Rep. Troy E. Nehls Provides Important Information Regarding Hurricane Beryl Recovery 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 Reps. Troy E. Nehls and Madeleine Dean Introduce the Strengthening Child Exploitation Enforcement Act This week, I introduced the Strengthening Child Exploitation Enforcement Act with Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (D-PA-04). This bipartisan legislation would make several technical statutory clarifications to close loopholes in current child sexual abuse criminal offenses that hamper holding perpetrators accountable. In 2023, the Department of Justice (DOJ) published the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction, which made a series of recommendations for Congress to strengthen federal enforcement of child exploitation law. The Strengthening Child Exploitation Enforcement Act would incorporate those recommendations and would clarify the DOJ's authority to prosecute perpetrators by: Closing the kidnapping loophole in 18 U.S.C. § 1201, clarifying that kidnapping of a child can occur by deceiving a third party, including a child’s guardian, and clarifies the circumstances where consent can be used as a defense. Closing the international travel loopholes in 18 U.S.C.§ 2241(c) and 18 U.S.C. § 2423, clarifying that traveling to sexually abuse a child includes crossing international lines and that committing a sexual abuse felony against a child while abroad is a crime. Closing the sexual contact loophole in 18 U.S.C. § 2443, clarifying that causing a child to commit a sexual act themselves is also a crime. Closing the attempt loophole in 18 U.S.C. § 2244, clarifying that attempting to commit the sexual contact offenses in Section 2244 is also a crime. In Sections 2241, 2242, and 2243, the sexual abuse offenses defined provide liability for attempted as well as completed offenses, as do sexually assaultive crimes defined elsewhere in Title 18, while the sexual contact offenses defined in Section 2244 do not. This legislation corrects the omission by adding liability for attempted offenses to Section 2244. As a father to three daughters and a former Texas Sheriff, I firmly believe that any existing loopholes in United States federal law that allow child predators to escape justice should be closed immediately. The abuse of a child in any form is completely unacceptable. Read more about the legislation HERE. This Week in TX-22 Hurricane Beryl Recovery and Resources As we come together in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, I want to assure you that my team and I are here to help you during this difficult time. The destruction caused by Hurricane Beryl has left many of our family, friends, and neighbors in urgent need of assistance. On July 12, 2024, the Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Texas was amended to provide Individual Assistance for Brazoria, Harris, Matagorda, and Wharton counties. These counties have already been designated for debris removal and emergency protective measures (Categories A and B), including direct federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program. As of July 13, 2024, Fort Bend County qualifies for Individual Assistance as well. Below, you will find important information on the resources available through FEMA and guidance on how to access this assistance. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office. We are here to help you navigate this process and to support you every step of the way. Hurricane Beryl Residents living in Brazoria, Fort Bend, Harris, Matagorda, and Wharton counties are now eligible for FEMA Individual Assistance due to Hurricane Beryl impacts. Individual Assistance is available to individuals and households in need of financial and direct services who have uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses and serious needs. To apply for FEMA disaster assistance, please visit this link. If you have access to Wi-Fi and your electronic devices have power, applying online is the easiest, fastest and most convenient way to apply. If you have any questions, please call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362 every day from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. CDT. Wait times may be unusually high and applying online at disasterassistance.gov is the quickest way to complete an application now. What you'll need when you apply: A current phone number where you can be contacted Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are staying now Your Social Security number A general list of damage and losses Banking information if you choose direct deposit If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name Recovery Individuals and families in these counties may be eligible to receive Serious Needs Assistance, which is a one-time $750 payment per household for essential items like food, water, baby formula, breast feeding supplies, medication and other emergency supplies. Eligible survivors may also receive Displacement Assistance, which is money to help with housing needs if you cannot return to your home because of the disaster. The money can be used to stay in a hotel, with family and friends or other options while you look for a more permanent housing solution. In addition to Serious Needs and Displacement Assistance, eligible survivors may receive money for rental assistance, basic home repairs, personal property losses and other eligible expenses related to Hurricane Beryl. People who applied for and received FEMA assistance for the severe storms that occurred in April can still apply and receive assistance for damage as a result of Hurricane Beryl if their primary home is located in one of the 17 declared counties. Residents in any Texas county who experienced property damage are encouraged to report their damage using the Texas Division of Emergency Management’s online Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT) by visiting damage.tdem.texas.gov. Be Alert to Fraud After a Disaster Texans should be aware that con artists and criminals may try to obtain money or steal personal information through fraud or identity theft after Hurricane Beryl. In some cases, thieves try to apply for FEMA assistance using names, addresses and Social Security numbers they have stolen from survivors. If a FEMA inspector comes to your home and you did not submit a FEMA application, your information may have been used without your knowledge to create a FEMA application. If so, please inform the inspector that you did not apply for FEMA assistance so they can submit a request to stop further processing of the application. If you did not apply for assistance, but receive a letter from FEMA, please call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. The helpline will submit a request to stop any further processing of that application. If you do want to apply for FEMA assistance after stopping an application made in your name without your knowledge, the helpline will assist you in creating a new application. Scams FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) crews, housing inspectors and other officials are working in areas impacted by the hurricane. They carry official identification badges with photo IDs. FEMA and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) representatives never charge applicants for disaster assistance, inspections or help in filling out applications. Don't believe anyone who promises a disaster grant in return for payment. They don’t represent FEMA. Don't give your banking information to a person claiming to be a FEMA housing inspector. FEMA inspectors are never authorized to collect your personal financial information. How to Report Fraud If you believe you are the victim of fraud or a scam, report it immediately to your local police or sheriff's department or contact the Office of the Texas Attorney General Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-621-0508. If you suspect fraudulent activity involving FEMA, you can report it to the FEMA Fraud Branch at: [email protected], fax: (202) 212-4926 or write to: FEMA Fraud and Internal Investigation Division, 400 C Street SW Mail Stop 3005, Washington, DC 20472-3005. If you suspect identity theft, please visit Identity Theft | FTC Consumer Information or IdentityTheft.gov. To view an accessible video about fraud, visit: FEMA Accessible: Fraud FEMA (youtube.com) It is an HONOR to serve the 22nd Congressional District of Texas in Congress. For more information, please call or go online to visit us at nehls.house.gov. Want to Intern in My Fulshear District Office? My Fulshear District Office is currently seeking full-time and/or part-time interns. Current college students and recent high school and college graduates are welcome to apply. Intern responsibilities include answering and logging phone calls and assisting staff with special projects, casework, and administrative duties. The ideal candidate should be interested in public policy and government and willing to learn more about the legislative process to serve the folks of the 22nd Congressional District of Texas. Candidates with strong writing, communication, and interpersonal skills are encouraged to apply. For more information or to start the application process, please visit my website HERE. If you have any questions, please feel free to email one of my team members at [email protected]. Service Academy Nominations Are Now Open My office is now accepting Service Academy Nominations. One of the privileges of serving in the United States House of Representatives is the opportunity to nominate outstanding young people from the 22nd Congressional District of Texas to be considered for appointment to our nation’s service academies. Admission to a service academy is a two-tiered process. First, the candidate must meet the minimum standards set by the individual academy. Second, the candidate must complete the congressional application by October 11, 2024, to be considered for an interview in our office with the nomination review board. Please note, the ultimate selection of appointees rests solely with academy officials and is based on their competitive evaluation of all nominees. Please fill out the web form HERE to receive all of the application information. If you have any further questions, please email [email protected] or call my district office at (346) 762-6600. Congressional App Challenge Submissions Are Now Open I am pleased to announce that my office is hosting the 2024 Congressional App Challenge. The Congressional App Challenge is a competition designed to encourage student participation in computer science and coding. Students are encouraged to register online and submit their app by October 24, 2024. The Congressional App Challenge is open to all middle and high school students in the 22nd Congressional District of Texas. Students entering the competition must submit their app to CongressionalAppChallenge.us during the Competition Submission Period through Thursday, October 24, 2024, at 12 P.M. Eastern Time. The winner from the 22nd Congressional District, chosen by a panel of expert judges, will be featured on CongressionalAppChallenge.us. The winning app will also be eligible to be on display in the U.S. Capitol, honoring the winners from across the country. For more information, please visit the official Congressional App Challenge website email [email protected], or email my office at [email protected]. Do you support my bill, the Justice for Jocelyn Act?  YES 92.6% NO 7.4% 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 House GOP conducting oversight of the U.S. Secret Service? 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