Introducing Legislation to Balance the Budget
At the beginning of this year, our national debt reached $31.38 trillion. Taxpayers are facing the brunt of this growing debt and the accompanied growing interest rates, making the dollars in Americans’ wallets less valuable. Since the Great Depression, federal deficits have become more common than surpluses. For the first time since World War II, the federal public debt has reached 100% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), meaning the federal government will soon owe more in debt than the annual size of the American economy. That number is projected to double to 200% by 2050, when our net interest payments will be the single largest budget item, exceeding the size of Social Security and Medicare.
A balanced budget is needed now more than ever. We must protect our children’s future, rein in reckless spending, and hold our nation’s leaders accountable.
Today, I am proud to introduce a Balanced Budget Amendment for the federal government. Across America, families are forced to make hard decisions to follow their budgets and live within their means, and the federal government should operate the same way. My legislation will end out-of-control spending.
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We Cannot Allow Criminal Cartels to Operate With Impunity
This week, I held a Homeland Security subcommittee hearing over the topic of Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and the threat they pose to the United States by way of our open southern border.
TCOs are groups or networks of individuals who engage in illegal activities across national borders. They engage in a multi-faceted criminal enterprise from drug trafficking, human trafficking, human smuggling, and other criminal acts. Organized crime is a massive business. In fact, it is a multi-billion dollar business.
TCOs are responsible for trafficking deadly drugs like illicit fentanyl and other opioids into American communities, fueling violence and corruption, and undermining the rule of law. These enterprises exploit our porous Southern border to advance their criminal agendas, as they facilitate and profit off of the smuggling and trafficking of people, often victimizing susceptible migrants who are traveling along the treacherous journey from Central and South America to the United States.
These cartels purchase precursor chemicals from China, which are shipped to South America and Mexico, and use those precursors to produce fentanyl and even process that fentanyl into counterfeit prescription pills. The cartels then traffic these drugs from Mexico into the United States for distribution.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Mexican TCOs, in particular, control smuggling corridors, mainly across the southwest border, and maintain “the greatest drug trafficking influence” in the United States.
In fact, fentanyl is the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 to 45, and the scourge of fentanyl has hit every single one of our communities. In February, two of my constituents lost their son, Jackson Lee Warnick, age 17, to fentanyl poisoning. Jackson’s parents had to live through a nightmare that no parent should ever have to endure. Since then, Jackson’s family has been working tirelessly across the Permian Basin to share their son’s story to help educate folks on the dangers posed by synthetic opioids.
Cartels are also beginning to mix fentanyl with xylazine—a powerful sedative that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has permitted for veterinary use—causing fatal overdoses across the country. I have introduced legislation to crack down on illicit uses of Xylazine while protecting its critical purpose in agriculture and veterinary medicine.
I will continue to fight to secure our southern border and communities. Watch the full hearing by clicking here or below.
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Senior Biden DHS Official Doesn't Know The Number of Illegal Immigrant Crossings
During a Homeland Security Committee hearing this week, I asked President Bien's Assistant Secretary for Border and Immigration Policy about the number of illegal migrant crossings at the southern border. He could not give me a straight answer. It's extremely distressing that top officials charged with border security are not even tracking the crisis properly. We deserve a government that is laser-focused on protecting our homeland. With no consequences, there is chaos.
I will continue holding the administration's feet to the fire in solving the border crisis. What's his shocking omission here or below.
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MACH 1 Caucus: Ensuring Strong Airpower
I was proud to host the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General Charles Q. Brown, for a meeting with the MACH 1 Caucus this week to discuss how we can work together to modernize our nation's airpower capabilities and ensure our women and men in uniform have the focus and proper tools they need to secure our homeland.
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Holding 'Fast Fashion' Shein Accountable: Forced Uyghur Labor
According to reporting by Bloomberg News, Shein, the Chinese fast-fashion giant with $22.7B in revenue in 2022, may be exporting products to the United States made with forced Uyghur labor. Uyghurs are a predominantly Muslim religious minority group who are routinely repressed by the Chinese Communist Party, including systematic physical abuses, arbitrary and discriminatory detention, and serious human rights violations.
In response, I led a bipartisan letter with Dina Titus (D-NV) urging U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to clarify their efforts to track global supply chains and enforce compliance with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.
The Bloomberg News report found that laboratory testing conducted in 2022 determined “garments shipped to the U.S. by Shein were made with cotton from China’s Xinjiang region… Citing what the U.S. State Department has called ‘horrific abuses’ against the Uyghur people in Xinjiang, federal officials banned the importation of cotton and other products from the region last year; European officials have proposed a similar ban.”
We believe Shein is continuing to export apparel into the United States containing cotton from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
Read the full letter here or below.
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Heeding the Call to Service: Service Academy Appointment Night
One of the best responsibilities of serving as a Representative is providing distinguished young students with nominations to attend our Nation’s Service Academies.
This week, we celebrated the exceptional young men and women from Texas-11 who have been appointed to attend a service academy. They will soon embark on a journey that will shape their futures and our nation's defense.
From the relentless hours of preparation to the rigorous selection process, their commitment and perseverance have paid off. I could not be prouder to witness this remarkable milestone in their lives and am filled with hope for the amazing contributions they will make to our armed forces.
Let's give a standing ovation to these bright minds, brave hearts, and unwavering spirits. If you know a student who may be interested in attending a service academy, please find more information and reach out to my office here.
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The Joy of Serving Together
I was blessed to have Caroline, one of my incredible daughters, up in Washington, D.C. with me this week. It's always a special time when my family can join me in our nation's capital. Making memories and sharing the joy of serving this country together.
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The People's House is Open
Thanks to the new Republican majority in the House of Representatives, the U.S. Capitol is back OPEN for tours! I had the pleasure of meeting students from Abell Middle School from Midland this week on their visit to our nation's capital.
The Espino family from Midland also stopped by the Washington D.C. office before taking their Capitol tour this week. Thank you for your excitement about the history of our great nation!
If you're planning an upcoming trip to Washington, D.C., make sure to book a tour on my website here.
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Town Hall TODAY in Eden
I am hosting a Town Hall in Eden today at 11:00 am CT at the Eden Multi-Purpose Center. If you're in the area, stop by!
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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.
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Rep. August Pfluger
Member of Congress
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