Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) testified before the Texas House Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting during a field hearing focused on East Texas. 

On Monday, the Texas Legislature convened its special session with Congressional redistricting on its 30-day agenda.  While neither the Senate nor the House has introduced the official proposed new congressional map, the committees are convening public hearings on redistricting.

To view her full testimony, click here.

Congresswoman Fletcher’s testimony as prepared:

Good morning, Chair Vasut, Vice Chair Rosenthal, Members of the Committee. 

I am Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher.  I have the privilege of representing Texas’ Seventh Congressional District, which is made up of diverse and vibrant neighborhoods from central Houston through Southwest Houston in Harris and Fort Bend Counties.

Congressional District 7 is a majority-minority district where Black, Hispanic, Asian American and other minority citizens have successfully elected their candidate of choice since the district was configured in 2021. 

I am proud to be their candidate of choice.

It is the honor of my life to serve the people of this district. And it is my duty to defend them against the harm that could come from this redistricting process.

I am disappointed to be here today for a hearing purporting to get the views of Texans on redrawing the congressional map and replacing it with a map that no one has seen.

It is important for you to know that all but one of the 13 congressional districts in Texas represented by a Democrat has a majority-minority population, including all four of the districts here in Houston. 

In all 13 of those districts, minority voters elect their candidate of choice. 

And those 13 districts are the only districts where minority voters—who make up more than 60% of the population of our state—consistently and reliably elect their candidates of choice.

To dismantle any of these 13 districts currently represented by Democrats would be intentionally diluting the voting strength of minority communities.  You cannot do it without harming Texans.  And you should not.

It is against the law, and it is against the fundamental organizing principle of a democratic society that all citizens—not just the privileged few—have the right and the ability to have a say in our government.

As you all know, the current congressional map is already being challenged in federal court as a racially discriminatory gerrymander.

Configuring a new map where District 7—or any of the other 12 districts where minority citizens elect their candidate—is converted to a district where white voters elect a Republican is an intentional assault on minority Texans in violation of the law.

We have a long and shameful history of discrimination when it comes to voting in our beloved state.  From poll taxes to whites-only primaries, Texas has discriminated against voters of color for generations.

You have the power to reject that.  To reject the pressure from President Trump and national Republican operatives urging you to offset their anticipated electoral losses elsewhere by redrawing the map in Texas to discriminate against minority communities.  To put Texans first, not surrender them.