| August 14th, 2023: Weekly Newsletter | | Meeting With the Texas Farm Bureau | Last week, I spoke at the Texas Farm Bureau Dinner to give an update on what’s happening in Congress and hear about the issues they are facing. Farmers are seeing increased input costs across the spectrum, of which include fertilizer, pesticides, labor, and equipment. Congress will have the opportunity to provide relief for farmers this year through the Farm Bill. At the dinner, farmers and I were able to discuss the importance of preserving the agricultural safety net, providing a more permanent solution to disaster aid, and pushing back on any policy that would impose new climate regulations on agriculture. Currently, it is expected this important piece of legislation will be marked up by the Agriculture Committee in September or October. The goal is for the Farm Bill to become law before the end of the year. America’s farmers and ranchers face unique challenges, including the high cost of production, a shrinking workforce, natural disasters and burdensome federal regulations. Our nations farmers lead the world in best practices. We must ensure they are empowered to do their best work free of burdensome, bureaucratic micromanaging that would only further drive up cost and make our products less competitive on the world stage. | | Chatting With the Crossroads Builders Association | I also had the honor of speaking to the Crossroads Builders Association this week. I was able to deliver an update on a few issues going on in Washington D.C. including how Congress is working to tackle rampant inflation, address supply chain issues in construction, support small business owners, and push back against Bidenomics. Americans are still hurting, and instead of alleviating the burden citizens are facing everyday, this administration continues to double down on bad policy. While Texas remains one of the strongest states in our nation for business, business leaders still face inflation, supply chain issues, and labor shortages inflicted by Joe Biden’s policies. We must eliminate regulations that continue to hurt Texas’ business climate, so that business in our district and the rest of the country can flourish. We must get America back on track and working again. We can’t afford to sit on the sidelines anymore while this administration continues to recklessly spend and hammer down on bad policies. | | Addressing Our Nation’s Out-of-Control Spending | It’s no secret that our government spending is completely out of control, and Congress has too often prioritized “wants” over “needs” while American families continue to struggle. What should be our top priority for taxpayer dollars? Please let me know by answering the survey below. This information gives me additional insight into what concerns Texans the most and allows me to better represent you in Congress. | Addressing our nation's out-of-control spending What should be our top priority? Taking this survey will sign you up for future news and updates from my office. | | Standing for Religious Freedom | I signed a letter with 15 of my colleagues to call attention to the legal harassment of Finnish Parliament member Member Päivi Räsänen and Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola based on their religious beliefs. Since 2019, they have endured a relentless legal battle within the Finnish court system, accused of committing “hate speech” crimes for simply publicly expressing their belief that a marriage is between a man and a woman. Every individual, regardless of their faith, should have the liberty to practice their religion freely, without the fear of being targeted. We must be acutely aware of the dangerous precedent this trial sets, as it threatens the very essence of religious freedom. We cannot allow such violations to take root and flourish. It’s crucial that we protect religious freedom, both in our nation and across international borders. I will continue to work tirelessly to support and defend religious freedom, both within the United States and on the international stage. Click HERE to read the full letter. | | Honoring Our Wounded Warriors | George Washington established an award for members of the military based on courage, honor, and sacrifice, 241 years ago on August 7. What we now call the Purple Heart Award is presented to the men and women who suffered wounds in combat or paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country. We honor those recipients and say thank you for your sacrifice and service to our great nation. We are forever grateful. God bless them and their families. | Our D.C. office has been blessed with some fantastic interns, and one of them, Taylor O'Brien, just had her last week. She was instrumental to our team this Summer and we want to thank her for all her work! Many of you may have met Taylor in Washington, D.C. during one of her highly regarded Capitol tours or spoken to her on the phone answering constituent questions with our legislative team. We wish her the best of luck as she returns to Texas A&M for her final semester.
If you know someone who would be interested in an opportunity to work on behalf of Texas’ 27th Congressional District, they can apply for an internship HERE.
| Rep. Michael Cloud Member of Congress | Sign up for my newsletter to get updates on this issue and others! | Corpus Christi Office:
555 N Carancahua St. Tower II
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Corpus Christi, TX 78401
Phone: (361) 884-2222 | Victoria Office:
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Victoria, TX 77901
Phone: (361) 894-6446 | Washington D.C. Office:
171 Cannon HOB Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-7742
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