Email from Rep. Nehls Rep. Nehls Honors Fallen Brazoria County Sheriff's Deputy   Greetings! I wanted to take a moment to share with you a recap of what happened last week in Texas' 22nd District and the United States House of Representatives. This Week in Washington, D.C. Rep. Troy E. Nehls Named Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation I'm honored to announce that I have been named Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation. The Subcommittee on Aviation is responsible for overseeing civil aviation matters, including safety, infrastructure, labor, commerce, and international issues. The Subcommittee oversees all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) programs except for research initiatives. Traditionally, the Aviation Subcommittee is the lead subcommittee with jurisdiction over the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Essential Air Service program, the National Mediation Board (NMB), and passenger and cargo commercial space transportation also fall within the purview of the Subcommittee on Aviation. As Chairman, I will ensure the FAA implements the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 effectively and efficiently and dig deeper into aviation issues. At such a critical time for our nation’s aviation industry, I look forward to working with Chairman Graves and my colleagues to advance policies that promote safety and improve efficiency within America’s aviation industry. Rep. Troy E. Nehls Introduces the Endowment Tax Fairness Act of 2025 This week, I introduced the Endowment Tax Fairness Act, a bill that would raise the excise tax levied on certain private university endowment profits from 1.4% to 21%, in line with the corporate tax rate. Prior to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017, net investment earnings on endowments of private colleges and universities were not taxed. Upon the enactment of the TCJA of 2017, an excise tax was levied on annual private university endowment profits at a rate of 1.4%. As of Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, endowments subject to the tax hold a combined $270 billion of assets under management and include Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, Washington University, Duke University, and Vanderbilt University. Elite private universities have accumulated and sit on massive university endowments and pay a tax of less than 2% on the investment earnings of their endowments, which is far lower than what most hardworking Americans pay in taxes. Meanwhile, these universities have significantly increased tuition on America's youth, which has overwhelmingly surpassed the average annual inflation rate. This is unacceptable. My bill would put elite universities with massive endowments on notice by holding them to the same tax standards as corporations. Read the Fox News exclusive HERE. Rep. Troy E. Nehls and Senator Ted Cruz Reintroduce the Justice for Jocelyn Act This week, I reintroduced the bicameral Justice for Jocelyn Act alongside Senator Ted Cruz. This legislation would improve the detention and tracking of illegal aliens entering the United States. Senator Ted Cruz and I first introduced the bicameral bill in July 2024. On June 17, 2024, Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old girl from Houston, Texas, was brutally assaulted and murdered by two illegal aliens from Venezuela. Both illegal aliens were enrolled in the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHA) Alternative to Detention (ATD) program, meaning they were released into the interior of the United States despite Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention beds being available. One of the suspects was wearing an ICE GPS monitor at the time of Jocelyn’s assault and murder. The Justice for Jocelyn Act would require the DHS secretary to exhaust all reasonable efforts to keep an alien in custody. If the DHS Secretary releases an alien under ATD, the alien would be subject to GPS monitoring for the entire duration of their immigration proceedings, including appeals, or until their removal. Additionally, this legislation would remove illegal aliens who fail to comply with their release order. The Venezuelan illegal aliens who murdered 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray should have never been released into our country. I'm proud to reintroduce this bill alongside Senator Cruz to ensure tragedies like the death of Jocelyn never happen again. Congress must put the safety of the American people first by swiftly passing this legislation and getting it to President Donald J. Trump's desk as soon as possible. Read more about the bill HERE. Rep. Troy E. Nehls Questions Witnesses at House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Hearing The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee held its first hearing of the 119th Congress. The hearing titled "America Builds: The State of the Nation's Transportation System" examined the current state of our nation's transportation system, investments in our country's infrastructure, and challenges facing the supply chain. Due to President Joe Biden and his administration's lack of leadership, we have seen record-high inflation, increased costs for construction materials, and sky-high fuel prices. On top of this, many companies, including construction companies, are experiencing worker shortages. During the hearing, I questioned Mr. Seth Schulgen, the Vice President of Williams Brothers Construction Company, about the worker shortage and asked him how Congress could help address the worker shortage. I asked Mr. Schulgen about his company's Employee Stock Ownership Program, which can help attract and retain employees. Further, during the hearing, I asked Mr. Schulgen how E-verify affects companies' ability to hire more employees. To watch my questioning of the witnesses, please click HERE. Rep. Troy E. Nehls Votes "YES" to Pass the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025 The United States House of Representatives advanced the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025. I proudly voted “YES” to pass this legislation. The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025 would prevent schools from allowing biological males to compete in school athletic programs for women or girls. The bill states that sex in an athletic competition must be defined by genetics at birth. Further, it would withhold federal funding from schools that facilitate athletic programs where biological men compete against biological women. As a father of three daughters, I know firsthand how hard female athletes train to achieve their goals and dreams. It’s common sense: men do not belong in women’s sports. I proudly stand with my House Republican colleagues in defending and protecting female athletics. Rep. Troy E. Nehls Votes "YES" to Pass the Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’s failed border policies have invited criminal illegal aliens from all over the world to invade our country. As of July 21, 2024, over 662,000 noncitizens were on the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) national non-detained docket, meaning they are free to roam in our states, cities, and communities. This is unacceptable. This week, the United States House of Representatives passed the Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act, which closes a loophole in immigration law by adding inadmissibility for specific domestic violence-related offenses. I am a proud original cosponsor of this legislation and proudly voted “YES” for its passage. Rep. Troy E. Nehls Honors Fallen Brazoria County Sheriff's Deputy on the House Floor I was joined by members of the Texas delegation in honoring Brazoria County Sheriff's Deputy Jesus Jesse Vargas, who was shot and killed in the line of duty while working as a member of the U.S. Marshal’s Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force, serving a warrant to a repeat offender. Deputy Vargas was a proud husband and father of three school-aged children. He was a dedicated public servant who was with the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office for 17 years. As a former law enforcement officer and Sheriff of Fort Bend County, Texas, I know all too well the sacrifices our nation's law enforcement officers make. Deputy Vargas was a hero to Brazoria County, the great state of Texas, and our entire nation. My prayers are with the Vargas family, Brazoria County Bo Stallman, the entire Brazoria County Sheriff's Office, community, and every man and woman in blue. The war on our law enforcement must end. I will always back the blue. Watch my remarks on the House Floor HERE. Do you support renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America?  YES 46.4% NO 53.6% 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. 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