Dear Neighbor, 

I returned to Washington this week reinvigorated after spending a week at home in Houston!  Between meetings, community events, and town halls, hearing from you always provides valuable insight for my work in Congress.

I was glad to join my colleagues on Wednesday to unveil a framework for a new, five-year plan to address the country’s urgent infrastructure needs: our “Moving Forward” infrastructure framework to create an estimated 10 million jobs by investing $760 billion over five years in the nation’s roads, bridges, transit systems, railways, airports, ports, inland waterways, wastewater and drinking water systems, brownfields, and broadband.

I asked to serve on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee because of its importance to the issues that matter to our district.  We know the positive impact that rebuilding and reinforcing our community’s existing infrastructure, building more resilient structures, and upgrading our transit systems would have on our region.

My priority is to make sure that our new infrastructure bill meets our district’s most critical needs and helps rebuild a more resilient America.  Among the critical priorities for our area that the plan addresses is completion of Army Corps of Engineers current backlog of projects, improves inland waterways and harbor systems, invests in transit, and modernizes our highways to help reduce congestion.

Infrastructure is the foundation of our communities’ success, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to craft legislation to rebuild our country for the future.


AUMF
Public safety is the first responsibility of government, and we have been actively addressing the threats to our safety at home and abroad.  Recent developments in the Middle East have led to an increased focus on the role of our armed forces there.  Three weeks ago, the House voted on a War Powers Resolution to limit the President’s military actions regarding Iran.  This week, the House passed two additional measures to protect American lives and values: legislation to repeal the 2002 Iraq Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) and to prohibit funding for military action against Iran that has not been authorized by Congress.  Consistent with the sentiments expressed by neighbors who have called our office in recent weeks, I voted in favor of both.

CREDIT Act
I also voted for a comprehensive credit package that would protect consumers from the many flaws with credit reporting, requiring more transparency, due process, and fairness from credit scoring companies.

Trade and Economy
I was glad to see the president sign the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement into law this week.  Last year, I worked as Co-Chair of the New Democrat Coalition Trade Task Force to ensure any new trade agreement between our three countries benefits our workers and our businesses.  I was proud to work with Ambassador Lighthizer and our coalition to get it right and get it to a yes vote in the House.


I was glad to meet with folks from the University of Houston who came out on behalf of the American Physical Society’s Congressional Visit Day. 


I was also glad to meet with leaders from the University of Houston to talk about how to convene folks doing critical energy research and drive our conversation about our energy future.  And I enjoyed meeting with another constituent about a recent study outlining a roadmap for at-scale deployment of carbon capture, use, and storage.  It is incredibly useful for my new role as the chair of the Science Committee’s Energy Subcommittee.

I also had the privilege of welcoming TX07 resident Dr. Jim Allison for a reception and screening of a recent documentary about his life and work. Recipient of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for pioneering a new cancer treatment method, Dr. Allison is the Chair of Immunology & Executive Director of Immunotherapy platform at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and a staunch advocate for the National Institutes of Health.  I am honored and delighted that he will join me next week as my guest for the State of the Union address.  At a time when Americans are concerned about the future of health care in our country, his groundbreaking research and his advocacy for shared investment in research through the National Institutes of Health is an inspiring and important.



Thank you to everyone who came to my town hall in Jersey Village last week! The best way for me to do my job is by hearing directly from you.



If you didn’t get a chance to join us, there will be more. But you can always call my office and share your thoughts, ask questions, or schedule a meeting.

Have a great weekend.

Sincerely,



 
WASHINGTON, DC OFFICE
1429 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2571
Fax: 202-225-4381
HOUSTON OFFICE
5599 San Felipe Road, Suite 950
Houston, TX 77056
Phone: (713) 353-8680
 
     
 
Unsubscribe