During this holy month of Ramadan, I have had the pleasure of joining members of our community as they break their fast in the evening at several Iftar celebrations across the district.

I loved getting the chance to visit with so many groups across the district this week and share congressional updates.  Great to see so many friends at the Houston Association of Realtors luncheon on Tuesday. 

And to join the West Houston Association for their Federal Issues Luncheon on Wednesday.  I appreciated the chance to answer questions about the work I'm doing in Congress and to see so many friends and partners from across our community.

I also was glad to participate in Harris County Public Health’s (HCPH) Maternal & Child Health Conference to share an update on work we are doing in Congress, including through the Black Maternal Health Caucus, efforts to expand post-partum Medicaid Coverage, and Medicaid coverage more broadly.

Did you know: Harris County is facing an urgent and correctable maternal and infant health crisis.  Black mothers in Harris County are 1.4 times more likely to die than mothers in the rest of the U.S.  Some of the largest contributing factors include inadequate and inaccessible care before, during, and after pregnancy.  In response to this crisis, in July 2022, the Harris County Commissioners Court dedicated $7.7 million of its American Rescue Plan Act funds to establish the Maternal and Child Health Program administered through HCPH.

Last year, I requested and secured $1,431,174 in federal funding specifically for the Maternal & Child Health Program, a program that focuses on Black mothers and helps eligible families by matching Community Health Coordinators with mothers to navigate every step of the prenatal and post-partum process.  Our maternal mortality crisis demands urgent attention and serious action.  I will continue to support policies to give mothers and expectant mothers the care and comprehensive support they need and deserve.

As always, it was great to visit with constituents in our district office, too.

As you likely know, last Friday evening a federal district court judge in Texas ordered a stay of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) approval of mifepristone, a safe and effective medication used in abortion care, including miscarriage treatment, which was approved more than 20 years ago and is widely used throughout the United States. 

On Monday, Congressman Pat Ryan (NY-18) and I introduced the Protecting Reproductive Freedom Act, H.R. 2573, to reaffirm that mifepristone was appropriately approved by the FDA and that this approval preempts any state law seeking to prohibit or restrict access to the abortion pill. 

It is critical that we do everything we can to preserve and protect the FDA’s authority to approve safe and effective medication, including abortion medication.  I am glad to join Congressman Ryan in introducing the Protecting Reproductive Freedom Act to protect access to mifepristone and to protect the health, dignity, and freedom of women and families across our country.

On Tuesday, I joined 239 other Democratic members of Congress in submitting an amicus brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to support the Biden administration’s appeal of the Northern District’s unprecedented ruling.  In part, we noted that “[p]roviders and patients rely on the availability of thousands of FDA-approved drugs to treat or manage a range of medical conditions, including asthma, HIV, infertility, heart disease, diabetes, and more.  Emergency relief from the order is necessary to mitigate the imminent harm facing members of the public, many of whom rely on the availability of mifepristone for reproductive care—and many more rely on the integrity of FDA’s drug approval process for continued access to life-improving and life-saving drugs.  Congress intended to—and did—vest authority in FDA to evaluate and ensure the safety and efficacy of drugs in the United States.”  To read the full brief, click here. 

Yesterday, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals partially stayed the district court’s order, and today the United States Supreme Court granted a further stay of the order pending further action in our nation’s highest court.

Also this week, I introduced the bipartisan Strengthening Community Care Act of 2023, H.R. 2559, along with Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE-AL) and Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (NY-21).  If enacted, this legislation would renew federal funding for Community Health Centers and the National Health Service Corps through 2028.  Without passing reauthorization legislation, federal funding for Community Health Centers and the National Health Service Corps is set to expire this year.  

Community Health Centers play an essential role in providing health care to vulnerable populations in Houston and more than 30 million Americans across our country.  It is so important that Congress support Community Health Centers and health care providers with the tools and resources needed to ensure positive health outcomes.  I was glad to introduce this bipartisan legislation with Reps. Joyce, Blunt Rochester, and Stefanik to reauthorize funding for Community Health Centers and the National Health Service Corps to ensure access to quality health care. 

In addition to these bills, I submitted testimony about our district’s priorities for the reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration.  This bill is passed every five years, so I worked with local stakeholders–including the Sugar Land Regional Airport–to develop my top priorities for this year's bill and to convey those to the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee.  Also this week, I led a letter to Federal Transit Administrator Nuria Fernandez supporting Houston METRO's application for the Low or No-Emission Grant.  The Low or No Emission program provides federal funding to state and local governments to purchase or lease zero-emission and low-emission transit buses, and I am glad to support Houston METRO in this effort. 

I joined my Texas colleagues in sending a letter to House Appropriations Committee leaders addressing Texas residents’ disadvantage when it comes to obtaining Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding.  The letter requests that more Fiscal Year 2024 funds be allocated to the program’s new formula, which shifts funding to warmer-weather states and, in turn, increases the amount of funding available to Texas residents.

This week, it was time for Across the Aisles in Sugar Land.  It was great to be out visiting with neighbors at Kroger!  I was grateful for everyone who stopped to visit with me about their thoughts and the ways my office can be helpful to them. 

In Washington, Senior Policy Advisor Anne-Marie met with representatives from the Consortium of Universities for Global Health, including Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi.  You may remember that last year, I nominated Dr. Bottazzi for the Nobel Peace Prize, along with Dr. Peter Hotez, for their work to develop a low-cost COVID-19 vaccine to be distributed around the world.

At home, Team TX-07 was all over town, attending Harris County Precinct 4’s first annual Iftar with Commissioner Lesley Briones, celebrating the opening of Vera Whole Health with the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, and listening in at Houston City Council Member Mary Nan Huffman’s Conversation on Crime with HPD Assistant Chief Yasar Bashir and the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce’s luncheon featuring remarks from Commissioner Dexter McCoy.

This week, our constituent advocate Fatimah resolved a case for David with the IRS.  David sent the following message, I’m glad to share:

“I contacted the Congresswoman’s office to help us expedite my wife and my carry-back tax refunds. The IRS had given us the runaround for almost two years between our personal and business refunds that were owed.  Our accountant and us were having a very difficult time dealing with the IRS directly and getting through to the right person over the phone was near impossible.  I had very little confidence that anyone could help us with the IRS bureaucracy but [constituent advocate] Fatimah exceeded our expectations.  We received the final refunds from the IRS this week and we’re very pleased with Fatimah’s responsiveness and helping to facilitate a positive outcome.”

Our office team is here to help!  If you need assistance with a federal agency, use our Casework form or call (713) 353-8680.

Our deadline for the Congressional Art Competition, April 21, is next week.  I'm looking forward to seeing the best art TX-07’s young artists have to share!  The top ten artists will be recognized and one will be selected to hang in the halls of the Capitol.  Learn more and submit your artwork here.

Finally, today is Vaisakhi, and I wish our Sikh neighbors and all those who celebrate a very Happy Vaisakhi!  Sikhs are an integral part of the fabric of America and of our TX-07 community, and the contributions our Sikh community here at home has made have had impacts across the country.

After this extended period at home, I will head back to Washington next week.  I look forward to sharing an update on the work we do next week. 

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

Best wishes,