Email from Rep. Nehls Rep. Nehls Responds to President Trump's Joint Address   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. Chairman Troy E. Nehls Holds Hearing to Examine the Air Traffic Control System Infrastructure and Staffing As Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Aviation, I held an important hearing that examined our nation's air traffic control infrastructure and staffing. Sadly, the current state of our country’s air traffic control (ATC) system is unsustainable. I opened the hearing with a moment of silence to honor the lives lost due to the tragic plane crash on January 29, 2025, near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. It is no secret that our ATC system is antiquated. Stakeholders and officials have been ringing the alarm bells on this issue for decades. Members of Congress and aviation stakeholders have the opportunity to collaborate on improving and modernizing our ATC system, which will benefit the flying public and all users of the National Airspace System. Recently, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a report on the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) ATC system. The GAO's report emphasized the urgent need to modernize these outdated systems. Fifty-one of the FAA's 138 ATC systems were “unsustainable,” or roughly 37 percent of systems; 54 of the agency’s 138 ATC systems were “potentially unsustainable,” or roughly 39 percent systems; and of those 105 systems identified as “unsustainable” or “potentially unsustainable,” 58 have critical operational impacts on the safety and efficiency of the national airspace. For a country that considers itself the gold standard of aviation, these numbers are unacceptable. I am pleased that both President Donald J. Trump and Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary, Sean Duffy, have voiced their support for investments in air traffic control facilities and technologies. My subcommittee is dedicated to working to improve our nation's ATC system and staffing levels. You can watch my opening statement from the hearing HERE and my questioning of the witnesses HERE. Rep. Troy E. Nehls and MOH Recipient Earl Plumlee Join RSBN Ahead of President Trump's Joint Address of Congress This week, I hosted Master Sargeant Earl Plumee, one of 63 living Medal of Honor recipients, as my distinguished guest for President Donald J. Trump's historic Joint Address to Congress. Master Sargeant Plumlee was awarded the Medal of Honor for military valor during the War on Terrorism. Watch our interview ahead of President Trump's Joint Address to Congress HERE. Rep. Troy E. Nehls Responds to President Donald Trump's Joint Address to Congress On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, President Donald J. Trump gave his first Joint Address to Congress of his second administration. During his address, President Trump highlighted all of the wins he has delivered for the American people in less than two months, including securing our borders, protecting women's and girls' sports, and ending DEI, the efforts of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and his tariffs, which are a powerful and proven source of leverage for protecting the national interest of our great country. During the joint address, President Trump shared the spotlight with brave and patriotic individuals, including Houston's own DJ Daniel, a 13-year-old boy who has been battling cancer for most of his life. During the address, President Trump made him an honorary member of the United States Secret Service. One of President Trump's guests was Alexis Nungaray, the mother of 12-year-old Jocelyn, who was brutally murdered by two illegal aliens from Venezuela last year. I recently reintroduced the Justice for Jocelyn Act with Senator Ted Cruz, which would prevent tragedies like the brutal murder of Jocelyn by illegal aliens from ever happening again. To honor Jocelyn, President Trump signed an executive order renaming the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge the “Jocelyn Nungaray National Refuge.” During his address, President Trump spoke nothing but truth to the American people and viewers across the world during his Joint Address to Congress. President Trump is leaning forward in the saddle to Make America Great Again, and he made that clear in his speech. In Congress, I will do everything I can to support and advance President Trump’s bold vision for our country. Rep. Troy E. Nehls Attends House Judiciary Committee Markup This week, the House Judiciary Committee held a markup to advance several pieces of legislation, including H.R. 1789, the Promptly Ending Political Prosecutions and Executive Retalitaiton Act, H.R. 1526, the No Rogue Rulings Act, and H.R. 1702, the JUDGES Act. I am a proud cosponsor of H.R. 1702, the JUDGES Act. I joined my colleague, Representative Darrell Issa, in introducing this legislation last Congress. I was pleased when it passed both the House and Senate. Sadly, President Joe Biden vetoed this bill due to petty political reasons. This critical piece of legislation would help alleviate the massive case backlog that our nation's federal district courts are experiencing. Specifically, this legislation would alleviate the backlog that the Southern District of Texas is experiencing, which, as of June 2024, had a backlog of over 6,000 civil cases and nearly 9,000 criminal cases, by adding four additional judges to serve the district. I proudly support this legislation. Every American must have meaningful access to the courts, which is a fundamental right under the Constitution. You can watch my remarks on the JUDGES Act HERE on Rumble. Rep. Troy E. Nehls Questions Witnesses at House Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing on the Right to Self Defense This week, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance held a hearing titled "The Right to Self Defense" to examine an individual's right to self-defense, protected by the Second Amendment. During the hearing, I questioned the panel of witnesses about the effect of left-wing district attorneys (DAs) charging people with crimes for engaging in self-defense or defense of others. I specifically discussed Mr. Daniel Penny, who was charged by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg with manslaughter. As you may remember, Mr. Penny restrained Mr. Jordan Neely on the New York City subway after Mr. Neely continued to threaten both women and children on the train, which resulted in his death. A jury of his peers fully acquitted Mr. Penny, but the damage to Mr. Penny had already been done. His reputation and his name had been dragged through the mud by the mainstream media. In the hearing, I questioned a witness about how political prosecutions can deter people from coming to the defense of others and how it could put vulnerable populations at risk. Sadly, due to the fear of political prosecution, no one wants to be a "Good Samaritan" anymore. Further, in the hearing, I questioned a witness about the lack of uniformity of state laws that have the potential to degrade one's inalienable right to self-defense. In Congress, I will always fight to protect and defend the Second Amendment. Watch my remarks from the hearing HERE. Rep. Troy E. Nehls Votes "YES" to Pass Pieces of Legislation to Provide Regulatory Relief, Energy Independence, and Lower Prices This week, I voted “YES” to pass several pieces of legislation, including H.J. Res 42, H.J. Res 61, and S.J. Res 11. H.J. Res 42 would reverse a rule that was implemented by the Biden Administration’s Department of Energy (DOE), which mandates stricter energy conservation standards for certain consumer products and commercial equipment. This rule increases consumer costs and burdens manufacturers and small businesses with costly appliance requirements and additional certification and enforcement provisions. By passing H.J.Res.42, House Republicans are making appliances and energy prices more affordable for hardworking American families. H.J. Res 61 would put a stop to the Biden EPA’s rule on National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP), which puts strict emission limits on rubber tire manufacturers. This regulation threatens American jobs with overreach that makes it harder for domestic manufacturers to succeed. With the passage of this legislation, my House Republican colleagues and I are taking action to protect jobs, lower costs, and keep American industries competitive. Another piece of legislation I proudly voted “YES” to pass is S.J. Res 11, which would eliminate Biden’s restrictive BOEM rule on oil and gas exploration. By requiring excessive archaeological reports, this rule restricts access for researchers and salvors, increases bureaucratic hurdles, and slows down scientific development. I will continue to work with my House Republican colleagues to deliver regulatory relief, energy independence, and lower prices. We will continue fighting to keep America competitive and strong. Rep. Troy E. Nehls Joins the Chris Salcedo Show Watch the interview HERE. Rep. Troy E. Nehls Introduces Resolution to Censure Rep. Al Green (D-TX-09) During President Donald J. Trump’s Joint Address to Congress, we witnessed Congressman Al Green’s (D-TX-09) disruptive and disorderly conduct, violating the decorum and order expected of Members of Congress. His actions brought shame on the great state of Texas. Following Congressman Green’s actions this week, I introduced a resolution to censure him for his behavior, which interrupted President Trump’s joint session of Congress. My resolution highlights that Congressman Green “willfully disrupted the joint session, remained defiant, and was subsequently removed by the House Sergeant at Arms from the chamber.” Congressman Green repeatedly disrupted President Trump’s address, even after Speaker Mike Johnson advised Members to maintain order. As a member of Congress, I will do everything I can to ensure that order, decorum, and the rules of the sacred House Chamber are upheld. The United States House of Representatives officially censured Congressman Green on Thursday, March 6, 2025. I proudly voted YES to censure him. You can read more about my resolution HERE. This Week in Texas' 22nd District Rep. Troy E. Nehls Announces 2025 Congressional Art Competition My office is now accepting Congressional Art Competition submissions through April 25, 2025, at 11:59 PM CST. 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 the winner will receive two plane tickets to our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C. The rules, regulations, application, and checklist can be found HERE on my website. The theme for 2025 is American Patriotism. The winner of this year’s Congressional Art Competition will be announced in early May 2025. If you have any questions, please email [email protected] or call my Fulshear District Office at (346) 762-6600. Rep. Troy E. Nehls' Fulshear District Office Hosts Service Academy Day My District Office is looking to host an Academy Day in the Spring of 2025. This event would allow all TX-22 to learn how to attend one of the United States Service Academies. 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 apply and meet the minimum standards set by the individual academy. Second, the candidate must complete the congressional application to be considered for an interview with the nomination review board in our office. Please note that the ultimate selection of appointees rests solely with academy officials and is based on their competitive evaluation of all nominees. In addition to staff from my office, representatives from all five academies (U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, and U.S. Coast Guard Academy) and current academy cadets and midshipmen will be on hand to answer questions. Students, parents, and educators will be able to hear from and meet with representatives on a one-on-one basis to become informed about the excellent opportunities associated with attending these premier educational institutions and the careers they generate. This forum is free; however, pre-registration is required and can be found on my website HERE. It will be held from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Saturday, May 31, 2025. If you have any questions, please email [email protected] or call my district office at (346) 762-660. Update on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) expects more than 40 million individual tax returns for the tax year 2024 to be filed ahead of the Tuesday, April 15 deadline. Taxpayers residing in a federally declared disaster area may have additional time to file and pay federal taxes. Get free help preparing and filing taxes electronically. Taxpayers can visit IRS.gov to get answers to tax questions. IRS.gov is the quickest way for taxpayers to get help. The Interactive Tax Assistant (ITA) is a tool that provides answers to several tax law questions specific to individual circumstances. Free tax filing options. The IRS offers free online and in-person tax preparation options for eligible taxpayers through IRS Free File, IRS Direct File and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly programs. Most refunds issued in less than 21 days: EITC refunds for many available by March 3. The easiest way to check a refund's status is by using “Where's My Refund?” on IRS.gov or the IRS2Go app. The IRS asks that we allow returns to process for 10 weeks and amendments to process for 20 weeks. If you are outside of that timeframe, my staff is happy to help. Report taxable income; don’t file before receiving key documents. People should report all taxable income on their tax return and wait to file until they receive all of their income and informational documents. Choose a trusted tax professional. Taxpayers should review the tips for choosing a tax preparer and learn how to avoid unethical “ghost” return preparers who don’t sign or include a valid preparer tax identification number (PTIN) on every tax return they prepare. Be aware of tax scams. Be aware of scammers, who can become more active during tax season. They will attempt to mislead people about tax refunds, credits and payments. Know the signs of ID Theft. Check out the latest consumer alerts and read more about the most recent tax related scams identified by the IRS. More help is now available. The IRS also provides taxpayers help in-person at Taxpayer Assistance Centers nationwide. Some improvements taxpayers will see during the 2025 filing season are: IRS Individual Online Account. Individuals can create or access their IRS Online Account at Online account for individuals. New scam alert. There’s a new banner on the Online Account homepage that alerts taxpayers of potential scams and schemes, along with a link to their Digital Notices and Letters page to view correspondence from the IRS. Redesigned notices. The IRS redesigned 200 notices and an additional 84 redesigned notices are in line to be deployed in 2025. Mobile-adaptive tax forms. Taxpayers can now access 67 forms on cell phones and tablets. Virtual assistants to help with refunds and other questions. The IRS will offer voicebot services to all taxpayers calling the IRS for refund information. The voicebot is available in English and Spanish.  We can also help with general IRS questions or any other issues you may have with the agency. We will need a privacy release form filled out by the filers. The release form can be found HERE. Please contact my district office at 346-762-6600 if you have any questions. Do you plan to watch President Trump's Joint Address to Congress?  YES 76.9% NO 23.1% 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 censure of Rep. Al Green? Let me know below Yes No 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 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice