Dear Neighbor,
So much has happened in the last week. I am glad to share this summary with you.
After we concluded votes last week, I had the honor and privilege of joining House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries as a member of a congressional delegation to Ghana and Israel. It was a deeply meaningful trip for me and for our entire delegation.
In Ghana, the delegation had the honor of meeting with His Excellency President Nana Akufo-Addo and government leaders at Jubilee House to discuss building on the strong partnership between our nations, our mutual interest in Ghana’s strong, vibrant democracy and its importance to our shared security and economic interests. Prior to these meetings, our delegation visited some of the most significant sites remaining related to the transatlantic slave trade, Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle, recognizing the powerful, painful, and inextricable historical ties that we share.
The delegation then traveled to Israel on the eve of the country’s 75th anniversary, observing Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, and meeting with government leaders. The delegation met with President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, and others to discuss efforts to maintain and strengthen the special relationship between the U.S. and Israel as well as the current events in the region, concerns for peace, security, and democracy, and United States policy supporting a two-state solution in the region. Our delegation also raised concerns about proposed judicial reforms, urging all parties to find a resolution that protects the rule of law and independence of the judiciary. We also held a roundtable discussion with Palestinian entrepreneurs, innovators, and nonprofit leaders focused on how to improve economic development opportunities for the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza. Our delegation also had a moving visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Remembrance Center.
Below are a few photos from the trip. In a variation on my weekly “Houstonians on the Hill” report, I am glad to share that, upon our arrival in Jerusalem, I was delighted to meet a U.S. Marine from TX-07 who serves as the head of the detachment we met when we arrived (pictured with me below in a red tie). |
We returned to Washington on Tuesday just in time for a busy week of votes and other legislative activity.
On Tuesday, the House convened and voted on two important resolutions. First, a resolution demanding that the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Communist Party of China immediately release Mark Swidan (H.Res 90). Second, a resolution commemorating the 75th anniversary of Israel and the special relationship between our countries (H.Res. 311). I voted in favor of both, which are matters of importance to our community, as is affirming the United States policy and commitment to finding a two-state solution in the region.
On Wednesday, the House passed the Advanced, Local Emergency Response Telecommunications (ALERT) Parity Act, H.R. 1353, to help communications providers collaborate to provide uninterrupted and lifesaving phone service during emergencies and natural disasters, which passed the House on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis. The House also began debate on the Limit, Save, Grow Act, H.R. 2811, the House Republican majority’s proposal to enact major spending cuts for the next decade in exchange for increasing the debt ceiling to make it possible to pay debts the U.S. has already incurred on a bipartisan basis.
The United States must pay its bills, and Congress must make it possible to do so. It is irresponsible to put at risk the full faith and credit of the United States, which is precisely what House Republicans are doing, threatening default for the first time in our history. Congress has consistently passed legislation to increase the debt limit without strings attached—including three times during the Trump administration. Congress can and should have serious and meaningful conversations about our spending priorities, financial tools, and national debt. This bill is not one of them. It is fiscally irresponsible, making devastating cuts to federal programs while risking default and recession. For these reasons, I voted no on H.R. 2811 when it came up for a vote on Thursday. It passed the House on a party-line vote, 217-215, but it will not be considered in the Senate.
To learn more about the provisions of the proposal, and their potential impact on our district, you can see information prepared by Democrats on the House Budget Committee here.
At the end of the week, the House voted on a resolution directing the President to remove all United States Armed Forces, other than United States Armed Forces assigned to protect the United States Embassy, from Somalia and a resolution disapproving Department of Commerce rule permitting the U.S. to import materials for solar energy deployment. I voted against both. |
On Thursday, the House convened for the purpose of receiving His Excellency Yoon Suk Yeol, President of the Republic of Korea, who addressed the Congress and the American people on the 70th anniversary of the alliance between our countries. I was in attendance to hear his inspiring speech recognizing the deep and meaningful ties between our countries and our people and the importance of our commitment to democratic values. I was glad to welcome Yohan Park, Director of the Greater Houston Korean American Public Action Committee, to join me as my guest for President Yoon’s address and to visit with him at the Capitol. |
You can watch the address here. |
On Thursday, I joined with colleagues from the Democratic Women’s Caucus and the Pro-Choice Caucus to host a special “shadow” hearing on the state of reproductive rights and abortion access across the country in the wake of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Our hearing, “Fighting for Bodily Autonomy: The State of a Post-Roe America” gave me the opportunity to share information about what is happening in Texas and to ask expert witnesses about their experiences on the ground in states where abortion access has been severely limited or restricted. |
I thank the advocates from Texas, and from across the country, who participated, and who are raising their voices, telling their stories, and doing the work to help women in crisis in this moment and to change the laws and the conversation about reproductive rights, justice, and care now and in the future.
This week, I co-sponsored several pieces of legislation on issues important to our community including: - a resolution condemning the inaction by the Islamic Republic of Iran in addressing the poisoning of Iranian schoolgirls, the Daughters of the Iranian Revolution, H.Res. 310; and
- the Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections (DISCLOSE) Act, H.R. 1118, to require organizations spending money in federal elections to disclose their donors.
I also sent a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in support of Port Houston’s Port Infrastructure Development Grant application for the Bayport Container Terminal expansion project. And I joined with several of my colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan to urge a reasonable timeline for Texas’ Class VI Well primacy application to allow Texas to permit carbon capture wells and speed up carbon capture projects.
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I always love welcoming Houstonians on their trips to Washington. This week, I enjoyed visiting with students from the Joy School who were on in Washington for the week. |
As a reminder, if you’re visiting DC, my office can help set up tours for your trip. For more information on tour requests, click here. Also this week, I said goodbye to our Washington Office spring interns before they head home to Texas—two of them to TX-07—for the summer. We loved having this great group working with us for the district this year, and look forward to welcoming our summer interns soon. |
I had lots of productive meetings this week, including with Texans from the Rio Grande Valley Sugar Growers and Toyota, representatives from the American Fuel and Petroleum Manufacturers, and the League of Conservation Voters. And the whole team had even more (see below!).
On Wednesday, I hosted a meeting for members of the Texas delegation with fellow Texans Amanda and Josh Zurawski. Amanda testified before the U.S. Senate on Wednesday about her experience when she was denied an emergency abortion in Texas last year. She shared her experience with us in my office. She is the lead plaintiff in a case suing the State of Texas over the state’s abortion law. |
Our Regional Leadership Council had two useful meetings this week. First, with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to discuss USDA’s implementation of programs in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. |
We also met to discuss the programs made possible in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. In recent weeks, neighbors across our community have been asking about gun safety, and there are meaningful and measurable things we can do if we work together. Last year, Congress appropriated $5 billion over five years through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act for many different programs to support gun safety, mental health, crisis response, and suicide prevention. |
This week, our Washington team met with representatives from the Alliance for Childhood Cancer, the Pakistani American Public Affairs Committee, the Texas Cattle Feeders Association and the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, the American Liver Foundation, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Independent Insurance Agents of Houston, the Military Officers Association of America, and representatives from groups advocating for water policy, including one of our TX-07 neighbors. |
Elections are happening and early voting is underway across Texas!
In Harris County, municipal governments and municipal utility districts (MUDs) are holding bond elections. Early Vote Centers will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday, and 12 p.m. – 7 p.m. on Sunday. On Election Day, which is Saturday, May 6, Vote Centers will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Use the “What’s on my Ballot?” tool to find out what you’ll be voting on here.
In Fort Bend County, voters will be selecting Fort Bend Independent School District trustees, as well as voting on bond propositions. This weekend, Saturday voting is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday voting is open from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., and then on Monday and Tuesday, voting is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Learn more about Fort Bend County Early Voting here. On Election Day, Vote Centers will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and you can learn more about where to vote here. And, to be prepared before you enter the ballot box, you can find your sample ballot here. |
The House will not be in session next week, and I am looking forward to being back at home and visiting with neighbors in the days ahead. As always, I am proud to represent you and I am here to help you. Please call my office at (713) 353-8680 or (202) 225-2571 or email here at any time to ask for assistance or share your thoughts. I look forward to hearing from you. Best wishes, |
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