Thank you for following along on my journey in Congress. Here is a recap of what I have been doing in TX-13 and Washington D.C. 

I continue to encourage those who need help or are looking to help those affected by the fires to visit the Panhandle Wildfire Relief tab on my website, linked here. There is a section that offers information about disaster relief assistance programs, claims processes, and loans that may be available to those impacted by the wildfire here.

• Xcel Energy announced a claims process for those who had property destroyed or livestock deaths due to the Smokehouse Creek Fire. Click here for more information and details on how to submit a claim.  
• The Small Business Administration is offering loans to Texas residents and businesses affected by the Smokehouse Creek Fire and the Windy Deuce Fire. Click here for more information.

Please check my website for regular updates, or reach out to my offices, as we continue to advocate for additional relief efforts. 

A huge thank you to Governor Abbott for visiting the Panhandle! His visits have brought vital attention to the ongoing disaster brought on by the largest wildfires in Texas history. At the press conference, Governor Abbott discussed the comprehensive efforts that have been put in place and executed to combat the fires and support affected communities. While the fires have been eradicated, many individuals are in desperate need of resources to start rebuilding their lives and businesses in the aftermath of this catastrophe. Jane and I continue to ask for thoughts and prayers. If you would like to help in any way, you can learn more about how to do so by visiting my website.

The damage these wildfires have done cannot be understated. See below for a video of some aftermath of the horrendous fires.

Ranchers and cattle producers in the Panhandle are in desperate need of pastures to feed their cattle due to the ongoing wildfires. I sent a letter to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) urging them to authorize Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres for emergency grazing, which they did. However, due to nesting seasons, Texas and New Mexico are currently unavailable. 

I continue to push the USDA for a total release of CRP land without any restrictions for grazing and sent a letter yesterday to USDA urging them to make more land available to assist livestock producers affected by the devastating Texas wildfires. Based on the extensive losses from the recent fires, all resources should be available without regard to nesting seasons. Please check back for regular updates as we continue to advocate for additional relief efforts. 

At this time the Farm Service Agency (FSA) has authorized the use of CRP acres for all counties in Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Wyoming until the primary nesting season in each state begins. 

I will continue to keep those impacted up-to-date on this issue as it develops. 

More information is available on my website here and below. 

In November, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service introduced a final rule to allow the import of fresh beef from Paraguay, a country with a long history of Foot-and-Mouth disease. Texas' Thirteenth Congressional District is the top-fed cattle-producing district in the United States, and its importance to the rural communities I represent cannot be understated. Centuries of rancher’s blood and sweat have gone into making America’s beef industry the safest and most abundant in the world, and I will not allow that reputation to be compromised now. Congress must prevent this unsafe rule from moving forward to protect the livelihoods of America's farmers and ranchers! This dangerous rule, based on decade-old data, is another example of the Biden administration's failure to understand the needs of America's agriculture producers and further demonstrates their lack of insight and care for the industry. I am proud to lead this Congressional Review Act to prohibit the importation of risky Paraguayan beef alongside colleagues from both sides of the aisle, who know how vital it is to protect U.S. cattle producers from devastating foreign animal disease outbreaks. More information can be found here. A full list of statements of support for this legislation can be found here.