Dear Neighbor,
I write to you today with a heavy heart, as we reflect on tremendous loss in our country with the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Her dedication to our Constitution’s founding principle of equality and her brilliance changed the country – for women, for men, and for the better. Her extraordinary life is a testament to what one person can do to shape our country and help make our union more perfect. I am so grateful for her service.
I join Americans from across our community and across country coming together to mourn her loss and reflect on her powerful legacy. Justice Ginsburg was an inspiration.
I spent the last week in Washington, D.C., working on critical legislation for our community and our country.
I am so glad to share with you a bit of good news for our community: my bill to name a post office in TX-07 in honor of Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal’s passed the House of Representatives this week with unanimous support. Deputy Dhaliwal was a resident of Texas’ Seventh Congressional District who was killed in the line of duty nearly one year ago. He was the first Sikh American in Texas to receive a policy accommodation to serve while wearing his articles of faith, and he was the first Sikh police officer to serve in the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Dhaliwal was a role model and a trailblazer for Sikh Americans and religious minorities that sought to serve in law enforcement. I was proud to speak on the House floor about what his legacy means to our community and glad to bring this bill to the floor. I hope this post office will serve as a permanent reminder of Deputy Singh Dhaliwal’s passion for equality, connection, and community and inspire us all to do what we can for others.
I was honored to speak on the House floor in honor and memory of United States Marine Corps Corporal Wesley A. Rodd, who was killed during a training accident off the coast of Southern California on July 30 of this year, and laid to rest last weekend. Born in Houston, he grew up in Cypress and graduated from Cy-Fair High School on 2016 before he enlisted in the Marine Corps. Just four months ago, he became a father. I was honored to remember him on the floor of the House of Representatives—the people’s house—because he gave his life for the people of this country. We are all grateful to him and to his family for their service and sacrifice.
The floor of the House of Representatives was busy this week, as we passed several pieces of legislation in response to the concerns of our constituents. I was proud to vote in support of the STEP Improvement Act of 2020, which supports the SBA’s State Trade Expansion Program and revises provisions related to the administration of the program. We also voted on the Equity and Inclusion Enforcement Act, the Strength in Diversity Act of 2020, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, and a resolution condemning anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID-19.
Between votes, I also had the pleasure of speaking with constituents from many organizations including the American Academy of Dermatology Association and AIPAC.
I was also glad to announce that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) granted the City of Houston $1.7 million for the first phase of the Subterranean Detention Basin and Storm Sewer Improvement project. This project is part of a $54.3 million infrastructure project to undertake flood mitigation projects in West Houston. This project is a major step toward improving local water conveyance during large-scale rain events, and I am pleased to help bring the funding for this project to our district.
While Harris County has recently met our target goals of lowering new cases and having COVID-19 patients make up less than 15 percent of intensive care beds, we still have a 7.7 percent test positivity rate, keeping us at the highest COVID-19 threat level. You can find the most up-to-date information for Houston & Harris County and Texas through these links.
Governor Greg Abbott this week announced a new round of lifting restrictions related to the coronavirus, it is important that we continue to wear our masks, wash our hands, and do as much as possible to flatten the curve, limit the spread of the virus, and protect our community.
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Time is running out to fill out the 2020 Census! The 2020 Census is an important way for our government to allocate resources to our communities that go directly toward improving our schools, infrastructure, and more. Without proper reporting on the census, these resources could be limited and disproportionate. So far, only 63 percent of our district has filled out the census.
This year, it is easier than ever to fill out the Census. Online, it can take as little as five minutes to complete! Here’s the link: https://my2020census.gov, and you can also call 844-330-2020.
Will you please take a minute to forward this link to at least one other person? A complete and accurate census is so important!
As always, don't hesitate to contact me at my office by calling (713) 353-8680 or emailing here. My team and I are here to help! You are always welcome to share your thoughts and concerns.
I am proud to represent you, and I am here to help you. At this important and challenging time, I hope you will let me know how I can.
Best wishes,
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