On Wednesday, the House reconvened to vote on the Senate Amendment to H.R. 5371, the Senate spending bill that contains a resolution to fund the government until January, and some parts of the government for a full year.  As discussed more below, because the bill fails to meet the needs of the American people and because it includes obscene payments to Senators, I voted against it.

The federal government shutdown has been painful for families across our community and our country.  That is why I have returned to Washington repeatedly to work with my colleagues in the House to reopen the government and pass a funding bill that meets the needs of the American people and addresses the health care crisis that has resulted from policy decisions this Congress has made.  I wish such a bill was before the House this week.  It could have been.  But it was not. 

The bill presented to the House does bring an end to the shutdown, which I support, but it does nothing to address the health care crisis people in our district are experiencing, it includes no input from House Democrats on short- or long-term funding provisions for three major appropriations bills, and it contains provisions guaranteeing eight Republican Senators at least one million dollars each because their phone records were subpoenaed in connection with the investigation of the January 6 insurrection.  I could not vote for those provisions or endorse a sham of a process for funding the government.

Congressional Republicans presented the House and the American people with a false choice.  Accept the corruption and costs of this Senate bill as is, or accept the cruelty and chaos that the Trump Administration has brought to this government shutdown, taking unprecedented actions from firing federal workers to refusing to spend food assistance funds Congress provided for hungry Americans.  Those were not the only options, and for the 43 days of the shutdown and the 55 days since the House last met, I was there, as were my colleagues, to work out a better deal.  But House Republicans refused to meet with Democrats at all. 

It doesn’t have to be this way.  I co-sponsored several amendments to this bill, including amendments to ensure uninterrupted benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), strike the provision providing million-dollar payouts to Republican Senators, terminate President Trump’s $40 billion bailout for Argentina and use the funding to extend the Affordable Care Act’s tax credits through 2027, and restore funding for the Toxic Exposures Fund.  House Republicans rejected the inclusion of each of these provisions.

Importantly, throughout this year, President Trump has failed to execute the laws Congress has passed directing spending, canceling federal funding for programs Congress created that communities across the country rely on—from medical research to delivering food to those in need.  While the power of the purse belongs to Congress, this bill fails to require the Trump Administration to spend federal funds as Congress has directed, an affront to our community and our Constitution.

House Republicans rejected all amendments to the bill to address these issues and more, refusing even to bring them to the floor for a vote.  They have not merely failed in the work to find bipartisan agreement where possible—they have refused even to try.  People in Texas’ Seventh Congressional District and across this country deserve better.

While I voted no, the bill passed by a vote of 222 to 209.  As a reminder, you can always find a list of all of the votes I have taken for the district on my website.

With the House back in session, there is a lot to do this month and a lot on everyone’s minds, including the continuing effort to secure the release of the Epstein files.

The Epstein Files.  In recent months, people in Washington and across the country have talked about the Trump administration’s failure to release information about the sex-trafficking investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.  President Trump campaigned on a promise to release them, but has refused to do so.  This week, the House Oversight Committee released several documents linking Epstein to President Trump.

As I have written to you about previously, Representatives Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) are leading an effort to force the Justice Department to release information about its investigation into Epstein, which, unlike the documents already subpoenaed by the House Oversight Committee, requires the release of the complete files and sets a deadline for doing so.  In September, they filed a “discharge petition,” a legislative tool in the House that allows a majority of members (218) to force a bill to the floor for a vote by the full chamber, even if the Speaker of the House opposes it.  I signed this petition back in September.  This week, after Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07) was sworn in following a special election, the petition got its 218 required signatures.  Speaker Johnson is now required to bring this bill to the floor for a vote, which he has promised to do next week. 

This effort is about providing transparency, accountability, and justice for the survivors.  Finding justice for the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein is essential not only for their healing but for restoring public trust in institutions that failed to protect them and preventing such abuses from happening again.

Health Care.  As I have written in recent weeks, since 2021, people who purchase health insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace–the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchanges–have benefited from a Premium Tax Credit (PTC).  The PTC is set to expire on December 31, 2025, unless Congress acts.  If the PTC expires, ACA beneficiaries could see their monthly premiums more than double next year.  In Texas, it is estimated that health care premiums will increase by 289 percent for people who currently rely on the PTC.  That is 125,000 people in our district alone who rely on the Affordable Care Act’s PTC.  This failure to extend will means that everyone is likely to see their health insurance costs increase.  I joined my colleagues in the House Democratic Caucus this week on the steps of the Capitol for a press conference announcing our efforts to continue the fight for access to health care, including a new discharge petition on the ACA tax credits.

On Wednesday, our Texas Democratic Delegation sent a letter to Texas Governor Greg Abbott asking him to set the date for the runoff for Texas’ 18th Congressional District as soon as possible, as he is required to do.  For more than 250 days, our next-door neighbors in TX-18 have gone without representation in Congress.  All Texans and all Americans deserve representation in our government.  This is a bedrock principle of our democracy.  I was glad to join my Democratic colleagues in working to ensure that this seat is filled as soon as possible.  To read the full text of the letter, click here.

This week, and in recent weeks, I cosponsored several pieces of legislation on issues important to our community, including:

• the Feed Our Families Act, H.R. 2016, to ensure that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program beneficiaries can continue to access their benefits for up to three months after a government shutdown;
• the Protecting Free Vaccines Act, H.R. 5448, to require private insurance companies, Medicaid, and Medicare to continue covering vaccines that were recommended by the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) as of October 2024;
• the American Energy Independence and Affordability Act, H.R. 5862, to restore and extend certain clean energy tax credits and incentives that were included in the Inflation Reduction Act;
• the Safe Step Act, H.R. 5509, to require group health plans to provide a robust exception process for a patient or physician to request an exception to a step therapy protocol;
• the Restoring Access to Detainees Act, H.R. 5941, to ensure legal protections for detainees, including the right to legal counsel while in custody and the right to call their families if they are transferred to a new facility;
• a resolution honoring the heroic military service, sacrifices, and contributions of veterans from the great State of Texas, H. Res. 863; and
• a resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services relating to “Patient Protections and Affordable Care Act (ACA); Marketplace Integrity and Affordability, “ H.J.Res. 123, which makes it more difficult for individuals to enroll in ACA plans and raises health care costs for these people.

I also joined my colleagues in sending some other letters, including:

• a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging the State Department to support humanitarian aid to Gaza and requesting clarity on how the State Department will ensure sufficient aid is allowed into Gaza, how they will collaborate with reputable international institutions to deliver aid, and how they will ensure civilians in Gaza can safely access this aid;
• a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins expressing strong concern over the administration's recent actions to expand imports of Argentinian beef and urging them to prioritize sound market policy and boost domestic production, rather than implement short-sighted, politically motivated decisions that undercut U.S. farmers and ranchers; and
• a letter to Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons expressing concern regarding the failure of ICE and DHS immigration enforcement officers to promptly identify themselves during arrests, and urging DHS and ICE to take immediate action to ensure compliance with federal regulations.

I was glad to be home over the weekend and early this week to visit with people across our community at all kinds of places.  One highlight was the opportunity to attend the African American Heritage Monument and Park dedication ceremony at Bates Allen Park in Fort Bend.  It was so inspiring and important to witness the history in our state, especially now, and to be present with community members and leaders who are committed to preserving and telling this history, including current elected officials as well as my former colleague Congressman Pete Olson.

Another important happening: Delivering Winter Wishes to seniors in our district.  Once again, I am collecting greeting cards to share with senior citizens in TX-07 this holiday season.  My team is working with elementary schools throughout the district, and we welcome anyone of any age who would like to participate to sign up by clicking here or on the graphic below.

Next week, the House will be back in session for a very full week.  As always, I will keep you updated on the week’s developments.

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,