The American people heard from President Biden on Tuesday evening for his State of the Union address to Congress. I sent out a poll to see if folks were planning to watch the State of the Union, and about 66% said they were not planning to watch the speech. I don't blame you. I sat in the House Chamber and watched as President Biden took a trip to fantasyland to show how disconnected he is from the reality lived by everyday Americans.

Instead of addressing the many crises facing Americans, like inflation, unaffordable energy, his border crisis, and his weakness against China, President Biden doubled down on his wish list for more radical spending and a socialist agenda. The Democrats' answers to every solution are more taxes, more government, and more spending that strips away our freedoms and burdens our children and grandchildren.

However, the American people spoke in November and elected a Republican majority to get the nation back on track. We rolled out our Commitment to America to lower inflation, secure our border, unleash American energy, combat crime, and restore Americans' freedoms. We will continue to fight for American families and pick up the pieces from the failures of this administration. House Republicans have already hit the ground running, fighting to fulfill our commitment to save America with our new House Majority.

Last week, U.S. officials acknowledged a Chinese spy balloon was spotted flying over Montana near a nuclear reactor site. The balloon first entered U.S. airspace over Alaska on January 28th. It left U.S. airspace on January 30th, but then re-entered U.S. airspace over Northern Idaho on January 31st. After traveling over a large portion of the continental United States, the Chinese spy balloon was shot down over the Atlantic Ocean, off the Carolina coast, and while still in U.S. airspace at approximately 2:39pmET by a single F-22 fighter jet firing a single AIM-9X air-to-air missile.

While the administration should have shot the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) balloon down days before it posed a national security threat, I am happy it is no longer in the sky. However, it not only threatened the privacy of every American, but it sent a powerfully dangerous message to the CCP and our other adversaries that this type of aggressive incursion is somehow acceptable. In other words, China now knows it can collect intel over America for days, and all it costs is a balloon. 

The United States must project strength to deter China – this failure is another example of weakness by the Biden administration. China is NOT our friend. 

On Friday, Senator Cruz and I sent a follow-up letter to the United States Postal Service (USPS) regarding ongoing postal theft. In November, we had written to senior officials demanding answers on the steps being taken to combat and address these crimes in Galveston. In response to the original letter, the Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations acknowledged an increase in postal theft in Galveston. The USPS has been collaborating with local police to identify the thieves and raise awareness to protect Texans from being a victim of postal crimes.

We asked the following questions: 

1. Please share any updates on the charges against postal employees that are being prosecuted in federal court.
2. How many postal thefts have been reported so far in the first half of FY23? 
3. What techniques are organized criminals utilizing to defraud constituents, and what actions has the USPS advised local law enforcement to take?  Does the USPS have any additional advice to offer constituents and businesses to protect themselves against postal theft?
4. What solutions have you and the Galveston Police Department reached regarding additional collection box security, and what progress have you made in investigations? 
5. Have you been regularly briefing law enforcement partners on how to handle the increase in postal theft and its growing complexity?
6. How often will we continue to be updated as these investigations continue?

It is alarming that the rise of postal theft continues in Galveston County, and we will continue to press the USPS to address the concerns and provide transparency to our constituents. I remain hopeful that the USPS will get to the bottom of the postal theft and ensure our community no longer falls victim to these crimes. 

This week, I stayed busy in Washington meeting with great folks from TX-14. I started off the week meeting with Weldon Greg and Johnna Carlson from Texas Children's Hospital to discuss the critical role that the Children’s Hospital Graduate Medical Education (CHGME) program plays in training the future medical workforce that is desperately needed at this time. Then I visited with the President of the Friendswood ISD School Board, Tony Hopkins! Our gulf coast district is huge on energy. I had the pleasure of meeting with Chevron Phillips Chemical CEO Bruce Chinn and Mike Rumble from CHEMTRADE to discuss the importance of unleashing American energy.

This week on the Energy and Commerce Committee, we had a hearing on unleashing innovation in satellite communications technologies and unleashing American energy, lowering energy costs, and strengthening our supply chain. We look forward to working in a bipartisan manner to lead on solutions to solve some of our toughest challenges, including how America can lead and win the future with satellite technologies that improve people’s lives. We are ready to flip the switch and unleash American energy production. 

• H.R. 27 - Prosecutors Need to Prosecute Act
• H.R. 32 - Keeping Texas School Construction Costs Down Act of 2023
• H.R. 531 - Educational Choice for Children Act
• H.R. 809 - To prohibit certain persons from purchasing agricultural real estate in the United States, and for other purposes.
• H.R. 838 - To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax credit to encourage the replacement or modernization of inefficient, outdated freight railcars, and for other purposes.
• H.R. 862 - To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit dismemberment abortions, and for other purposes.
• H.R. 913 - To modify the disposition of certain outer Continental Shelf revenues and to open Federal financial sharing to heighten opportunities for renewable energy, and for other purposes.
• H.R. 923 - To prohibit the President from issuing moratoria on leasing and permitting energy and minerals on certain Federal land.
• H.R. 962 - To amend title 11 of the United States Code to include firearms in the types of property allowable under the alternative provision for exempting property from the estate.
• H.Res. 115 - Establishing a Women's Bill of Rights to reaffirm legal protections afforded to women under Federal law.
• H.J.Res. 30 - Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights".
• H.J.Res. 31 - Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Veterans Affairs relating to "Reproductive Health Services".
• H.Res. 100 - Expressing support for the Iranian people's desire for a democratic, secular, and nonnuclear Republic of Iran, and condemning violations of human rights and state-sponsored terrorism by the Iranian Government.
• H.R. 334 - Significant Transnational Criminal Organization Designation Act
• H.R. 494 - Defund EcoHealth Alliance Act
• H.Con.Res. 13 - Supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act.

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!