January 13th

Fireside Sessions

118th Congress Sworn In

Last week's Speaker Race ended early in the morning on Saturday, January 7. Immediately afterward, I and all other members-elect were sworn into office, which officially kicked off the 118th Congress. On Monday the first piece of legislation up for a vote, the 118th Rules Package, was passed without a hitch. Now, Republicans will begin the hard work to restore a strained America after two years of Democrat rule in Congress, and one party rule in Washington.

If you wish to hear more of my thoughts on the Speaker's Race, check out the links below. 

How Congressman Sessions is Making Sense of Last Week's Speaker Race

Republicans Get to Work

The first week of the 118th Congress was particularly successful for myself and fellow Republicans. Throughout the week, we passed numerous pieces of legislation that will deliver on many of the promises our party made to the American people. 

Our first major bill was H.R.23- the Family and Small Business Taxpayer Protection Act, which repeals all funding for the Internal Revenue Service Agency’s (IRS) new 87,000 agents. The Democrats attempted to supercharge the IRS with a massive infusion of taxpayer dollars that would have resulted in 1.2 MILLION more audits, which would have disproportionally burdened taxpayers who make less than $75,000 annually. For years the left has attempted to use the agency and tax code as political weapons. 

I was an original co-sponsor of this piece of legislation. The Family and Small Business Taxpayer Protection Act is the first step House Republicans and I have taken to push back against leftist overreach. Now, the Senate will need to vote on it to pass Congress. 

The second bill our party passed to combat those who do not have America's best interest was H.Res.11- Establishing the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. This select committee will provide imperative policy recommendations on how the United States can win the economic and technological competition with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). 

The CCP is a vicious regime fueling our nationwide fentanyl crisis, acquiring vast sums of our nation’s agricultural land, propagating authoritarian propaganda within universities, stealing American citizens’ intellectual property, and more. We need to seriously confront the threat China poses, and the new Republican-led select committee will do just that. Their discoveries and solutions will likely become the foundation of our policies and provide direction in combating Xi Jinping and his hostile regime. 

I was also an original co-sponsor of H.R. 26- The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.

I have always emphasized the sanctity of human life and will never stop defending the rights of the most vulnerable among us. Although frankly, this bill should be undisputedly supported by all Americans. This legislation requires necessary medical care for children who survive abortion procedures and imposes criminal penalties for failure to provide such care. Additionally, the bill protects women upon whom abortions have been performed from prosecution. 

My Republican colleagues and I have successfully passed major legislation this week in the House and delivered for the American people. Now, it is up to the Senate to carry each bill through the finish line. I am confident every piece of legislation has the majority of support from the American people and should have the ability to pass Congress.

Keep the Nine 

Click the button above to watch the speech I gave during the Keep the Nine press conference this week.

Recent years have brought more calls from leftists to pack or expand the Court. This is a terrible idea. As defenders of the Constitution, the Supreme Court’s check on the Executive and Legislative branches is essential to keeping our government free and fair. Turning the Supreme Court into a political football will erode public trust in our institutions and nullify intentions set by our Founding Fathers. Capping the Supreme Court at nine Justices will protect the integrity of the Supreme Court. 

This resolution has resounding support across America, including our Texas 17th Congressional District. The National Federation of Republican Women, which has numerous chapters across our district, is one of the most ardent public supporters of Keep the Nine. Their President, Eileen Sobjack, stated, "No Party should be allowed to tip the balance of power to its advantage by increasing the size of the U.S. Supreme Court." I couldn't agree more with her words, and I believe the vast majority of Americans do too. I am a proud supporter of this legislation.

Baylor Bears in Washington 

Finally, I was delighted to speak with Baylor in Washington and a group of seminary students with Baylor's Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty this week. Meeting with students from our local communities continues to be one of my favorite parts of working in Congress. The individuals who come to my office tend to be outstanding amongst their peers, in which both groups this week were no exception.


Each person held a keen interest in public policy and its impact on society. No matter what issue area, public policy plays an integral role in loving our neighbor. They are being trained as policy experts and I have full confidence their knowledge will ultimately serve Baylor, the state of Texas, and our great country.

I hope everyone enjoyed their visit to our nation's capital. I look forward to meeting more groups of students from Central and East Texas here in Washington and at home.

GO BEARS!

Sincerely,

Pete Sessions

Member of Congress