Yesterday, the United States hit the debt limit of $31.4 trillion. After two years of reckless deficit spending, the Biden Administration is refusing to negotiate with Republicans to protect taxpayers and solve our nation’s debt crisis.

Democrats accelerated spending following the last massive debt limit increase: After passing the largest debt limit increase in American history, it took Democrats only a little over a year to max out the Federal Government’s credit card again.

Democrats outspent record high revenue: Despite record tax revenues from the Republican-passed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, federal spending has continued to balloon, increasing by $10 trillion over the last two years, a record for a new President.

There’s a bipartisan path forward: Instead of refusing to negotiate, Democrats need to join Republicans in crafting a plan that protects taxpayers. All eight major spending reforms since 1985 have been attached to debt ceiling legislation. 

Giving in to Democrats’ demand for a debt ceiling increase without implementing fiscal guardrails is neither reasonable nor responsible. Democrats and Republicans must seize this opportunity to rein-in our unsustainable spending and reorient our nation’s financial trajectory before it’s too late.

Let’s be clear – we will pay our debts and protect the good faith and credit of the United States, but we will not allow the profligate spending of politicians to bankrupt our country and destroy our children’s future. A debt crisis looms large over the horizon and, if we fail to confront it, our nation will reap the disastrous and irreparable consequences associated with it.

The right to life is the foundation upon which all other rights are built - that's why the tragedy of abortion is the greatest human rights issue of our day and why I'm proud to have earned an A+ rating on Susan B. Anthony List's pro-life scorecard.

Many conveniently forget that America's founding and its Constitution began with the Declaration of Independence, which adopted ancient principles in its opening paragraphs. The first of these confirms that sound government should be based on self-evident, obvious, rational, and morally sound truths and that their authenticity is beyond reasonable dispute. And that equal station of mankind here on earth is a cosmic reality, an obvious and inherent aspect of the law of nature and of nature's God, whose 5th commandment is clear: "Thou shall not kill."

Elected and appointed officials have an obligation to uphold the Constitution, but more importantly, as children of God, to do HIS will. Today, thousands stood for life in our nation's capital. House Republicans will continue to show the American people that this House majority will always be a voice for the most vulnerable among us.

Every unborn child is a precious human life. I will never stop defending the rights of the most vulnerable among us.

This week, I sent a letter to the Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative to highlight issues facing the Gulf Coast shrimping industry. Foreign shrimp imports, record-high gas prices, and labor shortages negatively impact our shrimpers, our ports, and our region's economy.

Since 2020, half-yearly shrimp imports are up 37.5 percent to an estimated 713 million pounds of shrimp. The value of these imports has increased by nearly 54 percent since 2020. Estimates for 2022 show that two billion pounds of shrimp may be imported this year, several million pounds over the total amount of all shrimp that Americans consume each year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates that 70 to 85 percent of seafood consumed in the United States is imported, with China, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Ecuador being the major exporters. This is not a new issue; in fact, it dates back to the early 2000s.

In November, my staff and I met with the shrimping community in Port Arthur. We listened to the issues that they were facing. With the high gas prices and labor shortages, many of our shrimpers can't compete with foreign competitors. We will continue to utilize every resource available to protect and expand the domestic production of foods that our citizens rely on. 

I attended the 2023 League City Chamber of Commerce Choice Awards to thank their outgoing board members and introduce their incoming board members. I presented certificates to Judge Branick, Ace Gladd & Mirror, and the SETX Patriot Guard for winning Nederland Chamber's Citizen, Business, and Service Organization of the year. I also visited with the new Texas Land Commissioner, Dawn Buckingham, in Angleton to discuss her plans for Texas.

• H.R. 356 - To require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a minimum number of oil and gas lease sales in certain areas, to prevent delays in oil and gas leasing, and for other purposes.
• H.R. 383 - To nullify the modifications made by the Food and Drug Administration in January 2023 to the risk evaluation and mitigation strategy for the abortion pill mifepristone, and for other purposes.
• H.R. 384 - To prohibit the use or declaration of a public health emergency with respect to abortion, and for other purposes.
• H.R. 385 - To ban the imposition of any State or local liability insurance, tax, or user fee requirement for firearm or ammunition ownership or commerce.

It is a privilege to represent our district in Congress.  While we’ve faced many challenges in recent years, through strength and prayer, we have persevered. 

Please know that we are always a resource for you.  Call or stop by any of the offices (YOUR offices, we work for you), whenever you need assistance or want to talk about an issue before Congress.

For assistance or more information, please call or go online to visit us at weber.house.gov.

God Bless you and God Bless Texas!