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://algreen.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-al-greens-congressional-report,Congressman Al Green’s Congressional Report,2025-12-29,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Al Green,G000553,algreen.house.gov,algreen,https://algreen.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"3 federal judges I recommended were nominated and confirmed: Alfred H. Bennett to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, George C. Hanks Jr. for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, and Gregg J. Costa to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas as well as to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Hundreds of billions in support for our port, airports, rail line, hospital district, schools, housing, roads, bridges, and infrastructure.

$10 billion in funding for small businesses through my reauthorization of the State Small Business Credit Initiative (The SSBCI) Renewal Act.

$9 billion through the establishment of my Emergency Capital Investment Program (ECIP) to provide low- and moderate-income community financial institutions funding to support small businesses, as well as consumers, in their communities.

$325 million in local projects.

$100 million in appropriations for my permanent codification of the Minority Business Development Agency through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

$90 to $100 million for flood control within the district.

$22.5 million for the first congressionally funded police body cameras.

Millions for Texas Southern University’s National Transportation Security Center of Excellence.

Historic passage of my Fair Lending for All Act in the House of Representatives, which imposes criminal penalties for intentional lender discrimination.

Passage of my Reforming Disaster Recovery Act in the House, a bill which would codify the requirements and objectives of the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program, which provides critical funding to those impacted by natural disasters and other extreme events.

Passage of my Systemic Risk Authority Transparency Act in the House, a bill that requires more transparency from our banking regulators in the event of a bank failure.

Supported passage of the PRO Act to strengthen workers rights to unionize and collectively bargain.

Having a foundation for the historic impeachment of President Donald John Trump by bringing the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Articles of Impeachment against him to a vote.

Having recently filed and brought new Articles of Impeachment to a vote wherein most House Democrats (187) declined to halt proceedings through a motion to table.

Passage in the House of H.Res.517 – my Historic Original Slavery Remembrance Day Resolution and introduced the Historic Original Slavery Remembrance Month Resolution which call for the establishment of Slavery Remembrance Day and month in August of each year similar to other Remembrance events for 9/11, Pearl Harbor, and the Holocaust.

Introduced a resolution to create a Cabinet level Department of Reconciliation to reconcile issues associated with invidious discrimination across the country.

Passed a resolution through the House Honoring the NAACP.

Passed a resolution through the House recognizing Black History Month.

Passed a resolution through the House recognizing the hanging of nooses as a horrible act when used for the purpose of intimidation.

Fought to protect the constitutional and human rights of all people, including undocumented persons within the United States.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/castro-meeks-raskin-send-letter-to-rubio-demanding-documents-on-cecot-agreement-with-el-salvador,"Castro, Meeks, Raskin Send Letter to Rubio Demanding Documents on CECOT Agreement with El Salvador",2025-12-23,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquin Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,castro,https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Representative Joaquin Castro, Ranking Member of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Representative Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanding documents and information regarding reports that the administration terminated U.S. law enforcement agreements as part of a quid pro quo with El Salvador’s President, Nayib Bukele, to enable third-country removals to the notorious CECOT prison.

“...Since our prior requests for information, it has been reported you personally spoke with President Bukele on March 13, 2025. In this discussion, you reportedly promised that the United States would terminate its informant arrangements with certain high-ranking members of MS-13 in U.S. custody who had been cooperating with law-enforcement so that the men could be turned over to El Salvador, preventing them from testifying in federal courts. In exchange, President Bukele would receive and detain Venezuelan nationals and other deportees from the United States. This quid pro quo was arranged in spite of the reported objection of officials from the Department of Justice, who warned that terminating the informant agreements risked undermining years of work and U.S. law-enforcement agencies’ ability to engage informants in the future...

“We remain deeply concerned that you would prioritize protecting President Bukele’s reputation over delivering justice for American victims of MS-13 crimes by agreeing to give up informants under U.S. protection whose knowledge and testimony is integral to ongoing federal investigations into MS-13 leadership, operations, and ties with President Bukele’s administration. Multiple credible reports have alleged that the Bukele government engaged in direct negotiations with MS-13 leadership between 2019 and 2021 to secure reductions in homicide rates and support for Bukele’s political party in exchange for prison privileges, political protection, or promises to stall gang leader extraditions. One of these leaders, César López Larios, who was facing serious charges including conspiracy to finance terrorism and support narco-terrorism, was deported to El Salvador two days after your reported March 13 conversation with Bukele.”

A PDF of the full letter can be found here.

This letter follows up on a letter Castro and Meeks sent in April requesting documents related to the bilateral deal struck with El Salvador. Contrary to the law, the State Department has refused to provide details on the bilateral agreement.",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7171,Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Releases 2025 Annual Report for Texas’ Seventh Congressional District,2025-12-23,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lizzie Fletcher,F000468,fletcher.house.gov,fletcher,https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) released her 2025 Annual Report detailing her work representing Texas’ Seventh Congressional District this year. The report highlights some of Congresswoman Fletcher’s work to bring the voices of the district to the national conversation about our values as Americans, our vision for the future, and our priorities for the moment, outlining how she has worked to advance these priorities and values in Congress, in the courts, and in the community this year.

Highlights of the 2025 Annual Report include:

Work in Congress to bring down costs, oppose harmful program and spending cuts to programs and services Americans rely on, oppose the Trump tariffs on goods Americans use every day; and fight for access to quality, affordable health care for people in Texas and across the country.

Work in the Courts as part of the House Democratic Litigation Task Force to protect and defend our country and our constitution, filing briefs in 25 cases before courts across the country.

Work in the community, including more than 1,500 meetings with constituents and people advocating for them, hosting six town hall meetings and participating in many more in partnership with elected officials across the district, hosting four passport fairs and nine “pop-up” constituent services events.

Constituent Advocacy: This year, Congresswoman Fletcher’s office resolved more than 1,260 constituent matters before federal agencies, and reached the milestone of resolving more than 16,000 constituent matters since she assumed office in 2019.

To view the full 2025 Annual Report, click here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://algreen.house.gov/media/press-releases/icymi-associated-press-article-titled-head-workplace-rights-agency-urges-white,"ICYMI: The Associated Press article, titled ""Head of workplace rights agency urges white men to report discrimination.""",2025-12-20,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Al Green,G000553,algreen.house.gov,algreen,https://algreen.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"The Associated Press article below, titled “Head of workplace rights agency urges white men to report discrimination,” speaks for itself.

You can access the article by clicking the link here: https://apnews.com/article/dei-white-men-discrimination-andrea-lucas-eeoc-2996e71763dd0fe4b7f377eb49036fbe",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/castro-ciscomani-espaillat-introduce-bipartisan-resolution-to-honor-hispanic-serving,"Castro, Ciscomani, Espaillat Introduce Bipartisan Resolution to Honor Hispanic-Serving",2025-12-19,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquin Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,castro,https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) introduced a bipartisan resolution to honor Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and uplift their important work shaping the landscape of American Higher Education.

“Access to quality education is the cornerstone of our nation’s infrastructure of opportunity,” said Congressman Castro. “I am proud to introduce this bipartisan resolution that recognizes the achievements and vital role HSIs play across the United States—including the 112 institutions in my home state of Texas. I am grateful for their work to build a more diverse, inclusive, and educated society.”

“Hispanic Serving Institutions play a critical role in expanding access to higher education and creating opportunities for students who are often the first in their families to attend college,” said Congressman Ciscomani. “From Cochise College, Pima Community College, and Eastern Arizona College in my district to institutions across our state like the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and Northern Arizona University, these schools are opening doors for low-income and underserved students. I’m proud to support this resolution recognizing National Hispanic Serving Institutions Week and the vital work they do for Arizona’s students and communities.”

“Higher education is a critical pathway to economic opportunity and Hispanic Serving Institutions have opened doors for millions of Latino and Hispanic students to pursue college degrees,” said Congressman Espaillat. “New York State is home to 39 two- and four-year HSIs that serve almost 300,000 students. Unfortunately, this year, they have faced unprecedented attacks from the Trump Administration, but this resolution reaffirms the crucial work that they do in the community!”

The resolution uplifts HSIs by:

Recognizing the achievements and goals of Hispanic-Serving Institutions across the United States;

Expressing support for the designation of “National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week”; and

Calling on the people of the United States and interested groups to observe the week with ceremonies, activities, and programs to demonstrate support for Hispanic-Serving Institutions in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.",1,2026-04-03T05:34:17Z,2026-04-03T05:35:48Z
https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3016,Congresswoman Escobar Expresses Further Concern on Camp East Montana Amidst Lack of Cooperation from DHS Secretary Noem and Acting ICE Director Lyons,2025-12-19,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,escobar,https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) sent a letter to Department of Homeland (DHS) Secretary Krisit Noem and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons expressing her continued concerns regarding Camp East Montana. This is now the third letter the Congresswoman has sent them after the previous two have gone unanswered by the Secretary and Acting Director.

The letter can be found in its entirety below and here.

“Secretary Noem and Acting Director Lyons:

I am writing to follow up on my two previous letters, dated September 26, 2025 and November 7, 2025, which have gone unanswered by the Department. I continue to have grave concerns regarding operations and conditions at Camp East Montana, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility on Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas.

I was angered to learn that since my last visit to Camp East Montana, ICE’s negligence has led to the first known death in custody at the facility. A 48-year-old Guatemalan man, Francisco Gaspar-Andres, passed away on December 3, 2025. According to ICE’s own records, Gaspar-Andres had been treated for alcohol withdrawal when he was initially detained in Florida. When he was later transferred to Camp East Montana, he repeatedly sought medical care throughout his stay; despite requiring care for increasingly severe symptoms, staff at Camp East Montana only transferred Gaspar-Andres to a local hospital once he was in critical condition. Gaspar-Andres passed away from multiple organ failure two weeks after being admitted. Despite the law requiring ICE to inform Congress in a “timely” manner of any death in custody, Congress was notified on December 9th, six days after Mr. Gaspar-Andres’ death on December 3rd. Unfortunately, Camp East Montana has been operational for less than six months and has already led to one detainee’s death.

During my latest oversight visit to Camp East Montana on November 24th, I again heard from detainees that several of the issues that my staff and I have been aware of since August have not yet been adequately resolved. Issues persist with rotten food, inconsistent access to necessary medications, lack of regular access to recreational areas, and inconsistent laundry and cleaning services for uniforms. I spoke with detainees who shared that they save the few personal hygiene products they do receive to wash their uniforms in the bathroom sink. Other detainees commented that the hygiene product – a two-in-one soap and shampoo – is alcohol-based, and its use has resulted in people developing skin irritations and hives.

Given that detainees continue to point out issues with facility cleanliness and reliable laundry services, it appears to me that the companies subcontracted for cleaning, laundry, and hygiene product services at Camp East Montana are not providing the services and products they are being paid for, potentially against the terms of their contract. What kind of meaningful is oversight being conducted at Camp East Montana? What processes are in place to ensure that contractors and subcontractors are providing the services they were hired to do?

I have previously noted that I do not believe Camp East Montana has enough staff on-site to ensure the safety, wellbeing, and security of everyone at the facility, and that remains true. Detainees told me that they continue to experience difficulty receiving updates on their cases and getting to their court hearings. Camp East Montana was meant to be a short-term detention facility with a length of stay of fifteen days, yet several of the people I spoke to on November 24th shared with me that they had been at the facility nearly two months. In fact, my staff is aware of people who have volunteered to self-deport but are still being detained at the facility.

The Department of Homeland Security received $45 billion from taxpayer dollars as part of the administration’s priorities in the One Big Beautiful Bill. Of that $45 billion, $1.24 billion were awarded to Acquisition Logistics, LLC for the construction and management of Camp East Montana. The current state of the facility does not reflect a responsible use of $1.2 billion in taxpayer money. That amount of funding should ensure robust staffing with knowledgeable and responsive staff, efficient transportation to and from court hearings, quality services for those in detention, fresh food, excellent medical care, and clean and cared-for facilities. As a Member of the House Committee on Appropriations, I will continue to demand transparency for every dollar spent at Camp East Montana.

Below are the questions I outlined in my September 26th and November 7th letters. I urge ICE and DHS to provide my office with a detailed response as soon as possible. Please provide my office with:

The most up-to-date population census numbers, including the amount of people with pending court dates.

The average number of detainees who have volunteered to self-deport and are still at the facility.

The average number of people who are in-processed and out-processed from the facility within a 24-hour period.

The average length of stay of detainees.

From my September 26th letter:

When our office first visited, we were informed that Camp East Montana had “about” 300 support staff consisting of contractors and about 40 ICE staff on site, and that whenever the facility reaches a 3,000-bed capacity, the number of ICE staff “should” be 10 ICE supervisors and 40 Deportation officers.

What will the contractor staffing numbers be at 3,000 and 5,000 beds?

During our August 28th visit, our office discussed the list of the vendors at Camp East Montana with staff, including the food vendor that was local to El Paso and was in the process of phasing out, and the new food vendor that would replace them. Please provide the names of those vendors.

We were informed that ICE had re-hired retired staff and annuitants to bring them on in a supervisory role. With these new hires, how many supervisory staff are now on site?

What processes are in place to ensure that phones are being answered 24 hours a day, as is necessary, at Camp East Montana? Our office has heard from staff at a local legal service provider organization that it can be difficult to connect with staff at Camp East Montana over the phone. One legal service provider reportedly placed 25 calls to Camp East Montana before staff at the facility answered the phone.

What is the current status of construction on the walkway between the visitor area and the meeting space? Are there plans to ensure this walkway is enclosed and protected from the elements in the future?

My staff recommended that staff at Camp East Montana connect with the City of El Paso Public Health Department as a preventative public health measure against potential outbreaks of illnesses at Camp East Montana. My staff also provided contact information for the city’s public health director. Please confirm if staff at Camp East Montana has made efforts to connect with the City of El Paso Public Health Department.

Multiple detainees spoke to me and my staff about the quality of the drinking water at Camp East Montana. Several people told us the water smelled bad and made them ill after drinking it. Please confirm where the water is being sourced and what tests are being conducted to ensure it meets all applicable standards for drinking water.

From my November 7th letter:

Please clarify the number of shifts per week that contracted staff are currently scheduled to work, the number of shifts per week contracted staff currently works, and the duration of each shift.

Please clarify how many detainees have escaped from Camp East Montana. Include details on if they were taken back into custody, how long they were outside of the facility, and what their current condition is.

Please clarify what protocols are in place to determine when a detainee requires medical attention beyond the capabilities of Camp East Montana and how quickly a detainee will be transferred to a local healthcare facility.

Which staff are responsible for ensuring the medical wellbeing of detainees at Camp East Montana?

What facility-specific training, if any, do these staff members receive before being able to interact with and make medical determinations for detainees at Camp East Montana?

Which staff are responsible for ensuring continuation of care for detainees at Camp East Montana once they are discharged from the local healthcare facility at which they received care?

Under what circumstances would a detainee with required follow-up care be unable to keep their appointments and meet with their healthcare team?

Under which circumstances would a detainee who has received necessary and invasive care at a local healthcare facility continue to be housed at Camp East Montana at all, especially if staff is unable or unwilling to ensure compliance with necessary continuation of care off-site?

I demand that ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) respond to these concerns and enumerate what steps, if any, are being taken to guarantee the safety and wellbeing of all the people currently detained at Camp East Montana, their families, and the staff there. Additionally, on December 17, 2025, U.S. District Judge Jia M. Cobb ruled against DHS’s unlawful policy prohibiting Members of Congress from performing unannounced oversight visits. As the ruling immediately stayed DHS’s policy barring unannounced visits, I look forward to my staff and I conducting direct oversight at Camp East Montana at our discretion.

Conditions at Camp East Montana are dangerous and inhumane; they have been since the facility opened at the beginning of August (when it was still an active construction site), and only seem to be deteriorating. It is increasingly clear that it is not a safe nor professionally managed facility. Continuing to detain people at Camp East Montana means continually exposing people to risks from unhygienic conditions, poorly built facilities, and a general lack of security and reliable management. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

# # #

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March 4, 2026 | Posted in Press Releases",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7164,Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Delivers Winter Wishes to Senior Citizens in Texas’ Seventh Congressional District,2025-12-19,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lizzie Fletcher,F000468,fletcher.house.gov,fletcher,https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) and her team delivered holiday cards to senior citizens across Texas’ Seventh Congressional District. Local students, teachers, and Seventh District constituents created and delivered more than 1,180 cards to Congresswoman Fletcher’s Houston office this month to be shared with area seniors.

“I was thrilled to have the privilege of delivering holiday cards to seniors across our district on behalf of our neighbors,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. “We had an incredible response from our TX-07 community, and I am grateful to everyone who participated and helped spread holiday cheer.”

Congresswoman Fletcher started the Winter Wishes program in 2021. This is her fifth year delivering Winter Wishes in TX-07.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-sylvia-garcia-calls-for-thorough-review-of-proposed-union-pacific-norfolk-southern-merger,Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia Calls for Thorough Review of Proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern Merger,2025-12-19,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Sylvia R. Garcia,G000587,sylviagarcia.house.gov,sylviagarcia,https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"HOUSTON, T.X. – Today, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29) sent a letter to the Surface Transportation Board (STB) raising concerns about the proposed merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, urging the Board to conduct a robust, transparent review focused on community impacts, safety, and competition.

In the letter, Garcia specifically calls on the STB to thoroughly evaluate how the merger could affect blocked rail crossings, neighborhood safety, traffic disruptions, consumer and passenger rail service, and costs driven by reduced competition, particularly in Harris County and Houston’s East End, one of the busiest rail corridors in the country.

“Railroads are important to our economy, but families should not pay the price,” said Congresswoman Garcia. “The Surface Transportation Board must make sure this merger does not make blocked crossings worse, reduce safety, or raise costs because of less competition. My constituents deserve a process that is open, careful, and focused on the public interest.”

Garcia represents Texas’s 29th Congressional District, where freight rail is central to the local economy but already creates daily disruptions for residents living near rail lines. Federal data compiled by the Federal Railroad Administration shows TX-29 has the highest number of reported blocked railroad crossings in the nation.",1,2026-05-23T06:08:46Z,2026-05-23T06:10:20Z
https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-sylvia-garcia-passes-bill-out-of-committee-to-study-ways-to-lower-housing-costs-and-expand-homeownership,Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia Passes Bill Out of Committee to Study Ways to Lower Housing Costs and Expand Homeownership,2025-12-19,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Sylvia R. Garcia,G000587,sylviagarcia.house.gov,sylviagarcia,https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29) scored a win for housing affordability this week as a key provision she authored advanced out of the House Financial Services Committee as part of a broader housing package. The “Housing for the 21st Century Act” includes a provision modeled after Congresswoman Garcia’s bill to study whether a uniform federal residential building standard can cut construction costs, speed up homebuilding, and take a real step toward tackling the housing crisis.

The Affordable Housing Through Common-Sense Standards Act directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a one-year, independent study examining whether a more uniform approach to residential building standards could reduce construction delays, lower costs, and increase the supply of safe, affordable housing.

“Homeownership is still one of the best paths to building wealth for working families, but rising costs and delays are pushing affordable housing out of reach,” said Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia. “Working Americans don’t need excuses; they need lower housing costs. This provision takes a hard look at whether smarter and more consistent building standards can cut red tape, reduce construction costs, and help communities build homes faster. Congress needs the facts to act, and this study will deliver them. “

The United States does not have a single federal residential building code. Instead, states and cities set their own rules, often based on model codes like the International Residential Code, with local changes layered on top. While flexibility is important, inconsistent standards can slow approvals, increase costs, and limit supply. The costs from the extended process are often passed on to families.

This legislation does not impose a new federal mandate. It simply requires an independent review on whether a federal uniform residential building code could cut costs and increase the affordable housing supply in the United States.

The study will examine whether federal residential building standards could:

Shorten approval timelines for new housing

Lower construction costs

Improve the quality and affordability of available homes.

According to the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, 22.6 million renter households now spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing. Home prices are up 60 percent since 2019, and the typical first-time homebuyer now faces monthly payments above $2,500. Builders report that tariffs on construction materials alone add nearly $11,000 to the cost of a new home.

Even in Houston and Harris County, a region with a reputation for relatively lower housing costs, affordability challenges are growing. A 2025 report from Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research shows that Houston households face an average homeownership affordability gap of nearly $176,000, while Harris County households face a gap of almost $130,000. Rising rents added roughly 15,000 new cost-burdened renter households in Harris County in just one year. Climate risks and increasing insurance costs are adding further strain.

The study's findings will provide Congress with clear, independent data to guide future housing policy.",1,2026-05-07T13:38:59Z,2026-05-07T13:40:28Z
https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7163,"After Trump Administration Cancels Citizenship Ceremonies and Halts Legal Immigration Pathways, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal Lead Effort Demanding Answers and Accountability",2025-12-18,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lizzie Fletcher,F000468,fletcher.house.gov,fletcher,https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, led 117 of their Democratic colleagues in sending a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow condemning the Trump administration’s decision to cancel naturalization ceremonies and halt immigration applications indefinitely for nationals from the 19 countries named in President Trump’s travel ban. The letter demands that the Trump administration immediately reverse its actions to halt legal immigration pathways from these countries and presses DHS and USCIS for transparency and a full report to Congress on the new policy’s scope, timeline, justification, and harms. The Trump administration’s decision has caused chaos across the country, including instances where individuals who had been extensively vetted, received full approval, and passed their citizenship exams were pulled out of line by USCIS officers just moments before taking the oath of citizenship.

“Across the country, green card applications, naturalization interviews, and even oath ceremonies are being paused or cancelled, solely on the basis of the applicants’ national origin,” the members wrote. “Despite the Trump Administration’s claims of going after the ‘worst of the worst,’ it is attacking the very people who have followed every process and undergone extensive and repeated vetting to secure legal status. This sweeping action is unjustified, discriminatory, and inconsistent with our nation’s founding principles. We demand that you lift this pause immediately.”

“These naturalization ceremonies are a time of celebration, as soon-to-be U.S. citizens welcome their friends and family to witness their achievement of becoming a U.S. citizen,” the members continued. “To deny this monumental achievement to those who have waited years, if not decades, to pledge the Oath of Allegiance, delaying their naturalization through no fault of their own, is a slap in the face to all those who have devoted their time and energy to become U.S. citizens. It is also a waste of USCIS resources, such as employees who adjudicated applications, which includes vetting and screening, throughout the process.”

“The callous decision to halt these immigrant applications is reprehensible and the effects will be devastating for immigrants and citizens alike,” the members continued. “Without clarity on how long this broad pause will last, soon-to-be citizens will be left in limbo for perpetuity and families will be forced to remain separated. What is clear is that no amount of vetting, moral-character, or commitment to this country and its democratic values is enough to satiate the Trump administration. We oppose the Trump administration’s actions and urge you to lift this pause immediately.”

On June 4, 2025, the Trump administration banned travel and legal immigration from Afghanistan, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Myanmar, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The administration also partially suspended travel from the following countries, meaning travelers from these countries cannot enter the United States with certain visas: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. On Tuesday, the Trump administration announced it was expanding the list of countries whose citizens are banned from entering the U.S. to include Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria, and imposing partial travel restrictions on Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08), Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-05), Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (CA-33), Democratic Vice Chair Ted Lieu (CA-36), Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Congressmembers Gabe Amo (RI-01), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Becca Balint (VT-01), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Wesley Bell (MO-01), Ami Bera (CA-06), Don Beyer (VA-08), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Brendan Boyle (PA-02), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Andre Carson (IN-07), Greg Casar (TX-35), Sean Casten (IL-06), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Gil Cisneros (CA-31), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Herb Conaway (NJ-03), Lou Correa (CA-46), Joe Courtney (CT-02), Angie Craig (MN-02), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Jason Crow (CO-06), Danny Davis (IL-07), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Lois Frankel (FL-22), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Chuy García (IL-04), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Julie Johnson (TX-32), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Tim Kennedy (NY-26), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Rick Larsen (WA-02), John Larson (CT-01), Summer Lee (PA-12), Susie Lee (NV-03), Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Sam Liccardo (CA-16), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), John Mannion (NY-22), Sarah McBride (DE-01), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), Jim McGovern (MA-02), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Rob Menendez (NJ-08), Grace Meng (NY-06), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Richard Neal (MA-01), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-01), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Scott Peters (CA-50), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Nellie Pou (NJ-09), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Emily Randall (WA-06), Luz Rivas (CA-29), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Bobby Scott (VA-03), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Adam Smith (WA-09), Darren Soto (FL-09), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Mark Takano (CA-39), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Norma Torres (CA-35), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Gabe Vasquez (NM-02), Marc Veasey (TX-33), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Nikema Williams (GA-05), and Frederica Wilson (FL-24) joined Congresswoman Fletcher and Congresswoman Jayapal in the letter request.

To read the full text of the letter, click here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-sylvia-garcia-reintroduces-don-t-block-our-communities-act-to-hold-railroads-accountable-and-protect-public-safety,Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia Reintroduces Don’t Block Our Communities Act to Hold Railroads Accountable and Protect Public Safety,2025-12-18,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Sylvia R. Garcia,G000587,sylviagarcia.house.gov,sylviagarcia,https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29)reintroduced the Don’t Block Our Communities (D-BLOC) Act, legislation aimed at addressing the chronic problem of blocked railroad crossings that disrupt daily life and endanger public safety in Houston neighborhoods and communities across the country.

For families in Houston, blocked crossings are a familiar and dangerous reality. Stalled trains routinely delay emergency vehicles, force parents and students to detour around crossings on their way to school, and trap residents in their own neighborhoods. Nearly 30 percent of rail-related deaths nationwide are linked to blocked crossings.

The urgency of the issue is especially clear in TX-29, as the reintroduction of the bill comes one year after the tragic death of Milby High School student Sergio Rodriguez, a loss that continues to weigh heavily on our community and highlights the need for more robust rail safety.

“No one should have to navigate stalled trains just to live their daily lives. When crossings are blocked, families are put in danger,” said Congresswoman Garcia. “The D-BLOC Act is about accountability and making sure rail carriers respect the communities they operate in. This is about basic safety and quality of life for Houston families. Our neighborhoods deserve a rail system that works for people, not against them.”

Although the Federal Railroad Administration established a national blocked crossing portal in 2019, later codified by Congress under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, federal regulators still lack clear enforcement authority. The D-BLOC Act responds directly to years of feedback from Houston residents calling for action.

The D-BLOC Act would:

Prohibit rail carriers from blocking public crossings for more than 10 minutes

Require the Federal Railroad Administration to investigate crossings with frequent blocked-crossing reports

Authorize federal fines for railroads that repeatedly violate the time limit",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-garcia-adams-lead-letter-raising-concerns-over-governor-abbott-s-rushed-texas-southern-university-investigation,"Reps. Garcia, Adams Lead Letter Raising Concerns Over Governor Abbott's Rushed Texas Southern University Investigation",2025-12-18,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Sylvia R. Garcia,G000587,sylviagarcia.house.gov,sylviagarcia,https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29), and founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus Congresswoman Alma Adams (D-NC-12), led a letter to Texas Governor Greg Abbott expressing deep concern over his decision to order a law enforcement investigation into Texas Southern University (TSU) before a state audit is finalized.

“Texas Southern University is being put at risk before the facts are even on the table,” said Congresswoman Garcia. “Launching a law enforcement investigation while an audit is still underway threatens TSU’s funding, damages its reputation, and creates uncertainty for students and faculty. Accountability matters, but so does fairness. The governor owes Texans a clear explanation for why this step was taken early and how he plans to protect the future of the state’s only independent public HBCU.”

“Our country’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities deserve fair due process when facing investigations, not political theater that threatens their ability to serve their students and communities,” said Congresswoman Adams. “Governor Abbott’s treatment of Texas Southern University, calling in the Texas Rangers to investigate and having his Lieutenant Governor threaten to freeze the school’s funds before the state’s audit report is even released, is extremely inappropriate, and we will not stand for it. I look forward to Governor Abbott’s answers to our questions because the students, teachers, and alumni of TSU deserve accountability for these actions.”

Governor Abbott ordered the Texas Rangers and the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts to investigate TSU’s finances after a state auditor issued preliminary findings identifying possible financial mismanagement involving hundreds of millions of dollars. However, the State Auditor’s Office has not released final findings, and the audit remains ongoing.

The Members emphasize that while any confirmed misuse of funds must be addressed and those responsible held accountable, ordering a law enforcement investigation before the audit is finalized raises serious concerns. They also note that TSU’s Board of Regents has pledged full cooperation and reform.

TSU is the only independent public Historically Black College and University in Texas and is not affiliated with a larger university system. The Members warn that an open-ended investigation, combined with threats to the university’s funding, places TSU’s autonomy and long-term mission at risk.

The letter further notes that all current members of TSU’s Board of Regents were appointed by Governor Abbott, including three new appointees this year, and raises concerns about initiating a law enforcement probe before final audit findings are issued.",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://algreen.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-al-green-sponsors-amendment-ensuring-low-income-households-access-disaster,Rep. Al Green Sponsors an Amendment Ensuring Low-Income Households’ Access to Disaster Resources,2025-12-17,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Al Green,G000553,algreen.house.gov,algreen,https://algreen.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"(Washington, DC) — On Wednesday, December 17, 2025, Congressman Al Green, Ranking Member of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, shared remarks in a Financial Services Markup of Various Measures.

You can access and listen to Congressman Al Green's remarks by clicking here. The hearing remarks highlighted are also accessible on various social media platforms, including Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-doggett-condemns-republican-plan-replacing-obamacare-nothingcare,Rep. Doggett Condemns Republican Plan Replacing ObamaCare with NothingCare,2025-12-17,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,doggett,https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Contact: Luis Botello Faz

Watch the Congressman’s remarks here

Today, Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, spoke out against the Republican-created health care crisis. After previously rejecting Rep. Doggett’s amendment to maintain the tax credits that help millions of families afford ACA plans, Republicans shut down the government for weeks, and waited all year to eventually offer a bill that replaces ObamaCare with NothingCare.

Rep. Doggett also reacted to some Republicans joining Leader Jeffries’ discharge petition to maintain the ACA credits for three more years:

“This last-minute effort by four Republicans to insulate themselves from public outrage may provide them some political cover, but it will do nothing for the struggling families who now face soaring health premiums. After signing our Democratic petition to maintain essential support for the Affordable Care Act, they once again voted against our motion to provide immediate relief by taking up the petition today.”

Watch the Congressman’s remarks here.

Rep. Doggett’s remarks, as delivered, are below:

In a bill that they call ‘big’ and ‘beautiful,’ Republicans have approved the biggest reduction in access to health care in American history. They rejected my amendment in committee to maintain the tax credits that make the Affordable Care Act truly affordable. Now, after shutting down the government for weeks, delaying further weeks, they offer this sorry bill, this loser, wrapped up in a bow for Christmas.

To Andrew and his family down in Austin, this phony bill means zero relief on premiums. Premiums that are going to spike for his family by nearly $2,000 per month. Nothing for Russell, a prostate cancer survivor just two years away from Medicare, wondering how he will afford the screenings and any necessary care.

And for a mother in Austin who contacted me about the stop-loss provision that is reinforced in this bill, it means the possibility that after her three-year-old child was diagnosed with cancer, they will lose all their coverage. These are real-life stories from my neighbors who have been forgotten by Republicans in their rush to provide more tax benefits for their billionaire buddies. They forget the struggles of so many working Americans.

Republicans have made over 70 attempts to destroy the Affordable Care Act, which they all opposed. They peddled junk insurance policies that would deny essential consumer protection benefits under the Affordable Care Act. They could even make matters worse with one provision in this bill that will allow the reinstituting of pre-existing conditions that were used to bar coverage for so many people before the Affordable Care Act.

This is their commitment to deny health care, to provide no relief on premiums that are soaring.

In short, it means replacing ObamaCare with NothingCare. I yield back.",1,2026-06-09T06:27:37Z,2026-06-09T06:30:10Z
https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3013,Court Rules Trump-Vance Administration Cannot Block Members of Congress From Conducting Oversight at Federal Immigration Detention Facilities,2025-12-17,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,escobar,https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Just now, a federal court temporarily stopped the Trump-Vance administration’s policy blocking Members of Congress from unannounced oversight visits to federal immigration detention facilities today. The decision restores Congress’s ability to conduct real-time oversight of how the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detain individuals — including U.S. citizens — and spend billions in taxpayer dollars, while the case continues.

In a joint statement, the plaintiffs said: “Today’s decision is a critical victory toward restoring our ability to conduct essential congressional oversight on behalf of the American people. It reinforces the rule of law and reminds the administration that oversight is not optional. Real-time, on-the-ground visits to immigration detention facilities help prevent abuses and ensure transparency. Oversight is a core responsibility of Members of Congress—and a constitutional duty we do not take lightly. We’ll continue standing up for the rule of law.”

The lawsuit, Neguse et al. v. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement et al., was brought by a dozen members of the U.S. House of Representatives after the administration imposed a seven-day waiting period and barred access to certain field offices, in violation of a longstanding federal law that guarantees congressional oversight.

The plaintiffs include Assistant Democratic Leader Joe Neguse; Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Rep. Adriano Espaillat; Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Rep. Bennie G. Thompson; Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Rep. Jamie Raskin; House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ranking Member Rep. Robert Garcia; House Homeland Security Committee Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement Ranking Member Rep. J. Luis Correa; Rep. Jason Crow; Rep. Veronica Escobar; Rep. Dan Goldman; Rep. Jimmy Gomez; Rep. Raul Ruiz; and Rep. Norma Torres.

The Members of Congress are represented in this suit by Democracy Forward Foundation and American Oversight.

“This ruling is a victory for the American people and their elected representatives,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. “This decision makes clear that no president can hide the truth about how people are treated in federal immigration custody. We’re honored to represent these individual Members of Congress in defending accountability, transparency, the rule of law, and human dignity.""

“Today’s ruling is a clear victory for the rule of law and a clear affirmation that no administration is above it,” said Chioma Chukwu, Executive Director of American Oversight. “Members of Congress have an unquestioned right to conduct real-time oversight of immigration detention facilities, and the American people have a right to know what is happening in their name. By blocking those visits, the administration wasn’t simply breaking the law, it was trying to conceal the reality inside these facilities from the public: people in overcrowded, inhumane conditions without adequate beds, showers, or medical care. This order restores a critical check on executive power and sends a clear message that abuse cannot be hidden.”

With this decision, the court reaffirms Members of Congress’s right to access federal immigration detention facilities without prior notice — a safeguard meant to prevent abuse, protect human rights, and ensure that taxpayer funds are not used to support unlawful or inhumane practices. The ruling sends a strong message that oversight is essential to democracy and that no administration is above the law.

How did we get here?

Federal law (Sec. 527, FY2024 DHS Appropriations Act) allows Members of Congress to visit U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sites where noncitizens are detained without prior notice. But increasingly, these representatives have been stopped at the door.

In response to questions about this, ICE officials announced a new policy requiring a seven-day waiting period and preventing entry to ICE field offices.

On July 30, a dozen individual Members of the U.S. House of Representatives sued the Trump-Vance administration, challenging the policy as an unlawful obstruction of congressional oversight.

Subsequently, the plaintiffs sought a court order requiring DHS and its Secretary Kristi Noem, as well as ICE and its Acting Director Todd Lyons to comply with the federal law granting Members of Congress the right to visit immigration detention facilities without prior notice during the course of their lawsuit.

# # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://juliejohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases/johnson-votes-against-republican-health-care-plan-urges-affordable-care-act,"Johnson Votes Against Republican Health Care Plan, Urges Affordable Care Act Tax Credit Vote",2025-12-17,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Julie Johnson,J000310,juliejohnson.house.gov,juliejohnson,https://juliejohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congresswoman Julie Johnson (TX-32) voted against the Republican health care plan. The plan would raise health care costs, effectively bans abortion coverage, and kicks millions of people off their insurance. It also fails to extend the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) tax credits — credits that nearly 100,000 of Johnson’s constituents rely on to afford their coverage.

At the same time, Johnson urged Republican leadership to schedule a vote on a three-year extension of the ACA’s tax credits. Today, a House Democratic discharge petition reached the required 218 signatures to force a vote by the full House. However, Speaker Johnson has refused to bring this bipartisan petition to the floor before the end of the year, when the tax credits are set to expire.

“Americans are about to face thousands of dollars more in health care costs each year — or lose their insurance altogether. This crisis didn’t happen by accident. It was created by President Trump and Republicans, and now they’re refusing to fix it,” said Johnson. “Republicans had all year to act. All year to protect families from skyrocketing premiums. Instead, they did nothing — and in just weeks, costs will surge for millions of Texans. Rather than providing real relief, House Republicans just passed a health care bill that raises costs, refuses to extend critical Affordable Care Act tax credits, and functions as a backdoor ban on abortion coverage by pressuring plans to drop coverage. I will not support any bill that restricts access to abortion or kicks millions of people off their insurance. That’s why I voted against the Republican plan. I will continue fighting to extend ACA tax credits and urge Speaker Johnson to put an extension up for a vote before these credits expire so we can stop this health care crisis from getting worse.”

To watch remarks from Johnson on this issue, click here.

Congresswoman Julie Johnson represents Texas’s 32nd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, serving on the Homeland Security Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Administration Committee. Her district includes parts of Collin, Dallas, and Denton Counties.",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-castro-leads-bicameral-introduction-of-comprehensive-arms-trafficking-legislation,Congressman Castro Leads Bicameral Introduction of Comprehensive Arms Trafficking Legislation,2025-12-16,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquin Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,castro,https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), Congresswoman Norma Torres (CA-35), Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10), and Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20) led the bicameral introduction of the Americas Regional Monitoring of Arms Sales (ARMAS) Act, legislation that would mobilize resources across the federal government to disrupt firearms trafficking from the United States to Latin America and the Caribbean and implement stronger transparency, accountability, and oversight for U.S. arms exports.

“Our country’s broken gun laws have global consequences—they have destabilized nations and fueled violence in the streets of Mexico, the Caribbean, and across the Western Hemisphere for decades,” said Congressman Castro. “The ARMAS Act is a necessary step to curbing the flow of U.S. made weapons to Latin America and saving lives. The Trump administration’s unregulated export regulations spread terror far beyond our own borders. It’s time to stop this carnage and hold the State Department accountable for regulating gun exports.”

“Every year, hundreds of thousands of American-made guns are illegally trafficked into Latin American countries. These guns are then used by cartels and gangs to commit violence and sow instability that has real consequences for us here at home. Our bill would overhaul the current system for approving firearms exports, increasing transparency and making it harder for dangerous people to get their hands on illegally trafficked guns,” said Senator Murphy.

“For too long, dangerous American made firearms have been allowed to flow beyond our borders with far too little oversight, fueling violence, displacement, and instability throughout Latin America and the Caribbean,” said Congresswoman Norma Torres. “As someone who has spent years working to combat firearms trafficking and its devastating impact on communities in the Northern Triangle, I know that transparency and accountability save lives. The ARMAS Act restores strong State Department oversight of U.S. arms exports, brings federal agencies together to shut down trafficking networks, and ensures our policies do not undermine the safety of our neighbors or our own national security.”

""Transnational criminal organizations, especially drug cartels, rely on American-made guns to control their human trafficking and drug smuggling operations by force,"" said Congressman Dan Goldman. ""We must take every avenue possible to ensure that American weapons do not get into the hands of the cartels, who use them to threaten the safety and prosperity of the entire Western Hemisphere. It's incumbent upon American leadership and a strong federal response to keep weapons of war out of the hands of the cartels. The ARMAS Act is a key component of that much-needed response.”

“Weapons trafficked through the United States are fueling Haiti’s escalating gang violence and deepening the country’s instability,” said Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Co-Chair of the House Haiti Caucus. “Strengthening transparency, accountability, and oversight of U.S. arms exports is essential to addressing this regional challenge and preventing firearms from falling into the hands of dangerous criminals.”

The ARMAS Act will address these challenges by:

Transferring small arms authority from the Department of Commerce back to the Department of State to ensure greater accountability and transparency;

Requiring the development of a comprehensive interagency strategy and program to disrupt arms trafficking;

Providing congressional notification, review, and oversight of certain small arms exports;

Requires the submission of an annual report by the State Department and relevant agencies that will allow Congress to understand the challenges and successes of current efforts to address illegal arms trafficking and inform future strategies;

Tracing the origin of firearms captured from criminals by increasing the adoption of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms’ e-Trace platform by foreign law enforcement agencies;

Prohibiting the Department of Commerce from promoting small arm sales globally throughout the transfer of authority period.

Background:

Congressman Castro has been a longtime leader in efforts to prevent gun violence and stem the illegal trafficking of U.S. firearms across the Western Hemisphere. Recent efforts include:

In October 2025, Reps. Castro, Gregory Meeks (NY-05) and Senators Warren (D-MA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), wrote to the Department of Commerce and the State Department pressing for answers about the Trump administration’s elimination of a rule that was stemming the export of dangerous weapons to cartels and criminal organizations around the world.

In February 2025, Reps. Castro, Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Maxwell Frost (FL-10) and Senator Durbin (D-IL) introduced the Stop Arming Cartels Act, legislation that aims to address the sale and trafficking of firearms from the United States to transnational criminal organizations abroad.

In March 2024, Reps. Castro and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), along with Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Tim Kaine (D-VA), introduced the Caribbean Arms Trafficking Causes Harm (CATCH) Act, legislation designed to curb illicit arms trafficking from the United States to the Caribbean.

In December 2023, Reps. Castro, Norma Torres (CA-35), Dan Goldman (NY-10), and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20) led more than a dozen of their colleagues to introduce the Americas Regional Monitoring of Arms Sales (ARMAS) Act, legislation that would mobilize resources across the federal government to disrupt firearms trafficking from the United States to Latin America and the Caribbean and implement stronger transparency, accountability, and oversight for U.S. arms exports.

In September 2023, Reps. Castro, Norma Torres (CA-35), and Dan Goldman (NY-10), along with Senator Warren, sent a letter to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, seeking answers on Commerce's lackluster oversight of assault weapons exports and its failure to release data on its approvals of these exports.

In April 2023, Reps. Castro (TX-20) and Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05), along with Senator Dick Durbin (IL), wrote to the Comptroller General of the U.S. Government Accountability Office calling for a federal probe into the consequences of firearms trafficking from the United States to the Caribbean. The report, which was subsequently released in November 2024, found that 73% of guns recovered in the Caribbean can be traced back to the United States.

In 2022, Congressman Castro voted to pass, and President Biden signed into law the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant gun violence prevention reform in nearly three decades. Among its many provisions, the law created new federal criminal offenses for firearm straw purchasing and trafficking.

The ARMAS Act is co-sponsored by Reps. Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), and Rob Menendez (NJ-08).

The ARMAS Act is endorsed by the Newtown Action Alliance, Stop U.S. Arms to Mexico (a project of Global Exchange), and the Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3011,Congresswoman Escobar Signs Discharge Petition to Ban Members of Congress from Owning and Trading Stocks,2025-12-15,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,escobar,https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) released the following statement after signing onto Discharge Petition No. 11. This would force a vote on the House floor for the Restore Trust in Congress Act, a bill to ban stock trading and ownership by Members of Congress and their family members:

""It’s long past time to ban congressional stock trading. I’m proud to be a cosponsor of HR 396 and to have signed on to the bipartisan discharge petition in the House. This is a commonsense reform that increases transparency, fights corruption and helps ensure Congress works for the people we serve — and never for ourselves.

""I've never traded stocks and as long as I'm in public office, I never will. It is my hope that the discharge petition gains more support from my colleagues so we can pass this bill and send it to the Senate.

""The American people should have representatives whose only focus is what’s in the best interests of their community, not personal financial gain.”

# # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-passes-congressman-gonzalezs-bill-give-small-businesses-seat-table,House Passes Congressman Gonzalez’s Bill to Give Small Businesses a Seat at the Table,2025-12-15,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Vicente Gonzalez,G000581,gonzalez.house.gov,gonzalez,https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Contact: Alexis Torres

Washington, D.C.—As small businesses in South Texas are struggling with labor shortages and higher costs, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34), a member of the House Financial Services Committee, announced that his bipartisan bill, H.R. 4449, the Advocating for Small Business Act, advanced out of the U.S. House of Representatives. It was included in a wide-ranging legislative package called the Incentivizing New Ventures and Economic Strength Through Capital Formation (INVEST) Act and would specifically establish Offices of Small Business within each of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rulemaking divisions to make federal regulators more responsive and accessible to local entrepreneurs.

“Small businesses are the backbone of America and create two out of every three new jobs,” said Congressman Gonzalez. “Yet, far too often, these businesses face barriers when trying to access capital because the rules are designed with only large firms in mind. To strengthen South Texas’s economy and create jobs, we need to provide the same flexibility given to those on Wall Street. I’m elated that my bill was included in the INVEST Act and passed out of the House. Now, I urge the Senate to join us in delivering much-needed support to small business owners who are eager to reach their full economic potential.”

In July 2025, Congressman Gonzalez championed his bill before the House Financial Services Committee before it was reported favorably out for full consideration. The SEC is primarily responsible for enacting rules that both protect investors and help businesses raise capital. However, there is currently no dedicated office within the SEC that represents the best interests of small businesses during the rulemaking process.",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://algreen.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-al-green-declares-trump-threat-democracy-140-courageously-vote,Congressman Al Green Declares Trump a Threat to Democracy as 140 Courageously Vote to Advance Impeachment,2025-12-12,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Al Green,G000553,algreen.house.gov,algreen,https://algreen.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"(Washington, D.C.) — On Friday, December 12, 2025, Congressman Al Green delivered remarks on the House floor to confront the threats posed by Donald John Trump to democracy and the Constitution and to commend the courageous Members who voted to advance his impeachment resolution.

You can access and listen to Congressman Al Green’s speech on his official YouTube page or by clicking here. The floor speech highlighted is also accessible on various social media platforms, including Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases/doggett-van-hollen-demand-answers-flexible-foreign-aid-funds,"Doggett, Van Hollen Demand Answers on “Flexible” Foreign Aid Funds",2025-12-12,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,doggett,https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Contact: Luis Botello Faz

202-494-4620

Washington, D.C.—Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) and Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland) led colleagues in requesting immediate answers from State Secretary Marco Rubio regarding the Trump Administration’s approach to U.S. foreign assistance. They were joined by 120 House members and 5 Senators. After shuttering USAID and rescinding most of its funding, the Trump Administration had $1.8 billion in remaining appropriated funds to which it has sought a $2.9 billion addition to establish the America First Opportunity Fund for “flexible” foreign aid spending. This would purportedly be used toward vaguely defined initiatives advancing Trump’s “America First” agenda.

“Since the Administration has refused to provide a meaningful explanation as to how these foreign aid funds are being used, we are seeking answers to provide the oversight that this Republican Congress refuses to provide,” said Rep. Doggett. “Taxpayer dollars should not be used as a slush fund to reward Trump's billionaire friends and political allies while pursuing his latest whim. Let’s assure that there really is no waste, fraud, and abuse.”

“President Trump illegally rescinded billions of previously appropriated foreign aid dollars and is currently sitting on nearly $2 billion in unspent funds for foreign assistance, after taking a chainsaw to USAID and our international development architecture. And yet, his Administration has asked Congress for nearly $3 billion more for vaguely defined so-called ‘America First’ initiatives. Given this Administration’s track record and Congress’s power of the purse, we need answers on how they intend to use these taxpayer dollars,” said Senator Chris Van Hollen.

In the letter, the Members wrote, “After the Administration justified its dismantling of USAID to eliminate ‘waste, fraud, and abuse,’ it may be creating an unaccountable foreign aid system highly susceptible to the very corruption it claimed to have addressed…It is critical that Congress maintain effective oversight over the world’s largest foreign aid budget that encompasses vital national security priorities like military assistance, arms agreements, and counterterrorism efforts.” The letter seeks answers regarding the reallocation of USAID funds and the proposed America First Opportunity Fund.

Today’s full letter can be read here.

The letter is cosigned by Cory Booker (NJ), Andy Kim (NJ), Jeff Merkley (OR), Bernard Sanders (VT), Steny Hoyer (MD-05), Joe Neguse (CO-02), Gabe Amo (RI-01), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Becca Balint (VT-AL), Donald Beyer (VA-08), Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), Suzzane Bonamici (OR-01), Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), André Carson (IN-07), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Troy Carter (LA-02), Greg Casar (TX-35), Sean Casten (IL-06), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Joe Courtney (CT-02), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Jason Crow (CO-06), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Christopher Deluzio (PA-17), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), John Garamendi (CA-08), Jesús García (IL-04), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), Al Green (TX-09), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Henry Johnson (GA-04), Julie Johnson (TX-32), William Keating (MA-09), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Greg Landsman (OH-01), Summer Lee (PA-12), Susie Lee (NV-03), Mike Levin (CA-49), Sam Liccardo (CA-16), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), John Mannion (NY-22), Doris Matusi (CA-07), Sarah McBride (DL-AL), James McGovern (MA-02), Robert Menendez (NJ-08), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Dave Min (CA-47), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Joseph Morelle (NY-25), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Johnny Olszewski (MD-02), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Nellie Pou (NJ-09), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Emily Randall (WA-06), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Deborah K. Ross (NC-02), Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Bradley Schneider (IL-10), Kim Schrier (WA-08), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Darren Soto (FL-09), Greg Stanton (AZ-04), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Thomas R. Suozzi (NY-03), Mark Takano (CA-39), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Bennie Thompson (MS-02), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Derek Tran (CA-45), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Gabe Vazquez (NM-02), Marc A. Veasey (Tx-33), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), James Eugene Simon Vindman (VA-07), Walkinshaw (VA-11), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Nikema Williams (GA-05)

Full text below:

We write regarding the Administration’s actions over U.S. foreign aid, including the State Department’s plans to reallocate nearly $2 billion that Congress had appropriated for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) toward vaguely defined initiatives aimed to advance President Trump’s “America First” agenda. This follows the Administration’s request to establish the $2.9 billion America First Opportunity Fund (A1OF) for “flexible” foreign aid spending in May, despite its appeal that Congress rescind $8.3 billion in previously appropriated foreign aid in June and unilateral cancellation of $5 billion in foreign aid already signed into law in August. Given the Administration’s pledge to eliminate “waste, fraud, and abuse” in U.S. foreign aid, we request more information on the potential transformation of these Congressional budget accounts into multi-billion-dollar funds that your Department has argued “make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous” without providing any further explanation.

The Department’s September 12 notification to Congress outlines that the $1.8 billion previously appropriated for programs implemented by USAID would instead be obligated for State Department-run programs, including countering “Marxist, anti-American regimes” in Latin America, supporting “U.S. immigration priorities” in Africa, and “economic development and conservation work” in Greenland. Meanwhile, the cancellation of at least $19 million in emergency food assistance for famine-stricken Sudan and $27 million to counter deadly infectious disease in the conflict-afflicted Democratic Republic of Congo risks infectious disease outbreaks and global conflict that endanger Americans, running counter to the President’s stated mission.

The President’s FY2026 Budget Request to Congress indicated the A1OF would utilize $2.9 billion to “focus on strategic investments that make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous” and fund “new activities to strengthen America’s national security priorities.” Unlike previous Congressional Budget Justifications, it did not specify what those activities would be nor the amount of funding allocated for each activity. The Administration suggested the A1OF could be used for initiatives as varied as U.S. contributions to the United Nations; international peacekeeping; international security assistance; loan guarantees; global disease outbreaks; or anything else the President deems necessary.

After the Administration justified its dismantling of USAID to eliminate “waste, fraud, and abuse,” it may be creating an unaccountable foreign aid system highly susceptible to the very corruption it claimed to have addressed. Considering our constitutional responsibility to serve as stewards of taxpayer dollars, we request your prompt answers to the following questions by December 30.

Regarding the reallocation of USAID funds:

1. Knowing that the $1.8 billion had to be obligated by September 30, did the Administration have a plan for what specifically to fund before it abruptly cancelled USAID programs in July?

2. Regarding the $1.8 billion obligated by September 30, please provide an itemized list of every country and/or organization that is receiving funding, the amount, and the purpose.

3. What specific activities will be supported by funding dedicated to “[confronting] the Marxist, anti[1]American regimes of Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua”?

4. What specific activities will be supported by funding dedicated to “U.S. immigration priorities” in Africa? Will this include deporting third-country nationals from the United States to African countries?

Regarding the A1OF:

1. Who is the individual responsible for recommending to you any awards?

2. What governs the agreements under the A1OF? Will there be a competitive, open process for making awards? Will these be contracts, grants, or compacts?

3. What policies or procedures are being developed to ensure that A1OF funds will be administered with internal control standards comparable to those in place for foreign assistance programming prior to January 2025?

4. The A1OF proposal references investment funds. How do you classify waste, fraud, or abuse under an investment fund? What are the reporting requirements for these funds?

5. How will A1OF funding be monitored in conflict zones? How and to whom will waste, fraud, or abuse be reported?

6. The A1OF proposal directly references India and Jordan as potential funding recipients. What other countries are being considered, and under what criteria?

7. Are you consulting with local organizations and communities in deciding which projects to fund?

8. If funds are to be invested via private firms, how do you ensure for-profit programs are not advantaged over nonprofit programs?

9. What are the criteria used in awarding funds?

10. What are the branding and marking requirements under the agreements that indicate that funding was provided by the U.S.?

It is critical that Congress maintain effective oversight over the world’s largest foreign aid budget that encompasses vital national security priorities like military assistance, arms agreements, and counterterrorism efforts. We look forward to your prompt responses justifying where, why, and how the Administration intends to spend billions of taxpayer dollars around the world.

###",1,2026-05-13T06:12:22Z,2026-05-13T06:13:52Z
https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-gonzalez-votes-pass-fiscal-year-2026-national-defense,Congressman Gonzalez Votes to Pass Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act,2025-12-12,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Vicente Gonzalez,G000581,gonzalez.house.gov,gonzalez,https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Contact: Alexis Torres

Washington, D.C.—Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34) released the following statement on voting in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2026, which authorizes $890 billion in discretionary funding for our national defense and 3.8% pay raises for all military personnel. The bill now heads to the Senate before reaching the President’s desk, where it is expected to be signed into law.

Additionally, language from the Congressman’s House-passed amendment in response to the murder of Brownsville native, Seaman Angelina Resendiz, was included in the accompanying NDAA’s Joint Explanatory Statement. It requires the Secretary of Defense to brief Congress within 180 days, detailing the number of service members found deceased in the last five years while on duty and outlining how being designated as “Unauthorized Absence (UA)” or “Absent Without Leave (AWOL)” instead of “Duty-Status Whereabouts Unknown (DUSTWUN)” impacted investigative response times in these cases. Despite early warnings from her colleagues, friends, and family, Seaman Resendiz was missing for nearly two weeks before her body was found in a wooded area near Naval Station Norfolk on June 9, 2025.

“To keep Americans safe and our military strong, Congress has an obligation to annually fund the advancement of our nation’s defense priorities,” said Congressman Gonzalez. “I voted to support well-deserved pay raises for all service members around the globe, including at Naval Air Stations in Kingsville and Corpus Christi. Also included with this bill is a report that contains language I authored in response to the horrific murder of my constituent, Seaman Angelina Resendiz, to increase accountability, transparency and urgency in investigating service members who go missing while on duty. We must do better by the brave men and women who answer the call to serve, and this is an important step towards ensuring no family endures the same pain and uncertainty as the Resendiz family.”

Congressman Gonzalez has led efforts in response to the death of Seaman Resendiz and prevent this from happening to other service members.",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://juliejohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases/noem-storms-out-hearing-refuses-answer-johnsons-questions,"Noem Storms Out of Hearing, Refuses to Answer Johnson’s Questions",2025-12-12,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Julie Johnson,J000310,juliejohnson.house.gov,juliejohnson,https://juliejohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC — As ICE continues detaining American citizens and operating unchecked in cities like Dallas, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stormed out of a House Homeland Security Committee hearing rather than answer Congresswoman Julie Johnson’s questions about ICE’s misconduct and her failure to rein in her own agents.

“ICE is detaining American citizens, operating without accountability, and denying due process rights to people in communities like Dallas, yet Secretary Noem refused to answer even the most basic questions about this unconstitutional misconduct,” said Johnson. “Instead of providing transparency, she walked out of a congressional hearing — abandoning her responsibility to the American people and dodging oversight in real time. The American public is outraged by what the Trump Administration is doing to use violence against American citizens, rip apart families, and terrorize neighborhoods. We deserve a Homeland Security Secretary who will face tough questions and confront abuses of power — not one who runs from the room when accountability comes calling.”

Noem claimed she left the hearing for a scheduled meeting — but subsequent reporting shows that meeting was canceled.

Johnson has been a relentless advocate for accountability from ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, directly challenging Secretary Noem and her department for denying due process and violating constitutional rights. In September, Johnson visited Texas’s Bluebonnet Detention Center, where she witnessed firsthand the treatment of detainees and spoke with individuals being held despite not having committed any crimes.

To watch Johnson’s full remarks during the hearing, click here.

Congresswoman Julie Johnson represents Texas’s 32nd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, serving on the Homeland Security Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Administration Committee. Her district includes parts of Collin, Dallas, and Denton Counties.",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://algreen.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-al-green-issues-statement-members-vote-table-impeachment,Congressman Al Green Issues Statement on Members Vote to Table Impeachment Resolution - H.Res.939,2025-12-11,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Al Green,G000553,algreen.house.gov,algreen,https://algreen.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"(Washington, DC)—On Wednesday, December 11, 2025, Congressman Al Green issued the following statement regarding H.Res.939, a privileged resolution calling for the impeachment of President Donald J. Trump. After consideration, the House voted 237-140 to table the measure, with 47 members voting “present.” A copy of the members’ votes is accessible by clicking here. See Congressman Green’s response below:

Congressman Al Green stated, “Donald John Trump’s pattern of threatening rhetoric, disregard for democratic norms, and harmful behavior towards lawmakers and federal judges cannot be ignored. Today’s vote reflects the reservations Members of Congress have about Donald John Trump’s conduct and the danger it poses to our nation. While the House ultimately voted to table my impeachment resolution, the diversity of support for this impeachment includes ranking members of full committees, subcommittees, and persons from different political caucuses. This should send a powerful message to President Trump. He should understand now that targeting people is not only harmful to the people he targets, but also harmful to the continuation of his presidency.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://algreen.house.gov/media/press-releases/icymi-congressman-al-green-calls-vote-impeach-donald-john-trump,ICYMI: Congressman Al Green Calls for a Vote to Impeach Donald John Trump,2025-12-11,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Al Green,G000553,algreen.house.gov,algreen,https://algreen.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Congressman Al Green made a promise and commitment to bring a vote to the floor of the House of Representatives to impeach Donald John Trump before the Christmas break. He is true to his word, and until the vote is taken, he will stage a sit-in by taking the same seat he had on the floor of the House of Representatives during the Joint Session of Congress when he told Donald Trump that he didn’t have a mandate to cut Medicaid, Medicare, or Social Security.

He will explain more about this impeachment effort during the 10 o’clock hour EST today on C-SPAN.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://cuellar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=411835,Rep. Cuellar Votes to Advance the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act,2025-12-11,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Henry Cuellar,C001063,cuellar.house.gov,cuellar,https://cuellar.house.gov/news,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, released the following statement after voting for the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA):

“I voted for legislation that strengthens our national defense while delivering real support for the men and women who serve. The FY26 NDAA includes a wide range of provisions to support servicemembers, Department of Defense (DoD) civilian workers, and their families by authorizing a 3.8 percent pay increase, expanding access to childcare, and improving military housing and health care. These investments help our troops and their families stay healthy, stable, and mission ready. I will continue working to secure a bipartisan agreement that honors their service and delivers responsible defense policy for our country.”

The FY26 NDAA also advances several of the Congressman's Texas and border security priorities.

“The bill provides an extension of authority for DoD to support civilian law enforcement on counterterrorism and counterdrug activities. This extension allows our law enforcement partners to better protect South Texas. I will keep working to advance these priorities because military families deserve our full support.”

###

Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. is a senior member of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee. Previously, he served as a Texas State Representative and Texas Secretary of State.

Sign up to receive Dr. Cuellar’s Email Newsletters

Click here for Dr. Cuellar's Facebook, X, or YouTube Channel

El Representante Cuellar Vota a Favor de Avanzar la Ley de Autorización de Defensa Nacional para el Año Fiscal 2026

Washington, D.C. – Hoy, el Congresista estadounidense Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28), miembro destacado del Comité de Asignaciones de la Cámara de Representantes y del Subcomité de Asignaciones para la Defensa, ha publicado la siguiente declaración tras votar a favor de la Ley de Autorización de Defensa Nacional (NDAA) para el año fiscal 2026:

“Voté a favor de una legislación que refuerza nuestra defensa nacional y, al mismo tiempo, brinda un apoyo real a los hombres y mujeres que prestan servicio. La NDAA para el año fiscal 2026 incluye una amplia gama de disposiciones para apoyar a los miembros del servicio, a los trabajadores civiles del Departamento de Defensa (DoD) y a sus familias , autorizando un aumento salarial del 3,8 %, ampliando el acceso a los servicios de guardería y mejorando las viviendas y la atención médica de los militares. Estas inversiones ayudan a nuestras tropa y a sus familias a mantenerse sanas, estables y preparadas para la misión. Seguiré trabajando para garantizar un acuerdo bipartidista que honre su servicio y ofrezca una política de defensa responsable para nuestro país.”

La FY26 NDAA también promueve varias de las prioridades del congresista en materia de seguridad fronteriza y de Texas.

“El proyecto de ley prevé una ampliación de las competencias del Departamento de Defensa para apoyar a las fuerzas del orden civiles en actividades de lucha contra el terrorismo y el narcotráfico. Esta ampliación permite a nuestros socios de las fuerzas del orden proteger mejor el sur de Texas. Seguiré trabajando para impulsar estas prioridades, porque las familias de los militares merecen todo nuestro apoyo.”

###

El congresista Henry Cuellar es miembro del Comité de Asignaciones de la Cámara de Representantes de Estados Unidos. Anteriormente, fue Representante del Estado de Texas y Secretario de Estado de Texas.",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://cuellar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=411836,Congressman Cuellar Helps Advance Protect America’s Workforce Act,2025-12-11,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Henry Cuellar,C001063,cuellar.house.gov,cuellar,https://cuellar.house.gov/news,scraper,"U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28), announced today that he voted yes on the bipartisan Protect America’s Workforce Act (PAWA) after signing the successful discharge petition that forced the bill onto the House floor. PAWA, authored by Rep. Jared Golden (ME-2) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1), repeals an executive order that stripped union rights from roughly one million federal employees. The House passed PAWA by a bipartisan vote of 231 to 195. Twenty Republicans joined all Democrats to advance the bill.

“I supported this bill, and the original discharge petition, because federal workers deserve commonsense workplace protections,” said Dr. Cuellar. “These men and women show up every day to serve the American people. Their collective bargaining rights are essential to ensuring they have a voice on the job and protection from outside interference. I want to thank Representatives Golden and Fitzpatrick for their leadership in bringing this bill to the floor and building a bipartisan coalition to move it forward.”

The Protect America’s Workforce Act repeals a presidential executive order that sought to eliminate collective bargaining at key federal agencies, including the Departments of Defense, State, Veterans Affairs, Justice, and Energy. Many of the affected federal workers are veterans, and all are already limited in what they can bargain over under existing law.

PAWA ensures that current union contracts remain honored and reinstates fundamental protections for the workforce that keeps the federal government running. “My message is clear – stand with workers and strengthen our middle class,” Dr. Cuellar added. “I will continue working across the aisle to protect the people who serve our nation and keep our government functioning every day.”

###

Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. is a senior member of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee. Previously, he served as a Texas State Representative and Texas Secretary of State.

Sign up to receive Dr. Cuellar’s Email Newsletters",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-doggett-seeks-safeguard-americans-privacy-rights-trump,Rep. Doggett Seeks to Safeguard Americans’ Privacy Rights From Trump,2025-12-11,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,doggett,https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Contact: Luis.BFaz@mail.house.gov

(202) 494-4620

Washington, D.C.— U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Ranking Member of the House Ways & Means Health Subcommittee, renewed efforts to safeguard Americans’ most confidential data collected by the federal government from misuse by the Trump regime.

“As he grasps for more and more power, Donald Trump has been pursuing an unprecedented project to combine all federal data on every American into a master file on every citizen,” said Rep. Doggett. “Essentially a digital ID, a dossier, tracking where you live, where you work, your earnings, your bank accounts, your health information, even child support agreements – and much more. This would permit him to target opponents and manipulate others.”

With House Republicans having delayed consideration of his June 11thResolution of Inquiry, which was joined by every Democratic Member of the Ways and Means Committee, Doggett forced a vote on a similar inquiry with an amendment offered to H.R. 2716, the Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act. He would require the Social Security Administration (SSA) to produce to the Committee all records and communications pertaining to SSA’s sharing of Americans’ private data with Palantir Technologies, Inc. for the purposes of developing a centralized federal database of Americans’ information. Republicans have twice resorted to extraordinary measures to block the Committee from considering the resolution, opting to keep Americans in the dark about who has access to their personal data. While the amendment was defeated 16 to 24 on a party-line vote, Doggett has committed to continue pressuring the need for answers on this dangerous Trump plan.

You can read the amendment text here.

To watch Rep. Doggett’s remarks, click here.

Demand Progress, a group that helped lead the efforts to successfully block the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) endorsed Rep. Doggett’s amendment.

“The American people deserve to know how their Social Security data is being used, especially if it’s being used for an Orwellian government tracking system,” said Demand Progress Policy Director Emily Peterson-Cassin.

Rep. Doggett’s remarks, as delivered, are below:

Donald Trump has been pursuing an unprecedented project to combine all federal data on every American into a master file on every citizen. Essentially a digital ID, a dossier, tracking where you live, where you work, your earnings, your bank accounts, your health information, even child support agreements, and much more to obtain more insight into the extent of this massive project, this massive invasion of our privacy by someone who daily professes his desire for revenge and persecution of anyone that doesn't laud him as the great leader that he thinks he is.

I introduced months ago a resolution of inquiry. It was joined by every Democratic member of this committee. Our resolution simply asked the administration to turn over all materials related to this massive data aggregation effort and its chosen contractor, Palantir, a company that one Silicon Valley executive once accused of, quote, building the infrastructure of the police state.

And that's precisely what we are concerned with preventing. With a president whose top priority is revenge, personal enrichment for himself and his family, and self-glorification, this is deeply concerning.

But beyond furthering the machinery of a police state and beyond enabling Trump to target his enemies, this centralization of data creates immense risk for every American family. It takes some of the same confidential information that's held anywhere in the federal government, Social Security earnings, histories, bank account, Medicare and Medicaid records, tax data, and it places it into a master file that is vulnerable to any malicious actor or outside threat. There's reason to be concerned about exposing our personal data to hackers.

And there's more reason, given the fact that a whistleblower has divulged that Social Security records of 300 million Americans were uploaded by DOGE into an unsecure cloud environment that lacked adequate security. Internal federal reviews have found alarming weaknesses in Palantir's systems. One internal U.S. Army government report described that platform as, quote, very high-risk warning.

So we're exposing ourselves not only to the dangers of Donald Trump, but the dangers of hackers everywhere. And while Palantir denies these findings, they raise alarming concerns about how the most sensitive data could soon be linked together in one place. Despite the gravity of these issues, House Republicans don't want to deal with them.

And so they found up, came up with a nifty way to deal with it. On two different occasions with rules that they have passed on totally unrelated subjects, they have simply postponed the consideration of our resolutions of inquiry. So that they can't be considered about these data.

I do want to acknowledge one Republican, Warren Davidson, who has said Trump's arrangement with Palantir is, quote, dangerous, saying, quote, when you start combining all these data points on individuals into one database, it essentially creates a digital ID and a history that shows that power will be abused. He is correct about that. And that's what we're inquiring about.

And here is something notable. Palantir has met with my staff and they say they support this resolution. So if it's Palantir you're concerned about and they say they have nothing to hide, then support this amendment.

It is a vote that would be consistent with their claims. This amendment offers one small but meaningful window into how this secretive project operates. It would require disclosure of how Social Security data has been used or misused in creating a digital ID on every American.

Safeguard privacy of Americans with a little transparency, a little sunlight by adopting this reasonable amendment. I yield back.",1,2026-04-15T05:46:42Z,2026-04-15T05:48:27Z
https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3005,Congresswoman Escobar Joins Nearly 50 Lawmakers in Call to Provide Additional Funding for the Federal Public Defender Program in FY26 Budget,2025-12-11,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,escobar,https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Last week, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) joined nearly 50 lawmakers led by Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) and Representative Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1) in calling on the Senate and House Appropriations Committees to provide additional funding to the Federal Defender Services program in the upcoming Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill, beyond the recently released Republican budget proposal.

In their letter, the lawmakers urge committee leaders to fully fund the program at $1.76 billion, as requested by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, to maintain baseline constitutional requirements for federal public defense instead of the lower amounts in House and Senate Republicans’ appropriations bills.

The letter can be found in its entirety below and here.

Dear Chairman Hagerty, Chairman Joyce, Ranking Member Reed, and Ranking Member Hoyer,

Thank you for your ongoing attention and work to restore the Federal Defender Services. We respectfully request that Congress fully fund the Federal Defender Services program at $1.76 billion requested by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026.

The Federal Defender Services program serves as an integral part of the federal judicial system by securing access to counsel and providing other necessary defense services for those who cannot afford counsel. The Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right to an attorney in criminal proceedings, and the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) provides that courts appoint counsel from Federal public and community defender organizations or from a panel of private attorneys established by the court. As the Executive Branch pursues increased federal prosecutions, including capital cases, it is important that constitutionally adequate counsel is provided.

As you are aware, in FY24, an inadvertent failure to account for the federal defender program’s carryforward funding structure resulted in initial funding levels that were more than $100 million less than what the program needed. In response to those marks, the program implemented a set of cost-savings measures, including a hard hiring freeze, suspension of most in-person training opportunities, and deferral of other programmatic needs such as cybersecurity upgrades. In FY25, the Defender Services budget was frozen at the artificially low FY24 levels, leaving the program with a critical shortfall woefully inadequate to meet its identified needs.

As a result of two years of underfunding because of a calculation error, Defender Services began FY26 significantly in the red. The current funding level, based on the recent anomaly, is still $194 million short of what is required to fund the program.

We are very appreciative of your inclusion of a $1.564 billion anomaly for Federal and Community Defenders in the Continuing Resolution. This is an important step in addressing the underfunding. Now we must fully fund the program as soon as possible. Full funding for the program to staff Federal Defender offices, pay the panel deficit for missed payments last fiscal year, and avoid missed payments to panel attorneys throughout FY26 requires $1.76 billion. Without full funding, Federal Defender Services will face more extreme shortfalls in FY26.

Federal Defender organizations just entered their third year in a hard hiring freeze, resulting in more than 500 positions below what the Judicial Conference-approved staffing formula dictates. Without a sufficient number of federal defenders, the court may need to hire private attorneys from a panel to meet the constitutional requirement that indigent defendants be represented by counsel. This often increases the cost. Additionally, CJA panel attorneys face another devastating year of months-long payment delays. In FY25, money to pay CJA panel attorneys for work performed in federal court ran out beginning in July 2025 and did not restart until the government shutdown ended this November, resulting in over four months without pay. More than eighty percent of CJA panel attorneys are local small business owners who rely on CJA funds to pay overhead, staff, and travel costs. The failure to pay these lawyers had devastating consequences. Some attorneys had to take out loans, incur large credit card debt, or deplete their retirement funds in order to keep themselves afloat. Experienced attorneys are leaving the CJA panel or refusing to take more cases. Others asked to withdraw from or delay cases because they could not engage necessary experts and investigators, leaving clients in an untenable position. A group of 52 panel attorneys, paralegals, investigators, and mitigation specialists in New Mexico wrote to the Federal District Court stating that they could no longer accept new appointments. Trials across the country were delayed because of the nonpayment, and at least one case was dismissed. Even with funding at the level provided in the anomaly, this problem will repeat—even more significantly—this year. It is unsustainable for Federal and Community Defenders to continue operating without sufficient pay.

The Defender Services program has a history of bipartisan support. This essential funding supports the more than 4,000 attorneys, investigators, paralegals, and other personnel throughout 83 federal defender organizations serving 92 of the 94 federal judicial districts, as well as approximately 12,000 private CJA panel attorneys. Criminal defense funding is non-partisan, and federal defenders represent everyone regardless of political affiliation. Currently, more than ninety percent of federal cases are handled by public defense lawyers. The inevitable cascading consequences of underfunding public defense will delay prosecutions, create backlogs in U.S. Attorneys Offices, compromise convictions and sentences, and deny witnesses and victims their day in court. In short, a fully funded federal defender system is necessary to promote public safety and the rule of law.

We respectfully urge you to fully fund the Federal Defender Services program at $1.76 billion to maintain baseline constitutional requirements for federal public defense and appreciate the unprecedented challenges of the current appropriation process. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

# # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3009,Congresswoman Escobar Introduces Legislation to Fully Fund New ELP Air Traffic Control Tower,2025-12-11,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,escobar,https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) introduced the El Paso Air Traffic Control Tower Modernization Act, legislation that would provide the funding necessary to replace the aging air traffic control (ATC) tower at the El Paso International Airport.

While the FAA has acknowledged the crucial need to replace the tower, its funding is subject to available funding. Congresswoman Escobar’s legislation directly provides that funding.

“Our air traffic controllers work tirelessly to keep El Pasoans and visitors safe every single day,” said Congresswoman Escobar. “But they’re doing that vital work from a tower built decades ago, one that no longer meets the needs of a modern, growing region. I’ve been working for years on ensuring we invest in the tools and infrastructure for air traffic controllers in El Paso. My bill ensures El Paso finally receives the safe, state-of-the-art facility our controllers deserve.”

""The air traffic controllers of the El Paso Air Traffic Control facility would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation for all the hard work Congresswoman Veronica Escobar has invested into the new tower replacement project slated for our facility. The new building will replace a nearly sixty year old facility with modern infrastructure designed to ensure that future air traffic controllers have the necessary tools and efficient work environment to provide the safe and orderly movement of aircraft in the Borderland airspace. This project will bring jobs and investment into our community and directly benefit the American flying public. Congresswoman Escobar’s support has been instrumental to the process of securing funding for the design and building phases of the new facility. We thank her for her continued support and dedication to improving conditions to the National Airspace System,” said Cesar Cordero, Principal Facility Representative, National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NACTA) – El Paso.

Modernizing the tower has been one of Congresswoman Escobar’s key priorities since first taking office. Her efforts to date include:

Inspecting the existing tower on multiple occasions to assess its condition;

Voting for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provided national funding for ATC facility upgrades;

Urging the Department of Transportation to allocate federal resources for the El Paso tower;

Working with city and federal officials to secure funding for the tower’s design; and

Hosting numerous senior federal and elected officials, including the former Secretary of Transportation, to tour the tower and elevate the urgency of the project.

The El Paso Air Traffic Control Tower Modernization Act is endorsed by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association - El Paso.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7153,Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Announces Congressional App Challenge Winners for Texas’ Seventh Congressional District,2025-12-11,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lizzie Fletcher,F000468,fletcher.house.gov,fletcher,https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"This week, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) announced Vidya Ganesh and Scarlett Yu as the winners of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge. Vidya and Scarlett’s app, TuneIn, is an AI-powered hearing assistance tool.

“I am so impressed with the creative talents of our young neighbors,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. “Vidya and Scarlett’s TuneIn app is an example of how creative minds can leverage new technology to make life easier for our neighbors. Their enthusiasm and resourcefulness are so inspiring. I congratulate them on this accomplishment and look forward to seeing what they do next!”

TuneIn uses a machine learning model to make speech clearer, reduce unwanted background noise, and alert users to sounds they might otherwise miss, offering many of the benefits of a hearing aid through technology people already own.

Vidya and Scarlett are TX-07 residents and students at Clements High School, part of Fort Bend Independent School District in Sugar Land. The Congressional App Challenge is an annual competition that is open to middle and high school students in congressional districts across the country. For more information on the Congressional App Challenge, click here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://veasey.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-veasey-votes-pass-national-defense-authorization-act-ndaa,Congressman Veasey Votes to Pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA),2025-12-11,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Marc A. Veasey,V000131,veasey.house.gov,veasey,https://veasey.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. – Congressman Veasey has voted for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Congressman Veasey released the following statement on the NDAA:

“Each year, the House Armed Service Committee (HASC) is responsible for crafting our nation’s military budget in the best interest of our national security, service members, and veterans. While no bill is perfect and there are important provisions I disagree with, this bill does meet these goals and includes several provisions I strongly support, including funding for national security programs like the F-35 that are critical for the DFW Metroplex.

More importantly, this is a bill that gives our service members a much-deserved pay raise. Our nation’s continued security is owed to our brave service members. This small token of our nation’s appreciation is included in this iteration of the NDAA.”",1,2026-04-02T05:33:17Z,2026-04-02T05:34:59Z
https://algreen.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-al-green-files-resolution-impeach-president-trump-abuse-power-and,Rep. Al Green Files Resolution to Impeach President Trump for Abuse of Power and Incitement of Violence and Death Threats Against Lawmakers and Federal Judges,2025-12-10,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Al Green,G000553,algreen.house.gov,algreen,https://algreen.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"(Washington, D.C.)— On Wednesday, December 10, 2025, I filed H.Res.939, to impeach Donald John Trump, President of the United States. This resolution asserts that President Trump is an abuser of presidential power who, if left in office, will continue to promote violence, engender invidious hate, undermine our democracy, and dissolve our Republic, and that he is impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors. Article I pertains to President Trump calling for the execution of six Democratic lawmakers, all of whom are currently serving in the U.S. Senate or U.S. House of Representatives, and who previously served in the U.S. Military or in U.S. Intelligence communities. Article II describes how President Trump has fostered a political climate in which lawmakers and judges face threats of political violence and physical assault, has made threats and vituperative comments against federal judges, putting their safety and well-being at risk, and is undermining the independence of our judiciary.

Congressman Al Green's rationale for filing these articles of impeachment and bringing them to a vote is explained in the letter accessible here. Additionally, a copy of the articles of impeachment can be accessed by clicking here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3004,Congresswoman Escobar Statement on the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act,2025-12-10,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,escobar,https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) released a statement following her vote on the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA):

“The annual National Defense Authorization Act has always been the product of serious bipartisan negotiation, leading to a bill that prioritizes our service members, their families, and our national defense. In determining how to vote on the final bill, I have always weighed a number of factors: the overall positive impact, the compromises needed for a solid bipartisan outcome, and any aspects of bad policy included in the bill. Fort Bliss, our military families, and my community of El Paso are my priorities. Today, I voted against the NDAA for the first time in my congressional career.

""Many aspects of this year’s NDAA build on my years of work on the House Armed Services Committee and advance the priorities of Fort Bliss and our service members. But unfortunately, despite great effort to strip the bill of poisonous provisions, Republicans successfully used this bill as a vehicle for their culture wars and propaganda, continuing to marginalize members of the LGBTQ+ community in our military, and have allowed Donald Trump’s misuse of our military for his immigration enforcement abuses to be codified into law.

""I don’t take a no vote lightly, particularly when a piece of legislation has the ability to do so much good. This legislation still contains some major wins for service members, families, and institutions like UTEP that I helped secure, but I refuse to be a part of a voting bloc that enables the Trump Administration to expand its abuse of our military, making it an arm of the Department of Homeland Security. Congress should not permit the misuse of the DOD, particularly when this administration has so blatantly shown its disregard for the rule of law.""

You can read more about the Congresswoman’s work as one of 8 members on the bipartisan Quality of Life Panel, which led to passage of the Fiscal Year 25 NDAA here. As well as the FY 2024, FY 2023, FY 2022, FY 2021, and FY 2020 NDAAs at their respective links or here.

# # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7152,"Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, Congressman Troy Carter, and Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Prevent Flood Insurance from Lapsing During Government Shutdowns",2025-12-10,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lizzie Fletcher,F000468,fletcher.house.gov,fletcher,https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Congressman Troy Carter (LA-02), Congressman Clay Higgins (LA-03), Congresswoman Julia Letlow (LA-05), Congressman Mike Ezell (MS-04), and Congressman Cleo Fields (LA-06) introduced the National Flood Insurance Program Automatic Extension Act to prevent the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) from lapsing during future federal government shutdowns.

“When the government shuts down, new flood insurance policies cannot be issued, renewals are put on hold, and real estate transactions stall, leaving homeowners vulnerable to huge out-of-pocket losses if floods occur,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. “That is why I am glad to join Congressman Troy Carter, Congressman Higgins, Congresswoman Letlow, Congressman Ezell, and Congressman Fields to introduce the National Flood Insurance Program Automatic Extension Act to ensure continuous reliable coverage. Government shutdowns should not jeopardize people’s homes or FEMA's ability to protect them, especially during hurricane season.”

“The lapse of the National Flood Insurance Program isn’t a partisan problem — it’s a people problem. Families shouldn’t lose their coverage or face higher premiums because of political gridlock,” said Congressman Troy Carter. “Our bipartisan bill is about fairness and stability. No family should lose coverage because of a political stalemate in Washington. This bill ensures homeowners and businesses have protection when they need it most.”

“Families and businesses in Louisiana should have stable access to reasonable flood insurance coverage,” said Congressman Clay Higgins. “I’m not satisfied at all with the status-quo property insurance environment in America, and I am happy to co-lead this bipartisan effort to provide additional stability for NFIP policyholders… but much more needs to be done. My office will continue working to ensure that the National Flood Insurance Program remains readily available, and the larger, private insurance industry expands choice and affordability to all American property owners.”

“Louisianans know all too well the toll that dangerous flooding can take on homes, families, and communities,” said Congresswoman Julia Letlow. “During the recent government shutdown, families were unable to renew or access new flood insurance policies - removing a valuable lifeline for so many people. Through the NFIP Automatic Extension Act, Congress can ensure that Washington drama doesn’t have real world consequences for flood-prone communities in South Louisiana.”

“As someone who represents a coastal district that knows the realities of flooding all too well, I’m proud to help introduce the NFIP Automatic Extension Act,” said Congressman Mike Ezell. “Families shouldn’t have to worry about losing coverage or delaying a home closing because Congress missed a deadline. This bill provides the stability and certainty that homeowners, businesses, and our real estate markets deserve. Flood insurance must be available when people need it—not only when Washington gets its work done on time.”

“Extending the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 simply makes sense,” said Congressman Cleo Fields. “In the state of Louisiana and across the nation, millions of homeowners, insurers, and businesses rely on the NFIP as a lifeline to stay insured and rebuild after disaster. This extension gives the people the stability they deserve, and it most certainly ensures we aren’t gambling with people’s lives while Congress finishes the long-term reforms this program needs.”

Congresswoman Fletcher and Congressman Carter are Co-Chairs of the Congressional Flood Resilience Caucus. In September, Congresswoman Fletcher and Congressman Troy Carter introduced legislation to reauthorize the NFIP through the government shutdown, until 2026.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3001,"Congresswoman Escobar, House Democrats Introduce Legislation to End Inhumane Immigration Detention Conditions",2025-12-09,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,escobar,https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Last week, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) joined 122 of her House Democratic colleagues led by Representative Pramilia Jayapal (WA-7) in introducing the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act, legislation to enact guardrails and oversight on immigration detention, and to ensure civil and human rights are protected.

“I have seen firsthand the consequences of incompetence, cruelty and inhumane treatment that flourishes when private prison corporations are allowed to profit off suffering, including at Camp East Montana,” said Congresswoman Escobar. “The Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act is an urgent and necessary step toward ending such abuse that’s central to the Trump administration. I’m grateful to Representatives Jayapal and Smith for introducing this bill which establishes crucial oversight and basic human-rights protections that this administration has systematically dismantled.”

Since President Trump returned to office, the use of immigration detention has skyrocketed to unprecedented levels, with over 66,000 people detained. During that period of time, 23 people have died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. Nearly 73 percent of those detained have no criminal convictions, and many of those with convictions have only minor offenses, including traffic violations.

Detained people in these facilities are being held in inhumane living conditions, with reports of overcrowding forcing 35 men to share one toilet and sleep head to toe on concrete floors, of people being served only a cup of rice a day or rotting food, and of people having their medications withheld or being denied necessary medical care. Further, the Trump Administration has restarted the practice of detaining families and children, which has long been criticized as unsafe and inflicting irreversible harm on children.

The Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act would:

Repeal mandatory detention;

Prohibit the detention of families and children in family detention;

Create a presumption of release and impose a higher burden of proof to detain primary caregivers and vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, survivors of torture or gender-based violence, people with serious mental or physical illness or disability, LGBTQ individuals, asylum seekers, and people over the age of 60;

Phase out the use of private detention facilities and jails over a three-year period;

Require DHS to establish civil detention standards that provide, at minimum, the level of protection in the American Bar Association’s Civil Immigration Detention Standards;

Mandate the DHS Inspector General to conduct unannounced inspections with meaningful penalties for failure to comply with standards; and

Require DHS to admit Members of Congress to detention facilities for unannounced inspections.

# # #

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Congresswoman Escobar Statement on Iran War Powers Resolution

March 5, 2026 | Posted in Press Releases

Congresswoman Escobar Statement on DHS Funding Bill

March 5, 2026 | Posted in Press Releases",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3012,Congresswoman Escobar Statement on First Migrant Death in ICE Custody at Camp East Montana,2025-12-09,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,escobar,https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) released a statement after learning of the first death of a Camp East Montana detainee:

“Earlier today, my office was notified by a local stakeholder about the recent death of a detainee at Camp East Montana. ICE did not notify Congress directly until nearly a week after the death and hours after our office inquired with relevant Congressional committees earlier today.

""Despite claims from DHS about the inhumane, abhorrent conditions at facilities like Camp East Montana being ‘categorically false,’ my own visits and discussions with detainees prove otherwise.

""Never before has an administration so carelessly made a mockery of the rule of law while hypocritically championing values like law and order. From their denial of true oversight visits to the cruel treatment of detainees at this facility, it is abundantly clear Camp East Montana is not being effectively or humanely operated.""

# # #",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-gonzalez-we-cant-fix-problem-if-we-dont-admit-we-have-problem,Congressman Gonzalez: “We can’t fix a problem if we don’t admit we have a problem.”,2025-12-09,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Vicente Gonzalez,G000581,gonzalez.house.gov,gonzalez,https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Contact: Alexis Torres

Washington, D.C.—After recently meeting with home builders in South Texas, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34) addressed local concerns during last week’s House Committee on Financial Services hearing regarding government roadblocks to housing supply. While questioning expert witnesses, the Congressman pushed for answers on affordable housing issues and mass deportation policies creating construction labor shortages in the Rio Grande Valley.

During the hearing, Congressman Gonzalez highlighted that the housing challenge isn’t just about building more, but about building more affordably and expanding financial opportunities for South Texas families, “In the Rio Grande Valley, the district that I represent, the average home prices are $200,000, which on paper looks far more affordable than many places in the country. But, in this part of the district, people’s median income is $55,000. That means most families may never have a savings to buy a home with cash and because these mortgages tend to be smaller, many lenders won't offer them since they are less profitable under the current market conditions. So even in areas where housing is relatively affordable, too many working families are effectively iced out of homeownership from every angle.”

In addition to the housing affordability crisis, a key supply chain issue affecting South Texas and the nation is misguided immigration raids targeting the migrant labor force. The Congressman noted, “We can’t fix a problem if we don’t admit we have a problem. Thirty percent of construction workers in America are immigrant labor. In Texas, it’s 40 percent. Just recently, I met with home builders in my district that showed me videos of job sites that looked like ghost towns…We can’t build homes without people, hardworking people, which are immigrants. They’re building America. It’s not an American labor force born and raised in America that's building this country, it's labor that’s coming from other countries that are doing the hardest work…and building homes and affordable housing is part of it.”

Congressman Gonzalez’s December 3rd questioning was directed to Kevin Sears, Immediate Past President of National Association of Realtors; Julie Smith, Chief Administration Officer, Bozzuto, on behalf of the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC), the National Apartment Association (NAA), and the Real Estate Technology and Transformation; Tobias Peter, Senior Fellow and Co-director of American Enterprise Institute Housing Center; and Nikitra Bailey, Executive Vice President of National Fair Housing Alliance.",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://casar.house.gov/media/press-releases/news-congressman-casar-senator-warren-congressman-auchincloss-senator-markey,"NEWS: Congressman Casar, Senator Warren, Congressman Auchincloss, Senator Markey Demand That Trump Administration Return Deported Student and Cease Threatening Her Family",2025-12-08,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Greg Casar,C001131,casar.house.gov,casar,https://casar.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Greg Casar (D-Texas), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), Congressman Jake Auchincloss (D-Massachusetts), and Senator Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) sent a letter demanding the Trump administration allow the return of Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, a college student from Austin who was wrongfully deported to Honduras while traveling home for Thanksgiving. The letter also demands that the Administration cease threatening her family.

Lopez Belloza had lived in the United States since she was eight years old. She was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while traveling home to Austin from Babson College, where she is a student. While being deported to Honduras, she was shackled. She has no criminal record.

In recent days, ICE agents have arrived in unmarked vehicles to Lopez Belloza’s family home in Austin, attempting to enter the home through the backdoor.

The letter, addressed to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, raises concerns that Lopez Belloza was quickly removed from Massachusetts in order to prevent her from accessing her due process rights.

The letter reads: “Your administration claims to be going after the “worst of the worst.” Instead, you have decided to target a young woman who was brought to this country at eight years old and is a valuable member of our community. Ms. Lopez Belloza has spent most of her life in a working-class neighborhood in Austin, Texas. She excelled in school and made it, against the odds, into a top-tier university. Your administration decided to deport her in shackles and to evade a federal court order. ”

The letter demands that Lopez Belloza be allowed to return home and exercise due process rights. The letter demands an end to the harassment of Lopez Belloza’s family. Finally, the letter requests information about the circumstances under which Lopez Belloza was detained and deported.

“Any Lopez Belloza, a 19 year old college student from Austin, was shackled and wrongfully deported. The only crime Any committed was trying to surprise her loving family for Thanksgiving,” said Congressman Greg Casar. “Now, the Trump Administration is threatening Any’s family because she used her First Amendment right to speak out about her mistreatment. This should send a chill down the spine of every American. Any must be brought home, and the Trump Administration must stop harassing and threatening her family.”

A copy of the letter is available here.

###

Congressman Greg Casar represents Texas’s 35th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which runs down I-35 from East Austin to Hays County to the West Side of San Antonio. A labor organizer and son of Mexican immigrants, Casar serves as the Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus for the 119th Congress. He also serves on the Committee on Education and Labor and the Committee on Oversight and Accountability.",1,2026-04-22T05:46:42Z,2026-04-22T05:48:06Z
https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-doggett-demands-answers-trump-failure-address-aca-broker-fraud,Rep. Doggett Demands Answers on Trump Failure to Address ACA Broker Fraud,2025-12-08,2025,2025-12,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 (TX-37), Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, sought answers from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Oz concerning CMS’s response to agent and broker fraud in the Affordable Care Act Marketplace. His action follows alarming findings in a new, nonpartisan U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report revealing persistent failure by the Trump Administration to identify and prevent fraud.

“GAO has revealed Trump’s permissive response to extensive fraud caused by insurance broker/agent wrongdoing. The remedy is not to deny a mother access to care for her sick child. What we need is effective law enforcement and less Trump coddling and pardoning of offenders ,” said Rep. Doggett. “Yelling “fraud” while empowering criminals solves nothing and will harm many. As usual, House Republicans fear any meaningful oversight of the Trump regime.”

Rep. Doggett’s full letter can be found here and below.

Dear Administrator Oz:

I write regarding CMS’s response to the deeply alarming findings in the Government Accountability Office’s recent report concerning persistent unauthorized and fraudulent enrollments and plan switches in the federally-facilitated Marketplace completed by agents and brokers without consumer consent.

GAO’s preliminary analysis identified “30,000 applications in plan year 2023 and at least 160,000 applications in plan year 2024 that had likely unauthorized changes.”[1] CMS records also show nearly 275,000 related complaints from January–August 2024.[2]

Between June and October 2024, CMS suspended 850 agents and brokers for suspected fraudulent or abusive conduct related to unauthorized enrollments or plan switches.[3] Although initially prohibited from participating in the Marketplace, CMS officials confirmed to GAO in May 2025 that CMS reinstated all of these suspended agents.[4] No meaningful justification was offered for reinstatement, nor was any explanation provided as to what investigatory steps were taken to assure no criminal activity had occurred.

I am further concerned that CMS has diminished its oversight and enforcement capacity with the apparent layoff of 200 staff members in the Office of Program Operations and Local Engagement, which oversees Marketplace fraud.[5] I am deeply alarmed that such reductions may impair CMS’s ability to maintain proper oversight, ensure timely relief for victims, and hold these fraudulent actors accountable.

GAO also outlines serious and longstanding failures in CMS’s fraud risk management. Despite major program changes, CMS has not updated its fraud risk assessment and failed to properly identify all inherent fraud risks, including those specific to state-based Marketplaces. GAO further found CMS failed to meaningfully evaluate whether its existing controls were effective and, in some cases, may have overstated their impact. CMS did not develop a formal antifraud strategy aligned with leading practices in GAO’s Fraud Risk Framework. Such failures hinder CMS’s ability to proactively identify and mitigate fraud risks.[7] Given these failures, I urge CMS to use the full extent of its enforcement authority, including imposing civil monetary penalties under Section 1411(h) of the Affordable Care Act.

To better understand CMS’s response to fraud in the ACA Marketplace, I request your prompt response to the following questions by no later than December 19, 2025:

For the 850 brokers suspended between June and October 2024 who were reinstated by the Trump Administration, what investigatory steps were conducted to assure no criminal activity or other wrongdoing occurred? For each individual, please include case descriptions concerning the reason for suspension; accompanying evidence, including whether the individual had any previous suspension or other enforcement action; and the basis for your reinstatement of each. Please provide any reinstatement notice issued to brokers and agents, as well as any notice provided to the respective state insurance commissioner.

Separately, please identify what specific oversight and safeguards have been used to ensure no repeat offenses by these reinstated individuals, and indicate whether any have been a subject of new complaints.

What steps has CMS taken this year to detect and dismantle fraud schemes by agents, brokers, or other actors engaging in unauthorized enrollments or plan switches? Please include all relevant policies, guidance, and implementation dates.

Since implementation of the federally-facilitated Marketplace, how many civil monetary penalties or similar enforcement actions have been issued against agents and brokers? Please detail each individual case, including the circumstances resulting in the enforcement action, the timeline, and what specific enforcement actions were taken. Please also identify any cases referred for prosecution.

Did state insurance commissioners identify any of the suspected fraudulent conduct that resulted in the suspension of agents and brokers? Did the commissioners offer any evidence that resulted in the suspensions, or the later reinstatement decisions?

What is CMS’s plan and timeline for updating and developing its antifraud strategy related to Advanced Premium Tax Credits?

As of October 2024, CMS reported that most unauthorized enrollment cases were being resolved within approximately 52 days of receipt, with unauthorized plan switches being resolved within approximately 16 days.[8] What is CMS’s current average timeline to resolve consumer complaints concerning unauthorized enrollments or plan changes? Please provide the average timeline for calendar years 2023, 2024, and 2025.

How many staff members in HHS’s Office of Program Operations and Local Engagement received layoffs or took early retirement this year? Have any of these staff members been reinstated? Please provide the number of staff members and timeline for layoffs, and if relevant, reinstatement.

Under Title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act, CMS has authority to take enforcement action against insurance issuers to ensure compliance with health insurance market reforms, where the state lacks statutory authority or is not enforcing such provisions. Given this authority, what consequences, if any, do insurance agencies face when their agents are suspected or found guilty of unauthorized or fraudulent Marketplace activity? Please provide all relevant enforcement records.

Thank you for your timely attention to this matter.

Cc: Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services

Peter Nelson, Deputy Administrator and Director of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-vicente-gonzalez-announces-over-859000-south-texas-fire,"Congressman Vicente Gonzalez Announces Over $859,000 for South Texas Fire Departments",2025-12-08,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Vicente Gonzalez,G000581,gonzalez.house.gov,gonzalez,https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Contact: Alexis Torres

Washington, D.C.—Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34) announced $859,756 in federal funding for three South Texas fire departments to strengthen fire and other related emergency readiness. Specifically, the funds, delivered through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Fiscal Year 2024 Assistance for Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, will provide the City of San Juan with $56,727 and the Edinburg City of Administration with $136,363 to acquire critically needed equipment and train emergency personnel to enhance operations. Funds will also provide the City of Edcouch with $666,666 to support vehicle acquisition.

“South Texas firefighters and first responders risk their lives every day to keep our communities safe; they deserve top-notch equipment and resources to do their jobs effectively and efficiently,” said Congressman Gonzalez. “I am proud to help bring funding home that supports emergency operations and improves public safety. Together, in partnership with our community leaders, I remain committed to assuring our region continues to benefit from federal investments.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-doggett-statement-scotus-decision-texas-redistricting,Rep. Doggett Statement on SCOTUS Decision on Texas Redistricting,2025-12-05,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,doggett,https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Contact: Luis.BFaz@mail.house.gov

Washington, D.C.—Today, Rep. Lloyd Doggett (TX-37) released the following statement:

“I am most appreciative for the opportunity to have represented our community in public office for most of the last 50 years—appreciative for the support and encouragement of so many neighbors as well as people from McAllen to San Antonio, from San Marcos to La Grange, who at various times have made my continued service possible—whether in CD10, CD25, CD35, or currently CD37.

I will continue working with the same urgency and determination as if next year were my last, which in public office it will be. After that, I will seek new ways to join my neighbors in making a difference in the only town I have ever called home.

In her strong dissent, Justice Kagan has shown the failings of a Supreme Court, which has done so much harm. What all of us must do now is redouble our efforts to ensure that the failings in our country brought on by Trump and his enablers do not consume our democracy, replacing it with autocracy.

Trump’s racial gerrymandering is only his first major shenanigan designed to win next year’s election and retain a House that poses no restraint to his dangerous whims and incessant drive for unlimited power. More outrageous schemes will follow.

I will continue doing my part to vigorously fight back and to help others here and across the country.”",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/castro-meeks-introduce-resolution-condemning-trumps-pardon-of-notorious-drug-trafficker,"Castro, Meeks Introduce Resolution Condemning Trump’s Pardon of Notorious Drug Trafficker",2025-12-04,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquin Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,castro,https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, and Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced a resolution condemning President Trump’s pardon of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was convicted and sentenced in an American court to 45 years in federal prison for trafficking drugs into the United States.

“While the Trump administration carries out its reckless military buildup and potential war crimes in the Western Hemisphere under the guise of preventing drugs from entering our country, Trump’s pardon of Juan Orlando Hernandez—an actual, convicted narco-trafficker who flooded American communities with 400 tons of cocaine—illustrates the hypocrisy and corruption that are hallmarks of this administration. It further demonstrates that the administration’s real objective for its military buildup and lethal strikes is less about drugs and more about threatening a reckless and open-ended war with Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro.

“President Trump owes an explanation to the families impacted by Hernández’s drug trafficking conspiracy, and to the American people, on why he pardoned someone who stated his goal to ‘shove the drugs right up the noses of the gringos.’ Our Congressional colleagues should join in condemning this lawlessness and scrutinizing Trump’s corrupt ties to a growing list of pardoned individuals. But one thing is crystal clear: Trump is not acting for the benefit of Americans.""

A PDF of the resolution can be found here.

Original cosponsors include every Member of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, including Representatives Dina Titus, Sara Jacobs, Greg Stanton, Jonathan Jackson, and Sydney Kamlager-Dove.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/castro-statement-on-scotus-ruling-on-texas-congressional-maps,Castro Statement on SCOTUS Ruling on Texas Congressional Maps,2025-12-04,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquin Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,castro,https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released the following statement:

“Donald Trump demanded five congressional seats from Texas. Governor Abbott did what he was told. The conservative Supreme Court sealed the deal.

“They can’t win by delivering for hardworking Americans—so they turn to corrupt and racist redistricting.

“The dissent made it clear: the majority is now “rewarding intentional discrimination.”

“Texans are going to keep fighting.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://crockett.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-crocketts-statement-supreme-courts-ruling-texass-2026-map,Rep. Crockett’s Statement on the Supreme Court’s Ruling on Texas’s 2026 Map,2025-12-04,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Jasmine Crockett,C001130,crockett.house.gov,crockett,https://crockett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C.-- Today, Rep. Crockett released the following statement:

""While today’s decision from the Supreme Court is disappointing, it’s not shocking coming from a MAGA-influenced court. Here’s the bottom line: Texans are now being told to vote under maps that a panel of three federal judges—right here in Texas—said were drawn to weaken the voices of Black, Latino, and minority communities. Those findings still stand. The Supreme Court simply pressed pause, allowing these maps to be used for the 2026 election cycle while the case continues.

Let’s be clear: the Supreme Court did not say these maps are fair. They did not say these maps are constitutional. They did not undo what the lower court found. All they did was allow maps that the lower court flagged as discriminatory to stay in place for now.

To every politician celebrating this decision, let me offer a word of caution: Don’t get too comfortable. These maps were drawn like political Russian roulette—slicing districts, tightening margins, and assuming voters wouldn’t fight back. When you push district lines this far, you risk losing the very seats you thought you locked in.

We’ve already seen this play out. Look at Tennessee—they saw how tight that Tennessee race got. If a so-called ‘safe’ district can shrink to single digits, nothing is guaranteed.

Even Texas Republicans are bowing out of 2026. They see the writing on the wall and know these maps could turn into a disaster for their own side.

So, if Republicans think these maps guarantee them power, they’re in for a surprise.The final say does not belong to Donald Trump, Greg Abbott, or a Supreme Court willing to look the other way. The final say belongs to the people of Texas.

When Texans have their say, the results will speak for themselves.""

###",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://juliejohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases/johnson-introduces-bipartisan-bill-address-health-care-workforce-shortage,Johnson Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Address Health Care Workforce Shortage,2025-12-04,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Julie Johnson,J000310,juliejohnson.house.gov,juliejohnson,https://juliejohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC — Congresswoman Julie Johnson (TX-32), along with Congressman Mike Kennedy (UT-03), introduced the bipartisan Fast Track Health Care Apprenticeships Act, which incentivizes innovative approaches to address the health care workforce shortage by streamlining apprenticeships and offering a pathway to good-paying jobs.

Specifically, this bill amends the National Apprenticeship Act to streamline and update federal and state labor agencies’ health care apprenticeship application process by:

Requiring federal and state labor agencies to make determinations on health care apprenticeship applications within 45 days of receipt.

Requiring that the Department of Labor digitize apprenticeship agreement forms, modernize the application process and enhance accessibility for applicants.

“Our health care workforce is stretched to its limit, and families in Texas are feeling it in longer wait times, higher costs, and fewer options for care,” said Congresswoman Julie Johnson (TX-32). “The Fast Track Health Care Apprenticeships Act strengthens our workforce pipeline by making it easier and faster for aspiring health care professionals to get trained and step into good-paying, stable jobs. By streamlining this process and reducing barriers for employers, we can expand access to care in every community and help bring down costs for patients. This bipartisan, commonsense effort supports workers, supports providers, and ensures that every family can rely on a health care system that’s accessible, affordable, and built to meet their needs.”

“Utah’s hospitals, clinics, and families feel the strain of our national health care workforce shortage every day. As a family doctor, I know firsthand that strong patient care depends on having enough trained professionals,” said Congressman Mike Kennedy (UT-03). “Streamlining apprenticeship pathways is a practical, commonsense step that will help build our workforce and in communities across the country. I’m proud to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to deliver real results for the American people.”

The American Hospital Association projects a shortage of nearly 100,000 critical health care workers by 2028, underscoring the urgent need to strengthen the workforce pipeline. The Department of Labor’s apprenticeship programs already serve a wide range of professions — from registered nurses and pharmacy technicians to medical and dental assistants, surgical technologists, paramedics, and behavioral health paraprofessionals.

By cutting red tape and expanding access to these programs, Congress can help employers train the next generation of health care professionals and bolster the resilience and long-term stability of our health care system.

To read the full text of the bill, click here.

Congresswoman Julie Johnson represents Texas’s 32nd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, serving on the Homeland Security Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Administration Committee. Her district includes parts of Collin, Dallas, and Denton Counties.",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-doggett-reacts-new-gao-report-detailing-aca-fraud-risks,Rep. Doggett Reacts to New GAO Report Detailing ACA Fraud Risks,2025-12-03,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,doggett,https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Contact: Luis.BFaz@mail.house.gov

(202) 494-4620

Washington, D.C.—Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, reacted to a new, nonpartisan U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report revealing persistent failure to identify and prevent instances of fraud, waste, and abuse by Affordable Care Act Marketplace agents and brokers.

“As Republicans allege fraud in the Affordable Care Act as an excuse to deny millions of Americans access to a family physician, GAO has released shocking findings about Trump permissiveness toward ACA fraudsters,” said Rep. Doggett. “In May, the Trump regime reinstated 850 agents and brokers, who had been suspended for ‘reasonable suspicion of fraud.’ Trump’s condoning this wrongdoing is similar to his pardoning multiple other convicted health care criminals, whom he also protected from paying millions of dollars owed to those they defrauded. Yelling “fraud” while empowering fraudsters only shows the total hypocrisy of the Trump regime and its Congressional enablers. If, as indicated in their reaction to this alarming report, Republicans want to act on fraud, they can begin by demanding that the Trump regime begin policing fraudsters and stop signaling that criminals committing fraud will be pardoned. Millions of Americans need action from this Congress now, to prevent spiking premiums and stop Trump indifference to protecting taxpayer funds.”

###",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://juliejohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases/johnson-introduces-bipartisan-bills-protect-whistleblowers-safeguard-us,"Johnson Introduces Bipartisan Bills to Protect Whistleblowers, Safeguard U.S. Defense Technology",2025-12-03,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Julie Johnson,J000310,juliejohnson.house.gov,juliejohnson,https://juliejohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC — Congresswoman Julie Johnson (TX-32), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, along with Congressman James Moylan (GU-AL), introduced the bipartisan Whistleblowers Aiding National Security Act, which ensures that whistleblowers have a protected pathway within the State Department to report violations of export controls and be rewarded for the risk they undertake to safeguard our national security.

Across the nation, our inventions and innovations provide a competitive edge that our adversaries wish they had. Efforts by foreign actors to obtain U.S. defense systems and sensitive data—from encryption and communication systems to missiles and satellites—pose a serious threat to national security. Export controls are designed to prevent these breaches, but violations continue to occur; without stronger enforcement and awareness, our most advanced defense items, services, and technologies risk falling into the wrong hands, endangering the safety of American forces.

“Foreign adversaries like China, Russia, and Iran are constantly seeking to steal our most sensitive military systems and data, and these transgressions are not just a compliance issue – they are critical to our national security,” said Johnson. “By establishing a whistleblower incentive program that safeguards whistleblowers and rewards their courage, this bipartisan legislation will deter violations, enhance compliance, and ensure that our most critical defense technologies stay in the hands of the United States—not our adversaries. National security depends on vigilance, accountability, and the bravery of those willing to speak up, and this bill delivers all three.”

“China is actively evading U.S. export controls to accelerate its capabilities in the Indo-Pacific. This bipartisan bill strengthens enforcement where audits fail by empowering whistleblowers to expose violations,” said Congressman James Moylan (GU-AL). Closing these gaps is essential to denying the People’s Liberation Army access to sensitive technologies and to safeguarding our allied defense frameworks like AUKUS that depend on strict controls.”

Modeled after various existing programs across our federal agencies, this bill would allow whistleblowers to collect a small portion of the ultimate fine based on the significance, originality, and degree of assistance provided.

In addition to introducing the Whistleblowers Aiding National Security Act, Johnson also introduced the bipartisan Stop Stealing Our Chips Act with Congressman Thomas Kean Jr. (NJ-07), which would set up another whistleblower incentive program for export control violations within the Bureau of Industry and Security in the Department of Commerce. In the Senate, this bill is led by Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Mike Rounds (R-SD).

To read the full text of the Whistleblowers Aiding National Security Act, click here.

Congresswoman Julie Johnson represents Texas’s 32nd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, serving on the Homeland Security Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Administration Committee. Her district includes parts of Collin, Dallas, and Denton Counties.",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/castro-mcgovern-massie-introduce-bipartisan-war-powers-resolution-to-block-trump-administrations-escalating-hostilities-toward-venezuela,"Castro, McGovern, Massie Introduce Bipartisan War Powers Resolution to Block Trump Administration's Escalating Hostilities Toward Venezuela",2025-12-02,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquin Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,castro,https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee's Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee and Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, and Congressman Thomas Massie (R-KY), have introduced a War Powers Resolution to block the Trump administration from engaging in hostilities within or against Venezuela absent congressional authorization.

The introduction of the resolution follows President Trump’s recent social media declaration that the airspace “above and surrounding Venezuela” should be treated as “closed in its entirety.” Administration officials hve not publicly detailed any formal policy or legal basis for such a step, which many legal experts say could be interpreted as a hostile act under international law. The sponsors of the resolution say this escalation—including the significant augmentation of U.S. armed forces assets, personnel, and operations in proximity to Venezuela and statements from U.S. officials regarding planning for ground strikes within Venezuela—shows why Congress must urgently reassert its constitutional role.

“President Trump has undermined our alliances in the Western Hemisphere, openly interfered in elections, conducted illegal strikes on boats in the Caribbean, and threatened foreign military intervention. He has put our country at the brink of a war with Venezuela without a debate or vote in the Congress,” said Congressman Castro. “This resolution will ensure that every member of the House is on the record about sending service members to a war that Americans do not want.”

“Donald Trump claimed he would put America first—instead he’s trying to drag us into an illegal war in Venezuela,” said Congressman McGovern. “Whatever this is about, it has nothing to do with stopping drugs. Trump just pardoned the former President of Honduras who was convicted of sending cocaine to the U.S. And last year he pardoned a guy who brought fentanyl in from China via the dark web. To me, this appears to be all about creating a pretext for regime change. And I believe Congress has a duty to step in and assert our constitutional authority. No more illegal boat strikes, and no unauthorized war in Venezuela.”

“The Constitution does not permit the executive branch to unilaterally commit an act of war against a sovereign nation that hasn’t attacked the United States,” said Congressman Massie. “Congress has the sole power to declare war against Venezuela. Congress must decide such matters according to our Constitution.”

The Trump administration has not requested authorization for use of military force against Venezuela, and still has not provided a credible justification for the unauthorized military strikes it has carried out on vessels in the region, actions that have resulted in the extrajudicial killing of dozens of people. Nor has the administration shown why these boats could not have been interdicted and investigated, or why the individuals on board could not have been brought to justice rather than targeted and killed without due process.

Introduced pursuant to the War Powers Resolution of 1973, the measure is privileged and should receive consideration in the House.McGovern, Massie and Castro stressed that their goal is to force a debate and a vote before any further escalation.

Additional cosponsors include Representatives Ro Khanna (D-CA), Sara Jacobs (D-CA) and Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-castro-mccormick-olszewski-and-fitzpatrick-introduce-global-child-thrive-reauthorization-act-of-2025,"Reps. Castro, McCormick, Olszewski, and Fitzpatrick Introduce Global Child Thrive Reauthorization Act of 2025",2025-12-02,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquin Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,castro,https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Congressman Rich McCormick (GA-07), Congressman Johnny Olszewski (MD-02), and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), introduced the Global Child Thrive Reauthorization Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation that would strengthen the implementation of policies that advance early childhood development internationally.

“Reauthorizing the Global Child Thrive Act of 2020 means continuing to support the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional health of vulnerable children and their families,” said Congressman Castro. “The early years of childhood are crucial, and U.S. foreign assistance programs provide critical support. Thank you to my colleagues for their efforts in supporting these important policies.”

""I am proud to cosponsor the reauthorization of the Global Child Thrive Act. This initiative enhances America's leadership on the global stage by ensuring that vulnerable children receive the support they need to grow and succeed,"" said Congressman Rich McCormick. ""By extending this program for another six years and establishing a Special Advisor to oversee it, we are making a smart investment that promotes stability and delivers a strong return for American taxpayers. I am grateful for the ongoing bipartisan support this initiative has received since it was first championed by leaders like Senator Marco Rubio.”

“Every child deserves the chance to grow, learn, and reach their full potential — no matter where they’re born,"" said Congressman Johnny Olszewski. ""The Global Child Thrive Reauthorization Act puts that belief at the heart of America’s work around the world. I’m proud to help lead this bipartisan effort to support early childhood development, protect vulnerable children, and strengthen families and communities. It’s the right thing to do — and it helps build healthier societies, reduce poverty, and advance America’s values and security for years to come.”

""Our of our greatest responsibilities in public service is to ensure every child begins life with a strong and stable foundation. I was proud to help champion the landmark Global Child Thrive Act in 2021, which for the first time placed early childhood development at the center of our foreign assistance strategy. Reauthorizing this critical program strengthens that commitment—restoring the leadership needed to coordinate support for orphans and vulnerable children and updating the guidelines that drive this work across our agencies. Every child deserves the chance to thrive, and our policies must continue to reflect that fundamental truth,"" said Congressman Fitzpatrick.

“Safe, nurturing and supportive environments are vital to ensuring a child can grow up healthy and thrive. The Global Child Thrive Act supports children around the world by integrating proven early childhood interventions – such as training and reinforcing with caregivers the power of nurturing care and mental stimulation, like singing and reading – into foreign assistance programs. This bipartisan bill becoming law in 2021 represented a significant global child health achievement, and it is essential that we continue to build on this progress. The American Academy of Pediatrics applauds Representatives Castro, McCormick, Fitzpatrick and Olszewski for their bipartisan leadership on the Global Child Thrive Act, and urges Congress to pass its reauthorization without delay,” said American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) President Susan Kressly, MD, FAAP.

""We applaud Representatives Castro, McCormick, Fitzpatrick, and Olszewski for their bipartisan leadership in ensuring that the world’s most vulnerable children are able to grow up to their full potential, protected from abuse, neglect and trafficking. The Global Child Thrive Act is a bipartisan recognition that every child, regardless of where they are born, has the right to grow up safe, healthy, and supported. The Global Child Thrive Act ensures early childhood development is a priority, not an afterthought,” said Bruce Lesley, President, First Focus Campaign for Children.

""The earliest years of life are the most critical for healthy brain development,"" stresses Michael J. Nyenhuis, UNICEF USA CEO and President. ""Ensuring that early childhood development remains a strong component of U.S. foreign assistance will help to support the growth and development of hundreds of millions of children under the age of 5 globally who currently face extreme poverty and stunting. We’re thrilled to support the bipartisan reauthorization of the Global Child Thrive Act so that these children have an equitable chance to not only survive, but thrive.""

""The Global Child Thrive Act is an important step to reach vulnerable children with the basics they need, like good nutrition and responsive family care. Prioritizing the needs of young children and their families leads to far-reaching benefits in health, education, and much more. The Global Child Thrive Act is key to making this impact possible,"" said Mishelle Rudzinski, Executive Director, SPOON.

The Global Child Thrive Reauthorization Act of 2025 reauthorizes the Global Child Thrive Act of 2020, landmark legislation that was enacted in early 2021 that strengthened the prioritization of supporting early childhood development in foreign assistance.

The Global Child Reauthorization Act of 2025 would:

Require the Secretary of State to appoint a new Special Advisor for Orphans and Vulnerable Children, a position that coordinates all United States foreign assistance programs for orphans and vulnerable children.

This position has traditionally resided at the United States Agency for International Development and is currently unfilled.

Require the administration to issue new guidelines to implement the Global Child Thrive Act of 2020.

The 2020 legislation required the creation of a government-wide strategy for children in adversity. This strategy, released in 2024, heavily relied on agencies like the United States Agency for International Development. Given the significant changes to U.S. foreign assistance this year, the Global Child Reauthorization Act of 2025 would require a new set of implementing directives.

Reauthorizes appropriations to implement the Global Child Thrive Act of 2020 for an additional 5 years.

Read the Global Child Thrive Reauthorization Act of 2025 here.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-doggett-seeks-answers-prior-trump-regime-vetting-assassin-2,Rep. Doggett Seeks Answers on Prior Trump Regime Vetting of Assassin,2025-12-02,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,doggett,https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Contact: Luis.BFaz@mail.house.gov

(202) 429-4620

Watch the Congressman’s remarks here.

Washington, D.C.—Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin) delivered the following speech on the House floor demanding answers on Trump’s Administration vetting of the attacker on the National Guard members in D.C. last week:

""We all mourn the loss from the tragic attack here last week on two National Guard members. Yet once again the master of distraction seeks to avoid any accountability for his role in this tragedy. Only 7 months earlier, it was the Trump Administration that granted the assassin asylum.

Big unanswered questions for the President: What specific vetting was done with regard to the 3 years this assassin lived here in America? Was his post-traumatic stress from his prior violent work considered? Was the caseworker who reported his possible radicalization interviewed an reviewed? Was his inability to even get a job a factor? Did this review include “biometric information, check social media platforms and other steps? Instead of blaming all immigrants, blaming Biden, how about just looking in the mirror and figuring out what went wrong here in this regime and how to fix it in order to avoid another tragedy. Americans deserve accountability and answers.”",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2999,"Congresswoman Escobar Expresses Concern, Requests Answers from Cardinal Health Following El Paso Matters Investigation into Toxic Air Emissions",2025-12-02,2025,2025-12,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,escobar,https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) sent a letter to Cardinal Health CEO Jason Hollar expressing her concern about toxic ambient air emissions at two Cardinal Health warehouses in El Paso following the publication of investigations by Grist and El Paso Matters.

The letter can be found in its entirety below and here.

Dear Mr. Hollar,

I am writing to express my concern about toxic ambient air emissions at two Cardinal Health warehouses in El Paso. Grist and El Paso Matters recently published articles with alarming information about the impact these emissions are having on my constituents. The two warehouses identified in the articles are located at 1 Butterfield Trail and 1320 Don Haskins Drive, and according to the Grist investigation are storing sterilized medical equipment that emits a high level of ethylene oxide (EtO). The emissions expose employees who work in these warehouses as well as potentially hundreds of thousands of El Pasoans.

According to Grist and El Paso Matters, 603,000 El Paso residents -- about 90 percent of the city’s population -- are exposed to a cancer risk above 1 in 1 million from one of Cardinal Health’s two warehouses. Residents who live behind the Don Haskins warehouse have a more direct risk: emissions that result in a cancer risk of 2 in 10,000 (the Environmental Protection Agency’s acceptable risk is 1 in 10,000). El Pasoans who live near the Don Haskins facility and were interviewed for these articles shared that they are dealing with symptoms like headaches and respiratory irritation. Cardinal Health employees informed my team that EtO monitors are placed in the docking area of your warehouses but acknowledged there are no monitors in the office areas in the same building, let alone monitoring in the surrounding neighborhood. While I understand the EPA does have a rule regulating EtO emissions from sterilization plants, these regulations do not currently cover off-site warehouses. This leaves communities like El Paso particularly vulnerable. We know exposure can lead to breast cancer, lymphoma, and respiratory problems. Given the community concern and public reporting, it’s disappointing that Cardinal Health has not provided comment in response to questions from El Paso Matters, nor has the company engaged in a dialogue with El Pasoans about what the company is doing to address these concerns. El Pasoans deserve transparency and a plan for engagement from Cardinal Health.

While there is technology available to reduce nearly 99% of EtO emissions, Cardinal Health allegedly claimed the technology was “cost excessive” for at least one of its warehouses.

It should be noted that Cardinal Health has used similar technology to safeguard people and their health at its Georgia and California facilities (in California, this was a result of state regulations, and in Georgia, it was as a result of a lawsuit). Protecting your workforce and the surrounding communities should be the highest priority for your company, and it is my view that this technology should be proactively used to protect the safety and well-being of El Pasoans.

As you may be aware, members of my staff met with the Cardinal Health government relations team on October 23, 2025, to address remaining concerns, and there were several follow-up items we have yet to receive a response to. I hope Cardinal Health will consider providing answers to our questions as soon as possible.

What protective measures are taken for drivers and employees who unload medical devices containing EtO?

Does Cardinal Health have any plans to adopt emission control technologies to reduce the levels of EtO in your El Paso facilities?

Does Cardinal Health intend to do public outreach with local residents about potential health risks?

How often are safety audits or exposure monitoring conducted at the El Paso facilities?

Have any current employees reported symptoms consistent with EtO exposure, such as headaches, nausea, or respiratory irritation?

What measures does Cardinal Health take to prevent EtO build up in enclosed spaces such as trucks, or storage units?

What safety protocols are in place at your El Paso facilities to protect all workers from EtO exposure?

What type of EtO safety training do employees receive and how often do they receive this training?

Does Cardinal Health’s have a long-term plan for community engagement?

Thank you for your attention and I look forward to your response. It will help start an important public dialogue for El Pasoans who deserve to be heard on matters that directly affect their health and well-being.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z
https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/castro-statement-pushing-federal-authorities-for-transparency-on-san-antonio-raids,Castro Statement Pushing Federal Authorities for Transparency on San Antonio Raids,2025-11-25,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquin Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,castro,https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released the following statement pushing federal authorities to be transparent in regards to the raid conducted in San Antonio:

“If ICE has nothing to hide from its raid in San Antonio, why did they smash security cameras?

“If authorities are so sure they arrested 51 members of Tren de Aragua, why can’t they offer proof?

“Immediately after the raid, I demanded answers alongside Congressman Greg Casar, from the agencies involved. We have not received answers.

“This kind of secrecy and disregard for accountability is unacceptable.

“It's un-American to round people up and claim they have ties to a gang without evidence or proof. Especially as 92 people got caught in the crosshairs and were charged with nothing—including two teenage boys who were grabbing something to eat—just to meet quotas.

“No answers, no transparency, and no evidence. Texans deserve better.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-castro-recognized-as-the-most-effective-democratic-house-member-in-international-affairs,Congressman Castro Recognized as the Most Effective Democratic House Member in International Affairs,2025-11-24,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquin Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,castro,https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"The Center for Effective Lawmaking Highlights Congressman Castro for His Continued Legislative Success in the 118th Congress

Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, was recognized by the Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) as the most effective Democratic House Member in International Affairs in the 118th Congress. This is in addition to being recognized in March 2025 by the center as the most effective Democratic House Member in the last Congress overall, in which he was lauded for his ability, “to work behind the scenes to move his proposals through the lawmaking process.”

“As Congress has become increasingly deadlocked, my staff and I have worked to find ways to continue to be most effective in enacting important legislation,” said Congressman Castro.

“I am honored to be recognized by the Center for Effective Lawmaking as the most effective Democratic House member in International Affairs in the 118th Congress. Every bill signed is a step forward towards building out the infrastructure of opportunity for the American people and ensuring that the United States remains a strong pillar of democracy.”

“I want to thank my staff for all their great work and commitment to advancing sound foreign policy and thank the Center for Effective Lawmaking for this honor,” concluded Congressman Castro.

Read an excerpt of the report below, and highlights from the New 118th Congress Interest & Legislative Effectiveness Scores here:

“Our analysis found that Representative Castro ranked as the most effective Democratic House Member in the policy area of International Affairs in the last Congress. This is in addition to our previous analysis showing him ranked as the most effective Democratic House Member in the last Congress overall, as well as one of the most effective Representatives in terms of having their sponsored standalone bills substantially incorporated into the laws of other members of Congress. We congratulate the Representative for his hard work and setting an example for promoting the importance of effective lawmaking.”

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Castro has leveraged his senior positions on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and House Committee on Foreign Affairs to build bipartisan support for his legislative priorities and incorporate them into must-pass legislation, including the Intelligence Authorization Act and the Department of State Authorization Act. Castro’s legislation concerning international affairs that were enacted into law in the 118th Congress includes H.R. 3042, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Candidate Country Reform Act. This legislation redefined the MCC’s candidate country pool to include countries eligible for lending through the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The law extended eligibility to an additional 33 countries. In August 2025, the Millennium Challenge Corporation announced the selection of Fiji and Tonga, South Pacific countries that were made newly eligible due to Rep. Castro’s legislation, for MCC programs.

For a full list of Castro’s international affairs legislation enacted into law during the 118th Congress, click here.

In addition to effectively advancing legislation pertaining to international affairs, Castro has been a leading voice on international crises. Castro held both the Biden and Trump Administration accountable for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Castro has also called out the Trump Administration for its unconstitutional military strikes in the Caribbean.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-gonzalez-takes-action-extend-aca-tax-credits-nearly-130000-south,"Congressman Gonzalez Takes Action to Extend ACA Tax Credits for Nearly 130,000 South Texans",2025-11-24,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Vicente Gonzalez,G000581,gonzalez.house.gov,gonzalez,https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C.—As Republicans continue their self-created health care crisis that will raise costs on thousands of South Texas families, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34) is supporting a discharge petition to force a vote in the House of Representatives that would extend Affordable Care Act tax credits for three more years. The petition currently has signatures from 212 of the required 218-congressional member threshold.

In a video, Congressman Gonzalez details how Republicans “One Big, Ugly Bill” as well as their refusal to include an extension of ACA tax credits in the deal to reopen the federal government will kick 15 million Americans off affordable health coverage while spiking insurance premiums for nearly 130,000 South Texans in the 34th Congressional District of Texas.

To download the video in high-quality resolution, click here.

Transcript of Congressman Gonzalez’s remarks:

Hi, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez here.

We need to talk about health care because this administration has created a crisis for hundreds of thousands of South Texans and aren’t doing a damn thing to fix it.

After they passed the “One Big, Ugly Bill” that will kick 15 million Americans off low-cost health care plans, I made it clear that I would fight to extend the ACA tax credit that makes American health care more affordable for almost 130,000 people in our district.

What did Republicans do?

They shut down the government for 43 days.

And when a deal finally came to the House for a vote, it did nothing to address the Republican health care crisis or renew the ACA tax credits.

Chaotic policies are already making everything more expensive, from groceries and clothing to furniture and electronics.

Now, they want to break the bank for lifesaving care.

South Texans shouldn’t be forced to delay doctor visits, ration necessary medications, or in the worst-case scenario, forgo health care altogether because of skyrocketing costs.

I’m glad that the government has reopened so workers can get their paychecks, families can get the help they need to put food on their table, and air travel can return to normal.

However, we can’t just ignore the looming health care crisis.

So, where do we go from here?

The Senate already agreed to vote on an ACA tax credit in December, but to no one’s surprise, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has not committed to do the same.

That’s why, just last week, I signed a discharge petition to force the House to vote to extend the ACA tax credit subsidies for three more years.

We need 218 signatures, and I’m hopeful we get there soon.

I refuse to abandon South Texas families, like the 60-year-old couple who earns [$82,800] a year and now has a health insurance cost increase of [$16,639].

Or Alix, from Brownsville, who relies on ACA coverage to manage a chronic health condition he’s had for over three decades. And without it, he’ll pay nearly $1,000 more out of pocket for medications.

Health care is not a partisan issue. Whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, it affects us all.

From South Texas to the halls of Congress, I won’t stop fighting to make sure we have affordable coverage.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://algreen.house.gov/media/press-releases/case-you-missed-it,IN CASE YOU MISSED IT,2025-11-22,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Al Green,G000553,algreen.house.gov,algreen,https://algreen.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"On Saturday, November 22, 2025, Congressman Al Green participated in the “Remove the Regime” rally in Washington, D.C., alongside activists and faith leaders. During his remarks, Congressman Green spoke about his moral imperative to defend democracy, condemned President Trump’s threats against sitting Members of Congress, and declared that he will bring new articles of impeachment to the House floor for a vote prior to the Christmas Recess.

You can access a recording of his speech by clicking the link here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://crockett.house.gov/media/press-releases/follow-statement-congresswoman-jasmine-crockett,Follow-up Statement from Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett,2025-11-21,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Jasmine Crockett,C001130,crockett.house.gov,crockett,https://crockett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. -- Congresswoman Crockett released the following statement:

""Thank you so much to everyone who has reached out with concern regarding the incident at my office yesterday. Capitol Police has investigated and determined there is no present threat. We will continue to remain vigilant.

I also want to thank the U.S. Capitol Police for their swift response and continued support.""

###",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2995,Congresswoman Escobar Joins Nearly 200 House Democrats to Reverse Republican SNAP Cuts,2025-11-21,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,escobar,https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Yesterday, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) joined 192 of her Democratic colleagues led by Representatives Jahana Hayes (CT-05) and Angie Craig (MN-02) to introduce the Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act of 2025 to repeal the devastating cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP) in the One Big Beautiful. Forty-two million Americans, including sixteen million children, rely on SNAP.

“Instead of prioritizing and uplifting the most vulnerable Americans, Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill ripped away $187 billion in funding for SNAP to partially pay for tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy,” said Congresswoman Escobar. “This administration has been hell-bent on slashing if not outright eliminating programs like SNAP and allowing millions of Americans to go hungry. The shutdown was only a preview of the devastation every single Republican voted to inflict. By supporting the Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act of 2025, we hope to reverse these cuts and end this shameful Republican abandonment of those who need help the most.""

In July 2025, Republicans forced through the One Big Beautiful Bill, which eliminated $187 billion from SNAP, the largest cut in the history of the program, and provided over $1 trillion in tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans and the largest corporations. As a result, millions of children, seniors, veterans, workers, and those with disabilities and chronic health conditions will be blocked from SNAP, the most effective anti-hunger program in the country.

These drastic cuts will negatively impact farmers, ranchers, producers and the 250,000 grocers authorized to accept SNAP dollars. Every dollar in SNAP benefits generates $1.54 in economic activity. By that logic, SNAP generates over $36 million for our community from the nearly $24 million in benefits El Pasoans receive; but more importantly, nearly 70,000 households in El Paso depend on it. In Texas, 3.5 million Texans depend on this program.

Additionally, slashing federal SNAP funding creates a massive unfunded mandate on state governments, requiring them to make the toughest choices and harshest cuts. States across the country could be forced to end SNAP entirely if they are unable to come up with the funds to fill the gaps left by federal cuts.

This legislation is supported by 193 House Democrats and the entirety of the Senate Democratic Caucus.

# # #

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https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2997,Congresswoman Escobar and Bicameral Coalition Re-Introduce Disarm Hate Act,2025-11-21,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,escobar,https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – Today, Representatives Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), and Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), joined by Representatives James Clyburn (SC-06), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), John Garamendi (CA-08),Tim Kennedy (NY-26), Summer Lee (PA-12),David Min (CA-47), and Nikema Williams (GA-06), reintroduced the Disarm Hate Act to prevent individuals convicted of violent misdemeanor hate crimes from purchasing or possessing firearms.

The Disarm Hate Act would address the dangerous gap in current federal law by providing that individuals who have been convicted of a misdemeanor-level hate crime, or received an enhanced sentence for a misdemeanor crime after a judicial finding that they acted with hate or bias motivation, are prohibited from buying or possessing guns.

“Six years ago, a white supremacist drove 10 hours to El Paso intent on slaughtering Mexicans and immigrants in what remains the deadliest attack against Latinos in modern American history,”said Congresswoman Escobar.“The hate directed at Hispanic and immigrant communities continues to this day. When bigotry is combined with easy access to assault weapons, the result is a devastating and lethal threat, and too many communities across the nation, including my own, have lived with these consequences firsthand. As lawmakers, we carry a solemn duty to act and stop as many future tragedies that are a result of gun violence as possible. I am proud to stand with my colleagues in introducing vital legislation to ensure firearms stay out of the hands of those who should never have them.”

“Across the country, we have seen hate-fueled attacks claim the lives of far too many in recent years,”said Senator Luján.“Despite the concerning number of hate crimes that have plagued our country, it is horrifying that this loophole allows dangerous individuals to buy or possess a firearm. That is why I’m proud to partner with Congresswoman Escobar to introduce the Disarm Hate Act and help prevent deadly, hate-fueled attacks before they terrorize our communities. We must continue to work to ensure dangerous weapons stay out of the wrong hands, and this legislation is a vital step.”

“For years, stories of gun violence tragedies have turned into recurring segments on our news stations. These instances of gun-enabled hate shed darkness on our communities and cost us the lives of children, parents, classmates, teachers, and community members. It’s a pain my district, home to Pulse Nightclub, knows too well and will never forget. The Disarm Hate Act honors the lives stolen from the gun violence epidemic with action and is a step toward stopping the next senseless tragedy before it happens,”said Rep. Frost.

“As we tragically witnessed in Charleston, South Carolina at Emanuel AME Church in 2015, and far too often elsewhere, hatred and guns are a lethal mix,”said Rep. Clyburn.“We must do more to keep deadly firearms out of the hands of those seeking to use them to commit these heinous crimes.To that end, earlier this year I reintroduced my legislation to close the Charleston Loophole, and today I am pleased to join Rep. Escobar in reintroducing the Disarm Hate Act. I urge the Republican majority to bring these common-sense bills to the House floor for a vote. Lives are at stake.”

“It is unacceptable that someone convicted of a misdemeanor-level hate crime can still purchase a firearm,”said Rep. Garamendi.“As the author of California’s assault weapons ban and a member of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, I am committed to ending America’s gun violence epidemic. There have been too many hate-fueled shootings over the last decade, and we must refuse to treat them as inevitable. I am proud to work with Rep. Escobar to build a safer future for families across the country.”

“Western New York has seen firsthand the devastation that hate-driven gun violence can inflict on a community,”said Rep. Tim Kennedy.“I’m proud to co-lead the Disarm Hate Act because no one convicted of a violent hate crime, either misdemeanor or felony, should have access to a firearm. By closing this loophole, we are combating gun violence, protecting our neighbors, and standing firmly against the rising tide of hate in our nation. This common-sense legislation takes a critical step toward preventing tragedies like the racist mass shooting that shook Buffalo to its core.”

“Representing a community still healing from the trauma of the Pittsburgh Synagogue shooting, I see every day the deadly consequences of allowing white supremacists and hate-motivated individuals access to weapons of war,”said Rep. Summer Lee.""In this moment, when division, bigotry, and political violence are being openly stoked and normalized by the Trump administration, we cannot ignore how that hatred trickles down into our streets, our schools, and our sacred spaces. The Disarm Hate Act is a necessary step to confront the rising tide of anti-Black racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Asian violence, anti-trans hate, and all forms of bigotry threatening our communities. Our families deserve to live without fear, and Congress must act to protect the people we serve.”

“As a country, we’ve mourned tragedy after tragedy as a result of gun violence. It’s appalling that we still have to say this — people convicted of hate crimes should never have access to guns. In 2021, Atlanta witnessed a horrific act of anti-Asian hate when an assailant attacked multiple spas, targeting Asian women. And across the nation, Black communities have long faced deadly violence fueled by racism — from church massacres to everyday acts of terror that rarely make headlines. Our communities are still mending from the trauma, and the effects are still felt to this day. No matter your race, ethnicity, or gender, everyone has the right to live without fear of violence,”said Rep. Nikema Williams.

""Hate becomes even more dangerous when it’s paired with easy access to a gun. We see the impact of that every day in our communities,”said Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action.“The Disarm Hate Act is a clear step toward keeping families safe. It closes a gap that lets people with violent hate crime convictions get their hands on a gun, and that puts all of us at risk. We’re proud to stand with Rep. Veronica Escobar and Senator Ben Ray Luján as they work to keep guns out of dangerous hands and protect the communities targeted by hate.”

The Disarm Hate Act is endorsed by GIFFORDS, Brady: United Against Gun Violence, Community Justice, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Everytown for Gun Safety, Newtown Action Alliance, Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), Violence Policy Center, Jewish Women International, and Sandy Hook Promise.

All original House co-leads represent districts that have been impacted by hate-motivated mass shootings.

In June 2015, a white supremacist murdered nine worshippers during a bible study at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

In June 2016, a gunman attacked a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, leaving 49 people dead and 53 others injured.

In October 2018, 11 worshippers were killed and seven others injured during an attack at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

In August 2019, a man killed 23 victims and wounded 23 others in a shooting in a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, admitting to targeting Mexicans.

In March 2021, a gunman killed eight victims on a shooting rampage through three spas in Atlanta, Georgia, six of whom were Asian American women.

In February 2022, a gunman with a history of expressing support for Nazis and Proud Boys groups opened fire at a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Portland, Oregon, killing 1 and injuring 5 others.

In May 2022, a self-described supporter of white supremacy killed 10 people in a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Buffalo, New York.

In May 2022, a Nevada man carried firearms into a Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, shooting and killing one congregant and injuring five others with gunfire in an attempt to kill all 44 parishioners. The man allegedly targeted the church because of the congregants’ national origin and religion.

In August 2023, an individual tore down the pride flag in a Southern California store while yelling homophobic slurs. When the store owner confronted the individual, he shot and killed her. The assailant had a history of anti-LGBTQI+ posts on social media, and the incident is now being investigated as a hate crime.",1,2026-04-07T15:46:19Z,2026-04-07T20:18:39Z
https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7136,Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Testifies Before Congress To Remind Colleagues of Their Constitutional Duties,2025-11-21,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Lizzie Fletcher,F000468,fletcher.house.gov,fletcher,https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) testified before the House Committee on the Judiciary to urge Congress to remember its purpose and to use its power to protect, support, and defend the people and the Constitution of the United States.

Congresswoman Fletcher’s full testimony is available here.

Congresswoman Fletcher’s remarks as prepared are available below:

Chairman Jordan, Ranking Member Scanlon, Members of the Committee:

I appreciate the opportunity to speak before you today.

When I became a member of the State Bar of Texas, in 2006, I took an oath, solemnly swearing to support the Constitution of the United States; to honestly demean myself in the practice of law; to discharge my duties to the best of my ability; and, to conduct myself with integrity and civility.

I know many on this committee have taken a similar oath.

And all of us have sworn—and signed—an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States when we became members of Congress.

And that is why I am here before you this morning.

As historian Heather Cox Richarson so elegantly explained in her book, “Democracy Awakening,” the “Constitution established a representative democracy, a republic in which voters would elect lawmakers who would represent the people. That legislative branch would be a balance to a single leader at the head of the executive branch; each would prevent the rise of a tyrant on the other side. Congress would write all ‘necessary and proper’ laws, levy taxes, borrow money, pay the nation’s debts, establish a postal service, establish courts, declare war, support an army and navy, and organize and call forth ‘the militia to execute the laws of the Union,’ and provide for the common Defence and general welfare of the United States.’ The president would execute the laws, but if Congress overstepped, the president could veto proposed legislation. In turn, Congress could override a presidential veto.”

As all of us here know, the Framers created the Congress—the House and the Senate—devising a system of representative democracy that has endured for more than 200 years. And, as you know, they enumerated a Bill of Rights as the first ten amendments to the Constitution.

That system, and the rights of Americans it protects, has been under assault this year. And it is the responsibility of this Congress and this Committee to protect them.

I am sorry to say that this Congress appears to be failing to do so. That is why I introduced with Representative Garamendi H.Res. 603 Reaffirming the principles of the U.S. Constitution, including the separation of powers and the rule of law, which is before this Committee.

Since January 20 of this year, the Executive Branch—the Article II Branch of the government—has undermined the separation of powers enumerated in the Constitution between the Congress (Article I), the Courts (Article III), and the Executive (Article II).

Under the leadership and at the direction of President Trump, the Executive Branch has overstepped its authority and undermined the institutions that uphold the rule of law, that guarantee free and fair elections, that regulate commerce, that protect public health, that conduct oversight, that engage with people and nations around the world, expanding the power of the presidency to implement dangerous and divisive policies.

From executive orders and actions encouraging lawlessness, eviscerating progress for all Americans, and abandoning our allies and our leadership in the world, the harms to Americans are apparent now and will be for generations to come if this Congress does not act and assert its authority.

Of course, Congressional spending has been on our minds lately. And while Appropriations are the work of another committee, protection of the mandate that spending bills originate in the Congress is part of the work of this Committee.

And yet, President Trump and his administration have willfully ignored this principle, violating federal law by withholding funding authorized by Congress, canceling funding for federal programs Congress created that communities across the country rely on, and eviscerating bipartisan spending laws.

Through a variety of means, President Trump has frozen, canceled, clawed back, or illegally impounded investments the Congress has directed in:

Public health, including critical medical research (including for cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and more);

Public safety, including COPS grants and Office of Violence Against Women grants;

Public welfare, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP;

Public education, including Head Start programs;

Public lands and efforts to protect and promote clean air, clean water, and public health; and more.

This House and Senate have utterly failed to respond to this assault on Congressional authority or this refusal to spend funding as Congress intended.

These are serious harms to the people we represent. And serious harms to our Constitution’s separation of powers.

They are matched by the grave harm to our Constitutional order that come from the President and the Administration’s efforts to censure dissent, to prohibit and intimidate Americans’ peaceful assembly, to limit public participation and freedom to associate, whether by joining a Union or organizing a protest; to restrain and exclude the press and the transparency a free press brings; and to prohibit the free exercise of religion. All of these rights are protected by the Constitution and must be protected by this Committee.

As this Committee must use its authority to protect the constitutional system of justice and the independence of the judiciary as this administration abuses its authority by intimidation, investigation, and prosecution of its critics.

To date, this Congress has largely supported, defended, and encouraged unlawful, unconstitutional and un-American actions this administration has taken.

I urge this Committee and this Congress to remember its purpose and to use its power to protect, support, and defend the people and the Constitution of the United States.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/castro-casar-push-the-trump-administration-for-answers-on-san-antonio-ice-raid,"Castro, Casar Push the Trump Administration for Answers on San Antonio ICE Raid",2025-11-20,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquin Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,castro,https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and Congressman Greg Casar (TX- 35) are demanding answers from the Trump Administration, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Justice (DOJ), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), for answers on the raid conducted Sunday, November 16 in the early morning hours near the intersection of Basse Road and San Pedro Avenue in San Antonio, TX.

Congressmen Castro and Casar have been demanding information on the raid since it occurred. Information has since been released from the Department of Justice that two people were criminally charged. However, it has been reported that more than 140 people were detained during a chaotic scene on the Northside of San Antonio. Still, there has been no information provided on the whereabouts of approximately 138 individuals.

“We demand answers regarding the raid conducted on Sunday, November 16th in the early morning hours near the intersection of Basse Road and San Pedro Avenue in San Antonio, Texas. After attempting to get pertinent information from your respective offices, we are addressing this letter to all of you pursuant to our responsibilities as congressional representatives of the area and pursuant to our duty to conduct rigorous oversight of federal and state activities. Most importantly, we write out of our obligation to ensure transparency for Texans and people across the country,” the lawmakers wrote.

“Due to the numerous reports this year on agents of Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and other agencies overstepping their legal authority, we are extremely concerned about the legality of the detainments and the due process of the detainees. Any operation of this scale demands full transparency regarding the basis for the raid, which agencies participated, and the status of those detained,” the lawmakers concluded.

Due to the lack of publicly available information and the refusal to provide clarity, the lawmakers request answers to the following questions no later than November 24, 2025.

What was the evidence provided to a judge to sign a warrant?

What were the parameters of the warrant executed?

What federal, state, and local entities were on site during this raid?

How many people were detained during the raid?

What are the nationalities of the people detained?

Where are people that are in custody being held?

What crimes are the detained accused of?

Were there any minors that were detained? If so, how many?

What is the immigration status of the individuals detained?

What is the rationale for targeting these individuals in the raid?

Provide information on how many of those arrested had previously received a stay of removal, order of supervision or other form of prosecutorial discretion pursuant to prosecutorial discretion guidelines in place prior to January 2017.

Among individuals taken into custody, how many were collateral pickups (i.e. individuals encountered during the raid who were not intended targets).

When did the underlying investigation that led to this raid open?

What is the goal of the investigation? Please provide any quantitative or qualitative goals.

Are there expected future operations in the district or surrounding areas connected to this investigation?

Of the people detained, what percentage of people have a prior criminal history? Please provide the percentage breakdown of individuals with: 1) infractions; 2) misdemeanors; and 3) felonies.

Please provide a copy of the warrant.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/castro-himes-seek-answers-on-intelligence-sharing-partnerships,"Castro, Himes Seek Answers on Intelligence Sharing Partnerships",2025-11-20,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquin Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,castro,https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) wrote to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard regarding public reports that at least three countries have limited, or intend to limit, intelligence sharing with the United States.

The President of Colombia, a country with which the United States has long partnered on counternarcotics efforts, publicly cited the illegal boat strikes in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific as the cause of their decision to cut off security cooperation. Himes and Castro have argued that these strikes are not only ineffective and performative, but will cause lasting damage to regional partnerships that may prove detrimental to our long-term counternarcotics efforts.

“The U.S. system of alliances around the globe, which extend into the intelligence sphere, are a critical part of our national security, and they act as a force multiplier that neither China nor Russia can match,” the Members wrote. “To the extent that targeted killings of alleged drug traffickers or other policies reduce the willingness of our partners to work closely with our national security agencies, the United States will be less safe as a result.”

The letter continued: “Accordingly, we request that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, along with any other affected intelligence community elements, swiftly update the Committee on the accuracy of these reports, the expected impact to U.S. national security and intelligence equities, and the intelligence community’s plan to mitigate any damage.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://crockett.house.gov/media/press-releases/statement-rep-crockett-threat-dc-office,Statement from Rep. Crockett on Threat at D.C. Office,2025-11-20,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Jasmine Crockett,C001130,crockett.house.gov,crockett,https://crockett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. -- Today, Congresswoman Crockett issued the following statement:

“Today an individual showed up to my D.C. office and made white supremacist threats and hand gestures. Everyone is safe, and I want to thank Capitol Police for their swift response.

But let me be crystal clear: this cannot become the norm.

We’re living in a time where political violence is being fueled from the very top. When the President of United States spreads hate and lies, when he targets his political opponents, when he openly calls for the death of sitting Members of Congress, he is putting a literal target on our backs. The President should be committed unity, not more division.

Some folks have questioned why I need security. This is why. Every time I speak truth, stand up for my constituents, or call out corruption, the threats get louder—and more dangerous.

I will not be intimidated. I will not be silenced. I will continue to show up for the people of Texas’ 30th Congressional District. But we cannot pretend that this is normal. When leaders promote hate, hate shows up—sometimes right at our door.”

###",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases/republicans-plot-latest-health-rollback-rep-doggett-introduces-hsa-consumer,"As Republicans Plot Latest Health Rollback, Rep. Doggett Introduces HSA Consumer Protection Legislation",2025-11-20,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,doggett,https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Without substantial reforms, HSAs will continue to benefit the wealthiest few at a decade cost of nearly $180 billion

(202) 429-4620

Washington, D.C.—Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, introduced the Health Savings Accounts (HSA) Consumer Protection Act to prevent the misuse of these accounts and to implement consumer protection guardrails against misleading junk fees. As they seek to undermine the Affordable Care Act, Republicans are promoting expanded HSA tax shelters that benefit the wealthy, while tying working families to high-deductible plans that can leave many unable to afford a visit to the doctor. While an independent analysis found that nearly 60% of the value of ACA tax credits benefit families earning 200% or less than the federal poverty line (about $64,000 for a family of four); nearly half of the value of HSAs benefit households earning over $200,000.

“Our health care system is riddled with loopholes to benefit those at the top while doing little for most Americans,” said Rep. Doggett. “Denying health coverage to 15 million Americans and spiking insurance premiums on millions more, Republicans are now offering more help to their wealthy contributors through HSA tax shelters. Meanwhile, most Americans do not have enough savings to afford emergency care, let alone pay an HSA sky-high deductible. My bill seeks to establish reasonable guardrails to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse, and to ensure HSAs deliver more Health, not just more tax shelter for the Affluent.”

HSAs are triple tax-advantaged accounts, meaning contributions are made with pre-tax income, assets grow tax-free, and distributions are tax-free if used for qualified medical expenses or as reimbursements for such expenses. HSAs have quickly become a lucrative tax shelter for wealthy Americans, with individuals earning $1 million or more the most likely to make individual contributions, and individuals earning $500,000-$1 million the most likely to receive employer contributions. Despite ‘health’ being in the name, HSAs are subject to few restrictions and have been promoted as a lucrative tool to pay for a vacation, a sauna, home renovations, or even a boat. Meanwhile, HSAs are paired with high-deductible health plans, leaving many consumers with inadequate coverage and often subjecting them to surprise junk fees.

A new, nonpartisan U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released today found that wealthy, healthy, and White and Asian households are more likely to have an HSA. The GAO also found that associated fees were often waived for account holders who maintained a certain balance, such as $3,000. Yet 63% of accounts had a balance of less than $1,000, including 21% of accounts with no balance whatsoever. For low-income households, HSAs can become a burden with junk fees to maintain an account to which they cannot afford to contribute. As Trump and some Republicans once again demand repeal of the ACA, this timely report exposes the deficiencies of their proposed replacement shifting more Americans into HSAs.

The HSA Consumer Protection Act would:

Remove the exception that permits HSA use for non-health care services without penalty at age 65. Currently, withdrawals can be used for any purpose, with no penalty, including day-to-day expenses, a vacation, a boat, or home renovations.

Place income limitations around the payroll tax exemption for HSA contributions, so that HSAs cannot be used as an income tax shelter for wealthy individuals. There is currently no such limitation.

Limit the window for reimbursement to two years from when a qualified medical expense was paid. Currently, accountholders can reimburse themselves for expenses incurred decades before—so long as they had an HSA at the time of the expense.

Require individuals to substantiate that their distributions from HSAs are for qualified medical expenses. Currently, accountholders are not required to substantiate their expenses when withdrawing funds from their HSA, which is a break from requirements for other tax-preferred health accounts.

Prevent waste, fraud, and abuse by strengthening guardrails protecting against the misuse of HSAs for non-qualified medical expenses.

Ensure that institutions offering HSAs do not charge excessive fees and meet basic transparency requirements, including those related to the fees charged for opening and maintaining an HSA.",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2994,Congresswoman Escobar Calls for Formal Investigation into USPS Problems in El Paso,2025-11-20,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,escobar,https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) sent a letter to USPS Inspector General Tammy Hull urging a formal investigation into widespread United States Postal Service (USPS) problems affecting El Paso residents and postal workers. The Congresswoman’s request is in light of significant rise in constituent casework, including delayed mail delivery, vandalized cluster boxes, and unreliable fleet conditions, combined with a lack of meaningful action by USPS leadership. It also follows several previous meetings and frequent communication with local USPS leadership.

The Congresswoman wrote: “I write to express my deep concern regarding prevalent United States Postal Service (USPS) issues in the El Paso region that have been brought to my attention by constituents and postal workers alike. With matters ranging from delayed mail delivery at collection boxes and delayed fleet transition for postal workers, I am respectfully requesting the Office of Inspector General to begin a formal investigation…”

“My office consistently receives USPS casework inquiries, and recently we have seen an uptick in the number of El Pasoans who have not been receiving mail at their designated cluster box for months on end… These individuals have had their lives interrupted because many still rely on USPS to deliver items like medicine, general billing, and more.”

“Postal workers in my district shared frustrations about the outdated and non-functioning fleet. This includes a lack of air conditioning in vehicles in a region that can experience multiple 100-degree days during the summer months.”

“I sent a letter to Postmaster [Cindi J.] Tabbot in which I emphasized my community’s needs for answers to casework issues, updates on current and future operations and maintenance, staffing challenges, and infrastructure needs. The time frame for a response has now passed, and my office has yet to receive a response from the Postmaster.”

Congresswoman Escobar requested that Inspector General Hull investigate operations at 14 El Paso-area post offices, after citing urgent concerns regarding delivery delays, fleet reliability, employee morale, and fractured communication between management and local union leadership in her letter to Postmaster Tabbot.

To read the full letter, click here.

# # #

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https://juliejohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases/johnson-announces-750000-department-justice-grant-mosaic-family-services,"Johnson Announces $750,000 Department of Justice Grant for Mosaic Family Services",2025-11-20,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Julie Johnson,J000310,juliejohnson.house.gov,juliejohnson,https://juliejohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"DALLAS, TX — Today, Congresswoman Julie Johnson (TX-32) announced that Mosaic Family Services in Dallas has received a $750,000 grant from the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office on Violence Against Women. The funding, awarded through the Legal Assistance for Victims program, will help Mosaic continue its work providing free legal help to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.

“This grant is going to make a real difference for survivors here in North Texas,” said Congresswoman Johnson. “When someone is trying to escape abuse, the legal system can feel impossible to navigate alone. Whether it’s fighting for custody, securing a protective order, or keeping a roof over their head, as an attorney, I know that having an advocate in their corner makes all the difference. Mosaic has been doing that work for years, and this new funding means they’ll be able to reach even more families and survivors who are in need of support.”

The program is designed to make sure survivors do not have to face the legal system alone. That can mean support with custody battles, eviction notices, immigration paperwork, or simply getting a protective order in place. With this new funding, Mosaic will be able to advocate for even more survivors in North Texas during some of the most challenging moments of their lives.

“Mosaic has earned the trust of our community because they show up for people when it matters most,” Johnson added. “This grant recognizes that and ensures their work will continue.”

“This award holds significant meaning for us,” stated Mirjana Omeragic, Acting Executive Director. “The legal services we provide to survivors play a pivotal role in restoring their safety and ensuring justice. We witness the profound impact of our legal program on a daily basis, from assisting with crucial legal paperwork to representing them in court and guiding them to make informed decisions. Mosaic Family Services is deeply appreciative of the recognition from the Department of Justice.”

The three-year award builds on prior DOJ support for Mosaic Family Services and will allow them to continue providing life-saving legal advocacy to survivors across North Texas.

Congresswoman Julie Johnson represents Texas’s 32nd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, serving on the Homeland Security Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Administration Committee. Her district includes parts of Collin, Dallas, and Denton Counties.",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://algreen.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-green-calls-congress-rein-executive-branch-end-inhumane-discriminatory-ice,"Rep. Green Calls on Congress to Rein in Executive Branch, End Inhumane & Discriminatory ICE Practices",2025-11-19,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Al Green,G000553,algreen.house.gov,algreen,https://algreen.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"(Washington, DC) - On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, Congressman Al Green, Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, shared remarks in a Homeland Security shadow hearing entitled, “Unmasking the Truth: How Trump's Immigration Raids Target U.S. Citizens and Terrorize Communities.""

You can access and listen to Congressman Al Green’s remarks to witnesses on the panel here. The hearing remarks highlighted are also accessible on various social media platforms, including Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/castro-meeks-kaine-and-van-hollen-lead-colleagues-in-raising-alarm-about-use-of-us-taxpayer-funding-to-hold-people-in-el-salvadoran-torture-center,"CASTRO, MEEKS, KAINE, & VAN HOLLEN LEAD COLLEAGUES IN RAISING ALARM ABOUT USE OF U.S. TAXPAYER FUNDING TO HOLD PEOPLE IN EL SALVADORAN TORTURE CENTER",2025-11-19,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquin Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,castro,https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"Letter follows a Human Rights Watch and Cristosal report exposing systematic abuse and torture at CECOT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representatives Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, and Gregory Meeks (NY-06), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, along with U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on State Department and USAID Management, International Operations, and Bilateral International Development, led 38 lawmakers in sending a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem raising alarm about the horrific conditions at Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT), El Salvador’s notorious megaprison and torture center, and pressing the Trump Administration on its use of U.S. taxpayer funding to send and hold people there. This follows a Human Rights Watch and Cristosal report published on November 12 that found a systemic pattern of abuse and torture at CECOT.

“We write to you expressing profound concern over the findings of the recently published report titled ‘You Have Arrived in Hell: Torture and Other Abuses Against Venezuelans in El Salvador’s Mega Prison,’” wrote the members. “This meticulously researched report, published on November 12 by Human Rights Watch and the El Salvador-based Cristosal exposes the systematic pattern of abuse and torture experienced by the 252 Venezuelan nationals the Trump Administration sent to El Salvador’s notorious Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT) between March and April of 2025. It also finds that the Administration failed to respect the principle of non-refoulment and questions the Administration’s reliance on El Salvador’s assurances that it would abide by the UN Convention Against Torture.”

The members continued, “We urge you to investigate these findings and provide an immediate explanation to Congress and to the American people for the Trump Administration’s complicity in subjecting these individuals to such horrific and cruel treatment.”

“Longstanding domestic and international law prohibit the United States from transferring any person from our jurisdiction or effective control to any place where the person would face such serious human rights violations,” the members pressed. “Yet, the Department of Homeland Security sent these individuals to El Salvador to be detained at CECOT, and the Department of State provided $4.76 million dollars to cover the costs ‘associated with’ their detention.”

“These violations are a stain on the moral conscience of our country. We urge you to take all necessary steps to ensure that the United States is never again complicit in such horrific and unlawful behavior,” the members concluded.

In addition to Kaine, Van Hollen, Meeks, and Castro, the letter was cosigned by U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Peter Welch (D-VT), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Andy Kim (D-NJ), and U.S. Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA-02), Sarah McBride (D-DE-AL), Bill Keating (D-MA-09), James R. Walkinshaw (D-VA-11), Dina Titus (D-NV-01), Dan Goldman (D-NY-10), Nydia Velázquez (D-NY-07), Greg Casar (D-TX-35), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-AL), Yvette Clarke (D-NY-09), Mark Pocan (D-WI-02), Julie Johnson (D-TX-32), Madeleine Dean (D-PA-04), Steve Cohen (D-TN-09), Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ-03), Maxine Dexter (D-OR-03), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37), Gabe Amo (D-RI-01), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25), Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04), Don Beyer (D-VA-08), and Grace Meng (D-NY-06).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://crockett.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-jasmine-crocketts-statement-federal-court-blocking-texas,Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett’s Statement on Federal Court Blocking Texas’ Discriminatory Congressional Map,2025-11-19,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Jasmine Crockett,C001130,crockett.house.gov,crockett,https://crockett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C.— Yesterday, we witnessed a major civil rights victory for the people of Texas. A three-judge federal panel blocked Texas from using the racially discriminatory, newly drawn 2025 congressional map and ordered the state to return to the 2021 map for purposes of the 2026 elections. Greg Abbott and Donald Trump were reminded that God doesn’t like ugly—especially when that ugliness targets Texans.

As a Plaintiff-Intervenor in this case, I am proud to have fought not only for my constituents’ voices but for Texans as a whole. If this ruling stands, the 9th, 18th, 30th, and 33rd Congressional Districts—all intentionally dismantled—will be restored.

The court found that race—not policy—shaped how Texas drew the maps after state lawmakers, prompted by an erroneous statement of the law in a letter from the DOJ, instructed them to target districts with large Black and brown populations for decimation. After 10 days of testimony from various witnesses, the court was not convinced that this insidious move wasn’t intentional. The court did not even find the race-blind testimony of the map-drawer to be credible. It is worth noting that the same non-credible witness drew the ’21 maps, which had been a matter of dispute for the last four years—until they made bad maps worse.

This fight isn’t over. The case will proceed on its merits, and the State has already appealed directly to the Supreme Court.

It is time for Congress to do its job and prevent this type of chaos and controversy. We must pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which not only restores the powers found in the original Voting Rights Act, but fortifies it. It is clear that states like Texas still need pre-clearance as a mechanism to ensure that all Texans are treated equally and fairly when it comes to accessing the ballot box and choosing their representation.

I will keep pushing, keep fighting, and keep standing with every voter whose voice they’ve tried to silence. When the people win, democracy wins.

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2992,Congresswoman Escobar Asks CBP Commissioner and Border Patrol Chief for Answers on the Fatal Shooting of an El Paso Family’s Dog,2025-11-19,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,escobar,https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Yesterday, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) sent a letter to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Rodney S. Scott, and Border Patrol Chief Michael W. Banks, to elevate her office’s numerous attempts to get answers on the fatal shooting of a family dog in September.

The letter can be found in its entirety below and here.

“Commissioner Scott and Chief Banks:

""I am writing to formally request updated information about the investigation into the lethal use of force incident by a Border Patrol agent against a pet dog at a private residence in El Paso, Texas.

""On September 9, 2025, Border Patrol agents reportedly shot and killed Chop, a family’s seven-year-old Rottweiler, while following up on an anonymous a tip at the home. According to a statement by the homeowner, he was cooperating fully with the agents and alerted them that Chop could be difficult with strangers and would be contained to a bathroom in the home while the agents conducted their investigation. Despite this, agents allegedly entered the house while the homeowner retrieved his identification documents from his car, let Chop out of the bathroom, and shot him. Reporting indicates that the agent who shot Chop allegedly attempted to hide his face and refused to provide his name.

""This incident is inexcusable. A family lost their beloved dog to the actions of a Border Patrol officer, and we are still unaware of what, if anything, the agency is doing to rectify the situation or prevent a similar one from happening again.

""My office reached out to local El Paso CBP after receiving information about the incident on September 19th. CBP confirmed in a September 22nd response to my office that an investigation into the incident was taking place, however, our office has yet to receive any updated information on the investigation, including whether or not the agents involved in the shooting were put on leave or are still actively working.

""I urge CBP to provide my office with a detailed update about the investigation into this incident, including:

Has CBP identified what prompted their agent to find and let Chop out of the bathroom where he had been placed for safety?

Has CBP identified what prompted the officer to open fire on Chop?

Did officers refuse to render assistance once Chop had been fatally shot?

What steps, if any, has CBP taken to address this incident with the family?

What disciplinary action will be taken against the officer who fatally shot Chop?

How will CBP ensure that an incident like this does not happen again?

""Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your timely response.""

# # #

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https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-garcia-democratic-women-s-caucus-leaders-demand-release-of-pregnant-women-in-ice-detention,"Congresswoman Garcia, Democratic Women's Caucus Leaders Demand Release of Pregnant Women in ICE Detention",2025-11-19,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Sylvia R. Garcia,G000587,sylviagarcia.house.gov,sylviagarcia,https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29) alongside Democratic Women's Caucus (DWC) Members Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), and DWC Policy Task Force Co-Chair Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37), led 61 House Democrats in a letter to demand the urgent release and investigation of pregnant, postpartum, and nursing women currently detained by Immigration and Custody Enforcement (ICE) in contradiction to Federal regulations. The Members expressed their extreme concern to ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons and Kristi Noem, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, after hearing reports of pregnant women detained and mistreated in several ICE facilities in Illinois, Louisiana, and Georgia.

ICE is instructed not to detain pregnant, postpartum, or nursing people under its own policy; however, there have been multiple reports of pregnant and nursing women shackled, placed in solitary confinement, or deprived of proper prenatal or lactation care.

The Members urged ICE to immediately release pregnant women in detention:

“The health and safety of pregnant women should not be threatened as a result of the administration choosing not to adhere to Federal regulations,” the Members wrote. “That is why we urge the administration to fully comply with the existing regulations and immediately correct the violations… By detaining vulnerable women in appalling conditions while pregnant, you are subjecting both the pregnant individual and the unborn child to significant risks and possible death. We urge the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE to follow its own rules and regulations on detention of pregnant women and demand their humane treatment.”

Read the full letter HERE.

In addition to letter leads Sylvia Garcia, Robin Kelly, Delia Ramirez, and Sydney Kamlager-Dove, the letter was signed by Reps. Yassamin Ansari, Becca Balint, Nanette Barragán, Joyce Beatty, Suzanne Bonamici, Julia Brownley, André Carson, Troy Carter, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Judy Chu, Yvette Clarke, Emanuel Cleaver, Angie Craig, Jasmine Crockett, Danny Davis, Diana DeGette, Veronica Escobar, Valerie Foushee, Lois Frankel, Laura Friedman, Jesús García, Jahana Hayes, Val Hoyle, Glenn Ivey, Pramila Jayapal, Henry Johnson, Julie Johnson, Robin Kelly, Ro Khanna, Summer Lee, Teresa Leger Fernandez, Zoe Lofgren, Lucy McBath, Jennifer McClellan, James McGovern, LaMonica McIver, Gwen Moore, Kelly Morrison, Eleanor Norton, Mike Quigley, Emily Randall, Deborah Ross, Andrea Salinas, Janice Schakowsky, Terri Sewell, Lateefah Simon, Melanie Stansbury, Shri Thanedar, Dina Titus, Rashida Tlaib, Norma Torres, Juan Vargas, Nydia Velázquez, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Nikema Williams, and Frederica Wilson.",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://algreen.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-al-green-calls-deposit-insurance-reform-protect-all-americans,Congressman Al Green Calls for Deposit Insurance Reform to Protect All Americans,2025-11-18,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Al Green,G000553,algreen.house.gov,algreen,https://algreen.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"(Washington, DC) — On Tuesday, November 18, 2025, Congressman Al Green, Ranking Member of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, shared remarks in a Financial Services Hearing entitled, “The Future of Deposit Insurance: Exploring the Coverage, Costs, and Depositor Confidence.""

You can access and listen to Congressman Al Green’s opening remarks by clicking here. The hearing remarks highlighted are also accessible on various social media platforms, including Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/castro-markey-colleagues-urge-us-to-apply-highest-nonproliferation-standards-to-any-nuclear-cooperation-agreement-with-saudi-arabia-amid-growing-human-rights-national-security-concerns,"Castro, Markey, Colleagues Urge U.S. to Apply Highest Nonproliferation Standards to Any Nuclear Cooperation Agreement with Saudi Arabia Amid Growing Human Rights, National Security Concerns",2025-11-18,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquin Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,castro,https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"Trump plans to host Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House Today

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yesterday, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA), a co-chair of the bicameral Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group, today led their colleagues in writing to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging the Trump administration to include the strongest possible “gold standard” nonproliferation measures in any nuclear cooperation agreement with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to foreclose any pathway to a nuclear weapon.

The letter comes as President Trump plans to host Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House on Tuesday.

“Saudi Arabia has, on numerous occasions, expressed its interest in acquiring nuclear weapons. Such a development would be highly destabilizing for the Middle East and could lead other states to reconsider their nuclear options. As is the case with Iran, preventing nuclear proliferation in Saudi Arabia should be one of the Trump administration’s highest priorities. It is therefore greatly concerning that the Trump Administration is pursuing an agreement that, without proper safeguards, could enable Saudi Arabia to produce a nuclear bomb. Given Riyadh’s nuclear ambitions, we are urging the Administration to include the strongest possible “gold standard” non-proliferation measures in any nuclear cooperation agreement. Giving Saudi Arabia nuclear technology without the strongest safeguards is a recipe for disaster,” the lawmakers wrote.

“Given Saudi Arabia’s nuclear intentions, it would be irresponsible for the United States to reach a civil nuclear cooperation agreement with Riyadh that does not include the gold standard. A typical US ‘123 agreement’ under the Atomic Energy Act prohibits a partner country from enriching or reprocessing nuclear material acquired from the United States (without further agreement), but that country may do so with technology and nuclear material acquired from other sources. The stronger protections of the gold standard would prevent that. Agreeing to weaker nonproliferation measures with Saudi Arabia would undermine the existing global nonproliferation regime and exacerbate tensions across the Middle East,” the lawmakers continued.

The lawmakers request answers to the following questions by December 1, 2025:

Does the Administration intend to inform the Senate Foreign Relations and the House Foreign Affairs committees if and when a 123 agreement is reached with Saudi Arabia?

In negotiations with Saudi Arabia, is the Administration seeking a 123 agreement with “gold standard” protections?

Will the Administration require Saudi Arabia to implement the Additional Protocol?

What nuclear technology is the Administration planning to provide to Saudi Arabia, who will provide it, when will it be transferred, and under what terms? Who will pay for the technology and how much will it cost?

Is the United States considering constructing and operating a uranium-enrichment facility on Saudi soil?

What is the status of negotiations towards diplomatic normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel? Please describe the U.S. involvement, including the roles played by the White House, the Department of State, and the Department of Energy.

Is the United States still considering defense guarantees or commitments for Saudi Arabia in exchange for normalization of diplomatic relations with Israel?

Is improvement of Saudi Arabia’s repressive human rights record an element of the negotiations? Will any agreement include provisions that address and seek to improve upon Saudi Arabia’s human rights and civil liberties practices?

Will the United States require Saudi Arabia to cease all defense cooperation with the People’s Republic of China on ballistic missile and nuclear technology as a part of any agreement to share nuclear technology?

Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Representatives Greg Casar (TX-35) Dina Titus (NV-01) Eleanor Homes Norton (D-DC), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Jim McGovern (MA-02), André Carson (IN-07), John Garamendi (CA-08), Don Beyer (VA-08), Mike Levin (CA-49) and Jamie Raskin (MD-08) co-signed the letter. Senator Merkley and Representatives Garamendi and Beyer are also co-chairs of the Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/castro-statement-on-federal-judges-blocking-texas-redistricting-map,Castro Statement on Federal Judges Blocking Texas’ Redistricting Map,2025-11-18,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquin Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,castro,https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released the following statement:

“Today is a good day for democracy in Texas!

“The courts blocked Governor Abbott and Trump’s illegal power grab. Their racist re-districting attempt would undermine the voting power of Latino and Black communities. They failed. This is the right decision.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-doggetts-statement-texas-redistricting-trial-decision,Rep. Doggett’s Statement on Texas Redistricting Trial Decision,2025-11-18,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Lloyd Doggett,D000399,doggett.house.gov,doggett,https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Contact: Luis.BFaz@mail.house.gov

(202) 429-4620

Watch the Congressman’s remarks here.

Washington, D.C.—Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin) released the following statement:

""To borrow from Mark Twain, the reports of my death, politically, are greatly exaggerated. This federal court order means that I have a renewed opportunity to continue serving the only town I have ever called home, as democracy faces greater challenges than at any point in my lifetime. CD-37, which I represent; CD-35, which Congressman Casar represents; and all other existing Texas congressional districts will remain unchanged for 2026. This is very good news for Texans, who should be entitled to accessible and accountable representation. While Ken Paxton and Greg Abbott are appealing directly to the U.S. Supreme Court, I am hopeful about the final outcome, likely announced this month, since even a Trump-appointed trial judge ruled against the Trump gerrymander.”

###",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7131,Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Votes To Release the Full Epstein Files,2025-11-18,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Lizzie Fletcher,F000468,fletcher.house.gov,fletcher,https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) voted for the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act, H.Res. 581, to force the Trump administration to release all files related to the sex-trafficking investigation into Jeffrey Epstein at the Department of Justice.

“The survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and the American people deserve the truth, and today the House took an important step toward providing it,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. “Until days ago, when passage of this legislation became all but guaranteed, President Trump and his allies in Congress did everything in their power to prevent this vote from happening, from sending the House home early in July to delaying the swearing in of Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva—the final member needed to force this vote—for 50 days.

In September, Congresswoman Fletcher signed a discharge petition to force a vote on H.Res. 581 after Speaker Mike Johnson refused to allow a vote on the bill. A discharge petition is a legislative tool in the U.S. House of Representatives that allows a majority of members—or 218 members—to force a bill to the floor for a vote by the full chamber, even if the Speaker of the House opposes it. Last week, the petition received enough signatures to force a vote in the House on H.Res. 581. Now, the bill heads to the Senate where Majority Leader Thune will determine if it will receive a vote.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-gonzalez-and-bipartisan-lawmakers-push-health-care-negotiations,Congressman Gonzalez and Bipartisan Lawmakers Push for Health Care Negotiations Before Promised Senate Vote,2025-11-18,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Vicente Gonzalez,G000581,gonzalez.house.gov,gonzalez,https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Contact: Alexis Torres, Alexis@mail.house.gov

Washington, D.C.—After Republican Senate leadership promised a December vote to address expiring Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34) and a bipartisan group of his colleagues requested that Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer work with House lawmakers to craft a comprehensive and bipartisan health care proposal.

In the letter last week, the members wrote, “If we work together, our hope is that the bill will not only achieve a sixty-vote majority in the Senate but will also then move to the House for immediate consideration and passage.”

Because ACA Open Enrollment runs from now to January 15, 2026, many South Texas families are turning to the Health Insurance Marketplace to find a low-cost plan that meets their needs. Republicans already passed their “One Big, Ugly Bill” earlier this year that will kick 15 million Americans off their coverage. Now, nearly 130,000 South Texans in the 34th Congressional District of Texas will see their insurance premiums skyrocket if Republicans allow ACA tax credits to expire at the end of the year. A 60-year-old couple earning $82,800 a year would see an annual increase of $16,639, and a family of four earning $64,000 a year would see an increase of $2,571.

While Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has not publicly committed to holding a vote on ACA tax credits, Congressman Gonzalez also signed a discharge petition to force a House vote on extending ACA tax credits subsidies for three years. It currently has 183 out of the 218 signatures needed for consideration.

Joining Congressman Gonzalez in last week’s letter are Representatives Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), Juan Ciscomani (AZ-6), Jen Kiggans (VA-2), Maggie Goodlander (NH-2), Jeff Van Drew (NJ-2), Susie Lee (NV-3), Don Bacon (NE-2), Ed Case (HI-1), Mike Lawler (NY-17), Greg Landsman (OH-1), Jeff Hurd (CO-3), Darren Soto (FL-9), Rob Bresnahan, Jr. (PA-8), Tom Barrett (MI-7), Debbie Dingell (MI-6), Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-7), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Ryan Mackenzie (PA-7), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Monica De La Cruz (TX-15), George Whitesides (CA-27), Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-27), Donald Davis (NC-1), Scott Peters (CA-50), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), Josh Riley (NY-19), Laura Gillen (NY-4), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03), Carlos Gimenez (FL-28) and Emilia Sykes (OH-13).",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://juliejohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-julie-johnson-volunteers-local-food-pantry-amid-government,Congresswoman Julie Johnson Volunteers at Local Food Pantry Amid a Government Shutdown,2025-11-18,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Julie Johnson,J000310,juliejohnson.house.gov,juliejohnson,https://juliejohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"PLANO, TX — While the federal government remains shut down, Congresswoman Julie Johnson and her district team volunteered today at Minnie’s Food Pantry in Plano, helping sort donations and pack food boxes.

“North Texans want to work and get paid. Until Congress reopens the government and people see their paychecks again, places like Minnie’s are carrying the load, making sure families get critical support during this difficult time,” said Congresswoman Julie Johnson. “Our team showed up to lend a hand because the need is real. Every box packed today is a family with one less impossible choice to make this week.”

During the visit, Johnson spoke with pantry leaders about the increased demand since the shutdown began and how sustained disruptions—missed pay, delayed reimbursements, and tighter household budgets—are pushing more families to seek help. Johnson reiterated her push for Trump and Republicans in Washington to end the shutdown and restore stability for workers, veterans, small businesses, and nonprofits that keep communities running.

“Hunger isn’t a new problem and it isn’t one that discriminates based on political party — it’s one our community has been battling for years,” said owner Dr. Cheryl “Action” Jackson. “The government furlough and halt in SNAP benefits have amplified it to levels we haven’t seen in a long time.” Jackson continued, “Families who were already on the edge are now facing impossible choices: between paying rent, keeping the lights on, or putting food on the table. The lines at Minnie’s Food Pantry are growing every day. The need for food is urgent, and we are seeing firsthand how deeply this crisis is impacting families in our community. Minnie’s Food Pantry remains committed to feeding every person we can, but we can’t do it alone — we need the community’s help now more than ever”, Jackson finished.

“Minnie’s Food Pantry does heroic work every day,” Johnson added. “The fastest way to help them—and the families they serve—is to end this shutdown now.”

About Minnie’s Food Pantry: Minnie’s Food Pantry is a Plano-based nonprofit that provides healthy meals and wraparound support to North Texas families. For more information, please contact the organization directly.

Congresswoman Julie Johnson represents Texas’ 32nd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, serving on the Homeland Security Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Administration Committee. Her district includes parts of Collin, Dallas, and Denton Counties.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://juliejohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases/johnson-votes-release-epstein-files,Johnson Votes to Release the Epstein Files,2025-11-18,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Julie Johnson,J000310,juliejohnson.house.gov,juliejohnson,https://juliejohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congresswoman Julie Johnson (TX-32) released a statement following her vote in support of releasing the Epstein Files.

“Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse was an open secret for decades — yet year after year, he was allowed to continue trafficking, exploiting, and destroying the lives of children and young women,” said Johnson. “Donald Trump promised to release the files. He promised transparency. Instead, he and his handpicked lieutenants buried the truth beneath a mountain of lies and contradictions. That’s why today I proudly voted to release the Epstein Files. This is not about partisanship — it’s about whether the United States Congress will stand with survivors and hold powerful men accountable for sex trafficking. The American people, and the brave survivors who have waited far too long, deserve the truth. I urge the Senate to take up this matter quickly and deliver justice.”

In September, Johnson delivered a floor speech calling on Congress to release the files. Johnson was also one of the 218 signatures to sign a discharge petition in the House to force the chamber to vote on whether to release the files.

The House voted 427 to 1 in favor of releasing the Epstein Files. The bill now goes before the Senate for a vote.

Congresswoman Julie Johnson represents Texas’s 32nd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, serving on the Homeland Security Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Administration Committee. Her district includes parts of Collin, Dallas, and Denton Counties.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://veasey.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-veasey-5th-circuit-courts-decision-strike-down-racist-maps,Congressman Veasey On the 5th Circuit Court’s Decision to Strike Down Racist Maps,2025-11-18,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Marc A. Veasey,V000131,veasey.house.gov,veasey,https://veasey.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C- Today, a three-judge panel for the 5th Circuit Court struck down that the maps proposed by Governor Abbott, Donald Trump, and Texas Republicans, ruling that it discriminated on the basis of race to dilute the power of minority voters. Congressman Veasey issued the following statement in response:

“The courts have affirmed what we’ve known all along: Trump, Abbott, and their Republican stooges intentionally jammed through racist, rigged maps to shut minority voters up and shut us out. They tried to steal power they could never win honestly.

“They thought we would roll over and take it. Boy did they have another thing coming.

“We fought them in the streets, at the ballot box, and in the courts. We marched. We raised hell. We stood in front of judges and tore their lies apart piece by piece. And today, Texas proved it won’t be pushed around.

“Trump and Abbott know they can’t win on policy—because their records are disasters. Record-high prices for food, rent, and healthcare.

“Make no mistake: this fight is far from over. Republicans will keep scheming, keep rigging, keep trying to bend democracy until it breaks. But if they think we’re going to roll over and take it, they’re dead wrong.”",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2989,Congresswoman Escobar Again Calls for the VISIBLE Act,2025-11-17,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,escobar,https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar released the following statement after continued reporting that criminals have been impersonating US immigration officers to carry out robberies, kidnappings, and sexual assaults in several states:

""Together with millions of Americans, I remain horrified and disgusted by the Trump Administration's hardline immigration enforcement actions carried out by masked ICE agents unwilling to identify themselves.

""Following confirmation from the FBI that there have been several instances of criminals impersonating ICE agents, I renew my calls to pass the VISIBLE Act and improve credibility and public safety.""

Congresswoman Escobar introduced the Visible Identification Standards for Immigration-Based Law Enforcement (VISIBLE) Act of 2025 in July with Representatives Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34), Judy Chu (CA-28), and Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-38) This bill would require immigration enforcement officers to clearly display visible identification during public enforcement actions.

Requires immigration enforcement officers — including DHS personnel such as Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), federal agents detailed to immigration operations, and deputized state or local officers — to display clearly legible identification, including their agency name or initials and either their name or badge number, in a manner that remains visible and unobscured by tactical gear or clothing;

Prohibits non-medical face coverings (such as masks or balaclavas) that obscure identity or facial visibility, with exceptions for environmental hazards or covert operations; and

Requires DHS to establish disciplinary procedures for violations, report annually to Congress on compliance, and investigate complaints through its Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.

The bill does not apply to covert or non-public facing operations, nor does it prohibit face coverings when necessary for officer safety. It also does not apply to enforcement actions conducted solely under criminal authority.",1,2026-04-07T15:46:19Z,2026-04-07T20:18:39Z
https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2990,Congresswoman Escobar Reacts to Tom Homan Speaking at UTEP,2025-11-17,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,escobar,https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) released the following statement in reaction to White House Border Czar Tom Homan’s invitation to speak at UTEP in December:

“UTEP’s embrace of right-wing politics in the last few years has been alarming and is unreflective of El Paso. As a loving, welcoming community, the invitation of Tom Homan is contrary to the values most El Pasoans hold dear.

“Homan has been one of the chief architects of the Trump administration’s cruel, hardline mass deportation tactics. Despite promises to go after the ‘worst of the worst,’ their efforts have done little but terrorize families, including mixed-status families, households with immigrants who have been in the country for decades, parents of U.S. citizens, and U.S. citizens themselves. And all of it has come with a significant emotional and financial cost to Americans.

“While I believe in productive debate and genuine conversation, I’m disappointed and ashamed that the leadership at UTEP is amplifying someone who is actively engaged in demonizing many of those who attend UTEP like DREAMERs, individuals in mixed-status families and first generation Americans, all of whom have long considered UTEP to be a safe place. Attendees should expect a white-washed, ugly rewriting of recent history.”

The university’s invitations of figures like former Vice President Mike Pence and Tom Homan have conspicuously occurred after senior leadership at UTEP intensely pushed back on hosting an event with Congresswoman Escobar and the Biden administration to celebrate the institution’s National Science Foundation grant award in 2024, claiming it would be a ‘political' event.

About Tom Homan

Tom Homan has a dishonorable history. Recent reporting details a lack of ethical judgement, corrupt behavior, and an eager willingness to execute the Trump administration’s cruel, un-American agenda. He played a central role in lobbying Republicans in Congress to syphon billions in taxpayer dollars to fund astronomically high levels for ICE, including the $1.24 billion detention camp in El Paso, which houses immigrants in inhumane conditions.

In February 2025, it was reported that Homan met several times with a right-wing activist with ties to the Proud Boys about the Trump administration’s deportation plans in Chicago. He was also a consultant for GEO Group, one of the private prison companies that has received millions in federal contracts from the Trump administration for the immigration enforcement. Most recently, Tom Homan was recorded by the FBI as part of an undercover operation accepting $50,000 in cash after indicating he could help the undercover agents — who were posing as business executives — win government contracts in a second Trump administration. The investigation was shut down by the FBI and Justice Department after a Trump Justice Department appointee called the case a “deep state” probe in early 2025. He also attacked the Catholic church – including El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz – for the criticism of his inhumane deportation tactics.

# # #",1,2026-04-07T15:46:19Z,2026-04-07T20:18:39Z
https://crockett.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-crockett-demands-answers-doj-and-fbi-efforts-conceal-trumps-ties-jeffrey,Rep. Crockett Demands Answers from DOJ and FBI on Efforts to Conceal Trump’s Ties to Jeffrey Epstein,2025-11-13,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Jasmine Crockett,C001130,crockett.house.gov,crockett,https://crockett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), a member of the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees, sent a letter to Attorney General Pamela Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel demanding answers about newly released emails and long-standing allegations that raise serious questions about President Donald Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein and the federal government’s handling of the Epstein files.

The letter cites newly released emails showing that President Trump spent hours alone with a victim(s) of Epstein’s abuse, as well as decades of documented behavior, lawsuits, and allegations connecting Trump to Epstein.

Rep. Crockett’s letter questions why DOJ and the FBI have withheld the context in which the President’s name appears in the Epstein files and why federal agencies appear to be “taking the indefensible position of keeping the American people in the dark and shielding all those involved with Mr. Epstein’s crimes from accountability.”

“We’re talking about decades of allegations and survivors who’ve waited long enough. You can’t claim to serve justice while keeping the public in the dark. Every delay, every dodge, only raises more questions—so release the files and let the American people see the truth, said Rep. Crockett.

The letter notes that with House Republicans finally returning from their eight week taxpayer-funded vacation and swearing in Rep. Adelita Grijalva, 218 Members of the House—collectively representing more than 150 million Americans—have now signed a discharge petition to force a floor vote that would require DOJ and the FBI to release the Epstein files.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7126,Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher and Texas Democratic Congressional Delegation Urge Governor Abbott To Set Runoff Election Date Immediately,2025-11-13,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Lizzie Fletcher,F000468,fletcher.house.gov,fletcher,https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Yesterday, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) and the Texas Democratic Delegation sent a letter to Texas Governor Greg Abbott requesting that he set a date for the runoff election for Texas’ 18th Congressional District as soon as possible, as he is required to do by law.

“All Texans and all Americans deserve representation in our government,” the members wrote. “This is a bedrock principle of our democracy. As Governor, it is your constitutional duty to set this election date in a timely manner. It is time to finally give the constituents of Texas's 18th District the voice they deserve. We urge you to promptly schedule the runoff and fill the seat as soon as possible.”

Congressmembers Greg Casar (TX-35), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34), Al Green (TX-09), Julie Johnson (TX-32), and Marc Veasey (TX-33) joined Congresswoman Fletcher in the letter request.

To read the full text of the letter, click here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-vicente-gonzalez-votes-against-stripping-health-care-south-texans,Congressman Vicente Gonzalez Votes Against Stripping Health Care from South Texans,2025-11-13,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Vicente Gonzalez,G000581,gonzalez.house.gov,gonzalez,https://gonzalez.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34) released the following statement on voting against a spending bill that will raise health care costs for South Texas families by failing to extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits:

“Republicans control the White House, Senate, and House, yet wasted weeks doing nothing to end a government shutdown which continues to hurt hundreds of thousands of South Texas families. I refuse to abandon the 60-year-old couple in my district who earns $82,800 a year and will see their health insurance premiums increase by $16,639, or 280 percent, if the ACA tax credits are allowed to expire. Any deal to reopen the government should have addressed the skyrocketing health care premiums for the nearly 130,000 people in the 34th Congressional District of Texas, who depend on this tax credit to afford the care they need.

“Congress needs to do the work our constituents sent us to Washington to do; I’m ready to work in a bipartisan way to resolve the health care crisis, but not at the expense of South Texans. It’s past time Republicans get serious about putting ‘America First’ as they so eagerly claim. Without an honest negotiation with Democrats, Republicans are once again placing working Americans last.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://juliejohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-johnson-hosts-healthcare-roundtable-affordability-access-and,"Congresswoman Johnson Hosts Healthcare Roundtable on Affordability, Access, and the Future of Care in North Texas",2025-11-13,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Julie Johnson,J000310,juliejohnson.house.gov,juliejohnson,https://juliejohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"DALLAS, TX — On Monday, November 10th, Congresswoman Julie Johnson (TX-32) hosted a healthcare roundtable at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, bringing together more than two dozen hospital executives, medical associations, and community health leaders to discuss the urgent issues shaping care in North Texas.

Attendees included representatives from Texas Health Resources, the Texas Hospital Association, the DFW Hospital Council, the Texas Medical Association, Parkland Health, Children’s Health, and several community-based organizations and clinics who shared their perspectives on the challenges ahead

The discussion focused on the looming expiration of enhanced ACA premium tax credits, Medicaid cuts, new restrictions on Marketplace enrollment, and workforce retention across the healthcare sector. Participants also raised concerns about Medicare Advantage reforms, rural hospital closures, and the reduction in navigator funding that helps families stay insured.

“The cost of care shouldn’t decide who lives and who dies,” said Congresswoman Julie Johnson. “When premiums double and hospitals close, it’s working families and seniors who pay the price. Texas is home to world-class healthcare talent — but it’s time Washington gave them the tools to match their commitment to care,” Johnson continued.

""We appreciate Congresswoman Julie Johnson meeting with area leaders and providers today at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas to discuss pressing healthcare public policy challenges and concerns. Her steadfast leadership and support for protecting patients, enacting thoughtful insurance reforms, and expanding health coverage and access to care are needed more than ever on Capitol Hill.,"" said Joel Ballew, Vice President, Government Affairs & Advocacy, Texas Health Resources.

Congresswoman Johnson, who leads the New Democrat Coalition’s Health Care Access and Affordability Task Force, said the insights shared today will directly shape her legislative priorities in Washington. Johnson emphasized that healthcare reform must be grounded in the real-world experience of those serving patients and communities—and that protecting affordability is essential to keeping Texas families healthy and hospitals open.

Congresswoman Julie Johnson represents Texas’ 32nd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, serving on the Homeland Security Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Administration Committee. Her district includes parts of Collin, Dallas, and Denton Counties.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://juliejohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases/johnson-condemns-passage-government-funding-bill-fails-extend-health-care-tax,Johnson Condemns Passage of Government Funding Bill that Fails to Extend Health Care Tax Credits,2025-11-13,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Julie Johnson,J000310,juliejohnson.house.gov,juliejohnson,https://juliejohnson.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC — Congresswoman Julie Johnson (TX-32) released the following statement condemning the passage of a government funding bill that fails to extend the Affordable Care Act’s health care tax credits, which nearly 100,000 of her constituents rely on to afford their health coverage.

“Tonight, I voted no on legislation that strips health care from millions of Texans. Nearly 100,000 people in my district rely on the Affordable Care Act’s tax credits to keep their coverage — without them, many will go without care,” said Johnson. “Tucked away in this bill is a brazen payoff, funneling millions of taxpayer dollars to benefit a handful of Senators while families struggle to afford groceries and health care. That is an insult to every hardworking American who expects honesty from their government. The contrast could not be clearer: Republican cruelty and corruption versus Democratic courage and compassion. The American people deserve better, and I will never stop fighting to protect the basic necessities every family needs to survive.”

Prior to the legislation coming to the House for a vote, Johnson offered amendments to extend the Affordable Care Act’s health care tax credits for three years and ensure that SNAP benefits go uninterrupted during a future government shutdown, respectively. Republicans unanimously rejected consideration of both amendments.

Congresswoman Julie Johnson represents Texas’s 32nd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, serving on the Homeland Security Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Administration Committee. Her district includes parts of Collin, Dallas, and Denton Counties.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-sylvia-garcia-and-congressman-al-green-call-on-governor-abbott-to-immediately-schedule-runoff-election-for-texas-s-18th-congressional-district,Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia and Congressman Al Green Call on Governor Abbott to Immediately Schedule Runoff Election for Texas's 18th Congressional District,2025-11-13,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Sylvia R. Garcia,G000587,sylviagarcia.house.gov,sylviagarcia,https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"HOUSTON, T.X. — Yesterday, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29) and Congressman Al Green (D-TX-09) led the Texas democratic delegation in calling on Governor Greg Abbott to promptly schedule and hold the runoff election for Texas's 18th Congressional District. The letter calls for immediate action to restore full representation for nearly one million Houstonians who have been without a Member of Congress for more than eight months following the passing of Congressman Sylvester Turner in March 2025.

The lawmakers emphasized that the prolonged vacancy has left constituents without access to essential casework services and has limited their ability to receive federal assistance. The special election to fill the vacancy was not held until November 4th, further extending the period during which residents have gone without a fully functioning congressional office.

“Every day this seat stays vacant is another day nearly one million Texans are denied their voice in Congress. This delay is unacceptable. Governor Abbott has a responsibility to act quickly so that Houston families can get the representation and federal resources they deserve. The 18th District has a proud history, and it’s time to give its people their seat at the table again,” said Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia.

“I am proud to co-lead this letter with Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia because, as you may be aware, presently there is an election being considered for the 18th Congressional District to fill the unexpired term of Congressman Sylvester Turner. I strongly encourage the governor to have the runoff date for that election set as expeditiously as possible. While I and other members have been assisting constituents of the current 18th Congressional District, there should be an elected congressperson to serve the unexpired term of Congressman Sylvester Turner,” said Congressman Al Green.

The 18th Congressional District is one of the most historic in Texas, encompassing central and northern Houston communities that rely on federal partnerships to deliver resources to small businesses, veterans, and working families. Without an elected representative, constituents remain unable to fully access federal programs that support their daily lives and local economies.",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/castro-statement-on-government-spending-bill,Castro Statement on Government Spending Bill,2025-11-12,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquin Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,castro,https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released the following statement on his vote against the Continuing Resolution (CR) that funds the government until January 30, 2026.

“I voted no on this disastrous bill.

“The Republican party, with Trump at the helm, has done nothing to lower costs for families. They have wielded their power to line the pockets of the wealthy. Earlier this year, Republicans gutted Medicaid by over a trillion dollars and cut food assistance for families in need by $186 billion. This bill continues their attack on families.

“House Democrats took up the fight to protect affordable healthcare. Texas has the highest rate of uninsured folks in the country, and Affordable Care Act tax credits helped 3 million Texans afford healthcare. For far too many, this now means the difference between life and death.

“I will continue to fight for the healthcare that Texans and people across the country need and deserve.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2988,Congresswoman Escobar Statement on Vote Against Continuing Resolution,2025-11-12,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,escobar,https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) released the following statement:

”It should now be abundantly clear to everyone in our country that Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans do not care that Americans are struggling - that grocery bills, utility bills and health insurance costs are unacceptably high. In fact, they’ve shown that they will go to any lengths to strip hardworking Americans of the help they need to survive; even using the full might of the Department of Justice to ensure hungry families, including over 67,000 households in El Paso, don’t have the means to put food on the table.

""For 42 days, Trump and Republicans have refused to meet with us to negotiate, and today, I will vote against a plan that does nothing to prevent healthcare premiums from skyrocketing at a time when Americans are in crisis and the cost of living is already too expensive.

""Democrats refuse to turn a blind eye to Americans' hardship, and we will continue to fight for you.""",1,2026-04-07T15:46:19Z,2026-04-07T20:18:39Z
https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7125,Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Votes Against Spending Bill That Fails To Meet Needs of Americans and Provides Obscene Payments to Republican Senators,2025-11-12,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Lizzie Fletcher,F000468,fletcher.house.gov,fletcher,https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) voted against the Senate Amendment to H.R. 5371, the Senate’s partisan spending bill to fund the government until January that fails to meet the needs of the American people and includes corrupt payments to Senators.

“The federal government shutdown has been painful for families across our community and our country. That is why I have returned to Washington repeatedly to work with my colleagues in the House to reopen the government and pass a funding bill that meets the needs of the American people and addresses the health care crisis that has resulted from policy decisions this Congress has made,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. “I wish such a bill was before the House today. It could have been. But it was not. Instead, this bill does nothing to address the health care crisis, includes no input from House Democrats on short- or long-term funding provisions, and contains obscene provisions guaranteeing eight Republican Senators at least one million dollars each. I cannot vote for that.

“Congressional Republicans have presented the House and the American people with a false choice. Accept the corruption and costs of this Senate bill as is, or accept the cruelty and chaos that the Trump Administration has brought to this government shutdown, taking unprecedented actions from firing federal workers to refusing to spend food assistance funds Congress provided for hungry Americans,” continued Congresswoman Fletcher. “It doesn’t have to be this way. I co-sponsored several amendments to the bill, including amendments to remove the million-dollar payouts to Senators, extend ACA premium tax credits, and clarify the requirement to use SNAP contingency funds to in the event of a lapse in government funding. House Republicans rejected all of these amendments and more, refusing even to bring them to the floor for a vote. The have not merely failed in the work to find bipartisan agreement where possible—they have refused even to try. People in Texas’ Seventh Congressional District and across this country deserve better.”

Since 2021, individuals who purchase health insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace–commonly known as Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act–have benefited from government-funded enhanced Premium Tax Credits (PTC). The PTC is set to expire on December 31, 2025, unless Congress acts and passes an extension. If the PTC expires, ACA beneficiaries could see their monthly premiums more than double next year.

In Texas, it is estimated that health care premiums will increase by 289 percent for people who currently rely on the PTC. All health insurance beneficiaries, however–no matter what their insurance is and whether they rely on the PTC–are likely to see their health insurance costs increase.

125,000 people in Texas’ Seventh Congressional District depend on the Affordable Care Act’s PTC tax credits that this bill fails to renew to access to quality, affordable health care. As a result, Texas’ uninsured rate–which is already the highest in the country–is expected to increase from 16 to 20 percent if the tax credits are not renewed before the end of the year.

Earlier today, Congresswoman Fletcher joined her Democratic colleagues in signing what is called a “discharge petition” to force a vote on a bill to extend the PTCs by three years. If the measure receives at least 218 signatures from members of Congress, the House will be forced to vote on such legislation.

Throughout this year, President Trump has illegally canceled funding for federal programs Congress created that communities across the country rely on, including hundreds of millions of dollars in Houston. This bill does nothing to address these actions, or compensate the funding that the Trump Administration has cut. While the power of the purse belongs to Congress, this bill fails to hold President Trump accountable in spending Congressionally appropriated funding.

Congresswoman Fletcher co-sponsored several amendments to improve the Senate Amendment to H.R. 5371. These amendments would have ensured uninterrupted benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), struck the provision providing million-dollar payouts to Republican Senators, terminated President Trump’s $40 billion bailout for Argentina and use the funding to extend the Affordable Care Act’s tax credits through 2027, and restored funding for the Toxic Exposures Fund. House Republicans rejected the inclusion of each of these provisions.

The bill also fails to reclaim Congress’ tariff authority and terminate President Trump’s reckless tariff policies harming farmers, ranchers, small business owners, and everyday Americans across the country. Additionally, this legislation fails to support American farmers by cutting USDA programs that conduct regional research on extreme weather, natural disasters, and droughts to help farmers make informed decisions about future harvests. This bill also cuts funding to assist veterans who are victims of burn pits and Agent Orange. For the last 15 years, Congress has provided advance funding for medical care for veterans.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-sylvia-garcia-statement-on-vote-against-the-republican-continuing-resolution,Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia Statement on Vote Against the Republican Continuing Resolution,2025-11-12,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Sylvia R. Garcia,G000587,sylviagarcia.house.gov,sylviagarcia,https://sylviagarcia.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"MEDIA CONTACT:

Joseph Guzman

202-355-8084

joseph.guzman@mail.house.gov

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29) released the following statement after voting no on the Republican Continuing Resolution:

“Tonight, I voted no on a continuing resolution that betrays working families and does nothing to lower the cost of health care for millions of people.

“Once again, House Republicans are putting Donald Trump and his billionaire buddies ahead of the American people. They have turned Congress into a circus and allowed Trump to pull the strings while families in Texas and across the country struggle to make ends meet.",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z
https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-castro-presents-purple-heart-and-other-military-service-medals-to-army-specialist-alfredo-gutierrez,Congressman Castro Presents Purple Heart and Other Military Service Medals to Army Specialist Alfredo Gutierrez,2025-11-10,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquin Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,castro,https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"SAN ANTONIO, TX — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) presented the Purple Heart, among other military service medals, to United States Army Specialist Alfredo Gutierrez, a resident of San Antonio.

Congressman Castro presenting Specialist Alfredo Gutierrez with the Purple Heart and other military service medals.

“It’s my honor to recognize the achievements and the medals earned by Specialist Gutierrez,” said Congressman Castro. “We’re very proud of him as a San Antonian and of his contributions to the United States.”

In addition to receiving the Purple Heart, the oldest military award still presented to servicemembers awarded to thosewho have been wounded or killed in battle, Specialist Gutierrez received the Expert Badge with Pistol Bar, Marksman Badge & Auto Rifle Bar & Rifle Bar, Combat Infantryman Badge 1ST Award, National Defense Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon with Device (1960), and Vietnam Service Medal with two bronze service stars.

Background:

Alfredo Gutierrez was born on March 10, 1950. He was born to Alfredo Gutierrez and Guadalupe Casarez Gutierrez in San Antonio, Texas. He moved to California when his parents got divorced and attended elementary school in Los Angeles, California. He moved back to San Antonio, Texas where he attended high school. He is a 1968 Graduate of Holy Cross High School in San Antonio, Texas. He attended college at Cerritos College in Los Angeles, California for a year. He was then drafted in September of 1969 the Army where he spent a one-year tour in Vietnam. He was in the Army from 1969 to 1975. On August 28, 1971, he married Diane Gutierrez.

While on patrol in the spring of 1970 between, he and a sergeant were attacked outside of Camp Evans in the wee hours of the night. He was sitting outside of a foxhole when he and a sergeant were attacked by the South Vietnamese. Specialist Gutierrez, positioned in the foxhole, began firing the M60 Machine Gun. When he jumped into the gun, an explosion occurred. Specialist Gutierrez had a piece of shrapnel lodged into his body. He has lived with this piece of shrapnel for 56 Years. It would be more dangerous to attempt to recover the shrapnel than it is for the shrapnel to stay in place.

After Vietnam he was sent to Fort Benning, Georgia, where he taught noncommissioned officers and those in officer candidate school. Then he was sent to Fort Hood for the remainder of his time in the Army. He moved back to San Antonio in 1979.

Following his time in the United States Army, Specialist Gutierrez worked as a cab driver for 25 years. Together with his wife, Specialist Gutierrez had seven children—Leticia Marie Ledesma, Diana Gloria Eppert, Raquel Guadalupe, Gabriel Antonio Gutierrez, the late Alfredo Cipriano Gutierrez, Alycia Yvette Gutierrez, and Stephanie Gutierrez—17 grandchildren, and now six great grandchildren.

His current ranking E4 Specialist. He is a member of VFW 76 & 9186 Purple Hearts, and a member of the American Legion 579.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://crockett.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-jasmine-crockett-leads-bipartisan-resolution-honoring-texas-veterans-0,Rep. Jasmine Crockett Leads Bipartisan Resolution Honoring Texas Veterans,2025-11-10,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Jasmine Crockett,C001130,crockett.house.gov,crockett,https://crockett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ahead of Veterans Day, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (TX-30) introduced a bipartisan resolution honoring the heroic military service, sacrifices, and contributions of veterans from the great State of Texas. The resolution recognizes Texas’ proud legacy of military service and calls on Congress to strengthen its commitment to supporting veterans and their families.

Crockett was joined by a bipartisan group of Texas colleagues including Representatives Casar, Castro, Crenshaw, Doggett, Escobar, Garcia, Fletcher, Vicente Gonzalez, Gooden, Green, Johnson, Luttrell, McCaul, and Veasey.

“Texas is home to more veterans than any other state in the nation—and each one of them represents a story of courage, sacrifice, and love of country,” said Congresswoman Crockett. “This resolution honors their service, uplifts their legacy, and reminds us that our duty to our veterans does not end when their military service concludes. From improving access to healthcare and housing to increasing mental health services and job opportunities, we must match their service with our support.”

Texas has nearly 1.6 million veterans, including the largest population of women veterans in the country. The resolution recognizes the countless contributions of Texas veterans across every branch of service and every major conflict—from World War I to present-day operations—and acknowledges the 22,000 Texans who gave their lives during World War II and thousands more in subsequent conflicts.

The resolution also highlights the ongoing challenges facing veterans, including mental health struggles, homelessness, and barriers to employment, and calls on Congress to reaffirm its commitment to:

Ensuring veterans receive timely care and earned benefits;

Assisting service members as they transition to civilian life; and

Investing in vital programs that uphold the well-being and dignity of those who served.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://crockett.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-jasmine-crockett-senates-failure-address-healthcare-crisis-short,Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett on The Senate’s Failure to Address the Healthcare Crisis  in the Short-Term Government Funding Bill,2025-11-09,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Jasmine Crockett,C001130,crockett.house.gov,crockett,https://crockett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C.— Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett issued this statement following on the Senate’s Continuing Resolution that fails to address the healthcare crisis:

“I’m heading back to D.C. to vote NO on this short-term funding bill—because it fails to address the healthcare crisis Republicans created.

“House Democrats have been clear from day one: we’re holding the line to make sure that our constituents (and theirs) have access to affordable healthcare. Our fight is for the people who can’t afford another hit—for the families watching their healthcare costs skyrocket and wondering how they’ll make it to next month.

“We want the government open. We want federal workers to get back to work and get the pay they’ve earned and deserve. We want airports back up and running. The Republicans have shown that there are no bounds on how low they are willing to go. It is a false choice to choose between food, healthcare, and workers. I will not look at crumbs and pretend that Republicans have offered a five-course meal.

“At the heart of this fight was one simple demand–extend the Affordable Care Act’s premium tax credits so families don’t see their premiums double overnight, and I am disgusted that people have forgotten or ignored our basic responsibilities.

“Republicans claim that they will address the healthcare crisis once the government re-opens. But, they also told us to trust that they would lower the cost of groceries. They told us to trust that they would bring down the cost of housing. They told us to trust them on the economy, and they have failed to deliver. I don’t trust them and the American people shouldn’t either.

“If Republicans want to keep playing games with people’s lives, that’s on them. But I refuse to put my name on it.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://crockett.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-crockett-joins-democrats-demand-trump-administration-release-withheld-snap,Rep. Crockett Joins Democrats to Demand Trump Administration Release Withheld SNAP and WIC Funds,2025-11-07,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Jasmine Crockett,C001130,crockett.house.gov,crockett,https://crockett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (TX-30) joined Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) and fellow Democrats in introducing the “Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025”, legislation that would stop the Trump administration from illegally withholding funds from food assistance programs that millions of families rely on.

Right now, roughly 42 million Americans—including over 3.5 million Texans—are going without their November SNAP benefits because of this administration’s deliberate refusal to release already-approved funding. Another 6.7 million mothers, infants, and children risk losing access to WIC, which provides critical nutrition support for growing families.

“No president should be able to hold hungry families hostage because they want to play political games,” said Rep. Crockett. “In Texas, we’re talking about parents skipping meals so their kids can eat and seniors rationing groceries because their benefits haven’t come in. It’s shameful, and it’s preventable. The Trump administration’s cruelty knows no bounds. It’s one thing to spar with your political opponents—but starving children, seniors, and families to make a point? That’s negligence. I’m proud to join Congresswoman Hayes in prohibiting this administration from playing politics with people’s lives by requiring them to release the funds now.”

The Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act would:",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2986,Congresswoman Escobar Sends Follow Up Letter about Conditions at Camp East Montana,2025-11-07,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Veronica Escobar,E000299,escobar.house.gov,escobar,https://escobar.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27,scraper,"(El Paso, TX) – Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem, and Acting Director of U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement, Todd Lyons detailing continued concerns about the inhumane conditions at Camp East Montana. This follows aprevious letter the Congresswoman sent on September 26th, 2025to the Secretary and Acting Director, and outlines additional issues to be addressed. Below are excerpts of the letter.

“...in the month since we reached out with concerns, my staff and I have continued to hear from detainees at Camp East Montana. We have learned that some of the issues I highlighted in my September letter have not been adequately resolved, and the site appears to have developed additional problems.

""According to detainees that my staff and I have heard from, the drinking water at the facility continues to taste foul, the food quality for detainees has not improved, and some detainees are skipping meals altogether due to a lack of dietary accommodations. Detainees have shared that their dormitory pods are cleaned only once every eight days, despite pods housing up to 72 people at a time. Two separate detainees we spoke with shared that people are requesting brooms to keep their pods tidy between weekly cleanings. Laundry services are not consistent, and people are washing their clothes in the facility showers. I understand that both unreliable cleaning and laundry service are known issues to ICE leadership. Please provide the name of the current contractors responsible for these services and the actions ICE has taken to ensure consistent cleaning and laundry services.

""Additionally, we have been told that the facility frequently experiences flooding and sewage backups. This is unacceptable. Stagnant water and sewage are serious hazards that can lead to illness and disease. Please detail the steps ICE has taken to ensure that these issues are permanently resolved.

""People have shared concerns regarding Camp East Montana’s potentially inadequate medical care: only the most ill detainees are referred to the medical unit and there are inconsistencies as to how soon after arriving detainees are able to undergo initial medical screenings. Detainees have also shared that access to necessary medications has been inconsistent, with some people receiving their medication while others have not. My office is aware of a detainee who is living with HIV but has not been receiving his medication.

""Furthermore, I am concerned that, due to the pace of population turnover, neither ICE nor staff at the facility have an accurate headcount of the population at Camp East Montana. Please provide my office with the most up-to-date population census numbers; including the amount of people with pending court dates; the average number of detainees who have volunteered to self-deport and are still at the facility; the average number of people who are in-processed and out-processed from the facility within a 24-hour period; and the average length of stay of detainees.

""I demand that ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) respond to these concerns and enumerate what steps, if any, are being taken to guarantee the safety and wellbeing of all the people currently detained at Camp East Montana, their families, and the staff there.

""Conditions at Camp East Montana are dangerous and inhumane; they have been since the facility opened at the beginning of August (when it was still an active construction site),and only seem to be deteriorating. It is increasingly clear that it is not a safe nor professionally managed facility. Continuing to detain people at Camp East Montana means continually exposing people to risks from bad water, unhygienic conditions, poorly built facilities, and a general lack of security and reliable management.""

The letter included original questions sent on September 26th:

When our office first visited, we were informed that Camp East Montana had “about” 300 support staff consisting of contractors and about 40 ICE staff on site, and that whenever the facility reaches a 3,000-bed capacity, the number of ICE staff “should” be 10 ICE supervisors and 40 Deportation officers.

What will the contractor staffing numbers be at 3,000 and 5,000 beds?

During ourAugust 28thvisit, our office discussed the list of the vendors at Camp East Montana with staff, including the food vendor that was local to El Paso and was in the process of phasing out, and the new food vendor that would replace them.Please provide the names of those vendors.

We were informedthat ICEhad re-hired retired staff and annuitants to bring them on in a supervisory role. With these new hires, how many supervisory staff are now on site?

What processes are in place to ensure that phones are being answered 24 hours a day, as is necessary, at Camp East Montana?Our office has heard from staff at a local legal service provider organization that it can be difficult to connect with staff at Camp East Montana over the phone. One legal service provider reportedly placed 25 calls to Camp East Montana before staff at the facility answered the phone.

What is the current status of construction on the walkway between the visitor area and the meeting space? Are there plans to ensure this walkway is enclosed and protected from the elements in the future?

My staff recommended that staff at Camp East Montana connect with the City of El Paso Public Health Department as a preventative public health measure against potential outbreaks of illnesses at Camp East Montana. My staff also provided contact information for the city’s public health director. Please confirm if staff at Camp East Montana has made efforts to connect with the City of El Paso Public Health Department.

Multiple detainees spoke to me and my staff about the quality of the drinking water at Camp East Montana. Several people told us the water smelled bad and made them ill after drinking it.Please confirm where the water is being sourced and what tests are being conducted to ensure it meets all applicable standards for drinking water.

And additional questions in the month since:

Please clarify the number of shifts per week that contracted staff are currently scheduled to work, the number of shifts per week contracted staff currently works, and the duration of each shift.

Please clarify how many detainees have escaped from Camp East Montana. Include details on if they were taken back into custody, how long they were outside of the facility, and what their current condition is.

Please clarify what protocols are in place to determine when a detainee requires medical attention beyond the capabilities of Camp East Montana and how quickly a detainee will be transferred to a local healthcare facility.

Which staff are responsible for ensuring the medical wellbeing of detainees at Camp East Montana?

What facility-specific training, if any, do these staff members receive before being able to interact with and make medical determinations for detainees at Camp East Montana?

Which staff are responsible for ensuring continuation of care for detainees at Camp East Montana once they are discharged from the local healthcare facility at which they received care?

Under what circumstances would a detainee with required follow-up care be unable to keep their appointments and meet with their healthcare team?

Under which circumstances would a detainee who has received necessary and invasive care at a local healthcare facility continue to be housed at Camp East Montana at all, especially if staff is unable or unwilling to ensure compliance with necessary continuation of care off-site?

Full text of the letter can be found here.

###",1,2026-04-07T15:46:19Z,2026-04-07T20:18:39Z
https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7119,"As Government Shutdown Enters Sixth Week, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Hosts Virtual Town Hall Offering Guidance, Resources to Residents of Texas’ Seventh Congressional District",2025-11-07,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Lizzie Fletcher,F000468,fletcher.house.gov,fletcher,https://fletcher.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx,scraper,"On Thursday, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) hosted a virtual town hall on the federal government shutdown. She was joined by representatives from the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and Community Health Choice, who spoke about the shutdown’s impact on federal employees and the public, identified resources, and answered questions about how to navigate open enrollment and increased health insurance premiums.

“These are very difficult times in so many ways for people across our community and across the country,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. “That is why it is critical that our community stay engaged and informed. I was glad to lead this conversation with representatives from AFGE and Community Health Choice, who provided much-needed resources to our neighbors. I am committed to reopening the government and meeting the needs of the American people, and urge congressional Republicans to return to Washington and work with Democrats to do so.”

Since her election to office, Congresswoman Fletcher has held dozens of events in the community to engage directly with residents of Texas’ Seventh Congressional District. For information about past and future events, click here.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/castro-statement-on-speaker-emerita-nancy-pelosis-retirement,Castro Statement on Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi’s Retirement,2025-11-06,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Joaquin Castro,C001091,castro.house.gov,castro,https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released the following statement on Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi’s retirement:

Rep. Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi Celebrate House Passage of H.R. 6, The American Dream & Promise Act

“Nancy Pelosi is a history-maker. As the first woman House speaker and leader of the Democratic party for twenty years, she was instrumental in securing marriage equality, affordable healthcare, and infrastructure investments. Most recently, she played a key role in passing the ballot measure in California to counteract racist redistricting in my state of Texas.

“During my time in Congress, I have had the honor of calling Nancy Pelosi a friend and colleague, where I have seen her vision and perseverance firsthand. I am grateful for her work to fight for Dreamers and to create a pathway to citizenship. She has a made a profound contribution to our nation.

“Thank you for your decades of service For the People, Speaker Emerita.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z
https://crockett.house.gov/media/press-releases/statement-congresswoman-jasmine-crockett-faa-flight-reductions-dallas-love,Statement from Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett on FAA Flight Reductions at Dallas Love Field and DFW Airport,2025-11-06,2025,2025-11,Democrat,House,TX,Jasmine Crockett,C001130,crockett.house.gov,crockett,https://crockett.house.gov/media/press-releases,scraper,"Because of their reckless shutdown, air traffic controllers and TSA workers have been forced to work without pay for more than a month. Now, the FAA is being forced to reduce air traffic by 10% at 40 major airports, including both Dallas Love Field and DFW, just weeks before the holiday travel rush. That means fewer flights, longer delays, and more stress for millions of families.

Republicans can try to blame Democrats all they want, but here’s the truth: they control the House, Senate, and White House. They are the party of dysfunction and repeatedly choose chaos over competence.

The chaos we’re seeing is proof that the Republican Party has no plan for this country beyond pointing fingers and shifting blame. It’s time for Republicans to end their vacation, get back to work, do their jobs, and clean up their mess. The American people deserve better.”

###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z