Dear Neighbor,  

It has been a very difficult week.  I write to you with profound sadness after terror attacks in Kabul that killed thirteen U.S. service members and many civilians.  The American service members who were killed this week represented the best of our nation and our highest ideals in their selfless service.  As we have come to see in the stories of their lives we have read and seen since that day, these young Americans were committed to making the world better through their service.  We are all forever in their debt. 

And we see what they made possible this week.  The United States has evacuated more than 114,000 people from Afghanistan.  My team and I have been working with many constituents to help U.S. Citizens and Afghan SIVs, working around the clock to do all we can to get them to safety.  We are here to help, and have created this page on my website with links, forms, and information.

And in this difficult week, I was also deeply saddened by the interview with U.S. Capitol Police Officer Lt. Michael Byrd, who shot one of the Capitol rioters on January 6 as she tried to climb through a shattered window into the House Speaker’s Gallery.  I am devastated to know of the danger he is in now.  He said in his interview that he knew he had acted appropriately in the situation, and that he knew he saved countless lives.  I do, too.  One of the lives he saved was mine.

I am grateful to him for his bravery then and now, and to our Capitol Police who continue to protect our Capitol and the people who work there every day.

And tonight, I know all of our hearts are heavy watching our neighbors in Louisiana suffer tremendous devastation from Hurricane Ida.  We marked the fourth anniversary of Harvey this week, and we remember how frightening this time is, and how they showed up for us.  I know that people all across our community stand ready to help.  As the situation develops, you can check with the Red Cross as well as local organizations for information.  Ida is an important reminder of how quickly the storms can develop and how important it is to be as prepared as possible.  You can see the guide we have put together at fletcher.house.gov/hurricanes.

This week, Congress returned to Washington early to address legislation.  This was an unusual session in August, when members of Congress are usually home in the district.  But we were called back to take several important votes.  First was a procedural vote to begin discussion, debate, and drafting relating to two items from the Senate: a bipartisan infrastructure bill, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and a budget resolution.  That vote will allow the House to begin work on the Build Back Better plan.

The House also passed H.R. 4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.  As an original co-sponsor on this legislation, I was proud to vote for this bill, which will restore protections established in the 1965 Voting Rights Act.  Voting is the very foundation of our democracy.  Congress has the responsibility to protect voters’ access to the ballot box, and the swift passage of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act is vital to fulfilling that responsibility.  You can read more about the bill here and here.

On the topic of improving our infrastructure and making it more resilient, I was glad to join Bellaire Mayor Andrew Friedberg and other community leaders on Thursday to celebrate the inclusion of critical wastewater system improvements in the House appropriations package, passed in July.  I am glad to partner with the City of Bellaire on this project!

While I am still holding most meetings virtually because of the COVID threat level in our community, I did have a few special meetings in the district office this week, including a meeting with Texas Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright about carbon capture, emissions, and ways to partner at the state and federal level.

Texas Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright stopped in to discuss pipelines and energy issues.

Another challenge this week as we are seeing an alarming increase in cases of COVID-19 across our region.  I spent time on the phone and on Zoom with leaders of our hospitals and public health efforts about the dire situation for providing care.  As reported on Friday, the number of positive cases in students tripled in one week, and we some of our hospitals have reached their highest level of COVID admissions over the last week.  This impacts people across our community who cannot get the care they need.

Now is the time to get vaccinated.  Harris County and the City of Houston began programs providing additional incentives for COVID-19 vaccinations by giving out $100 gift cards for those who get their first doses.  This has resulted in increased vaccination appointments—upward of a 500% increase at the City of Houston sites and 700% at Harris County sites, which began earlier. 

If you’re looking for a place to get vaccinated for yourself or others, visit ReadyHarris.org or find a City of Houston list here.

I’m so proud to announce that on Friday, our constituent services team reached another milestone: 6,000 closed cases.  Recent cases have for people trying to leave Afghanistan and those people trying to obtain passports in the midst of a backlog at the U.S. Passport Agency.  If you need help with a federal agency, fill out the form here to get started.

This week’s news is a little bittersweet because in reaching this milestone, we also had to say goodbye to Spencer, who has helped so many of those constituents with small business loans, economic impact payments, and unemployment issues.  You can read stories of how he—and our other constituent services representatives—have helped people here.  Our entire team wishes him the best as he moves on—and we know he will continue to help our neighbors!

Whether I am in Washington or Houston, I am here for 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.  My team and I are here to help.