April 4, 2025

Welcome back to the weekly Pfluger Fly-By, a collection of events and happenings to keep you updated on everything I am doing week by week to represent you in Congress.

This week, I joined several colleagues on the Republican Study Committee (RSC) to unveil the “Enforcing Maximum Pressure” initiative to hold the Iranian regime accountable, introduced legislation to end the Biden administration’s weaponization of endangered species listing to hurt energy production, joined my fellow Texan Rep. Chip Roy to introduce legislation to protect Texas exotic animal ranches, joined a fireside chat on AI, and much more.

I have included some photos and highlights from the week. You can also find information on how my office can help you with any federal problems you may be having. As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office if we can ever be of assistance.

Best,

Enforcing Maximum Pressure: Holding Iran Accountable

As Chairman of the RSC, I joined several colleagues in unveiling the RSC’s “Enforcing Maximum Pressure” initiative to hold the Iranian regime accountable–the toughest sanctions package ever proposed by Congress. Bolstering our national security and standing up to Iran is imperative to protecting Texas-11 and America at large, and I am proud to be championing two pieces of legislation included in the initiative. While Democrats orchestrated a strategy of appeasement in the face of terror, I am committed to working with the Trump Administration to restore peace in the Middle East.

The No Iranian Energy Act sanctions the importation of Iranian natural gas to Iraq, cutting off their lifeline. This is necessary as recently, the sanctions waiver for electricity transmission from Iran expired in line with President Trump’s NSPM-2. With Iranian gas imports accounting for roughly 8.8 GW of power generation, additional action is needed to cut off this revenue stream for the regime in Tehran.

The Iran Waiver Recissions Act would permanently freeze all Iranian-sanctioned assets and prohibit the President from using any waiver authority, including licenses, guidance, or FAQs, to lift sanctions. Last Congress, this legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a 259-160 vote with bipartisan support.

Read more about the initiative here.

Ending the Weaponization of Endangered Species

Former President Biden spent four years attempting to fulfill his promise to kill the fossil fuel industry one horrible policy at a time – including listing the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard and the Lesser Prairie Chicken under the Endangered Species Act, a direct attack on our hardworking men and women in the energy sector. These listings, along with many others, were completely misguided and repudiated significant private conservation efforts in West Texas.

To undo this, I joined Congressman Tracey Mann (KS-01) this week in penning a letter to U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum urging him to reverse the listing of the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard and the Lesser Prairie Chicken from the threatened and endangered species list.

In addition to the letter, we re-introduced the LIZARD Act of 2025 to strike the Biden Administration’s designation of the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This listing directly threatens the production of oil, natural gas, wind, and solar energy developed in the Permian Basin and across America.

Read more about my letter to Secretary Burgum and the LIZARD Act of 2025 in Fox News here or by clicking the image below.

Protecting Exotic Animals in Texas

I joined my fellow Texan Congressman Chip Roy (TX-21) this week to introduce the Exotic Hoofstock Reform Act to protect an existing Endangered Species Act (ESA) exemption that permits the hunting of privately owned exotic animals.

Texans know Texas best, and I have full confidence in the effectiveness of local conservation efforts over one-size-fits-all mandates that do not account for the region’s unique needs. I am proud to lead this commonsense legislation to protect exotic game ranches in Texas and across the country who play an important role in preserving these animal populations.

You can read more about the Exotic Hoofstock Reform Act in Townhall here or by clicking the image below.

A New Era for AI & Energy Reliability

This week, I also joined Dell Technologies and NVIDIA for a fireside chat to discuss the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and energy grid reliability. As a member of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, I am committed to advancing commonsense policies that will increase energy reliability and promote innovation.

Photo Credit Nick Woodall with Mike B Photography

Service Dogs Assisting Veterans Act

After our men and women in uniform return home from the battlefield, we must provide them with the necessary mental health resources they need to seamlessly transition back into day-to-day life seamlessly. It is a heartbreaking reality that nearly seventeen veterans take their own lives every single day, which is why I joined my fellow Texan Congressman Morgan Luttrell (TX-08) in introducing the Service Dogs Assisting Veterans Act.

This legislation would require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to award grants to nonprofit organizations to assist with programs to provide service dogs to eligible veterans. The legislation includes training for the service dog and also extends the availability of this program to other veteran disabilities such as blindness, deafness, TBI, and PTSD.

Read more about the Service Dogs Assisting Veterans Act at the link here.

NewsWest9 Interview on Energy Reform for the Permian Basin

I joined NewsWest9 to discuss the start of the 119th Congress, my legislation to repeal the natural gas tax that was signed into law, and much more. You can watch the full interview here or by clicking the image below.

Meeting with Texans in Washington

This week, I met with several community leaders and partners in Washington, which is always a pleasure. Thank you all for taking the time to discuss how we can implement smart, commonsense policies to strengthen Texas-11!

2025 Congressional Art Competition

My office is accepting submissions for the 2025 Congressional Art Competition. This competition gives high school students from across Texas-11 the opportunity to have their artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building.

This year’s theme is ‘Texas to Me’ and students will have until April 21st to submit their artwork. Information on the Congressional Art Competition, including how to apply, can be found on the Congressman’s website by clicking here.

RULES

• Artwork must be two-dimensional and original in concept, design, and execution. Art must follow the theme of ‘Texas to Me.’
• The artwork’s dimensions can be no larger than 26 inches high, 26 inches wide, and 4 inches deep. Accepted mediums for the two-dimensional artwork are as follows:
• Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.
• Drawings: colored pencil, pencil, ink, marker, pastels, charcoal (It is recommended that charcoal and pastel drawings be fixed.)
• Collages: must be two-dimensional
• Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints
• Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.
• Computer-generated art
• Photographs

Students are highly encouraged to review the competition’s complete rules and regulations on our congressional website or contact Carol Cunningham in the Llano District Office at Carol.Cunningham@mail.house.gov with any questions.

Thank you for reading. It is the honor of my lifetime to serve you in Congress. Please follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) for daily updates.