And a Recap of My Visit to Our Troops in Europe 

September 7, 2023

Dear john, 

As the summer comes to a close, let me first wish you a belated Happy Labor Day. America wasn’t built by folks sitting at home collecting checks from the government—it was built by folks who put in the hard work to make our country great. Here, we value work ethic. We value the folks who show up early and go the extra mile. America is the country of entrepreneurs and visionaries. Americans make sure the job gets done. 

This past August I had the honor of meeting with our men and women in uniform stationed in Europe. Their job is critical, particularly as we face an emboldened Communist China and a belligerent Vladimir Putin. The world we live in today is more interconnected than at anytime in human history, and what happens abroad matters here at home. It is critical that Congress pursues a measured approach to national security issues that reflects the will of the American people. 

As the House of Representatives returns to Washington, D.C. this month, it still must still pass 11 of the 12 remaining appropriations bills, including one to fund our armed forces. I am committed to ensuring our servicemen and women have the tools and resources they need to be maintain peak readiness. 

It's a privilege to represent Texas' Fourth District in our Nation's Capital. I promise you I will always strive to get the job done and defend our republic. Your input is invaluable, which is why I will be hosting a telephone town hall on September 20, and additional in-person town halls this October. I look forward to hearing from you. 

For Texas and Liberty, 

Rep. Pat Fallon

As President Reagan said, "We maintain our strength in order to deter and defend against aggression--to preserve freedom and peace." The Great Communicator's words ring true today, and our military presence in Eastern Europe is critical in order to deter further Russian aggression. 

Ireland marked the final leg of our trip, where we met with the Irish President, Deputy Prime Minister and other legislators and members of the cabinet. We discussed America and Texas' long running cultural ties with the Emerald Isle as well as ways to further the economic and political ties between our two great countries. 

To cap off the trip, I met with officials from the Department of the Navy and U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen. It is always an honor to meet with the young men and women from the Naval Academy that will go on to serve and defend the United States of America. 

Appropriations Fight Looms: Congress must still pass 11 of the 12 appropriations bills to fund the federal government after our return to Washington, D.C. next week. One of these bills under consideration is the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2024. This bill ensures that our military is properly funded and is focused on the right priorities. Below is my major amendment I have put forth.

• Providing an additional $55 million for the Army Humvee rollover retrofits: Red River Army Depot in Texas' Fourth District is capable of retrofitting the Army's Humvee fleet more efficiently and at less cost to the taxpayer so as to prevent future deadly rollover accidents. My amendment would align the funding appropriated for the program with the $115 million figure the House passed earlier this year as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). 

Mark Your Calendar For Our September 20, 2023 Telephone Town Hall: Less than two weeks from now, on Wednesday, September 20 at 5:30 PM CT, I’ll be on the line to answer your questions from my office in Washington, D.C.  Congress will be back in session and I look forward to hearing from everyone! You can find details about the September 20 telephone town hall, below.

October 2023 Town Halls: If you missed our August town halls, I'll be back on the road again this October with a few more stops to round out the tour during the next district work period. The energy I saw from everyone during last month's stops was incredible, and I can't see you all again. Stay tuned for more details!

Recognizing Our Veterans: As Americans, we owe our military and Veterans a debt of gratitude which can never be repaid. With this in mind, we recently wrapped up nominations for our Congressional Veteran Commendation (CVC) program which recognizes the sacrifices made by veterans within Texas’ Fourth Congressional District. Thank you to all who submitted nominations! We look forward to highlighting our veterans' stories in the coming weeks.

America's Special Relationship With Ireland: Like I mentioned earlier, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet with members of the Irish Government as part of our CODEL to Europe. You can watch my remarks below--happy to say I correctly predicted that Notre Dame would cover the spread against the Naval Academy in their season opener. Go Irish!

Chinese Communist Party Spies at American Military Bases: I joined David Asman on Fox Business this past week to discuss possible security breaches at U.S. military installations. You can catch my clip below where I discuss this serious national security threat. 

Until Next Time: The rest of this month will no doubt see a flurry of activity on Capitol Hill. As always, please do not hesitate to voice your comments, concerns and requests by calling my D.C. or district offices listed below. My staff and I are always eager to help, and it is an honor to represent the great Americans of Texas' Fourth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.