Dear Friend,

I appreciate your reading this weekly update and continue to encourage you to forward to your family and friends. As always if you need anything from my office, you can reach me via my Contact  page or by calling 202-225-5031. 

Legislation This Week in Washington

I have been working hard to secure our border and I am proud to share some of the work I have been a part of in Washington recently. In the last several days, I have introduced a bill, had a bill approved by the House by unanimous consent, and passed a bill out of committee. These pieces of legislation are important to securing our border and bettering communication between local officials and federal officials. Be sure to keep reading for all the work I have been doing in Washington.

This week the House passed my bipartisan PATHS Act (H.R. 9459) that would reauthorize the Department of Homeland Security’s latitude to contract with private companies and universities to ensure DHS has access to cutting-edge technology. Check out my floor speech here: 

As Vice Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, I was pleased to be chairing the Committee markup when we considered the Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act of 2024 (H.R. 5840), a bill to streamline security credentials for transportation workers like truck drivers. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this legislation, which would create efficiencies for our supply chain workers and maintain the integrity of the security assessment programs set up to protect our critical resources.

Today, the Committee on Homeland Security approved my bill, the Combatting International Drug Trafficking and Human Smuggling Partnership Act of 2024 (H.R. 7311). This legislation would enable Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations to partner with nations to help detect and prevent criminal activity before it reaches the United States. You can watch more about this bill here:

It is important to me that local communities are prepared to handle the influx of migrants coming across our Southern border. This is why I introduced the Early Migration Alert Program (EMAP) Act (H.R. 9653) to require Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to notify state and local law enforcement agencies and government authorities of an impending release of migrants into their jurisdictions. You can read more about my EMAP Act here.

Join the Congressional App Challenge

Middle and high school students are invited to participate in the 2024 Congressional App Challenge. I strongly encourage students of all skill levels to participate, enabling them to learn how to create their own apps. The winner from the Third Congressional District, chosen by expert judges, will be eligible for a display in the U.S. Capitol, honoring the winners from across the country. Students entering the competition must submit their app at https://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/ during the Competition Submission Period through October 24, 2024. For more information, please call my D.C. office at 202-225-5031.

Poll Results from Last Week

Last week, I asked you if you support local, small businesses and 98% of you said yes. Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X to stay up-to-date on my work serving you.

Weekly Poll

I ask. You answer.