This week, the West Texas community lost a legend, hero and friend: Coach Gary Gaines passed away at the age of 73. August 26, 2022 Honoring Coach Gaines This week, our West Texas community lost a legend, hero, and friend: Coach Gary Gaines passed away at the age of 73. Coach Gaines was nothing less than legendary. From playing football at Crane High School and as the quarterback at Angelo State University, to coaching high school and college football in Denver City, San Angelo, Abilene, Amarillo, Monahans, and of course at Odessa Permian, his footprints are all over West Texas. Coach Gaines’ career was so much more than an occupation, it was a calling. His legacy lives on through the tens of thousands of players, coaches, and fans whose lives he changed for the better. The lore and wonder surrounding Odessa Permian MOJO made Friday Night Football more than a sport—but a way of life. Thanks to Coach Gaines’ leadership, the legend of Friday Night Lights will continue to excite and unite our district with the spirit of high school football. I speak for the entire 11th District of Texas in saying “Thank You” to Coach Gaines for his incredible impact on our region and state. Please join me in praying for his family and loved ones as they grieve his loss. My office is compiling a memorial to celebrate Coach Gaines and commemorate his incredible impact across Texas. If you have a memory or story to share, please upload it to my website here. Facebook Censorship Exposed Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg admitted to podcast host Joe Rogan that Facebook censored the Hunter Biden laptop story, supposedly at the request of the FBI. Every single American should be alarmed, regardless of their political party. This is exactly why I worked to shut down the DHS “Disinformation” Board, introducing legislation in May that stopped the Democrats from their unconstitutional campaign to monitor our free speech. Washington bureaucrats and Big Tech giants can not be allowed to serve as the arbiters of truth. Free speech matters. I will never stop defending it. President Biden Transfers Student Loan Debt to Taxpayers President Biden announced his unconstitutional plan to transfer at least $300 Billion dollars of student loan debt to American taxpayers. Make no mistake, these loans are not forgiven—they will be paid for by hard-working Americans. President Biden wants blue-collar workers in West Texas to pay off the debts of New Yorkers who make six-figure salaries. This move is a slap in the face of every student and family who budgeted, saved, chose an affordable university, deferred their education, and/or worked through college. President Biden's attempt to spend his way out of his self-made economic disaster will only push our economy further into ruin. Dr. Fauci Announces Retirement This week, Dr. Anthony Fauci announced that he will be retiring from leadership positions at the White House and the National Institute of Health by the end of the year—conveniently right before Republicans are expected to take the majority in the House of Representatives. Regardless, his retirement will not save him from answering to the American people. Americans deserve answers for Dr. Fauci’s misconstrued data on COVID-19 and its origins that needlessly kept kids out of school and forced businesses to shut down. Dr. Fauci must testify under oath to Congress on the federal government’s failed COVID-19 response under his leadership. Republicans in Congress will work to restore transparency and accountability. West Texas Food Bank This week I had a very powerful meeting with leaders of the West Texas Food Bank (WTFB) and Central Texas Food Bank to discuss food insecurity facing rural communities, servicemen and veterans, and so many others. Inflation has driven up food and fuel costs and increased demand for their services, and supply chain issues have crippled our national food supply. We need to tackle these very serious issues facing our country. Thank you to these leaders for all the work they do to feed our entire region. The food distribution network and volunteer services they organize are quite literally saving lives. I will continue championing efforts in Congress to support a secure and sound food system. The Morning Drive Thank you to Kris Moore and Spencer Bennett on KCRS 550am in Midland/Odessa for hosting me live in the studio for The Morning Drive this week! These fantastic radio hosts keep West Texas up to date on all the important news we need to know at the local and national levels. It was an honor to join the conversation. Happy Birthday to Our Local Hero It was an honor to congratulate Mr. Albert Fino on his 100th Birthday and present him with a challenge coin and a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol! We are so lucky to be able to learn from the Greatest Generation—heroes like Mr. Fino who we can learn so much from. His wisdom and wit are unmatched. Thank you to all of our veterans who have served our country with pride. We are proud to have you as a part of our community. May God bless you! Interview with NewsWest 9 It was wonderful to join Krista Escamilla with NewsWest 9 live in the Midland studio this week discussing the cybersecurity event I hosted in Midland, the incredible legacy of Coach Gary Gaines, and the 52 town halls I have held across the district. Whether I'm discussing local news or at a town hall hearing from you, I am continuously reminded of how deep our community roots run. We are blessed with such a tight-knit district that is built on Texas values and a love of God, family, and country. Watch our conversation by clicking here or below. 19th Amendment Anniversary Today we celebrate the 102nd Anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. America is stronger with the input and leadership of women at all levels of the government and in our workforce. Our district is home to incredible, hard-working women who are making a difference every day in our government, the oil business, agriculture, education, and more. Let's recognize and celebrate the diligent women of the suffrage movement who succeeded 102 years ago to ensure equality for women like my wife Camille and our three daughters today! Fly into Fall at Midland Airpark! Saturday morning at Midland Airpark, I will be joining the City of Midland and Midland Athletic Company as a Co-Grand Marshal for the Fly into Fall event! This is a family-friendly event with fun for all ages! The 5K and 1-mile race start at 8:00 am, with the event running until 1:30 pm, with food trucks, face-painting, aircraft and helicopters, airport fire trucks, classic cars, flight simulators, drone obstacle courses, and more. I hope to see you there for our celebration of aviation and community! Learn more about this free event here or by clicking below. Upcoming Mason Town Hall! This upcoming Tuesday, August 30th, I am hosting a Town Hall meeting in Mason at 10:30 am at the M. Beven Eckert Memorial Library. I depend on Town Hall meetings to communicate what’s going on in Washington and what I’m working on, but more importantly to hear from you. Town Halls allow me to hear the pulse of the district: what folks are engaged with, what you want to learn more about, and what ideas you have. All members of the public and press are welcome. I hope to see you there! Want to read our Newsletter in Spanish? Sign up below! ¿Quieres leer nuestro Boletín en español? Regístrate aquí para el Boletín en español Thank you for reading. It is the honor of my lifetime to serve you in Congress. Please follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for daily updates. Rep. August Pfluger Member of Congress ‌ ‌ ‌ Rep. Pfluger | 1531 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]