Dear Neighbor,

I feel like I have started every email this year with a note that it has been a challenging and difficult week.  For our district, that is certainly the case this week.  I am hopeful that we are now moving into the recovery period for this week’s winter storm, but for many it will be a long and difficult recovery. 

Not long after I wrote last week, power to residents across the district began to go out in the middle of the night, including to my parents.  Like people across the district, I spent the morning trying to help them—one lost both power and water Monday—and checking in with my team and people across the district.  When the power went out at my house later in the day on Monday, I counted myself lucky to have had a little extra time to prepare—to fill up my bathtub, charge my phone, and change the batteries in my lights in my “hurricane bag.”  So began the week that none of us will forget – one that challenged us all, raised questions that demand answers, and reminded us of what community is all about.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, I bundled up in our frigid house, focused on helping in all the ways I could.  As did our team.  Six of the seven members of our Houston team lost power this week, and the one who didn’t lost water early in the week.  Now, many have burst pipes and major damage.  Still, our TX07 team kept working, and our D.C. team was answering phone calls, getting help and information out, and advocating for resources and assistance around the clock.  I was grateful to have the support of the Speaker of the House and the Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, who quickly and helpfully amplified our calls for assistance and answers.  I am really grateful to our staff for their dedication to our district, this week and every week.

We are still in this crisis.  As the power has been restored to most, and the water restored to many, neighbors all around us are dealing with the cascading impacts of this disaster.  We have short- and long-term challenges in front of us – from getting drinking water to those who need it to fixing pipes and repairing homes to getting to the bottom of how this all happened.  I know we can and we will, but I also know it will continue to take a toll on our community.  I encourage everyone who can to do what you can to help – there is great need in all corners of the district.

Our community has come together to support each other once again.  I was glad to participate in water distributions in our district organized by Houston City Council Member Abbie Kamin and Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, and to see our neighbors spring into action to help.  I will continue to share information about water distributions and resources on my social media and website in the days ahead.  And, of course, I want to hear from you about ways I can help you.

I want to hear about your experience during the winter storm our community endured, and I hope you will use the link to tell me and our team:

• What happened for you during the storm?
• What concerns you most, looking ahead?
• How can I help?

You can click above or share your story HERE.

Throughout the week, I have been in communication with FEMA and the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), and with our local leaders in Houston and Harris County to convey the needs and urgency of our community and to support their requests for assistance.  On Thursday, I wrote a letter calling on FEMA to approve Texas’ request for a major disaster declaration as soon as possible and got many of my Texas colleagues to join it.  I am glad to report that that the request has been approved for Harris County—making possible federal funding to help recover here and across the state.

FEMA is now taking applications for claims for home or property damage:

• Please note: If you have insurance, you must file an insurance claim first.  FEMA cannot and will not duplicate benefits that you have received from insurance.
• You can apply online at disasterassistance.gov, through the FEMA app, or by phone at 800-621-3362.

Our team has compiled a list of resources on my website that could be helpful as we look to recovering from this past week.  A couple of highlights here:

• Harris County Office of Emergency Management: Text FREEZE to 888777 to get the most up to date information, including updates on recovery resources, from the Harris County Office of Emergency Management.
• Bottled Water Distribution Sites: Click here for a continually updated list.
• Medical Equipment: If you use durable medical equipment, like oxygen machines, that go out because they lose power, please call my office at 202- 225-2571 and we will see if we can assist.
• Price Gouging: To report price gouging or other disaster scams, call 800-621-0508 or file a complaint online at https://www.harriscountycao.org/pricegouging and txoag.force.com/CPDOnlineForm.
• Insurance: For questions about filing a claim or for insurance company contact information, you may contact the Texas Department of Insurance hotline at 1-800-252-3439, or click here for additional resources.

Here are some additional tips:

• As individuals begin to assess damage and make repairs to area homes and businesses, contact 8-1-1 to have utility lines marked before you dig to keep everyone safe.
• Keep any receipts for damages and take lots of pictures before repairs!
• Unfortunately, after a disaster, there are those who will try take advantage of the situation through scams and price gouging.  Below are some tips to help avoid these bad actors: 

As we move forward, we must determine what happened, why it happened, and how we can make sure it never happens again.  I have called for several investigations to make sure we get these answers:

• On Tuesday, I joined members of our Texas congressional delegation in sending a letter demanding answers from ERCOT and the Public Utility Commission of Texas about what led to the power failures our state was experiencing and its plan was to make sure that power was restored immediately.
• Along with my colleague from Fort Worth and fellow member of the Energy and Commerce Committee Congressman Marc Veasey, I requested a federal investigation by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) (letter here), calling on the agency to work with Congress on several matters.
• On Friday, I led a letter with Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Energy Subcommittee Chairman Bobby L. Rush, Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chair Diana DeGette, and Congressman Marc Veasey to Governor Abbott asking for answers on matters relating to this week’s winter weather crisis (link here) that has left our neighbors here and fellow Texans across the state in the dark without power, heat, food, water, and medicine for multiple successive days. 

And the winter weather crisis has exacerbated the coronavirus crisis here.  As you know, the weather crisis has delayed vaccination appointments and closed facilities.  I am glad to report that those activities will resume this week.  After hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 vaccine deliveries and injections were delayed by the winter storm, Texas will get nearly 600,000 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for next week.  This could not come at a more critical time, as more than 500,000 Americans have now died from COVID-19. 

I will return to Washington this week, where the House will be in session to vote on legislation to enact President Biden’s American Rescue Plan to combat the pandemic.  Of course, I will stay focused on our recovery from this storm, and will continue working with our leaders in Houston and Harris County in the days ahead whether I am in Washington or Houston.

I am proud to represent you, and I am here to help you.  As always, please do not hesitate to call on me and my team if there is anything we can do to help you or if there is anything you want me to know.  You can email here or call (713) 353-8680 or (202) 225-2571 at any time.

Best wishes,