Washington Week Wrap Up

Dear Neighbor,

I returned to Washington this week, and I am sorry to report that not much happened there. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has cancelled planned votes in the House again this week, saying that the House will simply wait on the Senate to pass a spending bill before bringing the House back into session. Of course, there is plenty of work that the House can and should be doing—starting with working on those appropriations bills that need to get done. Or, swearing in our newly elected member from Arizona. Still, our team and I worked again this week to move our community and country forward; here is the report for this week.

Government Shutdown. Ten days have passed since the government funding expired and the government shut down. Throughout the week, while the House was out of session, the Senate considered government funding proposals from both Republicans and Democrats, but neither bill met the 60-vote threshold required to pass the Senate.

Along with many of my House Democratic colleagues, I returned to Washington this week ready, willing, and able to meet anywhere, anytime to help bring about a government funding agreement that meets the needs of the American people and addresses the health care crisis. I am sorry to report that Congress made no progress toward passing the legislation it needs to pass to keep the government funded—neither the big annual funding bills nor a short-term fix while the annual funding bill is negotiated.

On Wednesday, the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee held a hearing on the government shutdown and the growing health care crisis. I testified before the committee and shared two letters I received, one from Texas Medical Center Institutions and one from the Greater Houston Partnership, outlining their concerns and the impact the expiration of the health care tax credits will have on people across our region. I was glad to have the opportunity to share this critical information with the committee. You can watch my remarks below.

Deployment of Texas National Guard. Another topic on the minds of many of us in Washington this week was President Trump’s effort to deploy the National Guard to Portland and Chicago and Governor Abbott’s support in sending the Texas National Guard. As you may have seen in the news, the governors of Oregon and Illinois objected to this deployment, and courts enjoined the deployments in multiple decisions this week.

The president does not have the authority to deploy the Texas National Guard to another state without the state’s consent, except in exceptional circumstances under the Insurrection Act, involving invasion, rebellion, or if 'the President is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.' There is simply no evidence that is the case now in Oregon, Illinois, or any state in the United States.

It is utterly inconsistent with the principles of freedom and self-determination that Texans celebrate for Governor Abbott to go along with the weaponization and attempted politicization of the Texas National Guard and United States military against our fellow Americans. I am deeply concerned about these developments, and I joined nine of my colleagues in the Texas congressional delegation in sending a letter to Governor Abbott expressing our concerns, which is discussed in more detail below.

Announcement of Israel/Hamas Agreement. And, of course, the news that Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of a deal to end the war in Gaza was welcome news to people in Washington, as it is for people across our community at home. It is an important step toward freeing hostages, saving lives, and delivering desperately needed aid to civilians in Gaza. This fragile but vital progress offers a moment of relief and a path forward. Much work remains to secure lasting peace and stability in the region, and we must continue to engage and support those goals.

So, what is this legislative impasse on ACA tax credits and how did we get here? When you buy health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), the government provides funding to lower the bill through a Premium Tax Credit (PTC). 93 percent of enrollees benefit from the PTC—that’s more than 22 million Americans.

The PTC is set to expire on December 31, 2025. And if it does, ACA beneficiaries could see their monthly premiums increase by hundreds—or thousands—of dollars. As we debated the Republican tax and spending bill earlier this summer, many of us asked them to extend these premium tax credits while they were extending—and making permanent—other tax credits. But, it didn’t happen. Now, with health care coverage renewal notices about to hit mailboxes, we cannot afford to wait to address this issue.

What this means for TX-07 families:

125,000 people in TX-07 will see their health care costs increase if Congressional Republicans let these critical tax credits expire.

For a 60-year-old couple earning $82,800 a year, premiums are estimated to rise on average by $15,652 (240%).
For a family of four earning $64,000 a year, premiums are estimated to rise on average by $2,571 (263%).
For a family of four earning $129,800 a year, premiums are estimated to rise on average by $7,720 (73%).
57,879 people in TX-07 will lose health coverage because of cuts to Medicaid (also known in Texas as STAR+PLUS) and attacks on the Affordable Care Act.

Last week, I joined Houston Matters to talk about these health care issues and the government shut down. I love listening to Houston Matters all the time, and I appreciated the chance to explain what is happening in detail. If you want to hear more on these issues, you can watch our discussion here or by clicking on the photo below

Do you think that Congress should renew the ACA Premium Tax Credits?

Yes

No

This week, I joined Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and eight other members of the Texas congressional delegation in a letter to Governor Abbott urging him to decline, withdraw, and refuse any cooperation or support for the deployment of the Texas National Guard to Portland, Oregon, Chicago, Illinois, or any other state for civilian or criminal law enforcement purposes. Our request is urgent, grounded in U.S. law, public safety, and our responsibility to the people of Texas. As we explained in our letter to the Governor, this deployment violates the rule of law, puts Texas National Guard servicemembers at risk, and sets a precedent that undermines the ability of Texas to resist a similar imposition by other states in the future. We shared our view that “Texans did not join the National Guard to be used as a political weapon aimed at fellow American citizens in another state. Our Guard members are citizen-soldiers who serve in disasters, defend our state, and serve overseas when required. Turning them into a domestic police force in another state – especially over that state’s objections – erodes public trust and undermines the Guard’s core mission.” You can read the full letter here.

Since I last wrote to you, I cosponsored several pieces of legislation on issues important to our community, including:

a bill to extend the National Flood Insurance Program through November 21, 2025, H.R. 5574, which expired on October 1, 2025 and has not been extended in light of the government shutdown;
the Fair Pay for Federal Contractors Act, H.R. 5657, to ensure that federal contract workers who face furlough during a government shutdown receive backpay, which is not guaranteed to them;
a resolution honoring the foundational principle of separation of church and state, H.Res. 773;
a resolution expressing condolences and support for the victims of the July 4 flooding in Texas, honoring acts of heroism, and committing to stand with those impacted by these floods, H.Res. 782; and
a resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to the authority of Congress and the States to regulate contributions and expenditures intended to affect elections and to enact public financing systems for political campaigns, H.J.Res.122.

I also joined my colleagues in sending the following letters:

a letter to Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought urging the Trump administration to halt any federal funding cuts that would further harm our nation’s research capabilities and reverse actions that have led to these cuts;
a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer urging the reversal of the Trump administration’s terminations of Temporary Protected Status that will impact the health care workforce and the quality and cost of Americans’ health care services;
a letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon opposing cuts to Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) and the administration’s attempt to put MSI’s against Historically Black Colleges & Universities and Tribal Colleges and Universities;
a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, and Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister Gideon Sa’ar expressing opposition to unilateral annexation of territory in the West Bank; and
a letter to Speaker Johnson calling on him to swear in Representative-elect Adelita Grijalava.

Amicus Alerts: I also joined my colleagues in filing an amicus brief in the Supreme Court of the United States in support of National TPS Alliance v. Noem, which challenges the Trump administration’s termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of immigrants.

Already, our team is seeing delays in raising and resolving constituent matters at key federal agencies. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) furloughed 50 percent of its employees and nearly all of its Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS). As a result, TAS has stopped processing constituent matters, meaning that TX-07 businesses and residents with pending cases will have to wait until after the shutdown ends to hear back regarding things like obtaining tax refunds and correcting processing errors. Customs and Border Protection has also stopped processing constituent matters, forcing residents to wait to have their travel issues resolved. The Small Business Administration is operating at very limited capacity, and also warns of delays in processing constituent matters, such as help navigating loan programs, including those geared toward helping businesses recover from hurricanes. It will take some time to assess the full extent of interruptions to constituent services, but my team is committed to keeping track and updating you as we learn more. Concerned about these developments, I joined Congressman Joseph Morelle (D-NY) and 21 of my Democratic colleagues in demanding the Trump administration take immediate action to restore the resolving of constituent matters that have been suspended because of the government shutdown.

Out team will continue to update the shutdown information page of my website with information about what you may expect and how the ongoing shutdown may impact you.

Our district team is still working for our district, and we will be here for you, as always. Please call my office at (713) 353-8680 or (202) 225-2571 or email here at any time to ask for assistance or share your thoughts on this or any other issue. In fact, our Constituent Advocates were out this week at the Bellaire City Library for Pop-Up Office Hours.

10.10 Constituent Services Pop-Up Team TX-07

During this government shutdown, our teams in Houston and in Washington continue to work for our district in all the ways we can. This week, while I was in D.C., Team TX-07 visited neighborhoods across our community—from Midtown to Montrose, Timbergrove to Telfair, West U to West End to Westchase, and many more—to celebrate Houston's National Night Out, an opportunity to get to know our neighbors and those who work to keep our communities safe.

And one final note, this last week has brought the end of an era. Since January 2019, our district has benefitted in ways too many to count from the steady guidance of our Chief of Staff, Sarah Feinmann. Sarah joined our office as the Chief of Staff for Texas’ Seventh Congressional District, and began serving her hometown and the people who live here enthusiastically and tirelessly as soon as I did. Sarah dedicated herself to building our team to serve the residents of our district at all times, and has done so during times of great challenge for the district and the country. Sarah led our office in efforts to ensure that our team is ready and able to do all we can in every possible circumstance, that our community’s priorities are reflected in our work, and that our work delivers meaningful progress for people at home and across the country. Sarah has been a partner and friend who has demonstrated her dedication to our district, to our staff, and to our country each day for nearly seven years. And she has made meaningful and lasting contributions that will continue to shape our office and our district in the years ahead. She and her family are beginning a new chapter “off the Hill,” and we will miss her, but I am grateful for all she has done in her seven years of service to TX07!

Speaker Johnson has announced that he has no plans to reconvene the House any time soon. But I’ll be in Washington next week, working with our team and working for you, ready and willing to help end the government shutdown and address the health care crisis.

As always, I am proud to represent you and I am here to help you. Please call my office at (713) 353-8680 or (202) 225-2571 or email here at any time to ask for assistance or share your thoughts. I look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes,