url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at https://doggett.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/cnn-rep-doggett-discusses-impeachment-trial-senate,CNN: Rep. Doggett discusses impeachment trial in the Senate,2019-12-28,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,,,legacy,"300 East 8th St, 7th Floor",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ebjohnson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congresswoman-eddie-bernice-johnson-announces-13-million-grant-to-martin,"CONGRESSWOMAN EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON ANNOUNCES $1.3 MILLION GRANT TO MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. FAMILY CLINIC",2019-12-23,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Eddie Johnson,J000126,ebjohnson.house.gov,,,legacy,"CONGRESSWOMAN EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON ANNOUNCES $1.3 MILLION GRANT TO MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. FAMILY CLINIC DALLAS, TX Congresswoman Johnson announced today that the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) has awarded a grant totaling $1,397,132 to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Family Clinic. I am proud to announce that the Martin Luther King, Jr. Family Clinic has received this critical funding that will continue to help support thousands of Dallas-Ft. Worth families with various health services and programs, said Congresswoman Johnson. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ebjohnson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congresswoman-eddie-bernice-johnson-recognizes-isd-student-s-heroic-act,CONGRESSWOMAN EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON RECOGNIZES ISD STUDENTS HEROIC ACT,2019-12-20,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Eddie Johnson,J000126,ebjohnson.house.gov,,,legacy,"December 20, 2019 Contact: Dena L. Craig (202) 226-6831 DALLAS, TX Rep. Johnson honored Bryan Adams High School Freshman, Kaveion Morris, during her annual district holiday party for his heroic act of saving a girl from drowning earlier this month. This young man deserves recognition for his bravery and courage, said Congresswoman Johnson. His immediate anddecisive actionsresulted in saving a life! ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=139,Congresswoman Veronica Escobar Announces 2019 Congressional App Challenge Winners,2019-12-20,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) announced the winners of the 2019 Congressional App Challenge: Parkland Middle School students D'Andre Ramirez and Daniel Avalos, who won with the submission of LunchWeek. Congratulations to D'Andre and Daniel from Parkland Middle School. Their winning app to pre-order school meals with just a few taps allows students to get their lunch quicker and helps schools with food preparation and reduce waste, said Congresswoman Escobar. I commend them and all the talented El Paso coders who submitted such innovative and creative apps and thank their families and educators for sparking student's curiosity in STEM. Officially launched by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2015, this nationwide competition encourages middle and high school students to learn how to code by creating their own applications. The App Challenge is intended to highlight the value of computer science and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education. Applicants competed to win prizes, including a $250 Amazon Web Services credit that can be used toward the cost of hosting their app, and to have their work displayed in the Capitol Building and featured on the House of Representatives' website, House.gov. D'Andre and Daniel, alongside winners from across the country, will be recognized by Congresswoman Escobar during her January town hall meeting and will attend the #HouseofCode Capitol Hill Reception in Washington D.C., where they will demonstrate their app to Members of Congress and staff. Congresswoman Escobar received a total of 32 submissions from students across five middle and high schools within Texas' 16th Congressional District. Below are the full results of the 2019 Congressional App Challenge: 1st Place: LunchWeek by Daniel Avalos and D'Andre Ramirez. 7th Grade at Parkland Middle School 2nd Place: Blued-Away by Gustavo Ramirez, Dennis Carroll, Enrique Bermudez, and Juan Carlos Gallegos. 12th Grade Americas High School 3rd Place: Benji's Adventure by Lianna Estrada, Alondra Baquier, and Kamilla Madera. 11th Grade Northwest Early College High School More information on the Congressional App Challenge can be found here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://cuellar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=404960,Rep. Cuellar Votes on Historic Trade Agreement,2019-12-19,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Henry Cuellar,C001063,cuellar.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.Today, Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) voted to pass the United States- Mexico- Canada Agreement (USMCA) in the U.S. House of Representatives. This trade agreement is projected to raise GDP by nearly $70 billion and create upwards of 200,000 American jobs. Over the past year, I have been working with both Democrats and Republicans to create a trade agreement that benefits our workers, businesses, consumers, and the economy as a whole. This is the day we have all been working towards. Today, we have voted and passed the USMCA, a historic victory for my district, for the state of Texas, and for our country as a whole. This agreement will increase market access for U.S. farmers, strengthen intellectual property rights, provide strong labor and environment obligations, and create thousands of American jobs. Furthermore, I secured key environmental provisions in the agreement, including $250 million for the North American Development Bank (NADB) as well as $300 million to fund Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grants under the Border Water Infrastructure Program. These investments will enhance our ability to fund environmental infrastructure projects along the U.S.-Mexico border. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass this agreement as soon as possible so our economy can immediately start benefiting from the billions of dollars in new trading opportunities. This trade agreement will position more Americans to competeand winin today's global economy. I would like to thank Speaker Pelosi, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, and their staff for their hard work on this trade agreement. I also want to thank Mexico's Foreign Secretary Marcelo Luis Ebrard, Deputy Foreign Minister Jesus Seade, Ambassador Martha Brcena, Senator Ricardo Monreal, and House Majority Leader Mario Delgado as well as Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland for working with us to create an agreement that will be beneficial for all three countries. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://allred.house.gov/media/press-releases/allred-votes-pass-historic-us-mexico-and-canada-trade-agreement,"Allred Votes to Pass Historic US, Mexico and Canada Trade Agreement",2019-12-19,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Colin Allred,A000376,allred.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Congressman Colin Allred (TX-32), today voted to pass the revised version of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The agreement passed the House with broad bipartisan support. Trade is critically important to our great state, and after months of hard work, I am proud to have voted today to move forward on this historic, job-creating trade agreement between the U.S., Mexico and Canada, said Allred. I tirelessly worked to urge leaders in both parties to move forward on this agreement because of its importance to the Texas economy. I thank my colleagues for their hard work to improve this deal, and get it across the finish line. This will set a new standard for agreements moving forward and is a win for workers and businesses alike. Allred spoke on the House floor today urging passage of the USMCA. Allred has been leading efforts to urge his colleagues in the trade working group and in House leadership to get something done this year, and repeatedly emphasized its importance to North Texas. In July, Allred led a group of his colleagues in writing a letter with Congressman Scott Peters (CA-52) to House leadership urging action to resolve outstanding issues and move forward on an agreement that benefits the United States. The bill is supported by a strong coalition of labor and business groups like the AFL-CIO, Business Roundtable, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and many others. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/castro-fitzpatrick-statement-global-child-thrive-act-markup,"Castro, Fitzpatrick Statement on Global Child Thrive Act Markup",2019-12-19,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquín Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTONCongressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Co-Chair of the International Basic Education Caucus, Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and Commissioner of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission), today released the following statement on the markup of their bipartisan, bicameral legislation, The Global Child Thrive Act: The approval of this important legislation in the House Foreign Affairs Committee marks an important step forward. Our most cherished treasure, young children across the world deserve the opportunity for dignity and success. Despite progress we have made in reducing child mortality and improving quality of life for children across the world, serious challenges remain in ensuring children in developing countries are able to reach their potential. This legislation guarantees that when the U.S. invests abroad, kids and their families will not be forgotten, said Congressman Castro. Our bill directs relevant federal departments and agencies to incorporate early childhood development into their work and builds on existing interagency collaboration. There is no more cost-effective, worthwhile cause than early childhood development, and I applaud my HFAC colleagues for reinforcing our resolve. As an FBI Agent, one of my greatest concerns has always been the welfare of children, not just children in the United States but children across the globe. I applaud my colleagues on the Foreign Affairs committee for marking up the Global Child Thrive Act today and passing it unanimously, said Congressman Fitzpatrick. I encourage House leadership to bring this legislation to the floor and pass it with the same urgency that we did in Committee. It is of the upmost importance that we help other countries help their children. As we all know, focusing on children is focusing on our future. BACKGROUND: The Assistance for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act of 2005 created the U.S. Government Special Advisor on Children in Adversity, who is tasked with coordinating all U.S. assistance to orphans and other vulnerable children among U.S. departments and agencies, among other responsibilities. The Global Child Thrive Act builds upon that foundation by strengthening the implementation of policies that advance early childhood development internationally. The bill expands the number of agencies over which the Special Advisor has explicit authority to coordinate early childhood development policies. It also directs the U.S. Agency for International Development to engage relevant executive agencies to incorporate early childhood development into current programming over the next five years. To incorporate early childhood development into current programming, the agencies would: Build on the evidence and priorities outlined in Advancing Protection and Care for Children in Adversity: A U.S. Government Strategy for International Assistance 2019-2023;' Identify evidence-based strategic priorities, indicators, outcomes, and targets to support inclusive early childhood development; Support the design, implementation, and evaluation of pilot projects in partner countries, with the goal of taking them to scale; Support bureaus, working groups, and task forces implementing relevant sector strategies and public laws, and; Focus on improving coordination with foreign governments and international and regional organizations with respect to official country policies and plans for early childhood development. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://doggett.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/big-win-san-antonio-statement-upcoming-house-passage-usmca,Big Win for San Antonio: Statement on Upcoming House Passage of the USMCA,2019-12-19,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,,,legacy,"***Press Release*** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 19, 2019 Contact: Kate Stotesbery 202-225-4865 Big Win for San Antonio: Statement on Upcoming House Passage of the USMCA Washington, D.C. Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-San Antonio), senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, released the following statement on this afternoon's upcoming House passage of the USMCA trade agreement. He also urged passage on the floorvideo of his speech here. A big win for Texasmore commerce, more North American Development Bank financing, reasonable protection for the environment and workersall of which helps to broaden public support for future trade agreements. The harmful language inserted by Big Pharma to empower more prescription price gouging has been removed.Enforcement, rather than platitudes about working standards and the environment, represent important changes from the version which Trump originally proposed. ### Follow Congressman Doggett Facebook:https://www.Facebook.com/RepLloydDoggett | Twitter: @RepLloydDoggett| Instagram: @RepLloydDoggett",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases/big-win-san-antonio-statement-upcoming-house-passage-usmca,Big Win for San Antonio: Statement on Upcoming House Passage of the USMCA,2019-12-19,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,doggett,https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-San Antonio), senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, released the following statement on this afternoon's upcoming House passage of the USMCA trade agreement. He also urged passage on the floor—video of his speech here. ""A big win for Texas—more commerce, more North American Development Bank financing, reasonable protection for the environment and workers—all of which helps to broaden public support for future trade agreements. The harmful language inserted by Big Pharma to empower more prescription price gouging has been removed. Enforcement, rather than platitudes about working standards and the environment, represent important changes from the version which Trump originally proposed."" Follow Congressman Doggett",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T23:45:33Z https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=133,Congresswoman Veronica Escobar Statement on House Passage of USMCA,2019-12-19,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congresswoman Veronica Escobar Statement on House Passage of USMCA Washington, DC, December 19, 2019 As a representative of one of the largest manufacturing regions in North America, a vote for an updated NAFTA is a vote for the more than 23,000 El Pasoans dependent on a prosperous border economy. Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), member of the U.S.-Mexico Interparliamentary Group for the 116th Congress, issued the following statement after the House of Representatives voted on the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA): As a representative of one of the largest manufacturing regions in North America, a vote for an updated NAFTA is a vote for the more than 23,000 El Pasoans dependent on a prosperous border economy. The improvements advanced by House Democrats promote new standards we can build upon to reflect the 21st century economy, including stronger enforcement mechanisms, enhanced worker protections, improved access to affordable prescription drugs for families and seniors, and environmental protections. This vote honors my promise to work to protect and expand our local economy without compromising our values. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=164,Congresswoman Veronica Escobar Statement on Vote to Impeach President Trump,2019-12-19,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), member of the House Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement on her vote for H.Res. 755, Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors: In moments of great tragedy, we've been able to count on Americans to come together to exhibit strength and unity, showing that we are one people, one country. Not Republicans, not Democrats, but Americans. Today, our country faces another tragedy and moment of truth. President Trump has abused his public office for personal political gain and invited foreign governments to interfere in our elections, putting the integrity of our democracy at risk, leaving the House of Representatives no choice but to act to protect our great nation. I do not take my oath of office lightly. That is why, with El Pasoans and our fragile democracy in my heart and mind, I stood with my fellow patriots to uphold my oath and defend the Constitution. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2279,Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Shares Her Thoughts With Constituents on Articles of Impeachment,2019-12-19,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lizzie Fletcher,F000468,fletcher.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, DC) This morning, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), shared the following thoughts on last night's vote on the Articles of Impeachment with her constituents: I spent much of the day in the House chamber listening to my colleagues debate the Articles of Impeachment. The debate among my colleagues was not unlike the debate among our neighbors at home, many of whom I have heard from, urging me to vote both for and against the articles presented. As your representative in Congress, it was important for me to be present for this historic debate. During debate, many of my colleagues spoke eloquently about the facts, the evidence, and the Constitution. Many of them reminded us of the oath we all swore to protect and defend the Constitution earlier this year: I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God. In evaluating the question before us, my colleagues drew on their own experiencesin our military, in our intelligence services, in law enforcement, in our government, and in places all across our country. And so did I. As I have told many of you in town hall meetings and other events, I came to the questions as a lawyer, as a believer in the rule of law. In our Constitution, the judicial branch of our government is Article III. But the rule of law is everywhere. Our system of governmentour societydepends entirely on voluntary participation and compliance with the law. As a democratic society, we, the people, make the laws. We write them in Congress and in statehouses across the country. We enforce them. We challenge them. We protest them. We change them. And we do so through our three co-equal branches of government and our elected representatives who serve the people. Participation in the form of elections and engagement with elected officialsthrough advocacy of all kindsis critical to our society. As is enforcement of those lawscivil and criminal. I have spent more than a decade of my life working in the civil justice system. And I can tell you without hesitation that our entire system depends on voluntary compliance with the law. Parties, and also third parties, receive subpoenas for documents or witnesses to appear for deposition or trial and they are obligated to respond, to appear, to participate, whether they want to or not. Potential jurors who receive a jury summons must show up. Of course, we make objections and exceptions of all kinds, but through participation and engagement, not refusal and contempt. We have a social contract with one another that is memorialized in our Constitution and our laws, and we see it in action every day. That is our agreement with each other. And it is what President Trump has utterly failed to do. Throughout the day, many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle suggested that the impeachment articles were really related to policy disagreements, political allegiance, and personal animosity. This is simply not the case. It is true that I did not vote for President Trump in 2016. I do not agree with him on many issues of policy. I am not a member of his party. And I am deeply concerned with his divisive rhetoric. But that is not why I voted to impeach him yesterday. I voted in favor of the first Article of Impeachment because the President abused the power of his officeand our trustin conditioning actions in our national security interest on receiving a personal political benefit. In doing so, he threatened our national security, and undermined the very principles we have long demonstratedand symbolizedto the rest of the world. I voted in favor of the second Article of Impeachment because the President obstructed the Congressional inquiry into these actions, withholding documents and information, prohibiting witnesses from appearing, and undermining the checks and balances upon which our government rests. From my own experience, I see the destructive power of these actions not just on Congressional oversight, but on our legal system and our entire system of governance. It is central to our society that no individual, including and especially the President, is above the law. I appreciate the trust you have placed in me to be your voice in Washington and to represent our district at this important time in our history. I will continue to work on behalf of our district on the things that matter to us and our countryour health care, our economy, our safety, and the many issues shaping our shared future. And I will work with anyone who shares that belief in working together. On that note, I will vote today to pass the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), a truly bipartisan effort that I have worked on with the Trump Administration and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle since arriving here in January. It is an example of what we can accomplish when we work together. It is what I am here to do on your behalf. And it is what, despite this challenging moment for our country, I still believe we can do. My vote yesterday was also an expression of that belief in our country, our Constitution, and our community, which I am so proud to represent. The full email to her constituents is availablehere.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2280,Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Votes in Favor of United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement,2019-12-19,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lizzie Fletcher,F000468,fletcher.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, DC) Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) voted to advance the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The USMCA makes critical improvements to the trade agreement between our countries, includes strong environmental standards, creates enforceable labor standards, and maintains Congress' authority to bring down the cost of pharmaceutical drugs. In Houstonand Texas,trade with Mexico and Canada accounts for billions of dollars and millions ofjobs, saidCongresswoman Fletcher.As Co-Chair of the New Democrat Coalition Trade Task Force, which has been actively working to advance this agreement all year, I am glad to see the USMCA pass the House. I hope the Senate will join us in passing this historic agreement. The USMCA modernizes the framework for trade,strengthening enforcement, labor, and environmental provisions in an updated agreementthat does not adverselyimpact our businesses, workers, or consumers. It is important to our energy future, codifyinga new zero-tariff policyandfurther encouraging the energy exports across North America for years to come.Itrepresents a bipartisan accomplishment that will set the standard for future trade agreements. International trade supports an estimated 3 million jobs in Texas, many of them at the Port of Houston and in the greater Houston area. The state exported a record $315.9 billion in goods in 2018. Mexico is Texas' largest trading partner,and Canada is the state's second largest trading partner.The agreement enjoys support from a broad coalition of stakeholders, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the AFL-CIO. You can watch the Congresswoman's floor speech on the agreementhere.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-gonzalez-delivers-speech-house-floor-usmca-and-rising-violence,Congressman Gonzalez Delivers Speech on House Floor on USMCA and Rising Violence in Mexico,2019-12-19,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Vicente Gonzalez,G000581,gonzalez.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) delivered a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the rising violence and insecurity in Mexico. In his speech, Congressman Gonzalez emphasized that violence in Mexico will undoubtedly pose a threat to America's economic interests in the long-term. All while we act as if nothing is happening in our own backyard, negotiators have worked tirelessly to get us here to today's vote, but they failed to acknowledge the single greatest threat to North American trade and prosperity violence, said Congressman Gonzalez. By accepting this as the status quo, we risk standing in the way of our own economic success. The full video of the speech is availablehere. Background: Violence in Mexico has spiked significantly with 2018 reported as the deadliest in the country's historyaccording to a reportreleased by the Mexico's Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection recorded 33,341 homicides, a 15% increase from 2017. Congressman Gonzalezhas frequently pushedU.S. and Mexico leaders to incorporate security guarantees with proper timelines and implementation like the Safe Highway program before considering a vote on the USMCA. The Safe Highway program is a pilot program proposed by Mexico that seeks to secure six highwaysthroughout Mexico, including Highway 40D, whichconnectsto international bridges along the U.S. Mexico border to Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. Congressmen Gonzalez and Filemon Vela (TX-34) recentlysent a letterto House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expressing their grave concern about transnational criminal organizations' continued interference in the flow of cross border commerce and tourism. The Congressmen requested the Speaker's assistance to secure a firm commitment from the Mexican government to guarantee the protection of highways between the United States and Mexico used for trade and tourism. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-gonzalez-encourages-central-and-south-texans-apply-additional-550,Congressman Gonzalez Encourages Central and South Texans to Apply for Additional $550 Million in Funding For USDA ReConnect Pilot Program,2019-12-19,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Vicente Gonzalez,G000581,gonzalez.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15)is encouraging eligible Central and South Texans to apply for the additional$550 million in federal grants and loansannounced bythe United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for theReConnectPilot Program. TheReConnectPilot Program's mission is to help close the digitaldivideby providing grants and loans for the costs of construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to provide broadband service in eligible rural areas. The application for this funding opens January 31, 2020 andclosesMarch 16, 2020. The funding will be equally divided, with $200 million given in the form of grants and $200 million awarded as low-interest loans. Reliable broadband iscriticalfor the success of businesses, schools and those who depend on the internet in ruralSouthTexascommunities, said Congressman Gonzalez. I encourage those who need access to connectivity to apply for these federal funds. I will continue to advocate for rural communitiesandinfrastructureto level-the-playing field and close the digital divide. Those eligible for funding include: State and local governments Non-profit entities For-profit corporations Limited liability companies Cooperative or mutual organizations More information on theReConnectProgram isavailable here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-gonzalez-statement-following-house-vote-impeachment,Congressman Gonzalez Statement Following House Vote on Impeachment,2019-12-19,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Vicente Gonzalez,G000581,gonzalez.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) issued a statement following the House of Representatives vote on H.Res.775 toImpeach President Donald J. Trump. Today is a solemn day for our country and the 15th District of Texas, said Congressman Gonzalez. I did not come to Congress to impeach a president,but the facts are clear and convincing. I am obligated by my oathof officeto defendour constitutionand democracy.Today will go down in historybuttomorrow is another day. Tomorrow, we willresume ourwork to lower prescription drug costs, to fight for debt-free education, to ensure care for our seniors,ourveterans, and those with special needs. I will continue to keep my promise to those in the 15th District of Texas to do all that I can to improve their quality of life as tomorrowis a new dayand our work does not cease.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-gonzalez-votes-passage-usmca,Congressman Gonzalez Votes for Passage of the USMCA,2019-12-19,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Vicente Gonzalez,G000581,gonzalez.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) voted in favorof H.R. 5430, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Implementation Act. The USMCA will set the highest standard for enforcement in any U.S. trade agreement and provide much-needed certainty for farmers, ranchers, and businesses in the 15th District of Texas. The agreement also includes a legislative victory for Congressman Gonzalez in the reauthorization of the North American Development Bank. The Bankworks to finance environmentally sound infrastructure that enhances the quality of life for people living in communities on both sides of U.S. Mexico border, including in the 15thDistrict of Texas. This trade agreement isa hard-fought compromise that will bring certainty to families, farmers, and businesses in the 15th District of Texasand raise the bar for enforcement, said Congressman Gonzalez. It is my hopethat we can bring this same level of vigor and urgency to continue North American cooperation and compromise on insecurity and othercriticalissues thathinder regional prosperity.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-gonzalez-votes-restore-tax-fairness-texans,Congressman Gonzalez Votes to Restore Tax Fairness for Texans,2019-12-19,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Vicente Gonzalez,G000581,gonzalez.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) voted in favor ofH.R. 5377, Restoring Tax Fairness for States and Localities Act of 2019, a bill he also cosponsored. This bill will mitigate the damage done by one of the most devasting provisions in the Republican tax bill, the $10,000 cap on the State and Local Tax (SALT), and reverse the massive giveaway to the wealthiest tax bracket. The restoration of the SALT deduction will provide much-needed tax relief for families, teachers, first responders, and middle-class Americans, said Congressman Gonzalez. There were many errors in the tax bill passed by Republicans and I am proud to be part of the solution to ease the minds of working families and those who serve our community. As we approach the upcoming tax season, millions of Americans, including those in the 15th District of Texas, will benefit from this legislation. In addition, the bill will eliminate the SALT marriage penalty by allowingmarried couples to jointly file to deduct $20,000 and married couples can file separately to each claim $10,000. The legislation will also enhance deductions for teachers and create a new deduction for first responders. The bill is set to double the deduction for educators' out-of-pocket expenses from $250 to $500 and create a $500 above-the-line deduction for professional first responders in regard to uniform cost and training. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://veasey.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-marc-veasey-tx-33-statement-on-passage-of-the-united-states,Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33) Statement on Passage of the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA),2019-12-19,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Marc A. Veasey,V000131,veasey.house.gov,veasey,https://veasey.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. –Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33) released the following statement after he joined his colleagues to pass the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA): ""Today, I had the opportunity to pass a newly renegotiated trade deal, better known as the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA), that has the strongest enforcement mechanisms of any U.S. trade agreement, as well as critical victories for workers, lower prescription drug costs and environmental protections. The end result of this bipartisan trade agreement is a vast improvement over the original North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the agreement negotiated by President Trump last year. Today's deal is also critical to our North Texas economy, as Texas is the number one trade state in the country, and nearly one million Texas jobs are supported by trade with Canada and Mexico. While I praise today's passage of this legislation, I know that no deal is perfect. This deal alone will not solve the problems of outsourcing, income inequality or climate change. Therefore, USMCA is not a model moving forward, but it establishes important principles we can build from in future trade deals.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T23:45:33Z http://cuellar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=404930,Rep. Cuellars Statement on Impeachment,2019-12-18,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Henry Cuellar,C001063,cuellar.house.gov,,,legacy,"As an attorney, I have represented clients before judges and juries and found that if anyone had prejudged a case, it would be considered a disqualification. I made a commitment to my constituents from the very beginning of this process that I would only decide my vote after hearing the evidence and arguments on both sides. Now that the arguments and facts have been presented, I have decided to vote for both articles of impeachment. The House investigations made it clear:the President pressured a foreign government for his own political gain while withholding congressionally-approved foreign aid, compromising our national security. Additionally, the President obstructed Congress by refusing to cooperate with any attempt to gather the facts. I did not come to Washington to impeach a President; I ran for Congress to pass meaningful legislation for the district that elected me. This process brings me no joy, however, as a member of Congress, I have an obligation to protect our Constitution and our nation from abuses of power. A failure to vote yes would be a repudiation of my Constitutional responsibility to check the President and balance our democracy. The President is not above the law, and this Congress must hold him accountable for his actions. I want to stress that we are still legislating. The U.S. House of Representatives has passed 275 bipartisan bills that address making college affordable, keeping our communities safe, growing small businesses, and lowering healthcare costs for the middle class. Soon we will ratify the USMCA, the largest trade deal that will significantly help farmers, manufacturers, workers and consumers in my district and across the country. I will continue to do the job that the people of Texas's 28th Congressional District have elected me to do, which is to legislate for my constituents and protect our democracy. To see the Key Findings from the Select Committee on Intelligence, click here. To see the Trump Ukraine Impeachment Inquiry Report, click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/castro-floor-speech-ahead-house-impeachment-vote,Castro Floor Speech Ahead of House Impeachment Vote,2019-12-18,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquín Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTONCongressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and a member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, today delivered the following remarks on the House floor ahead of the House of Representative's historic vote to impeach the President of the United States: Thank you. As my colleagues have said, the evidence of the President's abuse of power and obstruction of Congress is uncontested. But let's outline a few key events involving the nearly $400 million in military aid that was held up by President Trump and for President Trump, despite congressional mandate. The summer of 2019 was the summer of shame at The White House. On July 3rd, The White House first blocks security assistance money for Ukraine, with no explanation. On July 10th, Gordon Sondland states during a White House meeting with Ukrainian officials that President Zelensky would get a White House meeting only after announcing an investigation into Trump's political rival. On July 18th, a White House staffer announces the freeze on Ukrainian aid, per a direct Presidential order. And just one day after Robert Mueller's testimony before Congress, President Trump makes the now infamous phone call with Zelensky, asking him to investigate the Bidens, Then things start to fall apart. See, The White House learns that a whistleblower has reported President Trump's phone call with President Zelensky in a complaint. And on September 9th, Congress then starts to investigate the President's actions. And then the jig is up. On September 11th, the aid is suddenly released, without explanation, over two months later. When you read the call transcript and follow the timeline I've laid out, guilty is guilty. Nothing changed during that time regarding the President's supposed concerns over corruption. So, let's be clear the military aid was released because the President got caught. But getting caught doesn't get you off the hook. And I ask my colleagues is attempted murder a crime? Is attempted robbery a crime? Is attempted extortion and bribery by a President a crime? Yes, it is. The only question now is whether we will find the moral courage to stand up for our country and impeach the President of the United States. I yield back. For a link to the full speech, click here. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://doggett.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/san-antonio-express-news-op-ed-doggett-why-i-am-voting-impeach-president,San Antonio Express News Op-ed: Doggett: Why I am voting to impeach the president,2019-12-18,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, the U.S. House of Representatives will impeach President Donald Trump. Allegiance to our Constitution, not one party, not one person, mandates impeachment. No one, not even the president, is above the law. While most of our neighbors may already have made up their minds on this issue, I feel a personal duty not only to uphold the Constitution but also to fully inform you why I have made this momentous decision. The impeachment inquiry has never been a whodunit. Trump confessed he did it. His own appointees confirmed it. Then his chief of staff told Americans to get used to his misconduct. Our choice is clear between the sworn testimony of patriotic military and foreign service officers, who selflessly risked their careers, and a president engaged in selfish wrongdoing. San Antonians understand: Your word is your bond. You wouldn't accept less from a mayor or school trustee. Truth matters. Despite video of Trump seeking help from Russia, China and Ukraine, and despite official notes showing his request for Ukraine to do a personal, political favor in return for releasing desperately needed military aid, Republican colleagues reflexively support his claim of having done nothing wrong. The president's hand-picked EU ambassador, Gordon Sondland, who donated $1 million to Trump's presidential inaugural committee, when asked, Was there a quid pro quo? responded, The answer is yes. Republicans insist on ignoring all of this, contending that Trump's claim of a perfect call represents the sole proof required. I think his call and related conduct was perfectly wrong. If any of the many people familiar with his conduct, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former national security adviser John Bolton and former Energy Secretary Rick Perry, had evidence to establish his innocence, Trump would have urged their testimony. Instead, he uniformly denied access to both witnesses and documents, relying exclusively upon character assassination and witness intimidation. None of those who did testify disagreed on the essential facts. Rather than offering any real defense, congressional Republicans attacked patriotic public servants, including a military officer who literally bled in defense of our nation, and Trump's own appointees, who simply told the horrible truth of what they observed. Meanwhile, Trump branded any fellow Republican who deviated from him as human scum. Three critical issues are at stake here. First, can our democracy survive if Trump's expansive view of his power is upheld? He insists that he is constitutionally empowered to do whatever he wants, that while president he can neither be investigated nor prosecuted for any type of crime, and, further, that he can ignore any impeachment proceeding of which he disapproves. These are the claims of a wannabe tyrant. All of this as the president extols autocrats from Istanbul to Manila to Moscow. Such a totally unrestrained president would change America forever. Our founders developed a system of checks and balances to protect us from an all-powerful executive. We elect a president, not a king. The standard that we set now applies to all future presidents. Second, can the president use taxpayer money for personal gain? The White House call memo indicates that in response to the Ukrainian president's interest in acquiring additional U.S. weapons, Trump said: I would like you to do us a favor, though. Trump wielded the full force of the presidency not to protect America but solely to advance his reelection. Interfering with our national security compromising the integrity of our elections for personal gain represents an abuse of power and betrayal of his oath of office. Third, will we adopt a policy of open borders to permit foreigners to decide our elections? Foreign nations have their own agendas, especially adversaries such as China and Russia. I believe that American citizens should be the only ones deciding our future. We cannot allow the president to invite foreign interference in elections or we will never again have a truly free election. And without free elections, we are no longer free. To those who say, Just wait, be mindful that Trump has been clear that he will continue asking for additional foreign election assistance in order to win the 2020 election. Rep. Barbara Jordan, explaining her vote to impeach President Richard Nixon, said: My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total. I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution. Neither can we sit idly by. We act now, recognizing the solemn responsibility to safeguard our national security and our constitutional system of government. Democratic U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett represents San Antonio.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://doggett.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/san-marcos-daily-record-op-ed-doggett-impeachment-not-about-personal,San Marcos Daily Record Op-ed: Doggett: Impeachment not about personal differences but preservation of democracy,2019-12-18,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,,,legacy,"Some Hays County residents like Donald Trump. I respect their choice, though I respectfully and strongly disagree. But policies and personalities are not at issue in my vote this week to impeach the President. The sole consideration is the preservation of our democratic form of government and our national security under our Constitution. While most people may have already made up their minds about this, I feel a personal duty to fully inform you why I made this momentous decision. This inquiry has never been a whodunit. Trump confessed he did it. His own appointees confirmed it. Then his chief of staff told Americans to get used to his misconduct. San Marcos values integrity. Your word is your bond still has meaning. You wouldn't accept less from a mayor or school trustee. The same should apply to the President. Here, we have a clear choice between the sworn testimony of patriotic military and foreign service officers, who selflessly risked their careers, versus a President engaged in selfish wrongdoing. Truth matters. Despite video of Trump seeking help from Russia, China, and Ukrainedespite official notes showing his request for Ukraine to do a personal, political favor in return for releasing desperately needed military aidRepublican colleagues reflexively support his claim of having done nothing wrong. The President's hand-picked EU Ambassador, Gordon Sondland, who had donated $1 million to Trump, when asked, Was there a quid pro quo? responded, The answer is yes. Some insist on ignoring all of this, contending that Trump's claim of a perfect call represents the sole proof required. I think his call and related conduct was perfectly wrong. If any others had evidence establishing his innocence, Trump would have urged their testimony. Instead, he denied access to both witnesses and documents, relying exclusively upon character assassination and witness intimidation. None of those who did testify disagreed on the essential facts. Rather than offering any real defense, Congressional Republicans attacked patriotic public servants, including a military officer who literally bled in defense of our Nation, and Trump's own appointees, who simply told the horrible truth of what they observed. Meanwhile, Trump branded any fellow Republican who deviated from him as human scum. Three critical issues are at stake. First, can our democracy survive if Trump's expansive view of his power is upheld? He insists that he is constitutionally empowered to do whatever he wants, that while President he can neither be investigated nor prosecuted for any crime, and, further, that he can ignore any impeachment proceeding. These are the claims of a wannabe-tyrant. Such a totally unrestrained President would change America forever. Our founders developed a system of checks and balances to protect us from an all-powerful executive. We elect a president, not a king. The standard that we set now applies to all future presidents. Second, can the President use taxpayer money for personal gain? The White House memo indicates that, in response to the Ukrainian president's interest in acquiring additional U.S. weapons, Trump said: I would like you to do us a favor, though. He wielded the full force of the presidency not to protect America, but solely to advance his reelection. Interfering with our national securitycompromising the integrity of our electionsfor personal gain represents an abuse of power and betrayal of his oath of office. Third, will we adopt a policy of open borders to permit foreigners to decide our elections? Foreign nations have their own agendas, especially adversaries like China and Russia. American citizens should be the only ones deciding our future. If foreign interference is promoted in elections, we will never again have a truly free election. And without free elections, we are no longer free. The late Texas Rep. Barbara Jordan, explaining her Nixon impeachment vote, said: My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total. I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution. Neither can we sit idly by. Whether we agree or disagree about this, just know that my decision is based upon the solemn responsibility to safeguard our national security and our constitutional system of government.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://doggett.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-trump-drug-importation-plan-narrow-tweaks-won-t-make-dent,Statement on Trump Drug Importation Plan: Narrow Tweaks Wont Make a Dent,2019-12-18,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,,,legacy,"***Press Release*** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 18, 2019 Contact: Kate Stotesbery 202-225-4865 Statement on Trump Drug Importation Plan: Narrow Tweaks Won't Make a Dent Washington, D.C. Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Chair of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, released the following statement about President Trump's importation plan: Three years late, with drug prices continuing to soar, Trump finally takes narrow action. Whether this will actually result in lower prices next year for any American is far from certain. While I have long supported the safe importation of prescription drugs, to effectively restrain monopoly prices much more must be done. As 50 Congressmembers have long ago requested, Trump has had the authority since day one to issue an executive order to lower the prices of the drugs for which taxpayers financed development. Trump should also follow the advice of candidate Trump and support Medicare negotiation legislation. There is no miracle drug to cure price gouging, but tweaks at the edges will barely make a dent. ### Follow Congressman Doggett Facebook:https://www.Facebook.com/RepLloydDoggett | Twitter: @RepLloydDoggett| Instagram: @RepLloydDoggett",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://doggett.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/while-we-impeach-republican-appellate-judges-impede,"While We Impeach, Republican Appellate Judges Impede",2019-12-18,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,,,legacy,"***Press Release*** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 18, 2019 Contact: Kate Stotesbery 202-225-4865 While We Impeach, Republican Appellate Judges Impede Washington, D.C. Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Chair of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, released the following statement regarding the Fifth Circuit Court's decision in Texas v. United States: Hardly coincidental that, as the Nation's attention is focused on the impeachment of Donald Trump, Republican appellate appointees impede access to health care for millions of Americans. The court is returning some issues for further consideration by a trial court that has already made obvious its hostility to the Affordable Care Act. It is just a matter of time before that Fort Worth trial court will again invalidate the entire Act, including its protections for patients with pre-existing conditions. Trump and his Republican enablers continue their assault on the patients who depend on the ACA. Colluding with indicted Texas Republican Attorney General Paxton, Trump turned to the courts to continue his sabotage after failing legislatively. Hopefully, there will be no ultimate Supreme Court ruling on this vital case until we have a new, humane president in 2021. Health care is on the ballot in November. We must prevail and make health care the first priority of a new Congress. ### Follow Congressman Doggett Facebook:https://www.Facebook.com/RepLloydDoggett | Twitter: @RepLloydDoggett| Instagram: @RepLloydDoggett",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases/statement-trump-drug-importation-plan-narrow-tweaks-wont-make-dent,Statement on Trump Drug Importation Plan: Narrow Tweaks Won’t Make a Dent,2019-12-18,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,doggett,https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Chair of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, released the following statement about President Trump's importation plan: ""Three years late, with drug prices continuing to soar, Trump finally takes narrow action. Whether this will actually result in lower prices next year for any American is far from certain. While I have long supported the safe importation of prescription drugs, to effectively restrain monopoly prices much more must be done. As 50 Congressmembers have long ago requested, Trump has had the authority since day one to issue an executive order to lower the prices of the drugs for which taxpayers financed development. Trump should also follow the advice of candidate Trump and support Medicare negotiation legislation. There is no miracle drug to cure price gouging, but tweaks at the edges will barely make a dent."" Follow Congressman Doggett",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T23:45:33Z https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases/while-we-impeach-republican-appellate-judges-impede,"While We Impeach, Republican Appellate Judges Impede",2019-12-18,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,doggett,https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Chair of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, released the following statement regarding the Fifth Circuit Court's decision in Texas v. United States: ""Hardly coincidental that, as the Nation's attention is focused on the impeachment of Donald Trump, Republican appellate appointees impede access to health care for millions of Americans. The court is returning some issues for further consideration by a trial court that has already made obvious its hostility to the Affordable Care Act. It is just a matter of time before that Fort Worth trial court will again invalidate the entire Act, including its protections for patients with pre-existing conditions. Trump and his Republican enablers continue their assault on the patients who depend on the ACA. Colluding with indicted Texas Republican Attorney General Paxton, Trump turned to the courts to continue his sabotage after failing legislatively. Hopefully, there will be no ultimate Supreme Court ruling on this vital case until we have a new, humane president in 2021. Health care is on the ballot in November. We must prevail and make health care the first priority of a new Congress."" Follow Congressman Doggett",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T23:45:33Z https://escobar.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-veronica-escobar-statement-vote-impeach-president-trump,Congresswoman Veronica Escobar Statement on Vote to Impeach President Trump,2019-12-18,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), member of the House Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement on her vote for H.Res. 755, Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors: In moments of great tragedy, we've been able to count on Americans to come together to exhibit strength and unity, showing that we are one people, one country. Not Republicans, not Democrats, but Americans. Today, our country faces another tragedy and moment of truth. President Trump has abused his public office for personal political gain and invited foreign governments to interfere in our elections, putting the integrity of our democracy at risk, leaving the House of Representatives no choice but to act to protect our great nation. I do not take my oath of office lightly. That is why, with El Pasoans and our fragile democracy in my heart and mind, I stood with my fellow patriots to uphold my oath and defend the Constitution. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/editorials/fulfilling-my-constitutional-oath,Fulfilling My Constitutional Oath,2019-12-18,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Vicente Gonzalez,G000581,gonzalez.house.gov,,,legacy,"By Congressman Vicente Gonzalez Walking the halls of Congress for the first time as an intern in 1996, I never truly graspedthe level ofresponsibilitythat comes withbeing aCongressman. I answered mail for concerned constituents, prepared memos on legislation, answered phones, and ran the occasional errand. The interactions I had with staff andtheCongressman were formative, and they always had one thing in mind in everything they did theresidents of South Texas. When I ran for Congress in 2016, I knew I wanted to serve. I wanted to serve like my father did in the Korean War and give back to my community and country. Ipledgedto help lower the cost of prescription drugs, improve the quality of life for our seniors and those with special needs, fight for affordable education andensureveterans,servicemembers and their families receive the care and benefits they are owed.I made a promise to advocate for the people of the 15th District of Texas, and I took a solemn oath to uphold the Constitution. I predicted tough votes and formidable debate, but Inever imagined I would have to vote on the impeachment of apresident. As a trial attorney, Irepresentedindividuals who were taken advantage of by powerful corporations.In each case, I expected the men and women in the jury to consider the facts and evidence and weigh the merits of the case against the law and Constitution before coming to a verdict. I have done so in this caseas well. Ihave reviewed the evidence before me in thecase of the impeachmentof President Donald J. Trump. The facts are clear and convincing:President Trump abused his power and the office of the presidency. That, in my view, meetsthe constitutional standard of high crimes and misdemeanors.I draw these conclusionsfromanalyzingthe hundreds of hours of testimony from fact witnesses, national security experts, and constitutional scholars that came before Congress. These are the factsas I see them: President Trump used the power and office of the presidency to conditioncongressionally authorizedmilitary aid for the promise ofan investigation intoa political rival for personal and political gain.At the directionof the President,Acting White House Chief of StaffMick Mulvaneydirectedthe Office of Management and Budget (OMB)to freezemilitary assistancefor Ukraine.These fundswereappropriated by Congress, andthe law did not provide for the president to withhold the monies, but rather as the head of the executive branch, he was legally bound to distribute the funds through his agencies. In fact, Department ofDefenseandDepartment of Stateofficials hadpreviously provided formal notifications to Congress and announced to the public thatUkraine hadmettherequisite statutory requirementsfor funding to be distributed. While this seems like a mundane, process issue, it's not. This is at the heart of the president's abuse of power. The president acted well beyond his executive authority andattempted tostrong-arm Ukrainian President Zelensky, whose country depends on U.S. assistance in their fight against Russia, intoopeningan investigation into the Bidens. Furthermore, the President openly solicited foreign powers - Russia, China, Ukraine - to investigatehis political opponents,againunderminingthe integrity of our electoral process. When given the opportunity to explain the accusations and provide evidence to the contrary of these claims, President Trump not only hid from Congress, but obstructeda lawful congressional investigation by systematically ordering government agencies and employees to ignore legally-binding subpoenas. These events lead us to the present day where we as members of Congress will vote on two articles of impeachment abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Each member of Congress swears an oath to the Constitution upon entering office to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and today,like every other day,I will uphold that promise. Our Founding Fathers feared that one day the power of the presidency would stretch its limits andthusenshrined in the Constitution a systemof checks and balances. Alexander Hamilton eloquently argued in the Federalist Papers that impeachment was a mechanism to deal with those offenses which proceed from the misconduct of public men from the abuse or violation of some public trust. More than 40 years ago, the conduct of this president would have been a moral outrage to the public and betrayal of the public trust. Impeachment would have been an afterthought. If we do not impeach, we set a new, dangerous precedent for the executive branch to flaunt its power and further deteriorate the ethical standard to which we hold future presidents. Now, more than ever,I understand the immense responsibility and duty that comes with holding office. I was entrusted to represent some 700,000 people to the best of my ability and cast votes for legislation that would impact every single one of them. And that is why today I must vote toimpeach the president to fulfill my oath to support, protect and defend the Constitution to keep in check the power of the presidency.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-gonzalez-gives-house-floor-speech-impeachment,Congressman Gonzalez Gives House Floor Speech on Impeachment,2019-12-18,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Vicente Gonzalez,G000581,gonzalez.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) took to the House Floor to urge his colleagues to support the impeachment of President Donald Trump. This speech comes during the six hours of debate before the full House of Representatives on H.Res. 755, Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. I did not come to Congress to impeach a sitting President, but we've been given no choice, said Congressman Gonzalez in his speech. He has eroded the foundations of our democracy and used the office of the presidency for personal and political gain. Our Founding Fathers feared that one day the power of the presidency would stretch beyond its limits. Thus they enshrined in the Constitution a system of checks and balances. And that is why I must vote to impeach the President of the United States and fulfill my oath to the Constitution. The full House Floor speech is availablehere. Earlier today, Congressman Gonzalez published an editorial that clearly outlines how President Trump's misconduct rises to the level of impeachment and his obligation as a member of Congress to uphold his oath to the Constitution. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-gonzalez-vote-favor-impeachment,Congressman Gonzalez to Vote in Favor of Impeachment,2019-12-18,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Vicente Gonzalez,G000581,gonzalez.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) published an editorial regarding his vote in favor of the impeachment of President Donald J. Trump. In the editorial, Congressman Gonzalez outlines clearly how President Trump's misconduct rises to level of impeachment and his obligation as a member of Congress to uphold his oath to the Constitution. Our Founding Fathers feared that one day the power of the presidency would stretch its limits andthusenshrined in the Constitution a systemof checks and balances, Congressman Gonzalez writes in the editorial. If we do not impeach, we set a new, dangerous precedent for the executive branch to flaunt its power and further deteriorate the ethical standard to which we hold future presidents. And that is why today I must vote toimpeach the president to fulfill my oath to support, protect and defend the Constitution to keep in check the power of the presidency. The full editorial can be found below and here. Fulfilling My Constitutional Oath By Congressman Vicente Gonzalez Walking the halls of Congress for the first time as an intern in 1996, I never truly graspedthe level ofresponsibilitythat comes withbeing aCongressman. I answered mail for concerned constituents, prepared memos on legislation, answered phones, and ran the occasional errand. The interactions I had with staff andtheCongressman were formative, and they always had one thing in mind in everything they did theresidents of South Texas. When I ran for Congress in 2016, I knew I wanted to serve. I wanted to serve like my father did in the Korean War and give back to my community and country. Ipledgedto help lower the cost of prescription drugs, improve the quality of life for our seniors and those with special needs, fight for affordable education andensureveterans,servicemembers and their families receive the care and benefits they are owed.I made a promise to advocate for the people of the 15th District of Texas, and I took a solemn oath to uphold the Constitution. I predicted tough votes and formidable debate, but Inever imagined I would have to vote on the impeachment of apresident. As a trial attorney, Irepresentedindividuals who were taken advantage of by powerful corporations.In each case, I expected the men and women in the jury to consider the facts and evidence and weigh the merits of the case against the law and Constitution before coming to a verdict. I have done so in this caseas well. Ihave reviewed the evidence before me in thecase of the impeachmentof President Donald J. Trump. The facts are clear and convincing:President Trump abused his power and the office of the presidency. That, in my view, meetsthe constitutional standard of high crimes and misdemeanors.I draw these conclusionsfromanalyzingthe hundreds of hours of testimony from fact witnesses, national security experts, and constitutional scholars that came before Congress. These are the factsas I see them: President Trump used the power and office of the presidency to conditioncongressionally authorizedmilitary aid for the promise ofan investigation intoa political rival for personal and political gain.At the directionof the President,Acting White House Chief of StaffMick Mulvaneydirectedthe Office of Management and Budget (OMB)to freezemilitary assistancefor Ukraine.These fundswereappropriated by Congress, andthe law did not provide for the president to withhold the monies, but rather as the head of the executive branch, he was legally bound to distribute the funds through his agencies. In fact, Department ofDefenseandDepartment of Stateofficials hadpreviously provided formal notifications to Congress and announced to the public thatUkraine hadmettherequisite statutory requirementsfor funding to be distributed. While this seems like a mundane, process issue, it's not. This is at the heart of the president's abuse of power. The president acted well beyond his executive authority andattempted tostrong-arm Ukrainian President Zelensky, whose country depends on U.S. assistance in their fight against Russia, intoopeningan investigation into the Bidens. Furthermore, the President openly solicited foreign powers - Russia, China, Ukraine - to investigatehis political opponents,againunderminingthe integrity of our electoral process. When given the opportunity to explain the accusations and provide evidence to the contrary of these claims, President Trump not only hid from Congress, but obstructeda lawful congressional investigation by systematically ordering government agencies and employees to ignore legally-binding subpoenas. These events lead us to the present day where we as members of Congress will vote on two articles of impeachment abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Each member of Congress swears an oath to the Constitution upon entering office to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and today,like every other day,I will uphold that promise. Our Founding Fathers feared that one day the power of the presidency would stretch its limits andthusenshrined in the Constitution a systemof checks and balances. Alexander Hamilton eloquently argued in the Federalist Papers that impeachment was a mechanism to deal with those offenses which proceed from the misconduct of public men from the abuse or violation of some public trust. More than 40 years ago, the conduct of this president would have been a moral outrage to the public and betrayal of the public trust. Impeachment would have been an afterthought. If we do not impeach, we set a new, dangerous precedent for the executive branch to flaunt its power and further deteriorate the ethical standard to which we hold future presidents. Now, more than ever,I understand the immense responsibility and duty that comes with holding office. I was entrusted to represent some 700,000 people to the best of my ability and cast votes for legislation that would impact every single one of them. And that is why today I must vote toimpeach the president to fulfill my oath to support, protect and defend the Constitution to keep in check the power of the presidency. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-sylvia-garcia-5th-circuit-s-texas-v-united-states-decision,Rep. Sylvia Garcia on the 5th Circuit’s Texas v. United States Decision,2019-12-18,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Sylvia R. Garcia,G000587,sylviagarcia.house.gov,sylviagarcia,https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC — Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) issued the following statement in response to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Texas v. United States, which struck down the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) individual mandate and referred it back to a district court in Texas to determine how much of the law can stand if the individual mandate is undone: ""This lawsuit is a vicious ploy by Republicans to take away healthcare from millions of people across the country, and it's being led by no other than Ken Paxton, the Texas Attorney General. He is wasting Texas tax dollars in fighting to take away healthcare away from millions. It is a slap in the face to the hard-working Texas that stand to lose their healthcare. In my home state, there are nearly 11.9 million people with preexisting conditions that would be affected by repealing the ACA. More than 1.7 million Texans are at risk of losing their health insurance, of which 655k are Latinos. Republicans failed to repeal the ACA legislatively, so they turned to the courts to rip healthcare away from millions of Americans. While our fight to protect the ACA is not over, we need to make sure that Ken Paxton and Republicans know that we will not allow them to risk the well-being of millions of Americans. This is a matter of life or death, and we won't stop fighting."" Congresswoman Sylvia R. Garcia was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2018, becoming the first Latina ever to represent Texas 29th Congressional district.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T23:45:33Z https://veasey.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-marc-veasey-tx-33-votes-to-formally-impeach-donald-j-trump,Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33) Votes To Formally Impeach Donald J. Trump,2019-12-18,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Marc A. Veasey,V000131,veasey.house.gov,veasey,https://veasey.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"Congressman Marc Veasey released the following statement after he joined his colleagues on the floor today to vote for formal articles of impeachment against Donald J. Trump, the 45th president of the United States: ""I came to Congress in 2013 to serve the people of North Texas and ensure that our government best serves the people of our great nation. While I have served in the people's house I have had the privilege of joining my colleagues to vote to lower prescription drug costs, create jobs for North Texans, and restore voting rights—real progress for the people I came to serve. All of our nation's progress stands in jeopardy because the occupant of our nation's highest office is jeopardizing our Constitution. That is why I voted today for both articles of impeachment put forth against our president, because when I took my oath of office I swore to defend the Constitution, even if that meant having to hold the nation's president accountable. The decision to impeach our president was one I did not come to easily. However, the recent evidence that has come to light makes it clear that our president abused the power of his office for his personal and political gain, at the expense of our national security. I want to make sure that my son can grow up knowing that America is a beacon of democracy for countries around the world, and that many brave men and women shed their blood to make our great nation what it is today. However, I cannot do that in good faith until we make sure that the American people know that no one is above the law, not even the occupant of our highest office."" ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T23:45:33Z http://cuellar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=404919,Rep. Cuellar Secures Additional Personnel and Advanced Technology to Facilitate Trade and Improve Security at Southern Border,2019-12-17,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Henry Cuellar,C001063,cuellar.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.Today, Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) secures additional personnel and technology to facilitate trade and improve security at the U.S.-Mexico border in the final spending bill for 2020. This bill includes $104 million for an increase of 1,200 Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officers and 240 Agriculture Specialists, $13 million for Border Patrol Processing Coordinators, and $222 million for new border security and trade and travel technology. Customs and Border Protection serves a vital role in the security and prosperity of our nation. Every day, CBP processes over a million travelers, more than 80,000 trucks, rail, and sea containers, and over $7.7 billion worth of imported products. CBP also screens for potential threats and determines eligibility to enter at our ports of entry, said Congressman Cuellar. For these reasons, I worked hard to secure funding for more personnel and advanced technology so we can streamline trade at our ports as well as improve security along the border. As the Vice Chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Appropriations, I will continue to support CBP and provide them with the necessary resources to ensure our country's national security and economic prosperity. I would like to thank Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey and Ranking Member Kay Granger, as well as Homeland Security Subcommittee Chairwoman Lucille Roybal-Allard and Ranking Member Chuck Fleischmann for helping me include this language. Additional Customs and Border Protection Officers To address staffing shortages at our ports of entries, the Congressman secured funding for 1,200 additional Customs and Border Protection Officers to process commerce efficiently and provide the highest level of security. Congressman Cuellar helped include $13 million in funding for CBP to create and hire new entry level CBP positions to perform duties related to processing and documenting those who come into the United States. As a result of the large influx of migrants this past summer, about 40% of the Border Patrol agents on the Southwest border were conducting processing, transportation, care and hospital watch, feeding, and cleaning duties instead of frontline law enforcement responsibilities at ports of entry. The reassignment of CBP officers caused major disruption to the flow of commerce through our southern border ports of entry. The new entry level positions will perform humanitarian related tasks such as transportation, processing and escorting migrants in CBP custody, instead of utilizing personnel vital to trade and border security. Agriculture Specialists The Congressman secured language for an additional 240 Agriculture Specialists at our southern border to safeguard American agriculture while facilitating legitimate trade and travel. It is critical to monitor and govern the types of plant and agricultural products to protect against threats to our economy and ecosystem. A major threat that they detect, assess, and intercept on a regular basis are pests that could potentially compromise the integrity of American crops. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://cuellar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=404920,Rep. Cuellar Votes NO on Border Wall Funding in 2020 Spending Bill,2019-12-17,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Henry Cuellar,C001063,cuellar.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Cuellar Votes NO on Border Wall Funding in 2020 Spending Bill Congressman Urges House Leadership to Renegotiate Washington, D.C.Today, Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) voted against the final spending bill that includes $1.375 billion for the construction of a southwest border wall and allows the Trump Administration to reallocate appropriated funds, such as military construction projects, for the border wall. I am voting no on this spending bill not to shut down the government, but to continue debateon how to move forward with smart bordersecurity, such as utilizing advanced technology and increasing personnel, instead of funding an ineffective border wall, said Congressman Cuellar. From Day 1, I have made my position very clear: I oppose the wall, the wall is not necessary, and the wall will not work. The Trump Administration's ineffective and wasteful border wall hurts taxpayers, wildlife, the environment, and my community. The people of my district sent me to the nation's capital to be good stewards of their taxpayer dollars and to protect their rights, including the right to own private property. As the Vice Chair of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, I will continue to work with my colleagues in the Appropriations Committee to build a spending bill that includes strong border security and no funding for a wall. During the last budget impasse I successfully negotiated cutting half the proposed wall funding while building in local protections for La Lomita Chapel, Bentsen State Park, the Butterfly Preserve, and Starr County. I am asking House negotiators to continue these efforts to eliminate wall funding.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://allred.house.gov/media/press-releases/allred-votes-bipartisan-appropriations-bills-making-critical-investments-health,Allred Votes for Bipartisan Appropriations Bills Making Critical Investments in Health Care and Election Security,2019-12-17,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Colin Allred,A000376,allred.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Congressman Colin Allred (TX-32), released the following statement after voting in support of the bipartisan Appropriations bills that will fund the government through September 30, 2020: I am encouraged that leaders in both parties were able to come together and forge a bipartisan compromise to keep our government open and working for the American people. I'm proud that we made much-needed investments in election security, Head Start and child care programs, as well as record-level funding for lifesaving medical research at the National Institutes of Health. The bill will also improve public health by raising the smoking age to 21 and making a historic investment in gun violence research. These investments will create jobs, bolster critical research and improve programs that have a real impact on North Texas families. It is my hope that this bipartisan agreement will foster a productive year ahead for Congress, where we can put aside our differences and do the job we were elected to do. Key Victories for North Texans: Investing in Better Schools and Job Training; programs for education for the disadvantaged will receive $17 billion, $453 million above 2019 and a record level. Job training programs will receive $5.4 billion, a $134 million increase. Invests in families and child care; the Child Care & Development Block Grant will receive $5.8 billion, $550 million over 2019 and a record level. Head Start receives $10.6 billion, $550 million over FY19 & a record level. Bolstering Lifesaving Medical Research at the NIH; $41.7 billion, a $2.6 billion increase and a record level, with significant funding for Alzheimer's Disease and brain research. Gun violence prevention; for the first time in more than 20 years, a total of $25 million at Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) for firearm injury and mortality prevention research. Election Security Grants to States; $425 million, a key priority that was not funded in 2019. Protecting Our Environment with investments in energy efficiency and renewables; the bill invests $2.8 billion in energy efficiency and renewables a $411 million (17%) increase above 2019. For a comprehensive review of the bipartisan Appropriations package click here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://allred.house.gov/media/press-releases/icymi-following-trip-afghanistan-allred-and-members-veterans-committee-seek,"ICYMI: Following Trip to Afghanistan, Allred and Members of Veterans Committee Seek Solution for Veteran Contractors Serving Abroad",2019-12-17,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Colin Allred,A000376,allred.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Last week, Congressman Colin Allred (TX-32) along with House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano released a letter sent to the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of the Department of State, and the Secretary of the Department of Defense describing concerns from veterans serving as contractors with the State Department in Afghanistan. During the Congressional delegation to Afghanistan over the Thanksgiving break, Allred heard concerns from veterans who chose to continue serving our country after their military service by working as contractors employed by the Department of State. Because they are abroad, these veterans are unable to attend VA disability exams within the United States and are often unable to access benefits. As a country, we made a promise to honor our veterans' sacrifices by ensuring they have access to benefits and care following their service, said Allred. I was honored to be able to travel abroad to visit our servicemembers and veterans serving overseas and hear their stories. I hope we can work together to eliminate this barrier to receiving their benefits. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House Veterans' Affairs Committee to fulfill our promise and ensure veterans can easily access the benefits they have earned. The letter was also signed by Reps. Conor Lamb (PA-17), Lauren Underwood (IL-14) and Haley Stevens (MI-11). Read the letter below: Dear Secretary Esper, Secretary Pompeo, and Secretary Wilkie: We recently visited the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan during our Thanksgiving congressional delegation overseas. There, we hosted a roundtable where we heard from veterans currently working as contractors through the U.S. State Department. They described the difficulty they experienced navigating the VA disability claims process while abroad. As government contractors stationed outside the U.S., these veterans are unable to attend a stateside VA disability examination, leading to delays and denials of benefits. Through no fault of their own, these veterans are often unable to access benefits. We believe VA's contract disability examination program could provide a solution to this problem. Presently, VA utilizes contractors to conduct disability examinations for veterans living both within the U.S. and overseas. Though the framework to perform overseas examinations already exists, veterans working as government contractors in areas of military conflict are excluded from those resources. Because a contract disability examination program already exists in various locations abroad, we believe this program could eliminate geographical barriers to benefits for these veterans. We are eager to reach a prompt resolution to this issue. Please advise as to the feasibility of extending VA's contract disability examination program to government contractors stationed in areas of ongoing armed conflict before February 1. We look forward to your response and partnering with you to resolve this issue. Download a copy of the letter here: 2019.12.10 Letter to SECDEF, SECSTATE, and SECVA from CODEL.pdf",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://doggett.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-no-vote-today-s-bill-including-funding-trump-wall-few,"Statement on No Vote for Todays Bill Including Funding for Trump Wall, Few Restrictions on Anti-Immigrant Agenda",2019-12-17,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,,,legacy,"***Press Release*** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 17, 2019 Contact: Kate Stotesbery 202-225-4865 Statement on No Vote for Today's Bill Including Funding for Trump Wall, Few Restrictions on Anti-Immigrant Agenda Washington, D.C. Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, released the following statement about his no vote on the Fiscal Year 2020 Homeland Security Minibus: Not another dime for Trump's wretched wall, no blank check for his anti-immigrant agenda. This bill hands over more taxpayer dollars for Trump's wall and lacks effective restraints on a lawless President who has trampled on the borders of our Constitution. Call it a wall' or a fence,' build it with steel, not concrete, but it is still a colossal waste of taxpayers' money for an imaginary crisis in conflict with fundamental American values. Trump will again be able to seize funds meant for constructive purposes to build his destructive walland to punish the most vulnerable through his anti-immigrant, un-American agenda. ### Follow Congressman Doggett Facebook:https://www.Facebook.com/RepLloydDoggett | Twitter: @RepLloydDoggett| Instagram: @RepLloydDoggett",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://doggett.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-no-vote-today-s-domestic-appropriations-bill,Statement on No Vote for Todays Domestic Appropriations Bill,2019-12-17,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,,,legacy,"***Press Release*** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 17, 2019 Contact: Kate Stotesbery 202-225-4865 Statement on No Vote for Today's Domestic Appropriations Bill Washington, D.C. Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, released the following statement about his no vote on today's domestic appropriations bill: At the last minute, $427billion in unpaid-for tax breaks were added to this bill, which was supposed to fund vital health needs. This measure not only weakens the financial underpinnings of the Affordable Care Act, but it includes provisions solely benefitting special interests such as insurance, coal, race horses, and racetracks.With Trump running deficits of $1 trillion annually, we can ill afford to make our fiscal situation even less healthy.While the insurance and medical device industries received permanent benefits, community health centers were extended for a mere five months. Instead of focusing on the working families left out of the Republican tax law, this bill lavishes more tax breaks on some of the same companies that had already reaped so much of the benefit. Nothing was included to protect patients from being burdened by surprise medical bills, an issue on which I first offered legislation in 2015.Nothing was included to protect seniors from a big spike in their out-of-pocket medication costs when the cap for catastrophic Medicare drug coverage increases by 25% in January.And instead of lowering prescription drug prices, this bill allows Big Pharma to extend their monopolies on hundreds of additional medications by redefining them as biologics. ### Follow Congressman Doggett Facebook:https://www.Facebook.com/RepLloydDoggett | Twitter: @RepLloydDoggett| Instagram: @RepLloydDoggett",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases/statement-no-vote-todays-bill-including-funding-trump-wall-few-restrictions,"Statement on “No” Vote for Today’s Bill Including Funding for Trump Wall, Few Restrictions on Anti-Immigrant Agenda",2019-12-17,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,doggett,https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, released the following statement about his ""no"" vote on the Fiscal Year 2020 Homeland Security Minibus: ""Not another dime for Trump's wretched wall, no blank check for his anti-immigrant agenda. This bill hands over more taxpayer dollars for Trump's wall and lacks effective restraints on a lawless President who has trampled on the borders of our Constitution. Call it a ‘wall' or a ‘fence,' build it with steel, not concrete, but it is still a colossal waste of taxpayers' money for an imaginary crisis in conflict with fundamental American values. Trump will again be able to seize funds meant for constructive purposes to build his destructive wall—and to punish the most vulnerable through his anti-immigrant, un-American agenda."" Follow Congressman Doggett",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T23:45:33Z https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases/statement-no-vote-todays-domestic-appropriations-bill,Statement on “No” Vote for Today’s Domestic Appropriations Bill,2019-12-17,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,doggett,https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, released the following statement about his ""no"" vote on today's domestic appropriations bill: ""At the last minute, $427 billion in unpaid-for tax breaks were added to this bill, which was supposed to fund vital health needs. This measure not only weakens the financial underpinnings of the Affordable Care Act, but it includes provisions solely benefitting special interests such as insurance, coal, race horses, and racetracks. With Trump running deficits of $1 trillion annually, we can ill afford to make our fiscal situation even less healthy. While the insurance and medical device industries received permanent benefits, community health centers were extended for a mere five months. Instead of focusing on the working families left out of the Republican tax law, this bill lavishes more tax breaks on some of the same companies that had already reaped so much of the benefit. Nothing was included to protect patients from being burdened by surprise medical bills, an issue on which I first offered legislation in 2015. Nothing was included to protect seniors from a big spike in their out-of-pocket medication costs when the cap for catastrophic Medicare drug coverage increases by 25% in January. And instead of lowering prescription drug prices, this bill allows Big Pharma to extend their monopolies on hundreds of additional medications by redefining them as biologics."" Follow Congressman Doggett",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T23:45:33Z https://escobar.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-veronica-escobar-statement-national-security-appropriations-bill,Congresswoman Veronica Escobar Statement on National Security Appropriations Bill Vote,2019-12-17,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) issued the following statement on her vote against the national security appropriations minibus, H.R. 1158, which included funding for the Department of Homeland Security: No legislation is perfect and despite the fact that this legislation includes many priorities that I have advocated for on behalf of my community, it provides funding for abhorrent practices. I can't support legislation that legitimizes the unlawful and inhumane Remain in Mexico policy and gives President Trump a blank check. Many of the administration's policies reflect an un-American immigration agenda and practices that many of us believe are also unlawful. My vote was not a rejection of the work of Democratic appropriators but a rejection of the callousness and disregard of human dignity coming from the White House and Republican-controlled Senate. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=168,Congresswoman Veronica Escobar Statement on National Security Appropriations Bill Vote,2019-12-17,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congresswoman Veronica Escobar Statement on National Security Appropriations Bill Vote Washington, DC, December 17, 2019 No legislation is perfect and despite the fact that this legislation includes many priorities that I have advocated for on behalf of my community, it provides funding for abhorrent practices. Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) issued the following statement on her vote against the national security appropriations minibus, H.R. 1158, which included funding for the Department of Homeland Security: No legislation is perfect and despite the fact that this legislation includes many priorities that I have advocated for on behalf of my community, it provides funding for abhorrent practices. I can't support legislation that legitimizes the unlawful and inhumane Remain in Mexico policy and gives President Trump a blank check. Many of the administration's policies reflect an un-American immigration agenda and practices that many of us believe are also unlawful. My vote was not a rejection of the work of Democratic appropriators but a rejection of the callousness and disregard of human dignity coming from the White House and Republican-controlled Senate. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2277,Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Passes First Original Bill: HELP Act to Expedite Recovery Process After Disasters,2019-12-17,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lizzie Fletcher,F000468,fletcher.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, DC) Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) secured passage of H.R. 2548, theHazard Eligibility and Local Projects (HELP) Act,through the House of Representatives, the first original bill she filed in Congress, with bipartisan support, 409 to 7. With bipartisan support from original co-sponsors Representatives Pete Olson (TX-22), G.K. Butterfield (NC-01), and Mark Meadows (NC-11), Congresswoman Fletcher drafted theHELP Actto help municipalities and local agencies expedite certain disaster mitigation projects by removing unnecessary delays and streamlining the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) hazard mitigation grant program. The bill now moves to the United States Senate. I am proud of theHELP Actand all it representsbipartisan, common-sense, meaningful legislation born out of a partnership with my district that will benefit all Americans, saidCongresswoman Fletcher. By allowing certain disaster mitigation and recovery projects to begin more quickly without jeopardizing potential federal funding, theHELP Actprovides a straightforward solution to a real problem that will have a meaningful impact at home and across the country. I thank my colleagues for joining with me to make this improvement to the disaster recovery process, and I look forward to our next collaboration. In the aftermath of natural disasters like Hurricane Harvey, government should not be an obstruction to recovery, saidCongressman Olson. No one should be forced to delay recovery under unsafe conditions due to bureaucratic red tape. TheHELP Acteliminates needless federal regulations so that homes, businesses and infrastructure impacted by devastation are put on the fast track to recovery. I'm thrilled that the House passed our bipartisan bill today. I urge the Senate to act quickly as well. Recovery from disasters can be a long and painful processsomething North Carolina unfortunately knows all too well. Congress has a responsibility to help state and local governments in North Carolina and across the country offer recovery assistance to their communities as quickly as possible and to prepare them to withstand the next disaster, saidCongressman Butterfield. H.R. 2548 makes common-sense changes to mitigation assistance provided by the federal government to streamline the process and get help to communities in need quicker. I'm proud to be an original cosponsor of H.R. 2548 and happy to see it pass the House of Representatives today. I encourage my Senate colleagues to take up the bill quickly and send it to the President's desk to be signed into law. FEMA's policy of potentially disqualifying grant applicants because they move forward with recovery projects isn't what our constituents expect, especially in response to a disaster, said City of Houston Chief Recovery OfficerSteve Costello. Working together at all levels of government, need to cut delays in project delivery. This is one small fix that will bring lasting change to our region. The Harris County Flood Control District greatly appreciates Congresswoman Fletcher's efforts to shorten the time that flood victims must wait for relief. Her bill, theHazard Eligibility and Local Projects Act, H.R. 2548, will shorten the time we must wait for final approval to begin work using FEMA funds, said Harris County Flood Control District Executive DirectorRuss Poppe. This is exactly the type of improvement we need to help us recover more quickly and make our community more resilient before the next storm comes through. TheHELP Actwill allow certain eligible disaster mitigation projects to begin without the risk of losing potential federal funds. It represents a change to the current law's one-size-fits-all approach to reviewing projects that frequently delays mitigation work. The bill was co-sponsored by Representatives Colin Allred (TX-32), Dan Crenshaw (TX-02), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), John Garamendi (CA-03), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon (PR-At Large), Al Green (TX-09), Denny Heck (WA-10), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30), Tom Malinowski (NJ-07), Michael McCaul (TX-10), Harley Rouda (CA-48), and Filemon Vela (TX-34). You can watch the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee mark-up of theHELP Acthere. You can watch the Congresswoman's floor speech on the billhere. You can watch Congressman Mark Meadows' floor speech on the billhere.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://veasey.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-marc-veasey-tx-33-joins-colleagues-to-pass-bipartisan,Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33) Joins Colleagues to Pass Bipartisan Spending Package to Fund Government,2019-12-17,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Marc A. Veasey,V000131,veasey.house.gov,veasey,https://veasey.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33) of the Energy & Commerce and the Small Business Committees released the statement following today after he joined his colleagues to pass a bipartisan spending package: ""I am proud to join a group of my colleagues across both sides of the aisle to pass two critical funding bills that will lay the groundwork to avert another shameful government shutdown that would leave millions of government employees without work or a paycheck during the holidays like last year's shutdown. These spending bills will help us continue our promise to work for the American people by ensuring critical investments are made to do everything from securing our elections and strengthening access to health care to investing in the safety of our communities by funding research to quell the nation's gun violence epidemic. Additionally, these spending packages will make strong investments in our national security that will help our nation defend itself against evolving threats and bolster defense sector jobs that will benefit North Texans and others by funding the expansion of F-35 fighter jets that will promote our military readiness. Today's secured funding is a bipartisan victory for my home state of Texas and the American people—and I urge the Senate and President to pass these measures to keep our government open and ensure that no one goes without a paycheck over the holidays.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T23:45:33Z http://cuellar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=404921,Rep. Cuellar Protects South Texas Landmarks from Border Fencing in Final Spending Bill,2019-12-16,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Henry Cuellar,C001063,cuellar.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Cuellar Protects South Texas Landmarks from Border Fencing in Final Spending Bill Congressman prevents border construction within historic cemeteries Washington, D.C.Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Vice Chair of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, secured language in the final spending bill prohibiting the Department of Homeland Security from using funds to construct fencing within cultural and historical landmarks, including the Eli Jackson Cemetery in San Juan, Texas. We cannot allow the Administration's border wall to destroy any cultural and historical landmarks in South Texas or upend lives of constituents in my district,said Congressman Cuellar. For this reason, I worked hard to include this language because I know that these landmarks are integral to the identity of our community. I also know that there are more effective ways to meet our security goals, including utilizing advanced technology, increasing personnel and giving personnel the proper resources on the border. As the Vice Chair of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, I will continue to fight for our community, our land, and our rights from this wasteful, ineffective border wall. I would like to thank Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey and Ranking Member Ray Granger, as well as Homeland Security Subcommittee Chairwoman Lucille Roybal-Allard and Ranking Member Chuck Fleischmann for helping me include this language. Congressman Cuellar's language in the final FY20 Homeland Security Appropriations bill prohibits the use of funds to construct fencing in the following locations: Within the Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge; Within the Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park; Within La Lomita Historical Park; Within the National Butterfly Center; Within or east of the Vista del Mar Ranch tract of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge; or Within historic cemeteries. See the bill language here. Clickhereto see Congressman Cuellar's legislation to stop border wall construction. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://escobar.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-escobar-welcomes-us-army-futures-commanding-general-john-m-murray,Congresswoman Escobar Welcomes U.S. Army Futures Commanding General John M. Murray to El Paso,2019-12-16,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,,,legacy,"(El Paso, TX) Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar welcomed General John M. Murray, Commanding General of U.S. Army Futures Command, to El Paso. The purpose of the visit was to explore potential partnerships between the U.S. Army Futures Command and the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). During the visit, UTEP President Heather Wilson led a tour of the College of Engineering where college leaders and faculty discussed with Congresswoman Escobar and General Murray the advanced manufacturing capabilities of the W.M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation and UTEP's innovative work on artificial intelligence, quantum computing, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), and cybersecurity. Technology and science paired with a talented and diverse workforce holds immense promise for the military and our national security and no one knows this better than UTEP's College of Engineering, said Congresswoman Escobar. I am grateful to General Murray for accepting my invitation and to President Wilson for her leadership. UTEP's success is El Paso's success, and I look forward to continue working together for the success of our military and our region. Army Futures Command is focused on modernizing our Army to ensure our Soldiers have what they need in the future and in the future after that'. To get that right, and to stay ahead, we're drawing on the very best cutting-edge science and technology, said General Murray. Our leading research universities around the nation are part of our overall effort. Today is a great opportunity to explore the great work UTEP is doing and how that research might be able to help the Army solve problems. We're grateful to Representative Escobar, and President Wilson, for making this visit possible. UTEP has done exceptional research work for the Army for many years, said UTEP President Wilson. Today we explored how we might increase the research we do for the Army on some of their toughest and most important problems. Congresswoman Escobar's commitment and work for a strong, innovative military was reflected in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (NDAA) a bill that includes key priorities for El Paso and Fort Bliss, and supports and authorizes new funding for additive manufacturing programming and requires reporting to Congress on the contributions that technologies, like the ones researched and used daily at UTEP's W.M. Keck Center, can make when employed directly in theatres of combat. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=235,Congresswoman Escobar Welcomes U.S. Army Futures Commanding General John M. Murray to El Paso,2019-12-16,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar welcomed General John M. Murray, Commanding General of U.S. Army Futures Command, to El Paso. The purpose of the visit was to explore potential partnerships between the U.S. Army Futures Command and the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). During the visit, UTEP President Heather Wilson led a tour of the College of Engineering where college leaders and faculty discussed with Congresswoman Escobar and General Murray the advanced manufacturing capabilities of the W.M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation and UTEP's innovative work on artificial intelligence, quantum computing, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), and cybersecurity. Technology and science paired with a talented and diverse workforce holds immense promise for the military and our national security and no one knows this better than UTEP's College of Engineering, said Congresswoman Escobar. I am grateful to General Murray for accepting my invitation and to President Wilson for her leadership. UTEP's success is El Paso's success, and I look forward to continue working together for the success of our military and our region. Army Futures Command is focused on modernizing our Army to ensure our Soldiers have what they need in the future and in the future after that'. To get that right, and to stay ahead, we're drawing on the very best cutting-edge science and technology, said General Murray. Our leading research universities around the nation are part of our overall effort. Today is a great opportunity to explore the great work UTEP is doing and how that research might be able to help the Army solve problems. We're grateful to Representative Escobar, and President Wilson, for making this visit possible. UTEP has done exceptional research work for the Army for many years, said UTEP President Wilson. Today we explored how we might increase the research we do for the Army on some of their toughest and most important problems. Congresswoman Escobar's commitment and work for a strong, innovative military was reflected in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (NDAA) a bill that includes key priorities for El Paso and Fort Bliss, and supports and authorizes new funding for additive manufacturing programming and requires reporting to Congress on the contributions that technologies, like the ones researched and used daily at UTEP's W.M. Keck Center, can make when employed directly in theatres of combat.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-gonzalez-announces-488324-grant-award-mcallen-veterans-nursing,"Congressman Gonzalez Announces $488,324 Grant Award for McAllen Veterans Nursing Homes",2019-12-16,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Vicente Gonzalez,G000581,gonzalez.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced a $488,324 award for the McAllen Veterans Nursing Homes to purchase new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC)units. The federal funding for McAllen Veterans Nursing Homes comes as part of a Texas Veterans Land Board (VLB) 2019 VA Grant Funding request, where the VLB has been awarded $1,193,215 for HVAC replacements in Amarillo, El Paso and McAllen, Texas. Regardless of age or injury, our veterans who have served our country should be taken care of, said Congressman Gonzalez. I am grateful McAllen Veterans Nursing Homes will receive this funding which is necessary to provide state-of-the-art and energy efficient heating and cooling for residents and employees of the McAllen Veterans Nursing Homes. The welfare of our veterans and those who care for them will always be one of my highest priorities. Texas Veterans Land Board offers long-term care for qualified veterans, their spouses and Gold Star Parents. Texas State Veterans Homes are owned by the state of Texas and are regulated by both the Texas Health and Human Services Commission as well as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Texas State Veterans Homes serve a unique demographic, and provide all employees with specialized training to help them understand the military experience as well as post-traumatic stress. For more information on Texas State Veterans Homes, clickhere. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-gonzalez-announces-500000-disaster-assistance-grant-texas-riogrande,"Congressman Gonzalez Announces $500,000 Disaster-Assistance Grant for Texas RioGrande Legal Aid",2019-12-16,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Vicente Gonzalez,G000581,gonzalez.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced that Texas RioGrande Legal Aid has been selected to receive a $500,000 disaster-assistance grant.This federal grant was appropriated by Congress in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Disaster Supplemental Relief Act. We cannot control natural disasters, but we can put laws in place to help those affected by them, said Congressman Gonzalez. With this grant, it is my hope that as many disaster survivors as possible receive the legal resources they need.I will continue advocating forthe crucial resources American families need after being affected by natural disasters. Texas RioGrande Legal Aid will use this grant to provide direct legal assistance to disaster survivors, work with partner and community organizations and local agencies to provide information at meetings and through media outlets, recruit and train pro bono attorneys, and meet with relevant local and state officials to educate them about the drainage infrastructure program that exacerbates the flooding caused from the storms. Congress appropriated $15 million to Legal Services Corporation (LSC) in the FY 2019 Disaster Supplemental Relief Act. There were nearly 16,000 damaged homes in the affected area and more than 260,000 people are eligible for LSC-funded services. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-sylvia-garcia-announces-el-centro-del-corazon-received-167000-grant,"Rep. Sylvia Garcia Announces El Centro del Corazon Received a $167,000 Grant from the Department of Health and Human Services",2019-12-16,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Sylvia R. Garcia,G000587,sylviagarcia.house.gov,sylviagarcia,https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC — Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) announces the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service has awarded $167,000 to el Centro del Corazon towards the end of 2019. This grant money will support el Centro del Corazon with delivering quality healthcare to the medically underserved and uninsured in the Houston area, which includes services and programs such as diabetes self-management, children wellness, and comprehensive prenatal and postnatal care. El Centro del Corazon also provides ancillary services to help connect patients and their families with the resources they need for their health and well-being. Statement from Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia:",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T23:45:33Z https://vela.house.gov/media-center/congressional-updates/special-message-congressman-filemon-vela-9,A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM CONGRESSMAN FILEMON VELA,2019-12-16,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Filemon Vela,V000132,vela.house.gov,,,legacy,307 Cannon House Office Building,1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://cuellar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=404922,Rep. Cuellar Secures Over $500 Million in Signature USMCA Environmental Safeguards,2019-12-13,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Henry Cuellar,C001063,cuellar.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) secured key environmental provisions in theUnited States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), including $250 million for the North American Development Bank (NADB) over four years. This will double the capital reauthorization for the NADB, and be used to finance environmental infrastructure projects on the U.S.-Mexico border. A new authorization of $215 million to fund this capital increase will be included in this year's appropriations bill, in addition to the $10 million previously funded, to provide immediate assistance to local communities along the border. Additionally, the Congressman also helped secured a new authorization of $300 million, in equal installments of $75 million over four years, to fund Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grants under the Border Water Infrastructure Program (BWIP) to address sewage pollution in the USMCA. Programs like NADB have been critical to preserving, protecting and improving the environment and the quality of life for the U.S.-Mexico border region, said Congressman Cuellar. For this reason, I worked hard to secure additional funding for these programs so they can continue to expand their ability to improve the environment for border families. I am committed to creating cleaner and healthier communities at the U.S.-Mexico border. I want to thank Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal for their leadership in adding these environmental provisions in the USMCA. U.S.-Mexico Border Water Infrastructure Program As a Member of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, Congressman Cuellar has worked to improve environmental quality at our southern border through providing ample funding to the U.S.-Mexico Border Water Infrastructure Program (BWIP), managed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This year, the Congressman helped secured $30 million for BWIP, doubling the amount provided the previous year. This comes after the Congressman has maintained the program for several years, as Republican lawmakers attempted to defund it. The U.S.-Mexico Border Water Infrastructure Program provides funding for the region 100 kilometers (62 miles) north and 100 kilometers south of the U.S.-Mexico border. This will finance drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects along the US-Mexico border to reduce the flow of transnational pollution into the U.S. This increase will be in addition to the $300 million included in the USMCA, which the Congressman helped to secure for the same purpose. North American Development Bank The United States and Mexico face serious transborder environmental problems, including air and water pollution and disposal of hazardous wastes. The Rio Grande and Tijuana Rivers are especially environmentally hazardous. NADB provides financial support for the development and implementation of infrastructure projects to help preserve, protect, and enhance the environment at the borders. Since its creation in 1994, NADB has financed $3.13 billion in 259 projects through loans and grants. The 259 projects represent $9.8 billion in total investment. Over the last 5 years, 42 water and wastewater projects and 16 clean and renewable energy projects have been completed. Out of the 67 projects with an outstanding loan from NADB, 30 involved private sector financing. Of the 30 privately financed projects, 28 involved clean and renewable energy. Congressman Cuellar is working with Senator John Cornyn in a bipartisan manner to secure this historic win for NADB. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://allred.house.gov/media/press-releases/allred-statement-articles-impeachment,Allred Statement on Articles of Impeachment,2019-12-13,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Colin Allred,A000376,allred.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Congressman Colin Allred (TX-32), today released the following statement after the House Judiciary Committee voted to move forward on Articles of Impeachment: I swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution and I thought it was important that the American people see and hear the testimony in a public setting at the hearings by the House Intelligence and Judiciary Committees. After reviewing the evidence and testimony delivered to Congress, I have determined that the articles of impeachment are appropriate. Next week I intend to vote yes, as it is clear the President engaged in an abuse of his authority, putting himself above the law, and his personal interests above the nation's. After reviewing weeks of testimony from dedicated, non-partisan public servants, Trump Administration officials, the Administration's own call summary and the whistleblower's report; it is clear that the President attempted to bribe the leader of a foreign nation to smear a political rival and to undermine our next election. These uncontroverted facts are an unacceptable violation of his oath of office and constitute an impeachable abuse of power. This is a somber moment for our nation, and I have not reached this decision lightly. Throughout this process, I was guided by the Constitution and the values I learned growing up in North Texas. This is not about partisan politics, it is about protecting our democracy and fulfilling my role as a member of a co-equal branch of government tasked with upholding the rule of law. I will not allow this process to distract me from the important work of delivering real results for North Texas families. Just this week we forged an agreement with the President on trade with Mexico and Canada, helping to secure tens of thousands of jobs in North Texas. We passed a sweeping bill that will significantly lower prescription drug costs, in many cases by as much as 50 percent. That important work continues. I will keep fighting every day for priorities important to North Texas and defending the North Texas values we all share. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/castro-named-chairman-house-foreign-affairs-subcommittee-oversight-and,Castro Named Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations,2019-12-13,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquín Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTONCongressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, today was elected Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations for the 116th Congress. He will continue in his role as Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and continue serving on the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security and Trade. Chairman Castro released the following statement on his election: I am honored to be elected as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. The United States has a responsibility to lead by example and pursue a foreign policy that represents who we are and who we want to be as a nation. Our efforts in this subcommittee continue that bipartisan commitment, as we work to strengthen our national security, support our allies, build new partnerships, and work multilaterally to confront both challenges and opportunities with renewed vigor. This subcommittee has a mandate to conduct oversight into our government and on our nation's foreign policy. My goal as Chairman is to advance and promote our diplomacy, ensure our diplomats have the resources they need to advance American interests, and investigate any abuses swiftly and deliberately. Congressional oversight is a crucial element of any effective foreign policy. Under this Administration, our national security and foreign policy have been coopted for political and personal purposes, and efforts to shed light on these questionable practices have been stonewalled. As a co-equal branch of government with a duty to the American people, we will hold those committing wrongdoing to account. Now more than ever, we need stable, consistent leadership to advance U.S. interests around the globe. I look forward to continuing in my role as Vice Chairman of the Committee, and assuming my new role as Chair of this Subcommittee, alongside the leadership of Chairman Engel and all of my colleagues. Chairman Engel said: Mr. Castro has done a great job as the Committee's Vice Chairman and I'm grateful that he's taking on even more responsibility as chair of our Oversight Subcommittee. At a time when the Administration has attempted to sideline American diplomacy and has stonewalled legitimate investigations, it's important that we continue to have strong leadership on this key subcommittee. I look forward to Chairman Castro getting to work. Background:Today, Chairman Castro was appointed as Chairman to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. In January of this year, he was elected Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and appointed to the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security and Trade under Chairman Albio Sires (NJ-08), and the Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, Energy and the Environment under Chairman William Keating (MA-09). Chairman Castro has served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee since coming to Congress in 2013. He is also the founding co-chair of the ASEAN and the U.S. -Japan Caucuses. He also has a podcast devoted to foreign policy and national security challenges called TheDiplomatic Cablewhich can be found oniTunes,Spotify, andGoogle Play. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://escobar.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-veronica-escobar-votes-approve-articles-impeachment-against,Congresswoman Veronica Escobar Votes to Approve Articles of Impeachment Against President Trump,2019-12-13,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), member of the House Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement on the Committee's vote to send H.Res. 755, Articles of Impeachment Against President Donald J. Trump, to the full House of Representatives: Today, with a heavy heart but relentless in my obligation to uphold my oath of office, I stood with fellow patriots to defend our Constitution against President Trump's abuse of power and unprecedented obstruction of Congress. The evidence is uncontested. The President placed his private, political interests above our national security, above our free and fair elections, and above Congress' ability to hold public officials accountable. This dangerous behavior exposed that our democracy is more fragile than we understood, and Congress has a unique obligation to protect it for El Pasoans and all Americans. That is why we are taking action. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=196,Congresswoman Veronica Escobar Votes to Approve Articles of Impeachment Against President Trump,2019-12-13,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congresswoman Veronica Escobar Votes to Approve Articles of Impeachment Against President Trump Washington, DC, December 13, 2019 Today, with a heavy heart but relentless in my obligation to uphold my oath of office, I stood with fellow patriots to defend our Constitution against President Trump's abuse of power and unprecedented obstruction of Congress. Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), member of the House Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement on the Committee's vote to send H.Res. 755, Articles of Impeachment Against President Donald J. Trump, to the full House of Representatives: Today, with a heavy heart but relentless in my obligation to uphold my oath of office, I stood with fellow patriots to defend our Constitution against President Trump's abuse of power and unprecedented obstruction of Congress. The evidence is uncontested. The President placed his private, political interests above our national security, above our free and fair elections, and above Congress' ability to hold public officials accountable. This dangerous behavior exposed that our democracy is more fragile than we understood, and Congress has a unique obligation to protect it for El Pasoans and all Americans. That is why we are taking action. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2275,Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Statement on Articles of Impeachment,2019-12-13,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lizzie Fletcher,F000468,fletcher.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Houston, TX) Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) shared the following message with her constituentsconveying her thoughtson the articles of impeachment, an excerpt of which follows: Few questions can be more important to our democracy than the question of whether the President of the United States has broken his solemn vowmade to all of usto faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States and to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. In my lifetime, this question of whether to impeach a President has been put to the House of Representatives only one time before. And in the life of our country, only three times. It is the responsibility of Congress to investigate the President's conduct with the seriousness and fairness it requires. I believe that the House of Representatives has done so. And in evaluating the questions now before me, I have done the same, examining the evidence and the Constitution. The facts leading to this moment are not in dispute. The President has provided a call summary memorializing his communications with the President of Ukraine. Those communications and other evidence presented to Congress show that he used the power of the Office of the President to solicit a personal, political benefit. It is also undisputed that, once the Congress began its investigation into this conduct, the President not only refused to participate, he prohibited others from doing so, withholding documents and information important to the inquiry. Our Constitution grants powers and imposes responsibilities to three co-equal branches of governmenta system of checks and balances. Our founders fashioned the exclusive power of impeachment so that Congress can act when a President abuses the powers of the office and the trust that we, the people, place in it. It is central to our very foundations that no individual, including and especially the President, is above the law. As a member of Congress, I also swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. And that is why, when the articles of impeachment are presented in the House, I will vote yes on both. I do so knowing that you have placed your trust in me to represent you. I am grateful for and honored by that privilege. I also do so knowing that not all who live in our district answer these questions in the same way. I respect the views of all who have shared their thoughts with me. We are at a serious and somber moment in our country's history. Many have expressed uncertainty about our path forward, but we have a guide. It is our Constitution. I have faith in our Constitution, in our country, and in our community. And it is my view, voting yes is consistent with that faithfaith in an America of, by, and for the people.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-sylvia-garcia-announces-bakerripley-received-more-108-million-grant-money,Rep. Sylvia Garcia Announces BakerRipley Received more than $10.8 Million in Grant Money from the Department of Health and Human Services,2019-12-13,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Sylvia R. Garcia,G000587,sylviagarcia.house.gov,sylviagarcia,https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC — Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) announces the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded BakerRipley more than $10.8 million in grant money for its Head Start and Early Head Start programs in the Texas 29th Congressional District. BakerRipley is a community organization in Houston, TX that's committed to improving access to education, adequate wages, and decent living conditions for all Houstonians. It serves more than 500,000 children, youth, adults, and seniors each year at 60 different services sites, including its flagship community centers, Head Start preschools, and senior centers. Statement from Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia: ""BakerRipley is an important community partner committed to the socioeconomic advancement of children and seniors across the district. I have collaborated with BakerRipley for years and I am pleased that it received this critical money in support of its Head Start and Early Hard Start programs,"" said Congresswoman Garcia. ""I want to offer my sincerest congratulations to BakerRipley, and I cannot wait to see how they will continue to serve all of our children across Houston."" ### Congresswoman Sylvia R. Garcia was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2018, becoming the first Latina ever to represent Texas 29th Congressional district.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T23:45:33Z http://cuellar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=404923,Rep. Cuellar Works to Improve Access to Healthcare Services in Rural Communities,2019-12-12,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Henry Cuellar,C001063,cuellar.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Cuellar Works to Improve Access to Healthcare Services in Rural Communities Congressman Co-Sponsors Amendment in the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019 Washington | Charlotte Laracy, DC Press Secretary (202-226-1583); Leslie Martinez, District Press Secretary (956-286-6007), December 12, 2019 Washington, D.C.Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) is working to improve access to healthcare services in rural communities by co-sponsoring an amendment that will create a grant opportunity to establish Graduate Medical Education programs for rural hospitals in medically underserved areas, including Critical Access Hospitals. Today, this amendment was passed in the U.S. House of Representatives along with H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019. To maintain healthy rural communities, it is critical that we have a strong rural health workforce. However, rural hospitals too often do not have the resources to train medical professionals in the types of unique medical care rural communities require, Congressman Cuellar said. This grant program will help rural hospitals improve their infrastructure and training opportunities, which will help them with recruiting and retaining their healthcare workforce. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I am committed to funding programs that create high-quality healthcare in rural and underserved areas. I want to thank Congressman Tom O'Halleran for his dedication to this issue. This amendment authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to hospitals in order to establish a medical residency training program or affiliate with an approved hospital to host residents.It would also provide grants to Critical Access Hospitals seeking to partner with an approved hospital. Specifically, it would provide support for start-up costs, including for infrastructure, administrative fees, equipment, and supplies. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://cuellar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=404924,"Rep. Cuellar Fights to Lower Prescription Drug Costs, Expand Medicare",2019-12-12,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Henry Cuellar,C001063,cuellar.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) fights to lower prescription drug costs and expand Medicare by voting for H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019. This legislation will provide expansions of Medicare's benefits to include dental, vision and hearing for the first time in the history of the program. Furthermore, H.R. 3 also includes critical funding to assist innovation in the search for new cures and treatments, as well as funding to combat the opioid crisis. Many Americans work too hard not have access to affordable prescription drugs, Congressman Cuellar said. This legislation will lower the price of life saving medication for those who need it as well as expand Medicare benefits, ensuring those who need treatment, get treatment. We will expand access to care and lower drug prices for the American people while saving nearly $500 billion over the next ten years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. I am committed to helping Americans afford their prescription drugs and get the healthcare they need to be healthy. I would like to thank Speaker Pelosi, Chairman of the Energy & Commerce Committee Frank Pallone, and Chairman of the Ways & Means Committee Richie Neal for their work in crafting this vital legislation. H.R. 3, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act,includes: Gives Medicare the power to negotiate directly with the drug companies, and creates powerful new tools to force drug companies to the table to agree to real price reductions, while ensuring seniors never lose access to the prescriptions they need. Makes the lower drug prices negotiated byMedicare available to Americanswith private insurance, not just Medicare beneficiaries. Limits the maximum price for any negotiated drug to be in line with the average price in countries like ours, where drug companies charge less for the same drugs. Creates a new, $2,000 out-of-pocket limit on prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries, and reverses years of price hikes above inflation across thousands of drugs in Medicare. Reinvests in innovation and the search for new cures and treatments at the National Institute of Health. In TX-28, there are 73,519 people enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan and 361,305 people enrolled in private health insuranceall of whom stand to benefit from the passage of H.R. 3. To read Key Drug Pricing Facts for TX-28, click here. To read the Health Benefits of the Medicare, Dental, Vision, and Hearing Bills for TX-28, click here. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://allred.house.gov/media/press-releases/allred-attends-bipartisan-panel-white-house-child-care-summit,Allred Attends Bipartisan Panel at White House Child Care Summit,2019-12-12,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Colin Allred,A000376,allred.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. -- Congressman Colin Allred (TX-32) today attended a White House Summit on Child Care. He spoke at a bipartisan panel on parental leave where he highlighted his work on the bipartisan bill, the Advancing Support for Working Families Act, a building block for paid leave policies that would allow families the option to advance up to $5,000 of their child tax credit in the first year of a child's life or the first year a family adopts a child. I was raised by a single mom, and have a young child of my own, so I know first-hand how expensive a new baby can be and the tough choices families have to make. I am encouraged by the conversation today, and I remain committed to working with Republicans and Democrats to deliver financial help to new parents at a time when they need it most, said Allred. I was glad to join this important discussion about how we can work together to provide families with financial resources to help them with the arrival of their new baby. Watch the bipartisan panel with Allred and Reps. Ann Wagner (R-MO), Jackie Walorski (R-IN), Joe Cunningham (D-SC) and Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://allred.house.gov/media/press-releases/allred-votes-pass-historic-bill-deliver-lower-prescription-drug-costs-north,Allred Votes to Pass Historic Bill to Deliver Lower Prescription Drug Costs for North Texans,2019-12-12,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Colin Allred,A000376,allred.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Congressman Colin Allred (TX-32) voted today to pass the Lower Drug Costs Now Act, H.R. 3. Allred cosponsored the sweeping package earlier this year and has been calling for passage of the bill which will use powerful new tools to lower the cost of prescription drugs for all Americans. The bill passed today with bipartisan support. I made a promise to North Texans that I would fight every day to lower the cost of prescription drugs, and with the passage of the Lower Drug Costs Now Act today, the House took a historic step toward delivering real relief to folks struggling under the high cost of prescription drugs, said Allred. I know there is bipartisan agreement to get something done, and I will keep working to ensure we sign something into law that lowers prescription drug prices for North Texans. In October, Allred joined House leadership in calling for passage of the bill. Watch the press conference here and download the video here. Allred also issued a report on how the Lower Drug Costs Now Act will deliver lower prices for a variety of prescription drugs. The Lower Drug Costs Now Act: Ends the ban on Medicare negotiating directly with the drug companies, while ensuring seniors never lose access to the prescriptions they need. Makes the lower drug prices negotiated by Medicare available to all Americans, including those with private insurance, not just Medicare enrollees. Stops drug companies price-gouging Americans while charging other countries less for the same drugs, limiting the maximum price for any negotiated drug to be in line with the average price in countries like ours, where drug companies charge less for the same drugs. Creates a new, $2,000 out-of-pocket limit on prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries. Provides dental, vision, and hearing coverage for Medicare recipients and invests in research at the National Institutes of Health and combating the opioid epidemic. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/castro-statement-house-passage-hr3,Castro Statement on House Passage of H.R.3,2019-12-12,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquín Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTONCongressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and member of the House Intelligence Committee and of the Education and Labor Committees, today released the following statement on the passage of H.R.3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act: Today's passage of H.R. 3 is a necessary and long overdue step forward on lower prescription drug costs and access to critical medicine for all Americans. Working families should never have to decide between lifesaving treatment and paying their bills. I know folks in Texas and throughout the country have been riddled with overwhelming prescription drug costs, often paying outrageous prices for treatments they need to stay alive and resorting to desperate measures when ends don't meet. Affordable healthcare is not a privilege, but a right, and in passing this commonsense legislation, the U.S. House of Representatives has taken an important stepto lift this burden off working families and fulfill our promise to earnestly fight for the dignity and security of all Americans. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to prioritize their commitment to the American people and pass this legislation swiftly and without delay. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://doggett.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/statement-hr-3-passage,Statement on H.R. 3 Passage,2019-12-12,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,,,legacy,"***Press Release*** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 12, 2019 Contact: Kate Stotesbery 202-225-4865 Statement on H.R. 3 Passage Washington, D.C. Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Chairman of the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, released the following statement on the passage of H.R. 3: Today, I joined Democratic colleagues in voting to approve H.R. 3. I did so as a statement about the importance of negotiation as the only effective way to reduce drug prices and in support for applying savings to include dental, hearing, and vision Medicare coverage, as proposed in legislation that I have previously authored. Yesterday, I voted against adopting a Rule that established the procedure for considering H.R. 3, because it denied debate on necessary improvements to cover all patients suffering from prescription price gouging. This legislation does not provide a complete model for the comprehensive negotiation bill that Congress can hopefully approve under the leadership of a new, humane President in 2021. In a stronger, more expansive vision of the change America so desperately needs, no patient should be left out or left alone to suffer or die for lack of medicine. Negotiation should be paired with competition to constrain these government-approved monopolies, which have exploited our most vulnerable neighbors for too long. Even with such leadership, overcoming the powerful lobbying of Big Pharma, so evident again this year, will remain an immense challenge. ### Follow Congressman Doggett Facebook:https://www.Facebook.com/RepLloydDoggett | Twitter: @RepLloydDoggett| Instagram: @RepLloydDoggett",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases/statement-hr-3-passage,Statement on H.R. 3 Passage,2019-12-12,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,doggett,https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Chairman of the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, released the following statement on the passage of H.R. 3: ""Today, I joined Democratic colleagues in voting to approve H.R. 3. I did so as a statement about the importance of negotiation as the only effective way to reduce drug prices and in support for applying savings to include dental, hearing, and vision Medicare coverage, as proposed in legislation that I have previously authored. Yesterday, I voted against adopting a Rule that established the procedure for considering H.R. 3, because it denied debate on necessary improvements to cover all patients suffering from prescription price gouging. This legislation does not provide a complete model for the comprehensive negotiation bill that Congress can hopefully approve under the leadership of a new, humane President in 2021. In a stronger, more expansive vision of the change America so desperately needs, no patient should be left out or left alone to suffer or die for lack of medicine. Negotiation should be paired with competition to constrain these government-approved monopolies, which have exploited our most vulnerable neighbors for too long. Even with such leadership, overcoming the powerful lobbying of Big Pharma, so evident again this year, will remain an immense challenge."" Follow Congressman Doggett",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T23:45:33Z https://ebjohnson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congress-passes-the-national-defense-authorization-act-for-fiscal-year,"Congress Passes the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, with Two Congresswoman Johnson Amendments",2019-12-12,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Eddie Johnson,J000126,ebjohnson.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Yesterday, The House of Representatives passed the conference report to S.1790, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, with two amendments by Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson. S.1790 authorizes the funding for a national defense strategy that is built on Democratic principles and advances American values. The two amendments by Congresswoman Johnson included in S.1790 will: Ensure the installation and maintenance of carbon monoxide detectors in all military family housing units. Ensure that cultural competence and diversity are integrated in the recruitment and retention efforts of mental health providers for members of the Armed Forces. Some key Democratic priorities addressed in the National Defense Authorization Act includes: Twelve weeks of paid parental leave for the birth or adoption of a child for all federal civilian employees. This policy is gender-neutral, does not discriminate against the LGBTQ community, and will change the lives of millions of hardworking government employees. A fix to the widow's tax, a long-sought after reform for families of deceased active duty service members. Provisions to promote a more diverse and inclusive military. Requirements for DOD (Department of Defense) to identify, litigate, and plan for the material impacts of climate change on military installations and infrastructures. The National Defense Authorization Act conference report continues to invest in military readiness, said CongresswomanJohnson. It is my hope that the changes made from last year's version, which include my amendments, will meet the needs of our troops and their families. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://ebjohnson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congresswoman-johnson-votes-to-bring-down-prescription-drug-prices-with,"Congresswoman Johnson Votes to Bring Down Prescription Drug Prices with House Passage of H.R.3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act",2019-12-12,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Eddie Johnson,J000126,ebjohnson.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Today, Rep. Johnson voted to pass H.R.3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, which will help bring down the cost of prescription drugs and level the playing field for American patients who are paying more for their medicines than patients in other countries. This bill also gives Medicare the power to negotiate directly with drug companies. The lower prices that are negotiated by Medicare will be transparent, so that private insurance companies can make the same prices available to their consumers. It also creates a new $2000 out-of-pocket limit on prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries. Constituents in the 30th District are facing skyrocketing prescription drug prices, forcing many to choose between their medications and putting food on the table or meeting other basic needs, said Congresswoman Johnson. That's unacceptable, and it's why I pledged to make this issue one of my top priorities this year. I was proud to vote for H.R.3 today to deliver on that promise. I'm pleased that the bill invests the money it saves into expanding Medicare's benefits to include dental, vision, and hearing; assisting innovation in the search for new cures and treatments; and helping combat the opioid crisis. I urge the Senate to take up and pass H.R.3, and send it to the President's desk for his signature. Over the past decade the price of insulin has increased 197 percent, and Medicare Part D spending on insulin has increased 840 percent. There are 30.3 million Americans living with diabetes, including 2,333,065 people in Texas. Under H.R.3 some commonly used insulins can cost as little as $400 per year. In 2019, an estimated 18,750 women in Texas will be diagnosed with breast cancer. H.R.3 can lower the average total cost of the breast cancer medication Ibrance by 65%. In 2019, an estimated 4,820 people in Texas will be diagnosed with leukemia. H.R.3 can lower the average total cost of the leukemia medication Tasigna by 71%. -continued- In 2019, an estimated 10,660 people in Texas will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. H.R.3 can lower the average total cost of the prostate cancer medication Zytiga by 66%. The 2018 Arthritis Foundation tabulations revealed that 19.8% of Texas residents have arthritis, and H.R.3 can lower their total costs on most arthritis drugs from about $40,000 to $10,000 per year. The 2018 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tabulations showed about 7.3% or 1,543,064 Texas residents live with asthma. H.R.3 can lower their total costs on most asthma drugs from about $1,400 to $270 per year. In 2015, 4,358 Texas residents were diagnosed with HIV, and H.R.3 can lower their total costs on most HIV drugs from about $15,000 to $6,000 per year. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://escobar.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-escobar-statement-house-passage-lower-drug-costs-now-act,Congresswoman Escobar Statement on House Passage of the Lower Drug Costs Now Act,2019-12-12,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) issued the following statement after voting to pass H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, a bold, transformative legislation to strengthen the health and financial security of El Pasoans: For hard-working El Paso families, the rising costs of prescription drugs remains a real crisis that threatens their health and financial security. While Big Pharma continues to reap profits, our seniors and families are forced to pay three, four, or even ten times higher than what they charge for the same drugs in Mexico and other countries. El Pasoans and Americans across the country deserve better, and today, I fulfilled my promise to reduce health care costs by lowering the price of prescription drugs, giving Medicare the power to negotiate directly with drug companies, reinvesting the hundreds of billions of dollars in savings in the most transformational improvement to Medicare since its creation, and making the lower drug prices negotiated by Medicare available to more than 460,000 El Pasoans. I want to acknowledge and thank Speaker Pelosi for her leadership in bringing forward this historic legislation that I was proud to support on behalf of my constituents. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=150,Congresswoman Escobar Statement on House Passage of the Lower Drug Costs Now Act,2019-12-12,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) issued the following statement after voting to pass H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, a bold, transformative legislation to strengthen the health and financial security of El Pasoans: For hard-working El Paso families, the rising costs of prescription drugs remains a real crisis that threatens their health and financial security. While Big Pharma continues to reap profits, our seniors and families are forced to pay three, four, or even ten times higher than what they charge for the same drugs in Mexico and other countries. El Pasoans and Americans across the country deserve better, and today, I fulfilled my promise to reduce health care costs by lowering the price of prescription drugs, giving Medicare the power to negotiate directly with drug companies, reinvesting the hundreds of billions of dollars in savings in the most transformational improvement to Medicare since its creation, and making the lower drug prices negotiated by Medicare available to more than 460,000 El Pasoans. I want to acknowledge and thank Speaker Pelosi for her leadership in bringing forward this historic legislation that I was proud to support on behalf of my constituents. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2274,Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Votes to Lower Prescription Drug Prices,2019-12-12,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lizzie Fletcher,F000468,fletcher.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, DC) Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) voted in favor of H.R. 3, theElijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, which she co-sponsored. This landmark legislation is designed to lower prescription drug costs for Americans. This legislation addresses a critical issue for my constituents and all Americans, and I am glad to see it pass the House today, saidCongresswoman Fletcher. It is common sense that Medicare should negotiate the price of prescription drugs. And this legislation makes it possible for Americans with private insurance to benefit from these negotiations, which is critical. Bringing down health care costs has been one of my top legislative priorities, and of this Congress. The savings it is expected to generate and new investments it is expected to enable are a benefit to all Americans. H.R. 3 gives Medicare the power to negotiate directly with drug companies, creating mechanisms to ensure meaningful negotiations and price reductions, while ensuring seniors access to the medicines they need. It alsomakesthe prices negotiated available to Americans with private insurance, not just Medicare beneficiaries. It prevents drug companies from charging Americans far more than people in other countries for the same medicines. It creates a $2,000 out-of-pocket cap on prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries. And it reinvests the cost savings into new, critical improvements to Medicare: vision, dental, and hearing benefits, as well as medical research. In Texas' Seventh Congressional District, 66,595 people are enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan and 508,837 people are enrolled in private health insurance all of whom stand to benefit from the passage of H.R. 3,The Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act. Congresswoman Fletcher is a member of the New Democrat Coalition Health Care Task Force and has advocated for improving theAffordable Care Actand lowering prescription drug prices.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-gonzalez-votes-lower-prescription-drug-prices-house-passage-hr-3,"Congressman Gonzalez Votes to Lower Prescription Drug Prices with House Passage of H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act",2019-12-12,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Vicente Gonzalez,G000581,gonzalez.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) voted to pass H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, and delivered on his promise to help bring down the cost of prescription drugs and level the playing field for American patients who are paying more for their medicines than patients in other countries. This bill will: Give Medicare the power to negotiate directly with drug companies, and the lower prices negotiated by Medicare available to patients both in privateinsurance and Medicare; Set a maximum price for any negotiated drug with an international price index based on similar countries; Create a new $2000 out-of-pocket limit on prescription drug costs to protect Medicare beneficiaries; Reinvest savings to expand Medicare's benefits to include dental, vision, and hearing coverage; Bolsters funding for innovation and research to find new cures and treatments; and Help combat the opioid crisis Constituents in the 15th District of Texas face skyrocketing prescription drug prices every day, forcing many to choose between their medications and putting food on the table or meeting other basic needs, said Congressman Gonzalez. That's unacceptable, and it's why this issue has been, and will continue to be, one of my top priorities. I was proud to vote for H.R. 3 today to deliver on that promise. I urge the Senate to take up, pass, and send H.R. 3 to the President's desk for his signature. More information on H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act can be found here. Facts regarding H.R. 3 and the 15th District of Texas that will lower medical costs In the 15th District of Texas, there are 77,879 people enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan and 352,582 people enrolled in private health insurance all of whom stand to benefit from H.R. 3. This includes those living with cancer, arthritis, asthma, HIV/AIDS, and multiple sclerosis are expected to experience significant savings as a result of H.R. 3: Patients living with breast cancer: In 2019, an estimated 18,750 women in Texas will be diagnosed with breast cancer. H.R. 3 can lower the average total cost of the breast cancer medication Ibrance by 65% to $23,900 per year. Patients living with leukemia: In 2019, an estimated 4,820 people in Texas will be diagnosed with leukemia. H.R. 3 can lower the average total cost of the leukemia medication Tasigna by 71% from $93,700 to $27,400 per year. Patients living with prostate cancer: In 2019, an estimated 10,660 people in Texas will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. H.R. 3 can lower the average total cost of the prostate cancer medication Zytiga by 66% from $109,500 to $37,400 per year. Patients with arthritis: 98% of Texas residents have arthritis, and H.R. 3 can lower their total costs on most arthritis drugs from about $40,000 to $10,000 per year. Patients with asthma: About 7.3% or 1,543,064 of Texas residents live with asthma, and H.R. 3 can lower their total costs on most asthma medications from about $1,400 to $270 per year. Patients with HIV/AIDS: In 2015, 4,358 Texas residents were diagnosed with HIV, and H.R. 3 can lower their total costs on most HIV drugs from about $15,000 to $6,000 per year. Patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS): One million people are living with MS in the United States, and H.R. 3 can lower their total costs on most MS drugs from about $40,000 to $13,000 per year. In addition to lowering prescription drug prices, H.R. 3 also reinvests savings into expanding Medicare coverage for dental, vision, and hearing services for constituents in the 15th District of Texas: About 95% of beneficiaries or 96,200 people stand to gain from adding a dental benefit. About 75% of beneficiaries or 75,400 people stand to gain from adding a vision benefit. About 89% of beneficiaries or 90,100 people stand to gain from adding a hearing benefit. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-sylvia-garcia-fulfills-promise-people-houston-votes-pass-lower-drug-costs,"Rep. Sylvia Garcia Fulfills Promise for the People of Houston, Votes to Pass the Lower Drug Costs Now Act",2019-12-12,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Sylvia R. Garcia,G000587,sylviagarcia.house.gov,sylviagarcia,https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Rep. Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) voted to pass H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, bold, transformative legislation to strengthen the health and financial security of America's seniors and families by finally stopping Americans from having to pay more for their medicines than what Big Pharma charges for the same drugs in other countries. ""For hard-working Americans in Texas and across the country, the exorbitant costs of prescription drugs remain a real crisis that threatens their health and financial security,"" Rep. Sylvia Garcia. ""While Big Pharma pads its profits with drug prices in the United States that are three, four, or even ten times higher than what they charge for the same drugs in other countries, too many American seniors and families are being forced to make an unthinkable choice between life and death. No one in America should have to decide between buying life-saving prescription drugs and making ends meet or putting food on the table. This is why Democrats worked hard to pass H.R. 3, which will make a real difference in the lives of countless people who depend on prescription drugs to live healthy and productive lives."" The Lower Drug Costs Now Act finally levels the playing field for American patients and taxpayers: • Gives Medicare the power to negotiate directly with the drug companies and creates powerful new tools to force drug companies to the table to agree to real price reductions, while ensuring seniors never lose access to the prescriptions they need. • Makes the lower drug prices negotiated by Medicare available to Americans with private insurance, not just Medicare beneficiaries. • Stops drug companies ripping off Americans while charging other countries less for the same drugs, limiting the maximum price for any negotiated drug to be in line with the average price in countries like ours, where drug companies charge less for the same drugs – and admit they still make a profit. • Creates a new, $2,000 out-of-pocket limit on prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries, and reverses years of unfair price hikes above inflation across thousands of drugs in Medicare. • Reinvests the hundreds of billions of dollars in savings in the most transformational improvement to Medicare since its creation – delivering vision, dental and hearing benefits – and turbocharging the search for new cures. In the Texas 29th Congressional District, there are 57, 374 seniors enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan and the 290, 319 individuals enrolled in private health insurance who would benefit from the substantial savings associated with H.R. 3. H.R. 3 will reduce drug costs for millions of Americans in TX-29 and across the state of Texas: • Breast Cancer: Texas patients could save up to $69,000 off the average total cost of the breast cancer medication Ibrance per year; • Leukemia: Texas patients could save up to $93,000 off the average total cost of the leukemia medication Tasigna per year; • Prostate Cancer: Texas patients could save up to 109,500 off the average total cost of the prostate cancer medication Zytiga per year; • Arthritis: Texas patients could save up to $40,000 off their total costs on most arthritis drugs per year; • Asthma: Texas patients could save up to $1,400 off their total costs on most Asthma drugs per year; • HIV/AIDS: Texas patients could save up to$15,000 off their total costs on most HIV/AIDS drugs per year; • Multiple Sclerosis: Texas patients could save up to $40,000 off their total costs on most MS drugs per year; • Diabetes: Texas patients could save up to $19,800 off the average total cost of the insulin NovoLOG Flexpen per year. Additionally, H.R. 3's expansion of Medicare coverage for dental, vision and hearing services represents a significant out-of-pocket savings for Texas seniors, with: • About 66,500 Medicare beneficiaries in TX-29 estimated to gain dental benefits; • About 47,100 Medicare beneficiaries in TX-29 estimated to obtain vision benefits; • About 51,500 Medicare beneficiaries in TX-29 estimated to secure hearing benefits. ""On behalf of the people of the Texas 29th Congressional District and the great state of Texas, I am proud to have joined my colleagues to pass the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act,"" said Rep. Garcia. ""This bill will deliver significant savings for patients, employers, and taxpayers. It will also make critical investments in both the largest expansion of Medicare benefits since Medicare's creation, as well as an expansion of lifesaving research for the groundbreaking cures of the future. Now we will push the Senate to act swiftly so that the President can sign this bill into law for the good of Americans all over the country."" ### Congresswoman Sylvia R. Garcia was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2018, becoming the first Latina ever to represent Texas 29th Congressional district.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T23:45:33Z https://veasey.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-marc-veasey-tx-33-votes-to-lower-skyrocketing-drug-prices-by,Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33) Votes to Lower Skyrocketing Drug Prices by Passing the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3),2019-12-12,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Marc A. Veasey,V000131,veasey.house.gov,veasey,https://veasey.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33) joined his colleagues to pass the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, which will help bring down the cost of prescription drugs and level the playing field for American patients who are paying more for their medicines than patients in other countries. ""North Texans are facing a crisis skyrocketing prescription drug prices that are forcing them to choose between putting food on the table for their families or their life saving prescriptions,"" said Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33). ""Today, I am proud to take a stand to stop this crisis by passing this legislation that will lower the drug prices for the nearly 60,000 people enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan and over 285,00 people that enrolled in private health in Texas' 33rd district."" The list prices for more than 3,400 drugs increased in the first six months of 2019, rising 17 percent from the year before. From 2011-2016, prescription drug spending in the United States grew by more than 2.5 times inflation. H.R.3 reverses these costs by giving Medicare the power to negotiate directly with drug companies, and the lower prices negotiated by Medicare will be transparent so that private insurance companies can make the same prices available to their consumers. In addition to lowering prescription drug prices, H.R.3 also reinvests savings into expanding Medicare coverage for dental, vision, and hearing services for constituents",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T23:45:33Z http://cuellar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=404925,Rep. Cuellar Secures North American Development Bank in USMCA,2019-12-11,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Henry Cuellar,C001063,cuellar.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) secured the doubling of capital reauthorization for the North American Development Bank's (NADB) in the United States Mexico Canada Agreement's (USMCA) implementing language. This investment in NADB will enhance the bank's ability to fund environmental infrastructure projects on the U.S.-Mexico border. Throughout its 25-year history, NADB has enhanced the quality of life for people living along the U.S.-Mexico border by financing infrastructure projects for cleaner water, air and land, said Congressman Cuellar. For this reason, I have worked hard to include funding streams for NADB under the USMCA so it can expand its efforts in providing positive outcomes on the U.S.-Mexico border. I am committed to expanding clean energy, promoting a healthy environment, and improving the quality of life on both sides of the border. I want to thank Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal for their leadership in finalizing this trade agreement for the American people. I also want to express my gratitude to Chairwoman Maxine Waters for working with me to advance my bill H.R. 132, the North American Development Bank Improvement and Pollution Solution Act of 2019, through the Financial Service Committee. More than 17 million US-Mexico border residents have been positively impacted by the Bank's financing of environmental infrastructure. I am pleased that our work in partnership with our many border stakeholders is being validated through the inclusion of authorization language for the capital increase in USMCA, said Dr. Calixto Mateos-Hanel, Managing Director of the North American Development Bank. North American Development Bank The United States and Mexico face serious transborder environmental problems, including air and water pollution and disposal of hazardous wastes. The Rio Grande and Tijuana Rivers are especially environmentally hazardous. As a solution, NADB provides financial support for the development and implementation of infrastructure projects to help preserve, protect, and enhance the environment at the borders. Since its creation in 1994, NADB has financed $3.13 billion in 259 projects through loans and grants. The 259 projects represent $9.8 billion in total investment. Over the last 5 years, 42 water and wastewater projects and 16 clean and renewable energy projects have been completed. Out of the 67 projects with an outstanding loan from NADB, 30 involved private sector financing. Of the 30 privately financed projects, 28 involved clean and renewable energy. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://algreen.house.gov/press-release/congressman-al-green-and-representatives-greater-houston-area-commemorate-houston,Congressman Al Green and Representatives from the Greater Houston Area Commemorate Houston Methodists Centennial,2019-12-11,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Al Green,G000553,algreen.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) On Wednesday, December 11, 2019, Congressman Al Green and Members of the Greater Houston delegation filed a congressional resolution in observation of Houston Methodist Hospital's 100th anniversary. Congressman Green released the following statement: Since its establishment in 1919, Houston Methodist has been devoted to providing exceptional and passionate health care in Houston, Texas. From its flagship hospital in the world-renowned Texas Medical Center to each of its community hospitals and clinics, Houston Methodist continuously breaks the mold. The innovative medical breakthroughs, technologies, and groundbreaking research and development that have originated at Houston Methodist have impacted not only the Greater Houston area but the world. The tireless commitment of Houston Methodist to provide quality patient care has culminated in approximately 1.3 million patient encounters within the last year and the current employment of about 25,000 people. Furthermore, I commend their dedication to providing access to uninsured and underinsured individuals by offering various opportunities for financial assistance. I salute the leadership, medical professionals, and staff of Houston Methodist as they commemorate the 100th anniversary of Houston Methodist's establishment. I am proud to serve Houston Methodist and the Texas Medical Center in Congress, and I thank my colleagues from the Greater Houston Area Representatives Jackson Lee, McCaul, Olson, Weber, Babin, Brady, Crenshaw, Fletcher, and Garcia for their bipartisan support as original cosponsors of this resolution.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://doggett.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/san-antonio-express-news-rep-doggett-pushes-more-teeth-landmark-drug,San Antonio Express News: Rep. Doggett pushes for more teeth in landmark drug-pricing bill,2019-12-11,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - With the U.S. House set for a long-awaited vote on legislation to lower prescription drug prices, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett and allies came up short in their drive for an even more ambitious plan to expand government authority over the pharmaceutical industry. The House is expected to vote Thursday on a landmark drug-pricing bill, which promises to be central in the Democrats' 2020 elections appeal. The legislation gives Medicare authority to negotiate the price of 50 of the most expensive drugs as the Veterans Administration already does with all prescriptions and cap prices based on costs in other developed countries. Doggett, D-San Antonio, leader of an alliance of like-minded liberals, failed in the Democratic-run Rules Committee late Tuesday to let Medicare negotiate prices for many more drugs and include the uninsured in the savings. But Democrat leaders, heeding warnings from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, declined to accept the changes. Doggett, long a drug-industry antagonist, said that many of the bill's features are what he has pressed for over the years. But he contends that it is both too narrow in scope starting with just 25 of some 8,000 drugs and doubling after that and wrong to exclude people lacking health insurance. In debate Wednesday, Doggett voted against the rule sending the bill to the floor with none of the amendments that he and more than two dozen allies pressed for. For those who are insured or rely on insulin, or for those who are fortunate enough to win the lottery to have their drug negotiated, this is a valuable piece of legislation. But for 30 million Americans who are uninsured, they are denied any guarantee of lower prices, he said. My goal has never been to turn this bill to the right or to the left but to provide assurances to those have been left out by it, he said. U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Denton, offered the view of many in his party when he argued that the penalties for drug companies that fail to reduce costs as demanded by the Health and Human Services Department in negotiations would lead to less drug research and innovation. This is akin to a hostage situation, he said. The bill is called the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019, named for the powerful and respected Maryland Democrat who died in October. The advocacy group Public Citizen on Wednesday said it was disappointed in bill's limitations but said of Doggett: One member of Congress stands out for having championed access to medicines through the sessionDoggett's bill helped set the terms of the debate, giving Congress courage to begin taking a stand against corporate price gouging. Democrats, aware of how health-care issues vaulted the party to 2018 election victories, are working closely on those issues this cycle. But heading into 2020, polling suggests that most Americans think neither party is looking out for them when it comes to health insurance, and the White House is doing more than the Democrats. A Kaiser Family Foundation health tracking poll last month found that 22 percent said the Trump administration is doing enough on health care; 17 percent said Democrats meet that measure. Timed with the House vote this week, the Democratic Party and several state parties in 2020 battlegrounds are putting up web videos and coordinating events to gain momentum and counter the Republican refrain that Democrats are unified in supporting Medicare for All, which the GOP presents as an embrace of Socialism. Democrats are eager, too, to present themselves as being active on issues besides impeachment, also agreeing this week on the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade. On health care, despite the messaging, prospects of bipartisan success appear diminished, with the Senate proceeding on a separate track and many Republicans in that chamber signaling that they are opposed to negotiating with the Democrat-led House.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://escobar.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-escobar-statement-house-passage-fy20-ndaa,Congresswoman Escobar Statement on House Passage of FY20 NDAA,2019-12-11,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement after the House of Representatives voted on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020: As member of the House Armed Services Committee, I am proud to have workedto craftandsupportthe first NDAA under the new Democratic majority a bill that includes key priorities for El Paso and Fort Bliss, delivers for our servicemembers and their families, and authorizes the funding needed for a strong, smart national defense strategy. This vote honors my responsibilities to our men and women in uniform in El Paso and across the globe, promotes a diverse and inclusive military, support additive manufacturing in our region, addresses operational and budgetary threats posed by climate change, and doesn't authorize backfill of military construction fundsrobbedfor President Trump'sineffectiveand wasteful border wall. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, authorizes funding for the Department of Defense and the national security programs of the Department of Energy. A summary of the conference report is available here, and an overview of El Paso key priorities is available here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=136,Congresswoman Escobar Statement on House Passage of FY20 NDAA,2019-12-11,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement after the House of Representatives voted on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020: As member of the House Armed Services Committee, I am proud to have workedto craftandsupportthe first NDAA under the new Democratic majority a bill that includes key priorities for El Paso and Fort Bliss, delivers for our servicemembers and their families, and authorizes the funding needed for a strong, smart national defense strategy. This vote honors my responsibilities to our men and women in uniform in El Paso and across the globe, promotes a diverse and inclusive military, support additive manufacturing in our region, addresses operational and budgetary threats posed by climate change, and doesn't authorize backfill of military construction fundsrobbedfor President Trump'sineffectiveand wasteful border wall. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, authorizes funding for the Department of Defense and the national security programs of the Department of Energy. A summary of the conference report is available here, and an overview of El Paso key priorities is available here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2273,Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Supports Bipartisan NDAA Bill,2019-12-11,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lizzie Fletcher,F000468,fletcher.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Supports Bipartisan NDAA Bill Washington, December 11, 2019 (Washington, DC) Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) voted in favor of the conference report to S. 1790, theNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020(NDAA) to fund the U.S. Department of Defense and related expenditures. I am pleased to see the NDAA pass the House today with bipartisan support and with the inclusion of important provisions that are long overdue for our defense. The Widow's Tax, a tax on the benefits of surviving partners of deceased veterans which impacts more than 65,000 individuals at an average cost of $11,000 per year, has finally been removed, saidCongresswoman Fletcher. The families of our servicemembers already sacrifice so much for our country. I am proud that Congress has finally dealt with the decades old injustice of this regressive tax. The bill also includes provisions dealing with dangerous PFAS chemicals. This NDAA instructs the Department of Defense to limit the use of PFAS-containing firefighting foams, with their complete phaseout by 2024. Earlier this year, I introduced similar legislation requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to issue guidance on foams in non-defense applications. Finally, the bill also includes requirements for all departments to provide paid parental leave for all federal employees. The conference report is the product of months of bipartisan negotiations that sets a topline discretionary budget of $738 billion, consistent with the bipartisan budget agreement earlier this year. The NDAA is one of the most important funding bills in Congress, one that has not lapsed even when the government has been shut down. The 2020 report is the 59thconsecutive report to pass.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-gonzalez-votes-approve-bipartisan-farm-workforce-modernization-act,Congressman Gonzalez Votes to Approve Bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2019,2019-12-11,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Vicente Gonzalez,G000581,gonzalez.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON On Wednesday, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) voted in favor of H.R. 5038, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2019. This bipartisan bill provides reforms that will overhaul the farmworker visa program, improve agricultural labor standards, and help American farmers compete in global markets. American agriculture is starving for a guest worker program that works, said Congressman Gonzalez. While not perfect, this legislation will give farmers, ranchers,and farmworkers in the 15th District of Texas some much needed certainty.I am proud to cast my vote for this bill and continue working with all interested parties to ensure that access to a reliable, legal, and skilled workforce is no longer out of reach."" The Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2019 will: Secure the domestic agricultural workforce by establishing a program for agricultural workers in the United States, along with their spouses and minor children, to earn legal status through continued agricultural employment; Ensure an agricultural workforce for the future by reforming the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program to provide more flexibility for employers while ensuring critical protections for workers; and Electronically verify the agricultural workforce by creating a mandatory, nationwide E-Verify system for all agricultural employment and include necessary due process protections for authorized workers who are incorrectly rejected by the system. More information on the Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2019is available here. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://allred.house.gov/media/press-releases/allred-joins-house-leadership-announce-trade-agreement-us-mexico-and-canada,"Allred Joins House Leadership to Announce Trade Agreement with US, Mexico and Canada",2019-12-10,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Colin Allred,A000376,allred.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Congressman Colin Allred (TX-32), today released the following statement after joining House Leadership and members of the Texas delegation at a news conference discussing the agreement reached by the working group tasked with addressing outstanding issues with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA): For North Texans, trade with Mexico and Canada means jobs for more than 36,000 folks in the 32nd District, which is why this has been such a priority for me. Trade is critically important to our North Texas economy and I am glad the working group delivered a path forward that strengthens enforcement around labor and environmental issues. This agreement will shift the trade paradigm and will work to create a new standard for trade agreements that will protect workers and the environment both here at home, and across the North American continent. Though the misguided tariffs and prolonged trade war has hurt our region, Congress can create some much-needed stability by moving forward on this agreement that will allow our businesses and workers alike to succeed. Allred joins House Leadership at a press conference today announcing an agreement by USMCA working group. In July, Allred co-led a letter with Congressman Scott Peters urging action on USMCA to resolve outstanding issues and move forward. Read a fact sheet on updates to the agreement from the House Ways and Means Committee here: Ways and Means - USMCA Fact Sheet.pdf",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/castro-statement-usmca-agreement,Castro Statement on USMCA Agreement,2019-12-10,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquín Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTONCongressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, today released the following statement on the USMCA Trade agreement: Congress has negotiated and secured meaningful changes to the USMCA Trade Agreement that will bolster America's economy, support workers, protect the environment, and improve access to affordable prescription drugs. This agreement proves that we can achieve a principled and pragmatic agreement between labor and business that reflects our core American values. We are working tirelessly to strengthen the U.S. economy, empower American businesses, and lift up America's families. This revised agreement serves as a beacon for workers, patients, and the environment, and sets the gold standard for future U.S. trade agreements. As the 10th largest economy in the world and an international trade hub, Texas is the nation's number one exporter, accounting for almost 20% of the nation's trade. This agreement supports all the many dimensions of Texas and San Antonio's economy, from manufacturing to agriculture to e-commerce to cybersecurity. This modernized trade policy not only benefits the Texas workers of today, but sets the stage for a more collaborative, efficient, and global America for future generations to come. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://doggett.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/dallas-morning-news-pelosi-announces-deal-trump-north-american-trade-deal,Dallas Morning News: Pelosi announces deal with Trump on North American trade deal critical to Texas,2019-12-10,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday announced a deal between Democrats and President Donald Trump on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a revamp of a 25-year-old trade pact critical to the Texas economy. The compromise paves the way for Congress to pass the new accord in the coming weeks, bringing Trump ever closer to a win on what's long been his top legislative goal. Pelosi's announcement came only an hour after she and House Democrats outlined articles of impeachment against the president, offering a split-screen look at Washington's bizarre state of affairs in the third year of Trump's White House tenure. The speaker called Tuesday a day we've all been working to and working for on the trade deal, explaining that Democrats won concessions from the Trump administration on labor-backed provisions governing the environment, workers' rights and the pharmaceutical industry. It's a victory for America's workers, Pelosi said at a news conference, flanked by a group of Democratic lawmakers that included Reps. Colin Allred of Dallas, Lizzie Fletcher of Houston, Veronica Escobar of El Paso and Eddie Bernice Johnson of Dallas. Trump, weighing in on Twitter, appeared to agree. Looking like very good Democrat support for USMCA, he wrote, pausing from a series of impeachment-related social media missives to hail the best and most important trade deal ever made by the USA. That would be great for our Country! The political ramifications of the trade deal a revamp of the North American Free Trade Agreement are far-reaching in a state like Texas. Trump and Texas Republicans like Sen. John Cornyn can point to a long-desired achievement as they take to the 2020 campaign in the Lone Star State, providing them valuable political capital at a moment when Texas has emerged as a battleground state for the first time in decades. Democrats now have an indisputable counter to the GOP's claims that they have pursued impeachment to the detriment of anything else, giving a boost to lawmakers like Allred and Fletcher, first-term House members who last year toppled longtime GOP incumbents. All sides can point to the economic stakes: Texas last year conducted more than $264 billion in total trade with Mexico and Canada, covering everything from autos to agriculture. Many trade experts have tempered expectations about the new deal's overall impact, cautioning that it's better described as an overdue update than a sweeping change. The accord is unlikely to dramatically reshape the North American economy for good or ill like the original did. But the agreement's value must be weighed against the alternatives offered by Trump. The president has at various times over the last three years vowed to withdraw from NAFTA; imposed metal tariffs on Mexico and Canada, only to later remove them; toyed with closing the U.S.-Mexico border; and threatened to impose tariffs on all Mexican goods imported to the U.S. So any reaffirmation of the tri-party trade deal was welcome news for Texas business and political leaders, who feared severe economic consequences if the cross-border bindings between the North American trio were ripped apart. This is huge news for Texas and for the whole North American region, said Jennifer Apperti, manager of The Mission Foods Texas-Mexico Center at Southern Methodist University. Having an agreement is, of course, better than no type of agreement. The breakthrough marks a major accomplishment for Trump's bare-knuckled trade agenda. Employing a protectionist bent unusual for a Republican, the president has launched tit-for-tat tariff wars with China and many other major trading partners across the globe. It's unclear if the North American pact will serve as a blueprint for other efforts, though reports also emerged Tuesday that the U.S. may soon reach a dtente of sorts with China to potentially delay hefty tariffs on a wide swath of goods from that country. NAFTA, without question, represented a ripe opportunity. No one has disputed the need to update the accord, which has come under strain amid the rise of e-commerce and other advancements since it went into effect into 1994. Trump went further by criticizing the pact as the worst trade deal ever made and blaming it for the loss of U.S. jobs. The U.S. last year cajoled its North American neighbors as Trump issued stern threats while backing off his most contentious demands to sign off on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Among the deal's major provisions: An increase in the percentage of each automobile that must be made in North America to qualify for duty-free standing. Improved labor rights for Mexican workers. Increased access to the Canadian market for American dairy farmers. Texas provided the vanguard in promoting the effort. While NAFTA is still regarded with scorn in many Midwestern states where factories sit idle, the trade pact has become a central part of Texas' economy. About 1 million Texas jobs are supported by trade with Canada and Mexico, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. So the Texas Association of Business has pushed for USMCA's approval. As has the Texas Farm Bureau. As have many Texas politicians, no matter the party affiliation. We believe that no state will gain more from this new agreement than Texas, and no state has more to lose if it doesn't pass than our state, Rep. Kevin Brady of The Woodlands, the top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, said last week. But Pelosi and her leadership team were not inclined to rubber stamp the agreement, setting off months-long negotiations that became only more complicated as House Democrats began making the case that Trump should be impeached. The result of those contentious talks became apparent on Tuesday. Among the changes: Tougher enforcement of the new labor standards set for Mexico. The re-insertion of some key environmental rules. The removal of a provision that would've protected certain prescription drugs from generic competition for a decade. The trade deal now has the support of both the U.S. Chamber of Congress and the AFL-CIO. This trade agreement is much better than NAFTA, Pelosi said. It is infinitely better than what was initially proposed by the administration. Some Republicans bristled at the Democrats' victory lap. Rep. Brian Babin, R-Friendswood, said it was shameless for Pelosi to make the USMCA announcement on the same day that she detailed articles of impeachment against Trump: Amazing but sadly predictable, he said. But other signs pointed to overwhelming backing for the compromise deal which, in turn, could hold particular importance on the 2020 campaign trail and beyond. This agreement is a win for all Americans, said Rep. Ron Wright, R-Arlington. All 23 Texas Republicans in the House this week signed a letter urging USMCA's passage. Similar support seems likely in the GOP-run Senate, though Cornyn said Tuesday that he wanted to review the details to ensure it's in the best interest of Texas producers and consumers. Many Democrats from Texas likewise showered praise on the revised pact. This agreement will shift the trade paradigm and will work to create a new standard for trade agreements that will protect workers and the environment both here at home, and across the North American continent, said Allred, the freshman Dallas Democrat. Laredo Rep. Henry Cuellar, who was heavily involved in negotiations, touted the deal as a historic agreement. Austin Rep. Lloyd Doggett, a House Ways and Means member, said the pact was a modern trade deal that ""finally ... not only encourages more trade but adds protection for the environment and workers.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://doggett.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/san-antonio-exress-news-democrats-close-deal-trump-usmca-proclaiming-end,"San Antonio Exress News: Democrats close deal with Trump on USMCA, proclaiming end of 'NAFTA lite'",2019-12-10,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON - House Democratic leaders said Tuesday they had agreed to a newly negotiated trade agreement between the United States, Mexico and Canada, proclaiming it would far exceed worker protections of earlier international agreements of its kind. Speaking to reporters, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif, said she would move quickly to pass the agreement, even as her party moves ahead to impeach President Donald Trump. ""There are some people why say why give Trump a victory,"" Pelosi said. ""We're declaring victory for the American worker."" With U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer traveling to Mexico Tuesday to get a signature on the new USMCA, which would replace the 1990s era North American Free Trade Agreement, the question now is how quickly Congress can vote to ratify the deal. On Tuesday Trump tweeted, ""America's great USMCA Trade Bill is looking good."" Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, released a statement imploring Congress to support the trade deal. This is a defining moment for our nation: we have an opportunity to pass one of the largest trilateral trade agreements, he said. The North American Free Trade Agreement gave rise to the greatest display of economic growth in the history of Texas, United States, Mexico, and Canada. Now, it is time to continue and build on this economic prosperity by passing the USMCA."" The question is whether more liberal Democrats in the House will shift from their traditional opposition to free trade deals to support the USMCA. Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., said the trade agreement would ensure that Mexico adhered more closely to U.S. labor standards, limiting companies' incentive to shift operations abroad. ""This is no longer NAFTA-lite,""he said. ""Parts we have negotiated have never been included any free trade agreement in the history of this country."" At least one progressive member, Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, said he supported the USMCA, adding that he was glad to see a ""price gouging"" provision protecting drug manufacturers removed from the final deal. ""Finally, we have a 21st Century trade agreement that not only encourages more trade but adds protection for the environment and workers,"" he said. Getting there wasn't easy, as the White House and Democrats debated what enforcement provisions to put in place to ensure Mexico complied with the tougher labor standards, said Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., who led the Democratic negotiations with the White House. ""These were intense, argumentative, angry negotiations,"" he said. ""The offering we have in front of us today is indicative of the good will.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://doggett.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-doggett-releases-statement-usmca,Rep. Doggett Releases Statement on the USMCA,2019-12-10,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,,,legacy,"***Press Release*** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 10, 2019 Contact: Kate Stotesbery 202-225-486 Rep. Doggett Releases Statement on the USMCA Washington, D.C. Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, released the following statement on the USMCA: Finally, we have a 21st Century trade agreement that not only encourages more trade but adds protection for the environment and workers.The harmful language inserted by Big Pharma to empower more prescription price gouging has been removed.While imperfect, the new tools included for effective enforcement should become the minimum included in future trade negotiations.This agreement, with important changes from the version which Trump has promoted for months, can be approved next week. ### Follow Congressman Doggett Facebook:https://www.Facebook.com/RepLloydDoggett | Twitter: @RepLloydDoggett| Instagram: @RepLloydDoggett",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-pass-provisions-doggett-student-aid-simplification-act-increasing,"House to Pass Provisions of Doggett Student Aid Simplification Act: Increasing Student Access to Aid, Simplifying Process, & Saving Billions",2019-12-10,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,doggett,https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"***Press Release*** House to Pass Provisions of Doggett Student Aid Simplification Act: Increasing Student Access to Aid, Simplifying Process, & Saving Billions Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), spoke on the House floor to support passage of provisions from FAFSA legislation he authored and championed, The Student Aid Simplification Act, which were included as part of important legislation supporting minority-serving institutions. ""Our bipartisan bill both makes important investments in our minority-serving institutions and simplifies the financial aid and repayment process for millions of students at all universities,"" said Rep. Doggett. ""We can ensure more students get the aid they need by requiring the Department of Education and IRS to do the heavy lifting for students by sharing the taxpayer information required for FAFSA completion. When more students can access all the education for which they are willing to work, students win, their families win, our economy wins. Investing in our students is one of the best investments we can make."" This legislation requires the Department of Education and IRS to securely share the taxpayer information required for FAFSA completion. This would eliminate up to 22 FAFSA questions and protect borrowers at risk of removal from income-driven repayment plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness. This common-sense solution ensures federals dollars go to those who need them by enhancing interagency efficiency and making the FAFSA process simpler for the millions of students and families who apply for financial aid. The bill is also important to graduates repaying student debt. It eliminates the burdensome annual certification process for about 7 million graduates in income-driven loan repayment plans. You can watch Rep. Doggett's floor speech here. Follow Congressman Doggett",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T23:45:33Z https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-doggett-releases-statement-usmca,Rep. Doggett Releases Statement on the USMCA,2019-12-10,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,doggett,https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, released the following statement on the USMCA: ""Finally, we have a 21st Century trade agreement that not only encourages more trade but adds protection for the environment and workers. The harmful language inserted by Big Pharma to empower more prescription price gouging has been removed. While imperfect, the new tools included for effective enforcement should become the minimum included in future trade negotiations. This agreement, with important changes from the version which Trump has promoted for months, can be approved next week."" Follow Congressman Doggett",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T23:45:33Z https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2271,Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Releases Statement Following Introduction of Articles of Impeachment,2019-12-10,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lizzie Fletcher,F000468,fletcher.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, DC) Today,Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher(TX-07) released the following statement after the announcement that the Judiciary Committee will put forth two articles of impeachment in the House of Representatives: Our democratic system of government depends entirely on the trust we place in the people we elect to represent us and their full and faithful participation in our constitutional system. We must take that trust seriously when we cast our ballots. We must take that trust seriously when we legislate. And we must take that trust seriously when we see its potential abuse. Our founders fashioned the exclusive power of impeachment in the House of Representatives to ensure a remedy is available when a President abuses the powers of the office and the trust we the people place in it. It is central to our society that no individual, including and especially the President, is above the law. The facts leading to this morning's announcement are largely undisputed. The President engaged in certain conduct, refused to participate in the House of Representatives inquiry into that conduct, and prohibited others from doing so. The question of how the House of Representatives responds to these facts is now before us. I will review and consider the proposed articles of impeachment when they are presented to the Congress. In doing so, I will take the questions before me and my oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States with the seriousness they deserve.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2272,Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Announces Support For Bipartisan United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA),2019-12-10,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lizzie Fletcher,F000468,fletcher.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, DC) Today,Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher(TX-07) announced her support for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The USMCA, a trade agreement that will modernize the original North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), further strengthens longstanding relations between the United States and two of its largest trading partners. This agreement modernizes trade between our countries, addresses the environmental impacts of trade, creates enforceable labor standards, and maintains Congress' authority to bring down the cost of pharmaceutical drugs. In Houston, we know the benefits of trade, because our businesses rely on our North American partners, saidCongresswoman Fletcher.The USMCA includes many significant upgrades to the framework for trade, especially within the energy industry. This agreement codifies a new zero-tariff policy, further encouraging the energy exports across North America for years to come. As Co-Chair of the New Democrat Coalition Trade Task Force, I am proud of the work Ambassador Lighthizer and our coalition did to improve the proposed agreement for the benefit of our workforce, our environment, and our businesses. The USMCA represents a bipartisan accomplishment that will set the standard for future trade agreements. International trade supports an estimated 3 million jobs in Texas. The state exported a record $315.9 billion in goods in 2018. Mexico is Texas' largest trading partner and Canada is the state's second largest trading partner. Legislation under Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) will soon be on the floor to fast track the USMCA agreement with an up or down vote. The agreement enjoys support from a broad coalition of stakeholders, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the AFL-CIO.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-gonzalez-cosponsor-hr-3-elijah-e-cummings-lower-drug-costs-now-act,"Congressman Gonzalez to Cosponsor H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act",2019-12-10,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Vicente Gonzalez,G000581,gonzalez.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced hisco-sponsorshipof H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act. This legislation willlower prescription drug prices, close coverage gaps for Medicare beneficiaries, and invest critical funding for innovativecures andtreatments. H.R. 3 is a revolutionary healthcare bill that willempower the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate directly with drug companies for lower drug prices.H.R. 3 alsoreinvestsbillions of dollars inresearch for new breakthrough treatments forthe American people, said Congressman Gonzalez. This legislation will save patients thousands of dollars on prescription drugs, give seniors access to dental, vision, and hearing benefits, andrelievemillions of families buried by healthcare costs. I look forward to casting my voteon Thursdayfor this lifechanging legislation. The Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Actmakestransformative expansionstoMedicare's benefits to include dental, vision, and hearing for the first time in the history of the program. It alsoestablishes an out of pocket limit on prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries while directingcritical funding toresearchand development of new cures and treatments, as well as funding to combat the opioid crisis. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), H.R. 3 is anticipated to save approximately $500 billion over the next ten years.These savings willbe reinvested in the American people. Key facts regarding H.R. 3 and the 15th District of Texas: In the 15th District of Texas, there are 77,879 people enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan and 352,582 people enrolled in private health insurance all of whom stand to benefit from the passage of H.R. 3 Expansion of Medicare coverage for dental vision, and hearing service in the 15th District of Texas would benefit: 95% of beneficiaries (96,200 people) from adding a dental benefit 75% of beneficiaries (75,400 people) from adding a vision benefit 89% of beneficiaries (90,100 people) from adding a hearing benefit The full bill for H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act can be foundhere. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-gonzalez-statement-reaching-usmca-deal,Congressman Gonzalez Statement on Reaching USMCA Deal,2019-12-10,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Vicente Gonzalez,G000581,gonzalez.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) issued a statement following the announcement that House negotiators reached a deal on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA): It is welcome news that Mexico, Canada and the United States were able to reach an agreement on this historic trade deal. While the USMCA raises the bar for enforcement and provides certainty for our farmers, ranchers, and businesses, it still falls short, said Congressman Gonzalez. This agreement fails to address the single greatest threat to cross-border commerce and tourism: chronic violence and insecurity. I intend to continue pressing the governments of both the United States and Mexico until our neighbor to the south takes this seriously. The 15th District and the state of Texas stand to gain from this trade pact and a safe and secure Mexico. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://veasey.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/ongressman-marc-veasey-tx-33-releases-statement-on-usmca-progress,Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33) Releases Statement on USMCA Progress,2019-12-10,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Marc A. Veasey,V000131,veasey.house.gov,veasey,https://veasey.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Marc Veasey released the following statement on Speaker Pelosi's announcement that House Democrats reached an agreement on USMCA with United States Trade Representative Ambassador Lighthizer: ""I am encouraged that an agreement on improving the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) has been made by Speaker Pelosi and Ambassador Lighthizer. I will be reading the final deal carefully to ensure that it helps North Texas workers and contributes to the growth of our economy across our country. Most importantly, any final trade deal that we make must deliver on our Democratic majority's promise to work for the people by expanding opportunity for workers and their families.""",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T23:45:33Z http://cuellar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=404926,CBP Hiring New Humanitarian Positions Created by Rep.,2019-12-09,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Henry Cuellar,C001063,cuellar.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Today, Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) announced that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is now hiring Border Patrol Processing Coordinators in McAllen, El Paso and Yuma, AZ to perform administrative tasks related to the intake and processing of individuals apprehended by Border Patrol agents. The position will also assume responsibilities for transporting individuals and property in Border Patrol custody, as well as custodial watch of detainees in hospitals. This year, as Vice Chair of the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, Congressman Cuellar secured $10 million in the House passed spending bill to create and hire 200 additional Border Patrol Processing Coordinators. This funding will provide CBP with continued resources to efficiently process detainees, while ensuring their proper treatment. As a result of the large influx of migrants this past summer, about 40% of the Border Patrol agents on the Southwest border were conducting processing, transportation, feeding, and cleaning duties instead of working on frontline law enforcement. This caused massive delays at ports of entry, costing the United States millions of dollars and jeopardizing our national security, said Congressman Cuellar. These new positions will help streamline trade at our ports of entry as well as improve security along the border by allowing Border Patrol agents to focus on their law enforcement priorities. As the Vice Chair of Homeland Security Subcommittee on Appropriations, I am committed to supporting CBP and funding the necessary resources for our country's national security and economic prosperity. The Processing Coordinator serves three primary purposes: Allow U.S. Border Patrol agents (BPA) to focus on law enforcement duties. ~40% of BPA diverted from border security mission That's ~2,500 of 6,000 agents in the Rio Grande Valley, El Paso and Yuma Sectors Provide an entry-level opportunity for future BPAs Provide cost-effective processing of persons in Border Patrol custody Border Patrol Processing Coordinator position is currently open to Displaced Federal employees requesting special priority selection consideration under the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Displaced Federal employees requesting special priority selection consideration under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). Organizational Location:This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol in the following locations: El Paso Sector, El Paso, TX Rio Grande Valley Sector, McAllen, TX Yuma Sector, Yuma, AZ To see more details and apply for the position, click here. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://algreen.house.gov/press-release/reps-green-and-taylor-pass-homeland-security-civil-rights-and-civil-liberties,Reps. Green and Taylor Pass Homeland Security Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Legislation,2019-12-09,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Al Green,G000553,algreen.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) On Monday, December 9, 2019, Representatives Al Green (D-TX) and Van Taylor (R-TX) released the following statement after H.R. 4713, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) Authorization Act of 2019, passed the House of Representatives: Congressman Green said, I am proud to announce the passage of H.R. 4713. This legislation will improve the accountability, transparency, and responsibility of the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL). The DHS Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Authorization Act of 2019 calls for investigative reports and reviews of DHS programs to be publicized on the Department's website and establishes specific guidelines for the Officer of CRCL to help improve oversight. Additionally, the bill requires the CRCL Officer to annually report their findings to the President and Congress, thus adding a layer of checks and balances for improved oversight of CRCL programs. It is my honor to have the bipartisan support of my Texas colleague from the 3rd Congressional District, Congressman Van Taylor, on this legislation. Thank you for your partnership in working to ensure Congress protects the integrity of DHS as well as the constitutional rights of all affected by the Department's policies and programs. I must also thank Chairman Bennie Thompson for his diligent leadership of the House Committee on Homeland Security as well as my committee colleagues for their support in passing H.R. 4713 out of committee. I pray that this bill will be taken up in the Senate and signed by the President. Congressman Taylor added, Just as the dedicated men and women who work to protect our homeland are important to our way of life, in order to maintain a free society, we must ensure the protection of the constitutional rights of all Americans. Increasing transparency and accountability is not a partisan policy and I'm excited to see this legislation pass the House today.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2270,Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Asks Congressional Leadership to Repeal Harmful Medical Device Tax,2019-12-09,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lizzie Fletcher,F000468,fletcher.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, DC) Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) led a group of members of Congress in a letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Senate Majority Leader McConnell, and Senate Minority Leader Schumer requesting the repeal of the medical device tax before the end of the year. The medical device tax is a 2.3% excise tax on the price of taxable medical devices sold in the U.S., including X-ray machines, hospital beds, and MRI machines. My constituents sent me here to work across the aisle on issues that matter to them and their families. Repealing the medical device tax would do just that: improve the quality of health care, encourage innovation, and support economic growth in our community, said Congresswoman Fletcher. I hope that Congressional leadership will take action on this bipartisan issue to support the medical community and its patients. The medical device tax, which was implemented as part of the Affordable Care Act, has been suspended since 2016 and the current suspension expires on December 31, 2019. If re-imposed, the tax would result in a decline of 21,390 full-time equivalent jobs in the medical device industry and a reduction in gross domestic product (GDP) of $1.7 billion. The tax also deters innovation, keeping the industry from developing new devices to improve the quality of care for patients. We support repeal of the medical device tax because Americans and patients everywhere who rely upon these innovative technologies will ultimately suffer the burdens if this tax goes back into effect. The House and Senate must act as soon as possible. We owe it to our constituents to act, and we look forward to working with you to accomplish this goal, the members wrote. The letter was signed by Representatives Cindy Axne (IA-03), Anthony Brindisi (NY-22), Angie Craig (MN-02), Joe Cunningham (SC-01), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Kendra Horn (OK-05), Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-02), Susie Lee (NV-03), Tom Malinowski (NJ-07), Ben McAdams (UT-04), Lucy McBath (GA-06), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Dean Phillips (MN-03), Katie Porter (CA-45), Harley Rouda (CA-48), Kim Schrier (WA-08), Lori Trahan (MA-03), and Jeff Van Drew (NJ-02). Read the full letter here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://veasey.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-marc-veasey-majority-leader-hoyer-and-congressman-raskin,"Congressman Marc Veasey, Majority Leader Hoyer, and Congressman Raskin Call on Congressional Appropriators to Secure Critical Funding to Secure Elections",2019-12-09,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Marc A. Veasey,V000131,veasey.house.gov,veasey,https://veasey.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33) sent a joint appropriation letter he led with Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (MD-05) and Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) to House and Senate appropriators requesting that they maintain critical funding to protect our elections at the House-passed levels of $600 million for the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and $16.2 million for the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) in the final FY 2020 Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations bill. The letter has been signed by approximately 60 other Members of Congress. ""Our country's elections are under attack and we must take the appropriate steps to fight back,"" said Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33). ""This letter will help restore confidence in our elections and uphold the sacred right to vote by ensuring that investments to secure and fortify our elections are made."" ""We can't have real democracy without elections, and we can't have real elections without election security,"" said Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-8). ""As a Representative whose District is home to the Election Assistance Commission and who serves on the House Administration Committee which oversees the EAC, I remain committed to fortifying American democracy."" Created in 2002, HAVA provides federal funding to help states protect and improve their elections through enhancement of technology, election security, replacing voting systems, and meeting new standards for administering elections. Unfortunately, there has not been nearly enough federal funding for every state to implement all these needed investments to secure our elections, according to the Brennan Center. Appropriating $600 million, with the accountability measures set forth in the House funding bill, would help states and localities secure their election systems and update or replace old voting equipment. Providing the EAC with an operating budget of $16.2 million would allow it to take on crucial election security work, hire additional staff to assist state and local election officials, invest in research on cybersecurity and election security best practices, and develop technical guidelines for voting machines with assistance from the National Institute of Standards and Technology.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-06-27T23:45:33Z https://allred.house.gov/media/press-releases/allred-supports-passage-voting-rights-advancement-act,Allred Supports Passage of Voting Rights Advancement Act,2019-12-06,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Colin Allred,A000376,allred.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Congressman Colin Allred (TX-32) today voted to pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act, H.R. 4. This bill seeks to protect the right to vote, and takes aim at voter suppression tactics by restoring Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, which was weakened by the 2013 Shelby vs. Holder Supreme Court decision. The bill develops a process to determine which states and localities with a recent history of voting rights violations over the last 25 years must preclear election changes with the Department of Justice. Allred is an original cosponsor of the measure. As a voting rights attorney, I have seen the many barriers that are in the way of ordinary folks having their voices heard, said Allred. I am proud to support this bill which seeks to protect that sacred right to vote for everyone by restoring critical safeguards in the Voting Rights Act. Our nation is at its best when all our citizens can get access to the ballot box, and this bill works to ensure we root out discrimination and voter suppression tactics in our elections. Background on the Voting Rights Advancement Act: Until the 2013 Shelby County decision, Texas was required to preclear election law changes with the Department of Justice. The Voting Rights Advancement Act requires a nationwide, practice-based preclearance for known discriminatory practices, including the creation of at-large districts, inadequate multilingual voting materials, and cuts to polling places. The bill increases transparency by requiring reasonable public notice for voting changes. It also allows the U.S. Attorney General authority to request federal observers to be present anywhere in the country where a serious threat to voter access and fair elections exists. An extensive review by the House Judiciary Committee found that, since the Shelby County decision in 2013, at least 23 states, including Texas, have enacted newly restrictive statewide voting laws, which have been shown to have a disproportionate impact on communities of color and language-minority communities. These suppressive voting laws include restrictions such as: Strict voter identification laws; Voter registration barriers such as requiring documentary proof of citizenship; Unfairly purging voters from rolls; Curtailing of early voting hours; and Moving or eliminating polling places. This bill is supported by more than 60 national organizations, including the NAACP, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, NALEO Educational Fund, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Native American Rights Fund, League of Women Voters of the United States, and many more. Click here for a fact sheet on the bill: Voting Rights Advancement Act One Pager.pdf ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/castro-jayapal-introduce-bill-one-year-anniversary-jakelin-caal-maquin-s,"Castro, Jayapal Introduce Bill on One-Year Anniversary of Jakelin Caal Maquins Death, Demand Answers from DHS and HHS",2019-12-06,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquín Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON--Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), today introduced the Jakelin Caal Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2019, a bill demanding that the Department of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services report on and investigate all deaths that occur in government custody, such as the death of Jakelin Caal Maquin.Maquin died at 7 years old in CBP from dehydration and exhaustion on December 8, 2018.As of today, Congress has yet to receive any of the information that was requested on her death. Congress requires CBP to report the death of any individual in their custody within 24 hours including relevant details regarding the circumstances of the fatality. ICE is similarly required to report any in-custody death within 30 days. However, HHS has no such requirement, despite their care of thousands of migrant children every year. Jakelin's death was a travesty; a dark stain on the moral fabric of this country. One year later, Congress has yet to receive any of the information we've requested surrounding her death, despite laws that mandate agencies to report on all deaths of migrant children in their custody. This lack of action not only dishonors Jakelin's memory, but her entire family and all families that entrust our nation with their lives, said Congressman Castro. Enough is enough. We must demand integrity from our agencies and institutions, and this bill sounds the alarm to these ongoing injustices. DHS and HHS must hand over answers to all our outstanding questions swiftly and without delay. Our inhumane and reprehensible detention system comes at a high moral cost. This bill incorporates critical pieces of my Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act to require federal agencies to investigate the death of everyone who dies in their custody and send a report to Congress. It will shine a light on the federal government's deadly negligence and improve accountability, said Congresswoman Jayapal. It's past time to restore our values as a country and create an immigration system that recognizes the fundamental value of every single human life. BACKGROUND: Jakelin Caal Maquin died at 7 years old due to dehydration and exhaustion while in CBP custody on December 8, 2018. The death, which raises significant questions about the conditions in CBP's short-term holding facilities, was not reported to Congress as required by appropriations law and was instead first revealed by The Washington Post on December 13, 2018. Congress requires CBP to report the death of any individual in CBP custody within 24 hours including relevant details regarding the circumstances of the fatality (House Report 115-239; Congressional Statement Accompanying the FY18 DHS Appropriations Bill). ICE is similarly required to report any in-custody death within 30 days, with a subsequent report due 60 days later unless additional time is necessary to redact personally identifiable information. # # #",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://doggett.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/houston-chronicle-house-passes-voting-rights-bill-texas-its-sights,Houston Chronicle: House passes voting rights bill with Texas in its sights,2019-12-06,2019,2019-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON House Democrats on Friday passed a sweeping overhaul of the Voting Rights Act aimed at combating voter suppression efforts in states including Texas as the state prepares for what could be its most consequential elections in decades. Democrats cited a slew of efforts by Texas officials including requiring government-issued identification to vote, purging voter rolls and pursuing criminal charges against voters with errors on registration forms as evidence for the need to bolster the Voting Rights Act, which they've positioned as among the Democratic majority's signature pieces of legislation this Congress. The bill would once again require states and local jurisdictions with a history of discrimination to get pre-approval from the federal government to pass new voting laws or make changes to the election process, essentially reversing a 2013 Supreme Court ruling that got rid of so-called preclearance. Texas would almost certainly be subject to it again under the legislation. A recent federal report said Texas has violated the Voting Rights Act more than any other state in recent years. ""No longer will cynical politicians in states with dark histories of discrimination have the green light to freely continue their systemic suppression campaign,"" House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on the House floor. But that's likely as far as the bill will go. It passed Friday on a party line vote a sure sign it stands no chance in the GOP-led Senate and President Donald Trump has vowed to veto it if it ever reaches his desk. Nonetheless, the effort by Democrats comes as Texas prepares for what many expect will be its most fiercely contested elections in decades in 2020, with control of the state House on the line and the party energized by victories in 2018 and Trump atop the GOP ticket. Republicans voting against the bill, including virtually all Texas Republicans, said it doesn't go far enough to ensure voting happens in a legal way and that it opens the door to federalizing even state and local elections. Our only objection here is the way this goes about it, U.S. Rep. Doug Collins, a Georgia Republican, said on the House floor. Collins, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee that oversaw the legislation, said the bill could actually have adverse effects across the country, especially if people wanted to really mess with our voting system and play it for political gain. U.S. Rep. Pete Olson, a Houston-area Republican said the bill deceptively uses the pretext of civil rights legislation as a Trojan horse to elevate federal power over the constitutional right of states to preserve the integrity of their elections. The bill, which is the culmination of months of hearings, including a field hearing in Houston, has broad backing from civil rights groups. Under the legislation, states and their political subdivisions would be subject to preclearance for 10 years if they're found to have violated voting rights 15 or more times over the past 25 years. If the state itself committed any of those violations, the bar drops to 10. Political subdivisions would have to get preclearance if three or more voting rights violations occurred there during the past 25 years. We need preclearance in Texas, said U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, a Democrat whose district stretches from San Antonio to Austin. Republicans have aggressively, illegally purged voting rolls. They eliminated mobile voting to quash especially student and senior voters. They enacted a cumbersome voter ID law. And they horribly, illegally gerrymandered our state. Among other things, the bill also expands the circumstances under which the Department of Justice may assign election observers. And it requires states and political subdivisions to notify the public of changes to voting practices. A Judiciary Committee report released with the bill says that after the Supreme Court's 2013 decision in Shelby County v. Holder, which ended preclearance, a deluge of voter suppression laws were passed across the nation. Within 24 hours, it says, Texas and North Carolina moved to reinstitute draconian voter identification laws, both of which were later held in federal courts to be intentionally racially discriminatory. That was just the beginning. The report slams Texas for a long list of things, including ending straight-party voting and an effort earlier this year to purge 95,000 people from the voter rolls, who they said appeared not to be U.S. citizens which state officials later admitted to be a vastly inflated number. The report says the committee heard from witnesses in Texas who described discrimination and hostility toward voters of color by election judges and polling officials, delayed opening of polling sites in neighborhoods with high populations of minorities, late changes to polling locations, as well as intimidation by state troopers and harassment of African-American voters by vigilante groups. The report cites Pasadena's shift to at-large districts, which a federal judge deemed deliberately violated the voting rights of its Hispanic population, as well as Waller County limiting early voting time at Prairie View A&M, which led to a federal lawsuit. Unfortunately, Texas has been a center, said U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, a Houston Democrat. It just goes right to the heart of the democratic process everyone should be able to cast their ballot. That is a privilege and a right of citizenship, but it's also a responsibility of citizens and the only way our government of, by and for the people can function.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z