Dear Neighbor,

This has been a busy and eventful week once again.  Lots to cover this week – here are some of the highlights:

We began the legislative week on Tuesday, and we passed a lot of important legislation this week.  On Wednesday, the House passed a mental health bill I introduced with Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA-03), the Collaborate in an Orderly and Cohesive Manner (COCM) Act, H.R. 5218, which invests in an evidence-based model that integrates behavioral health into the primary care setting, as part of the Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act of 2022, H.R. 7666, a package of bills that addresses the mental health and opioid abuse crises.  To view my remarks on the House floor on the COCM Act, click here.

The Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act of 2022 passed the House on a bipartisan basis by a vote of 402-20.  It will strengthen and expand more than 30 critical programs that collectively support mental health care and substance use disorder prevention, care, treatment, and recovery support services in communities across the nation.  Read more about the full bill here.

The House also passed the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Health Act to establish the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), an independent federal agency focused on accelerating biomedical innovation and making transformative breakthroughs in detecting and treating the deadliest diseases.  The bill passed the House on a bipartisan basis, by a vote of 336-85.

On Thursday, the House passed the LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act, H.R. 4176, to require federal surveys to include voluntary and confidential data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity.  The collected data would be subject to robust privacy and confidentiality standards.  As federal agencies conduct research and gather demographic data, it is important that the LGBTQI+ community be counted.  I was glad to vote for this legislation to help ensure that we can better understand and serve the needs of the LGBTQI+ community in Houston and across our country.

On Friday, the House voted for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, S. 2938, legislation that takes a vital step forward to address gun violence and save lives.  The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is a historic, common-sense, bipartisan bill that takes meaningful and necessary steps to make our community and communities across the country safer from the threat of gun violence.  For too long, we have witnessed tragic and preventable shootings affect communities in Sandy Hook, Sutherland Springs, Parkland, Santa Fe, El Paso, Buffalo, and Uvalde, and we know that gun violence devastates families across the country each and every day.  I was glad to vote for this important legislation, and I will continue to work to protect our communities from gun violence.  President Biden signed the bill into law on Saturday.

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act: 

• Creates a grant program for states to enact red flag laws and temporarily remove firearms from those who pose a threat to themselves or others;
• Adds convicted domestic violence abusers in dating relationships to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), closing the “boyfriend loophole;”  
• Clarifies the definition of “federally licensed firearms dealer,” cracking down on criminals who illegally evade licensing requirements;
• Requires the NICS to conduct an enhanced background check of gun purchasers under the age of 21; 
• Creates federal straw purchasing and trafficking criminal offenses, allowing prosecutors to target gun traffickers;
• Funds the implementation of the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline to provide free and confidential support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress; 
• Improves access to mental health services for children, youth, and families through the Medicaid program and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP);
• Makes investments to expand provider training in mental health, suicide prevention, and crisis and trauma intervention and recovery; and
• Increases funding for schools to invest in early identification and intervention programs, school-based mental health services, and improvements to school-wide learning conditions. 

And the House also passed several other pieces of legislation on a bipartisan basis, including: 

• The STRONG Veterans Act of 2022, H.R. 6411, to help support veterans’ mental health and well-being by providing more resources for mental health care services at VA medical facilities, including training and research to prevent veteran suicide and ensure equitable access to the VA's services;
• The Campus Prevention and Recovery Services for Students Act of 2022, H.R. 6493, to help colleges and universities develop programs to prevent substance abuse and help students in recovery.  As substance abuse and mental health crises continue, this bill will help make it possible for our students and young adults to have a healthy and safe environment to pursue their studies;
• The Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act, H.R. 5407, to require that colleges implement comprehensive plans to support the well-being of its student population and prevent campus suicides. These plans would be developed in coordination with experts in the field of mental health and suicide prevention; and
• The Keeping Kids Fed Act of 2022, House Amendment to S. 2089.  In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress passed legislation to expand child nutrition programs to provide meals for children, even if they were not physically in school buildings. These changes allowed an additional 10 million students to receive free school meals each day, as one in three households with children struggled with food insecurity.  As we continue to recover from the pandemic, this bill will fully support school nutrition programs for the remainder of this summer and extend some of these temporary flexibilities through the upcoming school year.

This week, I co-sponsored several pieces of legislation on issues important to our community, including: 

• The Supreme Court Ethics Act, H.R. 4766, to establish a new statutory requirement for the Judicial Conference of the United States to issue a judicial code of conduct for judges and justices of U.S. courts, including Justices of the Supreme Court;
• The Frank Harrison, Elizabeth Peratrovich, and Miguel Trujillo Native American Voting Rights Act, H.R. 5008, to protect the sacred right to vote and ensure equal access to the electoral process for Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and voters living on Tribal lands;
• The Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Reauthorization Act, H.R. 7255, to reauthorize community-based youth and young adult suicide prevention programs through FY 2027; and
• The Real Courts, Rule of Law Act of 2022, H.R. 6577, to ensure that immigration courts are administered by qualified, impartial judges, have adequate court resources and support services, are defined by transparency and integrity, and are financially independent. 

In addition to co-sponsoring legislation, I also joined my colleagues in sending several letters, including: 

• A letter to the U.S. Air Force to request the expansion of possible locations for basing Space Force's STARCOM headquarters to allow Texas to be considered; and
• A letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to support the Rio Grande LNG and Rio Bravo Pipeline in the Port of Brownsville, Texas.

On Thursday, our Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, marked up eight bills—several of which I have heard from you about throughout this Congress, including the Save America’s Forgotten Equines Act of 2021 (SAFE Act), H.R. 3355;  the Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2021 (PAST Act), H.R. 5441; the Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic Notarization Act of 2021, H.R. 3962; Reese’s Law, H.R. 5313; and the American Data Privacy and Protection Act, H.R. 8152.  If enacted, the American Data Privacy and Protection Act would:

• Grant broad protections for Americans against the discriminatory use of their data;
• Require covered entities to comply with loyalty duties with respect to specific practices while ensuring consumers don’t have to pay for privacy;
• Require covered entities to allow consumers to turn off targeted advertisements;
• Provide enhanced data protections for children and minors, including what they might agree to with or without parental approval;
• Establish regulatory parity across the internet ecosystem; and
• Promote innovation and preserve the opportunity for start-ups and small businesses to grow and compete.

All of these bills have been reported favorably to the full committee to consider.

On Tuesday, I spoke at an event in Washington for the University of Texas’ Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs’ Women’s Campaign School, which trains women to run for office or manage campaigns.  I was glad to be part of a bipartisan discussion with students, faculty, and supporters including former Texas Lieutenant Governor Ben Barnes. 

I participated in several important meetings this week, including a meeting with the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) about their critical incident review of the law enforcement response to the mass shooting on May 24 in Uvalde, Texas.  I also met Wednesday with Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and the New Democrat Coalition to discuss the economy, job growth —with 8.7 million Americans back to work — the Department’s “Good Jobs” initiative, and ongoing challenges and ways to address them.

As Co-Chair of the Congressional Friends of Belgium Caucus, I was also glad to meet with U.S. Ambassador to Belgium Michael Adler to discuss ways to strengthen our bilateral relations. 

Each week, I appreciate the chance to hear from Houstonians visiting Washington to talk about the things they care about and the work they are doing.  This week, I enjoyed learning more about Compress Gas Liquid technology and how it can help us reach our energy needs and goals.

Of course, this week in Washington was defined by two major events on Friday: the passage of bipartisan gun safety legislation and the announcement by the Supreme Court of its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, overturning Roe v. Wade.  I am deeply concerned, as are people across the district, that with this decision revoking rather than protecting rights for Americans, the Court has created a devastating and dangerous path forward that jeopardizes the health and undermines the equality of people across this country. 

While I was not able to be home in Houston this week for family reasons, our team in Houston was out and about visiting with neighbors and celebrating PRIDE throughout the week. 

As we conclude Pride Month, Stephani and Spencer on our team met with Reggie Greer, Senior Advisor to the U.S. Special Envoy to Advance Human Rights of LGBTQIA+ persons at the Department of State, as well as Tammi Wallace, Co-Founder, President, and CEO of the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce. 

Stephani also attended Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council’s event commemorating the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the federal civil rights law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in any school or education program that receives federal funding. 

On Friday, members of our team attended Rainbow on the Green, Discovery Green’s annual PRIDE event, where I was able to congratulate honoree Maya Stanton by video and our team presented her with a flag and a certificate in honor of her advocacy for transgender rights. 

Stephani also attended the Families with Pride event in Levy Park that our Houston City Council Member for District C Abbie Kamin hosted. 

And Bricen on our team attended the BakerRipley Beat The Heat SummerBash fan distribution event in TX-07! 

The week ahead is a committee work week, and I will participate in several virtual hearings and meetings of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, including our Health Subcommittee and Environment Subcommittee on investing in public health and recycling. 

Also, please save the date for our July Town Hall on a Topic.  On July 25 we will discuss gun safety with community leaders.  More details to come! 

As always, I am honored to represent you and I am here to help you.  Please call my office at (713) 353-8680 or (202) 225-2571 or email me at fletcher.house.gov/contact at any time to ask for assistance or share your thoughts.  My team and I look forward to hearing from you.

With best wishes,