Howdy Texan –

Happy New Year, TX-31! It's the first Verdict of 2024, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to reflect on my work for Texas' 31st district in 2023.

ON THE DOCKET:

$73 million
Around the district
Top 3 of 2023: Legislation
What do you think?

THE BRIEF:

The Justice Department on Wednesday sued Texas over a new law that would allow police to arrest migrants who enter the U.S. illegally, taking Republican Gov. Greg Abbott to court again over his escalating response to border crossers arriving from Mexico.
Texas remains the most popular state for people to move to for the third consecutive year, according to U-Haul.
After attempting to pump the brakes on “rogue buses” from Texas dropping off migrants by the thousands, the mayor of New York City has filed a lawsuit against a dozen charter bus companies that transported migrants from Texas to New York City.

SECURING $73 MILLION FOR TX-31

As a chairman on the Appropriations Committee, I secured over $73 million in the FY2024 House Appropriations bills for Texas' 31st district. From infrastructure improvements to supporting law enforcement and education, I'm devoted to bringing resources to our congressional district that improve the lives of Central Texans. Check out the map below for details on how this money would be used in our community!

AROUND THE DISTRICT

This year, my office returned $5,275,571 to constituents that was trapped behind bureaucratic red tape. Whether it was back veterans benefits, Social Security, or IRS refunds, my office went to work to advocate for 2,564 Central Texans who needed help with a federal agency. If you need help with a federal agency, learn more here.

I also hosted mobile office hours throughout 2023 to give constituents convenient access to me and my team. During mobile office hours, I had great conversations with constituents about the issues important to them, and my team helped them with any issue involving a federal agency.

TOP 3 OF 2023: LEGISLATION

I co-wrote H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act, which passed the House in May. This bill would tighten asylum laws, restart border wall construction, end child trafficking, and put more agents on the border.
As a chairman on Appropriations, I was the first to pass an appropriations bill out of the House. My Military Construction and Veterans Affairs bill fully funds veterans' health care, utilizes resources to deter communist China's aggression, and improves service member housing.
In response to the "defund the police" movement, local law enforcement's recruitment has been damaged, putting our community at risk. I introduced the Recruit and Retain Act to allow local police departments to use federal grant funds for recruiting and retaining law enforcement officers.