Yesterday, I was proud to vote for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a bill that funds our military and provides for our national defense.
The most sacred responsibility given to this Congress is supporting the men and women of our Armed Forces. This legislation gives our troops a 4.6% pay raise, includes over $50 million in military construction investment for Fort Hood, and strikes the Biden Administration’s short-sighted vaccine mandate for military service members.
America faces threats all across the globe, but this bill sets the United States on a path to ensure the homeland is secure and our adversaries are held in check.
Three of my original pieces of legislation are included in the bill, which will help the U.S. better understand the threat of Russian private military companies, uphold U.S. commitments to NATO, and seal the cross-border tunnels between the U.S. and Mexico. Click here to learn more, or click below to watch my House Floor remarks supporting the NDAA.
Visiting Fort Hood
Today, I visited Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, where I had to honor to meet some of the 40,000 soldiers stationed there. I saw a dedication to excellence, to serving this country, and a selflessness from the service members, their families, and the civilian workforce.
On the base, we toured the New Transportation Motor Pool, met with some fire fighters at the Fort Hood Fire Department (80% of whom were trained at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo), as well as their barracks and weapons systems.
A portion of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that I voted to pass last night goes directly towards meeting the needs of Fort Hood and enhancing its readiness.
What I saw today is an incredible Army Base centered on service and sacrifice that is ready to meet our national security needs. I am proud that Texas represents a vital piece of our overall national security with our robust defense assets, agriculture, and energy production.
Supporting Care for Children, Expecting Mothers, and New Parents in Texas
I was proud to help pass the Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act of 2022, which reauthorizes the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program (MIECHV) for five years.
Children are a blessing from God. Home visit programs help ensure that parents are well-equipped to care for their young children as they grow and thrive.
This legislation will allow the Children’s Advocacy Center of Greater West Texas, Inc. as well as the First Five Permian Basin Program at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin (UTPB) to continue serving our communities. These programs provide life-saving resources will ensure pregnant mothers, new parents, and precious children in Texas are safe and properly cared for.
Americans deserve to know how their taxpayer dollars are being spent. In a Foreign Affairs Committee Markup earlier this week, I supported Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Resolution to find out how the money the United States sent to Ukraine is being spent. As someone who served in combat, I would like to know the effectiveness of the aid that the has been sent to Ukraine.
Unfortunately, Democrats on the committee voted down the resolution that would have provided transparency to the American people.
The United States stands unequivocally against Russia’s war on Ukraine, but that does not mean we cannot have a full accounting of American taxpayer dollars overseas. We are simply asking the U.S. government to show us the receipts.
In Texas, we understand better than anyone the social and economic burden of the border crisis. I joined my fellow Texas Republicans in unveiling our plan to secure our southern border. Each one of us has been to the border more times in the past year than President Biden has in his 47 years in government.
We are ready to use every tool and authority necessary until our country is secure.
America is blessed with abundant natural resources. If we tap them, we’ll ensure that America — not Russia, China, or Iran — is secure economically and not at the mercy of the others geopolitically.
It’s a matter of jobs, it’s a matter of affordable bills, and above all else, it’s a matter of national security.
Republicans will champion policies that empower American energy producers. Cutting regulatory barriers at the Environmental Protection Agency, undertaking serious permitting reform to efficiently bring energy to market, and streamlining the process of exporting liquefied natural gas to our allies are good policies to start with. Americans are hungry for cheaper energy, and the world is hungry for American energy, too. We can meet everyone’s needs, with energy to spare.
In case you missed it, I published an Op-Ed in National Review with former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley providing a road map for America to win the energy war. Learn more and read our article here.
Welcoming New U.S. citizens
An incredible 64 new U.S. Citizens were sworn in during a naturalization ceremony at Angelo State University this week. They all took an oath of allegiance to our flag and to our great Nation under God.
We are privileged to call this country home. It is an honor to welcome those who love America to stand alongside us as we defend and support our Constitution. My office was privileged to help some of these new Americans through the process as they diligently worked to join our country the right way.
If you or someone you know needs any assistance with the citizenship process, please reach out to my office here.
Honoring Pearl Harbor
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day fell on Wednesday, December 7th.
On that infamous day 81 years ago in 1941, 2,403 service members and civilians were killed during the attack on American soil. In the wake of this tragedy, many more brave men and women of the Greatest Generation took up the gauntlet and answered the call to defend freedom and democracy across the world.
San Angelo held a special wreath laying and plaque unveiling ceremony for the sons of San Angelo who served in Pearl Harbor that morning: Seaman First Class Walton A. Erwin, Boatswain’s Mate James A. Martin, and Gunner’s Mate Ernest M. Shawn. Both Erwin and Martin gave their lives in the battle.
In addition to the ceremony, a memorial was also placed for Erwin alongside his parents’ resting place. As we remember and honor these men, may we take a moment to reflect on the ensuing battles for freedom – where light and justice prevailed. Thank you to all of our veterans and service members who put their lives on the line to protect us from harm. May God bless them and may our great country.
Family time in Washington, D.C.
This week. I had the joy of having my daughter Vivian join me in D.C. for an important week of legislative business.
I am grateful for the opportunity to teach my daughters about important family values, the foundations of our nation, and the promise of a strong and free future.
As we approach the Christmas season, I hope you have the time to gather your family and our future generations to remind them that courage and integrity begin at home.
Want to read our Newsletter in Spanish? Sign up below!
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.
