Dear Neighbor,

Today I am thinking of all mothers, grandmothers, stepmothers, or anyone who is taking on the incredible role of motherhood as we celebrate Mother’s Day.  I am proud to have been raised by my mother right here in TX-07, and grateful for the many lessons I have learned from her.

I was also proud to celebrate the life work of many in our district this week, with both Teacher Appreciation Day and National Nurses Day!  Their tireless work in our community is truly appreciated.

After the launch of the Small Business Administration’s Restaurant Revitalization Fund this week, I am hosting a webinar tomorrow,  May 10, at 11:30 AM to help answer any questions you may have.  You can RSVP for tomorrow’s webinar and submit your question by clicking here.

Our committees were busy at work this week.  Our Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee held a hearing discussing various bills to lower the price of prescription drugs—an issue of vital importance to many across our district.  Americans shouldn’t have to pay three or four times more for life-saving medication than people in other countries do, or be forced to choose between paying for their medicine and other essential needs.  I was glad to work with my colleagues to move forward H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, this Congress so we can bring down the prices of prescription drugs.  You can watch my line of questioning during this important hearing here.

I also joined the Energy and Commerce Communications and Technology Subcommittee held a hearing on addressing the disparities in access and affordability of broadband.  These disparities can create a gap in educational outcomes, available health services, and job prospects between households that have broadband and those that do not, which has been made even more apparent since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.  I was glad to work with my colleagues to help find solutions.

With the Texas State legislature passing voting restriction legislation, it is as important as ever for Congress to protect the right to vote.  That’s why this week, I joined many of my colleagues in the House of Representatives calling on Senate leadership to pass H.R. 1, the For the People Act, which aims to expand voting rights, change campaign finance laws to reduce the influence of money in politics, limit partisan gerrymandering, and create new ethics rules for federal officeholders

I was home in Houston this week and glad to meet virtually with several local organizations, including the Greater Houston Builders Association, the Houston Apartment Association, and the Health Port Communities Coalition, on matters of importance to our region.  I had the chance to meet with various national organizations as well, including the Federal Bar Association, the American Chiropractic Association, the National Brain Tumor Society, and Better Care America.

Greater Houston Builders Association

As we continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that we protect ourselves as well as our family, friends, and neighbors by continuing to social distance and getting vaccinated.  Both of these steps are critical in reaching herd immunity and getting back to our pre-pandemic lives.  To help in this effort, the Biden administration this week launched a COVID-19 vaccine text-line to help people find appointments near them.  Anyone can now text their ZIP code to GETVAX (438829) in English, or VACUNA (822862) in Spanish, to get contact information of locations near them with available vaccines. 

In our community, the Houston Health Department will be hosting a free drive thru COVID-19 vaccination clinic this Saturday, May 15 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 PM for people with disabilities, older adults, and caregivers.

Currently, the positivity rate in Harris County is at 9.4 percent.  If you feel ill, you can click here to register for a free for COVID-19 test.

I am proud to represent you and here to help.  If you need assistance with a federal agency, want to share your opinion, or have any general questions, please call my office at (713) 353-8680 or (202) 225-2571, or you can email here.  I am always glad to hear from you.

Best wishes,