Representative Lizzie Fletcher

Dear Neighbor,

After a wonderful week at home over Thanksgiving, I returned to Washington to do some important work before this Congress comes to a close at the end of the year. We still have several important bills to consider, including the National Defense Authorization Act and annual spending legislation, so I expect to be here over the next few weeks.

This week, at the urging of President Biden, the House and the Senate voted to adopt the tentative agreement between railroads and railroad workers reached in September in an effort to address the needs of railroad workers and also keep the shipments moving across the country.

The House also passed the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Reauthorization Act of 2022, House Amendment to S. 3846, to support cross-system collaboration for individuals with mental illnesses who come into contact with law enforcement. The bill, introduced by Senator Cornyn, will strengthen the program by supporting the integration of 9-8-8, the suicide and mental health prevention hotline and allowing for the placement of crisis intervention teams in 9-1-1 call centers. Now that this legislation has passed both the House and the Senate, it heads to President Biden’s desk for signature.

The House also passed the Commitment to Veteran Support and Outreach Act, H.R. 4601, to help keep veterans fully informed of VA benefits available to them by helping states implement outreach and assistance programs. Each of these bills passed the House on a bipartisan basis.

Throughout the week, I joined my colleagues in signing several letters on issues of important to our community, including:

A letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to support Port Houston's CRISI grant application for a railroad crossing at Port Road;
A letter to the House Appropriations Committee requesting funds in the omnibus legislation to support two projects at Port Houston;
A letter to the House Appropriations Committee requesting additional funds for the O&M account at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the supplemental funding request; and
A letter to House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro urging for increased funding for Social Security Administration (SSA) operating expenses in FY 2023.

It was a busy week of meetings with members-elect and members of the House Democratic Caucus to prepare for the next Congress, but I was glad to have the chance to visit with Harris County Flood Control District Director Dr. Tina Petersen about the status of many projects in our district, including the status of Project Brays and of the Buffalo Bayou and Tributaries Resiliency Study.

Now that the holidays are here, it’s time to protect yourself, your loved ones, and our community by getting your COVID-19 bivalent booster and your flu shot. Visit vaccines.gov/search to find a convenient location to get it!

I know it’s a busy time of year, but I want to share a report on our work in this year and this Congress. So, I will hold a virtual year-end town hall on Monday, December 12, 2022, in the hope that you will be able to join in from wherever you are to hear the report, ask questions, and share your thoughts. You can sign up here.

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,