This week, House Republicans passed our plan to fix the national debt crisis, save nearly $5 trillion in the next ten years, put an end to government programs that are being against our own citizens, and get people back to work May 5, 2023 New Office Location in Odessa This week we had an incredible celebration at our new office location in Odessa, which is inside the Ector County Administration building! I want to say a special "Thank You!" to all the wonderful community leaders for their work in helping us open the new space, including Ector County Judge Dustin Fawcett, Odessa Chamber President and CEO Renee Henderson Earls, Ector County Sheriff Mike Griffis, Mayor Javier Joven, the Ector County Commissioners, City Council, and so many others who helped make the move possible and the celebration special. If you need help with a federal agency, visit us at 1010 East 8th Street in Odessa, or you can always go online to pfluger.house.gov. Leading the Charge Against the Biden Administration's Fear Mongering Among Veterans This week, President Biden and his administration have ramped up their misinformation push against the Republican debt limit solution bill that we passed last week, H.R. 2811, the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 (read more about the bill here). The administration even falsely asserted on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) official website that Limit, Save, Grow would cut 22% of veterans’ funding. That is completely untrue. The debt limit package does not make any specific cuts to the VA. It simply returns topline Fiscal Year 2024 discretionary spending to Fiscal Year 2022 levels. In fact, every individual in the U.S. House Republican leadership has unequivocally stated on record that veterans’ health care and benefits are not on the table amid debt ceiling negotiations. Most recently, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise stated on Sunday that he will not bring any bill to the floor that makes cuts to VA funding. The truth is that House Republicans' debt solution protects Veterans' benefits, Social Security, and Medicare/Medicaid benefits. Despite the ample information to the contrary, the Biden Administration continues to make false claims about looming cuts to veterans’ benefits. As a veteran myself, I find it insulting that the Biden Administration is using veterans as political talking points while spreading fear and anxiety about their benefits. Today, I joined Congresswoman Jen Kiggans from Virginia and over 50 other lawmakers in writing a scathing letter to Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough condemning the dishonest, partisan use of the VA Excerpts of the letter are below, or you can read the full letter here. "Mr. Secretary, the Department’s assertions are dishonest and shameless. The facts are that nowhere in the Limit, Save, Grow Act is it indicated that the VA budget would be cut. The intent of the legislation is to set a topline number for the entire federal budget. Furthermore, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Chairwoman for the House Committee on Appropriations Kay Granger, Chairman for the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Mike Bost, and others have all stated unequivocally that veterans will be protected, and the VA will be funded. The leaders of the Congressional bodies that oversee and fund the VA have all firmly stated that veterans’ earned care and benefits are not on the table. The VA purposely chose to ignore these facts in favor of baseless political talking points. Many members of Congress are deeply troubled and personally offended that the Biden Administration continues to use these dishonest talking points to create panic and fear in our veteran populations. The VA’s mission is to care for our veterans who have borne the battle. Our veterans made great sacrifices so that we may have the privilege to live freely in this great Nation. They did not make those sacrifices to be a talking point for a political party’s gain. They did not sacrifice themselves so they could be used as a pawn to create fear and anxiety among their fellow veterans. Political games have absolutely no place in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs." Oxy Permian Employee Town Hall I had a wonderful time out in the district this week. One of the stops we made was to Oxy Permian in Midland for an employee town hall. We discussed House Republicans’ efforts to fix the debt limit crisis and restore energy independence. You can watch my remarks on the debt limit here. These great folks are among the many in the Permian Basin working to fuel our Nation with affordable, reliable energy. Thank you, Oxy! Law Enforcement Roundtable It was an honor to host local, county, state, and federal police officers for a law enforcement roundtable discussing current challenges facing the force. In addition to being understaffed with difficulties recruiting new officers, many are drawn away from their primary responsibilities due to the border crisis. They deserve respect and resources. I will always back the blue! Coming Up Next Week We will be back in Washington, DC next week voting on important legislation to secure the border—which will be especially important given Title 42 is set to be expire on Thursday, May 11th. As you may know, Title 42 is one of the few tools Border Patrol Agents can use to expel illegal migrants at the southern border. There has already been an influx of illegal immigrants and migrant caravans timing their arrival to the southern border to align with the expiration of Title 42. I am proud to have helped author H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act, which rolls back the harm this administration has caused our country. From supporting the dedicated men and women of our Border Patrol and investing in technology to ending this administration’s reckless catch-and-release policies and seeking to renegotiate proven policies like Remain in Mexico and the Asylum Cooperation Agreements, the Secure the Border Act does exactly what the title says. I look forward to upholding our Commitment to Securing the Border when we vote on the bill next week. Thank you for reading. It is the honor of my lifetime to serve you in Congress. Please follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for daily updates. Rep. August Pfluger Member of Congress Rep. Pfluger | 1531 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]