Howdy Texan –

With many questions in Washington, I wanted to provide an update on a possible shutdown and other work I've done on behalf of Texas' 31st district.

ON THE DOCKET:

Government Shutdown
What do you think?
Withholding Pay
Office Services During a Shutdown
Meeting with Ft. Cavazos and Army Leaders

THE BRIEF:

What closes and what keeps running in a federal government shutdown
Migrant encounters at the southern border soared past the 200,000 mark once again in August, hitting a new high for the calendar year and marking the highest August on record
The Supreme Court on Friday said it would wade into the future of free speech online and decide whether laws passed in Texas and Florida can restrict social media companies from removing certain political posts or accounts.

POTENTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

Several issues are at play in the United States Congress as we navigate funding the government before 11:59 p.m. on September 30th. First is how Congress should fund the government as we approach the deadline. As the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman, I passed my funding bill in July- the only one to pass until this week. I want to see each appropriations bill follow the same path. Individual appropriations bills that follow regular procedures are the most transparent way to fund the government. However, the time clock is not on Congress' side to avoid a government shutdown in this manner.

One way to avoid a shutdown at this late stage is to pass a continuing resolution, which maintains the previous year's funding. The Senate passed a continuing resolution to maintain funding for six weeks and included additional Ukraine funding, which I do not support. The House brought forward a short-term continuing resolution that included border security measures, which I support. Finding a path forward within the House and between the House and the Senate will be challenging, but I'm committed to reducing spending responsibly and representing your Texas values throughout.

I will keep you updated as discussions continue.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Do you support a "clean" short-term continuing resolution to keep the government open?

Yes, I support a short-term continuing resolution

No, I don't support a short-term continuing resolution

WITHHOLDING MY PAY

In the event of a government shutdown, many Americans will be impacted, including our military service members who may miss their scheduled pay. It's unfair that Congress continues to get paid while our heroes go without, so I already requested that my pay be withheld during a shutdown. In addition, I cosponsored legislation that would keep our troops paid even during a government shutdown.

SERVING TEXAS' 31ST DISTRICT DURING A SHUTDOWN

My office will remain open during our regular business hours, and my staff will continue working during a government shutdown to assist constituents with issues involving the federal government. While certain federal agencies may have reduced operations, we will work hard to navigate through any red tape on behalf of Central Texans. If you have any questions, please reach out to my office.

MEETING WITH ARMY LEADERS

Earlier in the week, I met with Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Weimer and Lt. General Sean Bernabe, Commanding General of the III Armored Corps and Fort Cavazos, to discuss quality of life issues for our soldiers. We discussed barracks security, military construction funding, and recruitment numbers. I'm committed to the constant fight to improve the quality of life for soldiers and their families.

As always, thank you for taking the time to stay updated on what's happening in Texas' 31st congressional district. Follow my Facebook and Twitter accounts for more updates.

Representing you and Texas in the United States House is an honor and privilege.

Sincerely,