More than just turning a page on a calendar, a new year offers a time to reflect.
Libby and I are grateful for our family, our friends, and the opportunity to continue joining neighbors in important endeavors. I will continue working with the same urgency and determination as if this year were my last, as it will be in public office. Assisted by a great team in both my Washington and Austin offices, I will continue to deliver the same responsive constituent services and regular updates throughout 2026.
NEXT STEPS
As the House reconvenes on Tuesday, my top priority remains pushing back against the wrongdoing of the Trump regime—soaring costs under his tariff taxes, obstruction of access to a doctor for millions, ripping families apart and snatching innocent people off the streets, engaging in unauthorized conflicts abroad, and so much more. Donald Trump represents the greatest threat to our democracy since the American Civil War.
NEW CHALLENGES
Gerrymandering congressional districts is only his first major step to manipulate the elections in November. More shenanigans are certain as he seeks continued Republican domination of the House to ensure his unrestrained, corrupt grasp on power. In celebrating our 250th anniversary this year, now is the time to protect our country from authoritarianism and to reflect on our history accurately, not as some would rewrite it.
This month, our most immediate challenges relate to how Republicans respond to a successful petition that should force a vote in a few days on making the Affordable Care Act more affordable, and whether they will once again shutdown our government when the Continuing Resolution to fund most federal operations expires on January 31. I will continue submitting new bills and amendments both not only to address ongoing concerns, but also to set a standard for some of the issues that a future Democratic Congress should address.
HOPE BUILDS
Hope remains. As reflected in numerous recent public opinion surveys, more and more Americans are recognizing Trump’s duplicity—recognizing that they are certainly not being enriched by one concerned so much with his own family’s enrichment. Trump cannot bluff his way out of the economic reality with which so many families are struggling. He isn’t just failing to lower costs—he’s raising them most everywhere. This recognition helped propel historic Democratic victories across the country, at every level of government, during 2025. Trump’s march to tyranny has also been slowed by some important court decisions, including a narrow U.S. Supreme Court ruling, which blocked his misuse of the military to invade Chicago—a part of his quest to use American cities as “training grounds” for future suppression.
I will continue to forcefully push back, using every strategic tool to build our numbers, secure judicial oversight, and protect our freedoms. Working together, we can eventually prevail.
It is an honor to represent you in Congress. Happy New Year, I look forward to your good counsel.
