PFLUGER FLY-BY – Oct. 23

October 23, 2021 at 11:56 am Derrick Stuckly

august pfluger

I ask two simple questions of the President: Are you making us more secure, and are you making us more prosperous?

And the answer to both of these is no.

We’ve got an anti-American energy movement in this country that is going to devastate every American. It’s going to leave us cold, dark, and hungry. It’s going to embolden our adversaries, and it’s going to harm our environment.

This administration has taken a hard line against American energy by cancelling thousands of pipeline jobs, cancelling drilling permits, and kneecapping energy producers with targeted tax increases and harmful regulations.

Americans are already feeling the pain of the Biden energy crisis at the gas pump and the grocery store, where we see exorbitant prices that continue to skyrocket. To make matters worse, heating bills are forecasted to be 54% HIGHER in 2021 under this administration.

I’m urging my colleagues to oppose this radical agenda, to stand up for American energy producers, and to provide every American household with affordable, reliable energy that has come from this country and allowed us to lift a billion people out of poverty in this world.

Watch my remarks on the House Floor here or below:

Led a Letter supporting USMCA provisions to benefit Texas Energy and Agriculture Producers

This week, I led a bipartisan, bicameral letter from leaders in the Texas Congressional Delegation to the recently confirmed U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar.

In the letter, we draw attention to Mexico’s discriminatory actions that violate the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), and urge Ambassador Salazar to directly engage with senior Mexican officials to ensure fair trade for Texas agriculture and energy producers.

The letter was signed by Texas Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, as well as Representatives Henry Cuellar, Michael McCaul, Michael C. Burgess, M.D., Randy Weber, Roger Williams, Brian Babin, D.D.S., Vicente Gonzalez, Jodey C. Arrington, Michael Cloud, Dan Crenshaw, Van Taylor, Lance Gooden, Ronny L. Jackson, Tony Gonzales, Beth Van Duyne, Jake Ellzey, and Pete Sessions.

In the letter, we highlight: “Mexico has taken several actions that discriminate against American energy producers and favor SOEs [state owned enterprises]. This includes the recent modifications to the Hydrocarbons Law, which allows Mexican officials the power to suspend and revoke key permits for private operations. Most recently, the government’s proposed constitutional reforms would increase state control of the electricity industry and severely limit private investment. These steps, among others, harm our critical trading partnership with Mexico and potentially violate key tenets of the USMCA.”

“Proper implementation of the USMCA is a top priority and the U.S. must engage at all levels of government to ensure that the American people can reap the full benefits from this important trade agreement.”

Read the full letter here.

Standing Up Against Vaccine Mandates

While I am supportive of the vaccine and am vaccinated myself, I believe that American citizens have an inalienable, unnegotiable right to choose for themselves their own medical care. These choices sometimes do come with risk, but the Constitution grants individuals the personal liberty to decide what is best for them and their families. Implementing vaccine mandates and mandatory COVID-19 screenings for private businesses and organizations is extreme government overreach and is unacceptable.

For President Biden to institute a blanketed, far-reaching mandate, regardless of any concerns or questions individuals may have, is deeply troubling. This will only stoke further vaccine hesitancy and division.

I applaud our Governor for the ban on vaccine mandates. I sent a letter to Governor Abbott as soon as President Biden indicated he would impose the mandate, imploring the Governor to utilize any power or tools at his disposal to prevent the government from trying to interject in deeply personal decisions.

To continue the fight for freedom, I sent a letter to President Biden and Biden Administration Officials highlighting the danger of COVID-19 vaccine mandates on healthcare workers. In a time where we need our healthcare workers the most, they are being run out of the industry from these mandates, putting our communities at risk. Several states are already nearing or exceeding hospital capacity, and many Medicare/Medicaid providers- especially nursing homes- are struggling to hire and retain employees.

Lastly, I recently introduced the Health Freedom for All Act, which clarifies that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) does not have the authority to force employers to mandate COVID-19 vaccines or testing. We must protect the decisions, values, and livelihoods of our healthcare workers, service members, law enforcement and first responders, and all other working citizens and small businesses. President Biden must halt his mandate.

NFIB Meeting

Thank you to the National Federation of Independent Business for hosting me for a roundtable of small business owners in San Angelo at Longhorn Coffee!

Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities. I am championing economic policies that encourage entrepreneurship and put Main Street businesses first.

Let’s keep it up, TX11!

Return of the Permian Basin Oil Show

This week marked the return of the Permian Basin Oil Show. Although I was in D.C. and unable to attend, I want to recognize this momentous return and everything it means.

I spoke to the Midland Reporter-Telegram to give some of my thoughts:

“The Permian Basin is the most dynamic oil and gas producing region in the world. Despite setbacks from OPEC and COVID-19 variants that sent shockwaves through the energy industry and prices to levels never seen before, our region has already overcome the pandemic downturn and returned to record levels of oil production.

Thanks to the innovation, grit and entrepreneurial spirit of the men and women here, oil production in the Permian is set to surpass 5 million barrels per day by the end of this year. The return of the Permian Basin Oil Show is another indicator of the resilience of our community.

Thank you to every person in the Permian Basin who is tirelessly working to fuel our country and the world.”

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.