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ICYMI: Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, Members of Congress Hold Press Conference Following Oversight Visit To Dilley ICE Detention Center

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) joined Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and members of the House Democratic Women's Caucus (DWC) at a press conference with FWD.US and Families Belong Together, following their visit to the Dilley Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detention Center. The oversight visit follows reports of inhumane treatment of children and families at the facility.

Congresswoman Fletcher’s press conference remarks as delivered:

Thanks so much, Congresswoman Ansari, and I join you in thanks for Congressman Castro and his entire team that have welcomed all of us to San Antonio and taken us to Dilley today. I am from just down the road, I'm Lizzie Fletcher from Houston, and am really grateful for the opportunity to be here today to witness myself what is happening in the great state of Texas and in the United States of America. And every American really needs to know what we saw at Dilley today and what we are seeing happening unfold in streets across this country, and so I'm grateful to everyone who's here, who's sharing this information. I’m grateful to FWD.US for the incredible work that they're doing to make sure that people don't look away from what we are seeing happening, and both of my colleagues have used the word, that if I had to have one takeaway from today, and one word, it is trauma.

The United States government is traumatizing individuals that it has in detention. I spent a lot of time today talking with some of the adults who were there, because there are families as well as a group of women who are detained at Dilley, and I spoke with women who've been there for eight months, who were picked up off the street while they were coming home from exercising. They had no idea why they were being picked up. They had no idea where they were going, and they have very little, if any, contact with anyone outside. They don't know what's happening with their asylum case. They don't know how long they'll be there. They don't know what's going to happen to them when they get out, and they're not getting any answers. They're not getting any information, and they're not getting any help, except from the people who are working so hard to share their stories and make sure that Americans know that this cannot go on. It cannot go on in our names. And what we see is these individual cases of trauma for the children and the families. But this immigration enforcement regime, ICE, and the Trump Administration are creating trauma not only for individuals, but they are terrorizing our communities, and they are creating trauma across our communities. And that's certainly true at my home in Houston, where, as all of you know, we recently saw ICE pursue someone who was not the target of an investigation, in unmarked vehicles, with plainclothes officers, trying to stop Lorenzo Araujo and detain the three men who were with him in his van after they shot and killed him in the street.

People in Houston are outraged, but they're also traumatized. This is a national trauma, and that's why people need to know what's happening, and people need to speak up and speak out wherever they are because this is being done in our names. This is being done by the United States government, and I think for most Americans, it is unimaginable, but it is also something, as Congressman Castro said, that has been hidden. It's been hidden because we are not getting information. This Congress is not conducting the oversight that it should be. That's why I'm so grateful to Congressman Castro and to the DWC for making sure that we are doing the oversight work that the majority in Congress is refusing to do, and we need to make sure that people across the country know, as Congresswoman Ansari said, by definition, no one at Dilley has a criminal record.

Americans are being lied to about what this administration is doing, who it's detaining, what's happening when it takes them into detention. They're not being honest with the people about how, and why, and what they are doing, and it has to stop. It absolutely has to stop. The detention that we see in Dilley and the trauma that we see in our communities, it doesn't serve the interests of the American people. It doesn't meet our values and our aspirations for who we are. I know that this is not who we are, and we all need to stand up in this moment to stop it. So again, I'm grateful to be with all these incredible fighters who are here, including my friend, and classmate, and colleague, an incredible fighter here from Boston, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley.

Texas holds the largest detained population of any state, averaging approximately 13,400 people per day in ICE custody as of mid-September 2025 across a rapidly expanding network of facilities. The ICE Detention Center in Dilley reopened in March 2025 after closing under the Biden Administration. Reports have revealed alarming conditions at Dilley, including poor food and water quality and serious health issues, including a measles outbreak and inadequate care for pregnant women.

Earlier this month, Congresswoman Fletcher joined 110 of her Democratic colleagues in an effort calling for the closure of the ICE Detention Center in Dilley. Since 2025, the Democratic Women’s Caucus has sent six oversight letters to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) calling out their mistreatment of pregnant detainees, insufficient healthcare accessibility, and violence against women.

To watch the press conference, click here.

ICYMI: Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, Members of Congress Question ICE's Use of Force Following Killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) joined Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Adriano Espaillat, House Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Bennie Thompson, and Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) for an oversight forum on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) use of force and abuse of power, following the tragic killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo by ICE in Houston on July 7, 2026.

The forum, entitled “Seeking Justice: Oversight of ICE’s Use of Force in the Death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo,” included testimony from Lorenzo Salgado Araujo’s sons, Ronaldo Salgado Araujo and Lorenzo Salgado Araujo Jr.; Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare; Houston City Council Member Joaquin Martinez (District I); LULAC President & CEO Juan Proaño; East End Communities Director Patricia Cabrera; and Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Rev. Salvatore De George.

Congresswoman Fletcher’s oversight forum remarks as delivered:

Congresswoman Fletcher:

Well thank you, Chairman Espaillat, and thanks to you and Ranking Member Thompson and Representative Garcia for convening this important oversight forum. And I want to thank all of my colleagues who've come from across the country to see and hear from our community. And I want to thank our witnesses from our community for so beautifully explaining and showing this community to the rest of the country. Because people across our community and across the country, as Father De George and Ms. Cabrera explained so beautifully, have been living in fear. And their worst fears were realized again when federal agents killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. So I want to thank all of you for testifying and for your leadership in our community, especially at this devastating time.

Ronaldo and Lorenzo, my thoughts have been and will continue to be with you and your mother and your entire family, not just today, but in all the days ahead. You make us proud, and you make us all proud for your advocacy and for your commitment to justice for all. And I hope today's hearing will demonstrate to you and to everyone here our commitment of not only our Houston Congressional Democratic Delegation, but the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the entire House Democratic Caucus.

It is a failure of this Congress—and many before—that we have not been able to pass laws to address our broken immigration system. The people here have been trying and will continue to do so, but it is a new and utter failure of this Republican-controlled Congress that has not only failed to address—it has refused to address the abuses that this White House is directing in terms of immigration enforcement operations. And that it has done nothing—nothing—when innocent people in this country have been killed at the hands of federal immigration agents this year and during this term.

It is a betrayal of families and communities across the country that we represent. It is a betrayal of the Constitution that we have all sworn an oath to protect and defend, and it is a betrayal of our values as Americans. And yet, what we hear from those who are directing these policies is that these actions are being taken to make us safe. And so, District Attorney Teare, I want to direct my questions—start my questions—with you. Can you tell us from your experience of 20 years in law enforcement whether the policies that we have seen implemented at ICE—and in terms of immigration enforcement throughout DHS—in the last 18 months have made our communities safer?

District Attorney Teare:

Objectively, no. They've had the complete opposite effect.

Congresswoman Fletcher:

And can you tell us why that is? Can you give us some examples of what is making us less safe because of the policies that this administration is implementing?

District Attorney Teare:

We have people who are here unauthorized, who are victims of domestic violence, aggravated robbery, aggravated sexual assault, who are too scared to even call the police, let alone participate in prosecutions of people who are here with documentation or who are citizens. These policies have effectively created a group of our community that are targets, and that's what we're seeing.

And we can't hold the people that prey on them accountable. And that group of people knows it.

Congresswoman Fletcher:

Thank you. In addition, Mr. Green asked about dash cams, and I also want to ask about the increased presence of unmarked vehicles and plainclothes officers for immigration enforcement activities. That's something I know many of us up here have objected to repeatedly, but can you talk about what that does in our communities as well?

District Attorney Teare:

Yeah. It continues the feeling of fear—the floating fear that Father talked about. But it's just not good law enforcement policy. Undercover work is crucial to good law enforcement policy. But undercover officers don't then affect the traffic stops for reasons that we have seen time and again around the fear of the person trying to be stopped. So it is not best practices.

Congresswoman Fletcher:

Thank you. And with the time I have left, Council Member Martinez, I just want to direct this question to you. Can you share with us how you see in the community this affects interactions with law enforcement agencies that come under your jurisdiction, like the Houston Police Department and others, and in the community because of the actions of these federal officers?

Council Member Martinez:

Yes, Congresswoman. So it's important to continue to highlight that calls for services are down. My team, we've done some research. We've gotten data from HPD within our zip codes. And they have gone down. And then even heavier in the southwest part of Houston, where we have an even more diverse immigrant population, called them services have gone down even more. So what we're finding as well is that, when residents—and I've shared my personal number with several community folks—when something is happening, an operation is happening, and folks can’t identify who is heading that operation, we're having to call and figure out what agency this is

in order to try and tamper down those fears.

Congresswoman Fletcher:

Thank you, Council Member, I've gone over my time, I appreciate it. Thank you all for your testimony and for your work. And thank you again for convening this hearing. And I yield back.

To watch the forum, click here.

Alim Garipov Released From Detention Following Community Advocacy

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Alim Garipov, a Bellaire High School student, was released from ICE detention following a community-wide advocacy effort. Immigration lawyer Olsa Alikaj-Cano of Cano Immigration PLLC, Congresswoman Fletcher (TX-07), and Alim’s family released the following joint statement:

“We are relieved and grateful that Alim has finally been released from detention and reunited with his family.

“This outcome came after a tireless, expeditious effort over the weekend, working in partnership to secure Alim’s release.

“So many people across our city—his friends, teachers, coaches, and so many others—rallied behind Alim in support, and those who know him know it’s easy to understand why. He is an extraordinary young man with a bright future ahead of him. He loves his family and this country, and he has done everything the right way, legally, throughout this process.

“Too many immigrant families in our community and across the country are facing similar uncertainty and separation, and we are actively working to help many others facing the same fear.

“We will continue working to help members of our community in these challenging times, and we will continue to advocate for an end to the unfair and unjust policies that led to this heartbreaking situation in the first place. We hope that everyone who expressed concern for Alim will continue to do so for him and for others—it matters.”

Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher and Congressman Morgan Luttrell Advance Effort To Expedite Buffalo Bayou and Tributaries Resiliency Study

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2026. Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) and Congressman Morgan Luttrell (TX-08) led the effort to include a provision directing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to expedite a Chief’s Report evaluating a single large underground water conveyance tunnel to reduce flood risk around the Addicks and Barker reservoirs and along Buffalo Bayou.

WRDA 2024 required USACE to complete a Chief’s Report on the Buffalo Bayou and Tributaries Resiliency Study (BBTRS). Instead, USACE produced a report of findings that presented three options: take no action, construct one large tunnel, or construct a series of smaller, modular tunnels. USACE then requested additional funding to study the difference between the large-tunnel and modular-tunnel options, rather than completing the legally required Chief’s Report.

WRDA 2026 closes that gap. The bill's new language specifically directs USACE to expedite the Chief’s Report on the single large tunnel option—the solution regional stakeholders have identified and supported as the most effective way to protect Houston-area communities from flooding, whether from a single catastrophic storm or the cumulative impact of frequent, smaller flood events.

“Since my first term in Congress, meeting the need to protect our community from flooding has been central to my work, and completing the Buffalo Bayou and Tributaries Resiliency Study is essential to that effort,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. “This project reflects an effort to think big about how to protect our entire community from the cumulative toll of more rain and more storms. I’m grateful to Congressman Luttrell for his partnership in this effort, and to community leaders across Texas’ Seventh Congressional District for their years of collaboration and advocacy. I’m glad WRDA 2026 will finally require USACE to deliver the Chief’s Report on the solution our community has identified and supported.”

"Houston families have waited too long for real protection from flooding around the Addicks and Barker reservoirs and Buffalo Bayou,” said Congressman Morgan Luttrell. “Today's committee passage of WRDA 2026 is a step forward towards ending the delay and requiring USACE to finally deliver the Chief's Report on the large tunnel solution. I want to thank Congresswoman Fletcher for her years of advocacy and partnership on this fight.”

Since her first term in Congress, Congresswoman Fletcher has advocated for the completion of BBTRS. Following her advocacy, Congress included language requiring USACE to complete BBTRS in the Water Redevelopment Act (WRDA) of 2024. In January of 2024, she testified before the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure and urged the Committee to include language to complete the BBTRS. In 2021, she wrote a letter to USACE supporting an exemption to allow USACE to complete the BBTRS.

In 2020, she successfully called on the USACE to extend the public comment period for the BBTRS Interim Report. She then submitted a public comment on the interim report urging the USACE to incorporate public feedback from residents of Texas’ Seventh Congressional District.

ICYMI: Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Joins Groundbreaking for Poor Farm Ditch Infrastructure Improvement Project in West University Place, Southside Place

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Monday, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) joined Commissioner Rodney Ellis, State Representative Ann Johnson, Mayor Andy Chan, Mayor Susan Sample, and Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) Executive Director Marcus Y. Stuckett, P.E., CFM, to break ground on the Poor Farm Ditch project. The project will repair one of the county’s oldest stormwater drainage ditches, increasing the channel’s capacity from a 10-year storm event to a 50-year storm event, providing enhanced flood protection for West University Place, Southside Place, and the area.

"The Poor Farm Ditch project reminds us how government is supposed to work," said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. "This project has been years in the making, and it only happened because passionate advocates made sure it got done by building a coalition, engaging community members, addressing concerns, and working with people on both sides of the aisle at every level of government. I was glad to secure nearly $10 million through the Community Project Funding process in Congress to get this project moving. Thanks to the leadership of Mayor Andy Chan and Mayor Susan Sample, and the partnership of many, we are making real progress in protecting residents and making our community more resilient."

“As our region continues to grow and weather becomes more extreme, investing in flood mitigation is essential,” said State Representative Ann Johnson. “Protecting our neighborhoods requires long-term commitment, and I’m proud to help deliver projects that make our community safer and more resilient for generations to come."

"We stand here today as a testament to what can be achieved when all levels of government work together,” said Mayor Andy Chan. “I thank all our partners from local, county, state and federal government. As the Mayor of the City of Southside Place, I want to express my deep gratitude to current and former city council members, city staff, and the community. We did this together!”

"This project means Poor Farm Ditch will be able to carry about 60% more stormwater during heavy rain events, lowering flood risk for the homes, businesses, and streets in Southside Place and West University Place that depend on this channel," said Marcus Y. Stuckett, P.E., CFM, Executive Director of the Harris County Flood Control District. "It is a clear example of the power of federal, state, county, and local partners coming together to invest in this community's resilience."

In 2022, Congresswoman Fletcher requested and secured nearly $10 million in federal funding to reconstruct the Poor Farm Ditch through the Community Project Funding (CPF) process in Congress. The funding was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, a bipartisan government funding bill that funds essential programs and projects, including the Poor Farm Ditch project. President Biden signed the bill into law on December 29, 2022.

The widening and deepening of approximately 3,100 linear feet of the existing concrete-lined channel, increasing the channel’s flow capacity by 60%, and replacing the concrete lining between Bellaire Boulevard and University Boulevard, will benefit areas that have experienced repeated flooding events and severe damage. Construction on the Poor Farm Ditch project is expected to begin in September 2026, lasting approximately four years.

To watch the full press conference, click here.

Harris County Kicks Off $32.7 Million Poor Farm Ditch Fix

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Harris County has officially started tearing into one of its oldest problem spots, breaking ground on the Poor Farm Ditch modernization project on July 13, 2026, in Southside Place. The roughly $32.7 million effort is designed to cut flood risk inside the Loop and protect about 500 homes in West University Place and Southside Place, wrapping up years of planning and funding wrangling that finally pushed the project into construction this summer.

What the project will do

The Poor Farm Ditch project will overhaul about 3,100 linear feet of the concrete-lined drainage channel in the Brays Bayou watershed. Crews will widen the channel from about 30 feet to 40 feet and deepen it from roughly 7.
5 feet to 10 feet, changes that officials say increase the effective flow area by more than 60%. Commissioner Rodney Ellis marked the July 13 groundbreaking alongside U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, Texas state Rep. Ann Johnson, West University Place Mayor Susan Sample, Southside Place Mayor Andy Chan and Harris County Flood Control District Executive Director Marcus Y. Stuckett. Engineers say the upgrades will significantly increase conveyance capacity for storm flows, according to Harris County.

Funding and partners

The Harris County Flood Control District will manage construction, paid for through a mix of federal community project funding, Texas legislative appropriations, Harris County’s 2018 flood bond and direct contributions from West University Place and Southside Place. Local officials and the county coordinated through an interlocal agreement and right-of-way conveyances so the Flood Control District could move the design into active construction. Documentation and background are available from West University Place and the Harris County Flood Control District.

Timeline and neighborhood impacts

To keep the project from overwhelming nearby streets and backyards, work will roll out in roughly 500-foot segments, with each stretch finished before crews move to the next. Bids opened earlier this year and construction was expected to begin in early summer 2026. Community reporting notes that the reconstruction will directly affect a small number of properties that sit immediately along the channel, and that the full effort is targeted for completion by 2030. Mitigation measures such as temporary fencing and staged access are planned to minimize impacts on homeowners, according to Community Impact.

Why it matters

West University Place officials say Poor Farm Ditch handles drainage for a substantial share of homes in the local floodplain, and the channel’s deteriorating concrete lining has been flagged as a vulnerability for decades. “A third of West U homes in the floodplain are drained by Poor Farm Ditch,” a city official told Community Impact, a reminder of why county and local leaders pushed this rebuild to the front of the line.

View this article in Hoodline.

Harris County breaks ground on $32.7 million flood project

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Harris County is taking a major step forward in the fight against flooding. Commissioner Rodney Ellis joined federal, state and local leaders Monday morning to break ground on the Poor Farm Ditch Project — a $32.7 million investment aimed at protecting roughly 500 homes in West University Place and Southside Place.

The groundbreaking ceremony took place at 9 a.m. July 13 at the Southside Place Police Department, located at 6309 Edloe St. in Houston.

What the project will do

The Poor Farm Ditch Project will modernize approximately 3,100 linear feet of an aging drainage channel within the Brays Bayou watershed. Plans call for widening the channel from about 30 feet to 40 feet and deepening it from 7.5 feet to 10 feet — increasing its effective flow area by more than 60%.

The result: significantly
reduced flood risk for hundreds of families in two of Houston’s inner-loop communities.

Who is behind it

The project brings together a broad coalition of government partners. Joining Commissioner Ellis at the groundbreaking were U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, Texas State Rep. Ann Johnson, Southside Place Mayor Andy Chan, West University Place Mayor Susan Sample and Harris County Flood Control District Executive Director Marcus Y. Stuckett.

How it’s funded

The $32.7 million project is funded through a local, state and federal partnership. Funding sources include federal Community Project Funding, Texas legislative appropriations, Harris County’s 2018 Flood Bond, and direct contributions from the cities of West University Place and Southside Place.

The collaboration highlights how multiple levels of government can come together to address one of the Houston area’s most persistent challenges: flooding.

What’s next

With the groundbreaking now complete, construction work on the channel modernization is set to move forward. Residents in West University Place and Southside Place can expect meaningful improvements to flood resilience in their neighborhoods as the project progresses.

View this article in Click2Houston.

‘It doesn’t get easier’: Candlelight vigil honors Lorenzo Salgado Araujo

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

More than 200 people gathered Saturday morning to honor Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, the man shot and killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents (ICE) this week.

Holding lit candles and "ICE OUT" signs, the group said prayers and mourned Salgado Araujo's death as well as others like Renee Good and Alex Pretti — who had lost their lives during ICE encounters in Minnesota earlier this year.

"It doesn't get easier, and of course I'm still looking for answers," said Salgado Araujo’s son, Ronaldo Salgado. "I've been looking for answers since 7 o'clock a.m. Tuesday."

Two of Salgado Araujo's sons, Ronaldo and Lorenzo Jr., spoke to the crowd. They described their father as a shy, hardworking individual who loved the Chivas Mexican soccer team and raised his sons to value and prioritize their education. Ronaldo said the family has still not received his father's belongings, including his wallet, phone and lunchbox.

"Which I imagine is just sitting there in that van at the FBI facility just rotting away," Ronaldo said. "It was the last meal my mom made for him, and she just wants that lunchbox back."

Salgado Araujo was shot Tuesday morning during what ICE has called a "targeted enforcement operation” in Houston’s East End neighborhood. He was traveling to work with three other men in his car. In a statement to Houston Public Media, a DHS spokesperson did not specify whether any of the people in the vehicle were intended targets, saying one of the individuals in the van "resembled the target." An ICE spokesperson said during the stop, Salgado Araujo was attempting to evade arrest and allegedly rammed his van into an ICE vehicle, causing an ICE agent to fire his weapon.

On Friday, Hugo Balderas, the lawyer representing two of the passengers in Salgado's Araujo's van, said their accounts of the incident are "extremely different" from ICE's version.

“They confirmed that at no point was there ever an ICE agent directly in front of the vehicle,” Balderas said. “They also confirmed that the shots came from the sides, not from the front, which is inconsistent with the ICE statement.”

All three of the passengers that were in the van were detained and taken to the Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe, Texas.

U.S. House Representatives Sylvia Garcia, Lizzie Fletcher, Christian Menefee and Al Green expressed condolences to the family and made more calls for an independent investigation into the shooting.

"We can tell you that we will continue to fight for a complete, independent, top-to-bottom investigation to find out exactly what happened," Congresswoman Garcia said. "We are Houston. We are Texas. We will demand more."

Emily Chapman is a pastor at St. Mark's Methodist church in the Heights; she said she felt powerless and worried there wouldn't be any accountability for Salgado Araujo's death.

"This isn't the first time this has happened," Chapman said. "I wanted to be with people and honor the life of a person and think about what we can do to make sure this doesn't happen again."

Community members canvass businesses near site of shooting

Down the street, community members and organizers canvassed the area where the shooting occurred and talked with local business owners about what to do if approached by ICE agents.

Members of the Democratic Socialists of America and Organized Power in Numbers held a gathering at Las Perras Cafe off Harrisburg Boulevard on Saturday.

The crowd of around 30 people handed out business cards with the Houston Rapid Response Network and employees-only signs for businesses to place in their facilities. Some went door-to-door in separate groups while others approached visitors at the memorial near where Araujo was killed.

Mauricio Escobar, an organizer with the nonprofit group Organized Power in Numbers, said it's important for business owners to verify whether agents have the proper authority to search their establishment.

"If you’re a business owner, and ICE comes to your business and they don’t have a signed warrant, you have every single right to not allow them to come in," Escobar said. "You have the right to refuse them. You can kick them out."

According to Escobar, groups such as Organized Power in Numbers are determined to continue efforts in educating and preparing Houston residents for encounters with ICE officers until their presence is removed from the city completely.

View this article in Houston Public Media.

Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher says federal grant overhaul would upend scientific independence

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D‑TX‑7) is urging researchers, universities, and nonprofit organizations to speak out against a sweeping federal proposal she says would politicize the nation’s grant‑making system and destabilize long‑term scientific research. The Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) plan, released May 29, would overhaul how more than 41 federal agencies award and manage grants, shifting key decisions away from expert review panels and toward political appointees.

During a webinar this week with legal and nonprofit leaders, Fletcher said the proposed rule would replace longstanding peer‑review processes that guide scientific and research awards.

“The proposed rule would shift more of that authority to political folks and not scientists or experts,” she said.

Fletcher warned the changes could have far‑reaching consequences for Houston area institutions that rely heavily on federal research dollars, including medical centers, universities, clean‑energy researchers, and NASA related programs.

“A researcher three years into a five‑year study could have federal funding pulled before the work is completed,” she said, calling the proposal a threat to scientific stability and community innovation.

The 400‑plus‑page proposal would also make it easier for agencies to cancel grants already underway, reduce public input on agency‑specific grant policies, and limit how much flexibility agencies have to tailor programs to local needs.

Fletcher said the changes would create “total uncertainty” for organizations that depend on predictable multi‑year funding. “By putting political judgment ahead of scientific expertise and experience, OMB would make federal funding much less predictable and much more political,” she said.

Legal experts from Lawyers for Good Government, who joined Fletcher on the call, said the proposal would reshape nearly every part of the federal financial assistance system. Jillian Blanchard, senior vice president for climate change and environmental justice, said her organization has already worked with more than 800 entities whose grants were “canceled, frozen, or terminated” under earlier administrative actions.

“We have seen firsthand what happens when they attempt to implement the rules they are now proposing to codify,” she said.

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Blanchard added the rule would touch programs across health, science, clean energy, education, agriculture and low‑income assistance. She warned the proposal attempts to “direct the way people spend all funds in such a way that turns civil rights on its head,” including provisions that would restrict diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

Katherine Christopher, a supervising attorney at the organization, said the proposal would “reshape and weaponize how the federal government awards and administers all grants and financial assistance.” She noted the rule would eliminate internal dispute rights for grantees, increase compliance burdens on agencies already facing staffing shortages, and reduce scientific integrity by shifting oversight away from peer review.

The public comment period on the proposal remains open until July 13, and Fletcher urged organizations to submit concerns before the deadline.

“Democracy isn’t just voting in elections in November,” she said. “It’s participating in the process in all kinds of ways, and this is a really important time and opportunity to participate.”

Fletcher said she has already sent a letter to OMB Director Russell Vought opposing the rule and warning of “irreparable damage” to the nation’s leading research institutions. She told attendees her office will continue working with partners in Houston and Washington to push back against the proposal.

View this article in Courier Texas.

Reproductive Freedom Champions in Congress Mark Dobbs Anniversary With Legislative Action and Accountability Measures

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Four years after the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, reproductive freedom champions in Congress are fighting back and advancing legislation to protect access to reproductive health care. Across Capitol Hill, lawmakers and advocates are drawing attention to how abortion bans have expanded threats to patients, providers, and the broader reproductive health care system—including attacks on interstate travel, threats against health care providers, and efforts to undermine medical training. In response, Democrats are demanding accountability and advancing a series of bills aimed at preserving access to legal reproductive health care.

On Capitol Hill last Wednesday, Senate Leader Chuck Schumer and House Leader Hakeem Jeffries each held press conferences, joined by Senate Democrats, Democratic House leadership, the Reproductive Freedom Caucus, the Democratic Women’s Caucus, and Reproductive Freedom for All, highlighting the deadly consequences of the Dobbs decision and Republican lawmakers’ ongoing assault on reproductive freedom. At the Senate press conference, Mini Timmaraju condemned “this Congress of Republican extremists” for being complicit in efforts to ban abortion, asserting they had “aligned themselves with one of the most extreme administrations in the nation’s history.” She warned that Senate Republicans planned to mark the anniversary by pushing anti-reproductive freedom measures, but that Senate Democrats would fight back—and voters would hold Republicans accountable. Senator Patty Murray also hosted a spotlight forum where Senate Democrats heard directly from panelists who have firsthand experience of the consequences of Dobbs and subsequent abortion bans.

Senator Elizabeth Warren and other Senate leaders sent a letter to Trump and Secretary Kennedy demanding answers about the recently-launched Moms.gov. The letter raises concerns about the site’s promotion of anti-abortion centers—so-called “crisis pregnancy centers”—and the documented mishandling of patients’ sensitive health information. It criticizes the use of public resources to direct pregnant people—under the guise of offering resources—to facilities run by anti-abortion organizations that have a well-documented history of misleading, shaming, and deceiving patients seeking abortion care.

Earlier this month, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto reintroduced the Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act, which would block states with abortion bans from restricting interstate travel for abortion services. Since Dobbs, anti-abortion politicians have pushed efforts to investigate, prosecute, and sue people who travel out of state for abortion care, as well as their health care providers and anyone who assists them. The bill reaffirms the constitutional right to interstate travel and prohibits any state or locality from restricting travel for reproductive health care. It also empowers the U.S. attorney general and impacted individuals to bring legal action against those who violate these protections.

On the anniversary of Dobbs, Democrats advanced legislation to protect access to reproductive health care nationwide.

Also on Wednesday, Senators Tammy Baldwin and Patty Murray reintroduced the Reproductive Health Travel Fund Act, which would allow the Treasury Secretary to award grants to abortion funds to help cover travel and related expenses for patients forced to seek abortion care out of state. Since the Dobbs decision, people seeking abortion care have faced longer travel distances and higher costs, increasing both the financial strain on abortion funds and the number of people who rely on them. This bill would provide critical support for travel and logistical costs.

Senator Patty Murray and Representative Kim Schrier reintroduced the Let Doctors Provide Reproductive Health Care Act, which would ensure providers can continue offering legal abortion care, including to patients traveling from other states. It responds to a growing effort by anti-abortion politicians to extend abortion bans beyond state lines. Republican attorneys general have urged Congress to invalidate shield laws that protect out-of-state providers, and providers have faced increasing harassment through threats of lawsuits, criminal penalties, and loss of licensure for delivering care that remains legal in their states. This legislation would help protect providers from out-of-state interference and preserve access to legal reproductive health care for everyone.

Lawmakers also advanced legislation to address the impact abortion bans are having on medical education and the broader reproductive health care workforce. Representatives Lizzie Fletcher, Kelly Morrison, and Kim Schrier introduced the SAFE Training for OB-GYNs Act, which creates a grant program for OB-GYN residency programs in states where abortion remains legal and expands training opportunities for residents from states with abortion bans.

Taken together, these actions reflect a coordinated effort by champions of reproductive freedom to respond to the post-Dobbs landscape—supporting access to care, protecting providers from political interference, and expanding training for future clinicians. As Republican lawmakers continue to advance measures that ban abortion, restrict access to care, and criminalize people across state lines, Democrats in Congress are fighting to reinforce legal protections and put medical decisions back into the hands of pregnant people and their doctors, not politicians.

View this article in Reproductive Freedom For All.