs that allow them to continue to operate, are critical to National Security. Our farmers and ranchers have suffered through several tough years. Without an extension of the Emergency Relief Program (ERP), this year\u2019s losses will be devastating to our communities that support and depend on agriculture. Congress must provide this relief immediately.\u201d\n\nPlains Cotton Growers Inc. CEO Kody Bessent said: \u201cPlains Cotton Growers Inc. fully supports the request for an extension of the Emergency Relief Program funding for the 2022 crop year. In addition, we support that adequate assistance be allocated to cotton infrastructure segments to help mitigate the economic challenges they continue to face. Texas has been plagued by one of the most catastrophic droughts on record in 2022, which has had a detrimental effect on our cotton producers and infrastructure segments, particularly cotton gins. PCG fully supports and appreciates the bipartisan effort led by Representatives Ronny Jackson, Jodey Arrington and August Pfluger, along with additional House and Senate members, acknowledging the challenges faced by the cotton industry. We look forward to working with Congress to ensure these key initiatives are addressed in the upcoming omni legislative package.\u201d\n\nTexas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening said: \u201c Texas Farm Bureau appreciates Congressmen Ronny Jackson, Jodey Arrington and August Pfluger for leading a bipartisan letter to key appropriators requesting disaster funding be extended through the 2022 crop year. We are also glad the letter addresses the needs of cotton gins that have faced economic challenges due to staggering crop losses this year. We urge the inclusion of these provisions in the FY2023 appropriations package and look forward to continuing to work toward solutions that will keep farmers and ranchers in operation.\u201d\n\nThe full letter can be found here. Additional cosigners include Representatives Kevin Brady (TX-08), Pete Sessions (TX-17), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Louie Gohmert (TX-01), Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15), Michael Cloud (TX-27), Lance Gooden (TX-05), Troy Nehls (TX-22), Pat Fallon (TX-04), Jake Ellzey (TX-06), and Brian Babin (TX-36).\n\nBackground:\n\nTX-13 is the top-rated agriculture district in Texas and is the second largest cotton district in the country.\n\nIn September 2021, Congress authorized emergency relief funding, which included language Jackson authored, for production losses endured during the 2020 and 2021 calendar years.\n\nIn January 2022, Jackson led his colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary Vilsack calling on the USDA to administer the disaster relief payments authorized by Congress without delay. In response, the USDA established two multi-phase programs, including ERP.\n\nJackson is now leading efforts for the successful ERP program to be reauthorized for the 2022 crop year.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-roy-introduces-bill-stop-dc-funding-illegal-alien-voting", "Rep. Roy introduces bill to stop D.C. from funding illegal alien voting", "2022-12-14", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Chip Roy", "R000614", "roy.house.gov", "roy", "https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014 On Wednesday, Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) introduced a bill (H.R. 9557) to stop the District of Columbia from using federal funds to allow non-citizens to vote in any election.\n\nRep. Roy\u2019s bill comes after the D.C. city government recently passed a measure that would allow illegal aliens to vote in local elections. The bill was first introduced in the Senate by Ted Cruz (R-TX).\n\nRep. Roy said:\n\nThe privilege and duty to vote this Republic\u2019s elections is, and should remain, reserved for citizens. The D.C. Council\u2019s recent effort to allow non-citizens to vote is just another example of the radical left\u2019s insane and reckless governance of our nation\u2019s capital, which has also precipitated riots, lawlessness, and a homelessness crisis in recent years. It is high time for Congress to reassert its constitutional control over DC; that\u2019s why I'm proud to work with my longtime friend Senator Cruz to restore common sense to its elections.\n\nSen. Cruz said:\n\n\u201cVoting is a distinct right and privilege that American citizens enjoy in the United States. It is a responsibility, not to be treated lightly, and it must be protected. Voters decide not only who will lead our country, our cities and communities, but also how our tax dollars should be spent and what policies we should adopt. Even the Washington Post agrees that non-citizen voting is a terrible idea. Allowing non-citizens and illegal immigrants to vote in our elections opens our country up to foreign influence, and allows those who are openly violating U.S. law or even working for hostile foreign governments to take advantage and direct our resources against our will.\u201d\n\nHouse co-sponsors of the bill include Reps. Dan Bishop, Ann Wagner, Matt Gaetz, Paul Gosar, Pete Sessions, Bob Good, Gary Palmer, Brian Babin, and Ted Budd.\n\nOrganizations in support include NumbersUSA, the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), and Heritage Action for America.\n\nNumbersUSA said:\n\n\"The D.C. Council's move to allow noncitizens to vote in D.C. elections defies both common sense and good governance. Beyond the absurdity of the leaders in Washington, D.C. begging for Federal assistance with their recent \"surge\" of 8,200 illegal aliens while simultaneously offering them the right to vote if they come, it is totally unconscionable that the district that serves as the seat of our Federal government would actively work to dilute the votes of American citizens with the votes of all resident foreign nationals, including the embassy staff who live and work in D.C. on behalf of governments like Russia and China. We applaud Congressman Roy for working to stop this absurd policy and protect the voting rights of all Americans in the District of Columbia.\u201d\n\nFAIR said:\n\n\"Two and a half centuries ago, our nation was founded on the principle that sovereign people should determine their own destinies. In October, the city council of our Nation\u2019s capital fundamentally violated that founding principle in an effort to empower noncitizens \u2013 including illegal aliens and employees at embassies of governments that are openly hostile to the United States \u2013 to determine the outcome of local elections. The right to vote is at the very core of the principle of self-determination and what it means to be a citizen. This action of the D.C. city council, and a mayor who refused to veto it, is the next and most damaging step in an ongoing effort to erase any distinction between American citizens and noncitizens. We applaud Congressman Roy for stepping up to the plate in an effort to address this radical measure.\u201d\n\nFull text of the bill can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://gonzales.house.gov/2022/12/gonzales-cuellar-cornyn-manchin-urge-biden-extend-title-42-order", "Gonzales, Cuellar, Cornyn, Manchin Urge Biden to Extend Title 42 Order", "2022-12-13", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Tony Gonzales", "G000594", "gonzales.house.gov", "gonzales", "https://gonzales.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Representatives Tony Gonzales (TX-R) and Henry Cuellar (TX-D) and Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and John Cornyn (R-TX) on Tuesday urged President Joe Biden to extend the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC\u2019s) Title 42 order beyond the December 21st deadline.\n\nThe Members said in part, \u201cWe have a crisis at our southern border. Never before in our nation\u2019s history have we experienced this scope and scale of illegal border crossings, and we remain concerned that your administration has not provided sufficient support or resources to the men and women of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) who are tasked with maintaining border security.\n\nIn May 2022, DHS Secretary Mayorkas stated that the he was anticipating as many as 18,000 unlawful crossings per day once Title 42 was lifted. Based on recent court filings, DHS is almost completely reliant on Title 42 to control migration from Mexico and the Northern Triangle: the vast majority of Mexicans, Guatemalans, Hondurans, and Salvadorans encountered by U.S. Border Patrol along the border in October 2022 were expelled under Title 42 rather than processed under Title 8.\n\nThe Members continued, \u201cWe are committed to enacting bipartisan legislation that will allow DHS to effectively implement policies and programs that have been revealed as critical to maintaining operational control over the southern border, and do not involve paroling large numbers of migrants into the United States to undergo months- or years-long processes. These negotiations will take time. In the interim, we urge you to do everything within your power to extend the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC\u2019s) Title 42 order beyond the looming December 21st deadline until Congress can act.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://gooden.house.gov/press-releases?ID=E2006483-0C1A-4E44-A176-CB5716471972", "ICYMI: Gooden Joins America\u2019s Newsroom to Discuss Bankman-Fried Arrest", "2022-12-13", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Lance Gooden", "G000589", "gooden.house.gov", "gooden", "https://gooden.house.gov/press-releases", "page_html", "WASHINGTON \u2013 On Tuesday, Congressman Lance Gooden (R-Texas) joined America\u2019s Newsroom to discuss the arrest of FTX founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, as well as his desire to see politicians in Washington work with the bankruptcy court to return political donations to the victims of the FTX scam.\n\nClick here or on the image above to watch the full interview.\n\nInterview excerpts:\n\n\u201cWe are disappointed in the Justice Department for making this move when they did\u2026 I don\u2019t understand why the Justice Department would not want him on record today in a hearing. I really do not understand why the Justice Department would not want that testimony.\u201d\n\n\u201cHe stole money to fund a lavish lifestyle, to prop up his house of cards, and he used it to funnel quite a bit of donations to politicians here in Washington. This is not like taking a donation from a racist like Kanye West and saying I\u2019m going to donate it to charity. This is stolen money that needs to be paid back. And if you\u2019re a politician who took money, I think you should plan to work with the bankruptcy court. I think it\u2019s important that politicians in Washington send a message that we don\u2019t support this, and we are working to make people whole.\u201d\n\nCongressman Gooden is a member of the House Financial Services Committee and was scheduled to question Sam Bankman-Fried during a committee hearing today.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-03-30T11:08:25Z"], ["https://nehls.house.gov/media/press-releases/congress-presses-biden-administration-over-grant-colombian-lgbt-group", "Congress Presses Biden Administration over grant to Colombian LGBT group supporting prostitution", "2022-12-13", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Troy E. Nehls", "N000026", "nehls.house.gov", "nehls", "https://nehls.house.gov/media", "scraper", "Washington Examiner\n\nBy Gabe Kaminsky\n\nDecember 13, 2022\n\nEXCLUSIVE \u2014 Republican members of Congress are pressing President Joe Biden's State Department for answers after the Washington Examiner revealed the agency handed taxpayer dollars to a Colombian LGBT nonprofit group that engages in prostitution advocacy.\n\nIn September, the State Department awarded a $16,000 grant to Fundacion Sentiido, which is funded by left-wing billionaire George Soros and calls on Colombia's government to expand \"sex worker\" rights in the crime-ridden country.\n\nNow, Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) and three GOP members are demanding Secretary of State Antony Blinken provide clarity on whether public funds were used to \"further prostitution\" and are concerned the grant \"will contribute to the spread of sexual exploitation\" in Colombia, according to a letter obtained by the Washington Examiner.\n\n\"Colombia has refused to outlaw prostitution, and its population suffers from high rates of sex trafficking and human rights abuses as a result,\" Nehls, as well as Reps. Chip Roy of Texas, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, and Andrew Clyde of Georgia, wrote in the Monday letter. \"By funding Sentiido, we can only conclude that the Biden Administration condones these activities in Colombia and Latin America.\"\n\nSentiido trains Colombians on \"gender, sexual diversity, and social change,\" its website says. The organization has advocated prostitution rights since at least 2014 in Colombia \u2014 where the practice is legal.\n\nSex trafficking and human rights abuses are rampant in Colombia, and the State Department concluded in a 2021 report that the country's government has failed to \"proactively investigate, prosecute, or convict cases of forced labor.\"\n\nIn addition, armed organizations often force women and young girls into sexual \"webcam modeling\" and lure them into sexual activities through drugging, the report said. Colombian children are at high risk of being forced into prostitution and sexually exploited, the U.S. government has found.\n\nOn Nov. 3, on the heels of the State Department's grant beginning its initial Oct. 15 disbursement, Sentiido hosted a webinar featuring three prostitute speakers that was called \"Stand in my corner: trans-feminism and sex worker rights activism.\" The organization also published a September 2020 article blasting the idea of further industry regulation and has claimed \"webcam sex work\" protects prostitutes from \"economic exploitation.\"\n\n\"It's unacceptable that U.S. tax dollars are funding nonprofits engaged in prostitution advocacy and radical gender indoctrination on children,\" Nehls told the Washington Examiner. \"It comes as no surprise that the Biden Administration approved this funding to be sent to an organization in a country that does not share our same American values.\"\n\nA spokesperson for the State Department previously told the Washington Examiner its Sentiido grant was \"in support of American values,\" noting that \"U.S. citizens benefit from a world that is safer and more prosperous for all.\"\n\nThroughout 2020, Sentiido promoted a variety of COVID-19 \"emergency funds\" that funneled resources to prostitutes and related prostitution union networks, records show. One such fund was by the Mexican Alliance of Sex Workers, which gives money to \"homeless trans sex workers,\" according to its Facebook account.\n\nNehls and the lawmakers are asking Blinken to \"elaborate\" on how the agency is furthering its mission by funding Sentiido. This mission includes representing \"America's foreign policy abroad\" and advancing \"the interests and security of the American people,\" said the Republicans.\n\nThe lawmakers also want to know what the State Department has done to ensure taxpayer funds have not been used to \"promote prostitution.\"\n\n\"Americans should not have to fear that their hard-earned tax dollars will be funneled to far-left, radical groups like Fundacion Sentiido that promote prostitution and further sex trafficking abroad,\" said the Republicans in their letter.\n\n\"We must rein in wasteful and harmful government spending, especially to countries who clearly do not share our American values, and we ask the Department of State to do the same,\" the letter continued.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/permanent-amnesty-temporary-band-aids-rep-roy-warns-senate-republicans-against", "\u2018Permanent amnesty for temporary band aids\u2019: Rep. Roy warns Senate Republicans against \u2018undeniably foolish\u2019 amnesty framework", "2022-12-13", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Chip Roy", "R000614", "roy.house.gov", "roy", "https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014 On Monday, Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21), joined by five of his House colleagues, publicly called on Senate Republicans to reject the amnesty immigration deal currently being discussed by some members of the chamber.\n\n\u201cIt would be a grave mistake to allow years of the Left\u2019s vociferous calls for amnesty to distract us from our goal of securing the border,\u201d the Members wrote. \u201cWe must not confuse border security for immigration. We must stand firm and remain focused on fixing what the American people sent us to Washington to fix. Blank checks for false security measures and amnesty of any kind while our country endures this historical border crisis must be fiercely resisted.\u201d\n\nThey reminded Senate Republicans that sending the Biden Administration more money for processing migrants will do nothing to stop them from continuing to abuse our border security laws by releasing millions of illegal migrants into the interior United States.\n\nThe Members listed some of the policy changes \u2013 such as those in the Texas Delegation\u2019s new border security framework - that would actually secure the border. These include forcing the Biden Administration to fully detain or turn away illegal migrants, and requiring DHS to remove them from the interior.\n\n\u201cThere will never be a magic level of spending, a magic number of beds, a magic number of agents and officers, or a magic number of facilities to secure our border. Policy changes that force the administration to enforce the law at the border and in the interior is the only way to fully secure the border,\u201d the Members concluded. \u201cWe must demand these changes in the 118th congress.\u201d\n\nFull text of the letter can be found here and below.\n\nDear Senate Republican Colleagues,\n\nAll of us share a sense of urgency for action to secure our southern border and support engagement by Congress to do so given the malfeasance of the Biden administration. But we write to warn that any such conversation must begin and end with complete border security \u2013 ending the flow across the border by forcing the administration to \u201cdetain or turn away\u201d rather than \u201cencounter and release.\u201d\n\nFor nearly two years, the border crisis has caused both Americans and migrants alike to be hurt, killed, and abused while President Biden and his Secretary of Homeland Security deem it relatively \u201cunimportant\u201d and publicly lie about border agents. In January 2021, the Biden administration had every tool, resource, and policy needed to manage security at our southern border. But the administration has since stripped our border security bare while purposefully abusing our laws and mass releasing illegal migrants, creating a dangerous - and lethal - situation for both migrants and Americans. This is exemplified by the over 72,000 dead Americans from fentanyl poisonings and the estimated 900 migrants who have died trying to cross the border in FY22.\n\nMore than 4 million illegal migrants have been encountered at our southern border since President Biden took office. The Biden administration has released between 1-2 million of these illegal migrants into the interior. They have done so by abusing laws such as asylum and parole \u2013 designed to help in narrow, specific situations \u2013 to invite a purposeful flood at the border, which keeps Customs and Border Protection (CBP) off the line and unable to stop the estimated 1 million known \u201cgot-aways\u201d and thousands of pounds of fentanyl. And now, as courts and the administration try to end the availability of Title 42, the floodgates stand to open further.\n\nOf course, we know precisely how to solve this problem. We can secure our border by forcing the administration to use its power to turn away and/or fully detain illegal migrants at our southern border. We can build infrastructure that cannot be disregarded by a transitioning administration. We can require DHS to remove illegal migrants from the interior. We can target and root out cartels if we stay focused on securing the border. And we can work with Mexico to do these things. In fact, the Texas delegation \u2013 which knows the border intimately \u2013 came together last week as a group and introduced exactly this plan, and many of our fellow border state colleagues have bills that will accomplish these goals as well.\n\nYet, news accounts \u2013 and statements by certain Senators \u2013 indicate there are Senate discussions about a \u201cframework\u201d that will not do these things, and will instead provide, effectively, more funding for processing and a pathway to citizenship for millions of people who broke our laws. Doing so will only attract more flow, not less \u2013 risking more deaths, more sex trafficking, more empowerment of cartels, more fentanyl poisonings, and more destruction of American life and property. It defies logic to pursue such a path if the goal is securing our border and preventing more illegal immigration.\n\nTo couple amnesty with policies disguised as border security that will only provide for processing more migrants is undeniably foolish. Worse, current discussions of providing a mere extension of Title 42 authority - a limited tool based on halting communicable disease, is in jeopardy in the courts, and which the Biden Administration chooses not to enforce fully anyway \u2013 along with funding for more processing centers, and more personnel will simply accelerate this crisis. To discuss a permanent amnesty for temporary band aids is a twin catastrophe. The worst thing we could do is attract more people for the cartels to prey upon.\n\nOur border patrol agents undoubtedly need assistance at our border, but without crucial policy changes, every dollar, every additional facility, every additional judge, and every additional officer and agent Congress provides Biden\u2019s DHS with will be used to process and release illegal migrants into our interior more efficiently and expeditiously. There will never be a magic level of spending, a magic number of beds, a magic number of agents and officers, or a magic number of facilities to secure our border. Policy changes that force the administration to enforce the law at the border and in the interior is the only way to fully secure the border. We must demand these changes in the 118th congress.\n\nIt would be a grave mistake to allow years of the Left\u2019s vociferous calls for amnesty to distract us from our goal of securing the border. We must not confuse border security for immigration. We must stand firm and remain focused on fixing what the American people sent us to Washington to fix. Blank checks for false security measures and amnesty of any kind while our country endures this historical border crisis must be fiercely resisted.\n\nSincerely,\n\nChip Roy\n\nMember of Congress\n\nJodey Arrington\n\nMember of Congress\n\nBrian Babin\n\nMember of Congress\n\nTom McClintock\n\nMember of Congress\n\nAndy Biggs\n\nMember of Congress\n\nYvette Herrell\n\nMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://arrington.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=892", "Arrington: \u201cThe States are Last Line of Defense Against a Lawless and Derelict President\u201d", "2022-12-12", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Jodey C. Arrington", "A000375", "arrington.house.gov", "arrington", "https://arrington.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Representative Jodey Arrington released the following statement in response to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reports that there have been over 16,000 apprehensions at the southern border in the last 48 hours:\n\n\u201cWe\u2019ve seen over 16,000 illegal crossings at the southern border in just the last 48 hours, on top of over 200,000 apprehensions a month for the last eight months. We have experienced record drugs, crime, and terrorist suspects pouring into our communities over the last two years while the Biden Administration has utterly failed to enforce the laws, defend our borders, and protect our citizens.\n\n\u201cAll state officials in border states should declare an invasion and immediately apprehend, deport, and secure the border! I have introduced a resolution \u2014 with nearly 70 co-sponsors representing more than 25 states \u2014 affirming states\u2019 constitutional right of self-defense when their citizens are in \u2018imminent danger.\u2019\n\n\u201cThis is the most clear and present threat to the safety and security of the American people, and the states are our last line of defense against a lawless and derelict President who has aided and abetted an invasion by narco-terrorist drug cartels.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=487", "Rep. Jackson Announces Water Infrastructure Wins for Wichita Falls, MSU", "2022-12-12", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ronny Jackson", "J000304", "jackson.house.gov", "jackson", "https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 Last week, Representative Ronny Jackson (TX-13) voted in favor of the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 (WRDA), which included two key wins for Wichita Falls and Midwestern State University (MSU).\n\nEvery two years, Congress considers the WRDA, which makes key investments in water infrastructure projects and provides the authority needed to address water supply and infrastructure needs across the country. This year\u2019s WRDA contained a provision to allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to engage with MSU and the City of Wichita Falls on a proposal to restore and maintain Sikes Lake. It will also determine the feasibility of moving the lake\u2019s dredging under the control of the USACE, which is a priority for Wichita Falls and MSU. Additionally, this year\u2019s WRDA authorized expedited completion of a Red River Chloride Control Project to purify water in the Wichita Falls area to ensure the city, Sheppard Air Force Base, and surrounding communities have safe drinking water for years to come.\n\nJackson said: \u201cThe people and industries of Wichita Falls provide extraordinary value on the local, state, and national levels. By prioritizing these projects, Congress has recognized that effective water infrastructure systems are critical in economically vibrant communities such as Wichita Falls. The people of Wichita Falls have my support as we pursue solutions to the challenges faced at Sikes Lake and with water quality in the greater Wichita Falls area.\u201d\n\nJuliAnn Mazachek, Ph.D., President of Midwestern State University said: \u201cWe truly appreciate Congressman Jackson and his hard work to secure a feasibility study for Sikes Lake, in the recently passed Water Resource Development Act of 2022. This is an important first step for Midwestern State University as we work in collaboration with state, county, and city governments on innovative solutions to address the challenges of Sikes Lake so that our campus and the Wichita Falls community may continue to enjoy the area.\u201d\n\nRandy Whiteman, General Manager of the Red River Authority of Texas said: \u201cThe Red River Authority of Texas has been a partner with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the Red River Chloride Control Program (RRCCP) since its inception. As the nonfederal sponsor for the program, we have seen firsthand the benefits in reduced nitrates in the Red River Basin and the area lakes. Those benefiting include communities and industries serviced by the City of Wichita Falls such as Shepard Air Force Base, Dundee Fish Hatchery\u2013the largest in Texas, and Wichita County Water Improvement District #2 which provides irrigation to Wichita County farms and cooling water for the Oklaunion Power Plant. The RRCCP for years has operated with only one active dam and pump station. Additional funding to complete the project will allow the treatment of at least two additional tributaries and reduce the chloride level two to threefold from its current level, thus providing additional benefits for the entire basin and those downstream.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://mccaul.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/house-passes-ndaa-mccaul-provisions", "House Passes NDAA With McCaul Provisions", "2022-12-09", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Michael T. McCaul", "M001157", "mccaul.house.gov", "mccaul", "https://mccaul.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) released the following statement on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the 2023 fiscal year. The legislation passed the House with broad bipartisan support.\n\n\"Texas is home to 15 military bases and more than 150 thousand servicemen and women \u2014 the second most in the nation. This year\u2019s NDAA will increase their pay, eliminate the president\u2019s authoritarian COVID vaccine mandate, and address the flow of fentanyl into our nation. I was proud to vote for this bill, which exceeded the president\u2019s national defense budget request by $45 million \u2014 sending a clear message that America still supports our troops and will never back down in the face of global threats.\u201d\n\nRep. McCaul\u2019s provisions included in the NDAA:\n\nPEACE Through Music Diplomacy Act\n\n\u201cMusic transcends language and culture barriers like nothing else. My bill will leverage the power of music to bring people together and advance U.S. foreign policy goals across the globe.\u201d\n\nShark Fin Sales Elimination Act\n\n\"The gruesome practice of maiming sharks \u2014 often while they are still alive \u2014 and dumping them back in the ocean is not only inhumane; it\u2019s also devastating to the marine ecosystem and harmful to the economy. I\u2019m thankful my colleagues joined me in working to end this practice and keep sharks from extinction.\u201d\n\nClick here for a list of Rep. McCaul\u2019s foreign affairs-related provisions in the NDAA.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://weber.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1492", "Rep. Weber leads letter to DOE requesting a 6-month extension for HVAC installations", "2022-12-09", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Randy K. Weber, Sr.", "W000814", "weber.house.gov", "weber", "https://weber.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Randy Weber (TX-14), along with Reps. Van Taylor (TX-3), Ken Calvert (CA-42), Brett Guthrie (KY-2), David Kustoff (TN-8), David Valadao (CA-21), and Byron Donalds (FL-19), sent a letter to Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm requesting a six-month extension of the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) standards deadline.\n\nThe current deadline to install SEER-14 equipment is January 1, 2023. This extension would provide home builders with adequate time to install heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment that is currently in compliance with SEER requirements but has not yet been installed due to construction delays and supply chain issues. Otherwise, homebuilders would be forced to install SEER-15 equipment, while still holding a significant inventory of the soon-to-be-outdated SEER-14 stock.\n\n\u201cThe supply chain crisis and subsequent construction delays have had a dramatic impact on costs for builders, homebuyers,\u201d the letter states. \u201cThis comes at a time when the country is already experiencing a growing housing affordability crisis. Building material prices are up 47 percent since the spring of 2020, and Fannie Mae estimates that the monthly principal and interest payment to purchase a median-priced home has risen by $500 since the beginning of the year due to the rapid rise in mortgage rates.\u201d\n\n\u201cTherefore, we urge DOE to extend the energy efficiency standards installation deadline for HVAC equipment by six months as a reasonable safeguard to avoid unnecessary delays and cost increases for home construction. This extension will further provide home builders and home buyers with greater certainty regarding their construction plans at a time when many details and costs are outside of their control.\u201d\n\nRead the full letter here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://arrington.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=885", "Arrington Leads Texas Republican Delegation in Unveiling Border Security Plan for 118th Congress", "2022-12-08", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Jodey C. Arrington", "A000375", "arrington.house.gov", "arrington", "https://arrington.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "\u201cTexas is under siege from this invasion every day and our delegation is tired of watching the Biden Administration have \u2018more important things to do than protect our fellow Texans and Americans from cartels, terrorists, fentanyl traffickers, human traffickers, human smugglers, and murderers,\u201d Rep. Roy said. \u201cWe are committing ourselves to secure our southern border; we will not accept anything less, and this framework outlines what it\u2019s going to take to get the job done.\u201d\n\n\u201cFrom day one, the Lone Star State has had to fill the void left by a president who abandoned our southern border,\u201d said Congressman Brian Babin, Border Security Caucus Co-Chair. \u201cWith the Texas Border Commitment as our framework, we will work with leaders in the state and across the country to ensure that our laws are enforced and the nation is once again protected. Joe Biden will learn what so many already have: Don\u2019t mess with Texas!\u201d\n\n\u201cI spent more than 20 years as a federal prosecutor and served as Chairman of Homeland Security, but I have never seen the border this broken \u2014 and we have President Biden\u2019s policies to blame for that,\u201d said Congressman McCaul. \u201cAs Republican Leader on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I\u2019m urging the State Department to negotiate solutions with our neighboring countries and will continue holding the Biden administration accountable for the crisis it has inflicted on all Americans \u2014 especially Texans.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs migrants and fentanyl continue to pour over our southern border, the Biden Administration sits idly by and refuses to even acknowledge this devastating crisis,\u201d Rep. Crenshaw said. \u201cTexas continues to bear the brunt of this mess, and Biden\u2019s inaction speaks volumes. Come January 3rd, House Republicans will do everything in our power to secure our border and put an end to this national security crisis.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://arrington.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=887", "Arrington Secures Key Funding for Dyess Air Force Base and National Defense", "2022-12-08", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Jodey C. Arrington", "A000375", "arrington.house.gov", "arrington", "https://arrington.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Representative Jodey Arrington issued the following statement after voting in support of the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which cleared the House of Representatives with overwhelming bipartisan support.\n\n\u201cThe defense authorization bill, while not perfect, provides the necessary resources for our warfighters and weapon systems to defend our freedoms and counter our adversaries like China and Russia. I am pleased we were able to secure funding for Dyess Air Force Base, including investments for B-1 hypersonic integration and continued development of the B-21. Our national defense and military readiness is job one, and we responsibly advanced that mission in today\u2019s NDAA,\u201d said Rep. Arrington.\n\nDyess Air Force Base Wins:\n\n$10 million for B-1 hypersonic integration\n\n$4.9 billion for the B-21 Long Range Strike Bomber", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://arrington.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=888", "Arrington Addresses COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Repeal in NDAA", "2022-12-08", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Jodey C. Arrington", "A000375", "arrington.house.gov", "arrington", "https://arrington.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Representative Arrington (TX-19) released the following statement regarding the repeal of the Biden Administration\u2019s military COVID-19 vaccine mandate in the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023.\n\n\u201cI am proud that this NDAA not only gave our troops the resources necessary to be safe and successful, but repealed Biden\u2019s disastrous vaccine mandate \u2014 an irresponsible and heavy-handed policy that ruined many careers and caused us to lose some of our best warriors,\u201d said Rep. Arrington.\n\nSince the vaccine mandate went into effect, Biden\u2019s Department of Defense has discharged over 8,000 active duty service members for refusing the vaccine, including:\n\n3,717 Marines (Of the 3,733 Marines who requested religious exemptions from the mandate, only 11 were granted.)\n\n1,841 soldiers\n\n2,064 sailors\n\n834 airmen\n\nPotentially an additional 9,000 National Guard guardsmen\n\nThis reckless COVID-19 vaccine mandate took place as the Army fell 15,000 soldiers short of their recruitment goal for Fiscal Year 2022, missing by 25 percent.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://arrington.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=889", "Arrington Statement on Respect for Marriage Act", "2022-12-08", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Jodey C. Arrington", "A000375", "arrington.house.gov", "arrington", "https://arrington.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Representative Jodey Arrington (TX-19) made the following statement after voting against legislation in the House of Representatives that would codify same sex marriage:\n\n\u201cThe Democrat-led Senate amendment to HR 8404 \u2014 which codifies same sex marriage \u2014 would fundamentally alter the definition of traditional marriage by terminating the bipartisan Defense of Marriage Act. Furthermore, this legislation fails to protect the religious liberty of all Americans and is also, unfortunately, being used as political fodder to weaponize interracial marriage \u2013 which is distinct from same-sex marriage and has long been supported in this country.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://carter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1652", "Carter, Texas Delegation Unveil Border Security Plan Ahead of Republican Takeover of the House", "2022-12-08", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John R. Carter", "C001051", "carter.house.gov", "carter", "https://carter.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Representative John Carter (TX-31) joined the Texas Delegation in unveiling a comprehensive border security strategy ahead of Republicans taking the majority in the House. The plan, a culmination of several pieces of legislation developed from members of the Texas delegation, will complete physical infrastructure, improve border enforcement, end asylum loopholes, and target cartels. Representative Carter's Updated Standards for Asylum (USA) Act, which would punish fraudulent asylum claims with a fine and up to 10 years of prison, is included in the plan.\n\nRepresentative John Carter (TX-31) joined the Texas Delegation in unveiling a comprehensive border security strategy ahead of Republicans taking the majority in the House. The plan, a culmination of several pieces of legislation developed from members of the Texas delegation, will complete physical infrastructure, improve border enforcement, end asylum loopholes, and target cartels. Representative Carter's Updated Standards for Asylum (USA) Act, which would punish fraudulent asylum claims with a fine and up to 10 years of prison, is included in the plan.\n\n###\n\nRelated News\n\nCarter, Malliotakis Introduce Legislation to Prohibit Migrant Shelters on U.S. Military Bases\n\nSeptember 19, 2023 | Posted in Press Releases\n\nCarter's Secure the Border Act Passes House\n\nMay 11, 2023 | Posted in Press Releases\n\nCarter's Protection of Children Act Included in Historic Border Security Legislation\n\nMay 10, 2023 | Posted in Press Releases\n\nRep. Carter Introduces the USA Act\n\nApril 8, 2022 | Posted in Press Releases", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://gonzales.house.gov/2022/12/congressman-tony-gonzales-supports-passage-fy23-national-defense-authorization", "Congressman Tony Gonzales Supports Passage of FY23 National Defense Authorization Act", "2022-12-08", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Tony Gonzales", "G000594", "gonzales.house.gov", "gonzales", "https://gonzales.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) on Wednesday released the following statement after the House passage of the FY2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA):\n\n\u201cAs a 20-year Navy veteran, I am proud to support this year\u2019s NDAA. This funding package bolsters our ability to counter adversaries such as China and Russia, rescinds the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for servicemembers, grants a pay raise to our troops, and includes provisions to improve the quality of life and well-being of our military personnel and their families,\u201d said Congressman Gonzales. \u201cTo address the ongoing national security threat at our southern border, this package also provides our Border Patrol agents with much-needed technology and life-saving training to prevent secondary exposure to deadly fentanyl. I will always support the men and women bravely defending our nation.\u201d\n\nThe NDAA contains new funding authorizations for TX-23 totaling $108 million:\n\n$29 Million for Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA)-Randolph Child Development Center\n\n$5.4 Million for completing BMT Dormitory at JBSA-Lackland\n\n$58.6 Million for JBSA Ambulatory Care Center Replacement (Dental)\n\n$15 Million for Fort Bliss Fire Station\n\nFlood Risk management project for economically disadvantaged communities in El Paso County\n\nExtension of 2018 Project Authorizations\n\nJBSA BMT Classrooms/Dining Facility\n\nJBSA Camp Bullis Dining Facility\n\nIt includes the following provisions to combat the border crisis:\n\nRequires the President to submit a report on past and current bilateral security and law enforcement cooperation with Mexico; a summary of Mexico\u2019s efforts to strengthen judicial processes for cartel-related crimes; cartel control of Mexican territory and its impact on U.S. national security\n\nRequires the Director of National Intelligence to report to Congress on how mass migration at the southern border poses a threat to national security; the threat of Latin American and Caribbean regimes using mass migration as a way to collect greater remittances and impose instability at the U.S. southern border\n\nRequires training for Customs and Border Protection agents on the use of containment devices to prevent secondary exposure to fentanyl and other lethal substances\n\nAuthorizes $2 million for Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security to develop and execute a plan to counter illicit cross-border tunnel operations\n\nEstablishes a program to measure how successful, the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Customs and Border Protection technologies and strategies are for detecting trafficked fentanyl and precursor chemicals at ports of entry\n\nEstablishes a centralized data-sharing capability between Customs and Border Protection technologies and the Coast Guard\n\nIt also includes the following provisions to strengthen our national defense and benefit our men and women in uniform:\n\nAuthorizes funding to support a 4.6% pay raise for military servicemembers and the Department of Defense civilian workforce\n\nIncreases maximum amounts for bonus and special pay authorities for servicemembers in certain critical-skill positions\n\nExpands the scope of financial reimbursement related to spouse relicensing and business costs arising from a permanent change of station\n\nInitiates a pilot program to reimburse military families for certain childcare costs related to a permanent change of station\n\nEnsures servicemembers have access to quality housing, including by: extending the authority to adjust the basic allowance for housing in high-cost areas\n\nRequires a briefing on the feasibility and advisability of implementing certain reforms related to suicide prevention among members of the Armed Forces\n\nRequires establishment of a comprehensive initiative for brain health, the Warfighter Brain Health Initiative, to improve cognitive performance and brain health of servicemembers\n\nMakes improvements relating to behavioral health care in the military health system", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=486", "Rep. Jackson Secures Victories for TX-13\u2019s Defense Interests, Servicemembers Impacted by COVID Vaccine Mandate", "2022-12-08", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ronny Jackson", "J000304", "jackson.house.gov", "jackson", "https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 Today, Representative Ronny Jackson (TX-13) voted in favor of the Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Through Jackson\u2019s work on the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), numerous provisions were included in the final version of the NDAA to support the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, the Bell facility in Amarillo, Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, the larger defense-focused workforce in Texas\u2019 13th Congressional District, and servicemembers who have been unjustly targeted by the Biden Administration\u2019s absurd COVID-19 vaccine mandate.\n\nJackson said: \u201cAs a retired Rear Admiral and member of the House Armed Services Committee, I am committed to ensuring our country has a strong military and that our district remains a critical part of our national security. With the passage of this year\u2019s NDAA, I am proud that the provisions I have championed, and the work I have been part of, help accomplish those goals. Advocating for Pantex, Bell, Sheppard Air Force Base, and the larger defense-focused workforce in our district has been one of the most special aspects of my first term in Congress. Next year, I will be eager to build on this work and to watch our servicemembers thrive now that I have been successful in ending Joe Biden\u2019s ridiculous vaccine mandate.\u201d\n\nHASC Ranking Member Mike Rogers (AL-03) said: \u201cRep. Ronny Jackson championed multiple critical provisions in the FY23 NDAA including pushing for nuclear modernization. Additionally, he played a crucial role in securing $23M above President Biden\u2019s request for the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft. He has also continued to be a steadfast advocate for the men and women at Sheppard Air Force Base. I thank Rep. Jackson for his leadership on the House Armed Services Committee.\u201d\n\nFor additional background on Jackson\u2019s work on the FY23 NDAA, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://mccaul.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-mccaul-texas-republicans-unveil-border-security-plan-118th-congress", "Rep. McCaul, Texas Republicans Unveil Border Security Plan for 118th Congress", "2022-12-08", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Michael T. McCaul", "M001157", "mccaul.house.gov", "mccaul", "https://mccaul.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (Texas-10) joined the Texas Republican delegation in unveiling their border security plan \u2014 a Commitment to Secure the Border \u2014 for the 118th Congress.\n\nImage\n\nClick to watch Congressman McCaul's remarks\n\nOn the crisis at our southern border: \u201cI was the chief of counterterrorism and national security in the state of Texas, a U.S. attorney for many years after 9/11, and I saw the threats coming in. But I have never seen it this bad.\u201d\n\nOn the Biden administration\u2019s decision to rescind Remain in Mexico: \u201cOn day one, President Biden rescinded Remain in Mexico, a policy that I worked with the Trump administration [on] to stop this crisis at our border. And you know what? The Migrant Protection Protocols worked. It was working. And just because it had Trump\u2019s name on it, they rescinded it on day one. Cartels know that, and now they have operational control over the border. How sad is that?\n\nOn how he\u2019ll work to secure the border next Congress: \u201cI\u2019m going to do everything in my power. I chaired [the Homeland Security Committee] for three terms; we\u2019re hopeful we\u2019ll have another Texan chairing the Homeland Security Committee. And in my role on the Foreign Affairs Committee, I\u2019m going to go down to Mexico and central America and talk about political asylum agreements, \u2018remain in country.\u2019 \u2026\n\n\u201c[Republicans] finally got [the border] fixed, and it\u2019s so sad to see it broken again. But you know what? In a new majority, we\u2019re going to fix it \u2014 once and for all.\u201d\n\nClick here for the Commitment to Secure the Border.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://nehls.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-troy-e-nehls-statement-after-voting-against-ndaa", "Rep. Troy E. Nehls' Statement After Voting Against NDAA", "2022-12-08", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Troy E. Nehls", "N000026", "nehls.house.gov", "nehls", "https://nehls.house.gov/media", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Troy E. Nehls (R-TX-22) issued the following statement after voting against the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA):\n\n\"Today, I voted against the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the Fiscal Year 2023\", said Congressman Nehls. \"This year's defense bill is a perfect reminder of why Washington is broken. For starters, the bill includes $800 million in additional Ukraine funding with no oversight. We requested an audit on the billions we've already given Ukraine, and the Democrats refused. Additionally, although the vaccine mandate for military members was stripped from the bill, it does not go far enough. We must rehire these heroes with mandatory backpay.\n\nI voted no because I believe our nation's troops and taxpayers deserve better.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-roy-texas-republican-delegation-unveil-border-security-plan-texans-texas", "Rep. Roy, Texas Republican Delegation unveil border security plan \u2018by Texans for Texas\u2019", "2022-12-08", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Chip Roy", "R000614", "roy.house.gov", "roy", "https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014 On Thursday, Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) stood alongside 22 Texas Republican House Members, and five Members-elect, to unveil the delegation\u2019s border security framework \u2014 a 13-page document outlining which policy changes are necessary to ensure a secure southern border.\n\n\u201cHouse Republicans have made a Commitment to America to secure the southern border as part of our priority to create a \u2018nation that is safe,\u2019 the plan reads. \u201cAs Members of Congress representing Texans and the southern border we commit to the same and offer these solutions to fulfill the goals of the Commitment to America.\u201d\n\nThe delegation\u2019s agenda is a framework by Texans for Texas, which includes four priority areas:\n\nComplete physical border infrastructure\n\nFix border enforcement policies\n\nEnforce our laws in the interior\n\nTarget cartels & criminal organizations\n\nRep. Roy said:\n\n\u201cTexas is under siege from this invasion every day and our delegation is tired of watching the Biden Administration have \u2018more important things to do\u2019 than protect our fellow Texans and Americans from cartels, terrorists, fentanyl traffickers, human traffickers, human smugglers, and murderers. We are committing ourselves to secure our southern border; we will not accept anything less, and this framework outlines what it\u2019s going to take to get the job done.\u201d\n\nRep. Jodey Arrington said:\n\n\u201cNo one understands or appreciates the widespread social and economic costs of Biden\u2019s unprecedented open border crisis like the people of Texas. It only makes sense for the Texas Delegation to lead the way in using every tool and authority to secure the border, defend our sovereignty, and protect our citizens \u2014 and all Americans \u2014 from this epic disaster.\u201d\n\nRep. Brian Babin said:\n\n\u201cFrom day one, the Lone Star State has had to fill the void left by a president who abandoned our southern border. With the Texas Border Commitment as our framework, we will work with leaders in the state and across the country to ensure that our laws are enforced and the nation is once again protected. Joe Biden will learn what so many already have: Don\u2019t mess with Texas!\u201d\n\nRep. Michael McCaul said:\n\n\u201cI spent more than 20 years as a federal prosecutor and served as Chairman of Homeland Security, but I have never seen the border this broken \u2014 and we have President Biden\u2019s policies to blame for that. As Republican Leader on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I\u2019m urging the State Department to negotiate solutions with our neighboring countries and will continue holding the Biden administration accountable for the crisis it has inflicted on all Americans \u2014 especially Texans.\u201d\n\nRep. Dan Crenshaw said:\n\n\u201cAs migrants and fentanyl continue to pour over our southern border, the Biden Administration sits idly by and refuses to even acknowledge this devastating crisis. Texas continues to bear the brunt of this mess, and Biden\u2019s inaction speaks volumes. Come January 3rd, House Republicans will do everything in our power to secure our border and put an end to this national security crisis.\u201d\n\nThe full plan can be found here. A supplementary document containing relevant, existing legislation introduced by the Texas delegation can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-roys-statement-2023-national-defense-authorization-act", "Rep. Roy's statement on the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act", "2022-12-08", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Chip Roy", "R000614", "roy.house.gov", "roy", "https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014On Thursday, Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) released the following statement after voting against the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act:\n\nThis National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) \u2014 a 4,408-page, $860 billion bill crafted behind closed doors, dropped on the House floor with less than 48 hours to read, and passed only by suspending the House\u2019s normal rules \u2014 is an insult to our military and the American people.\n\nOur military should be focused on defending our republic and defeating our enemies, full stop. It is ridiculous that this defense bill included things like the reauthorization of the Coral Reef Conservation Act and taxpayer funds to \u201ccombat vaccine hesitancy\u201d abroad, or a mandate to transition non-tactical military vehicles to electric vehicles. And while it drives us deeper in debt, the bill directs the DoD to support initiatives to provide \u201cdebt restructuring or relief to developing countries with unsustainable levels of debt.\u201d It also green lights the Pentagon to move forward with an abortion travel fund for service members and their families.\n\nThanks to the work of Republican leaders, this NDAA did not draft our daughters and took steps to protect unvaccinated service members. I am grateful for their hard work, but I could not support the final bill. I am indeed pleased that the bill rescinds the Biden Administration\u2019s disastrous military COVID-19 vaccine mandate, but it does not protect unvaccinated service members from retribution, reinstate those wrongfully fired over the mandate, or expunge the records of those who lost or face losing GI bill benefits as a result.\n\nI introduced legislation that would do all of these things; Republicans owe it to the heroes harmed by Biden\u2019s strategically foolish mandate to pass this or similar legislation next Congress. And we cannot stop there. Republicans should fight to eradicate every radical social experiment and climate project at the Pentagon and restore its focus to protecting our people and defending our interests.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://sessions.house.gov/2022/12/congressman-sessions-votes-on-fiscal-year-2022-ndaa", "Congressman Sessions Votes on Fiscal Year 2023 NDAA", "2022-12-08", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Pete Sessions", "S000250", "sessions.house.gov", "sessions", "https://sessions.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington D.C.\u2013 On December 8, 2022, Congress passed H.Res 1512 \u2013 FY23 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Congressman Pete Sessions (TX-17) voted yea for the bill. This year\u2019s NDAA includes a repudiation of the Biden administration's failed COVID-19 vaccine policies for military service members.\n\nCongressman Sessions was pleased with today\u2019s vote. He stated, \u201cIt is unfair to force troops to decide between getting the vaccine (even for religious exemptions) or the ability to serve their country in the U.S. military. Today\u2019s vote will give our federal government the resources to keep America safe and bolster opportunities for patriotic Americans selflessly serving in uniform.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://weber.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1485", "Texas Republican Delegation Unveils Border Security Plan for 118th Congress", "2022-12-08", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Randy K. Weber, Sr.", "W000814", "weber.house.gov", "weber", "https://weber.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Weber (TX-14) and the Texas Republican delegation unveiled their border security plan\u2014A Commitment to Secure the Border\u2014for the 118th Congress.\n\n\u201cPresident Biden\u2019s open-border policies have put women, children, families, law enforcement, and our national security at risk,\u201d said Rep. Weber. \u201cTexans are fed up. Americans are fed up. This crisis is impacting their lives each and every day. I am proud to stand united with my fellow Texans in Washington to roll out framework to secure the border.\u201d\n\nHouse Republicans have made a Commitment to America to secure the southern border as part of the new majority\u2019s priority to create \u201ca nation that\u2019s safe.\u201d The delegation\u2019s agenda is a framework by Texans for Texas, and it includes four priority areas:\n\n\u00b7 Complete physical border infrastructure\n\n\u00b7 Fix border enforcement policies\n\n\u00b7 Enforce our laws in the interior\n\n\u00b7 Target cartels & criminal organizations\n\nA Commitment to Secure the Border can be accessed here, along with legislation included in the plan.\n\nRep. Weber\u2019s bill, H.R. 7528, The No Aid for Abetting Illegal Immigration Act, was included in the framework.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://weber.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1486", "Rep. Weber votes for the National Defense Authorization", "2022-12-08", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Randy K. Weber, Sr.", "W000814", "weber.house.gov", "weber", "https://weber.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Randy Weber (TX-14) released the following statement after voting for the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023.\n\n\"The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is necessary to ensure that our military stays at the pinnacle of readiness. It bolsters our national security by raising our service members' pay, and it ensures that we have the resources to take on China and Russia,\u201d said Rep. Weber. \"It also rescinds President Biden's unconstitutional COVID-19 vaccine mandate on our troops, which I have repeatedly called for abolishing. This is a huge win for our troops.\"\n\n\"I am also proud that the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 was included in this year's NDAA,\" Rep. Weber continued. \"This bill also includes the authorization for the Coastal Spine, the nation\u2019s most ambitious infrastructure project and one of my highest local priorities since arriving in Congress. The Texas Gulf Coast is home to millions of people, countless homes and jobs, and numerous refineries. This project will ensure our coastline has the necessary infrastructure to help protect against future storms.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/statement-from-cruz-office-on-brittney-griner-announcement", "Statement From Cruz Office On Brittney Griner Announcement", "2022-12-08", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Following the announcement of Brittney Griner\u2019s release, the Office of U.S. Senator Ted Cruz issued the following comment:\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s heartening to hear Brittney Griner has been released and will be reunited with her friends and family in the United States. Nevertheless, it\u2019s concerning that the Biden administration has released Viktor Bout in what was clearly a blackmail demand. Bout is one of the most dangerous men in the world and an arms dealer who conspired to kill Americans and aid terrorists, and his release makes every American less safe -- so does the manner of his release, which will encourage terrorists and rogue regimes to seize more Americans as hostages. Moreover, despite the incalculable value of Bout to Putin, the Biden administration was unable to secure the release of other Americans still held in Russia, including Paul Whelan and Marc Fogel.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://carter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1650", "Carter Announces 2022 Congressional App Challenge Winner", "2022-12-07", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John R. Carter", "C001051", "carter.house.gov", "carter", "https://carter.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Representative John Carter (TX-31) announced Ayushmaan Dubey, a 10th grader from Meridian World School, as the winner of the 2022 Congressional App Challenge.\n\nRepresentative John Carter (TX-31) announced Ayushmaan Dubey, a 10th grader from Meridian World School, as the winner of the 2022 Congressional App Challenge.\n\nEvery year members of Congress host the Congressional App Challenge giving students all over the nation the opportunity to demonstrate their computer science skills. Middle and high school students can enter the national competition and compete with fellow students from the district.\n\n\u201cI am so impressed to see the apps that students from TX-31 created for the 2022 Congressional App Challenge. The students who participate in this challenge always find creative ways to solve real world problems, and this year was no different.\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cCongratulations to all the students who competed in the challenge. You should be very proud!\u201d\n\n###\n\nRelated News\n\nRep. Carter Introduces Bill to Cut through Red Tape to Fix Bus Driver Shortage\n\nMarch 31, 2025 | Posted in Press Releases\n\nCarter Announces 2024 Congressional Art Competition Winner\n\nMay 16, 2024 | Posted in Press Releases\n\nCarter Announces 2022 Congressional Art Competition Winner\n\nMay 10, 2022 | Posted in Press Releases\n\nCarter Announces 2021 Congressional App Challenge Winners\n\nDecember 8, 2021 | Posted in Press Releases", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://gonzales.house.gov/2022/12/congressman-tony-gonzales-holds-bipartisan-press-conference-rising-suicide", "Congressman Tony Gonzales Holds Bipartisan Press Conference on Rising Suicide Rates at CBP", "2022-12-07", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Tony Gonzales", "G000594", "gonzales.house.gov", "gonzales", "https://gonzales.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Gonzales: These aren't numbers on a paper. These are real people impacted.\n\nWASHINGTON D.C.\u2013 Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) on Wednesday held a bipartisan press conference in honor of the 14 fallen U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents and officers who have committed suicide this year. The conference focused on the importance of increasing funding and access to mental health resources at CBP.\n\nListen to Congressman Gonzales\u2019 remarks here.\n\n\u201cThese agents, three of which are right here are public information, but 11 of them are not. Part of today is to highlight that these [CBP agents] aren't statistics. These aren't numbers on a paper. These are real people impacted. Their families have been turned upside down. While in Washington there's a lot that divides us in policy and often drives us in a lot of different directions, but there's a lot of things that should unite us.\n\nThe fact that we have 14 agents that have committed suicide is a problem and I look at Congress as the body that needs to solve that problem and we need to do it in a manner that bring us all together. I'm proud of every one of these members of Congress that have come out today. I'm grateful for Brandon Judd, the President of the Border Patrol Union, to speak as well.\n\nI spent 20 years in the military, and I spent five years in Iraq and Afghanistan. I saw during the height of Afghanistan in particular a lot of DOD Suicides. And one of the things that stopped that was putting an effort in Congress to actually came together. They passed some legislation that created a task force that included DOD and outside organizations to specifically address this. I put together a piece of legislation. It's called the TAPS Act Taking Action to Prevent Suicide.\n\nThe goal is to bring this body together to solve real problems for real people in a manner that is productive\u2026 We've appropriated 23 million for Border Patrol mental health, but that's not enough we have to take it a step further.\n\nUvalde is in my district. You have the shooting that happened about six months ago. One of the stories that didn't really come out from that was there was a Border Patrol agent that was deployed to Uvalde from a different sector that responded to that crisis. He went into the room, and he had to see all those graphic scenes. He was surrounded by all this death, and he has had to deal with that every single day from that point on. This agent is still working, this agent is still doing his job. But these things that they are seeing what they've been exposed to 100% has an impact on you.\n\nI go back to it, it reminds me of my time in the military, these warlike situations leave an everlasting impact on you and we're about to go into Christmas. The holidays are usually when suicides spike, so we wanted to take a moment and come up with real solutions as both Democrats and Republicans.\u201d\n\nWatch the full press conference here.\n\nOther press conference participants included: Brandon Judd, President of the National Border Patrol Council, Representatives Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11), Darren Soto (D-FL-09), Susie Lee (D-NV-03), Mayra Flores (R-TX-34), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI-08), and Congresswoman-Elect Monica De La Cruz (R-TX-15).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-roy-announces-2022-congressional-app-challenge-winner", "Rep. Roy announces 2022 Congressional App Challenge winner", "2022-12-07", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Chip Roy", "R000614", "roy.house.gov", "roy", "https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Rep. Chip Roy is pleased to announce the winner for the 2022 Congressional App Challenge (CAC) in Texas\u2019 21st Congressional District. There were multiple talented students that submitted their creations for consideration by our volunteer judges.\n\nThe winning contestant is Ms. Sarah Horton of San Antonio and her game app Paddle. Ms. Horton attends Reagan High School in North East ISD.\n\n\u201cI wanted something fun to do on my computer that wasn't going to suck me into spending hours watching videos that decreased my attention span, and didn't come with the dangers that all social media platforms have,\u201d Ms. Horton said.\n\nCongressman Roy would like to extend thanks to the stellar individuals who volunteered as judges for the CAC: Dr. Brian Bernard, Mr. Rex Quick, and Dr. Ayankunle Taiwo of Schreiner University in Kerrville, and Dr. Sami Mian. Their experience in the tech industry was invaluable in scoring the apps for determination of the winner for TX-21.\n\nAbout CAC:\n\nStudents from across America are provided this opportunity by the United States House of Representatives. The goal is to encourage students to pursue STEM activities such as coding. Each challenge is district-specific. As U.S. Representatives we publicly recognize our winning teams and each winning app may be put on display in the U.S. Capitol Building for one year. Additional prizes are available.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=485", "Rep. Jackson Congratulates Bell Textron Inc. on Earning Major U.S. Army Future Vertical Lift Contract", "2022-12-06", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ronny Jackson", "J000304", "jackson.house.gov", "jackson", "https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 Today, Representative Ronny Jackson (TX-13) applauded the news that Bell Textron Inc. has been awarded the contract for the U.S. Army\u2019s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA). This is the Army\u2019s largest vertical lift contract award in 40 years and could eventually be worth over $70 billion. Every new aircraft will come through Bell\u2019s Military Aircraft Assembly & Delivery Center in Amarillo, Texas.\n\nJackson said: \u201cThe Army has made a fantastic decision in selecting Bell\u2019s V-280 Valor as its next-generation assault aircraft. The workforce in Amarillo is well equipped to deliver on this contract, which will, in turn, position our service members for success in a future conflict. As a veteran combat physician and member of the House Armed Services Committee, I know how important the Army\u2019s Future Vertical Lift efforts are. Bell has had my absolute support throughout every phase of this competitive process. They will continue to have my full support as I work to make sure our district remains at the forefront of America\u2019s national security enterprise and that we deliver these aircraft to the force as rapidly as we possibly can.\u201d\n\nMitch Snyder, Presidentand CEO of Bell said: \u201cBell is thankful for the strong support offered for Bell and Army modernization throughout the FLRAA competition by Representative Jackson. We appreciate the Amarillo community\u2019s continued backing for strengthening our national security and the safety of the American people. We are proud of our world-class workforce and we are all committed to delivering this next-generation FLRAA capability.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nThis award builds on Bell\u2019s stellar reputation in the defense industry, which includes more than 85 years of providing more than 30,000 vertical lift products for the United States and our allies worldwide.\n\nThe V-280 Valor will eventually replace the Army\u2019s fleet of Black Hawk helicopters, which have been in service for more than four decades, to ensure the Army is ready to compete and win in a future conflict.\n\nJackson has been a leading voice on military aircraft modernization efforts. In January 2022, he penned an op-ed in support of the Army\u2019s future vertical lift plans.\n\nAs a member of the House Armed Services Committee, Jackson has routinely engaged with Department of Defense and industry leadership to advocate for the workforce in Amarillo through hearings, briefings, and legislation.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-cruz-praises-army-decision-to-use-fort-worths-bell-textron-for-new-assault-helicopter", "ICYMI: Cruz Praises Army Decision to Use Fort Worth\u2019s Bell Textron for New Assault Helicopter", "2022-12-06", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) praised the U.S. Army\u2019s decision to give Bell Textron the contract to replace the Black Hawk helicopter with a new assault helicopter for military use.\n\nSen. Cruz said:\n\n\u201cThe Army\u2019s decision to give Bell Textron the contract to build the next generation assault helicopter is a clear recognition of Bell\u2019s quality craftsmanship and state-of-the-art technology production. Bell Textron Inc. is a premier aerospace manufacturer providing 5,500 good jobs to Texans and great military equipment to the U.S. Armed Forces. Over the years I\u2019ve consistently and vociferously called on the Department of Defense to incorporate the cutting-edge work and weaponry that Bell provides into our nation\u2019s defense capabilities, including most recently championing the Future Vertical Lift program in this year\u2019s National Defense Authorization Act, and for such technologies to be incorporated into the Coast Guard\u2019s capabilities in the bi-annual Coast Guard Authorization Act passed by the Commerce Committee. No state has given more to protect our country than Texas, and I\u2019m so proud that Texans will build the next generation of helicopter to dominate our enemies on the field of battle.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruzs-bipartisan-bill-to-address-unsolved-lynching-and-murder-cases-signed-into-law", "Sen. Cruz\u2019s Bipartisan Bill to Address Unsolved Lynching and Murder Cases Signed into Law", "2022-12-06", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) crossed the aisle to fight for answers for families of victims of lynching and other unsolved violent crimes of the Civil Rights era. Their bipartisan legislation was passed by the Senate in September, the House of Representatives in November, and was signed into law yesterday.\n\nThis legislation will allow relatives of the victims of unsolved lynchings and murders of the Civil Rights era to get answers by extending the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board\u2019s term.\n\nSen. Cruz said:\n\n\u201cDuring the Civil Rights movement, there were far too many unsolved violent race-based crimes committed against African Americans. It\u2019s my hope that by giving the Review Board more time to examine the case files related to these unsolved crimes, we can shed sunlight on these Civil Rights cold cases and finally bring justice to the victims and their families, and I\u2019m proud to have worked with Sen. Ossoff and Rep. Bobby Rush to get this bill through Congress and enacted into law.\u201d\n\nSen. Cruz previously worked with former Democrat Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama to pass The Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Act of 2018, which required federal agencies to turn over any remaining cold case records to the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board established by the National Archives and Records Administration to help shed light on these unsolved cases.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-statement-on-positive-303-creative-oral-arguments-before-supreme-court", "Sen. Cruz Statement on Positive 303 Creative Oral Arguments Before Supreme Court", "2022-12-05", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Constitution today released the following statement after oral arguments in the case 303 Creative LLC vs. Elenis before the U.S. Supreme Court.\n\nSen. Cruz said:\n\n\u201cTo force a private citizen to violate her deeply-held beliefs is unconscionable and blatantly un-American. The Bill of Rights guarantees our freedom of speech and religion, a fact that every American should treasure. No one should fear that their religious and speech rights will be trampled in the United States, and today\u2019s oral arguments demonstrated the rightness of 303 Creative\u2019s position under the Constitution.\u201d\n\nSen. Cruz co-authored an amicus brief for the case with Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) to protect free speech and advocate for religious liberty. Sen. Cruz has long been a champion of both of these issues. He:\n\nAuthored an op-ed on the case in support of Lorie Smith and her right to free speech.\n\nSent a letter to military service academies fighting for religious freedom.\n\nIntroduced legislation to prohibit the military from dishonorably discharging unvaccinated service members.\n\nLed a bicameral amicus brief with Republican colleagues in relation to the 303 Creative case.\n\nAdded safeguards to protect the freedom of speech in the Journalism Competition Preservation Act (JCPA).\n\nIntroduced the Campus Free Speech Resolution of 2021 to fight for First Amendment protections on college campuses.\n\nJoined an amicus brief to advocate for the religious liberty rights of Coach Joe Kennedy following his termination for praying.\n\nSent a letter to the Department of Justice to push back on their restriction of free speech in relation to parents protesting school boards.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://crenshaw.house.gov/2022/12/customs-and-border-protection-hardship-and-incentive-pay-act-of-2022-introduced-by-rep-crenshaw", "Customs and Border Protection Crisis Hardship and Incentive Pay Act of 2022 Introduced By Rep. Crenshaw", "2022-12-02", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Dan Crenshaw", "C001120", "crenshaw.house.gov", "crenshaw", "https://crenshaw.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "As the uncontrolled Biden Border Crisis rages on, today Rep. Dan Crenshaw introduced the Customs and Border Protection Crisis Hardship and Incentive Pay Act today, aimed at helping the the agents on the frontlines who are facing critical circumstances.\n\nThe bill provides bi-weekly hardship incentive payments to Customs and Border Protection and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement law enforcement officers. The bill authorizes up to $250 per pay period for those who serve along a border where more than 1,000 migrants are encountered each day, those who secure the border in sectors where they are subjected to the threat of physical harm or imminent danger from cartels, and those who are in a sector where fentanyl is encountered.\n\n\"Our CBP law enforcement officers have bore the brunt of the Biden-Harris-Mayorkas border crisis,\" Rep. Crenshaw said. \"They\u2019ve suffered hardships \u2013 including longer working hours, being pulled off the line, and seeing the border they swore to protect left open because of negligence and apathy. We need to provide them with incentives to stay and compensate them for the work they are doing on the front lines of keeping the homeland safe. This effort is a start.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=484", "Reps. Jackson, Roy Introduce Legislation to Prohibit the Department of Defense from Funding Abortion Services", "2022-12-02", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ronny Jackson", "J000304", "jackson.house.gov", "jackson", "https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 Yesterday, Representatives Ronny Jackson (TX-13) and Chip Roy (TX-21) introduced legislation to prohibit the Department of Defense (DoD) from funding abortion services, specifically including travel expenses.\n\nJackson said: \u201cThe Supreme Court\u2019s decision to overturn the horrific Roe v. Wade ruling was a monumental win for human life, but the fight is far from over as Democrats pursue every tool available to enable those who seek to murder the most vulnerable among us. I will continue to be a leader in the pro-life movement by introducing and supporting legislation that will protect innocent babies as there is no greater threat to mankind than the normalization of abortion. The DoD should focus on the growing threats posed by China, Russia, and Iran instead of using military resources to push Democrats\u2019 anti-life agenda. Taxpayer dollars should never be used to fund abortions in any way, shape, or form. With our legislation, Congressman Roy and I will take an important step to put a stop to it.\u201d\n\nRoy said: \"The Biden Administration\u2019s blatantly political decision to disregard Congress and thumb its nose at the black letter of the law to establish an abortion travel slush fund for service members and their families is unacceptable; every Republican should unequivocally oppose it. This action flies in the face of both the separation of powers and nearly half a century of bipartisan consensus to respect the beliefs of millions of Americans by prohibiting taxpayer dollars from funding most abortions. Congress must take a stand against the Department of Defense from creating this abortion travel fund \u2014 which is already prohibited by federal law \u2014 and our bill would do just that.\u201d\n\nBill text can be found here.\n\nGOP Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (NY-21) cosponsored Jackson and Roy\u2019s legislation in addition to Representatives Brian Babin (TX-36), Randy Weber (TX-14), Pat Fallon (TX-04), Jake Ellzey (TX-06), Beth Van Duyne (TX-24), August Pfluger (TX-11), Lauren Boebert (CO-03), Doug Lamborn (CO-05), Mike Waltz (FL-06), Matt Gaetz (FL-01), Greg Steube (FL-17), Kat Cammack (FL-03), Mary Miller (IL-15), Jeff Duncan (SC-03), Diana Harshbarger (TN-01), Dan Bishop (NC-09), Andrew Clyde (GA-09), John Moolenaar (MI-04), Debbie Lesko (AZ-08), Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Glenn Grothman (WI-06), Brad Wenstrup (OH-02), and Brian Mast (FL-18).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-roy-offers-congress-one-last-chance-protect-religious-liberty", "Rep. Roy offers Congress one last chance to protect religious liberty", "2022-12-02", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Chip Roy", "R000614", "roy.house.gov", "roy", "https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014 Thursday evening, Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) submitted an amendment to the so-called \u201cRespect for Marriage Act\u201d to the House Rules Committee. The amendment was previously introduced to the Senate version of the bill by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT); if accepted, the Lee Amendment would protect Americans\u2019 religious liberty by prohibiting the federal government from retaliating against any individual or organization for simply holding religious beliefs and moral convictions about marriage. Representatives have until close of business on Friday to join as cosponsors.\n\nRep. Roy had the following to say about the Amendment:\n\n\u201cThe United States Senate failed to protect Americans of faith when they voted down my friend Senator Lee\u2019s common-sense amendment to protect religious liberty. Unless amended, the so-called Respect for Marriage Act will fundamentally alter the relationship between faithful Americans and the federal government. Luckily, we have one last chance to amend this legislation when it comes back to the House; that\u2019s why I am introducing Senator Lee\u2019s amendment to the House Rules committee. This amendment should be a no-brainer for every single House Republican, and every American should know whether their representative believes they should be punished for a religious belief.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sens-cruz-inhofe-lankford-introduce-legislation-to-designate-route-66-a-national-historic-trail", "Sens. Cruz, Inhofe, Lankford Introduce Legislation to Designate Route 66 a National Historic Trail", "2022-12-02", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced S. 5170, which would amend the National Trails System Act to designate Route 66 as a National Historic Trail. Importantly, this legislation incorporates safeguards to ensures no future potential harm to energy development projects occur as a result of the designation.\n\nRoute 66, also known as the Will Rogers Highway, is more than 2,400 miles long, stretching from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California, and crossing through eight states, including Texas.\n\nSen. Cruz said:\n\n\u201cThe great state of Texas is proud to be home to part of the iconic Route 66 and I am proud to work with Senator Inhofe to designate this highway as a historic trail. Adding this designation will ensure not only that this highway\u2019s impact is fully recognized, but will also safeguard the U.S. energy industry, which is vitally important to Texas.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://arrington.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=879", "Arrington to Co-Chair Bipartisan Congressional Family Business Caucus in 118th Congress", "2022-12-01", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Jodey C. Arrington", "A000375", "arrington.house.gov", "arrington", "https://arrington.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Representative Jodey Arrington (TX-19) joined Reps. Brad Schneider (IL-10), Claudia Tenney (NY-22), and Tom O\u2019Halleran (AZ-01) to launch the Congressional Family Business Caucus, which they will co-chair in the 118th Congress. This is the first congressional caucus focused solely on the critical issues facing generational owned family businesses of all sizes and industries across the United States.\n\n\u201cAmerica\u2019s family-owned businesses are the foundation of our economy, responsible for more than half of the country\u2019s employment and accounting for 78% of new job creation. Unfortunately, business owners and entrepreneurs face numerous challenges from high inflation to labor shortages, to burdensome tax policies and regulations. I am proud to co-lead the Congressional Family Business Caucus to promote policies that will help family-owned businesses \u2013 including our farmers, ranchers, and energy producers \u2013 thrive for generations to come,\u201d said Rep. Arrington.\n\n\u201cFamily businesses are the backbone of our economy, employing the majority of America\u2019s private sector workforce and representing trillions of dollars of our economy each year. Yet, in speaking with family businesses from all parts of our country, they feel our current economic policies place them at a disadvantage, impede their capacity to grow, and put at risk their ability to pass on ownership of the business to the next generation. As such, it is time for Congress to take a closer look at and better understand the needs of America\u2019s family businesses. Establishment of the Congressional Family Business Caucus \u2013 which is long overdue \u2013 will go a long way toward keeping our family businesses at the forefront of policymaking and foster an environment that helps them thrive for generations to come,\u201d said Reps. O\u2019Halleran, Tenney, and Schneider.\n\n\u201cWith this new congressional caucus, family businesses now have the focused support of our leaders in Congress,\u201d said Pat Soldano, President of Family Enterprise USA, a supporter of the new caucus and an advocate for multi-generational family-owned businesses. \u201cWe\u2019ve been working for the growth of America\u2019s family businesses for decades, but today our voice has greater power with the formation of this bipartisan congressional caucus. We look forward to working with the caucus to help bring the importance of family businesses front and center to the many issues facing this country.\u201d\n\nThe Congressional Family Business Caucus will meet regularly and connect Members of Congress with America\u2019s family businesses in Washington, D.C., and in their districts and home states. Caucus membership is open to all Members of Congress seeking to learn more about generational owned family business issues, which employ 59% of the nation\u2019s private workforce, or 83.3 million workers.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-issues-statement-on-railway-strike-negotiations", "Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on Railway Strike Negotiations", "2022-12-01", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, issued the following statement regarding legislation taken up by the Senate in anticipation of a possible railway strike:\n\n\u201cOur economy is now on the edge of what would be a fiscal catastrophe all because of the Biden administration\u2019s ineptitude. After doing next to nothing to avoid a rail strike, President Biden assured the American people that this matter was settled. That was a brazen lie. Now, this administration expects Congress to step into the dispute and pick winners and losers.\n\n\u201cAs a matter of principle, I do not support government intervention to decide terms of employment. We should extend the cooling-off period, as Congress has done before, and send both parties back to the table. For that reason, I was proud to cosponsor Senator Sullivan\u2019s amendment to extend the cooling-off period and allow the negotiations to continue in order to reach a resolution that addresses the needs of both sides. However, given that Congress voted down our amendment and decided to step into these negotiations, I believe the rail workers are making reasonable requests that should be adequately addressed. For that reason, I voted to increase the number of paid sick days for rail workers. Unfortunately, the Senate rejected this measure, so I opposed the final deal.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"], ["https://babin.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=9026", "Babin Rejects Biden Passing the Buck on Rail Strike", "2022-11-30", "2022", "2022-11", "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. Congressman Brian Babin (TX-36) issued the following statement after voting no on H.J. Res. 100 and H. Con. Res. 119.\n\n\u201cMake no mistake, a rail strike would be disastrous to our already spiraling economy,\u201d said Babin. \u201cHowever, Congress has no business dictating the terms of private employment contracts. The president, who deems himself the 'union guy,' should have been able to solve this issue long ago. Instead of simply extending the cooling-off period, allowing railroad labor and management to negotiate their terms, Speaker Pelosi and President Biden chose a heavy-handed, big-government approach that I could not support. As the representative of so many Texans in the chemical, energy, construction, and manufacturing sectors, which rely heavily on railroads, I am concerned Congress\u2019s actions today set a dangerous precedent for future labor negotiations.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://nehls.house.gov/media/press-releases/troy-e-nehls-i-am-voting-avoid-catastrophic-rail-strike", "Troy E. Nehls: I Am Voting to Avoid a Catastrophic Rail Strike", "2022-11-30", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Troy E. Nehls", "N000026", "nehls.house.gov", "nehls", "https://nehls.house.gov/media", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Troy E. Nehls (R-TX-22), a member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, took to the House Floor to speak on the legislation to tentatively adopt the agreement that was agreed to by eight out of the twelve railroad unions in September.\n\n\"President Biden took two victory laps before the election, said Congressman Nehls. \"One was an illegal bribe to college graduates that the courts struck down, and the second was this unsuccessful rail-labor agreement. They both failed. They were both lies to win an election. Now it falls to Congress to clean up his mess and avoid a rail strike which will be catastrophic for our economy. It is estimated that a rail strike will cost the economy roughly $2 billion dollars a day.\n\nThe U.S. rail system moves cargo equivalent to roughly 467,000 long-haul trucks each day. If you think inflation is bad now, imagine what happens when our railroads go offline, and our supply chains will become even more strained and unpredictable.\n\nThe cost of moving anything will skyrocket overnight, just in time for Christmas. Our businesses and workers need certainty to operate in the environment.\n\nFor this reason, I plan on voting for House Joint Resolution 100. The agreement is supported by our railroads, shippers, and 8 of the 12 unions. I encourage my colleagues to do the same.\n\nEvery major industry, from automobiles to agriculture, to energy, will be severely impacted if we fail to act. These are some of the largest drivers of inflation and will directly increase the prices for American consumers.\n\nIn conclusion, I would just like to point out that this deal is a great deal for the railroad workers. By the end of this deal, the average wages for rail workers would reach $110,000 per year, with total compensation averaging $160,000.\n\nIt's unthinkable that the 4 railroad unions are holding the nation economically hostage.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-roy-draws-line-leftist-agenda-items-defense-bill", "Rep. Roy draws line on leftist agenda items in defense bill", "2022-11-30", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Chip Roy", "R000614", "roy.house.gov", "roy", "https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014On Tuesday, Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21), joined by Rep. Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Rep. Bob Good (VA-05), and Rep. Barry Moore (AL-02) formally called on the Democrat and Republican leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees to, \u201caddress the concerns of the American people regarding their military,\" and \"prioritize the promotion of a lethal military and ready force to defend our nation\u2019s interests around the globe.\"\n\nThe letter addresses the upcoming National Defense Authorization Act for the Fiscal Year 2023 and calls on the committee to address issues that are weakening our military and forcing a far-left political agenda on our troops, contrary to the will and well-being of the American people. Specifically, the lawmakers call to end the use of taxpayer dollars for abortion travel, to stop the federal government from forcing young women to sign up for the draft, to end the Pentagon\u2019scareer-ending vaccine mandate, and to end to funding \"woke\" indoctrination measures.\n\nOn the Biden Administration\u2019s abortion slush fund:\n\n\"The DoD\u2019s decision to bypass Congress to \u2013 among other harmful measures \u2013 establish an abortion travel fund for service members and their families flies in the face of nearly half a century of bipartisan consensus to respect the sincere beliefs of millions of pro-life Americans by restraining the federal government from using taxpayer dollars to fund most abortions. This clear political maneuver from DoD will further undermine Americans\u2019 trust in the U.S. Armed Forces and further hamstring future military recruitment efforts and it must be addressed.\"\n\nOn the female draft:\n\n\"Requiring women to register for the draft does not advance our national security objectives, which is the only metric by which the NDAA should be measured.\"\n\nOn the vaccine mandate:\n\nThe COVID-19 vaccine does not prevent transmission or infection of the virus. The DoD forcing out tens-of-thousands of service members will continue to undermine our military readiness and hamper future recruiting efforts for years to come.\n\nOn woke indoctrination:\n\n\"'Woke' provisions are divisive and undermine the primary purpose of the NDAA which is to provide our brave service members the resources they need to defend our country \u2013 that\u2019s it.\"\n\nThe week prior, Rep. Roy and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) released a detailed report exposing how the Biden Administration is deliberately weaking our nation\u2019s military by injecting woke, anti-American ideology into it. You can read the report here.\n\nFull text of Tuesday\u2019s letter can be found here and below.\n\nDear Chairman Reed, Chairman Smith, Ranking Member Inhofe, and Ranking Member Rogers:\n\nAs you are aware, the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is undergoing negotiations before coming back to the House floor. Importantly, rank and file Members of Congress, and those not included in direct negotiations with committee leadership will likely have no ability to amend this legislation. It is imperative the NDAA address the concerns of the American people regarding their military, and to be successful in this effort, Members must have their voices heard.\n\nWe must prioritize the promotion of a lethal military and ready force to defend our nation\u2019s interests around the globe. Under no circumstances should the upcoming NDAA be brought to the floor of either chamber without several key reforms needed to ensure a focused military.\n\nFirst, the NDAA must include measures that will prohibit the authorization of U.S taxpayer dollars to carry out the Department of Defense (DoD) memorandum entitled \u201cEnsuring Access to Reproductive Health Care\u201d dated October 20, 2022. The DoD\u2019s decision to bypass Congress to \u2013 among other harmful measures \u2013 establish an abortion travel fund for service members and their families flies in the face of nearly half a century of bipartisan consensus to respect the sincere beliefs of millions of pro-life Americans by restraining the federal government from using taxpayer dollars to fund most abortions. This clear political maneuver from DoD will further undermine Americans\u2019 trust in the U.S. Armed Forces and further hamstring future military recruitment efforts and it must be addressed.\n\nSecond, the NDAA must not amend the Military Selective Service Act (MSSA) to require young women to register with the Selective Service. Congress should never greenlight a future that cripples the American family by sending mothers and daughters to the frontlines \u2013 drafted to be combat replacements for casualties on the battlefield \u2013 while fathers and sons stay home. Requiring women to register for the draft does not advance our national security objectives, which is the only metric by which the NDAA should be measured. Agreeing to draft our daughters would not only be foolish and ill-advised, but a direct stain on the history of this country.\n\nThirdly, the NDAA must immediately end the DoD\u2019s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for service members. President Biden declared on September 19, 2022, that \u201cthe pandemic is over.\u201d The COVID-19 vaccine does not prevent transmission or infection of the virus. The DoD forcing out tens-of-thousands of service members will continue to undermine our military readiness and hamper future recruiting efforts for years to come. Our brave men and women in uniform should not have to choose between following their sincerely held religious beliefs and serving their country.\n\nFinally, the NDAA should not authorize a single dollar for green climate projects nor radical diversity, equity, and inclusion indoctrination measures. It is imperative that provisions advancing a radical social agenda are removed before the NDAA moves forward. \u201cWoke\u201d provisions are divisive and undermine the primary purpose of the NDAA which is to provide our brave service members the resources they need to defend our country \u2013 that\u2019s it.\n\nThe American taxpayers deserve an NDAA that will support the national security objectives of our nation and not undermine them.\n\nSincerely,\n\nChip Roy\n\nMember of Congress\n\nAndy Biggs\n\nMember of Congress\n\nBob Good\n\nMember of Congress\n\nBarry Moore\n\nMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cruz-statement-on-vote-against-so-called-respect-for-marriage-act", "Cruz Statement on Vote Against So-Called Respect for Marriage Act", "2022-11-30", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) made the following comments after voting against the so-called Respect for Marriage Act:\n\n\u201cThe so-called Respect for Marriage Act is going to set the stage for the Biden IRS to target people of faith, and in particular, to deny tax exempt status to churches, charities, universities, and K-12 schools. This bill creates a federal cause of action to sue institutions that believe marriage is the union of one man and one woman. There are going to be hundreds of lawsuits filed all across this country, forcing underfunded defendants to settle and violate their beliefs or close their doors. That's what the Democrats want. And 12 Republicans went along with it.\n\n\u201cI was proud to support my friend Mike Lee\u2019s amendment, which would have prohibited the IRS from targeting institutions based on their support for traditional marriage. Unfortunately, Senate Democrats voted it down. And without Mike Lee\u2019s amendment, this bill empowers the politicized bureaucrats in the Biden administration to target people of faith. If Republicans had stood strong, they could have forced Democrats to include the Lee amendment. But the sad truth is that not enough Republicans were willing to stand and fight for religious liberty.\u201d\n\nOne concern with the Respect for Marriage Act is that it would force Texas to recognize any type of marriage from every other state, regardless of Texas law. Sen. Cruz filed an amendment to the bill that would have ensured states would not be forced to accept polygamous, incestual or child marriages from other states.\n\nRead the amendment here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://gonzales.house.gov/2022/11/congressman-gonzales-urges-secretary-defense-restore-bah-support", "Congressman Gonzales Urges Secretary of Defense to Restore BAH Support for Servicemembers and Families", "2022-11-29", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Tony Gonzales", "G000594", "gonzales.house.gov", "gonzales", "https://gonzales.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) joined Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) and 57 of his colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin urging him to immediately restore the full Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) to support servicemembers and their families.\n\nIn the letter, the lawmakers wrote, \u201cThe Department\u2019s decision to reduce BAH to 95% has resulted in underfunded reinvestment accounts at installations across the country. That means less funds for long-term sustainment, more deferred maintenance \u2013 and ultimately a less satisfactory housing experience for military families. Restoring full 100% BAH will allow for greater funding for these reinvestment accounts, and will restore the financial integrity to the MHPI program.\u201d\n\nThey continued to say, \u201cServicemembers and their families should not be nickel and dimed by the nation they volunteered to serve, especially as Congress has increased the defense budget by 39% in nominal terms.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://sessions.house.gov/2022/11/congressman-sessions-commends-sfa-university-landmark-decision", "Congressman Sessions Commends SFA University Landmark Decision", "2022-11-29", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Pete Sessions", "S000250", "sessions.house.gov", "sessions", "https://sessions.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington D.C.\u2013 On November 29, Congressman Sessions voiced his support for Stephen F. Austin University's decision to join the greater University of Texas System.\n\n\"Stephen F. Austin plays an important role in Texas higher education. Their programs have had a history of providing an excellent service for students, East Texas, and the 17th Congressional District. I support the SFA Regents' decision to partner with the University of Texas. I believe it will allow the university to accelerate their positive trajectory toward providing a great education, community, and culture.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://gonzales.house.gov/2022/11/congressman-tony-gonzales-announces-35-million-hhs-grant-carrizo-springs-head", "Congressman Tony Gonzales Announces $3.5 Million HHS Grant For Carrizo Springs Head Start Program", "2022-11-28", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Tony Gonzales", "G000594", "gonzales.house.gov", "gonzales", "https://gonzales.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "CARRIZO SPRINGS, TX - Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) on Monday announced a $3,589,586 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the Head Start Program in Carrizo Springs. This funding will provide students and families with educational support and nutritional resources, laying the foundation for a lifetime of success. Congressman Gonzales previously served as the Community Representative for the City of San Antonio Head Start Policy Council from 2018 \u2013 2019.\n\n\u201cAs a father and former member of the San Antonio Head Start Policy Council, I know firsthand that the Head Start program has a profound impact on our communities.'' said Congressman Gonzales. \u201cPrograms like these are crucial to student success and I am excited to see HHS invest significant funds in our future generations.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://gonzales.house.gov/2022/11/congressman-tony-gonzales-hosts-house-republican-leader-kevin-mccarthy-gop", "Congressman Tony Gonzales Hosts House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, GOP Colleagues at Southern Border", "2022-11-28", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Tony Gonzales", "G000594", "gonzales.house.gov", "gonzales", "https://gonzales.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "EL PASO, TX \u2013 Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) on Tuesday hosted House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA-23) and 5 of their House Republican colleagues at the southern border in El Paso, Texas. They received an operational field briefing from Border Patrol leadership and attended muster to thank agents for their service.\n\nWatch Congressman Gonzales\u2019 remarks from the press conference here.\n\n\u201cWhile most Americans are home with their families celebrating Thanksgiving, Border Patrol agents, law enforcement, and border communities are still dealing with the consequences of the border crisis,\u201d said Congressman Gonzales. \u201cThat\u2019s why on day one, House Republicans are ready to make securing our southern border a priority and support our men and women in green. I appreciate Leader McCarthy and my Republican colleagues for visiting the border to see the effects of this unprecedented crisis firsthand.\u201d\n\nOther members in attendance included Representatives Brian Babin (TX-36), Dan Crenshaw (TX-02), Mark Green (TN-07), Kat Cammack (FL-03), and August Pfluger (TX-11).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://gonzales.house.gov/2022/11/congressman-tony-gonzales-issues-statement-end-title-42-0", "Congressman Tony Gonzales Issues Statement on End of Title 42", "2022-11-28", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Tony Gonzales", "G000594", "gonzales.house.gov", "gonzales", "https://gonzales.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "SAN ANTONIO, TX \u2013 Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) on Wednesday issued the following statement after a federal judge issued an order barring federal authorities from using Title 42. Title 42 is a pandemic-era policy that has allowed DHS to rapidly expel migrants who come to the border during the coronavirus pandemic. Congressman Gonzales represents Texas\u2019 23rd Congressional District, which encompasses over 820 miles of U.S.-Mexico border, almost 40 percent of the total border territory in the country.\n\n\u201cTitle 42 has been the only policy in place that has kept Border Patrol and law enforcement agencies above water. In its absence, there will be complete chaos in my district and across the country,\u201d said Congressman Gonzales. \u201cCancelling this policy without putting up any guardrails to deter illegal immigration once again highlights this Administration\u2019s indifference to how severely our border communities continue to suffer from the border crisis.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://mccaul.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/mccaul-biden-administration-complicit-biggest-human-trafficking-event", "McCaul: Biden Administration \u201cComplicit with Biggest Human Trafficking Event of Our Lifetime\u201d", "2022-11-28", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Michael T. McCaul", "M001157", "mccaul.house.gov", "mccaul", "https://mccaul.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 On ABC This Week this morning, Rep. McCaul (R-Texas) called out Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas for being \u201cderelict in his duties\u201d and said \u201cthe American people deserve some accountability\u201d for the humanitarian crisis the Biden administration has created at our southern border.\n\nImage\n\nClick to Watch\n\n\u201cHas [Secretary Mayorkas] been derelict in his duties? I think so. I have a wide open border in my state. We have all these people coming in. We don\u2019t know who they are \u2013 terrorist watchlist. Fentanyl is coming in, killing more young people than ever before\u2026 I think [the Biden administration is] complicit with the biggest human trafficking event of our lifetime. And I think the American people deserve some accountability.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-issues-statement-on-ccp-crackdown", "Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on CCP Crackdown", "2022-11-28", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement condemning the Chinese Communist Party\u2019s abuses against Chinese activists protesting the CCP\u2019s COVID policies, and the Biden administration\u2019s response.\n\nSen. Cruz said:\n\n\u201cThe Chinese Communist Party has since the beginning been desperate to cover up the origins, nature, and consequences of COVID-19. They lied and continue to lie to the world, and as a result millions of lives were lost and immense suffering was caused.\n\n\u201cNow their coercive campaign of denial has converged with their systematic human rights atrocities, including their ongoing genocide of the Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang.\n\n\u201cThe people of China are not to blame for the CCP's actions. In fact, many of them were already protesting the CCP\u2019s handling of the pandemic, and now those protests have escalated into open criticism of the regime. They are bravely standing up for their rights.\n\n\u201cThe Biden administration\u2019s response has been worse than expected. The CCP should know that one way or another, in the coming months or in the coming years, the United States will hold accountable each and every CCP official responsible for atrocities against these protesters.\u201d\n\nBACKGROUND\n\nSen. Cruz has led the fight against the Chinese Communist Party\u2019s human rights atrocities and political oppression:\n\nWorked to hold the CCP accountable for the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\nPassed into law a bill that mandated a reevaluation of America\u2019s policy on Hong Kong against the backdrop of the CCP\u2019s civil and human rights violations, and their exploitation of Hong Kong\u2019s special status.\n\nLed the blacklisting of the technology companies that the CCP uses for monitoring and persecuting the Uyghurs, sending a letter and introducing legislation that eventually became the basis for the Trump administration blacklisting such companies.\n\nSpearheaded countering China\u2019s ability to propagandize over American radio, introducing legislationthat led the Trump administration to reject radio licenses to a station subject to control by the CCP.\n\nIntroduced a range of additional legislation targeting the CCP\u2019s cover-up of COVID, coercion of American film and television studios that leads to self-censorship, forced abortions, and control of critical minerals.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://arrington.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=878", "Arrington Urges Biden Administration to Prioritize Energy Exports in U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade Discussions", "2022-11-23", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Jodey C. Arrington", "A000375", "arrington.house.gov", "arrington", "https://arrington.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 This week, Representative Jodey Arrington (TX-19) led 26 of his Republican colleagues in a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Richard Glick, urging the Biden Administration to prioritize U.S. energy exports in ongoing trade negotiations with Taiwan.\n\n\u201cFrom the plains of West Texas to the port cities of the Gulf, the Lone Star State leads the nation in oil and natural gas production, processing, and exporting. Without harvesting these valuable natural resources in West Texas, America\u2019s security and the global energy supply would suffer mightily,\u201d said Rep. Arrington. \u201cThere is a critical demand from our allies like Taiwan around the globe for American natural gas, and our nation has the capability to meet that growing demand. Unfortunately, the Biden Administration has tragically failed to include energy trade and security in the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade. Liquified natural gas (LNG) production here in the states will lead to further opportunity for American jobs and strengthen our national energy security both domestically and abroad. The Biden Administration\u2019s energy policy has had disastrous effects not only for America, but also our allies around the globe.\u201d\n\n\u201cTaiwan is a key market for U.S. LNG exports and ranks 14th in total volume purchased globally over the past seven years. We support efforts to further this energy relationship through government-to-government channels and commercial negotiations and welcome the letter led by Rep. Arrington and his colleagues to U.S. Trade Representative Tai,\u201d said U.S. LNG Association President and CEO Fred Hutchison.\n\nThe letter has garnered support from the American Petroleum Institute (API), ClearPath Action, Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES), the United States LNG Association, Texas Alliance of Energy Producers, and Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners (TIPRO).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/faa-rolls-out-cruz-rule-to-increase-safety-for-commercial-balloon-operators-riders", "FAA Rolls Out Cruz Rule to Increase Safety for Commercial Balloon Operators, Riders", "2022-11-22", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Commerce Committee, today announced that the rule created by his amendment to the FAA Reauthorization of 2018 has been officially implemented by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).\n\nThe rule will ensure that commercial balloon operators hold a second-class medical certificate in order to conduct commercial flights.\n\nSen. Cruz said:\n\n\u201cFollowing the deadly hot air balloon crash that took place in Lockhart, Texas back in 2016, I made it my mission to advocate for increased, preventative safety provisions for commercial balloons. In order to prevent the recurrence of a tragic event like this, I worked to pass the bipartisan Commercial Balloon Pilot Safety Act as part of the FAA Reauthorization, which stipulated that commercial hot air balloon operators must have a second-class medical certificate, just like what is required of other pilots.\n\n\u201cRules like this will help to make sure the tragedy in Lockhart never happens again, and I am proud to have led the fight to make commercial hot air balloons safer for future riders and operators.\u201d\n\nThe full text of the rule can be read here.\n\nSen. Cruz has a long history of advocating on behalf of the victims in Lockhart and for increased aviation regulation for commercial balloon operators.\n\nCruz sponsored the bipartisan Commercial Balloon Pilot Safety Act of 2017.\n\nCruz amended the Commercial Balloon Pilot Safety Act of 2017 onto the FAA Reauthorization Bill of 2018.\n\nCruz wrote a letter to the FAA Administrator to raise concerns regarding the FAA\u2019s failure to implement commercial balloon flight safety standards in 2019.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-roy-sen-rubio-release-report-exposing-bidens-sustained-assault-americas", "Rep. Roy, Sen. Rubio release report exposing Biden\u2019s \u2018sustained assault\u2019 on America\u2019s military", "2022-11-21", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Chip Roy", "R000614", "roy.house.gov", "roy", "https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014 On Monday, Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) released a detailed report exposing how the Biden Administration is deliberately weaking our nation\u2019s military by injecting woke, anti-American ideology into it.\n\n\u201cOur military\u2019s singular purpose is to \u201cprovide for the common defense\u201d of our nation,\u201d wrote Rep. Roy and Sen. Rubio in the report. \u201cIt cannot be turned into a left-wing social experiment. It cannot be used as a cudgel against America itself. And it cannot be paralyzed by fear of offending the sensibilities of Ivy League faculty lounges or progressive pundits.\u201d\n\nThe report breaks down how the Biden Administration is using the military to promote critical race theory, sex reassignment procedures, and drag queen story hours for children, and shield woke and incompetent leaders from accountability.\n\n\u201cThe world is a dangerous place, and the Biden Administration\u2019s insanity is eroding our greatest source of security in it,\u201d the report reads.\n\nRep. Roy said:\n\n\"The Department of Defense's priority should be training the men and women of our Armed Forces to be a united, lethal, and battle-ready force primed to defend the United States and her interests at a moment's notice. Instead, Biden's woke Pentagon is using taxpayer dollars to promote blatant anti-American ideology. It has to stop. We need to end this politicization of our military and keep our Armed Forces focused on defending our national security.\u201d\n\nSen. Rubio said:\n\n\u201cRather than making the case for American greatness and protecting our nation, the military is parroting woke nonsense. It\u2019s dumb, it doesn\u2019t work, and it\u2019s dangerous. We need to spend more time thinking about how to counter Chinese aircraft carriers and less time thinking about pronouns.\u201d\n\nThe full report can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-sen-cruzs-service-academy-nominations-board-holds-annual-meeting", "ICYMI: Sen. Cruz\u2019s Service Academy Nominations Board Holds Annual Meeting", "2022-11-21", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "AUSTIN, Texas \u2013 U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) applauded the work of the Service Academy Nominations Board Friday, following their annual meeting to review applications and recommend the most qualified Texas candidates for nomination to our nation\u2019s distinguished service academies.\n\nSen. Cruz established the Board in 2013 to advise him on service academy nominations.\n\nUpon completion of the meeting, Sen. Cruz said:\n\n\u201cFor generations, the men and women of the Lone Star State have answered the call to serve our nation and Constitution, and no state has done more to defend America and our ideals. I\u2019m proud of the great work that Chairman Birdwell and the rest of the board have done to make sure that Texas sends her best and brightest to our nation\u2019s military academies. I look forward to nominating the most qualified Texans to continue the Lone Star State\u2019s legacy.\u201d\n\nThe Board is comprised of service academy alumni, members of the National Guard and Reserves, active duty and retired military as well as civilians retired from the U.S. Department of Defense, and proud leaders and supporters of our military from across Texas. The Board is responsible for assessing hundreds of service academy applications each year. Lt. Col. (Ret.) Brian Birdwell, a native Texan and decorated military veteran representing Texas Senate District 22, serves as chairman. After Sen. Cruz nominates 40 applicants, the service academies will make their selections early next year.\n\nSen. Cruz's 2022 Service Academy Nominations Board members include:\n\nSen. Brian Birdwell, Chairman, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.), U.S. Army, Granbury, Texas\n\nJudge Ernest Aliseda, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.), U.S. Army Reserve, McAllen, Texas\n\nNick Breedlove, Commander, U.S. Navy Reserve, Fort Worth, Texas\n\nThe Honorable David Bristol, Major (Ret.), U.S. Air Force, Prosper, Texas\n\nKen Cox, Major General (Ret.), U.S. Army, Harker Heights, Texas\n\nSteve Dement, Tyler, Texas\n\nMichael E. Fossum, Colonel (Ret.), U.S. Air Force Reserve, Corpus Christi, Texas\n\nLisa Jaster, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army Reserve, New Braunfels, Texas\n\nFrank Kisner, Lieutenant General (Ret.), U.S. Air Force, Midland, Texas\n\nCody McGregor, Sergeant, U.S. Army, Houston, Texas\n\nErin Naranjo, Captain, U.S. Air Force, Round Rock, Texas\n\nMary Owen, Lubbock, Texas\n\nCleve Rodriguez, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Air Force, New Braunfels, Texas\n\nGus Rodriguez, El Paso, Texas\n\nLaurianne Rodriguez, Captain, U.S. Air Force, New Braunfels, Texas\n\nJudith Schanno, Captain, U.S. Air Force, Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas\n\nDr. Annie Sobel, Major General (Ret.), U.S. Army & Texas Army National Guard, Corpus Christi, Texas\n\nChaplain Rich Stoglin, Commander & Regimental Chaplain, U.S. Navy Reserve, Arlington, Texas\n\nJudge Jaime Tijerina, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.), U.S. Army Reserve, McAllen, Texa\n\nThe Honorable James White, Captain, U.S. Army, Tyler, Texas\n\nAllison Wilson, Master Sergeant (Ret.), U.S. Air Force, Schertz, Texas\n\nGrayson Winchester, Commander, Texas A&M Corps of Cadets, Fort Worth, Texas\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://gonzales.house.gov/2022/11/congressman-tony-gonzales-issues-statement-end-title-42", "Congressman Tony Gonzales Issues Statement on End of Title 42", "2022-11-18", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Tony Gonzales", "G000594", "gonzales.house.gov", "gonzales", "https://gonzales.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "SAN ANTONIO, TX \u2013 Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) on Wednesday issued the following statement after a federal judge issued an order barring federal authorities from using Title 42. Title 42 is a pandemic-era policy that has allowed DHS to rapidly expel migrants who come to the border during the coronavirus pandemic. Congressman Gonzales represents Texas\u2019 23rd Congressional District, which encompasses over 820 miles of U.S.-Mexico border, almost 40 percent of the total border territory in the country.\n\n\u201cTitle 42 has been the only policy in place that has kept Border Patrol and law enforcement agencies above water. In its absence, there will be complete chaos in my district and across the country,\u201d said Congressman Gonzales. \u201cCancelling this policy without putting up any guardrails to deter illegal immigration once again highlights this Administration\u2019s indifference to how severely our border communities continue to suffer from the border crisis.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://nehls.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-republicans-press-blinken-concerns-ukraine-aid-being-donated-dems", "House Republicans press Blinken on concerns of Ukraine aid being donated to Dems through FTX", "2022-11-18", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Troy E. Nehls", "N000026", "nehls.house.gov", "nehls", "https://nehls.house.gov/media", "scraper", "Fox Business\n\nBy Houston Keene\n\nNovember 17, 2022\n\nFIRST ON FOX: Several House Republicans are pressing Secretary of State Antony Blinken about their concerns that Ukraine military aid may have been improperly invested in the bankrupt crypto-exchange FTX Trading Limited.\n\nRep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, led the letter with several of his GOP colleagues to Blinken, expressing their concerns about the potential investment of Ukraine military financial aid into FTX, whose founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, made significant donations to Democrats this midterm cycle.\n\n\"This whole situation stinks to high heaven,\" Nehls told Fox News Digital. \"I voted against Ukraine spending in the House, and for good reason.\"\n\n\"We have no idea where this money is going and how much is actually going to support Ukraine's defense,\" Nehls continued. \"Now that we have the majority in the House, we will get to the bottom of this.\"\n\nIn the letter exclusively obtained by FOX Business, the lawmakers wrote it has come to their \"attention that billions of taxpayer dollars sent to Ukraine to assist with their war efforts were potentially invested in a crypto exchange that then made massive donations to Democrats\" during the midterm elections.\n\nNehls and the Republicans wrote the Ukrainian government officially partnered with FTX in March to \"launch a crypto donations website, 'Aid for Ukraine,' within days of President Joe Biden pledging billions of American taxpayer dollars to assist the country with war efforts against the Russian invasion.\"\n\n\"While this partnership was touted as a way to assist Ukraine in cashing out crypto donations for ammunition and humanitarian aid, we have serious concerns that the Ukrainian government may have invested portions of the nearly $66 billion of U.S. economic assistance into FTX to keep Democrats in power \u2013 and keep the money coming in,\" the lawmakers wrote.\n\nThe Republicans wrote that Bankman-Fried \"was the second-largest contributor to Democrat-affiliated political action committees (PACS) and organizations, only behind liberal billionaire, George Soros.\"\n\n\"The Federal Election Commission (FEC) data found Bankman-Fried funneled nearly $40 million during the midterm election cycle, with most of his contributions to Protect our Future PAC and House Majority PAC, both of which exclusively supported Democratic candidates,\" they continued.\n\n\"Additionally, Gabe Bankman-Fried, brother of FTX's founder, worked until last year for Democrat Congressman Sean Casten of Illinois, who sits on the House Financial Services Committee that oversees cryptocurrencies and Initial Coin Offering (ICO) markets,\" the lawmakers added.\n\nThe Republicans wrote that what is \"even more concerning is that on November 11th, three days after the 2022 midterms, FTX filed for bankruptcy\" and that it has been \"reported that up to $2 billion of customer funds have disappeared through a backdoor housed in the finance software.\"\n\n\"We sincerely hope the primary driver behind the billions in Congressional assistance to Ukraine was not Democrats attempting to keep themselves in power, and that none of the missing funds were used as a passthrough to avoid campaign finance laws or end up in Democrat pockets,\" the lawmakers wrote.\n\nNehls and his colleagues asked Blinken if the State Department has \"any knowledge that anyone in the Biden Administration, Congress, or Democrat-affiliated PACs intended for the money the U.S. sent to Ukraine to assist with the war efforts to be invested in a crypto exchange, including FTX, or be funneled back to the United States to influence the 2022 midterm elections\" and, if so, who those actors are.\n\nThe lawmakers also asked if the Biden administration will audit the Ukrainian aid that has been sent so far.\n\n\u2026\n\nThe GOP letter comes in the fallout of FTX's bankruptcy that has set the crypto market on fire as billions of dollars have been lost.\n\nJoining Nehls on the letter are three of his fellow GOP lawmakers: Reps. Louie Gohmert of Texas, Mary Miller of Illinois, and Byron Donalds of Florida.\n\nClick here to read the full article.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-congratulates-houston-astros-for-world-series-win", "Senate Passes Cruz-Cornyn Resolution Congratulating Houston Astros for World Series Win", "2022-11-18", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), joined fellow Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) in leading a resolution to congratulate the Houston Astros for winning the 2022 World Series for Major League Baseball.\n\nSen. Cruz said:\n\n\u201cSupporting my home team, the Houston Astros, has long been one of my favorite pastimes. It was a privilege to witness the Astros secure a World Series victory once again and I am proud to congratulate them on their historic success.\u201d\n\nThe text of the resolution is below:\n\nCongratulating the Houston Astros for winning the 2022 Major League Baseball World Series.\n\nWhereas, on November 5, 2022, the Houston Astros (referred to in this preamble as the \u2018\u2018Astros\u2019\u2019) defeated the National League Champions, the Philadelphia Phillies, by 4 games to 2 to win the 2022 Major League Baseball World Series in 6 games;\n\nWhereas this victory marks the second Major League Base- ball World Series championship for the Astros franchise and their first Major League Baseball World Series championship since 2017;\n\nWhereas, during the 2022 playoffs, the Astros defeated the New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners to make their second consecutive Major League Baseball World Series appearance;\n\nWhereas the Astros have won 2 consecutive American League West division titles;\n\nWhereas the Astros exhibited outstanding skill and ability to attain a 106-56 record in the 2022 Major League Base- ball season;\n\nWhereas General Manager of the Astros, James Click, and the front office and the supporting staff of the Astros navigated an exemplary season and made tremendous decisions to assemble the 2022 World Series Champions;\n\nWhereas Manager of the Astros, Dusty Baker, and the coaching staff, clubhouse, and the supporting staff of the Astros managed the 2022 Major League Baseball season, invested in their players, and should be congratulated;\n\nWhereas the Philadelphia Phillies displayed teamwork, competitive spirit, and sportsmanship in the 2022 Major League Baseball World Series as they faced the Astros;\n\nWhereas the entire roster for the Astros of the 2022 season proved to be instrumental in the victory and included \u2014\n\nBryan Abreu;\n\nJose Altuve;\n\nYordan Alvarez;\n\nAlex Bregman;\n\nHunter Brown;\n\nAledmys Diaz;\n\nMauricio Dubon;\n\nLuis Garcia;\n\nYuli Gurriel;\n\nDavid Hensley;\n\nCristian Javier;\n\nMartin Maldonado;\n\nTrey Mancini;\n\nChas McCormick;\n\nLance McCullers Jr.;\n\nRafael Montero;\n\nHector Neris;\n\nJeremy Pena;\n\nRyan Pressly;\n\nWill Smith;\n\nRyne Stanek;\n\nKyle Tucker;\n\nJose Urquidy;\n\nFramber Valdez;\n\nChristian Vazquez;\n\nJustin Verlander;\n\nPedro Baez;\n\nBrandon Bielak;\n\nRonel Blanco;\n\nMichael Brantley;\n\nJason Castro;\n\nYainer Diaz;\n\nNiko Goodrum;\n\nTaylor Jones;\n\nKorey Lee;\n\nSeth Martinez;\n\nJ.J. Matijevic;\n\nPhil Maton;\n\nJake Meyers;\n\nParker Mushinski;\n\nJake Odorizzi;\n\nEnoli Paredes;\n\nJoe Perez;\n\nJose Siri; and\n\nBlake Taylor;\n\nWhereas Jeremy Pena was named Most Valuable Player for the 2022 Major League Baseball World Series;\n\nWhereas the Astros have inspired the people of the city of Houston, Harris County, and Texas and Astros fans across the United States;\n\nWhereas the people of the city of Houston, Harris County, and Texas and Astros fans everywhere are\u2014\n\nproud of the Astros organization;\n\nthankful for the hard work, dedication, and teamwork of the Astros during the 2022 season; and\n\nthankful to the Astros for bringing another World Series victory to the city of Houston; and\n\nWhereas fans of the Astros demonstrated true passion and dedication in supporting their team throughout the 2022 Major League Baseball season: Now, therefore, be it\n\nResolved, That the Senate\u2014\n\ncongratulates the Houston Astros on winning the 2022 Major League Baseball World Series;\n\nrecognizes the achievements, contributions, and dedication of the players, coaches, management, and support staff of the Houston Astros;\n\nrecognizes the hard work and commitment of the staff of Minute Maid Park; and\n\nrespectfully directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to\u2014\n\nthe Chairman of the Astros, Jim Crane;\n\nthe General Manager of the Astros, James Click; and\n\nthe Manager of the Astros, Dusty Baker.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-introduces-bill-to-prohibit-non-citizen-voting-in-nations-capital", "Sen. Cruz Introduces Bill to Prohibit Non-Citizen Voting in Nation\u2019s Capital", "2022-11-18", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced a bill this week to prohibit the Washington, D.C. city government from using federal funds to facilitate non-citizen voting in elections in our nation\u2019s capital.\n\nSen. Cruz\u2019s bill is in response to the D.C. Council\u2019s recently passed measure that would allow illegal aliens to vote in local elections. Sen. Cruz also plans to introduce a Congressional Review Act resolution to overturn this measure if D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser signs it into law.\n\nAbout the bill, Sen. Cruz said:\n\n\u201cVoting is a distinct right and privilege that American citizens enjoy in the United States. It is a responsibility, not to be treated lightly, and it must be protected. Voters decide not only who will lead our country, our cities and communities, but also how our tax dollars should be spent and what policies we should adopt. Even the Washington Post agrees that non-citizen voting is a terrible idea. Allowing non-citizens and illegal immigrants to vote in our elections opens our country up to foreign influence, and allows those who are openly violating U.S. law or even working for hostile foreign governments to take advantage and direct our resources against our will.\u201d\n\nSupport for the bill:\n\nRJ Hauman, head of government relations and communications at the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR):\n\n\"Two and a half centuries ago, our nation was founded on the principle that sovereign people should determine their own destinies. Last month, the city council of our Nation\u2019s capital fundamentally violated that founding principle in an effort to empower noncitizens \u2013 including illegal aliens and employees at embassies of governments that are openly hostile to the United States \u2013 to determine the outcome of local elections. The right to vote is at the very core of the principle of self-determination and what it means to be a citizen. The actions of the D.C. city council and a mayor who is unlikely to veto are the next and most damaging steps in an ongoing effort to erase any distinction between American citizens and noncitizens. We applaud Senator Cruz for stepping up to the plate in an effort to pre-emptively address this radical measure.\u201d\n\nRosemary Jenks, director of government relations, NumbersUSA:\n\n\u201cThe D.C. Council\u2019s move to allow noncitizens to vote in D.C. elections defies both common sense and good governance. Beyond the absurdity of the leaders in Washington, D.C. begging for Federal assistance with their recent \u2018surge\u2019 of 8,200 illegal aliens while simultaneously offering them the right to vote if they come, it is totally unconscionable that the district that serves as the seat of our Federal government would actively work to dilute the votes of American citizens with the votes of all resident foreign nationals, including the embassy staff who live and work in D.C. on behalf of governments like Russia and China. We applaud Senator Cruz for working to stop this absurd policy and protect the voting rights of all Americans in the District of Columbia.\u201d\n\nRead the bill here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sens-cruz-cantwell-co-author-consumer-protection-bill-on-recording-smart-devices", "Sens. Cruz, Cantwell Co-Author Consumer Protection Bill on Recording Smart Devices", "2022-11-18", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, introduced the Informing Consumers about Smart Devices Act.\n\nThe bill would require the FTC to create reasonable disclosure guidelines for products that have audio or visual recording components, such as refrigerators, washers, dryers and dishwashers that are not clearly obvious. Many consumers don\u2019t realize the growing number of household devices and appliances include cameras and/or microphones that are capable of recording them and also include Wi-Fi capability to transmit data without their knowledge.\n\nUpon introducing the bill, Sen. Cruz said:\n\n\u201cAmerican consumers should be aware when their appliances and everyday tech products have the capability to record them through microphones and cameras \u2013 let alone the ability to transmit through Wi-Fi. I\u2019m proud to help author this bipartisan solution to help safeguard the privacy and security of American homes\u201d\n\nUpon introducing the bill, Sen. Cantwell said:\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s estimated that by 2026, over 84 million households will have smart devices \u2013 providing connection and control over everything from your air conditioning to your air fryer,\u201d said Sen. Maria Cantwell, Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. \u201cYet, most consumers expect their refrigerators to keep the milk cold, not record their most personal and private family discussions. I\u2019m happy to work with Senator Cruz on a bill that will ensure consumers know whether their household appliances are capable of invading their privacy.\u201d\n\nText of the bill can be found here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=478", "Rep. Jackson Introduces Legislation to Enhance America\u2019s Critical Infrastructure", "2022-11-17", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ronny Jackson", "J000304", "jackson.house.gov", "jackson", "https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 Today, Congressman Ronny Jackson (TX-13) introduced the Ensuring America's Critical Infrastructure Act, which would codify 16 infrastructure sectors as \u201ccritical infrastructure.\u201d These sectors include Chemical, Commercial Facilities, Communications, Critical Manufacturing, Dams, Defense Industrial Base, Emergency Services, Energy, Financial Services, Food and Agriculture, Government Facilities, Healthcare and Public Health, Information Technology, Nuclear Reactors, Materials, and Waste, Transportation systems, and Water and Wastewater systems. During natural disasters, international conflicts, or public health emergencies our success depends on the strength of these sectors as they are the foundation of American society.\n\nJackson said: \u201cPresident Biden\u2019s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan emboldened our adversaries around the world. This is evident given Russia\u2019s attack on Ukraine, China\u2019s large-scale war games in the South China Sea, the increasing existential threat Iran poses to our partners and allies in the Middle East, and North Korea\u2019s erratic missile launches. Biden\u2019s weak posture on the world stage and negligence here at home has put every American at risk. It is more important than ever that America coordinate its efforts to strengthen the security and resiliency of these 16 critical infrastructure sectors that guarantee America's safety, prosperity, and well-being. In an era of unprecedented threats and uncertainty, we need a comprehensive approach to ensure our country can overcome physical and cyber threats from our enemies.\u201d\n\nBill text can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-roys-speech-nominating-rep-biggs-speaker-house-representatives", "Rep. Roy's speech nominating Rep. Biggs for speaker of the House of Representatives", "2022-11-17", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Chip Roy", "R000614", "roy.house.gov", "roy", "https://roy.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014On Tuesday, Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) nominated Rep. Andy Biggs (AZ-05) for speaker of the House of Representatives. A copy of Rep. Roy's prepared remarks is below:\n\nI rise in support of my friend and colleague from Arizona to serve as Speaker of the House. Andy Biggs is a proven leader who has demonstrated leadership here in D.C. as well as serving as President of the Arizona State Senate in a slim two seat majority. He is a committed conservative and a good man.\n\nAndy\u2019s candidacy is not an attack on Kevin \u2013 with whom a number of us have been engaging and will continue to in good faith\u2026\n\nAndy\u2019s candidacy is about his courage to stand here today, willing to take the arrows\u2026 the courage to offer a debate rather than a coronation\u2026\n\n\u2026the courage to say perhaps we should consider changing the way we do things in this broken Congress\u2026 in this broken town\u2026\n\n\u2026a town to which our constituents sent us specifically to change it.\n\n\u2026While there are many factors impacting last Tuesday\u2019s elections, the outcome is not so much murky as convicting.\n\nOur voters expected a reckoning\u2026 and in so doing, they gave us nearly 5 million more Republicans voting in congressional elections than Democrats...\n\n\u2026YES, redistricting can explain why we only a gained a few seats\u2026 but it\u2019s not enough.\n\nWhat did we run on?\n\n\u2026In the 90\u2019s we ran specifically on crime and a bold agenda to transform Congress.\n\n\u2026In 2010/2012, we ran specifically on Cutting Spending\n\nMeanwhile\u2026 this year\u2026\n\n\u2026Bold conservative leadership outside of this city was affirmed enthusiastically by voters...\n\n\u2026No one better represents that than Governor Ron DeSantis\u2019 overwhelming dominance in Florida.\n\n\u2026But we also saw Governor Lee in Tennessee\u2026 Governor Kemp in Georgia\u2026 Governor Reynolds in Iowa\u2026 Governor Abbott in Texas\u2026\n\nAnd we saw Lee Zeldin\u2019s powerful run for governor in New York, where he fell short but helped flip 4 seats\u2026\n\n\u2026 because Lee ran on something\u2026 crime & the rule of law.\n\nDeSantis ran on something\u2026 fighting COVID tyranny and wokeism\u2026\n\nAbbott ran on something \u2013 securing the border.\n\nMeanwhile in a mid-term election\u2026 against the most radical leftist and dangerous White House in American history\u2026 we left the Senate in Democrat hands\u2026 and we\u2019re looking at a 3-5 seat majority in the House.\n\nSo \u2013 what do we do?\n\nI hear a lot about unity.\n\nAmen. But it has to be REAL unity.\n\nIf we just \u201csay\u201d we are unified \u2013 it will not do a thing if the rules committee jams a disastrous immigration and border security bill \u2013 like happened in July of 2018\u2026\n\nOr, consider that \u2013 to the best of my knowledge\u2026 the House Freedom Caucus, which represents about 20% of this body\u2026 has ONE member of the Steering Committee\u2026 and ONE of 20 standing Committee Chairs...\n\nOr respectfully \u2013 PACS broadly associated with leadership spent millions of dollars, admittedly undefined degrees removed from anyone in here, against Mary Miller in favor of Rodney Davis \u2013 where there were two incumbents\u2026 one very much part of the leadership circle\u2026\n\nBut it\u2019s not about any one person or group. it\u2019s about empowerment of the whole GOP conference\u2026 not just a select few...\n\nWe say we are for limited government. But, how do you expect to de-centralize the power of Washington if we can\u2019t even de-centralize our own leadership structure?\n\nOur republic is on the edge. Americans and their families are being crushed by weaponized government, radical wokeness, vaccine mandates, open borders, crime, inflation...\n\nVoters don\u2019t understand how Democrats, who have championed such destruction, still hold so much power and largely avoided the reckoning. We talk a lot about accountability. I ask everyone in this room, \u201cHow can we hold them accountable if we cannot hold ourselves accountable when we come up short?\u201d\n\nToday\u2019s voting date is an arbitrary date\u2026 rushed\u2026 in an environment where many of our voters believe the system is rigged against them.\n\nA vote for Andy is a vote to shout STOP\u2026 and to stand athwart the status quo. It\u2019s a vote to pause & debate. It\u2019s a vote to empower every one of us to have a say and to have the ability to use our election certificate to its fullest...\n\nIt\u2019s not a vote against Kevin\u2026 but a vote to force us ALL to the table to figure out HOW \u2013 not if \u2013 HOW we will come together as a party\u2026 to re-shape the conference rules, re-think the make-up of steering and the very structure and operation of the rules committee\u2026 and most of all\u2026 lay out a specific agreed-to agenda and battle plan around which we can unify\u2026 and to inspire and win the minds and hearts of Americans.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://weber.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1475", "Rep. Weber Introduces the Next Generation Pipelines Research and Development Act", "2022-11-17", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Randy K. Weber, Sr.", "W000814", "weber.house.gov", "weber", "https://weber.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. - Today, House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Energy Ranking Member U.S. Rep. Randy Weber (TX-14) was joined by Ranking Member Frank Lucas and other Science Committee Republicans to introduce a bill that will improve America\u2019s pipeline infrastructure for current and future energy sources.\n\nThe Next Generation Pipelines Research and Development Act will improve interagency coordination on pipeline research, development, and demonstration and help translate laboratory discoveries into technologies that can be commercialized and deployed by industry. The bill establishes a demonstration initiative for basic research conducted by the Department of Energy and Department of Transportation on projects related to pipeline performance, safety, and integrity. It also codifies a joint research and development program between the Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, and National Institute of Standards and Technology. Lastly, the legislation directs the Department of Energy to establish a National Pipeline Modernization Center, which will serve as a collaboration hub for industry to understand and assist the research efforts of these agencies.\n\n\u201cPipeline infrastructure is extremely important, not only to Texas\u2019 14th Congressional District, but for our entire country. It is critical we invest in research and development to ensure the proper improvements and upgrades are made,\u201d said Rep. Weber. \u201cOur pipelines are the safest way to transport energy. Many pipelines run through Texas, bringing fuel and feedstock to a variety of consumers, including homeowners, businesses, and power plants. Let\u2019s not forget that the United States has the largest network of pipelines in the world, and that is why this bill is so critically important.\u201d\n\n\u201cPipelines are an essential component of America\u2019s energy infrastructure. Without the three million miles of pipelines crisscrossing our country, we wouldn\u2019t be able to connect Americans with our supply of clean natural gas,\u201d Ranking Member Lucas said. \"As we continue to innovate and expand newer energy sources like captured carbon and hydrogen, it\u2019s critical that we have pipelines in place that can safely and efficiently transport these fuels as well. I appreciate Rep. Weber\u2019s work to support the research and development necessary to ensure our pipelines are operating at their peak not just for current natural gas supplies, but also for the future of American energy development.\"\n\n\u201cU.S. energy independence is critical to create jobs, lower costs of fuel and utilities, strengthen our domestic resources and ensure we do not have to rely on adversaries to fuel our country. We must improve our energy pipelines to keep our communities running,\u201d said Rep. Kim. \u201cThe Next Generation Pipelines Research and Development Act is a commonsense bill to improve energy infrastructure, boost American innovation and secure our supply chains. I\u2019ll keep fighting for U.S. energy independence.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor America to have a thriving energy future, we need to renew our energy infrastructure and ensure that aging energy transportation systems don\u2019t stand in our way. Our Next Generation Pipelines Research and Development Act will help ensure important modernizations are implemented rapidly to keep our energy infrastructure strong,\u201d said Rep. Obernolte.\n\n\u201cAs a steadfast advocate for American energy independence, I am pleased to cosponsor this important legislation in support of our nation\u2019s pipelines,\u201d said Rep. Babin. \u201cThe United States has the largest network of energy pipelines in the world, and it is critical that we continue to modernize our infrastructure. This bill will help ensure our pipelines operate at peak performance while prioritizing safety and innovation.\u201d\n\n\u201cEnsuring America\u2019s energy independence means maintaining the pipeline infrastructure we already have in place and supporting the research and development required to improve that infrastructure to accommodate new energy sources,\u201d said Rep. Carey. \u201cWe in Congress must do all we can to maintain America\u2019s energy production and independence and I believe Rep. Weber\u2019s Next Generation Pipelines Research and Development Act does just that.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://williams.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-roger-williams-launches-run-for-chairman-of-the-house-small-business", "Rep. Roger Williams Launches Run for Chairman of the House Small Business Committee", "2022-11-17", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Roger Williams", "W000816", "williams.house.gov", "williams", "https://williams.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON. D.C. \u2013 Congressman Roger Williams(TX-25) released the following statement regarding his official launch for Chairmanship of the House Small Business Committee:\n\n\"For over 50 years, I've dedicated my life to building and growing a business,\"said Congressman Roger Williams. \"Our family business employs hundreds of people in Texas, so I don't just read about the challenges facing Main Street, I live them firsthand. I'm a team player who values input from my colleagues and always places the greater good above all else. Democrats have derailed the important mission of the House Small Business Committee and I believe only a small business owner can right the ship. As Chairman, I will provide the leadership and clear direction required to drive free-market policies and conduct proper oversight of this administration. I'm ready to fight for our Nation's job creators and ensure that capitalism endures and small businesses can compete.\"\n\nYou can watch his formal announcement for the chairmanship on Fox Business by clicking on the photo below:\n\nImage\n\nCongressman Roger Williams represents the 25th Congressional District of Texas and serves as a member of the House Committee on Financial Services and as Vice-Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-wins-world-series-wager-with-sen-toomey", "Sen. Cruz Wins World Series Wager with Sen. Toomey", "2022-11-17", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pennsylvania) settled their friendly wager that was placed prior to the 2022 Major League Baseball World Series. The Houston Astros, Sen. Cruz\u2019s hometown team, decisively defeated Sen. Toomey\u2019s Philadelphia Phillies 4 games to 2 games to win the World Series.\n\nSen. Toomey \u2013 sporting a Jose Altuve jersey - and his staff came to Sen. Cruz\u2019s office today to deliver their concession along with Wawa soft pretzels and Yuengling and Yardsbrew beer. Had the Phillies won, Sen. Cruz had wagered Goode Co. Pecan Pies, Blue Bell Ice Cream and St. Arnold Beer from Texas.\n\nBelow is a video of the exchange and additional photos.\n\nClick here to view photos and video.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://crenshaw.house.gov/2022/11/crenshaw-introduces-declaring-war-on-cartels-act", "Crenshaw Introduces Declaring War on Cartels Act", "2022-11-16", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Dan Crenshaw", "C001120", "crenshaw.house.gov", "crenshaw", "https://crenshaw.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, Rep. Dan Crenshaw announced the introduction of the Declaring War on the Cartels Act. The bill is designed to combat Transnational Criminal Cartels\u2019 illegal activities with increased criminal penalties and the targeting of their finances.\n\nAs Mexican cartels continue to destroy the rule of law in America, they have developed into a national security threat. While trafficking drugs and people into the U.S., they then use the money made from criminal activities to arm themselves and wage war against the Mexican government and each other.\n\n\u201cMy bill goes after the cartels and their members by increasing federal criminal penalties, bypassing liberal big city District Attorneys and prosecutors, and hitting the cartels where it matters most: their bank accounts,\u201d Rep. Dan Crenshaw said. \u201cI designed this bill to use unique tools\u2013like denaturalization and sanctions on government that support or allow cartels to operate\u2013to deter individual support and corruption. We must take the cartels seriously and deter them and target them the same way we do terrorists. That is the only way to win.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=476", "Rep. Jackson Introduces Legislation to Prohibit Federal Funding for Corrupt Teachers\u2019 Unions", "2022-11-16", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ronny Jackson", "J000304", "jackson.house.gov", "jackson", "https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 Today, Congressman Ronny Jackson (TX-13) introduced the No Federal Funding for Teachers\u2019 Unions Act, which would prohibit the federal government from giving financial support to corrupt teachers\u2019 unions.\n\nJackson said: \u201cCorrupt teachers\u2019 unions sold out our kids when they lined Democrat politicians\u2019 pockets with campaign contributions to keep students out of the classroom, and later to force masking, despite clear evidence that these decisions were harmful to kids\u2019 educational and developmental growth. They have even pushed a radical and inappropriate curriculum which seeks to indoctrinate our students with a woke, racist, and anti-American worldview. Just when we thought corrupt teachers\u2019 unions could not get worse, they pressed the Biden Administration to investigate parents who voice disagreement with their decisions as domestic terrorists. The very people who were supposed to have our kids\u2019 best interest at heart have repeatedly betrayed them. It\u2019s time we restore parents\u2019 voices, prohibit corrupt teachers\u2019 unions from using your tax dollars to advance their radical agenda, and send them a clear message: LEAVE OUR KIDS ALONE!\u201d\n\nBill text can be found here.\n\nRepresentatives Louie Gohmert (TX-01), Troy Nehls (TX-22), Debbie Lesko (AZ-08), and Mary Miller (IL-15) cosponsored Jackson\u2019s legislation.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://arrington.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=876", "Arrington Responds to Federal Judge's Decision to Block Title 42", "2022-11-15", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Jodey C. Arrington", "A000375", "arrington.house.gov", "arrington", "https://arrington.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Representative Jodey Arrington (R-TX) released the following statement in response to a federal judge's order to block Title 42, a Trump-era rule that allowed the U.S. to quickly expel migrants who crossed the border.\n\n\"Judge Sullivan's decision to block Title 42 will only dump gasoline on an already raging fire that is the invasion at our southern border. Just last month, we saw a record-high of over 230,000 apprehensions. Title 42 is the last effective measure to secure the border under an Administration that fails to enforce the laws of the land, and without it, we are left with no tools to stop this unprecedented crisis.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=473", "Rep. Jackson Honors Late Vietnam Veteran of TX-13, Legislation Passes the House", "2022-11-15", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ronny Jackson", "J000304", "jackson.house.gov", "jackson", "https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 Last night, Representative Ronny Jackson\u2019s (TX-13) legislation to rename the U.S. Post Office in Canyon, Texas after Gary Fletcher passed the U.S. House of Representatives. Prior to the vote, Jackson spoke on the House Floor in honor of Mr. Fletcher\u2019s life and legacy.\n\nJackson said: \u201cGary Fletcher embodied everything it means to be a West Texan \u2013 hard-working, God-fearing, and service-oriented. He lived a life of service before self with a steadfast commitment to his family, country, and community in the Texas Panhandle. As a Vietnam veteran, banker, rancher, and active member of the Washington Avenue Christian Church, Mr. Fletcher earned the admiration of all who knew him. He left behind an incredible legacy that will be carried on by his loving family, and now he\u2019ll be forever memorialized through last night\u2019s Congressional action. I\u2019m grateful to my colleagues for supporting my bill to officially name the U.S. Post Office in Canyon, Texas the Gary James Fletcher Post Office Building. He was a great Patriot and American.\u201d\n\nThe legislation can be found here.\n\nBiography of Gary Fletcher:\n\nBorn in Amarillo, Texas, Fletcher graduated from Canyon High School and later joined the United States Army in 1968 as a specialist E5. He served his country in the worst of times, during the Vietnam conflict, providing lifesaving medical care to countless young men who would\u2019ve never returned home otherwise. He was decorated for his service with the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. Returning to Canyon, Fletcher graduated from West Texas State University, now known as West Texas A&M University, with a Bachelor of Business Administration and Finance. He spent 34 years as a banker and 45 years as a rancher and owner of the Salt Fork Ranch in Clarendon, Texas. Fletcher and his family also rode in team penning events, riding the same horses they used on the ranch. He was a former president of the United States Team Penning Association. A lifelong volunteer to organizations like United Way and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Fletcher was dedicated to serving the community. Fletcher was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and brother. He passed away on October 29, 2020.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://vanduyne.house.gov/2022/11/rep-van-duyne-honors-air-show-victim-terry-barker-on-house-floor", "Rep. Van Duyne Honors Air Show Victim Terry Barker on House Floor", "2022-11-15", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Beth Van Duyne", "V000134", "vanduyne.house.gov", "vanduyne", "https://vanduyne.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Rep. Beth Van Duyne today delivered a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives honoring Texas-24 resident and local leader Terry Barker, who passed away in Saturday's Dallas Air Show crash.\n\nClick here or the photo above to watch the floor speech.\n\nREMARKS PREPARED:\n\n\"I rise today with a heavy heart. Over the weekend, tragedy struck North Texas as six lives were taken in an air show honoring our veterans. One victim was Texas-24 resident and local leader Terry Barker.\n\nTerry was the epitome of an all-American hero. An army veteran and American Airlines Pilot of 36 years, Terry spent decades of his storied and accomplished life serving others. His service in the Army and unmatched dedication to honoring veterans is a testament to the kind of man Terry was.\n\nJust last week, to pay tribute to veterans, Terry helped set up the Keller Field of Honor: 1,776 full-size U.S. flags dedicated to 1,776 heroes. He then took to the skies one last time in a World War II era B-17 bomber to pay tribute to the Greatest Generation.\n\nTerry was also a dedicated public servant, spending two terms as a Keller City Councilman. My friend and colleague, Keller Mayor Armin Mizani, described Terry as his mentor, and an \u201coutgoing and selfless man who always had a joke to share.\u201d\n\nTexas-24 lost an American patriot, public servant, and beloved friend this week. I ask you to please join me in praying for Terry, his family, and all of those affected by this weekend\u2019s tragedy.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-responds-to-biden-administration-weaponizing-doj-against-israel-everyone-involved-with-this-debacle-should-be-fired-or-impeached", "Sen. Cruz Responds to Biden Administration Weaponizing DOJ Against Israel: \u201cEveryone Involved With this Debacle Should be Fired or Impeached\u201d", "2022-11-15", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Senate Judiciary Committees, responded to news that the Biden administration seeks to open an FBI investigation into Israel.\n\nSen. Cruz said:\n\n\u201cJoe Biden and his administration view Israel and Prime Minister-elect Benjamin Netanyahu as political enemies, and so they are responding to them the way they respond to all their political enemies: by unleashing the FBI. Our Israeli allies have, since the very beginning, cooperated closely with the United States in investigating this incident, and the State Department and Defense Departments had already drawn their conclusions.\n\n\u201cThis outrage underscores how corrupt and blatantly politicized the Justice Department has become, and how entirely beholden to the radical left-wing Squad Democrats really are. This administration has spent its time in office weaponizing the DOJ to target their political enemies as a matter of policy, and now they have allowed that tactic to bleed into their obsession with undermining our Israeli allies.\n\n\u201cEveryone involved with this debacle should be fired or impeached \u2013 all the way up to Attorney General Garland.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://weber.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1469", "Weber, Speier, Chu, Bass, Carbajal, and Obernolte Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Address Pervasive BOP Prison Understaffing", "2022-11-14", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Randy K. Weber, Sr.", "W000814", "weber.house.gov", "weber", "https://weber.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Reps. Randy Weber (R-TX), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Judy Chu (D-CA), Karen Bass (D-CA), and Jay Obernolte (R-CA) introduced the bipartisan introduced the bipartisan Prison Staffing Reform Act to direct the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to conduct a review of understaffing, devise a 3-year plan to fill vacancies, and implement the plan as well as submit yearly progress reports to Congress. The plan must encompass the effects of understaffing on workplace safety, the processing of inmate casework, and the availability of medical care and educational programs for inmates. This would ensure BOP addresses the pervasive understaffing that has had dire consequences for staff and inmates alike.\n\n\u201cThe crisis of chronic understaffing at the federal Bureau of Prisons is a major problem that needs to be addressed immediately,\u201d said Rep. Weber. \u201cDoing so will lead to better and safer conditions for our correctional officers and inmates. As members of the BOP Reform Caucus, we are championing solutions to address problems that have plagued the BOP and our correctional officers, and our bipartisan bill is a step in the right direction.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe BOP oversees a prison system that includes 35,000 employees at 121 federal institutions containing over 125,000 inmates. When these facilities are understaffed, everyone suffers, especially inmates. In my visit to BOP-managed women\u2019s prison FCI Dublin, I witnessed firsthand the staffing shortages that endanger inmates and limit access to basic medical care, vital educational programming, and efficient casework processing,\u201d said Rep. Speier. \u201cThe toxic environments and alarmingly rampant rates of sexual harassment and abuse of women inmates at these facilities is disgraceful. The bipartisan Prison Staffing Reform Act is a crucial step towards addressing some of the long-standing conditions in BOP prisons that allow abusers and sexual predators to flourish without recourse.\u201d\n\n\u201cRecently, Americans have seen the negative impact of staffing shortages in many different sectors\u2014 such as schools and hospitals. After touring a women\u2019s federal prison with my colleagues, I can unequivocally say that our prison system is no exception. These instances of understaffing exacerbate an already egregious situation where inmates are routinely denied adequate medical care for months until they have escalated into medical emergencies,\u201d said Rep Chu. \u201cThe inability to maintain proper staff ratios also means serial abusers are kept on prison payroll, subjecting female inmates in particular to absolutely unacceptable sexual violence and harassment. We simply must guarantee accountability measures are in place to ensure the respectful treatment of prisoners. I am proud to be a cosponsor of the bipartisan Prison Staffing Reform Act, which will provide an accountability structure to do just that.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen someone commits a crime, it is important they face appropriate and proportional consequences. Those consequences should never include abuse or neglect. Yet unfortunately, through visits to correctional facilities and conversations with impacted individuals, my colleagues and I know these horrors do in fact occur. We have heard from not only survivors of abuse, but also corrections employees who have been overworked and under resourced \u2013 leaving them unable to intervene when it was most needed,\u201d said Rep. Bass. \u201cThis bipartisan bill is an important step to improving the safety and accountability of our federal prison system, while ensuring the health and safety of incarcerated individuals, employees, and visitors in its facilities.\u201d\n\n\u201cStaffing shortages don\u2019t just put unnecessary burdens on the public safety officers and other BOP workers, they actively put the safety of those incarcerated at BOP facilities at risk,\u201d said Rep. Carbajal. \u201cAt the Lompoc prison on the Central Coast, chronic understaffing and inadequate resources led to one of largest COVID-19 outbreaks at any BOP facility as well as deadly fights that killed both inmates and staff. Our legislation provides the accountability needed to protect facilities like Lompoc by ensuring there is proper staffing in place to provide the security and services that are needed.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe reliance on augmentation and overtime to fill staffing vacancies at Bureau of Prisons facilities in Victorville and across the country has decreased safety for staff and inmates alike. This practice is also substantially more expensive for taxpayers than simply staffing appropriately in the first place,\u201d said Rep. Obernolte. \u201cIt\u2019s critical that the BOP take action immediately to address this problem and fill vacancies with the qualified people needed to keep our prisons secure, functional, and safe.\u201d\n\n\"Staffing shortages in the Bureau of Prisons directly undermine the federal prison system's ability to foster both accountability and rehabilitation. Our prison system cannot operate effectively if a dearth of staff is making it unsafe. Currently, incarcerated people are too worried about their own safety to have the time and energy it takes to make changes in their skillset or character. Ongoing staffing shortages at the BOP are also making it nearly impossible to connect individuals with prison programming that is proven to improve public safety. The Prison Staffing Reform Act is a strong step towards Congress fulfilling the promise it made to the American people in the First Step Act and supporting our hard-working federal corrections employees,\" said 15 presidents representing the Western Region of the Bureau of Prison Locals.\n\n\"Staffing shortages in the Bureau of Prisons directly undermine the federal prison system's ability to foster both accountability and rehabilitation,\" said Jeremiah Mosteller, Senior Policy Analyst at Americans for Prosperity. \"Our prison system cannot operate effectively if a dearth of staff is making it unsafe. Currently, incarcerated people are too worried about their own safety to have the time and energy it takes to make changes in their skillset or character. Ongoing staffing shortages at the BOP are also making it nearly impossible to connect individuals with prison programming that is proven to improve public safety. The Prison Staffing Reform Act is a strong step towards Congress fulfilling the promise it made to the American people in the First Step Act and supporting our hard-working federal corrections employees.\"\n\n\u201cThe brave men and women who continue to do the work inside our inadequately staffed federal prisons, are doing so honorably, and often mandated to work 16-hour days to cover for the lack of staffing. Case Managers, Counselors, Teachers, Nurses, and Business office staff are all being required to work Correctional Services to cover for the inadequate staffing levels, hindering their ability to fully focus on things like the First Step Act, and overwhelming them with work which they must complete in significantly fewer hours to ensure the success of the programs. Additionally, these staff are being pushed beyond their limits, and the welfare of the staff are at an all-time low, all directly related to the staffing crisis. These men and women have not looked for recognition or even a \u201cthank you\u201d but rather look for staffing to be the primary focus\u2026 Congresswoman Speier\u2019s Prison Staffing Reform Act addresses these issues. I, not only fully support the bill, but appreciate the work being done for those who are often forgotten about behind the walls of the nation\u2019s federal prisons,\u201d said Mario Campos, the District 12 National Vice President of the American Federation of Government Employees, representing federal employees in California, Arizona, Nevada and Hawaii.\n\nThe Prison Staffing Reform Act would require BOP to assess the far-reaching impacts of chronic understaffing on the following metrics, as well as implement a plan to fill vacancies and advance associated priorities for the agency:\n\nThe availability of medical care for inmates, including mental health, substance misuse, and maternal health services.\n\nThe processing of inmates\u2019 applications for compassionate release, home confinement, and time credits.\n\nThe availability of teachers, therapists, and support staff aimed at reducing recidivism.\n\nAdequate protections for staff and inmates against violence and sexual misconduct.\n\nThe availability of sanitary and efficient food services.\n\nPrison security, including the detection of contraband and installation of cameras.\n\nWorkplace conditions that may jeopardize employees\u2019 mental health.\n\nWasteful costs incurred by BOP associated with augmentation and overtime.\n\nThe BOP must act on a 3-year plan to address understaffing and remedy these related, long-standing challenges.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/release-sen-cruz-calls-for-release-of-ftc-privacy-report-on-social-media-and-streaming-services", "RELEASE: Sen. Cruz Calls for Release of FTC Privacy Report on Social Media and Streaming Services", "2022-11-14", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Commerce Committee, authored a letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan urging the prompt release of its privacy report on social media and video streaming services by November 14th.\n\nThe FTC is preparing to announce new privacy-related rules for online businesses, and its comment deadline for its privacy rulemaking ends on November 21. In his letter, Sen. Cruz called for the release of the FTC privacy report by November 14 to allow interested parties full transparency before commenting.\n\nIn the letter, the Senator states:\n\n\u201cThe social media and video streaming investigation was initiated in December 2020, when the FTC issued orders to Amazon.com, Inc., ByteDance Ltd. (operator of TikTok), Discord Inc., Facebook, Inc., Reddit, Inc., Snap Inc., Twitter, Inc., WhatsApp Inc., and YouTube LLC requesting the relevant information. Specifically, the FTC orders sought information related to:\n\n(i) how these companies collect, use, track, estimate, or derive personal and demographic information;\n\n(ii) how they determine which ads and other content are shown to consumers;\n\n(iii) whether they apply algorithms or data analytics to personal information;\n\n(iv) how they measure, promote, and research user engagement; and\n\n(v) how their practices affect children and teens.\u201d\n\n\u2026\n\n\u201cMoreover, Congress and state legislatures have considered numerous bipartisan bills related to each of the five 6(b) orders. Certainly, the elected representatives of the people\u2014and more importantly, the American people\u2014would benefit from the findings of this investigation to craft sound public policy. Thus, it is imperative the report is released immediately to provide the public and interested parties alike an opportunity to comment on the ANPRM, and to supply members of Congress and state legislators with vital information in advance of the 118th Congress and upcoming state legislative sessions.\u201d\n\nA copy of the letter can be found here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://arrington.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=875", "Arrington Hosts Breakfast to Honor West Texas Veterans", "2022-11-11", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Jodey C. Arrington", "A000375", "arrington.house.gov", "arrington", "https://arrington.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "LUBBOCK, TX \u2013 Today, Representative Jodey Arrington (TX-19) hosted a breakfast to honor and celebrate West Texas veterans and their service to the United States.\n\n\u201cIt is a tremendous honor to celebrate Veterans Day with fellow West Texans who honorably and courageously served our country, willing to risk all to preserve the freedom of these United States of America. Our veterans are a living monument of sacrifice, courage, valor, and patriotism \u2014 all that\u2019s good about America.\n\n\u201cThe freedoms and opportunities we enjoy as Americans are only possible because of our brave men and women in the Armed Forces. Thank you to those one-percenters of every generation who put it all on the line for the greatest country in the world,\u201d said Rep. Arrington.\n\nOver 30 veterans from the Lubbock community attended today\u2019s breakfast, representing the various branches of the United States Armed Forces.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-delivers-video-message-to-veterans", "Sen. Cruz Delivers Video Message to Veterans", "2022-11-11", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", "cruz", "https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today released a video statement in observance of Veterans Day, thanking our nation\u2019s veterans for their defense of America\u2019s freedom.\n\n\u201cToday, we pause and remember the men and women who have bravely served this nation.\n\n\u201cTheir selfless devotion to defending freedom and the United States of America didn\u2019t come with any expectation of return or reward. They served because they were Americans.\n\n\u2026\n\n\u201cAcross our great country, we gather today to honor the grand contributions of warriors who protect us. And, as Texans, we are immensely proud of the leading role our state plays in guarding our national security.\n\n\u2026\n\n\u201cWe thank all veterans for their service. It is because of our veterans that America remains a shining city on a hill, the last best hope of man on earth. Together, as a state and as a nation, we are honored to do our part to recognize their sacrifice.\u201d\n\nWatch the video here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 762, "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": "2022"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=TX&year=2022", "results": [{"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 762, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=TX&year=2022", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=TX&year=2022", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 595, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=TX&year=2022&chamber=House", "selected": false}, {"value": "Senate", "label": "Senate", "count": 167, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=TX&year=2022&chamber=Senate", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=TX&year=2022", "results": [{"value": "TX", "label": "TX", "count": 762, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2022", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=TX&year=2022", "results": [{"value": "2022", "label": "2022", "count": 762, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=TX", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2022-11-11,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ecruz~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnewsroom~2Fpress-releases~2Fsen-cruz-delivers-video-message-to-veterans", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=TX&year=2022&_next=2022-11-11%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ecruz~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnewsroom~2Fpress-releases~2Fsen-cruz-delivers-video-message-to-veterans&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 736.4060608670115, "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"}