February 2, 2024

Voting to Impeachment DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas

I voted to advance impeachment articles in the Homeland Security Committee for Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The bill is now ready for a vote in the full U.S. House of Representatives.

Secretary Mayorkas has willfully and systemically refused to comply with the law, adhere to Congressional directives, and secure the homeland—leading to the worst border crisis in history. It is a sad day when Congress is left with no option but to impeach a Cabinet Secretary, but there must be consequences for the Secretary's refusal to protect the safety of American citizens.

The failure to secure the border has been so significant and catastrophic, that Congress must use its power to provide accountability. We must be the check and the balance against such an extremely egregious breach of the public trust. 

Families around the country have lost faith in the public trust we once expected Secretary Mayorkas to uphold. The Tambunga family, from our district, lost 71-year-old, Maria, and her 7-year-old granddaughter, Emilia, when a human trafficker smuggling 11 illegal aliens crashed into Maria and Emilia and changed the Tambunga family forever. Secretary Mayorkas needs to be held accountable for creating a detrimental domino effect that took Emilia and Maria from their family.

I believe history will define Secretary Mayorkas as the most infamous Cabinet member to date for his complete abdication of responsibility. Watch here or below for my opening statement on the impeachment resolution.

Unleashing the Power of LNG

This week, I introduced the Unlocking Domestic LNG Potential Act, which depoliticizes the export of American liquefied natural gas (LNG) by eliminating the requirement for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to authorize its export and instead giving the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) sole authority over the approval process.

Once again, President Biden is playing politics with the Permian Basin. Instead of unleashing American energy production, which provides our allies abroad with a secure, affordable energy source, the President is cow-towing to the climate mob and restricting future energy exports. My legislation takes the politics out of production by removing the export authorization requirement from the Department of Energy and streamlining the permitting process. Energy security is national security. Read more about the bill here.

House Democrats Vote Against Americans and for Illegal Aliens

This week, the U.S. House held two important votes on the Consequences of Social Security Fraud Act and the Protect Our Communities from DUIs Act. These bills would deport noncitizens who commit Social Security fraud or are caught driving intoxicated. Under current statute, prosecutors in both cases must jump through complicated legal hoops before the criminal aliens can be deported.

Unfortunately, when given the choice to correct these wrongs, over 150 Democrats voted against the safety of Americans and the elderly whose social security checks are being stolen by illegal aliens. Protecting our communities and upholding the law should be a simple vote. This is unacceptable. I was proud to vote in favor of both bills to protect our communities while also ensuring American citizens are rightfully collecting their hard-earned benefits.

The House Stands United with Texas

I joined my Texas colleagues in the U.S. House for a press conference to highlight the crisis at the southern border and the need for stronger security measures. Since President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas took office, over 9 million individuals have crossed into our country illegally. When it comes to the border crisis, Texans have had enough. Don't mess with Texas. Watch here or below for my remarks at the press conference.

Limiting the Sale of Drugs on Social Media

I will soon be introducing the Drug-Free Social Media and Digital Communities Act, which would limit the illegal sale of drugs on social media. This bill will adjust the federal criminal code so that drug dealers selling products to users 18 and under on social media would be penalized the same as dealers who sell products near schools, colleges, or youth facilities.

Unfortunately, social media platforms have become hot spots for drug trading, and these dangerous drugs are more accessible to children than ever before, often without parental knowledge of the issue. This bill will serve as a powerful deterrent and provide law enforcement agencies with the tools needed to investigate and prosecute those involved in online drug sales.

Read more about the bill in the Washington Examiner here or below.

'President Biden Just Handed Putin a Gift'

I joined Mornings with Maria to discuss the Biden Administration's recent move to pause LNG

exports and the impeachment proceedings of Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Watch the full

segment here or below.

Defunding Sanctuary Cities

I introduced the No Funding for Sanctuary Cities Act to prevent any state or local entity that prevents the enforcement of federal immigration law from receiving taxpayer-funded grants or programs.

Sanctuary cities like New York City and Chicago purposefully block Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from carrying out deportations or enforcing immigration laws. These cities are now begging the federal government for money to manage the influx of migrants they willingly invited. American tax dollars should not be funding President Biden's border crisis. Click here to read more about the bill in Fox News. 

Remembering Chris Kyle

Today on Chris Kyle Day, we remember the life and legacy of native Odessan and former Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle. A true American hero, Chris served four tours in the Iraq War and was awarded numerous commendations for acts of heroism and meritorious service in combat. After retiring, he dedicated his time and life to supporting his fellow servicemembers on and off the battlefield.

It has been 11 years since Chris' tragic passing. His story remains a testament to the sacrifice and diligence of our men and women in uniform and their families.

Upcoming Town Halls

I will be hosting Town Halls in Garden City and Ballinger next week. I hope to see you there!

2024 Congressional Art Competition

My office is now accepting submissions for the 2024 Congressional Art Competition. The competition is open to all 7-12 grade students in the 11th Congressional District of Texas and is an opportunity for local artists to be recognized for their talents among artists from around the Nation.

The deadline is April 29^th, 2024. Students can register and upload images of their artwork on Congressman Pfluger’s website at: tinyurl.com/TX11Art.

Students are highly encouraged to review the competition’s complete rules and regulations on my website. For more information, please visit tinyurl.com/TX11Art, or contact Cayssia David in the Killeen Office at [email protected].

2024 Pfluger Student Leadership Conference

I am excited to announce the second annual Pfluger Student Leadership Conference. The event is open to all high school students in the 11th District of Texas and will be held on Saturday, February 24th, from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm at the Bush Convention Center in Midland, Texas.

The conference will offer students the opportunity to participate in character-building activities and hear powerful messages from dynamic guest speakers while gaining critical knowledge on the fundamentals of leadership.

Space is limited. Students are encouraged to register as soon as possible at: www.tinyurl.com/PflugerStudents.

Thank you for reading. It is the honor of my lifetime to serve you in Congress. Please follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for daily updates.

Rep. August Pfluger

Member of Congress