{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where state = \"TX\" and year = 2014 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://medium.com/@RepBetoORourke/end-of-year-update-808ba317f354", "End of year update", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Beto O'Rourke", "O000170", "medium.com", null, null, "legacy", "End of yearupdate December 29, 2014 I like to keep these updates as brief and to the point as I can. I know you get a lot of email, and you dont need more to read from me. However, since I conclude my first term in Congress this week and begin a new one in January, Id ask your indulgence as I provide a quick recap of our efforts in the 113th Congress and conclude with the last significant vote I took this year, a no vote on the spending bill. *** Weve done a lot during the 113th session of Congress: helped thousands of constituents in our El Paso office, voted on hundreds of important bills in the Capitol and held dozens of town hall meetings throughout the community. Theres no easy way to summarize and account for it all in this email, so I thought Id take you through three significant issues that are important both for El Paso and the country. The first is our obligation to our service members and their families. Soon after I took office we were forced to confront the consequences of the across-the-board budget cuts known as the sequester. While the sequester hit every federal agency, one group that stood out to me was our service members. In particular, we learned that service members were to lose access to the Tuition Assistance program, which affords them up to $4,500 per year to attend UTEP, El Paso Community College or other schools of higher-learning. After hearing from family members of those stationed at Fort Bliss, we introduced a bill to restore 100 percent of the funding. We partnered with key Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee and ultimately were able to restore funding for the remainder of 2013. By listening to the families of our service members, working across the aisle and not accepting the status quo we helped solve the problem and kept faith with our service members across the country and especially the nearly 33,000 incredibly brave men and women at Fort Bliss. At the same time that we were addressing the impacts of the sequester, we realized that problems at the VA were worse than we first believed. While the VA insisted it was meeting access requirements for El Paso, I was hearing from hundreds of veterans at my town hall meetings and in our office about the difficulty of getting in to see a doctor or mental health provider. To resolve the discrepancy, I commissioned a survey of El Pasos veterans who confirmed what we had been hearing: one-third who attempted to get mental health care could not, and average wait times for primary care were over 80 days. We exposed a deep divide between the VAs message and the reality faced by many El Paso veterans. Due to this work, and our oversight efforts on the Veterans Affairs Committee, we were able to obtain a commitment from VA leadership to turn around El Pasos clinic. To date, that has translated into millions of dollars to hire additional providers, an improving customer-focused attitude, and new leadership. There is a long way to go, and we are far from satisfied, but we are making significant progress. Lastly, the border is an issue that defines us and provides our greatest opportunitieswhether we look at it economically, culturally or on its impact to our quality of life. For example, our international bridges carry $90 billion in U.S./Mexico trade every year. That trade is connected to 25% of the jobs in El Paso, nearly 500,000 in Texas and over six million throughout the U.S. We also are a perfect example of the positive impact that immigration has on border communities and the country beyond. In large part because (and not in spite) of the fact that we have such a large immigrant community, we are the safest city in America four years running. We have served as the Ellis Island for Mexico and Central America for decades and have contributed mightily to the growth and development of the America we know today. This should be a point of pride for El Paso, and another way for us to take our place as a leading American city. This unique position and perspective has led us to author a bi-partisan immigration bill and introduce bi-partisan legislation to improve conditions at our ports of entry. Its also compelled me to argue forcefully for a rational and humane approach to border issues in the national debate. ***  And now to bring us up to speed on the latest legislative developments from the Capitol.  One of the last votes I took this year was on the spending bill, H.R. 83, which would fund all major departments for the rest of the fiscal year with the exception of the Department of Homeland Security, which is funded for three months.  Funding the government is one of the most important responsibilities I have as your representative, and it is one of the most important jobs that we have as a Congress. I began the process of reviewing the details of what became known as the CRomnibus (for Continuing Resolution and Omnibus) with the intent of finding a way to support the legislation. For example, the CRomnibus provides more than $130 million to continue construction of the new hospital on Fort Bliss, funding to tackle the VA claims backlog and provide mental health services to our veterans, and a continued emphasis on hiring more Customs and Border Protection officers to staff ports of entry in El Paso and throughout the country.  However, I voted against this bill because of two particularly troubling policy riders:  The first would allow banks to engage in custom swaps, which were prohibited after the 2008 financial meltdown that caused the Great Recession. Much of the bill language to neuter this provision of Dodd-Frank was apparently written by lobbyists for Citigroup.  The second would allow donors to spend vastly greater amounts to support the national political parties, from $32,400 per year to $324,000 per year and would bring the amount of money that wealthy donors can give to political parties, recount efforts and individual federal campaigns to nearly $5 million per couple per election cycle.  Both issues will have a significant impact on our economy and our democracy, yet they received no hearings or debate as part of the omnibus negotiations and were slipped in at the last minute in a must-pass spending bill. Ultimately, I decided that we cannot trade 10 months of spending certainty for two permanent provisions that have the potential to cause long-lasting negative effects on this country. ***  In spite of the disappointing provisions in the spending bill, its important to note that this was a much better process than last years, where political differences led to a government shutdown. Its easy enough to bemoan Congress and government in general; there is dysfunction enough to warrant it. But for me, and I hope for El Paso, next year holds much promise and opportunity.  Examples of where me might make progress include: immigration reform, tax reform, defining our role abroad and connecting our position on the border to the national interest. Improving the VA, strengthening Fort Bliss, and bringing greater balance to our countrys budget. Reforming Congress, making it more accountable and reflective our priorities. I am grateful for the chance to work on these and other issues on your behalf.  Thank you for giving me this opportunity and this responsibility. I am excited, energized and optimistic about what is to come.  Buenas noches 2014. Buenos das 2015. Sincerely, Beto ORourke  Member of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://medium.com/@RepBetoORourke/end-of-year-update-808ba317f354?source=rss-964ef69221bc------2", "End of year update", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Beto O'Rourke", "O000170", "medium.com", null, null, "legacy", "End of yearupdate December 29, 2014 I like to keep these updates as brief and to the point as I can. I know you get a lot of email, and you dont need more to read from me. However, since I conclude my first term in Congress this week and begin a new one in January, Id ask your indulgence as I provide a quick recap of our efforts in the 113th Congress and conclude with the last significant vote I took this year, a no vote on the spending bill. *** Weve done a lot during the 113th session of Congress: helped thousands of constituents in our El Paso office, voted on hundreds of important bills in the Capitol and held dozens of town hall meetings throughout the community. Theres no easy way to summarize and account for it all in this email, so I thought Id take you through three significant issues that are important both for El Paso and the country. The first is our obligation to our service members and their families. Soon after I took office we were forced to confront the consequences of the across-the-board budget cuts known as the sequester. While the sequester hit every federal agency, one group that stood out to me was our service members. In particular, we learned that service members were to lose access to the Tuition Assistance program, which affords them up to $4,500 per year to attend UTEP, El Paso Community College or other schools of higher-learning. After hearing from family members of those stationed at Fort Bliss, we introduced a bill to restore 100 percent of the funding. We partnered with key Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee and ultimately were able to restore funding for the remainder of 2013. By listening to the families of our service members, working across the aisle and not accepting the status quo we helped solve the problem and kept faith with our service members across the country and especially the nearly 33,000 incredibly brave men and women at Fort Bliss. At the same time that we were addressing the impacts of the sequester, we realized that problems at the VA were worse than we first believed. While the VA insisted it was meeting access requirements for El Paso, I was hearing from hundreds of veterans at my town hall meetings and in our office about the difficulty of getting in to see a doctor or mental health provider. To resolve the discrepancy, I commissioned a survey of El Pasos veterans who confirmed what we had been hearing: one-third who attempted to get mental health care could not, and average wait times for primary care were over 80 days. We exposed a deep divide between the VAs message and the reality faced by many El Paso veterans. Due to this work, and our oversight efforts on the Veterans Affairs Committee, we were able to obtain a commitment from VA leadership to turn around El Pasos clinic. To date, that has translated into millions of dollars to hire additional providers, an improving customer-focused attitude, and new leadership. There is a long way to go, and we are far from satisfied, but we are making significant progress. Lastly, the border is an issue that defines us and provides our greatest opportunitieswhether we look at it economically, culturally or on its impact to our quality of life. For example, our international bridges carry $90 billion in U.S./Mexico trade every year. That trade is connected to 25% of the jobs in El Paso, nearly 500,000 in Texas and over six million throughout the U.S. We also are a perfect example of the positive impact that immigration has on border communities and the country beyond. In large part because (and not in spite) of the fact that we have such a large immigrant community, we are the safest city in America four years running. We have served as the Ellis Island for Mexico and Central America for decades and have contributed mightily to the growth and development of the America we know today. This should be a point of pride for El Paso, and another way for us to take our place as a leading American city. This unique position and perspective has led us to author a bi-partisan immigration bill and introduce bi-partisan legislation to improve conditions at our ports of entry. Its also compelled me to argue forcefully for a rational and humane approach to border issues in the national debate. ***  And now to bring us up to speed on the latest legislative developments from the Capitol.  One of the last votes I took this year was on the spending bill, H.R. 83, which would fund all major departments for the rest of the fiscal year with the exception of the Department of Homeland Security, which is funded for three months.  Funding the government is one of the most important responsibilities I have as your representative, and it is one of the most important jobs that we have as a Congress. I began the process of reviewing the details of what became known as the CRomnibus (for Continuing Resolution and Omnibus) with the intent of finding a way to support the legislation. For example, the CRomnibus provides more than $130 million to continue construction of the new hospital on Fort Bliss, funding to tackle the VA claims backlog and provide mental health services to our veterans, and a continued emphasis on hiring more Customs and Border Protection officers to staff ports of entry in El Paso and throughout the country.  However, I voted against this bill because of two particularly troubling policy riders:  The first would allow banks to engage in custom swaps, which were prohibited after the 2008 financial meltdown that caused the Great Recession. Much of the bill language to neuter this provision of Dodd-Frank was apparently written by lobbyists for Citigroup.  The second would allow donors to spend vastly greater amounts to support the national political parties, from $32,400 per year to $324,000 per year and would bring the amount of money that wealthy donors can give to political parties, recount efforts and individual federal campaigns to nearly $5 million per couple per election cycle.  Both issues will have a significant impact on our economy and our democracy, yet they received no hearings or debate as part of the omnibus negotiations and were slipped in at the last minute in a must-pass spending bill. Ultimately, I decided that we cannot trade 10 months of spending certainty for two permanent provisions that have the potential to cause long-lasting negative effects on this country. ***  In spite of the disappointing provisions in the spending bill, its important to note that this was a much better process than last years, where political differences led to a government shutdown. Its easy enough to bemoan Congress and government in general; there is dysfunction enough to warrant it. But for me, and I hope for El Paso, next year holds much promise and opportunity.  Examples of where me might make progress include: immigration reform, tax reform, defining our role abroad and connecting our position on the border to the national interest. Improving the VA, strengthening Fort Bliss, and bringing greater balance to our countrys budget. Reforming Congress, making it more accountable and reflective our priorities. I am grateful for the chance to work on these and other issues on your behalf.  Thank you for giving me this opportunity and this responsibility. I am excited, energized and optimistic about what is to come.  Buenas noches 2014. Buenos das 2015. Sincerely, Beto ORourke  Member of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://gohmert.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398170", "Rep. Gohmert: Obama Admitted Democrats Were 'Party of No'", "2014-12-30", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Louie Gohmert", "G000552", "gohmert.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "President Barack Obama admitted it was Democrats, not Republicans, that had been the \"party of no,\" Rep. Louie Gohmert told Fox News' \"America's Newsroom.\" Gohmert said Obama made the admission during an NPR interview that aired Monday when he said he rarely had to veto bills, because legislation he objected to was \"typically blocked in the Senate\" with Nevada Democrat Sen. Harry Reid as majority leader.\r\n\"Now the president has finally admitted they've been lying \u2014 Harry Reid, all those folks that have been saying Republicans were the party of no. He's basically admitted in this statement, 'yeah, we've been the party of no, but I've been able to rely on Harry Reid to say no so I didn't have to,' \" the Texas Republican said Tuesday. \"That's what I'm hearing in that statement.\" Gohmert, who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, explained Republicans often tried to discuss ideas with Obama, but said even though the president communicated he wanted to work with GOP lawmakers, he would follow up by \"going to the golf course and not talking to anybody.\" \"He said, 'I have an open door, if you've got any ideas.' A bunch of us tried. They never had any indication that they would let us in. We kept asking, 'Hey, we've got some good ideas.' Never would hear from us. So, that was all for the camera, all for television, but not so much for reality,\" he said.\r\nWith a majority in both houses of Congress, Republicans would now be able to move legislation to the president's desk, such as changes to healthcare, approving the Keystone XL pipeline, and defunding amnesty, Gohmert said, adding voters expected lawmakers to \"follow through and do what we said we would do\" when running for office.  \"This lets voters see who it is that's representing them,\" he said. \"The best thing to do for an open government is get votes on bills.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://culberson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398202", "Culberson Stands With Texas in Fight Against Amnesty", "2014-12-27", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John Culberson", "C001048", "culberson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Culberson Stands With Texas in Fight Against Amnesty \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Houston, TX,\r\n        December 27, 2014\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      \nCulberson Stands With Texas in Fight Against Amnesty\n\u00a0\n\n\n\nHouston, TX\u2014Congressman John Culberson (TX-07) joined an amicus brief\u00a0supporting the State of Texas\u2019s lawsuit against President Obama\u2019s illegal executive actions on amnesty. Twenty-three other states have already joined the lawsuit, and more than sixty\u00a0Members of Congress have signed onto the amicus brief filed by the American Center for Law and Justice.\n\u00a0\n\"President Obama's overreach is unprecedented. From Obamacare to the IRS scandals to his executive amnesty, no president has shown less regard for the rule of law.\u00a0This week, I signed onto an amicus brief led by the State of Texas challenging President Obama's\u00a0unconstitutional amnesty. I'm proud to stand with Texas as we work to restore our Constitution and the rule of law.\u00a0\n\n\n\u00a0  \n\u201cThe structure and stability of our constitutional system depends on the President enforcing the laws Congress enacts\u2014not ignoring or rewriting them.\u00a0I applaud Governor-elect Abbott and the twenty-three\u00a0other states for their efforts in holding the Obama administration accountable. Elected officials have a duty to defend the Constitution and represent their constituents, and this legal challenge does both. I'm proud that Texas is taking the lead, and I will support Governor-elect Abbott's efforts in every way possible.\u201d\n\n\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://jacksonlee.house.gov//media-center/editorials/congresswoman-sheila-jackson-lees-2014-year-end-report", "Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee's 2014 Year End Report", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Sheila Jackson Lee", "J000032", "jacksonlee.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friends:\nAs the year 2014 comes to an end, I thought it might be helpful to provide you a brief summary of some of the many activities that I have been engaged in this year on behalf of the constituents of the 18th Congressional District of Texas. I am pleased to report that, working together, we have achieved a number of successes that have made, and are making, a positive difference in the lives of\u00a0 all persons residing in the congressional district in the following areas:\nProtecting Medicare and Social Security.\nDespite significant budgetary challenges and determined opposition, we were able to protect Social Security recipients from any cuts in their benefits. I also helped lead the effort in the Congress, working with the Administration, to provide needed funding to ensure that doctors are available to treat Medicare recipients. In addition, the Affordable Care Act, which I supported and fought to pass, closed the Medicare prescription drug \u201cdonut hole,\u201d and is saving seniors in the district on average $866 per person.\nExpanding Educational Opportunity.\nHigher education is a key that opens doors to opportunity. Congress has a duty to help make it accessible and affordable for more Americans. That is why I strongly supported and advocated successfully for the legislation signed into law by the President that lowers interest rates for nearly 11 million borrowers this year and saves them $25 billion in the next five years. I am also a co-sponsor of the \u201cBank on Students Emergency Refinancing Act,\u201d which would allow borrowers to refinance federal and private student loans to the lower rates that are currently available to new borrowers.\nProtecting the Right to Vote.\nThe right to vote, free from discrimination, is the most precious of all our rights. That is the reason why, as a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, I helped lead the successful fight in 2006 to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act of 1965 for an additional 25 years. But a year ago, the Supreme Court dealt a severe blow to the Voting Rights Act when it decided the case of Shelby County v. Holder, which invalidated a key section of the law and hampered the ability of the Justice Department to prevent violations of voting rights before they occur.\nIt is imperative that we remain vigilant and fight all efforts to abridge or suppress the voting rights of Americans. That is why I helped lead the effort to introduce and am one of 9 original co-sponsors of H.R. 3899, the Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2014, legislation that repairs the damage done by the Supreme Court decision. Ensuring that this legislation is brought up for a vote and passed this year is one of my highest legislative priorities.\nHelping Children and Families. \nA child that is hungry is a child that struggles to learn or stay healthy. That is why I strongly opposed the reckless efforts of some in Congress last year to make deep cuts in child nutrition, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) Program. I am pleased to report that those efforts were abandoned this year and funding for these vital programs has received a significant increase.\nThe funding I supported and helped secure supports critical services like Houston\u2019s Summer Food Service Program, which served nutritious packed lunches from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and afternoon snacks from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. daily to youth aged 1-18 at 470 local sites from June 2 through August 15.\nCaring for Our Veterans.\nThe men and women of the Armed Forces who risked their lives to protect our freedoms deserve the thanks and appreciation of a grateful nation and that includes receiving the quality health care and benefits they have earned. They should not have to wait months for an appointment to see a doctor. That is why I strongly support H.R. 3230, the \u201cVeteran Access to Care Act of 2014,'' which will enable veterans facing long delays for doctor appointments at VA facilities go elsewhere and hold accountable those VA officials responsible for trying to conceal patient wait times. I also held a press conference after visiting the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Medical Center to meet with patients and medical staff and was gratified to learn that the veterans treated at the facility have not experienced the problems plaguing other VA facilities around the nation.\nIn addition to long wait times at VA facilities, many veterans face a number of other challenges, including homelessness, coping with PTSD, and finding suitable employment in the civilian job market. To address these problems, I was successful in passing legislation providing additional funding and resources targeted to helping homeless veterans secure housing and treating veterans suffering from PTSD in underserved urban and rural areas. I also introduced H.R. 4110, the \u201cTransitioning Heroes Act of 2014,\u201d which provides strong tax incentives for employers to hire, retain, and employ veterans in positions that take maximum advantage of their skills and experience.\nJackson Lee Bill Establishing George Thomas 'Mickey' Leland Post Office Building\" Signed Into Law by President Obama.\nAfter many years of effort, on September 8, 2014, I was able to secure passage of a bill (H.R. 78) designating the United States Postal Service facility located at 4110 Almeda Road in Houston, Texas, as the \"George Thomas 'Mickey' Leland Post Office Building.\" President Obama signed my legislation into law on December 16, 2014.\n\u201cMickey\u201d Leland was one of Houston\u2019s favorite sons and one of America's most effective advocates in combating hunger in the United States and throughout the world. During his six terms in the Congress, Mickey Leland focused much needed attention on issues of health and hunger and rallied support that resulted in both public and private action.\nMickey Leland's sensitivity to the immediate needs of poor and hungry people made him a spokesman for hungry people at home and abroad and prompted then-House Speaker Tip O'Neil to ask him to lead a bipartisan Congressional delegation to sub-Saharan Africa to assess famine conditions and relief requirements. When he returned, he assembled a broad-based coalition in support of the Africa Famine Relief and Recovery Act of 1985, which provided $800 million in food and humanitarian relief supplies.\u00a0\nMickey Leland also championed international human rights and was instrumental in securing passage of the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986, which imposed economic sanctions against South Africa and led to the abolition of apartheid.\nMickey died in an airplane crash while leading another humanitarian relief mission in 1989, to an isolated refugee camp, Fugnido, in Ethiopia, which sheltered thousands of unaccompanied children fleeing the civil conflict in neighboring Sudan. Mickey Leland.\nNaming this post office in honor of Mickey Leland -- a man who died as he had lived, on a mission seeking to help those most in need \u2013 is a fitting tribute to the extraordinary service rendered by an extraordinary public servant to the United States, the people of Texas, and the residents of the 18th Congressional District of Texas.\nReforming the Criminal Justice System.\nNo other country imprisons a larger percentage of its population, spends anywhere near the $6.5 billion that we spend annually on prison administration, or has sentencing policies that unfairly disadvantage African-American and Hispanic communities than the United States. Much of this overcrowding is the direct result of the unjust and discriminatory 100 to 1 disparity between crack and powder cocaine imposition of mandatory-minimum sentences in federal law. That is why I was pleased that my efforts to eliminate that disparity, beginning with the introduction of the \u201cDrug Sentencing Reform and Cocaine Kingpin Trafficking Act of 2007,\u201d led to the passage of the \u201cFair Sentencing Act of 2010\u201d\u00a0(P.L. 111-220), which finally ended the discriminatory 100:1 sentencing ratio.\nTo ensure that persons sentenced under the old unfair policies are treated fairly, I was successful in passing an amendment preserving the authority of President Obama and Attorney General Holder to grant petitions for executive clemency, or early release, for deserving inmates. To learn more about this program and its eligibility requirements, please contact my Houston office at (713) 655-0050 or visit my website at jacksonlee.house.gov/content/department-of-justices-announcement-on-clemency.\nIn recent months, the nation has been repeatedly shocked by the killings of unarmed African Americans, mainly young African American males, by persons claiming, despite substantial and credible evidence to the contrary, that the use of lethal force was justified.\nWe do not really know whether the recent deaths of unarmed black men at the hands of white police officers a new trend or merely a reflection of a long-standing status quo because the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports track justifiable police homicides but the statistics rely on voluntary reporting by local law-enforcement agencies and are incomplete. Circumstances of the deaths, and other information such as age and race, also are not required.\nThat is why I have authored the \u201cJustifiable Homicide Accuracy in Reporting Act\u201d or J-HAIR Act, which will enhance the collection and inclusion in the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) and the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) of data relating to law-enforcement involved justifiable homicides, including information relating to the facts and circumstances of each death, including the age, race, gender, religion, criminal history, if any, of the victim and demographic data relating to the officer involved in the homicide and other relevant information such as the number of prior officer involved shootings and uses of lethal force, number and disposition of citizen complaints (formal and informal) filed against the officer and the nature and description of any disciplinary actions taken against the officer.\nAdditionally, the events in Ferguson, Missouri has brought to light the troubling practice by many municipalities of using traffic fines and traffic court fees and costs as revenue generators. This practice has bred public cynicism and distrust of local law enforcement agencies in many areas and lessened public confidence that the laws are being enforced impartially and the criminal justice system is administered equally.\nLack of public confidence in the system, particularly by residents of minority communities, exacerbates already tense relations between law enforcement and community residents by incentivizing unnecessary traffic stops by police officers which too often result in the use of lethal force by them against unarmed and innocent persons and lead to public confrontations.\nTo address this problem, I recently introduced H.R. 5858, the \u201cBuild TRUST Act,\u201d which stands for \u201cBuilding Bridges and Transforming Resentment and Unfairness to Support and Trust for Municipal Law Enforcement.\u201d The Build TRUST Act aims to increase public confidence in local law enforcement by decreasing the excessive reliance by some local governments on traffic fines and court costs to generate revenue to fund government operations.\nMy Build TRUST Act addresses this problem by providing for a 75% reduction in the amount of DOJ grant funding that may be awarded to a unit of local government that funds an amount that is greater than 18 percent of its operating budget using revenue generated from collecting fines and other fees related to violations of traffic laws.\nAdditionally, the amount of the reduction would increase to 95 percent if, for the political subdivision involved, the variance in the racial composition of the local law enforcement agency and residents of the political subdivision exceeds 30 percent for any racial group.\nThe Build TRUST Act is not intended to punish or impose undue hardship on local governments but to discourage the adoption of practices that foster resentment and feed the perception that the law is being selectively enforced. For this reason, the Build Trust Act exempts any unit of local government serving a population of less than 15,000 persons and authorizes the Attorney General to grant requests for waivers to individual units of local government upon a showing of good cause.\nHelp for the Long-Term Unemployed.\nIt is immoral not to extend unemployment insurance for the 3.9 million unemployed jobhunters that rely upon these benefits to provide for their families. That is why I introduced legislation, H.R. 3773, \u201cUnemployed Jobhunters Protection and Assistance Act,\u201d which would have extended the program for an additional 12 months.\nProviding quality healthcare that is affordable, accessible to all Americans.\nBecause of the Affordable Care Act that I strongly supported and defended, there are in the 18th Congressional District:\n 121,000 individuals \u2013 including 23,000 children and 50,000 women \u2013 who now have health insurance that covers preventive services without any co-pays, coinsurance, or deductible.\n\t46,000 children with preexisting health conditions who can no longer be denied coverage by health insurers.\n\t11,400 young adults who now have health insurance through their parents\u2019 plan.\n\t153,000 individuals who now have insurance that cannot place lifetime limits on their coverage and will not face annual limits on coverage starting in 2014.\n\t4,100 seniors have now received prescription drug discounts worth $5.4 million, an average discount of $600 per person in 2011, $650 in 2012, and $1,040 thus far in 2013.\n\t31,100 consumers have received rebates from insurance companies averaging $95 per family in 2012 and $187 per family in 2011.\n\tHealth centers have received more than $2 million to provide primary care, establish new sites, and renovate existing centers to expand access to quality health care.\n Breast Cancer Research.\nI believe it is critical that we increase our investment in research to treat and cure breast cancer, one of the major threats to women\u2019s health.\u00a0 That is why I am pleased to report that I was successful in adding an amendment to legislation passed by the House that increases funding for breast cancer research by $5 million.\nImmigration Reform.\nWhile much more must be done, progress is being made to reform our broken immigration system to make it more humane and efficient. Legislation I sponsored to secure our borders, H.R. 1417, the Border Security Results Act, has earned critical bipartisan support and has been joined as the anchor legislation to H.R. 15, a bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill providing a path to earned citizenship. I remain committed to working to secure passage of comprehensive immigration reform during the next session of Congress. I have also introduced the \u201cJustice for Children Act,\u201d legislation that will authorize the immediate appointment of 70 new immigration judges to help reduce the immigration backlog,\nTransportation, Infrastructure, and Economic Development.\nI worked to secure $31.8 in federal funding for dredging of the Houston Shipping Channel, which will make the Port of Houston even more competitive and create jobs for our people. I also helped secure a $9,880,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to the City of Houston for the George Bush International Airport to rehabilitate an apron which is needed in order to maintain structural integrity of the pavement surrounding the airport.\nI also introduced and passed through the House, on a vote of 400-0, H.R. 3202, the Essential Transportation Worker Identification Credential Assessment Act (TWIC Act), which directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to submit to Congress a comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of the transportation security card program at enhancing security or reducing security risks for maritime facilities and vessels.\nFinally, I was successful in amending legislation to keep up the pressure in favor of providing funding for Houston METRO to plan and execute public transit projects that will solve transportation problems, create jobs, and spur economic growth and development.\nEmpowering Women\nI organized and hosted on March 18, 2014, an event in Houston, entitled \u201cWhen Women Succeed America Succeeds,\u201d which brought together House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and hundreds of women business, civic, educational, community, and governmental leaders to discuss the economic issues facing today's women, and a comprehensive strategy designed to meet the unique needs of women and their families.\nOn September 16, 2014, I convened a summit meeting in Washington D.C. with many of the First Ladies of the Houston area\u2019s prominent places of worship. The summit included important discussions on the subject of the Administration\u2019s \u201cMy Brothers\u2019 Keeper\u201d Initiative and human trafficking, issues that impact and imperil our Houston community and included a meeting in the White House with Valarie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Obama.\nPublic Safety and Protection of Children.\nThe need for sensible measures to reduce the incidence and severity of gun violence remains as great as ever. I have introduced the \u201cChild Gun Safety and Gun Access Prevention Act,\u201d legislation requiring gun safety locks in any home where children are present. I have also introduced legislation (H.R. 2585) to help protect our children from bullying, whether in school on the playground, or on the internet. I also convened a Congressional District Commission on Youth Safety, which brought together civic, community, and faith leaders to develop local solutions and best practices to reduce violence and enhance the safety of our children.\nEnergy Independence and Jobs. \nAs the energy capital of America, a strong and vibrant energy industry is critical to the economy of Houston and our national security because and energy independent America is a safer America. And jobs in the energy sector pay well and support middle class families. For these reasons, I supported H.R. 4899, the \u201cLowering Gasoline Prices to Fuel an America that Works Act of 2014.\u201d \nTo ensure that economic benefits and opportunities in the energy sector are distributed fairly, I was able to amend this legislation to establish an Interior Department Office of Energy Employment and Training charged with working with minority-serving educational institutions and other to expand the numbers and diversity of persons from across the country with the skills and qualifications needed to take advantage of the exciting and rewarding opportunities the American energy industry has to offer and to keep America the world leader in emerging energy technologies.\nWhen fully implemented, the Jackson Lee Amendment will substantially increase the participation rates of veterans, women and minorities in the energy industry, particularly in the areas of senior management, contracting and procurement, and entrepreneurship.\nCombating Human Trafficking.\nHuman trafficking in humans, especially domestic child trafficking, has no place in a civilized society and those who commit this crime should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. In March of this year, I arranged for the House Homeland Security Committee to hold a field hearing in Houston at which local and federal law enforcement, victim\u2019s rights advocates, and community leaders discussed solutions to reducing human trafficking crime. I also was successful in passing legislation providing additional funding to help law enforcement protect human trafficking victims and bring their captors to justice. In addition, I have introduced the Coordinated Assistance to \u201cCatch Human Traffickers Act\u201d (CATCH Act), legislation enabling local law enforcement agencies to share information and resources to catch more criminals.\nProtecting Your Right of Privacy.\nAmericans value their personal privacy, whether it is in the home or on the internet. That is why I was an original co-sponsor and helped lead the fight to pass the USA FREEDOM Act, which ensures the government cannot collect and retain records of Americans\u2019 telephone calls without authorization from a federal court. This law also includes my legislation, the Sunshine in the FISA Court Act, requiring the disclosure of any court decision affecting the right of privacy.\nGospel Heritage Month.\nSince 2008,\u00a0when legislation I introduced (H.Con. Res. 370) establishing Gospel Music Heritage Month, became law, each September has been devoted to the celebration of gospel music in the United States of America. The celebration has occurred at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. and in Houston for the past 5 years. \u00a0\nAs you can see, the list of things that we have accomplished working together is quite long. But there is still much that remains to be done and I look forward to our continued partnership on issues of critical importance to the residents of the 18th Congressional District of Texas.\nIt is my honor to serve as your Congresswoman in Washington, D.C.\nVery truly yours,\nSheila Jackson Lee\nMEMBER OF CONGRESS", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://jacksonlee.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congresswoman-sheila-jackson-lee-applauds-presidents-executive-order-0", "CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE APPLAUDS PRESIDENT'S EXECUTIVE ORDER CREATING WHITE HOUSE TASK FORCE ON 21ST CENTURY POLICING", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Sheila Jackson Lee", "J000032", "jacksonlee.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 18, 2014\n\u00a0\nWashington, DC \u2013 Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a senior Member of the House Committees on the Judiciary and on Homeland Security released the following statement today applauding the establishment of a White House Task Force on 21st Century Policing:\n\u201cI applaud the President for the executive order he issued today establishing a White House Task Force on 21st Century Policing. The recent tragedies in Ferguson, New York, and other cities has made clear the pressing need for innovative and thoughtful steps to enhance police training and strengthen trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.\u00a0\n\u201cThe 11-member Task Force, co-chaired by Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey and George Mason University Professor and two-time former Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs Laurie Robinson includes law enforcement representatives, community leaders, academics, and youth leaders. The mandate of the Task Force is to examine, among other issues, how to strengthen public trust and foster strong relationships between local law enforcement and the communities that they protect.\n\u201cThis lack of public confidence in the system, particularly by residents of minority communities, has the potential for exacerbating already tense relations between law enforcement and community residents that could result in more public confrontations like those occurring recently in Ferguson, Missouri.\nOne area which the Task Force should examine is the efficacy of the growing trend of local units of government to use traffic fines and traffic court fees and costs as revenue generators. This practice is problematic because it breeds public cynicism and distrust of local law enforcement agencies, and lessens public confidence that the laws are being enforced impartially and the criminal justice system is administered equally.\n\u201cThat is why I have introduced and invite the Task Force to consider H.R. 5858, the\u00a0 \u201cBuilding Bridges and Transforming Resentment and Unfairness to Support and Trust for Municipal Law Enforcement\u201d or \u201cBuild TRUST Act,\u201d which addresses this problem by providing for a 75% reduction in the amount of DOJ grant funding that may be awarded to a unit of local government that funds an amount that is greater than 18 percent of its operating budget using revenue generated from collecting fines and other fees related to violations of traffic laws.\n\u201cAdditionally, the amount of the reduction would increase to 95 percent if, for the political subdivision involved, the variance in the racial composition of the local law enforcement agency and residents of the political subdivision exceeds 30 percent for any racial group.\n\u201cThe Build TRUST Act exempts any unit of local government serving a population of less than 15,000 persons and authorizes the Attorney General to grant requests for waivers to individual units of local government upon a showing of good cause. In short, the bill builds trust and mutual respect between local law enforcement agencies and the communities they protect by discouraging practices that undermine the strong public support law enforcement agencies need to fulfill their mission to serve and protect.\n\u201cI look forward to engaging with the members of the Task Force as it goes about its important work and to reviewing its interim and final reports to the President.\u201d\n###\nCongresswoman Jackson Lee is a Democrat from Texas\u2019s 18th Congressional District. She is a senior member of the House Committees on Judiciary and Homeland Security and is Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://jacksonlee.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/shiloh-treatment-center-in-manvel-should-be-closed-by-hhs-for", "SHILOH TREATMENT CENTER IN MANVEL SHOULD BE CLOSED BY HHS FOR UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Sheila Jackson Lee", "J000032", "jacksonlee.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 22, 2014\n\u00a0\nWashington, DC \u2013 Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a Senior Member of the House Homeland Security and Judiciary Committees and Founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Children\u2019s Caucus released the following statement today:\n\u201cI am appalled by record of abuse and mistreatment of children at the Shiloh Treatment Center in Manvel documented by the Houston Chronicle in an expose published December 19, 2014. The abuses documented in that report \u2013 ranging from physical violence, unreasonable and excessive use of physical restraints, administering emergency medications without notice to governmental authorities, and several deaths of minor children while in custody \u2013 is not reflective of the quality of care and support that should be provided to the at-risk children, including the dozens of unaccompanied immigrant children, committed to its care.\n\u201cBecause of these deficiencies I believe the time has come for the State of Texas to order the closure of the Shiloh Treatment Center. At a minimum, the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services should terminate immediately the contract awarded to Shiloh Treatment Center to provide shelter and treatment to unaccompanied children apprehended by the Border Patrol.\n\u201cOver many months, local government officials, non-profit organizations, and local charities that have a track record of serving vulnerable children have met and offered to make available to HHS facilities where unaccompanied children would be care for in a safe and supportive housing environment. I urge the State of Texas and HHS to explore this option as a viable alternative to continued reliance upon the Shiloh Treatment Center.\n\u201cAll vulnerable and at-risk children deserve housing and shelter that is safe and supportive. I thank my colleague Congressman Pete Olson for his oversight and commitment to the well-being of the children entrusted to Shiloh Treatment Center and look forward to working with him and others to ensure that the Office of Refugee Resettlement exercises proper oversight over the facilities sheltering unaccompanied children.\u201d\n###\nCongresswoman Jackson Lee is a Democrat from Texas\u2019s 18th Congressional District. She is a senior member of the House Committees on Judiciary and Homeland Security and is Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://jacksonlee.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/statement-of-congresswoman-sheila-jackson-lee-on-the-threats-of-violence", "Statement of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee on the threats of violence and the killing of the two NYPD Officers", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Sheila Jackson Lee", "J000032", "jacksonlee.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC \u2013 The threats against America\u2019s police forces should be taken seriously.\u00a0 We should be condemn any threats of violence and bring law enforcement, government officials and community leaders together to chart of a path forward. \u00a0\u00a0It is understandable that people are outraged with sadness over the execution of two NYPD officers by a crazed Ismaaiyl Brinsley.\u00a0 \u201cWe should all stand up against this violence and then further our discussions about the concerns of the protesters and establish a way to move forward. My sympathy goes out to the families of these officers and as a senior member of the House Committee on Judiciary, I look forward to working with law enforcement, government officials, and community leaders to make our communities safe for everyone.\u201d\nI applaud Suzan Johnson Cooke the former United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom who appropriately indicated that these discussions should include religion and race. The Civil Rights Movement spoke about equal access and the right to vote.\u00a0 Now we must establish a movement that reaffirms our unity as Americans and the importance of a justice system based on truth and order\u00a0 and that ultimately puts an end to racial profiling and establish procedures that will enhance and affirm the important status of America\u2019s law enforcement.\u201d\n# # #\nCongresswoman Jackson Lee is a Democrat from Texas\u2019s 18th Congressional District. She is a senior member of the House Committees on Judiciary and Homeland Security and is Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2063", "The Christmas Spirit is Alive in Texas", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, released the following statement in advance of Christmas Day: \u201cAs Christmas approaches, we celebrate the most precious gift, that in the humblest of circumstances, Christ came to save the world. We pause to remember that night in Bethlehem, and to give thanks for the blessings the Lord continues to bestow upon each of us.  \u201cAcross the Lone Star State, Texans are sharing the hope of the season.  \u201cFrom Waco\u2019s Christmas Toy Store filling more than 2,700 kids\u2019 trees with presents, to the Harlingen\u2019s Salvation Army clothing 1,000 children; From Eveline Rivers Christmas Project delivering 12,000 books to families in the Panhandle, to Santa\u2019s Workshop bringing gifts to 3,200 children at Fort Hood, these are just a few examples of the communities in our great state that have come together to care for those in need.  \u201cTheir generosity, and that of millions of other Texans across the state, is a powerful example of Christ's faithfulness in times of need. It is also an important reminder, as Mark 10:45 says, that \u2018even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.\u2019  \u201cI hope and pray your Christmas season is filled with joy and restful time with family and loved ones. May God bless you, may He continue to bless our great state of Texas and the United States of America.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://jacksonlee.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congresswoman-sheila-jackson-lee-applauds-pakistan-government-s-new-zero", "CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE APPLAUDS PAKISTAN GOVERNMENTS NEW ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY TOWARDS TALIBAN AND JIHADISTS", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Sheila Jackson Lee", "J000032", "jacksonlee.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 19, 2014\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\n\u00a0\nWashington, DC \u2013 Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a Senior Member of the House Homeland Security Committee, Co-Chair of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus, and Founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Children\u2019s Caucus released the following statement today:\n\u201cI stand in solidarity with thousands of Pakistani citizens engaged in peaceful demonstrations demanding their government to take more aggressive action to end the cycle of violence and terror wrought by the Taliban. The horrific attack and murder of 148 persons, including 132 precious schoolchildren, by the Taliban at the Army Public School in Peshawar, Pakistan appears to be a turning point marking the end of the Pakistan Government\u2019s policy of ambivalence toward jihadists groups.\n\u201cI am also encouraged by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif\u2019s declaration that there would be no more \u2018good Taliban, and that henceforth militants \u2018would be dealt equally with an iron hand.\u2019 Pakistanis want peace and safety, and demand justice for those victims who lost their lives in the attack at the Army Public School.\n\u201cI urge the leaders of America\u2019s Pakistani communities to gather in Washington, D.C. at the earliest feasible time to discuss ideas and collectives measures to be taken in support the people of Pakistan in the effort to defeat the Taliban and end the violence in their land.\u201d\n###\nCongresswoman Jackson Lee is a Democrat from Texas\u2019s 18th Congressional District. She is a senior member of the House Committees on Judiciary and Homeland Security and is Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://jacksonlee.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congresswoman-sheila-jackson-lee-applauds-presidents-executive-order", "CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE APPLAUDS PRESIDENT'S EXECUTIVE ORDER CREATING WHITE HOUSE TASK FORCE ON 21ST CENTURY POLICING", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Sheila Jackson Lee", "J000032", "jacksonlee.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 18, 2014\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\u00a0\nWashington, DC \u2013 Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a senior Member of the House Committees on the Judiciary and on Homeland Security released the following statement today applauding the establishment of a White House Task Force on 21st Century Policing:\n\u201cI applaud the President for the executive order he issued today establishing a White House Task Force on 21st Century Policing. The recent tragedies in Ferguson, New York, and other cities has made clear the pressing need for innovative and thoughtful steps to enhance police training and strengthen trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.\u00a0\n\u201cThe 11-member Task Force, co-chaired by Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey and George Mason University Professor and two-time former Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs Laurie Robinson includes law enforcement representatives, community leaders, academics, and youth leaders. The mandate of the Task Force is to examine, among other issues, how to strengthen public trust and foster strong relationships between local law enforcement and the communities that they protect.\n\u201cThis lack of public confidence in the system, particularly by residents of minority communities, has the potential for exacerbating already tense relations between law enforcement and community residents that could result in more public confrontations like those occurring recently in Ferguson, Missouri.\nOne area which the Task Force should examine is the efficacy of the growing trend of local units of government to use traffic fines and traffic court fees and costs as revenue generators. This practice is problematic because it breeds public cynicism and distrust of local law enforcement agencies, and lessens public confidence that the laws are being enforced impartially and the criminal justice system is administered equally.\n\u201cThat is why I have introduced and invite the Task Force to consider H.R. 5858, the\u00a0 \u201cBuilding Bridges and Transforming Resentment and Unfairness to Support and Trust for Municipal Law Enforcement\u201d or \u201cBuild TRUST Act,\u201d which addresses this problem by providing for a 75% reduction in the amount of DOJ grant funding that may be awarded to a unit of local government that funds an amount that is greater than 18 percent of its operating budget using revenue generated from collecting fines and other fees related to violations of traffic laws.\n\u201cAdditionally, the amount of the reduction would increase to 95 percent if, for the political subdivision involved, the variance in the racial composition of the local law enforcement agency and residents of the political subdivision exceeds 30 percent for any racial group.\n\u201cThe Build TRUST Act exempts any unit of local government serving a population of less than 15,000 persons and authorizes the Attorney General to grant requests for waivers to individual units of local government upon a showing of good cause. In short, the bill builds trust and mutual respect between local law enforcement agencies and the communities they protect by discouraging practices that undermine the strong public support law enforcement agencies need to fulfill their mission to serve and protect.\n\u201cI look forward to engaging with the members of the Task Force as it goes about its important work and to reviewing its interim and final reports to the President.\u201d\n###\nCongresswoman Jackson Lee is a Democrat from Texas\u2019s 18th Congressional District. She is a senior member of the House Committees on Judiciary and Homeland Security and is Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://jacksonlee.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congresswoman-sheila-jackson-lee-calls-for-urgent-response-to", "CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE CALLS FOR URGENT RESPONSE TO CYBERCRIMES COMMITTED BY INTERNATIONAL ACTORS", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Sheila Jackson Lee", "J000032", "jacksonlee.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 18, 2014\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\u00a0\nWashington, DC \u2013 Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a Senior Member of the House Homeland Security and Judiciary Committees, released the following statement in response to President Obama\u2019s announcement regarding North Korea\u2019s involvement in the recent cyberattack against Sony Pictures:\n\u201cCybercrimes committed by international actors constitute a serious threat to our national, economic, and homeland security. Disrupting, degrading, and defeating an attackers ability to engage in cyberattacks against the United States must be a national priority.\u00a0 I fully support President Obama\u2019s efforts to increase the security of the nation\u2019s public and private cybernetworks since the earliest days of his administration. It should be noted that it is estimated that 85 percent of cybercrime targets are commercial or non-governmental entities.\n\u201cCybersecurity requires vigilance and proactive work on the part of the government, private sector, and individuals to guard against vulnerabilities and intentional acts that could cripple or seriously undermine the ability of critical infrastructure to deliver vital services to communities around the nation.\n\u201cWhen the 114th Congress convenes I will introduce two bills to fight the growing threat of cyberattacks. The first, \u201cTerrorism Prevention and Critical Infrastructure Protection Act,\u201d directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to work with critical infrastructure owners and operators as well as state, local, tribal and territorial entities to take proactive steps to manage risk and strengthen the security and resilience of the Nation\u2019s critical infrastructure against terrorist attacks.\u00a0\n\u201cThe second bill is the \u201cCybersecurity Workforce and Defense Education Act,\u201d which focuses resources on closing the gap in the demand for cybersecurity experts and the thousands of positions in the federal government and private sector that are going unfilled.\u00a0Cyber conflicts are fights that we can win, but we cannot win by leaving any one behind in the race to lift minds and capacities through effective cyber-STEM education programs.\u201d\n\u201cWhen the 114th Congress convenes next month, I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Homeland Security and Judiciary Committees, and the Committees on Intelligence, Armed Services, and Energy and Commerce to develop legislative proposals to respond to the security threats posed by those who engage in cybercrime.\u201d\n###\nCongresswoman Jackson Lee is a Democrat from Texas\u2019s 18th Congressional District. She is a senior member of the House Committees on Judiciary and Homeland Security and is Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://kaygranger.house.gov/good-news-about-your-taxes", "Good news about your taxes", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Kay Granger", "G000377", "kaygranger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend,\nIn January, I first wrote to you about an important tax deduction that would expire at the end of this year if Congress didn\u2019t act.\nIn Texas, since we don\u2019t have a state income tax, we are able to deduct state and local sales taxes when filing federal income tax returns. This provides some parity with other states who can deduct their state and local income taxes when filing their returns.\nOver the past two weeks, the House and Senate both passed an extension of this deduction, and President Obama signed it into law on Friday. While this is not a permanent solution, it does prevent a tax increase on Texans.\nI believe that when the new Congress convenes in January comprehensive tax reform needs to be part of the agenda, including making this deduction permanent. By doing so, it will erase future uncertainty about whether or not Texans will face a tax increase.\nIn addition to extending this tax deduction, Congress passed the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act. This bill will help those with disabilities to save money for education, housing, and medical expenses to use at a future time. By allowing those with disabilities and their caretakers to set up a tax-free savings account, they will be able to better manage the cost of care.\nSincerely,  \n\tKay Granger", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://kaygranger.house.gov/how-congress-could-stymie-obama%E2%80%99s-cuba-plan", "How Congress Could Stymie Obamas Cuba Plan", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Kay Granger", "G000377", "kaygranger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "President Barack Obama\u2019s plans to seek a normalization of relations with Cuba split lawmakers, and those on the opposing side vowed to use whatever means available to stand in the way of the policy shift. Mr. Obama said he looked forward to engaging with lawmakers on ways to further his policy aims, but top Republicans signaled they would have little appetite for a rapprochement.\n\t\u201cRelations with the Castro regime should not be revisited, let alone normalized, until the Cuban people enjoy freedom \u2013 and not one second sooner,\u201d House Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio).\n\tFor those hoping to halt, or at least slow, the president\u2019s efforts, there are a handful of legislative paths that are could present themselves once lawmakers return to Washington. They fall in three general areas:\n\t* * *\n\tSPENDING BILLS: The most powerful tool available to Congress is its power of the purse: the ability to fund\u2013or more importantly, defund\u2013government programs, initiatives and other policies that lawmakers don\u2019t like. The $1.1 trillion spending bill enacted last week, for example, contains Cuba-related provisions in its roughly 1,600 pages, including a prohibition against funds for U.S. agriculture programs from being used to directly finance or provide assistance to Cuba and a handful of other countries.\n\tCritics of Mr. Obama\u2019s normalization plans have already signaled they plan to use the appropriations process to try to slow the process. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) tweeted on Wednesday that \u201cI will do all in my power to block the use of funds to open an embassy in Cuba.\u201d That\u2019s no idle threat; Mr. Graham is slated to become chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee\u2019s subcommittee on state and foreign operations next year. That not only puts him in charge of a bill that included $49.3 billion in discretionary spending for\u00a0 fiscal 2015, but also oversight of the State Department\u2019s budget.\n\tRep. Kay Granger (R., Texas), who chairs the state and foreign operations subcommittee on the other side of the Capitol, criticized the administration\u2019s decision to act unilaterally.\n\t\u201cCongress has a vital role to play in our country\u2019s foreign policy and how American taxpayer dollars are used,\u201d Ms. Granger said.\n\tBeyond preventing funds for the establishment of a U.S. embassy in Havana, appropriators have yet to tip their hands as to how they might try to use their appropriations power to slow Mr. Obama\u2019s plans. Aides suggested one approach would be for critics to explicitly single out Cuba as ineligible for funds appropriated to various government agencies and programs on a broader scale than is currently employed.\n\t* * *\n\tNOMINATIONS: Another easy avenue available to Cuba critics would be to block or slow Mr. Obama\u2019s nominations to the State Department and other international posts as a protest against the attempt to normalize relations with Havana. The White House is already going to face a tougher process getting its executive branch appointments confirmed under the new GOP-controlled Senate, but the addition of a hot-button political issue such as Cuba could make it harder.\n\tSen. Marco Rubio (R., Fla.), Cuban-American himself, said as much on Wednesday at a news conference criticizing the Obama administration\u2019s move. \u201cI anticipate we\u2019re going to have a very interesting couple of years discussing how you\u2019re going to get an ambassador nominated and how you\u2019re going to get an embassy funded,\u201d he said.\n\tLike Mr. Graham, Mr. Rubio will be in a position to follow through on his promises. He\u2019s slated to chair a key subcommittee on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee next year, giving him the ability to challenge the White House and State Department in both hearings and when the panel considers nominations.\n\t* * *\n\tEMBARGO ACTION: In his announcement Wednesday, Mr. Obama said he hoped to engage Congress \u201cin an honest and serious debate\u201d about lifting the current embargo that restricts most travel and trade with Cuba. That is not expected to happen any time soon. In fact, strong anti-Cuba lawmakers will want to tighten the embargoes.\n\tThe current U.S. embargo dates back to the 1960s and has been cemented into U.S. law through a number of legislative actions over the years. Mr. Obama acknowledged that Wednesday but said he hoped to work with Congress to reverse course.\n\tCritics said the opposite \u2013 an attempt to reverse the action \u2013 is more likely. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R., Fla.), a vocal critic of the Castro regime, said in a Wednesday statement that it was possible that the actions by the White House violated a number of Cuba-related laws passed previously by Congress.\n\t\u201cThe White House attempts to normalize relationships with Cuba without the approval of Congress may be in direct violation of Helms-Burton that specifically states that all political prisoners must be released and free and fair elections must be held before establishing a diplomatic relationship,\u201d she said.\n\tThe biggest challenge to this approach would be Mr. Obama himself. While the Republican-led Congress could seek to pass legislation targeting the normalization effort, the president would probably veto anything lawmakers were able to pass. Additionally, with bipartisan support for the White House\u2019s plan to establish diplomatic ties, it\u2019s unclear whether any punitive legislation could even make its way through both the House and Senate.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://kaygranger.house.gov/press-release/granger-announces-new-staff-hire", "Granger Announces New Staff Hire", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Kay Granger", "G000377", "kaygranger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Granger Announces New Staff Hire                                           \n              Dec 22, 2014      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n          \n  \n    \n    \n    WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Congresswoman Kay Granger (TX-12) today announced the hiring of Randi Mitchell to serve as District Director. Randi will be based in Fort Worth and will oversee the daily operations of the district office of the 12th Congressional district.\u00a0 \u00a0\n\t\u201cI am proud to have Randi join my office as district director,\u201d said Granger. \u201cHer strong background and connection to our community will be a great addition to our already great team. I place a high value on the constituent services we provide from our district office and Randi will build on our record of success.\u201d\n\t\u201cIt\u2019s great to be a part of such a dedicated team,\u201d said Mitchell. \u201cI have a passion for giving back to my community and I look forward to working alongside Congresswoman Granger to support the constituent services that are provided by our district office.\u201d\n\tRandi brings with her over 15 years of experience with a specialty in marketing management. A lifelong resident of the Fort Worth area, Randi is active in the community and has been recognized for her achievements. In 2009, she was honored as a 40 Under 40 recipient by the Fort Worth Business Press as a woman who has helped shape the future of Tarrant County. Randi is a graduate of Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas and a 2012 Leadership Fort Worth graduate. She is an incoming board member of Camp Fire First Texas and serves as a Marketing Task Force member. Additionally, she is a member of The Ladder Alliance Marketing Committee and is a Breakfast Club member with Lena Pope.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://sessions.house.gov/index.cfm/weekly-newsletters?ContentRecord_id=F56CDD2C-4230-4160-816B-360F22A4B660", "The Hill Report: Week of December 15 - 19, 2014", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Pete Sessions", "S000250", "sessions.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Yesterday Chairman Kevin Brady of\u00a0the\u00a0Ways and Means Committee introduced HR 1,\u00a0the\u00a0Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which represented\u00a0the\u00a0first public unveiling of legislation that could lead to tax reform this Congress.\u00a0 \u00a0According to\u00a0the\u00a0Wall Street Journal, this bill \u201cis, on net, about a $1.5 trillion tax", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://doggett.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/san-antonio-express-news-missions-park-set-expand", "San Antonio Express-News: Missions' Park Set to Expand", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Lloyd Doggett", "D000399", "doggett.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Mission San Juan, located in south San Antonio in Missions National Historic Park on Dec. 21st, 2014.\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\tAfter years of wrangling, and the efforts of many elected officials, San Antonio Missions National Historical Park is expanding by 137 acres.\n\t\n\t\tThe U.S. Senate passed the Missions National Historical Park Boundary Expansion Act, sponsored by Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, as part of the 2015 National Defense Authorization Bill on Dec. 12. President Barack Obama signed the bill into law Friday.\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\tThe bill, which will affect the city's four Spanish colonial missions maintained by the National Park Service, had languished after it was originally passed in the House last year.\n\t\n\t\tIt's been a long, long, hard ride for a bill that should have been easy to pass but, unfortunately, it wasn't, said Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, who was among a group of officials, including former Rep. Ciro Rodriguez and outgoing Rep. Pete Gallego, who had pushed for the park's expansion over the years.\n\t\n\t\tDoggett said it was uncertain until the very last minute if he could secure a consensus to get the bill passed.\n\t\n\t\tIt's so challenging to get anything completed in Washington, Doggett said, and I believe we have done it here.\n\t\n\t\tAdding the acreage is important for preserving cultural and historical resources, Doggett said, adding that it's not just about the past, it's about the future.\n\t\n\t\n\t\tThe newly annexed land, around Missions San Jos, San Juan and Espada, will include part of the San Juan Dam and the head gate to the San Juan Acequia, a Spanish colonial-era drainage structure.\n\t\n\t\tIt also will mean the inclusion of land between the San Antonio River and Mission San Jos, helping to protect the view from the mission to the river, said Mardi Arce, park superintendent.\n\t\n\t\tAdding the land to the park will allow for much easier management of the resources by the park service, said Susan Chandoha, executive director of missions' friends group Los Compadres.\n\t\n\t\tThe park service also plans to expand its demonstration farm around Mission San Juan, land that was part of the original Spanish farm fields, called labores. Farming has already begun; this fall, the park service planted wheat near the park for the first time, Chandoha said.\n\t\n\t\n\t\tThe park service already owns 30 of the additional acres; the rest is owned by the San Antonio River Authority, the city and the county. The river authority had planned to donate land to the park for the San Juan farm, but that wasn't possible before the expansion, Arce said.\n\t\n\t\tThe most exciting part of it is the idea that these labores will be protected, and that will help tell a more complete story for the entire park, Arce said.\n\t\n\t\tAdding acreage is considered another boon to efforts to secure World Heritage Site status for the four missions controlled by the park service; the Alamo is owned by the state.\n\t\n\t\tSome worry that the missions' nomination could be hindered by the United States' ongoing refusal to pay dues to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO, since the organization admitted Palestinians as full members in 2011. UNESCO oversees the World Heritage process.\n\t\n\t\tBut Doggett pointed out that UNESCO did approve World Heritage status for Poverty Point in Louisiana this year.\n\t\n\t\tA decision on the missions is expected next year.\n\t\n\t\tI believe we have a strong application, Doggett said.\n\t\n\t\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://medium.com/@RepBetoORourke/truth-about-the-border-no-evidence-of-isis-plot-on-u-s-mexico-border-662d1815ab15?source=rss-964ef69221bc------2", "Truth About the Border: No Evidence of ISIS Plot on U.S.Mexico Border", "2014-12-21", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Beto O'Rourke", "O000170", "medium.com", null, null, "legacy", "Truth About the Border: No Evidence of ISIS Plot on U.S.MexicoBorder  Quotes  Recent media reporting including some quoting a Midland County, TX Sherriff has addressed the presence of ISIS/ISIL along the Southwest Border. These reports are citing, uncorroborated information and attempting to turn them into a breaking news story. There is no corroborated information regarding the presence of Islamic Extremists residing along or using the Southwest Border. Over the last eight to ten years this topic has resurfaced many times without corroboration. Analysts at all levels monitor the Border for just this reason and to ensure early warning of developing or potential threats. Multiple law enforcement and intelligence agencies have no corroborated, credible reports that support an ISIS/ISIL cell, or other Violent Extremist Organizations, operating south of the border or using the Border to enter the US. The items within the recent Press and News releases are old circular reporting and consist mostly of unconfirmed rumors. Department of Defense Intelligence Report, 9/16/2014  There is no credible intelligence to suggest that there is an active plot by ISIL [ISIS] to attempt to cross the southern border. Department of Homeland Securty, 9/16/2014 | http://bit.ly/1r4hAQD  there is no truth to the warnings. FBI, 9/15/2014 | http://nyti.ms/ZnsZC0  We dont have any credible information, that we are aware of, of known or suspected terrorists coming across the border. Jennifer Lasley, Department of Homeland Security, 9/10/2014 | http://nydn.us/ZjlKek  We have not seen any evidence of ISIS amassed at the border ready to come into the United States. Fred Burton, vice president of intelligence at Austin-based Stratfor, 9/2/2014 | http://bit.ly/1toYBCw  Ive seen no indication that they are coming across the border with Mexico. We have no information that leads us to believe that. Rear Adm. John Kirby, Pentagon Spokesperson, 8/22/2014 | http://bit.ly/1pR9mMi  Stoking Fears about the Border Is NothingNew El Paso Herald-Post: Mexico Is Soviet Objective Russians Could Stat Trouble on Our Border | 2/4/1982 El Paso HeraldPost: Refugees Hit El Paso, Page 1 | 12/12/1981 El Paso HeraldPost: Refugees Hit El Paso, Page 2 | 12/12/1981 El Paso HeraldPost: Border Checked for Libyan Hit Squad| 12/11/1981 Congressional Hearing VideoClips Rep. Bennie Thompson Asks Sec. Johnson about Evidence of Terriorsts Entering Southern Border, 9/17/2014 | Homeland Securtiy Committee Briefing Homeland Securty Secretary Jeh Johnson Sets the Record Straight on Threats on the Southern Border, 9 /17/ 2014 | Homeland Securtiy Committee Briefing Rep. Beto ORourke Asks DHS and State Dept about Threats from Mexico, 9/10/2014 | Homeland Security Committee Briefing Recent Press - Fusion: Homeland Security: No evidence ISIS plotting to cross southern border | 9/16/2014 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Feds: No ISIS plot detected on U.S.-Mexico border | 9/16/2014 - San Antonio Express: Homeland Security: No evidence ISIS will cross U.S. border | 9/16/2014 - New York Times: U.S. Pushes Back Against Warnings That ISIS Plans to Enter From Mexico | 9/15/2014 - MSNBC: No, ISIS is not at our border | 9/15/2014 - New York Daily NewsISIS terrorists wont sneak into U.S. across loose Mexico border: Homeland Security officials | 9/12/2014 - The Huffington Post: DHS Doesnt Think ISIS Is Plotting Attack Through U.S.-Mexico Border | 9/11/2014 - Fox News: ISIS Terrorists Not Sneaking Over U.S. Southern Border With Mexico, DHS Officials Tell Congress | 9/11/2014 - The Hill: DHS unaware of any active plot by ISIS to cross the Mexican border | 8/22/2014", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://medium.com/@RepBetoORourke/u-s-mexico-trade-2a51dfb87ef3", "U.S.Mexico Trade", "2014-12-21", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Beto O'Rourke", "O000170", "medium.com", null, null, "legacy", "U.S.Mexico Trade: See the impact trade with Mexico has on each of the 50states Jul 8, 2013 The U.S.-Mexico border region is one of the most economically significant borders in the world and is directly responsible for thousands of jobs in all 50 states. My office has put together state-by-state maps, which can serve as a reference tool in helping you understand that a healthy border with Mexico means more jobs for Americans. Annually, delays at our land ports of entry cost 26,000 U.S. jobs and $6 billion in lost economic output. Much of these delays are a result of inadequate and outdated port infrastructure and significant staffing gaps within Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Additional CBP Officers placed at high-traffic ports will lessen delays and lead to a significant return on investment in terms of both cost savings and Gross Domestic Product. As the April 2013 National Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events report concludes, adding one CBP Officer at an airport or land port of entry would inject $2 million into the economy and produce 33 new jobs. As the Senate in June passed its version of Comprehensive Immigration Reform (S. 744) and the House continues its debate, it is critical that we capitalize on the economic potential of the U.S.-Mexico border. Ensuring adequate resources and infrastructure at our ports of entry means more jobs and an America that is competitive in the global economic market. To see how trade with Mexico affects each of the 50 U.S. states, see below: Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://medium.com/@RepBetoORourke/u-s-mexico-trade-2a51dfb87ef3?source=rss-964ef69221bc------2", "U.S.Mexico Trade", "2014-12-21", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Beto O'Rourke", "O000170", "medium.com", null, null, "legacy", "U.S.Mexico Trade: See the impact trade with Mexico has on each of the 50states Jul 8, 2013 The U.S.-Mexico border region is one of the most economically significant borders in the world and is directly responsible for thousands of jobs in all 50 states. My office has put together state-by-state maps, which can serve as a reference tool in helping you understand that a healthy border with Mexico means more jobs for Americans. Annually, delays at our land ports of entry cost 26,000 U.S. jobs and $6 billion in lost economic output. Much of these delays are a result of inadequate and outdated port infrastructure and significant staffing gaps within Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Additional CBP Officers placed at high-traffic ports will lessen delays and lead to a significant return on investment in terms of both cost savings and Gross Domestic Product. As the April 2013 National Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events report concludes, adding one CBP Officer at an airport or land port of entry would inject $2 million into the economy and produce 33 new jobs. As the Senate in June passed its version of Comprehensive Immigration Reform (S. 744) and the House continues its debate, it is critical that we capitalize on the economic potential of the U.S.-Mexico border. Ensuring adequate resources and infrastructure at our ports of entry means more jobs and an America that is competitive in the global economic market. To see how trade with Mexico affects each of the 50 U.S. states, see below: Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cuellar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398041", "Laredo Morning Times: Cuellar Speaks to Students", "2014-12-20", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Henry Cuellar", "C001063", "cuellar.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Laredo Morning Times: Cuellar Speaks to Students \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        LAREDO, Texas,\r\n        December 20, 2014\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      \n    \n        \n            \n        \n    \n\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cuellar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398099", "El Manana de Nuevo Laredo: Determinar TxDot si es viable o no tren rpido", "2014-12-20", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Henry Cuellar", "C001063", "cuellar.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Por: FRANCISCO D\u00cdAZAntes de terminar diciembre el Departamento de Transporte de Texas (TxDot) determinar\u00e1 si es factible establecer una ruta de tren r\u00e1pido desde San Antonio hasta  Monterrey, cruzando por Colombia, Nuevo Le\u00f3n. \u201cEsperamos la decisi\u00f3n en este mes luego de concluir el estudio de factibilidad sobre el proyecto y de ello depender\u00e1 seguir adelante\u201d, dijo el Congresista Federal Henry Cuellar. El legislador federal agreg\u00f3 que Nuevo Le\u00f3n ya tiene listos los derechos de v\u00eda en el lado mexicano y pr\u00e1cticamente espera la aprobaci\u00f3n del estado de Texas para seguir con el proceso de la construcci\u00f3n de v\u00edas. Se trata de un corredor de 480 kil\u00f3metros para recorrer el tramo de San Antonio a Laredo, cruzando por Colombia hacia Monterrey, Nuevo Le\u00f3n en un lapso de dos horas en lugar de las casi cinco horas que se hacen ahora en autom\u00f3vil. \u201cLa idea es que el corredor ferroviario sea para carga y para pasajeros lo cual lo hace muy atractivo\u201d, indic\u00f3 Cuellar. Resalt\u00f3 que el proyecto fue presentado en Washington en enero de este a\u00f1o por parte de funcionarios del gobierno de Nuevo Le\u00f3n y caus\u00f3 muy buena impresi\u00f3n al Secretario de Transporte de EU, Anthony Foxx. Si el Departamento de Transporte de Texas determina que el proyecto es factible, el plan es tenerlo listo para el a\u00f1o 2018 uniendo a San Antonio con Monterrey, sac\u00e1ndole la vuelta a Nuevo Laredo. El proyecto forma parte de un estudio para establecer un tren de alta velocidad desde San Antonio a Dallas para luego conectarse hacia Oklahoma en un recorrido de unas 805 millas por ferrocarril para carga y pasajeros. El estudio de factibilidad tiene un costo de unos 4.4 millones de d\u00f3lares, fondos que fueron financiados por el Departamento de Transporte de Estados Unidos para explorar proyectos de tren r\u00e1pido en el estado de la estrella solitaria y fue iniciado hace casi 18 meses. Cuellar destac\u00f3 que si el estudio de factibilidad demuestra que el proyecto es viable, el siguiente paso ser\u00e1 identificar las v\u00edas del financiamiento, que posiblemente incluya al sector privado en ambos lados. Resalt\u00f3 que el proyecto requerir\u00e1 forzosamente de un puente ferroviario en Colombia, Nuevo Le\u00f3n para el cruce del tren r\u00e1pido desde San Antonio a Monterrey, llevando mercanc\u00edas y pasajeros. En el lado de Nuevo Le\u00f3n ya se cuenta con el derecho de v\u00eda para establecer una ruta ferroviaria de poco m\u00e1s de 240 kil\u00f3metros desde Monterrey hasta llegar al puerto de Colombia, frontera con Laredo, Texas.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cuellar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398046", "Rep. Cuellar Announces $10 Million in Federal Funds to Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Henry Cuellar", "C001063", "cuellar.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX28) announced on Wednesday the awarding of $10 million in federal funds to Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas Inc. from the Corporation for National Community Service.  \nThis is the very first Social Innovation Fund (SIF) grant for the state of Texas and the second largest SIF grant ever awarded.This federal investment of $10 million will be combined with another $16.2 million provided directly from Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas and will be used by its \u201cS\u00ed Texas Project\u201d which will aim to reduce the rates of disease in South Texas by focusing on developing a more effective approach to caring for people with both behavioral and chronic healthcare needs. The program will connect organization working towards the same goal and increase the community impact by expanding and replicating community solutions that work. \"Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas worked with my office to secure Texas\u2019 first Social Innovation Fund Grant from the Corporation for National Community Service,\" said Congressman Cuellar. \u201cThis federal investment, combined with funds provided by Methodist Healthcare Ministries, will greatly improve the health of the people of South Texas, especially border communities that are at the forefront of the nation\u2019s health challenges. The Texas border region has some of the highest uninsured rates in the country and is disproportionately affected by chronic and communicable diseases. This project will greatly help to improve the health of our citizens.\u201d \u201cThere has traditionally been a minimal investment made in South Texas both by state and national foundations,\u201d said Rebecca D. Brune, vice president of strategic planning and growth at Methodist Healthcare Ministries. \u201cHowever, we know from our work with our funded partners that there are innovative models that can effectively address these chronic illnesses and behavioral health needs. This project will allow us to evaluate these models and showcase those that are effectively meeting those needs, and ultimately, help to sustain and scale those efforts by attracting additional investments in this region.\u201d \"This is a two part investment; the first part is the federal investment from the Social Innovation Fund for a total of $10 million over two years. The second part of the investment is directly from MHM, which amounts to $16.2 million through our own dollars and by leveraging funds through other public/private partnerships--this is an addition to funds we are dedicating to conducting an evaluation of the programs supported by the SIF funds. The evaluation is a critical component to the project and, when combined with the SIF and MHM grants, makes the total investment for this initiative nearly $30 million,\u201d Brune added\n    \n        \n            \n            Congressman Cuellar announced $10 million in federal funds to Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas at the First United Methodist Church on Wednesday, Dec.17.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://samjohnson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397615", "Sam Johnsons No Social Security for Nazis Bill Signed into Law", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Sam Johnson", "J000174", "samjohnson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Yesterday, U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson\u2019s (R-TX) legislation, the No Social Security for Nazis Act, was signed into law. \u00a0In late October, an Associated Press investigative report uncovered the fact that Nazi persecutors are receiving Social Security benefits from American taxpayers due to a loophole in current law.\u00a0 Johnson\u2019s bill, which passed the House by a vote for 420 and the Senate by unanimous consent earlier this month, will terminate Social Security benefits for Nazis. \r\n\u201cSocial Security was never intended for those who participated in the horrific acts of the Holocaust,\" said Johnson.\u00a0 \"Unfortunately a loophole has allowed Nazis who came to America to get Social Security. \u00a0But now with my bill being signed into law, this loophole has been rightly closed.\u00a0 I call on both the Department of Justice and the Social Security Administration to carry out this law without delay.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=news&id=2045", "USA Today: Ted Cruz: Obama should help Cuban dissidents", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sen. Ted Cruz says the Obama administration should do more to work with opposition leaders in Cuba as the U.S. tries to move toward restoring diplomatic relations with the Communist regime under President Raul Castro. In a column for TIME magazine, the Texas Republican and potential 2016 presidential candidate expanded on his criticism of President Obama\u2019s plans announced earlier this week. Cruz cited Cuban dissidents Elizardo Sanchez and Guillermo Farinas as examples of \u201cfriends in Cuba\u201d that the U.S. government should work with to end the Castro regime and help institute economic and legal changes that would improve life for Cubans. \u201cThe United States should demand that the political opposition to the Castros be included in any and all negotiations with Cuba, so their concerns will be fully heard and their priorities addressed,\u201d Cruz wrote. \u201cOtherwise there will be no incentive for the Castro regime to engage in necessary political reforms.\u201d Read more", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2037", "The News with Sen. Cruz - December 19, 2014", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "As the 113th Congress concludes, it\u2019s remarkable to think about the past two years, and all the incredible battles we have waged for liberty. It\u2019s a privilege and an honor to represent each of you, and I am proud of all that we have accomplished.\nOne recent victory I\u2019m particularly proud of is Congress\u2019 recent passage of a measure I introduced to ensure that the brave service members impacted by the 2009 Fort Hood terrorist attack are eligible to receive the Purple Heart. This recognition is long overdue and rightly honors those victimized.\nI hope you are able to enjoy time with loved ones this holiday season, and I wish you a merry Christmas, a happy Hanukkah, and a blessed New Year.\nPlease keep reading for an update on the latest in the Senate.\nAll the best,\n  Ted Cruz\nSen. Cruz\u2019s Measure Granting Purple Heart Eligibility to Fort Hood Victims Heads to President\u2019s Desk\nLast week, Sen. Cruz announced that the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2015 includes legislation he sponsored to allow the victims of the 2009 terrorist attack at Fort Hood to receive the Purple Heart.\nClick to view video\nThe legislation, supported by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, will expand eligibility for the Purple Heart to include members of the Armed Forces who have been killed or wounded in an attack inspired or motivated by a foreign terrorist organization.\n\u201cIt\u2019s long past time to call the Fort Hood attack what it was: radical Islamic terrorism,\u201d said Sen. Cruz. \u201cAnd, this recognition for Fort Hood terrorist victims is overdue. The victims and their families deserve our prayers and support, and this legislation rightly honors them for defending our nation in the face of a heinous act of terror.\u201d\nRead the full release here.\nSen. Cruz Statement Opposing President Obama\u2019s Changed Policy with Cuba\nOn Wednesday, Sen. Cruz spoke with Wolf Blitzer on CNN and released the following statement about the President\u2019s announcement to change U.S. policy with Cuba and lift economic embargos:\nClick to view video\n\u201cWe rejoice that Alan Gross\u2019 wrongful imprisonment by the brutal Castro regime has finally come to an end, and that he will be able to spend the holidays with his loved ones. But make no mistake, although we are glad Alan is now free, the agreement the Obama Administration has entered into with the Castro regime has done nothing to resolve the underlying problem. Indeed, it has made it worse.\n\u201cFidel and Raul Castro have just received both international legitimacy and a badly-needed economic lifeline from President Obama.  But they remain in control of a totalitarian police state modeled on their old state sponsor, the Soviet Union.  Their government can continue to detain individuals like Alan Gross indefinitely without process\u2014as the many political prisoners still languishing in the Castros\u2019 prisons can attest.  They retain their close, long-standing ties with hostile nations, notably Russia, Iran, North Korea and Venezuela.  They will continue their support for terrorist organizations from FARC to Hezbollah and Hamas.\n\u201cThe President spoke today about a new era for relations between American and the Cuban people, but these circumstances do not bode well for either.  We have seen how previous Obama administration attempts at rapprochement with rogue regimes like Russia and Iran have worked out, with our influence diminished and our enemies emboldened.  Now they are revisiting this same disastrous policy with the Castros, blind to the fact that they are being played by brutal dictators whose only goal is maintaining power.  And if history be our guide, the Castros will exploit that power to undermine America and oppress the Cuban people. First Russia, then Iran, now Cuba \u2013 this is one more very, very bad deal brokered by the Obama Administration.\u201d\nSen. Cruz Stands with Texas Against President Obama\u2019s Executive Amnesty\nSen. Cruz this week joined an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit brought by the State of Texas and joined by over 20 other states against President Obama\u2019s illegal amnesty.\n\u201cPresident Obama is not only blatantly defying the Constitution by refusing to faithfully execute our nation\u2019s immigration laws; his amnesty policy is harming millions of Texans and Americans,\u201d Sen. Cruz said. \u201cBy unilaterally granting amnesty to nearly five million people, the President is inviting even more illegal immigration, which hurts working men and women who have entered the country legally and further strains state governments.\n\u201cThe President has no authority to ignore or rewrite the law. In so doing, the President violates his oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution. I am proud to stand with the State of Texas in upholding the rule of law against President Obama\u2019s brazen power grab. This is a critical step to restoring the Law of the Land and celebrating legal immigration.\u201d\nIn its lawsuit challenging the President\u2019s executive action, the State of Texas argues that President Obama\u2019s executive amnesty violates federal immigration law and usurps Congress\u2019 constitutional authority to set immigration policy.\nThe amicus brief, filed by the American Center for Law and Justice, makes clear that the President\u2019s executive action \u201cchanges the law and sets a new policy, exceeding [the President\u2019s] constitutional authority and disrupting the delicate balance of powers.\u201d\nSenators John Cornyn, R-TX, and Roy Blunt, R-MO, also joined the amicus brief, as did more than 20 Representatives.\nRead the full release here.\nSen. Cruz on Fox Regarding President Obama\u2019s Executive Amnesty\nOn Tuesday, Sen. Cruz spoke with Fox News\u2019 Bret Baier to discuss his constitutional point of order to defund President Obama\u2019s illegal executive amnesty.\nClick to view video\n\u201cWhat the president did is unconstitutional. We\u2019re facing a constitutional crisis and in my view it was critical. This Saturday after the fight we had, we had the very first vote on President Obama\u2019s unconstitutional amnesty. That\u2019s what I was pressing for, that\u2019s what others were pressing for. And I think it mattered to honor our commitment to the voters, to force that vote,\u201d Sen. Cruz said.\nHe continued, \u201cI am not trying to play the rules of Washington, because I think Washington's broken, I think it's profoundly broken. And I think the only answer is to change Washington\u2026.  In my view, the only way we can turn this country around is if the American people rise up and hold every one of us accountable. So I'm not trying to play the Washington rules, I'm trying to change the rules and make elected officials, myself included, accountable to the people who elected us.\u201d\nRead the full release here.\nEarlier that day, Sen. Cruz penned an op-ed in Politico explaining his recent effort in the Senate to stop President Obama\u2019s amnesty. Read the full op-ed here.\nSen. Cruz Bill to Aid Military Heroes Fighting Ebola Introduced in the House\nLast week, the House of Representatives introduced companion legislation to Sen. Cruz\u2019s bill to ensure that members of the Armed Forces combatting the spread of Ebola in West Africa are entitled to appropriate tax benefits.\nRep. Beto O'Rourke, D-Texas, filed the bipartisan companion legislation, H.R. 5804, in the House and it is co-sponsored by Texas Republican Reps. John Carter and Roger Williams. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, has signed on as a co-sponsor of Cruz's Senate bill, S. 2965.\n\"Once our Armed Forces are placed in harm's way, Congress, and the Commander-in-Chief have a responsibility to support them and to provide security for the families who remain behind while they face danger,\" said Sen. Cruz. \"The morbidity rate of Ebola poses a substantial danger to those who have been sent to combat it and, for the first time, this risk extends beyond the battlefield and directly threatens the safety of their families. Congress should give these service members the appropriate recognition and respect for their service in times of grave danger, and I am honored to work with Sen. Cornyn and Reps. O'Rourke, Carter and Williams on this legislation.\"\nRead the full release here.\nIn Case You Missed It\nSen. Cruz speaks with Laura Ingraham\nSen. Cruz speaks with Sean Hannity on stopping President Obama\u2019s amnesty\n \nSen. Cruz measure to stand with Israel against Hamas passes Congress \u2013 READ\nSen. Cruz votes against NDAA package that fails to protect our vital national security interest \u2013 READ\nSen. Cruz votes to defund executive amnesty \u2013 READ", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2039", "ICYMI: Sen. Cruz Op-Ed in TIME: Help the Cuban Opposition, Not the Castros", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. -\u00a0U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, today released a video that highlights prominent Cuba dissidents' warnings against U.S. deal-making with the Castro regime. He also penned an op-ed for TIME.com sharing these dissidents' stories and his alternative to the President's recently announced plans to relax the United States' economic embargo on Cuba. Excerpts of the Senator's op-ed below. Full article may be viewed here. Help the Cuban Opposition, Not the Castros  TIME.com  By: Sen. Ted Cruz  Dec. 18, 2014 Congress should reject President Obama's latest bad deal In July 2013, I had the opportunity to speak with two prominent Cuban dissidents, Elizardo Sanchez and Guillermo Farinas. Both men had been supporters of the Castros-Sanchez as an academic, Farinas as a soldier-but had come to realize the real brutal, authoritarian nature of their Communist regime. Farinas, for example, spoke of the moment of clarity he had the first time he read Animal Farm during the 1980s, in Russian because he was in the Soviet Union receiving specialized military training. Sanchez and Farinas painted a grim picture of life in Cuba, which they said had become \"a big jail\" since 1959. They described how the Castros have a comprehensive apparatus of oppression that exploits economic control, political repression, and propaganda to control each and every Cuban citizen. Growing up in Cuba, they said, meant choosing between becoming part of the repression, pretending to be mentally ill, abandoning your homeland, or confronting the regime, in which case you risked being killed, jailed, or beaten. My family knows this hard truth about Cuba all too well. My father was imprisoned and tortured by Batista, and my aunt was imprisoned and tortured by Castro. Both fled for America and for freedom. According to Sanchez and Farinas, Raul and Fidel Castro remain the implacable enemies of the United States. They are constantly thinking of ways to harm America-they are evil, and we cannot make a deal with an evil regime. The goal of the Castros, they explained, was to copy \"Putinismo,\" or the tricks and deceptions the Russian strongman had used to fool the west with the appearance of change while in reality, his authoritarian government consolidated power. Farinas cautioned that the Castros would try to get the United States to finance their \"Putinist project\" through the relaxation of the embargo, and that we should reject any deal that did not include real political reform. As we now know, around the time I was interviewing Sanchez and Farinas, the Obama administration was already planning a major revision of U.S. policy toward Cuba. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recounts in her recent book, Hard Choices, that she recommended this course of action around the time she left office. But just like the recent failed outreach attempts with Russia and Iran, the administration assumed they could persuade dictatorial tyrants to put the interests of their people and the international community before their own. And so this week, President Obama announced he is unilaterally undoing more than half a century of bi-partisan U.S. policy towards Cuba and reducing economic sanctions before the Castros make a single meaningful concession. How prophetic Sanchez and Farinas were. America is, in effect, writing the check that will allow the Castros to follow Vladimir Putin's playbook of repression. Full article may be viewed here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://poe.house.gov/press-releases?ID=794ABCF7-BB06-4C6D-AEC8-F73BF76EDE0E", "CONGRESSMAN POE STATEMENT ON THE EUROPEAN UNION REVERSING DESIGNATION OF HAMAS AS TERRORIST ORGANIZATION", "2014-12-18", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Poe", "P000592", "poe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\"Today, the European Union did an about-face of the worst kind, reversing their designation of Hamas as a terrorist organization. The General Court of the EU found that the original decision to include Hamas as a terrorist organization was made in haste based on news and media reports and not a concrete examination of their acts. This could not be further from the truth. Hamas is a terrorist organization. Recognizing its political legitimacy would be rewarding terrorists for being terrorists. A legitimate political actor does not use terrorism for political gain. Hamas has not disavowed terrorism; it has embraced it. A legitimate political actor does not call for the wiping out of an entire people. Hamas not only refuses to recognize the state of Israel, it publicly calls for its annihilation and the annihilation of all Jews around the world. Although this unfortunate decision by the EU may breathe new life into Hamas, an appeal must be made as soon as possible to ensure that the Gaza-based group remains on the terror list. The world must stand with Israel and strongly oppose EU actions to legitimize a terrorist group that is masquerading as a legitimate political organization.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://sessions.house.gov/index.cfm/resources?ContentRecord_id=2C2E4594-6B13-4BBB-A5F7-6BA455BE7D35", "Information on 2015 Omnibus", "2014-12-18", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Pete Sessions", "S000250", "sessions.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "This Saturday, June 27th, I was pleased to hold a Town Hall Meeting in Garland and discuss important issues facing our nation, including the positive impact of trade in Texas, Republicans work to balance the budget and cut unnecessary spending, and my efforts to fight against the Obama Administration's continued abuse of executive authority.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://veasey.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/rep-veasey-statement-on-the-2014-holiday-season", "Rep. Veasey Statement on the 2014 Holiday Season", "2014-12-18", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Marc Veasey", "V000131", "veasey.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dallas, Fort Worth, TX \u2013 Today, Congressman Marc Veasey, TX-33, released the following statement in recognition of the holiday season:\n\"Wishing my constituents in the 33rd Congressional District of Texas and across the nation a very Happy Holiday. Whether you\u2019re celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, I wish you a wonderful holiday season filled with love and happiness surrounded by your family and friends. Be safe, stay warm, and have a blessed New Year.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2035", "Appeasing Our Enemies Makes America Less Safe and the World More Dangerous", "2014-12-18", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, yesterday evening spoke with CNN\u2019s Wolf Blitzer regarding the release of Alan Gross and the President\u2019s announcement to change U.S. policy with Cuba, specifically plans to lift the United States\u2019 economic embargo on the communist nation.  \u00a0   Regarding the failure of the Obama-Clinton-Kerry foreign policy:  \u00a0  \u201cThis action today continues a long pattern. It is the latest manifestation of the failures of the Obama-Clinton-Kerry foreign policy. What we\u2019ve seen for six years is we\u2019ve consistently been abandoning our friends and allies and at the same time appeasing and coddling our enemies.\u00a0 First it was Russia, then it was Iran, today its Cuba. That only makes America and the world more dangerous. This was a mistake. This is throwing an economic lifeline to the Castros at a moment when their regime was vulnerable and it was a serious mistake.\u201d  \u00a0  Regarding the danger of appeasing Cuba and the Castro regime:  \u00a0  \u201cThe Castro regime is an avowed enemy of America. They are allies of North Korea, of Iran, of Venezuela. In fact they were just caught recently doing an arms deal with North Korea and the idea that we would strengthen a regime that is a state sponsor of terrorism that is exporting communism throughout Latin America, and is working to undermine America, that only undermines our national security interest.\u201d  \u00a0  \u201cThe relationship with Cuba, the Castros have demonstrated, manifest hostility and antagonism to America and it was striking watching President Obama's remarks today. He talked about the Bay of Pigs invasion and yet he utterly omitted the Cuban Missile Crisis, one of the greatest threats to our national security in modern times that almost resulted in nuclear weapons right on our shore and watching President Obama and John Kerry, it was yet again blaming America first. The condition of the relationship between Cuba and America is the direct result of the oppressive communist dictatorship that has demonstrated manifest hostility to the United States.\u201d  \u00a0  Regarding the administration\u2019s flawed negotiation tactics:  \u00a0  \u201cAll of us celebrate the release of Alan Gross. He has been wrongfully and unjustly imprisoned and mistreated and I've called repeatedly for his release\u2026 But you know, just like the Obama Administration's ill-advised deal concerning Bowe Bergdahl, where they released five senior Taliban terrorists, in this instance the Obama Administration released three Cuban spies who were guilty of murdering four U.S. Citizens, guilty of spying of Southern Command, on U.S. military installations, and that undermines our national security. We should be negotiating from a position of strength and the consistent failing of this Administration is that it believes the way to deal with dictators and tyrants is through appeasement. I think weakness is provocative and I believe in peace through strength. That's far more effective at protecting our country.\u201d  \u00a0  Regarding the Senate\u2019s ability to prevent lifting of economic sanctions on Cuba:  \u00a0  \u201cIt\u2019s not clear at this point where the votes will be, but I expect in the Senate to see a far more vigorous voice defending our national security interests and I am hopeful that we will prevent a bad deal and a bad decision. The point I was making on this, there\u2019s a reason why I expect to see bi-partisan cooperation to rein this in. In 2009, the appeasement of Putin didn\u2019t work and Putin invaded Ukraine a sovereign nation.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://culberson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398199", "Accurate Information on the CRomnibus", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John Culberson", "C001048", "culberson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Accurate Information on the CRomnibus \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        December 17, 2014\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      My office has received a tremendous number of phone calls and emails from constituents who believe I should have voted against the 2015 Omnibus Appropriations bill. However, there is a tremendous amount of misinformation about the bill, and I believe a yes vote was the right vote for both Texas and our nation. I am sending you accurate information in this email so you can decide for yourself.\n    \n        \n            \n            \n                All Republican Members of Congress share the same goal \u2013 to totally defund and repeal President Obama\u2019s illegal amnesty and to repeal and replace Obamacare. Our only difference is in the tactics we believe will work best.\n                It is not true that the omnibus funds President Obama\u2019s illegal amnesty.\n                It is not true that the omnibus fully funds Obamacare.\n                If the House had passed a short term Continuing Resolution, we would have almost certainly lost all of the good provisions that House conservatives won in this legislation. Plus a Continuing Resolution means the President can continue to do everything just as he has been. We need to stop President Obama as quickly as possible, and I do not want him to keep doing things the same way.\n            \n            \n        \n    \nFormer Texas Senator Phil Gramm often said that liberals achieve so much because they\u2019re satisfied with small incremental gains. He often told me that conservatives must advance our legislative agenda, even if it\u2019s just two or three feet at a time. This bill does that. As a college football fan, I know it is always a bad idea to punt the ball and get nothing if you are in field goal range. Particularly since we will have a Republican Senate in less than three weeks and can immediately get to work to go after the rest of President Obama's destructive agenda.I am frankly amazed\u00a0we forced Obama to cut overall federal spending and to implement the additional spending restrictions House conservatives won in this bill.\u00a0The final omnibus bill\u00a0is the product of nearly 100 House committee hearings and markups, more than 400 amendments offered by members during 79 hours of floor debate, and is based on eleven individual House Republican appropriation bills. So all House Republicans participated at length in creating almost all of this bill. \u00a0 I am writing today to reassure you that I will always keep my word to you. My good name is my most valuable possession, and my reputation as your representative in Congress is built on trust. I have given you links within this email so you can verify everything I have told you. Above all, I want you to know that I treasure your trust, and I will always work hard to earn it. \u00a0 You have my word that I will do everything in my power as your representative to stop Barack Obama from doing more damage to this great nation, and that I will not rest until we have undone his illegal amnesty and repealed and replaced Obamacare. I will always do the right thing for the right reasons, and I will keep working to cut spending and taxes, to balance our budget, and to restore the 10th Amendment to get the federal government out of our lives, so that Texans truly run Texas.\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://kaygranger.house.gov/press-release/granger-statement-us-cuban-policy-shift-release-alan-gross", "Granger Statement on U.S.-Cuban Policy Shift, Release of Alan Gross", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Kay Granger", "G000377", "kaygranger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Congresswoman Kay Granger (TX-12), chairwoman of the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations subcommittee, issued the following statement regarding the Obama Administration\u2019s announcement to shift U.S.-Cuban diplomatic relations and the release of a U.S. humanitarian aid worker from Cuba. \u00a0\n\t\u201cI am relieved that American aid worker Alan Gross is safely back in the U.S. after being unjustly imprisoned for years, but the policy changes announced today by the Obama Administration are deeply concerning.\n\t\u201cThe Cuban people remain under the iron grip of a regime that has for decades repressed their freedoms. The Cuban regime should not be rewarded until the Cuban people are given the freedoms they are seeking. The regime has had a sordid history of human rights abuses in addition to working with some of America\u2019s worst enemies around the world. These actions cannot be erased overnight or forgotten as the Administration seeks to shift the U.S. relationship with the government of Cuba.\n\t\u201cChanging the U.S. diplomatic relationship with Cuba should not be a unilateral decision made solely by this Administration. Congress has a vital role to play in our country\u2019s foreign policy and how American taxpayer dollars are used.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://kaygranger.house.gov/ted-cruz-and-other-gop-texans-slam-obama%E2%80%99s-cuba-shift", "Ted Cruz and other GOP Texans slam Obamas Cuba shift", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Kay Granger", "G000377", "kaygranger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Sen. Ted Cruz has joined the chorus of Republicans blasting the president\u2019s shift in policy toward Cuba, a country from which the senator\u2019s father fled as a teenager.\n\t\u201cFidel and Raul Castro have just received both international legitimacy and a badly-needed economic lifeline from President Obama,\u201d Cruz said in a prepared statement issued 4 hours after the president\u2019s announcement at the White House. \u201cBut they remain in control of a totalitarian police state modeled on their old state sponsor, the Soviet Union.\u201d\n\t\u201cThis is one more very, very bad deal brokered by the Obama administration,\u201d said Cruz.\n\tLike other critics weighing in this afternoon, the senator lauded the release of Alan Gross, the American aid worker imprisoned by Cuba for five years. But, he said, the deal Obama has struck won\u2019t stop indefinite detention of others without legal process, \u201cas the many political prisoners still languishing in the Castros\u2019 prisons can attest.\u201d\n\tCruz echoed comments from Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, another Cuban American Republican eyeing a 2016 presidential bid.\n\tHe called it a mistake to ease tensions with a nation that retains ties with Russia, Iran, North Korea and Venezuela, and which supports terrorists groups \u2013 he cited FARC, Hezbollah and Hamas. Making nice with Cuba, Russia and Iran, he said, leaves American \u201cinfluence diminished and our enemies emboldened. Now they are revisiting this same disastrous policy with the Castros, blind to the fact that they are being played by brutal dictators whose only goal is maintaining power.\u201d\n\tRep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, who chairs a subcommittee that controls billions in foreign aid, also criticized the moves, which include normalizing diplomatic relations, and easing restrictions on travel, banking and trade. These are \u201cdeeply concerning,\u201d she said.\n\t\u201cThe Cuban people remain under the iron grip of a regime that has for decades repressed their freedoms. The Cuban regime should not be rewarded until the Cuban people are given the freedoms they are seeking. The regime has had a sordid history of human rights abuses in addition to working with some of America\u2019s worst enemies around the world,\u201d Granger said. \u201cThese actions cannot be erased overnight or forgotten as the Administration seeks to shift the U.S. relationship with the government of Cuba.\n\thttps://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2014/12/ted-cruz-and-other-gop-texans-slam-obamas-cuba-shift.html/", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://lamarsmith.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/smith-statement-on-changes-to-cuba-policy", "Smith Statement on Changes to Cuba Policy", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Lamar Smith", "S000583", "lamarsmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) released the following statement today in response to President Obama\u2019s announced policy changes regarding the U.S. and Cuba. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nCongressman Smith:\u00a0 \u201cAlan Gross should never have been held prisoner by Cuba.\u00a0I\u2019m disappointed by the president\u2019s announcement today. This continues a troubling trend of misguided foreign policy that does not make Americans safer, and that undermines our core values as an open and free democracy. The president\u2019s policy rewards a dictator who has deprived the people of Cuba of their freedoms.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://poe.house.gov/press-releases?ID=38BCDA15-A608-468D-876D-2A2EB531B4E8", "POE TO CONTINUE AS FOREIGN AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRMAN", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Poe", "P000592", "poe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "I am honored to continue serving as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade for the 114th Congress. Faced with determined and bold enemies like ISIS and Al Qaeda, our nationhas yet to developa clearly defined strategy to combat these threats. At the same time,Iran marches towards a nuclear bomb. Now is not the time to ease sanctions or give concessions for a faux diplomatic victory. The possibility of concluding two regional free trade agreements in both the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership means that we have the opportunity to stop the spread of communist like economic principles and expand the free market system like never before, all while injecting billions of dollars into our economy. I look forward to the TNT Subcommittee continuing to lead on these issues and to provide oversight on the Administrations policies. I am grateful to Chairman Ed Royce for this opportunity and appreciate his leadership over the full committee.\r\nTNT Subcommittee Jurisdiction\r\nThe subcommittee has oversight and legislative jurisdiction over U.S. efforts to manage and coordinate international programs to combat terrorism (as coordinated by the Department of State and other agencies), and efforts to bring international terrorists to justice. With the concurrence of the Chairman of the full Committee, it may conduct oversight of, and consider legislation pertaining to, nonproliferation matters involving nuclear, chemical, biological and other weapons of mass destruction, except for legislation involving the Foreign Assistance Act, the Arms Export Control Act, the Export Administration Act, and sanctions laws pertaining to individual countries and the provision of foreign assistance (which is reserved to the full Committee). The subcommittee may conduct oversight of matters relating to: international economic and trade policy; commerce with foreign countries; international investment policy; the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the Trade and Development Agency; commodity agreements; and special oversight of international financial and monetary institutions; the Export-Import Bank, and customs. With the concurrence of the Chairman of the full Committee, it may exercise legislative jurisdiction over measures related to export promotion and measures related to the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the Trade and Development Agency.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://williams.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/rep-williams-reacts-to-potus-policy-shift-toward-cuba", "Rep. Williams reacts to POTUS policy shift toward Cuba", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Roger Williams", "W000816", "williams.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Roger Williams (TX-25) issued the following statement after President Obama announced his intentions to change U.S. policy toward Cuba upon the release of Alan Gross, an American hostage held in Cuba for the past five years:\n\u201cPresident Obama\u2019s negotiations with the communist regime in Cuba are inexcusable and unfathomable.\u00a0 I remember the Cuban Missile crisis, the decades of human rights abuses, the withholding and covering up of information.\u00a0 These atrocities directly threaten our national security, and Cuba\u2019s leaders should continue to suffer consequences for their brutal actions.\u00a0 President Obama continues to weaken our nation\u2019s standing among our adversaries, and I\u2019m afraid that this policy shift regarding Cuba signals an acceptance of one of the most oppressive and violent regimes in the world.\u201d\n\u00a0\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://conaway.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397894", "Congressman Conaway Statement on the Deal with Cuba", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "K. Conaway", "C001062", "conaway.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Conaway Statement on the Deal with Cuba \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        December 17, 2014\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Congressman K. Michael Conaway (R-Texas) issued the followed statement on the deal with Cuba:  \r\nThe agreement announced today is a poorly negotiated deal for America and for the Cuban people.  We have given up significant leverage in exchange for few tangible benefits for our country or the average Cuban.  As far as I can see, this deal makes no significant gains on either democratization or increasing respect for human rights in a country where the government controls every single aspect of life.  \r\nI have long been a supporter of relaxing agricultural trade restrictions with Cuba and providing humanitarian support for the Cuban people.  However, the policies currently in place created advantages that the President has simply given away with this deal and will serve largely to enrich the leaders of Cuba.    \r\nThe original embargo imposed by President Kennedy and the Cuban Democracy Act was of 1992 was explicitly intended to maintain sanctions on Cuba until the government moved toward democratization and greater respect for human rights.'  Neither of these goals has been achieved with this deal.   \r\nThe President has yet again damaged America's ability to use negotiations to make positive changes around the world.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kevinbrady.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398710", "Texans Breathe a Sigh of Relief", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Kevin Brady", "B000755", "kevinbrady.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Texans Breathe a Sigh of Relief \r\n   \r\n    \r\n      Senators Vote to Join House in Preserving Texas Sales Tax Deduction \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        December 17, 2014\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n        Texas Congressman Kevin Brady issued the following statement after the Senate passed important tax extenders.  \r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      \"Texas families have kept more than $10 billion in their family budgets since we successfully fought to restore Texas' sales tax deduction a decade ago. While I'm pleased that the Senate has voted with the House to keep this tax fairness in place so Texas families don't have to send more of their hard-earned paychecks to Washington, DC, I will continue to fight to make this important deduction permanent.\"\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://mccaul.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/mccaul-statement-on-presidents-unilateral-changes-to-cuba-policy", "McCaul Statement on President's Unilateral Changes to Cuba Policy", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Michael McCaul", "M001157", "mccaul.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "McCaul Statement on President's Unilateral Changes to Cuba Policy\n\t\t\t\tAUSTIN, TX Today following President Obama's announcement of changes to U.S. policy toward Cuba, Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX), Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, made the following statement:\n\t\t\t\tMcCaul: \"For decades, U.S. policy toward Havana has been designed to reduce hostilities and to support political freedom and human rights in Cuba. Once again, with the stroke of the pen, President Obama has upended this longstanding bipartisan policy toward one of the most oppressive regimes on the planet with very little to show in return. Like all Americans, I am glad Alan Gross is home with his family, but his release does not justify the political legitimization of the Castro regime. If the administration wants to change U.S. policy toward Cuba, it should come to Congress to seek support rather than act unilaterally.\n\t\t\t\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20150101034529/http://www.cruz.senate.gov:80/?p=video&id=2034", "Sen. Ted Cruz on The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Central TX \n\t\t\t\t\t(512) 916-5834  300 E 8th  Suite 961  Austin, TX 78701  Email\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t North TX \n\t\t\t\t\t(214) 599-8749  Lee Park Tower II  Suite 410  3626 N. Hall St.  Dallas, TX 75219  Email\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Southeast TX \n\t\t\t\t\t(713) 718-3057  808 Travis Street  Suite 1420  Houston, TX 77002  Email\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t South/Cen. TX \n\t\t\t\t\t(210) 340-2885  9901 IH-10W  Suite 950  San Antonio, TX 78230  Email\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t East TX \n\t\t\t\t\t(903) 593-5130305 S. Broadway  Suite 501  Tyler, TX 75702  Email\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t South TX \n\t\t\t\t\t(956) 686-7339   200 S. 10th St   Suite 1603   McAllen, TX 78501   Email\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Washington, D.C. \n\t\t\t\t\t(202) 224-5922  185 Dirksen  Washington, DC 20510  Email", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://weber.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=146", "Weber Signs onto Uphold the OATH Resolution", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Randy Weber", "W000814", "weber.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Weber Signs onto Uphold the OATH Resolution \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington, DC,\r\n        December 17, 2014\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n       Representative Randy Weber (R-TX) signed onto Representative Tom Rice's (R-SC) Uphold the Oath Americans Trust and Honor (OATH) Resolution last week. The bill would authorize legal action against the President's recent executive order allowing amnesty for illegal immigrants.\nThe OATH Resolution will allow the House of Representatives to bring legal action against the Obama Administration for their egregious, unilateral overreach on our current immigration laws. The President and his Administration have once again circumvented Congress and our Constitution. This resolution will force the hand of the President to work within his actual authority, and respect the democratic process.\nRead the text of the resolution here.\n###\n\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://weber.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=147", "Weber Issues Statement on Release of Alan Gross and U.S. - Cuba Relations", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Randy Weber", "W000814", "weber.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Weber Issues Statement on Release of Alan Gross and U.S. - Cuba Relations \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington, DC,\r\n        December 17, 2014\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n       Representative Randy Weber (R-Friendswood), member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, made the following statement on the release of Alan Gross and policy changes toward Cuba:\nIt is great to learn of the return of Alan Gross from Cuba, where he was wrongly held by the Castro Regime for five years. I am however, troubled with the lack of dialogue between Congress and the President's Administration. There was absolutely no communication regarding the prisoner swap and the numerous policy changes to current policy. A troubling trend is happening with the President in his willingness to negotiate with terrorist organizations and hostile government regimes without consulting Congress. The President needs to come to Congress moving forward with anymore policy changes that greatly affect this nation's economy and well-being.\nThese policy changes will have a direct impact on Southeast Texas, including economic ones. I will stay active in the debate particularly through my role on the Foreign Affairs Committee to ensure that what's done is in the best interests of Texas District 14.\n\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=news&id=2040", "Houston Chronicle: Texas Republicans rip Obama initiative on Cuba", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "President Obama\u2019s move on Wednesday to normalize relations with Cuba got mixed reactions in Congress, with Sen. Ted Cruz and a number of other Texas Republicans accusing the administration of lending legitimacy to the authoritarian Castro regime. \u201cFidel and Raul Castro have just received both international legitimacy and a badly-needed economic lifeline from President Obama,\u201d said Cruz, the son of a Cuban refugee.\u00a0 \u201cBut they remain in control of a totalitarian police state modeled on their old state sponsor, the Soviet Union.\u201d Cruz compared the move to Obama administration attempts at rapprochement with what he called \u201crogue regimes\u201d like Russia and Iran. Democrats in the Texas delegation backed Obama\u2019s contention that decades of sanctions have produced no positive changes in the communist island nation. Read more", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=news&id=2041", "Real Clear Politics: Cruz on Cuba: 'This Is Another Manifestation Of The Failures Of The Obama/Clinton/Kerry Foreign Policy'", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "SEN. TED CRUZ: This is another manifestation of the failures of the Obama/Clinton/Kerry foreign policy. For six years we\u2019ve followed the pattern of alienating and abandoning our friends and allies and at the same time coddling up to and appeasing those who are enemies to the country and it\u2019s a consistent pattern. First it was Russia, then it was Iran and now it\u2019s Cuba. This announcement today will be remembered as a tragic mistake. Cuba was struggling, it was gasping for air , it has been relying on Venezuela with oil prices cratering, Venezuela is hurting economically and just like the admin did with Iran, right when the administration was feeling maximum pain it throws them an economic lifeline and continues the brutal repression in a dictatorship of the Castro brothers... Read more", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=news&id=2043", "Breitbart: Cruz on Cuba: Another Obama 'Very, Very Bad Deal'", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "While the release of U.S. aid worker Alan Gross is a welcome news, the Obama administration has made the underlying issues with the Castro regime in Cuba \u201cworse,\u201d according to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).  \u201cFidel and Raul Castro have just received both international legitimacy and a badly-needed economic lifeline from President Obama,\u201d Cruz \u2014 whose father immigrated to the United States from Cuba \u2014 said in a statement Wednesday afternoon.  \u201cBut they remain in control of a totalitarian police state modeled on their old state sponsor, the Soviet Union. Their government can continue to detain individuals like Alan Gross indefinitely without process\u2013as the many political prisoners still languishing in the Castros\u2019 prisons can attest,\u201d he continued, noting the regime has close ties with \u201chostile\u201d nation including Russia, Iran, North Korea and Venezuela as well as support terrorist groups including FARC, Hezbollah and Hamas. Earlier in the day, in conjunction with Gross\u2019 release, President Obama announced moves to begin normalizing relations with Cuba. According to Cruz, while Obama spoke of a \u201cnew era\u201d for American and Cuban people the plan does \u201cnot bode well for either.\u201d Read more", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=news&id=2047", "Daily Caller: Ted Cruz: Normalization Of U.S./Cuban Relations 'A Tragic Mistake'", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Following the return of Alan Gross to the U.S., Sen. Ted Cruz slammed the \u201cObama, Clinton, Kerry foreign policy,\u201d saying the Castro brothers are \u201cstate sponsors of terrorism\u201d and that President Barack Obama \u201cdoes not understand the difference between our friends and our enemies.\u201d Cruz, one of three Cuban American members of the upper chamber in Congress, also called the normalization of relations between the two nations \u201ca tragic mistake\u201d made the comments to Fox News\u2019 Neil Cavuto Wednesday afternoon. TED CRUZ: \u201cThis is yet another manifestation of the failures of the Obama, Clinton, Kerry foreign policy. For six years we followed the pattern of alienating and abandoning our friends and allies, and at the same time coddling up to and appeasing to those who are enemies of this country. It\u2019s a consistent pattern. First Russia, then Iran, now Cuba.\u201d Read more", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=news&id=2048", "Dallas Morning News: Ted Cruz and other GOP Texans fault Obama's Cuba shift", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sen. Ted Cruz has joined the chorus of Republicans blasting the president\u2019s shift in policy toward Cuba, a country from which the senator\u2019s father fled as a teenager. \u201cFidel and Raul Castro have just received both international legitimacy and a badly-needed economic lifeline from President Obama,\u201d Cruz said in a prepared statement issued four hours after the president\u2019s announcement at the White House. \u201cBut they remain in control of a totalitarian police state modeled on their old state sponsor, the Soviet Union.\u201d \u201cThis is one more very, very bad deal brokered by the Obama administration,\u201d said Cruz. Like other critics weighing in this afternoon, the senator lauded the release of Alan Gross, the American aid worker imprisoned by Cuba for five years. But, he said, the deal Obama has struck won\u2019t stop indefinite detention of others without legal process, \u201cas the many political prisoners still languishing in the Castros\u2019 prisons can attest.\u201d Read more", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=news&id=2049", "National Review Online: Ted Cruz: Cuba Relations Thaw 'a Tragic Mistake'", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Texas Republican senator Ted Cruz panned the Obama administration\u2019s decision to open up relations with the communist Caribbean nation of Cuba, saying the move will be regarded as \u201ca tragic mistake\u201d by future generations. A Cuban-American whose father left the nation in the 1950s, Cruz seemed disgusted by the thaw in relations between the United States and Cuba.  \u201cThis is yet another manifestation of the failures of the Obama-Clinton-Kerry foreign policy,\u201d the senator said on Fox News Wednesday. \u201cThis announcement today will be remembered as a tragic mistake.\u201d Cruz said Cuba had been \u201cstruggling, it was gasping for air\u201d economically, relying on a weak Venezuelan government to help prop them up. \u201cJust like the administration did with Iran, right when the administration was feeling the maximum pain it throws them an economic lifeline and continues the brutal repression and dictatorship of the Castro brothers,\u201d the senator said. Read more", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=news&id=2050", "Townhall: Cruz: Obama's Cuba Decision Will Be Remembered as a Tragic Mistake", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Florida Senator Marco Rubio responded to President Obama's announcement earlier today to \"normalize relations\" with Cuba and now it's Texas Senator Ted Cruz' turn. \"This announcement today will be remembered as a tragic mistake,\" Cruz, whose father Rafael Cruz escaped Castro's Cuba in 1957 after beatings and torture, said during an interview with Fox News Wednesday afternoon. \"There is no doubt this is a unilateral president.\" During the interview, conducted by Neil Cavuto, Cruz reminded viewers that the Castro brothers are allies of North Korea, Russia and Venezuela.  \"Cuba is an avowed enemy of this country,\" Cruz said. \"They are a leading state sponsor of terrorism.\"  Read more", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=news&id=2051", "National Journal: Ted Cruz: Obama's New Cuba Policy 'Will Be Remembered as a Tragic Mistake'", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Hours after his Senate colleague and fellow Cuban-American Marco Rubio criticized President Obama's change in U.S. policy on Cuba, Ted Cruz broke his silence on the news with a bang, calling the decision \"a tragic mistake.\" The Republican senator from Texas told Fox News' Neil Cavuto on Wednesday afternoon that because of the American embargo and diplomatic freeze-out, Cuba had been \"gasping for air.\" Now, though, Obama's policy shift would have devastating effects. \"Just like the administration did with Iran, right when the [Iranian] administration was feeling the maximum pain, [Obama] throws them an economic lifeline and continues the brutal repression and dictatorship of the Castro brothers,\" said Cruz, whose father emigrated from Cuba in 1957, four years before the U.S. imposed a strict trade embargo on the country. When Cavuto pointed out that more than five decades of the same policy hadn't been very effective, Cruz demurred. \"What it has wrought is limiting the impact and harm of Cuba,\" he said. Read more", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=news&id=2052", "The Hill: Cruz: Obama gave Castro 'economic lifeline'", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a potential Republican presidential candidate in 2016, assailed President Obama Wednesday for announcing steps toward normalized relations with Cuba. \u201cFidel and Raul Castro have just received both international legitimacy and a badly-needed economic lifeline from President Obama. But they remain in control of a totalitarian police state modeled on their old state sponsor, the Soviet Union,\u201d Cruz said in a statement. Cruz joined other 2016 White House hopefuls, including Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R), in criticizing the administration for moving toward loosening a 50-year trade embargo. He said the Communist regime in Cuba maintains close ties with America\u2019s antagonists, Russia, Iran, North Korea and Venezuela and predicted it would give future support to terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas. Read more", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2030", "Sen. Cruz Stands with Texas Against President Obama's Executive Amnesty", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, this week joined an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit brought by the State of Texas and joined by over 20 other states against President Obama\u2019s illegal amnesty.  \u00a0  \u201cPresident Obama is not only blatantly defying the Constitution by refusing to faithfully execute our nation\u2019s immigration laws; his amnesty policy is harming millions of Texans and Americans,\u201d Sen. Cruz said. \u201cBy unilaterally granting amnesty to nearly five million people, the President is inviting even more illegal immigration, which hurts working men and women who have entered the country legally and further strains state governments.  \u00a0  \u201cThe President has no authority to ignore or rewrite the law. In so doing, the President violates his oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution. I am proud to stand with the State of Texas in upholding the rule of law against President Obama\u2019s brazen power grab. This is a critical step to restoring the Law of the Land and celebrating legal immigration.\u201d  \u00a0  In its lawsuit challenging the President\u2019s executive action, the State of Texas argues that President Obama\u2019s executive amnesty violates federal immigration law and usurps Congress\u2019 constitutional authority to set immigration policy.  \u00a0  The amicus brief, filed by the American Center for Law and Justice, makes clear that the President\u2019s executive action \u201cchanges the law and sets a new policy, exceeding [the President\u2019s] constitutional authority and disrupting the delicate balance of powers.\u201d  \u00a0  Senators John Cornyn, R-TX, and Roy Blunt, R-MO, also joined the amicus brief, as did Representatives Bob Goodlatte, R-VA, Diane Black, R-TN, Dave Brat, R-VA, Jeff Duncan, R-SC, John Fleming, R-LA, Randy Forbes, R-VA, Virginia Foxx, R-NC, Trent Franks, R-AZ, Trey Gowdy, R-SC, H. Morgan Griffith, R-VA, Vicky Hartzler, R-MO, Tim Huelskamp, R-KS, Mike Kelly, R-PA, David McKinley, R-WV, Jeff Miller, R-FL, Alan Nunnelee, R-MS, Pete Olson, R-TX, Ted Poe, R-TX, Bill Posey, R-FL, Tom Price, R-GA, Phil Roe, R-TN, Adrian Smith, R-NE, Lamar Smith, R-TX, and Rob Wittman, R-VA.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2031", "First Russia, then Iran, now Cuba: One More Very Bad Deal Brokered by the Obama Administration", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, today released the following statement regarding the President\u2019s announcement to change U.S. policy with Cuba and lift economic embargos.  \u00a0  \u201cWe rejoice that Alan Gross\u2019 wrongful imprisonment by the brutal Castro regime has finally come to an end, and that he will be able to spend the holidays with his loved ones. But make no mistake, although we are glad Alan is now free, the agreement the Obama Administration has entered into with the Castro regime has done nothing to resolve the underlying problem. Indeed, it has made it worse.   \u00a0  \u201cFidel and Raul Castro have just received both international legitimacy and a badly-needed economic lifeline from President Obama.\u00a0 But they remain in control of a totalitarian police state modeled on their old state sponsor, the Soviet Union.\u00a0 Their government can continue to detain individuals like Alan Gross indefinitely without process\u2014as the many political prisoners still languishing in the Castros\u2019 prisons can attest.\u00a0 They retain their close, long-standing ties with hostile nations, notably Russia, Iran, North Korea and Venezuela.\u00a0 They will continue their support for terrorist organizations from FARC to Hezbollah and Hamas.  \u00a0  \u201cThe President spoke today about a new era for relations between American and the Cuban people, but these circumstances do not bode well for either.\u00a0 We have seen how previous Obama administration attempts at rapprochement with rogue regimes like Russia and Iran have worked out, with our influence diminished and our enemies emboldened.\u00a0 Now they are revisiting this same disastrous policy with the Castros, blind to the fact that they are being played by brutal dictators whose only goal is maintaining power.\u00a0 And if history be our guide, the Castros will exploit that power to undermine America and oppress the Cuban people. First Russia, then Iran, now Cuba \u2013 this is one more very, very bad deal brokered by the Obama Administration.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://gohmert.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398157", "Gohmert Pleased to Announce Winners of 2015 Congressional Art Competition", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Louie Gohmert", "G000552", "gohmert.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Louie Gohmert (TX-01) hosted a reception to honor the participants and announced the winners of the 2015 Congressional Art Competition on Saturday, in Marshall, Texas. He released the following statement regarding the outstanding art pieces submitted this year:  \u201cThroughout history, art and its expression have always been vital to our culture. Personally, with one of my daughters being an artist, it has played a significant role in my family\u2019s life. The Congressional Art Competition is a fun way for gifted artists in the district to showcase their talent. It also gives our high school artists another quality competition for their resume and portfolio. It is truly exciting to see numerous art pieces, from various artists across east Texas, displayed at The Michelson Museum in Marshall, Texas. Congratulations to the winners this year.\u201d\r\n2015 Congressional Art Winners: \u00a0FIRST PLACE\r\nMadalyn Garrett\r\nWhitehouse H.S.\r\nMixed Media, \u201cWILD FLOWERS\u201d\r\n\u00a0\r\nSECOND PLACE\r\nJosh Davis\r\nLufkin H.S.\r\nAcrylic, \u201cSAM HOUSTON\u201d\r\n\u00a0\r\nTHIRD PLACE\r\nScierra Waldron\r\nBishop T.K. Gorman H.S.\r\nPhotography, \u201cARBOL DE LA MESA VERDE\u201d\r\n\u00a0\r\nHONORABLE MENTION\r\nNathan (Drew) Bienhoff, Jr.\r\nSpring Hill H.S.\r\nMixed medium, \u201cPASTURE SUNRISE\u201d\r\n\u00a0\r\nHONORABLE MENTION\r\nAsyri Austin\r\nWest Rusk H.S.\r\nPencil, \u201cMRS. VIOLA THOMPSON\u201d\r\n\u00a0\r\nHONORABLE MENTION\r\nShelby Hall\r\nBullard H.S.\r\nClayboard, \u201cUP IN THE SKY\u201d\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\nHONORABLE MENTION\r\nYamilex Robles\r\nLufkin H.S.\r\n\u00a0\r\nAcrylic, \u201cUNDER THE SEA\u201d\r\nThe annual competition is open to high school students across the district. The first place winner was awarded a scholarship and has their artwork displayed in the United States Capitol Building for a year, alongside winning art from Congressional Districts across the United States.\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://kaygranger.house.gov/star-telegram-granger-dna-can-stem-trafficking", "Star-Telegram: Granger: DNA can stem trafficking", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Kay Granger", "G000377", "kaygranger.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "This past summer, tens of thousands of unaccompanied children from Central America were crossing the Texas-Mexico border.\n\tOne of the challenges of this crisis is ensuring that when the children are sent back to Central America, that they are returned to an actual family member and not a human trafficker or other predator.\n\tI witnessed this challenge firsthand as I traveled to the border as the chairwoman of the House Working Group to address this crisis.\n\tOne promising solution has emerged from a DNA expert in North Texas with decades of experience running a crime lab, identifying human remains and reuniting missing children with their parents.\n\tArthur Eisenberg, who co-directs the Center for Human Identification at the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth, has a two-part plan: to set up a DNA database from samples obtained from migrant children who have reached the Texas border and to establish a second database of samples from parents or family members with missing or abducted children.\n\tWhen a match occurs, authorities can have a reasonable level of confidence that these children are being reunited with family members.\n\tThis plan for unaccompanied migrant children is an extension of Eisenberg\u2019s already successful DNA Prokids program, which returned 13 Haitian children to their families after they were kidnapped and taken to Bolivia in the wake of Haiti\u2019s devastating earthquake in 2010.\n\tHe already has agreements in place with like-minded colleagues and government officials in Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico and Guatemala to get DNA samples from relatives and to establish databases there.\n\tInnovative ideas such as these, which have law enforcement and humanitarian applications, are why I helped ensure that funding is available in the omnibus bill passed by Congress last week for DNA forensic technology programs.\n\tThis can be used to reunite children with their family members in Central America and to continue the fight against human trafficking.\n\tIn the new law, there is a provision to instruct the State Department to work with countries in Central America to utilize DNA forensic science and databases and to strengthen regional cooperation in combating human trafficking.\n\tI expect these efforts will include collaboration with local law enforcement, civil society and academic institutions, as well as leverage investments from the private sector.\n\tWorldwide, Eisenberg\u2019s program has collected and processed almost 11,000 samples in 15 countries, resulting in 724 children being returned to their families and preventing more than 200 illegal adoptions.\n\tBecause human trafficking spans nations and exists on nearly every continent, it\u2019s easy to pass it off as an international problem without local implications. But such assumptions are wrong.\n\tThe FBI estimates that there are more than 100,000 children in the United States being trafficked in the sex trade or working in forced labor or debt-bondage conditions.\n\tNorth Texas has been identified as a central hub for traffickers moving victims through the Interstate 35 corridor, and Houston and El Paso have been cited by the Justice Department as two cities in the U.S. where trafficking is most prominent.\n\tDNA forensic science and DNA databases have unique capabilities to confirm identities and have proven to be effective in deterring and preventing human trafficking in Central America, Mexico and the United States.\n\tIt is an increasingly effective weapon in a rapidly expanding arsenal.\n\tHuman trafficking isn\u2019t just a Texas problem, but I\u2019m proud that we\u2019ve found some Texas solutions in Fort Worth to help fight it.\n\tU.S. Rep. Kay Granger of Fort Worth has served the 12th Congressional District since 1997 and is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.\n\thttps://www.star-telegram.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/other-voices/article4520841.html#storylink=cpy", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://poe.house.gov/press-releases?ID=098C3D0F-C0C6-4535-A319-10812E79BA53", "CHAIRMAN POE STATEMENT ON TERRORIST ATTACK IN PAKISTAN", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Poe", "P000592", "poe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Taliban gunmen stormed a military-run school in the Pakistani city of Peshawar on Tuesday, killing nearly 150 innocent civilians according to reports. The overwhelming majority of the victims were students at the schoolchildren and teenagers in grades 1-10. This cowardly act was carried out by the Pakistani Taliban or TTP. For years, the Pakistani military cut deals with the TTP to avoid long hard battles and messy political infighting. This is the reason why you cannot negotiate with terrorists. The TTP should have been wiped out years ago when it was in everyones interest to do so. The world should track down these child killers and eliminate them. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of the grieving families who experienced loss in this terrible tragedy.\r\nPoe is Chairman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Non-proliferation & Trade.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=TexasTimesWeeklyColumn&ContentRecord_id=33e7b050-1f57-4983-8259-909dd158cbdf", "Reflections on 2014", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John Cornyn", "C001056", "www.cornyn.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC Office  \n                    517 Hart Senate Office Bldg.  \n                    Washington, DC 20510   \n                    Main: 202-224-2934  \n                    Get Directions\n\n                  \n                  \n                    \n                  \n                \n                \n              \n              \n                \n                  \n                    \nSoutheast Texas:  \n                    5300 Memorial Drive Suite 980  \n                    Houston, TX 77007   \n                    Main: 713-572-3337  \n                    Fax: 713-572-3777  \n                    Get Directions\n\n                  \n                  \n                    \n                  \n                \n                \n              \n              \n                \n                  \n                    \nSouth Texas:  \n                    222 East Van Buren  \n                    Suite 404  \n                    Harlingen, TX 78550   \n                    Main: 956-423-0162  \n                    Fax: 956-423-0193  \n                    Get Directions\n\n                  \n                  \n                    \n                  \n                \n                \n              \n              \n                \n                  \n                    \nWest Texas:  \n                    Wells Fargo Center  \n                    1500 Broadway, Suite 1230  \n                    Lubbock, TX 79401   \n                    Main: 806-472-7533  \n                    Fax: 806-472-7536   \n                    Get Directions\n\n                  \n                  \n                    \n                  \n                \n                \n              \n              \n                \n                  \n                    \nSouth Central Texas:  \n                    600 Navarro   \n                    Suite 210  \n                    San Antonio, TX 78205  \n                    Main: 210-224-7485  \n                    Fax: 210-224-8569  \n                    Get Directions\n\n                  \n                  \n                    \n                  \n                \n                \n              \n              \n                \n                  \n                    \nCentral Texas:  \n                    Chase Tower  \n                    221 West Sixth Street  \n                    Suite 1530  \n                    Austin, TX 78701   \n                    Main: 512-469-6034  \n                    Fax: 512-469-6020  \n                    Get Directions\n\n                  \n                  \n                    \n                  \n                \n                \n              \n              \n                \n                  \n                    \nEast Texas:  \n                    Regions Bank Building  \n                    100 E. Ferguson Street, Suite 1004   \n                    Tyler, TX 75702  \n                    Main: 903-593-0902  \n                    Fax: 903-593-0920  \n                    Get Directions\n\n                  \n                  \n                    \n                  \n                \n                \n              \n              \n                \n                  \n                    \nNorth Texas:  \n                    5001 Spring Valley Road  \n                    Suite 1125 E  \n                    Dallas, TX 75244   \n                    Main: 972-239-1310  \n                    Fax: 972-239-2110   \n                    Get Directions", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2027", "Sen. Cruz: From Pakistan to Australia, Terrorism Knows No Borders", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, today issued the following statement in response to the brutal terrorist attacks in both Pakistan and Australia:  \u00a0  \u201cWithin days, the world has witnessed the savage hand of radical Islamic terrorism against innocents\u2014in Peshawar, Pakistan and in Sydney, Australia. In both places, terrorists sought to exterminate civilians, of all ethnicities, ages, and beliefs, alike. In Pakistan, more than 100 children were massacred at their desks by Taliban terrorists who wanted to inflict the maximum pain on the civilian population. Caf\u00e9 workers and customers in Sydney were held hostage for hours. Some were forced to raise the black flag of jihad and death. A man and a woman died in their brave attempt to stop the terrorist gunman. These attacks may be distant on a map, but should be at the forefront of our minds. Terrorism knows no borders. And, strong American resolve is needed to help our friends and allies around the world to stop it.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2029", "ICYMI: Sen. Cruz: I'm Not Trying to Play the Washington Rules, I'm Trying to Change the Rules", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, today spoke with Fox News\u2019 Bret Baier to discuss his constitutional point of order to defund President Obama\u2019s illegal executive amnesty.  \u00a0   Regarding Sen. Cruz\u2019s effort to secure a Senate vote to defund President Obama\u2019s illegal executive amnesty:  \u00a0  \u201cWhat the president did is unconstitutional. We\u2019re facing a constitutional crisis and in my view it was critical. This Saturday after the fight we had, we had the very first vote on President Obama\u2019s unconstitutional amnesty. That\u2019s what I was pressing for, that\u2019s what others were pressing for. And I think it mattered to honor our commitment to the voters, to force that vote.\u201d  \u00a0  Regarding the $1.1 trillion spending bill just passed by Congress:  \u00a0  \u201cYou look at this omnibus that just passed Congress. It\u2019s 1.1 trillion dollars of every payoff for special interest, for lobbyists, for K street, all of them got taken care of, it was the perfect example of Washington corruption. But you know the people who were not taken care of is the working men and women, the millions of conservatives, grassroots activists, who showed up and gave Republicans the majority.\u201d   \u00a0  Regarding the divide between Washington and the American people, and Sen. Cruz\u2019s efforts to fix it:  \u00a0  \u201cLet me be very clear, Washington doesn\u2019t like change. So I wouldn\u2019t necessarily disagree with you when you speak about people in Washington. Listen, I\u2019ve said a long time the biggest divide we\u2019ve got in this country politically, is not between Democrats and Republicans, it is between career politicians in Washington in both parties and the American people. So yes it is not a surprise that Washington fights hard against anyone trying to change the culture in Washington. But I can tell you outside of Washington, people are frustrated, they\u2019re frustrated with the corruption, they\u2019re frustrated with politicians that say one thing and do another.\u201d  \u00a0  \u201cI am not trying to play the rules of Washington, because I think Washington's broken, I think it's profoundly broken. And I think the only answer is to change Washington. Let me give you a tech example. In the tech world, you have disruptive apps that come in and disrupt the means of distributing a good or service. Let's take for example, Uber coming in or Lyft coming into a city\u2026 The taxi commissions have done everything they can to kill Uber and Lyft. What we're trying to do in the political world is very much the same thing, which is change the means of decision making, take it out of the smoke-filled rooms, where decision making is done in Washington between career politicians and lobbyists and instead empower the people. In my view, the only way we can turn this country around is if the American people rise up and hold every one of us accountable. So I'm not trying to play the Washington rules, I'm trying to change the rules and make elected officials, myself included, accountable to the people who elected us.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://carter.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=40&itemid=1957", "Mr. President, Use Your \"Pen\" to Help the Victims of the Fort Hood Terrorist Attack", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John Carter", "C001051", "carter.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "KILLEEN, T.X. \u2013 Congressman Carter (R-TX31) and Congressman Roger Williams (R-TX25), who represent Fort Hood, announced today the passage of a bill that would ensure victims of the 2009 terrorist attack on Fort Hood are eligible for being awarded the Purple Heart, along with its corresponding benefits. \u00a0As of December 12, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed both the House and Senate and is ready for the President to sign into law. The NDAA authorizes funding for the Department of Defense.\r\n\r\n\tRepresentatives Carter and Williams held a joint press conference on Monday morning to mark the Congressional passage of the landmark legislation. Reps. Carter and Williams were joined by victims\u2019 family members and local supporters, who attended to urge the President to quickly sign the legislation and the Department of Defense to award the Purple Hearts as soon as possible.\r\n\r\n\t\u201cThis has been a long, tough battle. My heart has always been with the victims of this horrific terrorist attack. These brave men and women have struggled and suffered for years, all while political correctness took precedence. The President has the chance to make it right for those who have been struggling by signing the National Defense Authorization Act in to law. Keep your promise to support these victims, Mr. President,\u201d said Congressman Carter.\r\n\r\n\t\u201cThe victims of the attack have suffered physically, mentally, and financially.\u00a0 Shortly after the attack, President Obama made promises to those injured and the families of those killed that he would take care of them.\u00a0 However, his negligence has caused many of them to suffer even more as they struggle to pay for treatment and make ends meet. The National Defense Authorization Act gives the Obama Administration yet another opportunity to honor his pledge to provide for these men and women who were victims of terror.\u00a0 I urge President Obama to take this incredible opportunity to restore the proper care and recognition for these individuals,\u201d said Congressman Williams.\r\n\r\n\tAlvin Howard, a victim of the 2009 terrorist attack, was also in attendance and gave the following statement:\u00a0 \u201cThis is a special day and long overdue. I want to give special thanks to Congressmen Carter and Congressman Williams for hearing the cries of the men and women of our armed forces and citizens. I thank them for answering that call and going forward with legislation that would give the men and women the awards and benefits due to them. The only thing that holds this up is the President of the United States and I urge him to quickly sign this in to law.\u201d\r\n\r\n\tThe NDAA would adjust the Purple Heart criteria so that our service members and civilians, who experience an attack inspired by terrorism, receive the appropriate awards and recognition. The language awards the Purple Heart to service members who are victims of an attack that was inspired or motivated by a U.S. State Department-designated foreign terrorist organization. The provision would be retroactively effective as of September 11, 2001.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\n\r\n\t\u00a0\r\n\r\n\t####", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://sessions.house.gov/index.cfm/weekly-newsletters?ContentRecord_id=F115DBF1-DB86-4D4F-AF59-CD1018DE70EF", "The Hill Report: Week of December 8 - 12, 2014", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Pete Sessions", "S000250", "sessions.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Yesterday Chairman Kevin Brady of\u00a0the\u00a0Ways and Means Committee introduced HR 1,\u00a0the\u00a0Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which represented\u00a0the\u00a0first public unveiling of legislation that could lead to tax reform this Congress.\u00a0 \u00a0According to\u00a0the\u00a0Wall Street Journal, this bill \u201cis, on net, about a $1.5 trillion tax", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://carter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1109", "Mr. President, Use Your \"Pen\" to Help the Victims of the Fort Hood Terrorist Attack", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John R. Carter", "C001051", "carter.house.gov", "carter", "https://carter.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "KILLEEN, T.X. \u2013 Congressman Carter (R-TX31) and Congressman Roger Williams (R-TX25), who represent Fort Hood, announced today the passage of a bill that would ensure victims of the 2009 terrorist attack on Fort Hood are eligible for being awarded the Purple Heart, along with its corresponding benefits. As of December 12, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed both the House and Senate and is ready for the President to sign into law. The NDAA authorizes funding for the Department of Defense.\n\nRepresentatives Carter and Williams held a joint press conference on Monday morning to mark the Congressional passage of the landmark legislation. Reps. Carter and Williams were joined by victims\u2019 family members and local supporters, who attended to urge the President to quickly sign the legislation and the Department of Defense to award the Purple Hearts as soon as possible.\n\n\u201cThis has been a long, tough battle. My heart has always been with the victims of this horrific terrorist attack. These brave men and women have struggled and suffered for years, all while political correctness took precedence. The President has the chance to make it right for those who have been struggling by signing the National Defense Authorization Act in to law. Keep your promise to support these victims, Mr. President,\u201d said Congressman Carter.\n\n\u201cThe victims of the attack have suffered physically, mentally, and financially. Shortly after the attack, President Obama made promises to those injured and the families of those killed that he would take care of them. However, his negligence has caused many of them to suffer even more as they struggle to pay for treatment and make ends meet. The National Defense Authorization Act gives the Obama Administration yet another opportunity to honor his pledge to provide for these men and women who were victims of terror. I urge President Obama to take this incredible opportunity to restore the proper care and recognition for these individuals,\u201d said Congressman Williams.\n\nAlvin Howard, a victim of the 2009 terrorist attack, was also in attendance and gave the following statement: \u201cThis is a special day and long overdue. I want to give special thanks to Congressmen Carter and Congressman Williams for hearing the cries of the men and women of our armed forces and citizens. I thank them for answering that call and going forward with legislation that would give the men and women the awards and benefits due to them. The only thing that holds this up is the President of the United States and I urge him to quickly sign this in to law.\u201d\n\nThe NDAA would adjust the Purple Heart criteria so that our service members and civilians, who experience an attack inspired by terrorism, receive the appropriate awards and recognition. The language awards the Purple Heart to service members who are victims of an attack that was inspired or motivated by a U.S. State Department-designated foreign terrorist organization. The provision would be retroactively effective as of September 11, 2001.\n\n####", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T22:44:12Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2022", "Why the Purple Heart Matters for Fort Hood Terror Victims", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, today released a video in support of the 2009 Fort Hood terror victims, who will now be eligible to receive the Purple Heart and associated benefits thanks to legislation sponsored by Sen. Cruz in the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act heading to the President\u2019s desk.  \u00a0  \u201cIt was abundantly clear, this was an act of radical Islamic terrorism,\u201d said Sen. Cruz. \u201cAnd the only explanation for the Administration\u2019s persistent denial of that is politics.  \u00a0  \u201cWe owe it to the victims of Fort Hood to speak the truth, to recognize that they died protecting this nation and to honor and acknowledge them for their sacrifice.\u201d  \u00a0  More information about the work done to secure passage of this legislation can be found here:\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2026", "ICYMI: Sen Cruz: Stand up for the Principles We Keep Promising the Voters We Believe", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, today called into the Sean Hannity Radio Show to discuss his Constitutional Point of Order to defund President Obama\u2019s illegal executive amnesty, that happened in the Senate on Friday.  \u00a0  Highlights are included below and you may listen to the full interview below:\n\u201cIt\u2019s interesting the Washington lexicon that it\u2019s somehow treated as being unpleasant or being a trouble maker to try to honor the commitments you have made to your constituents, and to urge your colleagues to do the same.\u201d  \u00a0  \u201cWhat\u2019s considered unpleasant in the Senate is not lack of civility \u2013 you can insult the heck out of each other although I don\u2019t engage in that. What\u2019s considered unpardonable is actually speaking the truth and doing what you said you would do and even worse making clear, shining the light on the fact that there are a whole lot of other people willing to do exactly the opposite of what they said they would do. That\u2019s treated as the unpardonable sin, how dare you be so selfish \u2013 and it\u2019s funny they use the term selfish \u2013 as to actually honor the commitments to your constituents. That\u2019s not playing the rules of the game. Well, you know what the rules of the game have resulted in bankrupting our kids and grandkids and seeing our constitutional liberties eroded.\u00a0 Enough is enough.\"\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://medium.com/@RepBetoORourke/will-the-border-ever-be-secure-enough-for-immigration-hawks-c3bce196f500?source=rss-964ef69221bc------2", "Will the Border Ever Be Secure Enough for Immigration Hawks?", "2014-12-14", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Beto O'Rourke", "O000170", "medium.com", null, null, "legacy", "Feb 22, 2013 | In The News Will the Border Ever Be Secure Enough for Immigration Hawks? El Paso is the safest city in the U.S., the Border Patrol is bigger than ever, and illegal crossings have reached a 40-year lowamong other surprising facts. By Molly Ball  The Atlantic Reuters Border security could be the issue that kills immigration reform. And yet, by most measures, the U.S.-Mexico border has never been safer. The bipartisan group of U.S. senators seeking comprehensive immigration reform have proposed a trigger mechanism, whereby a path to citizenship would be contingent on increased border security. President Obama and liberals have not endorsed the idea, although the president is committed to increasing our border security further, according to White House Press Secretary Jay Carney. Disagreement over the trigger is the largest current discrepancy between the Senate and White House versions of immigration reform. It could cause the whole thing to fall apart. Yet the ideaexpressed by both sidesthat the border needs more security may be the biggest myth of the immigration debate, according to Rep. Beto ORourke. A newly elected Democrat, ORourke represents El Paso, Texas, the border city that shares a street gridand 11 border inspection stationswith the Mexican city of Juarez. El Paso also has the lowest crime rate of any large U.S. city. (The second-safest large city? Its on the border, too: San Diego.) The common assumption, ORourke told me recently, is that the border is not secure. In fact, by almost any measurecrime, unauthorized border crossings, resources devoted to border patrolthe U.S.-Mexico border has never been more secure than it is now. The problem for the immigration debate is that those who claim we need more border security are rarely called upon to prove it. No one has proposed a set of concrete standards; rather, some are calling for a subjective evaluation to be made by border-state governors, some of whom have political incentives to exaggerate the threatand track records of doing so. Meanwhile, theres a downside to the increasingly militarized border, ORourke claims. In human terms, it results in more deaths. In fiscal terms, it wastes federal-government dollars that could be put to better use. And in economic terms, long wait times at the borderdue in part to the zealous but not very effective pursuit of contrabandstifle the flow of trade that is a major driver of the U.S. economy. Does the Mexican border need more security? Here are a few facts to consider. * American border regions are not crime-ridden. El Paso and San Diego were Americas two safest cities with populations over 500,000 in 2012, according to CQ Press. In 2010, at the height of Mexicos drug war, Juarez recorded more than 3,000 murders; El Paso had just five. On average, violent crime rates in U.S. border regions are lower than those of the rest of the nation. * Terrorists are not coming over the border. Theres never been a reported case of a terrorist attack in the U.S. that involved someone coming across the Mexican border. A congressional subcommittee report on the threat of cross-border terrorism cited unsubstantiated claims and three specific cases, including a Tunisian cleric caught hiding in the trunk of a car in San Diego who was not accused of involvement in any terrorist activity. The other two also were not linked to specific terrorist plots. * There are not bombs exploding in El Paso or decapitated bodies in the desert. The former claim was made by Texas Gov. Rick Perry in 2010, the latter by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer the same year. But Perry appeared to be talking about something that happened in Mexico, not the U.S., and Brewers claim couldnt be substantiatedshe later said she misspoke. The Senate plan proposes giving border-state governors, among other officials, the final say over whether the border is secure enough to trigger a path to citizenshipa subjective measure that highlights the lack of a quantitative standard for security. * The border patrol is bigger than ever. The number of agents has quintupled in the past two decades, from 4,028 in 1993 to 21,394 in 2012. In 2010, the federal government spent more than $17 billion on customs and enforcement at the border. The billions of dollars already devoted to border security pale in comparison to what it would cost to build a fence, as many politicians advocate: In Texas alone, a border fence would cost an estimated $30 billion. * Illegal border crossings are at a 40-year low. The number of migrants caught by the Border Patrol is down 61 percent since 2005 and is at its lowest level since 1972. The average agent catches just 20 migrants per year. More Mexicans are now thought to be leaving the U.S. than entering each year, largely due to the stalled American economy. (Nonetheless, the number of illegal crossers caught each year is greater than 300,000.) Meanwhile, more migrants are dying in the desert, as stepped-up security forces would-be crossers into more and more inhospitable areas. Borderfactcheck.org * Lots of drugs do still come across. Narcotics seizures on the border are at all-time high levels, according to the Justice Department. While this indicates more effectiveness at stopping drugs, it also shows that traffickers are not being deterred by present levels of security, notes the Washington Office on Latin America, an American non-profit. * Security has consequences. At least 15 civilians, most of them Mexican, have been killed by Border Patrol agents since 2010, including three Mexican teenagers fatally shot in separate incidents after allegedly throwing rocks at agents, and a father who was picnicking with his family when he was shot and killed. * It can take three or four hours to cross the borderlegallyfrom Mexico. And that costs the U.S. economy money: Many Juarez residents make day trips to shop in El Paso, where the U.S.s lower tariffs on Chinese goods and agricultural subsidies make numerous products cheaper to buy here than in Mexico. According to ORourke, there is a supermarket in south El Paso that sells more eggs per square foot than any other store in the U.S. * Stepped-up security is hampering trade. And its not just El Paso thats harmed by that. According to a report by the Wilson Center, six million U.S. jobs depend on trade with Mexico, which amounts to half a trillion dollars of goods and services per year. ORourke hopes to persuade more members of Congress to support immigration reform by pointing to the economic effects of cross-border trade on their home districts far from the border.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://algreen.house.gov/press-release/congressman-al-green-speaks-national-action-network%E2%80%99s-justice-all-march-washington-dc", "Congressman Al Green Speaks at National Action Networks Justice For All March in Washington, DC", "2014-12-13", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Al Green", "G000553", "algreen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)\u2014On Saturday, December 13, 2014, Congressman Al Green (TX-09) addressed the crowd at the Justice For All March on Freedom Plaza, where he joined fellow elected leaders, civil rights leaders, and the families of those affected by police brutality to call for justice.\n\"It is critical that we rededicate ourselves to the cause of justice for all,\u201d Congressman Al Green said. \u201cWe are at a critical turning point in the history of our nation where people of good will who believe in liberty and justice for all must actively be a part of the solution or passively be a part of the problem.\u201d\nCongressman Al Green continued, \u201cI support the efforts of peace officers to serve and protect our community. I also believe strongly in the rule of law. However, I, along with many other people of good will, believe that more can be done to make law enforcement more accountable and transparent such that police officers are better able to work in their communities. I also wholeheartedly believe lawmakers should act to better understand how we can increase transparency and accountability in all levels of law enforcement. I have introduced H.R. 5407, the Transparency in Policing Act (TIP) of 2014, which would require state and local law enforcement agencies that receive funds from the Department of Justice to acquire body cameras for use by their law enforcement officers. Although this bill is not a panacea, it is a significant step in the right direction. I believe that having our officers wear body cameras can bring much-needed additional transparency to communities in many future controversial police/civilian actions. Currently, numerous major police departments around the country have conducted studies, introduced pilot programs, or currently require officers to wear body cameras, including the Ferguson Police Department. While this is a positive development, the TIP Act would allow us to move forward together as a nation on the issue of transparency and accountability in law enforcement rather than one city, county, or state at a time.\u201d\nOn September 8, 2014, Congressman Al Green introduced H.R. 5407, the Transparency in Policing (TIP) Act of 2014, which would require state and local law enforcement agencies that receive funds from the Department of Justice to acquire body cameras for use by their law enforcement officers. It would require that the Attorney General conduct a study on the cost of using body cameras by state and local law enforcement agencies. The bill would also grant the Attorney General the ability to waive the requirement for the purchase of body cameras if compliance was determined to create an economic hardship for a particular law enforcement agency.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2013", "Sen. Cruz Measure Granting Purple Heart Eligibility to Fort Hood Victims Heads to President's Desk", "2014-12-13", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, today announced that the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2015 includes legislation he sponsored to allow the victims of the 2009 terrorist attack at Fort Hood to receive the Purple Heart.  \u00a0  The legislation, supported by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, will expand eligibility for the Purple Heart to include members of the Armed Forces who have been killed or wounded in an attack inspired or motivated by a foreign terrorist organization.  \u00a0  \u201cIt\u2019s long past time to call the Fort Hood attack what it was: radical Islamic terrorism,\u201d said Sen. Cruz. \u201cAnd, this recognition for Fort Hood terrorist victims is overdue. The victims and their families deserve our prayers and support, and this legislation rightly honors them for defending our nation in the face of a heinous act of terror.\u201d  \u00a0  On Friday the Wall Street Journal published an op-ed written by Dorothy Rabinowitz recognizing the importance of this legislation. Rabinowitz wrote:\n\u201cThere has finally been a significant upturn in the case of the 2009 Fort Hood terror attack in Texas that took the lives of 13 Americans\u2014a saga drenched, since its inception, in official lies and evasions. Not to mention the Defense Department\u2019s studious indifference to the fate of the more than two-dozen survivors, many suffering serious wounds, but who discovered themselves ineligible for the Purple Heart and medical benefits given to military personnel injured in combat. Thanks to strong bipartisan support, the House agreed last week to an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2015 that would provide such benefits for Fort Hood\u2019s and other military victims of terror attacks on American soil.\u201d\nThis legislation was sponsored in the House by Reps. John Carter, R-Texas, and Roger Williams, R-Texas. The NDAA passed the House on December 4.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2015", "Sen. Cruz Statement on Anticipated Vote to Defund Executive Amnesty", "2014-12-13", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, today released the following statement in anticipation of the Senate vote on his Constitutional Point of Order to defund President Obama\u2019s illegal executive amnesty:  \u00a0  \u201cForcing a vote on the constitutionality of Obama's amnesty is important for two reasons. First, since President Obama enacted his unilateral amnesty after the elections, Democrats have never been made to answer for it. Tonight, they will and they will show America whether they stand with a lawless President, who is defying the will of the voters or the millions of Americans who want a safe and legal immigration system.   \u00a0  \u201cSecond, it allows Republicans to also show they are committed to ending Obama's amnesty once and for all in the next Congress. If we agree it is indeed unconstitutional, we have no business funding it when the GOP controls Congress next year.   \u00a0  \u201cThe Constitution matters, and we must defend it. That is why we have fought so hard to ensure this vote.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://algreen.house.gov/press-release/congressman-al-green%E2%80%99s-haven-act-approved-part-national-defense-authorization-act-2015", "Congressman Al Greens HAVEN Act is Approved as Part of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Al Green", "G000553", "algreen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, DC)--On Friday, December 12, 2014, the Senate approved modified language from Congressman Al Green\u2019s bill H.R. 3743, the Housing Assistance for Veterans Act of 2014 (HAVEN Act), as part of the National Defense Authorization\u00a0 Act (NDAA) of 2015. The modified language in the NDAA will provide $20 million over five years in home modification for low-income, disabled veterans.\n\u201cI do care passionately about veterans having all the resources a grateful nation can provide them to maintain their productiveness and role in society,\u201d Congressman Al Green said. \u201cLegislation to support our brave veterans transcends partisanship as well as ideology in Congress and should remain one of the top priorities for a government that asks so much of them.\u201d\nThe bill establishes grant awards for installing wheelchair ramps, widening exterior and interior doors, as well as accommodating the functional limitations that result from having a disability. The grants will greatly assist veterans as nonprofit housing organizations are able to leverage more than $3 for every $1 in federal funding received. The provision also requires participating nonprofits to detail their outreach plans and match a minimum of 50 percent of the grant award.\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to have played a role in the bipartisan passage of legislation that will help our veterans,\u201d Congressman Al Green said. \u201cI am especially proud of H.R. 3743, the HAVEN Act of 2014, which I introduced and was incorporated into the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2015. The modified language from the HAVEN Act offers valuable assistance in rehabilitating and modifying the homes of low-income, disabled veterans.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cuellar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398018", "Rep. Cuellar Releases Statement on Appropriations Agreement", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Henry Cuellar", "C001063", "cuellar.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX28) released the following statement on his vote in favor of the Fiscal Year 2015 omnibus appropriations bill.\u00a0 The measure passed the House by a vote of 219-206.\u00a0\r\n\u201cYesterday\u2019s agreement averts the risk of a government shutdown by providing funding for government operations in 2015.\u00a0 While I oppose the use of a continuing resolution to fund the Department of Homeland Security, we cannot risk the possibility of another government shutdown because of a disagreement over a policy item.\u00a0\r\n\u201cAs an appropriator, I would rather see an appropriations bill or an omnibus with fresh funding for the Department of Homeland Security, rather than the continuing resolution we are passing today.\u00a0 We cannot focus on initiatives benefitting our security as a whole while running on directives and funds from the previous year.\u00a0 If Republicans object to the President\u2019s action, they should put forward a legislative proposal, not put funding at risk for our men and women in blue and in green, the Secret Service, Coast Guard, veterans, and many others.\r\n\u201cI voted for the omnibus bill because it was necessary to move funding forward for the eleven other agencies.\u00a0 I hope to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the new Congress to ensure that all agencies receive full funding for the next year.\u00a0 Taxpayers send us to Washington to get the job done.\u00a0 If we are going to get something meaningful done here in Washington, both parties need to get together and focus on areas where we agree.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cuellar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398065", "KGNS: Cuellar releases statement on appropriations agreement", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Henry Cuellar", "C001063", "cuellar.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Cuellar releases statement on appropriations agreement  \r\nPosted: Fri 12:06 PM, Dec 12, 2014  \r\nBy: Matt McGovernWASHINGTON, DC (Office of Henry Cuellar) - Congressman Henry Cuellar released the following statement on his vote in favor of the Fiscal Year 2015 omnibus appropriations bill. The measure passed the House by a vote of 219-206. \u201cYesterday\u2019s agreement averts the risk of a government shutdown by providing funding for government operations in 2015. While I oppose the use of a continuing resolution to fund  the Department of Homeland Security, we cannot risk the possibility of another government shutdown because of a disagreement over a policy item. \u201cAs an appropriator, I would rather see an appropriations bill or an omnibus with fresh funding for the Department of Homeland Security, rather than the continuing resolution we are passing today. We cannot focus on initiatives benefitting our security as a whole while running on directives and funds  from the previous year. If Republicans object to the President\u2019s action, they should put forward a legislative proposal, not put funding at risk for our men and women in blue and in green, the Secret Service, Coast Guard, veterans, and many others. \u201cI voted for the omnibus bill because it was necessary to move funding forward for the eleven other agencies. I hope to work  with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the new Congress to ensure that all agencies receive full funding for the next year. Taxpayers send us to Washington to get the job done. If we are going to get something meaningful done here in Washington, both parties need to get together and focus on areas where we agree.\u201d http://www.kgns.tv/home/headlines/Cuellar-releases-statement-on-appropriations-agreement-285633951.html", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://culberson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398167", "Understanding the Omnibus", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John Culberson", "C001048", "culberson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "There is a tremendous amount of confusion about what tonight's bill did and didn't do. I want to clear that up and tell you why I supported it:1. It does NOT fund Obama\u2019s illegal amnesty. 2. Deportations are processed by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and that agency is 100 percent funded by the fees they collect from visa and other applications. The money is paid straight into the Treasury and back to USCIS, bypassing the Appropriations Committee. We will fix this in January when we have a Republican Senate that will join us in putting all the fees under the control of the Appropriations Committee where we can restrict and cut the money off so it can\u2019t be used to implement Obama\u2019s illegal amnesty. 3. Tonight\u2019s bill funds the Department of Homeland Security with a short-term continuing resolution (CR) that expires February 27 so the new Republican Senate can help us defund and block Obama\u2019s illegal amnesty and ensure our existing immigration laws are fully enforced. 4. Obamacare is primarily funded with money straight from the Treasury that bypasses the Appropriations Committee. Any Obamacare funding that we could target in this bill, we have. We cut $10 million in funding from the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) death panels and stop the taxpayer bailout of insurance companies. In this bill, we flat-funded the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) which is the primary agency responsible for promulgating new Obamacare regulations. We slash funding for the IRS -- reducing their funding level to below where it was before Obamacare was signed into law. I supported this bill because I knew that the information being published about the bill was inaccurate. Nancy Pelosi and Sheila Jackson Lee and other liberal democrats opposed the bill because conservatives won so many concessions.\u00a0 We won concessions like: 1. Cutting the EPA back to 1989 staffing levels severely hindering their ability to enforce burdensome regulations. 2. Eliminating funding for the U.N. Arms Treaty. 3. Prohibiting the EPA from regulating lead as a pollutant when it is in ammunition or fishing tackle, plus the bill contained by amendment eliminating Obama\u2019s hidden carbon tax.\u00a0 The bill also contained my language nullifying Obama\u2019s budget and obligating agencies to follow the budget passed by Congress. The bottom line for me is that we gained a lot of ground in cutting spending and boxing in Obama\u2019s ability to do more damage to our country. But above all, this detailed appropriations bill gives Congress tremendous leverage in stopping agencies from spending your hard earned tax dollars in ways not authorized by current law. The text of the bill was filed at 8:17 p.m. on Tuesday, December 9. You can read the bill text, overviews, and a section-by-section summary here:\u00a0http://goo.gl/DkgAjK", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://olson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/olson-opposes-omnibus-spending-bill", "OLSON OPPOSES OMNIBUS SPENDING BILL", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Pete Olson", "O000168", "olson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC Congressman Pete Olson (R-TX) tonight voted against the end-of-year appropriations bill that was passed on the House floor. The $1.1 trillion discretionary spending measure contains full spending bills for 11 of the 12 annual appropriations measures but only funds the Homeland Security Department via Continuing Resolution through late February.\n\t\"President Obama blatantly disregarded our Constitution when he issued an Executive Order that ignores current federal law by providing a path to legal status for up to five million undocumented immigrants,\"Rep. Pete Olson said. \"This action showed dangerous disregard for the rule of law in America and must be stopped. While I appreciate the difficult situation the president has put Congress in, I cannot in good conscience support a bill that does not immediately stop this illegal amnesty effort.\"\n\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://thornberry.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397910", "House passes annual government spending bill", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "William Thornberry", "T000238", "thornberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The U.S. House of Representatives passed a spending bill yesterday that provides funding for nearly all of the government's operations through the end of the fiscal year, September 30, 2015. The exception is the Department of Homeland Security, which will receive funding for less than 90 days, expiring on February 27, 2015. Under the agreement, overall discretionary spending has been reduced by $165 billion since Fiscal Year 2010. The legislation passed with a bipartisan vote of 219 to 206. Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) voted in favor of the bill.   \r\n  \r\nThis bill fulfills our constitutional responsibility to fund the government, while also reining in spending and executive and other federal overreach, said Rep. Thornberry. We have been able to reduce spending by $165 billion since 2010. We plan to build on this progress with additional meaningful cuts and changes when Congress returns in January with Republican majorities in the House and the Senate.  \r\n  \r\nThe bill funds important Department of Defense programs and projects, offers a pay raise for troops, and provides resources to help prepare for current and future threats. The defense portion of the bill also includes funding for local national security facilities, including missions at Sheppard Air Force base in Wichita Falls. In addition, it contains nearly $2.8 billion for Bell Helicopter's V-22 and other aircraft programs, much of which is done in Amarillo. It also increases funding for nuclear weapons activitiesmuch of which is performed at Pantexto $8.2 billion. To help address the backlog of deferred maintenance on physical infrastructure in the nuclear weapons facilities, the agreement provides $37.4 million specifically for recapitalization projects at Pantex.  \r\n  \r\nThe BLM Red River land dispute issue is addressed in the funding bill as well. It includes language to help ensure that the Bureau of Land Management defers any final decision-making regarding land use plans along the Red River in Texas until appropriate surveys have been conducted to determine ownership.  \r\n  \r\nNotably, the legislation provides no new funding for Obamacare; cuts $345.6 million from the Internal Revenue Service and $60 million from the Environmental Protection Agency; gives states the power to relax Obama Administration's onerous school lunch rules; also, includes many provisions to rein in regulatory overreach. The bill also offers emergency funding to help combat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and to address the domestic and international Ebola crisis.  Bill Highlights  Spending Cuts: Cuts total discretionary spending for the 5th year in a row, which reduces spending to levels lower than under George W. Bush in constant dollars.   Limited Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Funding: Funds DHS only until Feb. 27, 2015, (less than 90 days) so the new Republican Congress can tackle the issue of Obama's immigration action in February. Defense Spending: Funds our nation's security, military readiness, support for our troops at home and abroad, and care for military families. It also includes emergency funds to pay for operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).       Military Personnel and Pay: The bill fully funds the pay raise for the military and provides $215 million above the request to fully fund the cost-of-living allowance for military retirees.       Pantex: Increases funding for the National Nuclear Security Administration's weapons activities including Pantex. The bill also provides $37.4 million specifically for recapitalization projects at Pantex.        Bell: Includes about $2.8 billion total for Bell V-22 and helicopter programs, much of which is done in Amarillo, including procurement of 19 new Ospreys and 28 new helicopters for the Marine Corps.       Sheppard AFB: Includes funding for activities at Sheppard AFB in the personnel account and operations and maintenance account. Red River: Includes report language to help ensure that the Bureau of Land Management does not make any final decisions regarding land use plans along the Red River in Texas until appropriate surveys have been conducted to determine ownership. Internal Revenue Service (IRS): Cuts IRS funding by $345.6 million and includes extensive oversight requirements, bringing IRS funding to below FY 2008 levels. The bill also prohibits funding to target organizations for regulatory scrutiny based on their political beliefs. Restricts Clean Water Act (CWA): Restricts the application of the CWA in certain agricultural areas, including farm ponds and irrigation ditches. Environmental Protection Agency: Cuts EPA by $60 million and reduces its staffing to the lowest level since 1989. GIPSA: Includes restrictions on the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) from implementing regulations harmful to the livestock and poultry industry. Light Bulbs: Bans the Administration's onerous light bulb standard. Obamacare: Provides no new funding for Obamacare and blocks the Obamacare slush fund. Cuts the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) by $10 million and continues restrictions on using taxpayer dollars to lobby for Obamacare. Department of Justice: Prohibits implementation of a potential Arms Trade Treaty and increases funding for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program by $6.5 million to $245 million. The HIDTA program was created by Congress to provide assistance to State law enforcement agencies in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions in the United States. Recently, Randall and Potter County sheriffs have petitioned to be deemed a HIDTA area. Dodd-Frank: Amends the swaps push-out requirement included in the Dodd-Frank Financial Reform law. This regulation would require banks to separate, or push out, their derivatives business from the part of the institution that is federally insured. Opponents of the push out provision say it will be costly to financial institutions while not actually reducing risk to the financial system. Former Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke has expressed opposition to the provision. Second Amendment: Prohibits funding for the EPA to regulate lead content in ammunition or fishing tackle. Department of Transportation (DOT): Suspends DOT regulations requiring two nights of rest after a week of driving for long-haul truckers. Export-Import Bank: Prohibit the Export-Import Bank and OPIC from blocking coal and other power-generation projects  helping to increase exports of U.S. goods and services. Abortion: Continues the ban on public funding for abortions in DC and a ban on using federal funding for federal prisoners. ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141217200838/http://www.cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=NewsReleases&ContentRecord_id=2a568841-6b8a-46a4-a35f-95b48c14cdb2", "Senate Approves Cornyn Measure Making 2009 Fort Hood Victims Eligible for Purple Hearts", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John Cornyn", "C001056", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) issued the following statement after the Senate passed the FY2015 Defense Authorization bill, including a provision based on legislation he authored making victims of the November 2009 terrorist attack at Fort Hood eligible to receive the Purple Heart:\n\u201cFort Hood has long been a source of pride for all Texans, and though long overdue this is welcome news for the wounded, the families of the fallen, and the entire community who all continue to heal from this unspeakable tragedy.\n\u201cThe men and women who put themselves in harm\u2019s way on that fateful day deserve nothing less than this high honor for their sacrifices, and I urge the President to sign this bill into law as soon as possible so we can grant these heroes the recognition they\u2019ve earned.\u201d\nExisting criteria for the Purple Heart provide for the medal to be awarded to service members killed or wounded \u201cas the result of an international terrorist attack against the United States.\u201d The provision in the FY2015 Defense Authorization bill would update the definition of \u201cinternational terrorist attack\u201d to include a terrorist attack that was inspired or motivated by al Qaeda or another U.S. State Department-designated foreign terrorist organization, and one prior to which the attacker was in communication with the terrorist group. The provision would be retroactively effective as of September 11, 2001, and would require fresh reviews of the 2009 Ft. Hood attack and other attacks since 9/11. For the civilian equivalent of the Purple Heart\u2014the Secretary of Defense Medal for the Defense of Freedom\u2014the measure would require a determination of whether it should be awarded to any civilians who were killed or wounded in the 2009 terrorist attack at Fort Hood. Sen. Cornyn and Reps. Carter and Williams previously introduced similar legislation,\u00a0the Fort Hood Victims and Families Benefits Protection Act, in both 2009 and 2011, and\u00a0the Honoring the Fort Hood Heroes Act, in 2013.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/content/senate-approves-cornyn-measure-making-2009-fort-hood-victims-eligible-purple-hearts", "Senate Approves Cornyn Measure Making 2009 Fort Hood Victims Eligible for Purple Hearts", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John Cornyn", "C001056", "www.cornyn.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) issued the following statement after the Senate passed the FY2015 Defense Authorization bill, including a provision based on legislation he authored making victims of the November 2009 terrorist attack at Fort Hood eligible to receive the Purple Heart:Fort Hood has long been a source of pride for all Texans, and though long overdue this is welcome news for the wounded, the families of the fallen, and the entire community who all continue to heal from this unspeakable tragedy.The men and women who put themselves in harm's way on that fateful day deserve nothing less than this high honor for their sacrifices, and I urge the President to sign this bill into law as soon as possible so we can grant these heroes the recognition they've earned.Existing criteria for the Purple Heart provide for the medal to be awarded to service members killed or wounded as the result of an international terrorist attack against the United States. The provision in the FY2015 Defense Authorization bill would update the definition of international terrorist attack to include a terrorist attack that was inspired or motivated by al Qaeda or another U.S. State Department-designated foreign terrorist organization, and one prior to which the attacker was in communication with the terrorist group. The provision would be retroactively effective as of September 11, 2001, and would require fresh reviews of the 2009 Ft. Hood attack and other attacks since 9/11. For the civilian equivalent of the Purple Heartthe Secretary of Defense Medal for the Defense of Freedomthe measure would require a determination of whether it should be awarded to any civilians who were killed or wounded in the 2009 terrorist attack at Fort Hood. Sen. Cornyn and Reps. Carter and Williams previously introduced similar legislation,the Fort Hood Victims and Families Benefits Protection Act, in both 2009 and 2011, andthe Honoring the Fort Hood Heroes Act, in 2013.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.cruz.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2012", "Sen. Cruz: NDAA Does Not Protect Our Vital National Security Interest", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Cruz", "C001098", "www.cruz.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, today voted against the National Defense Authorization Act citing several concerns, including an extreme land grab provision and ongoing assistance to Syrian rebels.  \u00a0  \u201cThe 2015 National Defense Authorization Act includes a number of problematic provisions, including an extension through 2016 of the program to arm Syrian rebels and an extreme land grab that restricts more than a half-million new acres of property from productive use,\u201d said Sen. Cruz. \u201cThis is yet another example of Majority Leader Reid\u2019s legacy of obstruction by not allowing any amendments to be called on this bill.  \u00a0  \u201cAlthough this legislation contains a number of individual provisions I support, it is fundamentally flawed in that it neither protects our most basic rights as American citizens, nor safeguards the vital national security interests of the United States. Congress should reject this attempt to exploit our Armed Forces by self-serving politicians. The NDAA should serve to strengthen our national security and it is imperative that Congress respects and upholds this vital function. The men and women of our military deserve no less.\u201d  \u00a0  Areas of concern in the bill include:\n \nNo prohibition on indefinite detention of citizens and lawful permanent residents.\nNo prohibition on funds used to transfer Guantanamo detainees to Yemen.\nExtended authorization through 2016 to train and equip Syrian rebels.\nPublic land package which would increase the deficit by $82 million and restrict more than a half million new acres of land.\n \n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://algreen.house.gov/press-release/congressman-al-green-applauds-fhfa%E2%80%99s-rule-fannie-mae-and-freddie-mac-set-aside-and-0", "Congressman Al Green Applauds FHFAs Rule for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to Set Aside and Allocate Funds for the Housing Trust Fund and the Capital Magnet Fund", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Al Green", "G000553", "algreen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Al Green Applauds FHFA\u2019s Rule for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to Set Aside and Allocate Funds for the Housing Trust Fund and the Capital Magnet Fund                                           \n              Dec 11, 2014      \t\t        \t    \n      \t            \n                    \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n          \n  \n    \n    \n    (Washington, DC)\u2014On December 11, 2014, Congressman Al Green (TX-09) applauded the Federal Housing Finance Agency\u2019s (FHFA) rule for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to set aside and allocate funds for the Housing Trust Fund and the Capital Magnet Fund.\n\u201cToday, FHFA took an important step in expanding funding for low-income and affordable housing for millions of families. There is no dream more fundamentally American than the dream of owning a home, regardless of socioeconomic status. I look forward to continuing to work with FHFA and Director Mel Watt in expanding opportunities as well as funding for low-income and affordable housing.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://gohmert.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398154", "Gohmert Joins Texas Delegation in Support of Texas Lawsuit Against Executive Amnesty Action", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Louie Gohmert", "G000552", "gohmert.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Gohmert Joins Texas Delegation in Support of Texas\u2019 Lawsuit Against Executive Amnesty Action \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        December 11, 2014\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Rep. Louie Gohmert (TX-01), along with Republican Members of the Texas Delegation, sent a letter of support to Governor Rick Perry and Governor Elect Greg Abbott regarding Texas\u2019 lawsuit against Obama\u2019s executive action amnesty. \n\u201cPresident Obama adamantly stated at least 22 times over the past six years that he could not create his own immigration law. However, the week before Thanksgiving, our Commander- in- Chief issued what amounts to a royal decree, which pretends to legalize approximately 5 million people who entered the United States unlawfully,\u201d said Rep. Louie Gohmert. \n\u201cNow is not the time to surrender. Texas has been and still is on the front lines in the battle of combating illegal immigration, and the federal government has done little to help the massive influx of unlawful crossings and chaos on the southern border. It is more than encouraging seeing the state of Texas take a stand against this unconstitutional monarchical order from President Obama.\u201d \n# # #\nClick the links to view the letters sent to Governor Rick Perry and Governor Elect Greg Abbott. \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://lamarsmith.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/smith-statement-on-omnibus-appropriations-bill", "Smith Statement on Omnibus Appropriations Bill", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Lamar Smith", "S000583", "lamarsmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0 \u2013 Congressman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) released the following statement today after voting against passage of a $1 trillion omnibus appropriations bill.\nCongressman Smith: \u201cLike many of my colleagues, I would have preferred a bill that reduces spending, blocks the president\u2019s unconstitutional executive orders granting amnesty, and increases border security.\n\u201cUnfortunately, the bill before the House today did not meet these criteria and therefore I could not support it.\n\u201cIn the last election, the American people rejected the policies of this administration and the Democratic lock-down in the Senate. I look forward to the new Congress when we will be able to work on legislation that expands our economy, gets rid of the red tape that burdens American families, and secures our borders. I will continue working to put a stop to the president\u2019s amnesty that punishes American workers and undermines our rule of law.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://poe.house.gov/press-releases?ID=95649CC6-781F-4729-BC50-F94C8F2B9E71", "POE VOTES AGAINST CROMNIBUS, OPPOSES FUNDING PRESIDENTS UNCONSTITUTIONAL IMMIGRATION ACTION", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ted Poe", "P000592", "poe.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.Today, Congressman Ted Poe (TX-02) issued the following statement on the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (the so-called CRomnibus).Today the House voted on a continuing resolution to fund the government through September. While there are many important provisions that were included in this appropriations package, such as cutting the IRSs budget and supporting our ally, Israel, I could not support a bill that included funding for the Presidents illegal and unconstitutional action: granting legal status to millions of people without the consent of Congress. This bill gave the President the rubber stamp he needed to fund his executive amnesty, and I could never support that.\nBefore each vote Congress takes, there is always a procedural vote to establish the rules for debate for both sides. Today, I voted yes on the rule for this appropriations bill. Why? Because a vote against the rule would have been a vote to block debate on this legislation. I believe this bill needed to be debated out in the open for the American people to see and for the American people to know where their representatives stood. Hiding behind a procedural vote is an easy way for politicians to not let people know where they really stand. I have been opposed to this bill from the start and welcomed the chance to debate it and vote against it.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://samjohnson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397614", "Sam Johnson Opposes \"Cromnibus\"", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Sam Johnson", "J000174", "samjohnson.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sam Johnson Opposes \"Cromnibus\" \r\n   \r\n    \r\n      Vows to Continue Fighting Executive Amnesty \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        December 11, 2014\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Washington, D.C. \u2013 On behalf of Collin County constituents and in keeping with his conservative voting record, U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson voted against H.R. 83, The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2015 \u2013 also known as the \u201cCromnibus.\u201d  The bill passed 219-206. \u201cToday I voted against the so-called \u2018Cromnibus\u2019 because it spends too much and does nothing to stop the President\u2019s executive action that grants amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants,\u201d said Johnson.  \u201cThe good folks of Collin County, as well as the majority of Americans, have spoken loud and clear \u2013 stop Obama\u2019s amnesty for illegals.\u201d \u201cDespite the fact that this bill passed, my constituents can rest assured knowing that I will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them in fighting against the President\u2019s lawless amnesty.\u201d\r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://sessions.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=4339BF76-7F72-4439-B571-3C1C127DCABF", "Sessions: House Passes Government Funding Bill", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Pete Sessions", "S000250", "sessions.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S Congressman Pete Sessions, Chairman of the House Committee on Rules, joined Co-Chairs of the Job Corps Caucus Congressman Lou Barletta and Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr., in addition to 118 Members of Congress in sending a letter to the Department of Labor requesting a reevaluation of their proposed cuts to the Job Corps Program.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://veasey.house.gov//media-center/in-the-news/black-congressional-staffers-stage-hands-up-walk-out-on-capitol-hill", "Black Congressional Staffers Stage Hands Up Walk Out On Capitol Hill", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Marc Veasey", "V000131", "veasey.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In the\u00a0wake of protests\u00a0that erupted after police officers were not indicted in the cases of bothEric Garner in New York\u00a0and the\u00a0Michael Brown of Ferguson, congressional staff members staged a Capitol Hill walkout.\nA mass of black congressional staffers\u00a0walked out of the Capitol building\u00a0on Thursday (December 11) at 3:30 pm ET, raising there hands up in the\u00a0\u201cHands Up, Don\u2019t Shoot\u201d\u00a0position as they paused united on the building steps. The event was spearheaded by the Congressional Black Associates group, a few congress members joined the protest, including Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., and Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas.\n\u201cWe\u2019re not trying to cause any type of controversy,\u201d one staffer told\u00a0CNN. \u201cWe\u2019re just trying to highlight this issue, to show solidarity with people who have been affected.\u201d\nThe walk-out drew other minority staff members, including the Congressional Asian Pacific American Staff Association and the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association.\n\u201cI believe it\u2019s important, because what affects one community really affects the entire country,\u201d a staffer said. \u201cIt\u2019s not just one group of minorities that\u2019s affected. How one group is treated affects Asians, Hispanics, women. It\u2019s important that we show our solidarity and come together and really speak out about the injustices that are being done.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://veasey.house.gov//media-center/in-the-news/capitol-hill-staffers-stage-walkout-to-protest-garner-brown-grand-juries", "Capitol Hill Staffers Stage Walkout to Protest Garner, Brown Grand Juries", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Marc Veasey", "V000131", "veasey.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Unless it's a part of their job description, Capitol Hill staffers generally shy away from the press. But Thursday afternoon, nearly 150 of them walked out of their offices to participate in a walkout to protest theEric Garner\u00a0and\u00a0Michael Brown\u00a0grand jury decisions and the deaths of other unarmed African-Americans. The walkout took place on a critical day as their bosses struggled to pass a budget in time to prevent a government shutdown.\nRev.\u00a0Barry Black, the Senate chaplain, who is African-American, led the group in a prayer for the grieving families and for peace on the steps of the Capitol. They also posed for a photo, during which everyone made the \"Hands Up, Don't Shoot\" gesture.\n\"Today as people throughout the nation protest for justice in our lands, forgive us when we have failed to lift our voices for those who couldn't speak or breathe for themselves,\u201d Black said. \u201cMay we not forget that in our national history injustice has often been maintained because good people failed to promptly act. Forgive, oh God, our culpability in contributing to our national pathology as you keep us aware of our own capacity to be instruments of injustice.\u201d\nThe heads of congressional staff associations in both the House and the Senate, including the Congressional Black Associates,\u00a0Senate Black Legislative Staff Caucus, the\u00a0Brooke-Revels Society and the Congressional African Staff Association organized the walkout. Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Staff Association and the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association also participated.\nMany of the staffers are struggling to figure out what their individual roles are in the burgeoning protest movement, but felt like they should take a collective stand, one of the organizers told\u00a0BET.com.\n\"We will have discussions about how to move the ball forward, how to get involved with what's happening at the local level and how as individuals who are uniquely positioned to understand how policy is created, we can lend our expertise to those efforts,\" said the staffer, who asked to not be named.\nAnother staffer, who also requested anonymity, said he wanted to participate in the walkout \"because this is where change can really happen. The power is right here and with the people [protesting across the nation].\"\nMaryland Congressman\u00a0Elijah Cummings\u00a0and Texas Reps.\u00a0Joaquin Castro\u00a0and\u00a0Marc Veasey\u00a0joined the walkout to show their solidarity with the staffers.\nVeasey said that he wanted to show his support to them, many of whom are at an age where they may be out having fun at a public establishment or private event and encounter the police. They are entitled to expect the same treatment as any other group of young adults, he told\u00a0BET.com, but \"there are some policemen who overuse force, especially when there's an African-American involved, regardless of age.\" Cummings also felt it was important to stand with the staffers. \u201cDemocrats and Republicans across the country are incredibly frustrated by what happened in Ferguson, Staten Island and elsewhere, and this protest reflects the mistrust they have in the integrity of the criminal justice system,\" he said in a statement issued after the event. \"These congressional staffers put in incredibly long hours, nights, and weekends working to pass\u00a0legislation to help people live better lives, so I fully support them taking a few moments today to pray with the Senate chaplain for Congress to take action to ensure that all Americans are treated equally before the law.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://veasey.house.gov//media-center/in-the-news/congressional-staffers-protest-grand-jury-decisions", "Congressional staffers protest grand jury decisions", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Marc Veasey", "V000131", "veasey.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 A gathering of black congressional\u00a0staffers\u00a0and other Capitol employees stood silently on the House steps Thursday and raised their hands in the air to protest of the killing of unarmed black men by police.\nThey bowed their heads as Senate Chaplain Barry C. Black prayed, \"Forgive us when we have failed to lift our voices for those who couldn't speak or breathe for themselves\" \u2014 emphasizing \"breathe\" in reference to Eric Garner, who died after a policeman grabbed him in a chokehold in New York.\n\"May we not forget that in our history injustice has often been maintained because good people failed to promptly act,\" Black said, with well over 100 people standing behind him.\nThe demonstration was organized by the Congressional Black Associates and other groups representing minority employees of Congress to show support for protests around the country following the deaths of Garner and 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was black, in Ferguson, Missouri.\nOn the grounds nearby, Valerie Bell \u2014 the mother of Sean Bell, shot in New York on the morning of his wedding \u2014 watched with other mothers whose sons were killed by police. Nine mothers have been meeting with Congress members and Washington officials this week asking for an end to police brutality against black men.\n\"We stand with them, and they stand with us,\" Bell said as the congressional employees gathered outside in the cold.\nAfter the brief event, Black said the workers were exercising their free speech rights \"to say that there are some issues that are significantly critical, that there needs to be a greater conversation.\"\nThe wordless demonstrators also included Reps. Joaquin Castro and Marc Veasey, both Democrats representing Texas, and Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Maryland.\n\"There is no community that is immune to police abuse,\" Castro, a second generation Mexican-American, said afterward. \"It is happening in every community. It is more concentrated in minority communities, particularly the African-American community, but this is something that all Americans are concerned about.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://veasey.house.gov//media-center/in-the-news/congressional-staffers-walk-out-to-protest-killings-by-police", "Congressional staffers walk out to protest killings by police", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Marc Veasey", "V000131", "veasey.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON -- Members of Congress, staffers and other Capitol employees stood silently on the House steps Thursday and raised their hands in the air\u00a0to protest the killing of unarmed black men by police.\nThey bowed their heads as Senate Chaplain Barry C. Black prayed, \"Forgive us when we have failed to lift our voices for those who couldn't speak or breathe for themselves\" -- emphasizing \"breathe\" in reference to\u00a0Eric Garner, who died after a policeman grabbed him in a chokehold in New York.\n\"May we not forget that in our history injustice has often been maintained because good people failed to promptly act,\" Black said, with well over 100 people standing behind him.\nThe demonstration was organized by the Congressional Black Associates and other groups representing minority employees of Congress to show support for protests around the country following the killing of Garner and\u00a018-year-old Michael Brown, whose death in Ferguson, Missouri, inspired the \"hands up, don't shoot\" gesture.\nOn the grounds nearby, Valerie Bell -- the mother of Sean Bell, shot in New York on the morning of his wedding -- watched with other mothers whose sons were killed by police. Nine mothers have been meeting with Congress members and Washington officials this week asking for an end to police brutality against black men.\n\"We stand with them, and they stand with us,\" Bell said as the congressional employees gathered outside in the cold.\nAs staffers returned to work after the brief event, Black said they were exercising their free speech rights \"to say that there are some issues that are significantly critical, that there needs to be a greater conversation.\"\nThe wordless demonstrators also included Reps. Joaquin Castro and Marc Veasey, both Democrats representing Texas, and Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md.\n\"There is no community that is immune to police abuse,\" Castro, a second generation Mexican-American, said afterward. \"It is happening in every community. It is more concentrated in minority communities, particularly the African-American community, but this is something that all Americans are concerned about.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://veasey.house.gov//media-center/in-the-news/heres-what-happened-when-100-black-staffers-lawmakers-staged-capitol-hill", "Here's What Happened When 100 Black Staffers, Lawmakers Staged Capitol Hill Walkout", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Marc Veasey", "V000131", "veasey.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(WASHINGTON) \u2014 Over 100 black congressional staffers and several black lawmakers staged a walkout at the Capitol Thursday afternoon, leading a silent protest on the steps of the Capitol over the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., and Eric Garner on Staten Island, New York, both black men, at the hands of white police officers.\nReps. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., and Marc Veasey, D-Texas, were among the lawmakers participating in the walkout. Senate Chaplain Barry Black led the group in prayer, saying they were working as a \u201cvoice for the voiceless.\u201d\n\u201cToday as people throughout the nation protest for justice in our lands, forgive us when we have failed to lift our voices for those who couldn\u2019t speak or breathe for themselves,\u201d Black said. \u201cMay we not forget that in our national history, injustice has often been maintained because good people failed to promptly act. Forgive oh God, our culpability in contributing to our national pathology as you keep us aware of our own capacity to be instruments of injustice.\u201d\nAfter the prayer, the group stood on the steps of the Capitol, raising their hands in a gesture that has become symbolic of the Ferguson refrain \u2013- hands up, don\u2019t shoot.\n\u00a0\n100+ black congressional staffers, several lawmakers stage walkout at US Capitol to protest Garner, Brown cases. pic.twitter.com/WKghW7dveR\n\u2014 ABC News (@ABC) December 11, 2014\n\u00a0\nDozens of staffers gather on Capitol steps to protest police brutality #BlackLivesMatter #AllLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/R6OaNT3ZDe\n\u2014 THE CBC (@OfficialCBC) December 11, 2014", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://veasey.house.gov//media-center/in-the-news/staffers-walk-out-of-congress-in-protest-over-brown-and-garner-cases", "Staffers Walk Out Of Congress In Protest Over Brown And Garner Cases", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Marc Veasey", "V000131", "veasey.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "'\n Black congressional staffers hold their hands up as they pose for a group photo during a walkout on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Thursday, in protest over the Eric Garner and Michael Brown cases \n\u00a0\n\u00a0\nDozens of congressional staff members walked out of the Capitol at 3:30 p.m. ET Thursday, in a show of support for protesters angered by recent grand jury decisions not to indict police officers in the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner.\nWearing suits, ties and overcoats, the staffers stood several rows deep on the steps of Capitol Hill before making the hands-up gesture that has come to symbolize frustration with the deaths of the two unarmed black men at the hands of police. They stood silently with their arms raised for a moment before disbanding and walking down the steps.\nWhile the event was spearheaded by the Congressional Black Associates, it also drew other staff members, including the Congressional Asian Pacific American Staff Association and the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association, according to CNN.\nA few members of Congress came out to the steps, including Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., and Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas. The short event included a prayer from U.S. Senate Chaplain Barry Black.\nThe protest comes a week after Rep. Marcia L. Fudge, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said she was \"deeply disappointed\" by a Staten Island grand jury's decision not to level charges in the Garner case.\nNoting that the decision was similar to another jury's findings in Ferguson, Mo., Fudge wrote:\n\"In the span of two weeks, this nation seems to have heard one message loud and clear: there will be no accountability for taking Black lives. As an American, it is growing increasingly difficult to believe that there is justice for all.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://veasey.house.gov//media-center/in-the-news/us-capitol-staffers-raise-hands-to-protest-grand-jury-decisions", "US Capitol staffers raise hands to protest grand jury decisions", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Marc Veasey", "V000131", "veasey.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2014 A gathering of black congressional staffers and other Capitol employees stood silently on the House steps Thursday and raised their hands in the air to protest of the killing of unarmed black men by police.\nThey bowed their heads as Senate Chaplain Barry C. Black prayed, \u2018\u2018Forgive us when we have failed to lift our voices for those who couldn\u2019t speak or breathe for themselves\u2019\u2019 \u2014 emphasizing \u2018\u2018breathe\u2019\u2019 in reference to Eric Garner, who died after a policeman grabbed him in a chokehold in New York.\n\u2018\u2018May we not forget that in our history injustice has often been maintained because good people failed to promptly act,\u2019\u2019 Black said, with well over 100 people standing behind him.\nThe demonstration was organized by the Congressional Black Associates and other groups representing minority employees of Congress to show support for protests around the country following the deaths of Garner and 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was black, in Ferguson, Missouri.\nOn the grounds nearby, Valerie Bell \u2014 the mother of Sean Bell, shot in New York on the morning of his wedding \u2014 watched with other mothers whose sons were killed by police. Nine mothers have been meeting with Congress members and Washington officials this week asking for an end to police brutality against black men.\n\u2018\u2018We stand with them, and they stand with us,\u2019\u2019 Bell said as the congressional employees gathered outside in the cold.\nAfter the brief event, Black said the workers were exercising their free speech rights \u2018\u2018to say that there are some issues that are significantly critical, that there needs to be a greater conversation.\u2019\u2019\nThe wordless demonstrators also included Reps. Joaquin Castro and Marc Veasey, both Democrats representing Texas, and Rep. Elijah Cummings, a Maryland Democrat.\n\u2018\u2018There is no community that is immune to police abuse,\u2019\u2019 Castro, a second generation Mexican-American, said afterward. \u2018\u2018It is happening in every community. It is more concentrated in minority communities, particularly the African-American community, but this is something that all Americans are concerned about.\u2019\u2019", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://veasey.house.gov//media-center/in-the-news/us-capitol-staffers-raise-their-hands-for-ferguson", "US Capitol staffers raise their hands for Ferguson", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Marc Veasey", "V000131", "veasey.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2014 A gathering of black congressional staffers and other Capitol employees stood silently on the House steps Thursday and raised their hands in the air to protest the killing of unarmed black men by police.\nThey bowed their heads as Senate Chaplain Barry C. Black prayed, \u201cForgive us when we have failed to lift our voices for those who couldn\u2019t speak or breathe for themselves\u201d - emphasizing \u201cbreathe\u201d in reference to Eric Garner, who died after a policeman grabbed him in a chokehold in New York.\n\u201cMay we not forget that in our history injustice has often been maintained because good people failed to promptly act,\u201d Black said, with well over 100 people standing behind him.\nThe demonstration was organized by the Congressional Black Associates and other groups representing minority employees of Congress to show support for protests around the country following the killing of Garner and 18-year-old Michael Brown, whose death in Ferguson, Missouri, inspired the \u201chands up, don\u2019t shoot\u201d gesture.\n\u00a0\nOn the grounds nearby, Valerie Bell \u2014 the mother of Sean Bell, shot in New York on the morning of his wedding \u2014 watched with other mothers whose sons were killed by police. Nine mothers have been meeting with Congress members and Washington officials this week asking for an end to police brutality against black men.\n\u201cWe stand with them, and they stand with us,\u201d Bell said as the congressional employees gathered outside in the cold.\nAs staffers returned to work after the brief event, Black said they were exercising their free speech rights \u201cto say that there are some issues that are significantly critical, that there needs to be a greater conversation.\u201d\nThe wordless demonstrators also included Reps. Joaquin Castro and Marc Veasey, both Democrats representing Texas, and Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md.\n\u201cThere is no community that is immune to police abuse,\u201d Castro, a second generation Mexican-American, said afterward. \u201cIt is happening in every community. It is more concentrated in minority communities, particularly the African-American community, but this is something that all Americans are concerned about.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://veasey.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/rep-veasey-s-statement-on-the-2015-omnibus-spending-bill", "Rep. Veaseys Statement on the 2015 Omnibus Spending Bill", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Marc Veasey", "V000131", "veasey.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 Congressman Marc Veasey, TX-33, released the following statement in response to the House Republican\u2019s inability to pass the FY 2015 omnibus\u00a0spending package:\n\u201cToday after several hours of delay, it is clear that the Republican led House of Representatives has not been able to garner the necessary votes to pass the fiscal year 2015 Omnibus Continuing Resolution Appropriations package that has come to be called \u2018Cromnibus.\u2019\nThis $1.014 trillion spending package represents a failure of House leadership to work towards genuinely bipartisan legislation that will keep our government running. The 1,600 page Cromnibus bill contains very important programs that I strongly support but I would urge House leadership to bring a bipartisan bill to the floor that does not slash the retirement accounts of millions of Americans or short change the Department of Homeland Security by dramatically shortening their funding time period. This is vital to our national security and will affect the implementation of the President's executive order for our country's immigrant community.\nDemocrats have shown that we will work in a bipartisan manner but the Republican conference is in such disarray that they cannot gather the votes to pass the bill within their own caucus.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://veasey.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/rep-veasey-s-statement-on-the-passage-of-2015-omnibus-spending-bill", "Rep. Veaseys Statement on the Passage of 2015 Omnibus Spending Bill", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Marc Veasey", "V000131", "veasey.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Veasey works hard to ensure that Texans are kept informed of the debates and decisions that are made in our nation's Capitol, as well as the work he does for the 33rd District every day. This section offers a variety of resources to stay up to date with Representative Veasey\u2019s work in CD33 and Washington, D.C. You will find press releases, upcoming events, op-eds, pictures, videos and notable articles from the state and national media.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://williams.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/williams-votes-to-prevent-funding-presidents-amnesty-orders", "Williams votes to prevent funding President's amnesty orders", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Roger Williams", "W000816", "williams.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Roger Williams (TX-25) issued the following statement after the House voted to pass the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2015.\n\u00a0\n\u201cTwo weeks ago, I pledged to do everything in my power to prevent President Obama\u2019s unlawful actions that would grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants in the United States. \u00a0Today\u2019s bill not only does nothing to thwart the President\u2019s unilateral actions, it provides full funding for them. My constituents are outraged by the Administration\u2019s neglect of our border and disregard for enforcing our current laws. While there are many good provisions in this bill, I cannot allow President Obama to receive funding to usurp Congress and implement his amnesty-driven agenda. \u00a0\u00a0Fully securing our border needs to be a top priority, and we can\u2019t afford to take this huge step backwards.\u201d\n\u00a0\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://conaway.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397893", "Congressman Conaways Statement on His Vote Against the Fiscal Year 2015 Spending Bill", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "K. Conaway", "C001062", "conaway.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Conaway's Statement on His Vote Against the Fiscal Year 2015 Spending Bill   \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        December 11, 2014\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Congressman K. Michael Conaway (R-Texas) issued the following statement regarding his vote against the Fiscal Year 2015 Spending Bill:\r\nThis was a flawed bill which I opposed for a multitude of reasons including the fact that it did not include restrictive language that would have hindered the President's amnesty plan. I look forward to continuing the House's fight against the plan. I have a commitment from our Republican leadership that this process will begin in mid-January. By that time, we will have a Republican controlled Senate. It will still be a challenge to reverse the President's executive order, but my Republican colleagues and I will not give up this fight. \r\nThere were a lot of good things in the bill such as cutting millions of dollars from the EPA and IRS budgets and cutting EPA staffing back to 1989 levels, but unfortunately the problems with the bill outweighed the good. These fiscally conservative provisions are indicative of the work we will do in the 114th Congress.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://doggett.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/austin-chronicle-quote-week", "Austin Chronicle: Quote of the Week", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Lloyd Doggett", "D000399", "doggett.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Austin Chronicle featured Rep. Lloyd Doggett's comments regarding the Senate's report on the CIA interrogation program as the Quote of the Week.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kevinbrady.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398683", "House Slashes IRS & EPA Funding, Fully Funds Troops During Wartime", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Kevin Brady", "B000755", "kevinbrady.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "This is all about a unified Republican Congress challenging the President s immigration amnesty early next year on our turf, under our rules. This gives us a much better shot at ending it,\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Washington, DC  In an effort to stop the Presidents executive actions granting amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants, House Republicans today passed legislation which provides only three months of funding for the Department of Homeland Security, setting up a fight with President Obama over his controversial immigration amnesty for early next year.\nThis is all about a unified Republican Congress challenging the President s immigration amnesty early next year on our turf, under our rules. This gives us a much better shot at ending it, said Texas Republican Kevin Brady. The House has already passed two laws stopping the President from offering executive amnesty but the Democratic-led Senate refuses to take them up. Separating Homeland Security funding sidesteps the Presidents government shutdown trap next year.\nThe bill  strongly opposed by liberal lawmakers like Nancy Pelosi and Elizabeth Warren - shrinks the operating budget of the federal government to 2009 levels and maintains most of the sequester cuts while restoring necessary funding to Americas military men and women in the ongoing war on terror.\nNine stable months of funding for our military during wartime is essential, while a short-term funding bill would be harmful to our troops and make it more difficult to stop the Presidents executive amnesty, continued Brady. Were slashing the EPA staffing levels to the smallest in 25 years and cutting the IRS budget to protect Americans from their political agendas and economic damage. The bill blocks funding for the Presidents Affordable Care Act, as well as ObamaCare taxpayer bailout for the insurance companies. Were giving our hardworking troops a much-needed pay raise and making sure they have the resources to face the ever-growing terrorist threat of ISIL.\nAdditional conservative measures include prohibiting funds being used to transfer detainees from Guantanamo Bay, cutting $10 million from the ACA rationing board, blocking the White House from tapping a slush fund to operate ObamaCare, rescinding $41 million in VA bonuses, while providing additional funds to ease the backlog of veterans waiting for disability decisions.\nThe measure also maintains all pro-life and Second Amendment provisions, specifically preventing implementation of the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty.\nThe EPA budget is going to be cut for the fifth consecutive year, and were going to stop the new job-killing Clean Water Act regulations for farm ponds and irrigation ditches. The Vice President isnt going to get his pay-raise, but we will make sure our highway projects and the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund are funded. Were going to help Ukraine counter Russian aggression and our embassies are going to have the protection they need. And were going to stop the Department of Energy from forcing manufacturers to stop producing incandescent light bulbs, but require the President to give us a cost estimate with every Executive Order.\nThere will always be more red tape we can slash, more spending we can cut and this bill is a step in the right direction. I look forward to working with Senate Republicans in the next two years to roll back Washington so that Americans once again have an effective, efficient federal government that they can trust, concluded Brady.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://marchant.house.gov/2014/12/11/marchant-opposes-1-1t-cromnibus-spending-bill/", "Marchant Opposes $1.1T Cromnibus Spending Bill", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Kenny Marchant", "M001158", "marchant.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Marchant Opposes $1.1T \u201cCromnibus\u201d Spending Bill\n      \n  \n  U.S. Congressman Kenny Marchant (TX-24) issued the following statement after voting in opposition to the $1.1 trillion \u201ccromnibus\u201d spending package:\n\u201cI voted against the $1.1 trillion \u2018cromnibus\u2019 spending bill because it is a continuation of the same business as usual in Washington that Americans have so clearly rejected. The bill fails to strip the president of the funding needed to move forward with his unilateral amnesty. It also lets the same Senate the American people just voted out cement their misguided spending priorities into the budget for another year.\n\u201cLike the people of my district, I believe the House should have passed a short-term continuing resolution that defunded the president\u2019s amnesty and allowed the new, Republican-led Congress to start with a clean slate in January. Unfortunately, this is not what we got. I will continue fighting for Congress to stop the budget gimmicks and start using its power of the purse to restore fiscal accountability and rein in the president\u2019s overreach. Such a powerful tool must be used far more responsibly.\u201d\n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141228101125/http://www.cornyn.senate.gov:80/public/index.cfm?p=NewsReleases&ContentRecord_id=2239d335-3f4e-453c-be5e-1b911afb4e09", "Cornyn: One Step Closer to Justice for Fort Hood Victims", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "John Cornyn", "C001056", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON\u2014U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) spoke on the Senate floor today on a provision in the FY2015 Defense Authorization bill making victims of the November 2009 terrorist attack at Fort Hood eligible to receive the Purple Heart. Sen. Cornyn\u2019s full speech can be seen\u00a0here, and excerpts are below.\u00a0\n\u201cShortly after the attack, it became clear that Hasan was motivated by the same poisonous ideology that spurred the attacks on September the 11, 2001.\u00a0 In other words, this was an act of domestic terrorism. Yet, due to the narrow and outdated definition of quote \u2018international terrorism,\u2019 the Fort Hood victims have not been awarded the same medals and recognition as other military victims of terrorism.\n\u201cWhen our men and women in uniform come under hostile fire from a terrorist, they and their families should receive the full honors and the full recognition and the benefits that accompany such courageous service.\u00a0 That's why I've authored legislation here in the Senate making these victims of the November 2009 attack at Fort Hood eligible to receive the Purple Heart or the civilian equivalent.\n\u201cLet me just say the close-knit community at Fort Hood has endured great loss in recent years and I'm pleased we're now just one step closer to delivering this important piece of justice to the victims and their families, and it's my hope that once the Defense Authorization bill clears this chamber that the President will act quickly in signing this legislation into law because any further delay is a continuing injustice to all of the victims from that day and indeed all of the good people at Fort Hood.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 3938, "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 \"state\" = :p0 and \"year\" = :p1 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "TX", "p1": "2014"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=TX&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 3221, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=TX&year=2014&party=Republican", "selected": false}, {"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 717, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=TX&year=2014&party=Democrat", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=TX&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 3938, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=TX&year=2014&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=TX&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "TX", "label": "TX", "count": 3938, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?year=2014", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=TX&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "2014", "label": "2014", "count": 3938, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=TX", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2014-12-11,https~3A~2F~2Fweb~2Earchive~2Eorg~2Fweb~2F20141228101125~2Fhttp~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ecornyn~2Esenate~2Egov~3A80~2Fpublic~2Findex~2Ecfm~3Fp~3DNewsReleases~26ContentRecord_id~3D2239d335-3f4e-453c-be5e-1b911afb4e09", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=TX&year=2014&_next=2014-12-11%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fweb~2Earchive~2Eorg~2Fweb~2F20141228101125~2Fhttp~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Ecornyn~2Esenate~2Egov~3A80~2Fpublic~2Findex~2Ecfm~3Fp~3DNewsReleases~26ContentRecord_id~3D2239d335-3f4e-453c-be5e-1b911afb4e09&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 672.2669140435755, "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"}