On Monday, I was glad to join Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce CEO and Co-Founder Tammi Wallace and other Chamber leaders in welcoming Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Eric Morrissette to TX07.  This was my third annual Pride Month business visit with the Chamber, and it was great to have Acting Under Secretary Morrissette join us at Black Phlox Candle Company, an LGBTQ+-owned small business in our district. 

Our visit to Black Phlox was an absolute inspiration, and I loved hearing from co-owner Rica Kendrick-Palmer about her vision and participating in the candle-making process.  I look forward to continuing to support policies that strengthen our community, our businesses, and our economy.

Small businesses are essential pillars of our community and drivers of our economy, and the MBDA is an important partner in the work.  I was delighted to attend the Houston MBDA’s 2024 Salute Inaugural Gala Celebration on Friday evening where we celebrated the work of the agency and several honorees, including Congressman Al Green (TX-09), and the partnership between the MBDA and Houston Community College.

In the last Congress, I was glad to co-sponsor Congressman Green’s Minority Business Resiliency Act to make the MBDA a permanent agency, to place MBDA regional offices in more communities, to increase the agency’s grant-making capacity, and to establish a position for an Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development.  The bill was included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which President Biden signed into law in 2021, and the MBDA is doing great work across the country and especially here at home.  And because of that law we now have Acting Under Secretary Morrissette leading this agency and making great things happen in our community.

Another highlight was participating in a forum organized by the Houston Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. to discuss infant and maternal mortality in the African American community and how we can work together to improve outcomes and care in our district and throughout Houston and Harris County.  I reported on what we are doing to address maternal and child health care in the African American community in Congress as well as how I am working with partners here at home.

As you may know from my prior correspondence as well as from other sources, Texas and Harris County have higher rates of maternal and infant deaths than other places in the United States.  That is true across all groups, and there are significant disparities for Black infants and mothers.  Black mothers in Harris County are 1.4 times more likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth than women in other parts of the country.  In December 2022, Texas’ Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee released a report that showed that up to 90 percent of deaths may have been preventable. 

This is also a nationwide problem.  The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate of any high-income country and significant disparities in outcomes – and the crisis is only getting worse: the maternal mortality rate in 2021 was 89 percent higher than the rate in 2018. In Congress, I am a member of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, a group of members organized around the goals of elevating the Black maternal health crisis within Congress and advancing policy solutions to improve maternal health outcomes and end disparities. Our key legislation is a package of 13 bills that comprise the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, to address this crisis through historic investments that comprehensively address every driver of maternal mortality, morbidity, and disparities in the United States.

I was also glad to talk about what we are doing here at home, including specifically the Harris County Maternal & Child Health Program, for which I secured $1,431,174 in congressional funding two years ago.  And also noted that Harris County Public Health has obtained a $5.5 million grant for the program from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the program.  I am so grateful to be able to work with partners across our community to address the maternal mortality crisis, which 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.

These were some big highlights this week, but I had lots of other wonderful meetings and visits in and out of the office this week.  It was fun to see #TX07 residents out and about, including learning about how to make pizza and sharing my all-time favorite combination of pizza toppings at Fuzzy's Pizza!  (I'm beyond thrilled to have that combo named after me, thanks to Jeff at Fuzzy's!).  I was glad to celebrate Pride Month with constituents.  And it was good to spend time in the office with our district team, connecting with constituents over the phone and in person, including for a roundtable discussion about education in Houston and Texas and recent developments at HISD.

While I was in our district office on Tuesday, I hosted a 2024 Hurricane Preparedness webinar.  Thank you to all who attended, and an especially big thank you to Jeffry Evans, Meteorologist-in-Charge for the National Weather Service of Houston/Galveston; Rebecca Dake, Outreach & Training Specialist at the Floodplain Management & Insurance Branch of FEMA Region 6; and Blair Walsh, Division Chief for External Affairs at the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) who shared their insights with people across #TX07.

June 1 marked the start of hurricane season, and we saw impacts from the first tropical storm of the year here at home this week.  Forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are predicting an above-average hurricane season this year.  It is forecast there will be approximately 17-25 named storms, of which 8-13 could become hurricanes, including 4-7 major hurricanes (category 3 or higher).  The increased activity is attributed to reaching record level water temperatures, La Niña, and a stronger monsoon season in West Africa.  The worst weather is expected in August, September, and October. 

My team has prepared a variety of resources to help make sure our community is prepared, and which provides links and information for the agencies that will help us through.  You can find it on my website here and below.

No matter where I am, Team TX-07 is working for our district.  In Washington, our team held more than a dozen meetings, including a meeting with representatives of TX GLO pictured below.  

And in Houston, Team TX-07 attended events with me and also participated in civic club meetings, briefings, and community events, including the Southwest Management District’s Rise & Shine breakfast pictured below. 

Even though I was not in Washington this week, I was following closely President Biden’s announcement of executive action relating to immigration enforcement that I know matters to people across our community. 

Since his first day in office, President Biden has called on Congress to secure our border and address our broken immigration system.  I have heard from many across our community about the need to address both of these issues, and I know it’s on the top of many Houstonians’ minds.  As this current Congress has continued to put partisan politics ahead of progress on this issue–twice voting against the toughest and broadest set of reforms in decades–President Biden took action this week to secure our border and address our broken immigration system by:

• implementing executive actions to bar migrants who cross our Southern border unlawfully from receiving asylum when encounters are high;
• deploying the most agents and officers ever to the Southern border; and
• seizing record amounts of fentanyl at our ports of entry. 

He also announced new actions to keep American families together and allow more young people to contribute to our economy – including:

• a new process that will help U.S. citizens with noncitizen spouses and children who have been here for 10 years to keep their families together, a process that will promote family unity and strengthen our economy; and
• a new way to help young people who have been educated in the U.S., including DACA recipients and other Dreamers, receive work visas more quickly.

These actions are meaningful efforts to secure our border and address our broken immigration system, but Congress must still act.  I’ll keep working on these issues with my colleagues in Congress.

Next week, I will return to Washington where the House will be in session for hearings, meetings, and votes.  We expect the House to take up legislation related to the fiscal year 2025 appropriations bills funding defense, homeland security, and state and foreign operations.  We will recess next Friday for the Independence Day holiday.

With that in mind, it’s hard to believe but we are approaching the deadline to apply for internships for the fall.  If you or someone you know are interested in applying for an internship in our office in Washington or Houston for the fall semester, click here.  The deadline is Friday, July 5!

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,