On Wednesday, March 22, 2023, I introduced H.R 1694, the Emergency Care Improvement Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation with fellow Texas Congressman Jodey Arrington (TX-19).This bill aims to permanently expand access to emergency medical care for Medicare, Tricare, and Medicaid beneficiaries. 
 
Many South Texans  are miles away from the nearest hospital or emergency care center. Freestanding emergency centers provide life-saving health care services with professionally licensed staff, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These centers offer many of the same services found in hospitals. Emergency Care Centers expand access to many in our community and helps lower the price of health care for South Texans. 

Read my press release here. 

On Monday, March 27,2023,  I introduced H.R. 1804, the Honest Runway Labeling (HRL) Act. This legislation would designate airports, like the Valley International Airport (HRL) in Harlingen, that are within 30 miles of a border as Ports of Entry (POE) and terminate user fees. 

Valley International Airport (HRL) is one of only two Primary Commercial Service airports near a U.S. border and land crossing without international and landing rights nor a Port of Entry designation. Airports without this designation must pay to staff their airports with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents. Although they qualify as ports of entry under the CBP’s numerical criteria due to their proximity to a land border crossing, they have yet to receive this designation—resulting in increased costs for these airports and travelers. 

Read my press release here. 

On Thursday, March 23, 2023, I participated in the House Committee on Financial Services hearing to discuss how the U.S. can financially target cartels and shut their harmful and illegal business down by following the money. 

The fact is, Congress hasn’t proven that we have the political will to stop drug smuggling and cartel activity. We have the technology and the expertise to cause real disruption and end the smuggling of the very drugs that are hurting Americans. 

Watch my questions to subject matter experts here. 

If you haven’t already done so, make sure your taxes are filed by the April 18th deadline. 

Have questions regarding your taxes? IRS.Gov may be able to help! 

File your taxes for free here.