Rep. Troy E. Nehls Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Save Our Shrimpers Greetings! I wanted to take a moment to share with you a recap on what happened last week in Texas' 22nd District and the United States House of Representatives. This Week in Washington Rep. Troy E. Nehls Introduces the Bipartisan Save Our Shrimpers Act of 2024 Our nation’s domestic shrimpers are struggling to stay in business primarily because of foreign shrimp being dumped into U.S. markets. Sadly, it has been uncovered that U.S. taxpayer dollars are being used to finance foreign shrimp farm operations through International Financial Institutions (IFIs), such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), contributing to the demise of our nation’s shrimping industry. Due to the global excess capacity and production of farm-raised shrimp and imports, the U.S. market is being overwhelmed and in turn, shrimp prices are being driven down to levels that many shrimpers cannot cover the cost of a single shrimp fishing trip. Shrimpers in the 22nd Congressional District of Texas, along the Gulf Coast and Atlantic Coast, are faced with similar difficult decisions of whether to catch shrimp, tie up the trawlers for the season, or even be forced to sell their trawlers. Federal law USC 262(h) stipulates that the U.S. Department of the Treasury shall instruct United States Executive Directors at IFIs to vote against any assistance by such institutions that facilitates an export commodity surplus and causes injury or harm to United States producers. Unfortunately, there have been limited circumstances where the Treasury has been in compliance with this law, and it is difficult to trace how U.S. Executive Directors at IFIs have complied or not complied with this no-vote mandate. I’m proud to introduce the bipartisan Save Our Shrimpers Act of 2024 to protect our nation’s shrimpers. This legislation would prevent federal funds from being used by IFIs to finance shrimp operations in foreign countries. Additionally, this legislation would trigger an investigation within the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) and require annual reports to Congress to ensure U.S. Executive Directors at IFIs are complying with USC 262(h). Read more about the bipartisan Save Our Shrimpers Act of 2024 HERE. Rep. Troy E. Nehls Joins the Benny Show Watch the full interview HERE. Rep. Troy E. Nehls Introduces a Resolution Condemning the Mexican President's Comments on "60 Minutes" This week, I introduced a House Resolution condemning Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's comments on “60 Minutes” on March 24, 2024, and calling on the Mexican government to limit illegal immigration. In the “60 Minutes” interview, President Obrador stated that while he has the power to “slow down migration," “the flow of migrants will continue" unless the United States sends $20 billion a year to Latin American countries, lifts sanctions on Venezuela, end its embargo on Cuba, and grants amnesty to all Mexican nationals living in the United States. My resolution condemns these comments as amounting to diplomatic blackmail and calls on the Mexican government to secure its own border, reach an agreement with the United States for Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP)/Remain in Mexico, and establish a Safe Third Country Agreement with the United States. President Obrador’s comments are completely unacceptable, and we will not bow to the demands of a foreign president. Read more about the resolution HERE. Rep. Troy E. Nehls on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) It is no secret that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has used and abused the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to spy on not only the greatest president of my lifetime, Donald J. Trump, but everyday Americans. FISA is intended to allow the FBI to collect information on foreigners overseas who are labeled as national security threats to the United States. However, it has been revealed that over the past several years, the FBI improperly used the FISA database to obtain information on people, including Americans, without a warrant, violating the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution. This week, the United States House of Representatives voted on numerous pieces of legislation regarding the reauthorization of FISA. Specifically, on Friday, April 12, the House voted on various amendments to H.R. 7888, the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act, including a bipartisan amendment that would require the FBI to obtain a warrant before spying on an American citizen. While I supported this amendment, it failed on the House floor. I voted NO on H.R. 7888, the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act, which passed the House with a final vote of 273-147. I could not, in good conscience, vote to give our nation's weaponized Department of Justice (DOJ) the power to mass surveil the American people without significant reforms, such as a warrant requirement. Rep. Troy E. Nehls Joins Lou Dobbs on Lou Dobbs Tonight Watch the full interview HERE. This Week in TX-22 Update for 2024 Congressional Art Competition The submission deadline for the Congressional Art Competition is now Tuesday, April 30, 2024. Submissions can be made online through my website. The Congressional Art Competition began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. Since then, over 650,000 high school students have participated in the nationwide competition. The Congressional Art Competition is sponsored by the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and is open to all high school students in the 22nd Congressional District of Texas. The winning artwork of our district's competition will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol, and receive two plane tickets to Washington, D.C. The second-place winner will receive a certificate and a United States flag, and the third-place winner will receive a challenge coin. The rules, regulations, application, and checklist are on my website. Available IRS Tools to Help Taxpayers Through Tax Filing Season The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recommends trying the following self-help resources available to taxpayers 24/7 for a smooth and easy tax filing experience. IRS.gov offers a variety of online tools to help taxpayers answer common tax questions. For example, taxpayers can search the Interactive Tax Assistant, Tax Topics and Frequently Asked Questions to find answers. IRS Free File provides eligible taxpayers who want to prepare their own returns free tax preparation and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) or Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs offers free tax help from certified volunteers at thousands of sites across the country. The IRS provides a checklist to help taxpayers as they prepare to file their 2023 tax returns, which can be found HERE. If you have any IRS issue, please fill out this form on my website, and a member of my team will reach out to you. LAST WEEK'S POLL QUESTION RESULTS Do you think illegal aliens should be able to carry a gun in the US?  YES 3.2% NO 96.8% Follow Us ‌ ‌ ‌ We Want to Hear From You I always appreciate learning about the issues that are important to you. If you have a concern, please contact me HERE. Use this QR code to follow my Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts and join my Newsletter for updates. It's an honor to represent you and the great state of Texas in the United States House of Representatives. Do you support the reauthorization of FISA? Let me know below Yes Select No Select Sincerely, Troy E. Nehls Member of Congress ‌ By participating in the survey, you are opting into further communication from Rep. Nehls Rep. Nehls | 1104 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]