This week, the House considered several pieces of legislation, but before I get into them, I want to talk about something that will be important to remember throughout this Congress.  And that is bill naming.  Over the years I have written to you about how bills are named, and frequently noted that the names are misleading or disingenuous.  This week brought that issue to the forefront, and I expect that will continue.

Often, the titles of bills are written to deliver a political message.  They are short and simple.  And the idea is that, from the title alone, people at home will think “How could you vote against that?” 

It’s good politics, but it’s not good policy.

The bills themselves are rarely short and simple.  And it’s my job to consider the entire bill, not just the title.  As they say, the devil is in the details.  Often, bills contain some sentiments that our district supports and some it does not.  It takes thoughtful analysis and balancing to determine whether to vote yes or no on many bills that come to the House floor.  And using the title alone is simply not a good way to make those decisions.  (But it’s a great way to make headlines.  And negative ads.)

This week, the House considered two bills that demonstrate this.  This first is (H.R. 28), which House Republicans called the “Protection of Women and Girls Sports Act” and House Democrats called the “Child Predator Empowerment Act.”  The bill’s sponsors claimed that the bill’s purpose was to “protect women and girls” in sports by revoking federal funding from schools that allow transgender girls and women to play on girls’ sports teams at any age and any level of competition.  House Democrats pointed out that the enforcement of the bill would greenlight gender inquisitions and violations of girls’ privacy—making it possible for anyone to question and investigate a child’s sex—inviting harassment, bullying, and privacy violations for female athletes of all ages.  We should be protecting the equal rights and fair access to educational opportunities for all, but this bill does not do that—it targets kids and empowers people who may not have their best interests at heart.  In the circumstance of youth and competitive sports, there are organizations that are better suited to addressing the complex and deeply personal issues in these cases.  For these reasons, I voted against the bill, which passed the House by a vote of 218-206.

The House also considered a bill (H.R.30) titled the Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act.  Domestic violence is on the rise, and Congress should be working on real solutions to keep survivors safe.  But this bill has the potential to do the opposite and to put domestic violence victims at greater risk.  As written, this bill could punish domestic violence victims—for example, a woman acting in self-defense—and enable abusers to threaten their victims to stay silent.  That is why a diverse group of 200 national and local advocacy and religious groups who work on behalf of survivors have opposed it.  Congress can and should do more to prevent domestic violence and sexual assault and to support survivors, including appropriating resources for enforcement so that people who commit these crimes are punished to the fullest extent of the law.  Despite its name, the bill the House considered does not do these things.  It does not improve protections for victims of sexual assault or domestic violence, and it does not solve problems with our immigration system or at our border.  For these reasons, I voted against the bill, but it passed the House by a vote of 274-145.

On Wednesday, the House also considered the United States-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act (H.R.33), a bill designed to strengthen the economic partnership between the United States and Taiwan by addressing double taxation of Taiwanese residents who have income from sources within the United States.  I voted for the bill, which passed the House by a vote of 423-1.

The House also considered several bills and voted on them under suspension of the rules, which passed on a bipartisan basis, and I am glad to highlight a few here: (1) the Federal Disaster Assistance Coordination Act, H.R. 152, which establishes a working group at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to streamline and consolidate how information is collected and shared between agencies after disasters; (2) the Post-Disaster Assistance Online Accountability Act, H.R. 153, which requires government agencies that distribute grant funds following a disaster to consolidate data on grant recipients and projects into a single website; and (3) the POWER Act of 2025, H.R. 164, which allows electrical utilities that received federal aid after a major disaster declaration to access additional federal funding for resilience improvements. 

As a reminder, you can always find a list of all of the votes I have taken for the district on my website.

This week, the Energy & Commerce Committee held two organizing meetings to bid for positions on the committee and vie for our subcommittee assignments.  I am excited to update you on the work I will do on the committee this Congress.

First, I am glad to have gotten positions on the Subcommittee on Health and the Subcommittee on Energy—two areas where people across our district have deep expertise and insight to bring to the policy discussions in Washington.  I will also serve for the first time this year on the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Second, I am glad to share that my Democratic colleagues elected me the Vice Ranking Member of the Energy & Commerce Committee for the 119th Congress.  What does that mean?  Each Committee in the House has a Chair and a Ranking Member.  The Chair is from the party in the majority; in this Congress, the Republicans.  The Ranking Member is the lead member for the minority party; in this Congress, House Democrats.  I am excited to work with Ranking Member Frank Pallone and the entire committee. 

The Energy & Commerce Committee works on matters of all kinds important to people in our community in Houston and across the country.  From energy to health care to telecommunications to manufacturing, trade, and commerce, the matters before the Committee matter to us all, and I look forward to working with my constituents and my colleagues to build on the work we have done together and deliver meaningful results for the American people. 

(With two terms behind me, I have also gotten a better seat as I have gained seniority on the Committee.  I have now moved up to the second row!)

This week, I was delighted to welcome Sugar Land Mayor Joe Zimmerman and his wife Nancy, as well as #TeamTX07 alum Spencer, to my new Rayburn office while they were in town for the winter meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. We had a great visit about developments in the district and more!

In Washington, Team TX-07 held more than a dozen meetings with constituents and groups advocating on their behalf, including high school students from Congregation Emanu-El and a representative of the Environmental Defense Fund Texas, pictured below.  Back home in the district, our team was out and about, helping constituents and attending community events, including hosting a constituent services pop-up in Sugar Land, attending the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce’s Community & Connections Breakfast, the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce lunch with Houston Mayor John Whitmire, and meeting with the Energy Corridor District, pictured below.

There was a lot happening this week in Washington.  The House continued to organize and the Senate conducted hearings on potential cabinet appointments for the incoming administration.  President Biden gave his farewell address from the Oval Office on Wednesday.  And Wednesday also brought the important announcement that Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement establishing a ceasefire and negotiating the release of hostages.  This is a major breakthrough for the Israeli and Palestinian people and an important step forward for peace in the region.  Over the last 15 months, I have heard from neighbors across our diverse district who have shared deep concern about the impact of the October 7 attack and the war between Israel and Hamas.  I am grateful for President Biden’s steadfast leadership and commitment to reaching this agreement.  Resolving the conflict will require the continued leadership and partnership of the United States, together with countries and governments in the region, affirming the principle that Israelis and Palestinians deserve security, freedom, opportunity, and dignity. 

Need help with a federal agency?  Would you like to meet and get assistance in person?  Team TX-07 constituent advocates will be at the Sugar Land Branch Library at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center on West Gray on Wednesday, February 12 to help you.  You can also visit fletcher.house.gov/casework or call my Houston office for help.

Our annual Valentines for Veterans program has several schools signed up to participate this year, but you don’t need to be a student to share the love and make some cards.  You don’t even have to be crafty!  I hope you will join us in sending notes of gratitude and love to Houston-area veterans.  We will collect and deliver them on behalf of our district next month.  For details, click here. 

Next Monday, January 20 will bring the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States at the United States Capitol, and mark the end of one administration and beginning of a new one in the White House.  Monday is also our national holiday to honor the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—remembering, celebrating, and honoring the man, the movement, and the mission.  As we look ahead to that day, it is important to remember that we all can and must continue to work together to make our union more perfect.

The House will be back in session on Tuesday, and I will be there for the work ahead representing our district.  Please know that 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,