Dear Neighbor,
This has been another difficult week. Many of us were saddened and angered by the brutal murder of six-year-old Palestinian American Wadea Al-Fayoume and the attempted murder of his mother in their home in Illinois last weekend. As I noted in a statement earlier this week, this targeted attack against Muslim Americans and Palestinian Americans betrays the fundamental principles of our country. No person in the United States should have to experience hatred because of how they pray, what they believe, or who they are. My thoughts are with the Al-Fayoume family and all those grieving his loss, as well as the Muslim and Palestinian communities in our district and across the country during this difficult time. There can be no place for this kind of hate in America, and all Americans must come together to reject Islamophobia and hate.
In our community, we pride ourselves on our diversity and our collaborative ethos. With religious institutions and community groups leading the way, we have developed meaningful and important interfaith programs that reflect the best of our community. But we are not immune to rising hate and intolerance, and I have heard distressing reports this week about incidents and fear in our community, especially of anti-Muslim and anti-Semitic sentiments. My team and I have been connecting with people and institutions, including places of worship, schools, and community organizations, to learn more and talk about how we can support them. People across our community are struggling and feeling the weight of world events. Each person in our district can help ensure that people across our diverse community are connected, protected, and supported. |
In Washington, as at home and around the world, much of the focus has been on the developments in the war between Hamas and Israel. I have continued to hear from people across our community about their concerns for the safety and security of people in the region and the impacts of the war on civilians, the broader region, and the prospects for peace in the region.
As I feel sure you know, President Biden visited the region this week to meet with leaders, meet with families, and demonstrate the United States’ support for Israel following Hamas’ barbaric attack on Israel on October 7. After his visit, President Biden announced an agreement to provide vital humanitarian assistance to people in Gaza and also announced $100 million in funding from the United States for humanitarian assistance to people in Gaza and in the West Bank.
President Biden addressed the country from the Oval Office, explaining the complexity and importance of this moment at home and abroad and announcing his request to Congress for emergency assistance funding. If you missed the address, I encourage you to watch it here: |
This week, I joined many of my Democratic colleagues in sending a letter to President Biden about the Hamas-Israel war that reflects many of the sentiments I have heard from neighbors across the district, and I want to highlight some of them here.
We thanked the President for his strong leadership during this tragic and dangerous moment in the Middle East following Hamas’ attack in Israel—an attack that has resulted in the deaths of more than 1,400 people (including at least 32 Americans), the injury of at least 2,500 more, and the capture of nearly 200 people who are being held hostage in Gaza, including American citizens. We thanked President Biden for his expression of the United States’ steadfast support for our ally Israel as well as his clear statements regarding the fundamental importance of ensuring that the humanitarian needs of the civilian population of Gaza are met, and that all possible steps are being taken to ensure the safety of civilians and noncombatants in Gaza. With reportedly more than 3,000 people killed and more than 9,700 wounded in Gaza since Hamas’ October 7 attack, we noted, it is imperative that we act immediately to prevent further loss of innocent lives. We shared our agreement with the President that Israel’s response must be in accordance with international law and our shared democratic values. We also noted our support for the efforts that Secretary Blinken and the administration are making to ensure that the basic necessities of life for Gaza’s civilians, such as food, water, and medicine, are available and to enabling civilians and noncombatants to seek refuge in safe zones in southern Gaza and ensuring that they have the ability to return to their communities when the war is over.
We shared our view that the United States’ commitment to Israel’s security and right to respond to terror is not incompatible with a commitment to the humanitarian needs of the innocent people of Gaza. And we noted our support for the administration’s efforts to prevent the conflict from escalating and spreading throughout the region, urging the administration to work closely with Israel and regional partners to ensure stability on the West Bank and to prevent any escalation of violence in that region.
In conclusion, we shared our view that resolving the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians will require the continued leadership and partnership of the United States, together with regional partners, affirming the President’s statement that Israelis and Palestinians deserve equal measures of freedom, security, opportunity, and dignity.
The policy of the United States has been to support a two-state solution to this conflict, and we remain committed to this end and to the pursuit of the peaceful coexistence between Israel and its neighbors throughout the Middle East. To view the full letter, click here.
As discussed more below, most activity in the House cannot proceed until there is a Speaker of the House. But I have continued to engage with colleagues on relevant committees, including the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the Armed Services Committee, the Appropriations Committee, and others, as well as people in the administration and outside groups to learn more and to share information about these matters and developments, and I will continue to do so.
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This week, the issue before the House is the election of a new Speaker of the House. On Tuesday, members of the House took up the question. House Republicans—who are in the majority and are, therefore, expected to select the Speaker of the House—nominated Congressman Jim Jordan from Ohio. House Democrats again nominated Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. The position can only be filled when a candidate wins the majority of votes of those members present and voting. With 435 voting members of the House, that number is usually 218 votes. Because there are two vacancies right now, there are 433 members eligible to vote. If all members are present and all cast a vote, it takes 217 votes to win. There are 221 Republicans in the House and 212 Democrats.
On Tuesday, no candidate got 217 votes. The vote total was Jeffries, 212; Jordan, 200; other candidates, 20 (one member was not present to vote). On Wednesday, we voted again, and again no candidate got 217 votes. The vote total was Jeffries, 212; Jordan, 199; other candidates 22. Friday, we voted again. And again, no candidate got 217 votes. The vote total was: Jeffries, 210; Jordan, 194; other candidates, 25 (6 members were not present to vote).
After the third vote, House Republicans met as a group and voted on whether to choose a new Republican nominee for Speaker. House Republicans have announced they will consider new candidates for Speaker next week, and we expect to vote for a new Speaker again next week.
Throughout the last two weeks without a speaker, House Democrats communicated in various ways with Republican colleagues that we would like to find a bipartisan path forward to elect a Speaker and get the House floor open again. So far, that path has not been taken, but I remain committed to finding common ground with responsible lawmakers to find a way to address our priorities and needs. I hope that, moving forward, House Republicans will work in good faith with House Democrats to address the important issues before the Congress, including a government funding deadline that expires in less than a month and the vital security assistance that the President has requested. |
I had the chance to visit in the office this week with Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones and Harris County Public Health (HCPH) Executive Director Barbie Robinson, who were in Washington to talk with county leaders from across the country about innovative approaches Harris County is taking to address the maternal mortality crisis and access to health care.
In the last Congress, I requested and secured $1 million in federal funding for the Accessing Coordinated Care and Empowering Self Sufficiency (ACCESS) Harris County program and more than $1.4 million for the Maternal & Child Health program to strengthen Harris County’s safety net system and connect underserved populations to critical resources (more on those programs below). I was so glad to hear about the innovative work they are doing and to discuss new ideas for things I can do in Congress to help bring the vision and innovative ideas from our community to the country. |
The Accessing Coordinated Care and Empowering Self Sufficiency (ACCESS) program identifies the county’s most underserved residents and develops coordinated strategies to improve their well-being, self-sufficiency, and recovery through an integrated care coordination model. In collaboration with other agencies, ACCESS Harris County directs vulnerable residents—individuals who may be experiencing homelessness, who are re-entering society following incarceration, or who are aging out of the foster care system—to access a variety of support services, including employment, mental health assistance, substance abuse prevention, childcare, transportation, food, housing, and more.
The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate of all developed countries, and studies have consistently found higher pregnancy-related mortality risks among Black women. Black mothers in Harris County are 1.4 times more likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth than mothers in the U.S. on average. Harris County’s Maternal & Child Health program focuses on Black mothers and helps eligible families navigate their parenting journey through an evidence-based home visitation model that provides education tools, resources, and access to health care opportunities. By matching community health coordinators with women to help them navigate every step of the prenatal and post-partum process, the program will address some of the largest contributing factors—inadequate and inaccessible care before, during, and after pregnancy—and expects to assist 300-400 families over a five-year period. |
On Wednesday, I joined my colleagues in the bipartisan American Canadian Economy and Security (ACES) Caucus and Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. Kirsten Hillman at the Canadian Embassy to celebrate the bilateral relationship between our countries. I am a co-chair of this bipartisan, bicameral caucus, and look forward to working with my colleagues to strengthen the relationship with our communities and countries. |
Did you know? TX-07 alone exports more than $1.8 billion in goods to Canada each year. |
Despite some of the challenges in the House right now, our team continues to work on issues of all kinds for our district. In Houston, our team continues to assist constituents with matters before federal agencies, to reach out to people across our community about the work we are doing, and to participate in events across the district. A few highlights are pictured below: the HOPE Clinic’s annual luncheon, a ribbon cutting with the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, and Lazybrook’s rescheduled National Night Out. |
In Washington, a few highlights are included below from our team meetings with representatives from the International Justice Mission, the Shades of Blue Project, Memorial Hermann Health System, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, including pediatric oncologists from Texas Children’s Hospital. |
In case you missed it, President Biden appointed Ambassador David Satterfield, Director of Rice University’s Baker Institute in TX-07, as Special Envoy for Middle East Humanitarian Issues. As Special Envoy, Ambassador Satterfield will coordinate diplomatic efforts to address the critical humanitarian issues resulting from Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel. With more than four decades of experience in the Middle East, he is well suited to provide assistance to the most vulnerable populations in the region during this critical time. |
Don’t forget: our team is hosting an informational event with representatives from our country’s five military service academies today. Students interested in applying for a nomination to one of the academies and their families are invited to come to the Alief Community Center (Room 1511) between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Interested students can review the nomination application form on my website here to learn more about the process. Applications are due Friday, November 3, 2023. |
One more opportunity for students: Wednesday, November 1, the Congressional App Challenge closes and final submissions must be uploaded to the portal here. |
And, of course, TX-07 is cheering on the Astros in their seventh straight ALCS! And our team is joining fans across TX-07 in cheering on our reigning champs this week. |
I am proud to represent you and I am here to help you. Please call my office at (713) 353-8680 or (202) 225-2571 or email here at any time to ask for assistance or share your thoughts. I look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes, |
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