Before heading back to Washington, I visited the 9/11 Memorial in Bellaire to honor the memories and the heroism of our fellow Americans who died that day, and in the days that followed, and those who responded to the horrific attack on our country.  It is a powerful memorial, and provides a place for reflection every day of the year.

Later that afternoon, I met with representatives of the American Business Immigration Coalition to discuss workforce and security solutions, as well as ways to keep TX-07 competitive. 

I also met with representatives from the Joan and Stanford Alexander Jewish Family Service to learn about their new initiative to educate our community about the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.  This free, confidential, 24/7 hotline is a result of our efforts in the last Congress.  If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or any form of distress and in need of help, you can dial 9-8-8 to receive support from a professional.  This line is available to anyone calling within the U.S., offers Spanish text and chat services, and specific services for our LGBTQI+ and veteran communities. 

After getting home late last night, I stopped by the Houston Public Media studio this morning for of my favorite shows – Houston Matters – to visit with host Craig Cohen and answer questions from callers. 

On Tuesday, the House reconvened after the extended District Work Period and voted to pass several pieces of legislation on a bipartisan basis, including the Fight Combat Rampant Iranian Missile Exports (CRIME) Act, H.R. 3152, to sanction those doing business with Iran’s missile and drone program; the Mahsa Amini Human Rights and Security Accountability (MAHSA) Act, H.R. 589, which requires the President to impose sanctions on Iranian government leaders for ongoing human rights abuses; and a resolution condemning the government of Iran for its persecution of the Baha’i people and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights, H.Res. 492.  This legislation passes as we approach the one-year anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death, which spurred country-wide protests against Iran's government and morality police.

On Wednesday, the House passed the ACRES Act, H.R. 1567, to require the United States Department of Agriculture and the Department of Interior to carry out a yearly hazardous fuel reduction report based on the actual number of acres that the respective agencies treated over the past year, and a bill to extend the authority of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest to collect and retain marina fees to enhance recreation and improve access at the Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area in northern California, H.R. 3324.  These also passed on a bipartisan basis under suspension of the rules.

At the beginning of the week, the House Rules Committee moved forward with a rule that slated the House to vote on the appropriations bill for the Department of Defense as well as the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, H.R. 1435. 

During the week, however, Republican leaders announced that we would not vote on the defense appropriations bill this week.  As a result, the only bill that was debated and voted on the House floor was the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act.  This is a misnomer.  If enacted, the bill would direct the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to revoke all existing waivers and future waivers under the Clean Air Act for any California vehicle emission standards related to internal combustion engines, forcing the EPA to revoke waivers going back more than a decade.  Congress and the EPA have recognized states’ statutory authority to set more protective vehicle emission standards for more than 50 years. I voted against this bill in the Energy and Commerce Committee, and again this week when it came to the House floor.

As a reminder, you can always find a list of all of the votes I have taken for the district on my website.

This week, I co-sponsored several pieces of legislation on issues important to our community, including: 

• the Increasing Developing Entrepreneurship Access (IDEA) Act of 2023, H.R. 4499, to create a grant program to promote growth for minority-owned businesses through enhanced access to capital, business networks, and supply chains;
• the Student Loan Disclosure Transparency Act, H.R. 1371, to require separate, monthly disclosures to student loan borrowers regarding their projected payments, accrued interest, total cost of attendance, and other personalized details in understandable terms;
• the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act of 2023, H.R. 2407, to increase seniors’ timely access to multi-cancer early detection technology by creating a pathway to Medicare coverage; 
• the U.S.-Israel Health Technologies Cooperation Act, H.R. 4076, to reauthorize a 3-year U.S-Israeli cooperative grant program to jointly develop health technologies; and
• a resolution recognizing Girl Scouts of the United States of America on its 111th birthday and celebrating its legacy of providing girls with a safe, inclusive space where they can explore their world, build meaningful relationships, and have access to experiences that prepare them for a life of leadership, H.Res. 198.

I also joined my colleagues in sending a letter to the Department of Interior urging the completion of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s full five-year offshore oil and gas plan, to ensure that offshore wind sales can be held in 2025 and onward. 

Even though it was a relatively short week, we managed to get in two Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearings.  I participated in an Energy, Climate, and Grid Subcommittee hearing on energy efficiency standards, and I asked witnesses about the role energy efficiency standards play in reducing demand on the grid.

As you may have seen, this week, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced he is directing three House committees to open an impeachment inquiry into President Biden. 

Few questions can be more important to our democracy than whether the President of the United States has broken his solemn vow to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.  It is the responsibility of Congress to investigate matters of the President’s conduct with the seriousness and fairness they require; to follow the facts and the evidence.  To date, however, after months of committee hearings, House Republicans have yet to present evidence to support allegations of misconduct by the President.  My colleague Jamie Raskin, the Ranking Member of the House Oversight Committee, put out a statement outlining the work done in that committee on these allegations.  I will, of course, follow the proceedings and report back to you if this inquiry comes before the full House.    

And tonight, I am sending warm wishes to everyone in TX-07 celebrating Rosh Hashanah.  Shana Tovah!

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,