Washington, D.C. - After a productive district work period last month, I returned to Washington this week to continue advocating for Texas-24.

On Monday, I met with the new CEO of American Airlines, Robert Isom, to discuss their economic impact in North Texas and hear about his plans for future growth.

Tuesday began with our Small Business Committee markup focused on slashing the $1.7 trillion in regulatory costs imposed on our small businesses by the Biden-Harris Administration. In response to the feedback of North Texas small business owners, I voted to advance seven bills that will ease these burdens.

After, I met with T-Mobile to learn more about their presence in Texas-24 and heard about their tax priorities going into 2025 as I work to support connectivity and jobs in our community.

Later that day, I enjoyed meeting with Texans from the American Academy of Dermatology, including their President and Texas-24 resident, Dr. Desai. We discussed ways to better support both patients and providers by revising Medicare policies that make it more difficult for doctors to provide high-quality care to vulnerable populations. 

Finally, I stopped by the Supply Chain Summit to visit with North Texans who were in town meeting with fellow industry leaders to discuss strategies that ensure global supply chain resilience.

This week we somberly observed the 23rd anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks that killed thousands of innocent Americans. We will never forget the heroes of Flight 93, the bravery of our first responders, and the compassion and courage of those who stepped up to help their fellow man.

On Wednesday morning, I joined my Ways and Means colleagues to advance bills that will strengthen our workforce, support school choice, push back against IRS intrusion, prevent tax penalties on Americans held hostage, and more. You can read more about the Saving Gig Economy Taxpayers Act, which I cosponsored, in my Work of the Week section!

I had a great meeting with Zocdoc afterwards to discuss H.R. 7292, the Health ACCESS Act, which modernizes digital health platforms to make it easier for patients to search for and book health care appointments. I was glad to cosponsor this bill which will improve access to care for thousands of Americans. 

Later, I appreciated meeting with North Texans in town with Encompass Health, the nation's largest system of inpatient rehabilitation facilities. We discussed solutions to remove burdensome red tape so providers can focus on caring for patients.

As you may know, I serve as Co-Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Franchise Caucus. This week, I met with Texas-24 franchise business owners to discuss their tax priorities to ensure our local franchise small businesses can continue to thrive in our community.

After, I met with Texas college students and Colby Ferguson, Executive Director of the Texas Pork Producers Association, the second oldest livestock organization in the Lone Star State. We discussed their work supporting our state's pork industry, as well as tax and trade policies affecting their supply chains.

Wednesday evening, my colleagues and I observed a moment of silence on the House Floor to honor Dallas Police Officer Darron Burks. In a disturbing act of violence, Officer Burks was executed while sitting in his patrol car. End of watch: 08/29/2024.

Thursday morning, I met with healthcare leaders to discuss the health crisis facing young adults in the U.S. and how we can better support the mental and physical well-being of our youngest generation.

On the House floor throughout the week, I voted to pass 25 bills to combat threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party, including by securing U.S. supply chains, protecting American tech from theft, defending our agricultural lands from CCP ownership, reversing policies that subsidize China's electric vehicles, and keeping the CCP's influence out of American schools. We're continuing to push back on Biden-Harris Administration policies that have left us vulnerable to hostile foreign governments.

Last Congress, Democrats passed a law that allows the IRS to further intrude on our financial transactions while raising taxes on tens of millions of Americans, including those making less than $200K. This week, we passed the Saving Gig Economy Taxpayers Act out of the Ways and Means committee to repeal this harmful policy.

This week’s Texas-24 Hometown Hero is Debbie Conard of Richardson, who has dedicated over 20 years to serving our community by volunteering with the Richardson Fire Department, Richardson Police Department, 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, and more. Thank you, Debbie, for your devotion to North Texas!

The deadline to apply for our Congressional Youth Advisory Council has been extended to Friday, September 20th! This unique leadership opportunity allows high school students to learn about the federal government and public policy through meetings with Congresswoman Van Duyne and civic participation. Learn more and apply by clicking here.

Applications for our office’s Congressional Veteran Commendations are now open! Through this program, we honor the distinguished veterans of Texas-24 and preserve their stories for future generations of Americans. Nominate a hero today.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your voice in Washington. To stay up to date on what's happening each week, follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Please do not hesitate to contact our office if we can ever be of service to you. 

Sincerely,

Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne (TX-24)