Dear Neighbor,

This has been a challenging and eventful week. From coming together to mourn the death and celebrate the life of George Floyd here in his hometown, to recognizing and working to mitigate a steep increase of COVID-19 cases in our region, I know many have been affected by recent events.  During times like these, I am grateful for the spirit and resiliency of our community.  I remain committed to working on your behalf, and I am glad to share my work over the past week.

I was grateful to be present at George Floyd’s Houston funeral this week to celebrate his life — to hear from people who loved him and remembered him as a person with hopes and dreams for himself and his children.  People around the world know George Floyd because of his unjust death.  But our community knew him as a son, father, brother, uncle, and friend.  Love and loss were powerfully present at his funeral, as was purpose and hope.  I join Houstonians and all Americans praying for his family's healing and for justice — for George Floyd and for our country.

We are engaged in an important and urgent conversation about how to keep our communities safe across the country.  This week, I was proud to cosponsor the Justice in Policing Act of 2020, legislation to enact thoughtful reforms that will rebuild trust and strengthen relationships between police and the communities that they protect and serve.  This bill will assist police departments change the culture of policing, raise the standards of the profession and increase accountability.

We have the opportunity to partner with people across our community and across the country – including law enforcement – to bring common-sense reforms across departments that will make and keep all of us safer.

This week, our Science, Space, and Technology Committee’s Energy Subcommittee held a briefing session to discuss how the Department of Energy is supporting the manufacturing of medical supplies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  As we consider policies to address these issues and help protect Americans from this virus, we must make sure we leverage all of our national resources and capabilities.  And our full Science Committee held a hearing on federal grant programs to get fire departments the resources they need to keep us safe, especially with new challenges brought by COVID-19.

Our region has seen a significant increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in recent days.  The pandemic is still very much a part of our lives.  We must remain careful and vigilant, doing our part to stay safe and stop the spread.  I urge you to take care and to frequently check the Ready Harris “Stay Safe” webpage.  The county has unveiled a new color-coded system to help inform all residents regarding the level of risk from COVID-19.  We are currently under Level 2, meaning there is a significant and uncontrolled level of COVID-19 and that there is ongoing transmission of the virus.

At this time, it is recommended that we minimize contact with others and avoid large gatherings.  If you are concerned about your status, testing is available throughout Houston and Harris County, and you no longer need to show symptoms to be tested. 

Each month, I look forward to town halls and community conversations.  This year we have found new ways to connect—and my priority remains hearing directly from you.  I hope you will join me for our next telephone town hall, where I will announce a Mid-Year Report to provide an update on the first my work in Congress for the first half of the year and answer questions.

My Mid-Year Telephone Town Hall will be on Wednesday, June 24 at 6pm.  RSVP here or by clicking the link below.  Once you RSVP, you will be all set!  My office will call you right before the town hall begins to connect us.

I was happy to announce a bit of good news for our district: Congregation Beth Yeshurun has received a $2.4 million FEMA grant to help repair the synagogue from damage sustained during Hurricane Harvey.  After Harvey, Houstonians came together to help one another rebuild.  I am glad to support these efforts, and efforts of so many others in our district who are still working to rebuild and recover.

I am committed working for you and ensuring that our community has the resources it needs to see us through the challenges we face.  Please remember that my team and I are here to help.  If you need anything, you can submit a request for help through my website, you can send me an email here, or you can call my office at (713) 353-8680.

I am proud to represent you, and I am here for you.

Best wishes,