This year marks 125 years since oil was first struck at Spindletop, just outside Beaumont. On January 10, 1901, the Lucas Gusher came in at roughly 75,000 to 100,000 barrels of oil per day, at a time when total U.S. production was only about 170,000 barrels per day. The well flowed for nine days before it was brought under control, setting off one of the most significant industrial transformations in American history.

Within its first full year of production, Spindletop produced more than 17 million barrels of oil, accounting for the overwhelming majority of Texas oil output at the time and launching the Texas oil boom. Beaumont’s population surged from fewer than 10,000 residents in 1900 to more than 40,000 by 1903, as hundreds of drilling companies and thousands of workers moved into Southeast Texas. Today, Beaumont is a thriving city of approximately 115,000 people and part of a metropolitan area approaching 400,000 residents across Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange, still to this day shaped by energy and industry.

That early success laid the groundwork for the refining, petrochemical, pipeline, and port infrastructure that still defines this region. The Gulf Coast is home to some of the largest refining complexes in the nation, vast petrochemical facilities, and deepwater ports that move millions of barrels of crude and refined products per day. That infrastructure supports tens of thousands of jobs locally, contributes billions of dollars in economic activity statewide, and strengthens American energy security.

Spindletop proved a simple truth that still applies today. When America produces energy at home, we are stronger, more secure, and less dependent on hostile regimes. Southeast Texas has powered this country for more than a century, and we are not done yet.

Drill, baby, drill!

Since Nicolás Maduro’s regime turned Venezuela into a narco-state defined by cartel rule, economic collapse, and mass human suffering, more than 7 million Venezuelans have fled their homeland, one of the largest displacement crises in modern history. Prices spiraled out of control, food and medicine vanished, and basic services like electricity and water became luxuries. What was once one of South America’s wealthiest nations was hollowed out by socialism and authoritarianism. Under this chaos, Russia and China have used Venezuela as a trojan horse to extend influence in the Western Hemisphere, turning a once-neutral gateway into a geopolitical chessboard for hostile powers.

On January 3, 2026, U.S. forces executed Operation Absolute Resolve, capturing Maduro and his wife and bringing them into U.S. custody on drug trafficking and related charges. President Trump has repeatedly stated the United States will not allow hostile powers to challenge U.S. influence in our hemisphere, directly invoking principles rooted in America’s longstanding policy against external meddling.

This action follows a procedural framework rooted in longstanding U.S. legal and policy traditions. The 1823 Monroe Doctrine, has long been interpreted,  including through historical corollaries like the Olney interpretation, as establishing U.S. commitment to prevent foreign powers from dominating the Western Hemisphere.

Recent statements by Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlines a three-phase plan for Venezuela’s post-Maduro future: beginning with stabilization, moving into recovery where energy access is reestablished and economic order restored, and ultimately transitioning political authority back to the Venezuelan people. This procedural roadmap underscores that U.S. actions include governance considerations and economic transition planning, not abandonment to chaos.

Here’s what comes next:

• Maduro’s prosecution in U.S. courts continues as he awaits his next court date on March 17th, 2026.
• U.S. policy officials are engaging with interim authorities in Venezuela to restore stability and governance functions, not simply manage power vacuums.
• A structured transition framework aims to pave the way for Venezuelan self-determination with legitimate leadership chosen by the Venezuelan people.

This is the essence of America First in practice. The United States has both the authority and the obligation to prevent hostile regimes from destabilizing our hemisphere and exporting crime, drugs, and chaos into our communities. Russia and China saw an opportunity in Venezuela; America responded by enforcing the law, defending our hemisphere, and acting decisively in defense of U.S. security.

Across the country, investigators are uncovering large-scale fraud tied to taxpayer-funded programs, with losses reaching almost $10 billion. In Minnesota, weak oversight allowed public funds intended for childcare and nonprofit services to move with little accountability, leaving taxpayers on the hook and vulnerable families underserved.

Texas is taking a different approach. Under Governor Abbott, the state has ordered a statewide review of childcare funding to identify vulnerabilities, prevent fraud, and ensure taxpayer dollars are reaching the children and families they are meant to serve.

What a great start to 2026! So far, YOUR Texas 14th office has successfully returned $36,453.70 directly to constituents who were owed money from the federal government!

Team Weber stayed active throughout the district, attending and participating in community events across League City, Galveston, Orange, and Angleton. Staff represented the office at local Chamber coffees, mayoral breakfasts, drainage and infrastructure meetings, business ribbon cuttings, and luncheons.

These meetings also provided opportunities to share updates on upcoming Water Resources Development Act priorities, Community Project Funding, and infrastructure planning, helping local governments and organizations prepare for future federal opportunities.