On April 20th, I voted to pass H.R. 734, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023, legislation to ensure that women and girls have a fair playing field in sports by guaranteeing that schools adhere to Title IX’s recognition of biology and genetics of an individual at birth.
Title IX was enacted as part of the Education Amendments of 1972 to prohibit sex-based… Read more »
I want to take a chance to reflect on what I have been working on thus far and what we have accomplished in the House of Representatives.
I started this year securing significant changes to the House rules. The Holman rule was reinstituted. It can be used to help control federal spending. I also fought to tighten the House’s interpretation of germaneness, hopefully leading to smaller… Read more »
This Easter I want to revisit one of my favorite hymns, He Is Risen. Though I’ve shared this one before, the message of He is Risen is enduring and its history fascinating. As any staff member who has ridden in the car with me during the Easter season knows, I love to talk about He Is Risen and about Joachim Neander, who wrote the music.
In early April, both Christians and those of the… Read more »
House Republicans recently passed H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act. By numbering this legislation as H.R. 1, Republicans recognize that unleashing American energy is one of Congress’ top priorities and critical to the wellbeing of the American people and our economy.
In 2020, under President Trump, the United States achieved energy independence. According to the U.S. Energy Information… Read more »
Over the past few years, there has been an alarming trend of parents being forcibly shut out of their children’s education by certain school districts.
I’ve recognized the urgency of correcting this issue.
Parents are the people primarily responsible for directing their children’s education and they have rights.
That’s why I voted in favor of H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights… Read more »
Thanks to the new Republican majority, this Congress my committee responsibilities have expanded. Along with serving on the Energy and Commerce Committee, in January I was selected by Speaker Kevin McCarthy as one of eight Republicans to serve on the Committee on House Administration.
While not well known, the House Administration Committee has a significant portfolio.
Part of our job… Read more »
In January, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Army Corps)’s published a final Waters of the United States, or WOTUS, rule. This rule is scheduled to take effect on March 20th. It makes significant changes to expand the federal government’s authority to regulate any body of water.
Using sweeping terms to define millions of acres, the rule… Read more »
Several federal issues I am passionate about have been in the news lately.
First, in regards to the safety of unaccompanied minors who have crossed the border. Second, is the debate over whether COVID-19 originated from a bat or from a lab incident.
On the first matter, I visited Fort Bliss, Texas, in May of 2021. Part of my trip included visiting the Office of Refugee Resettlement… Read more »
I have hit the ground running in the new legislative session of Congress and will review a part of my agenda today. Obviously, over the two years of this Congress I will introduce more bills to best represent the people of the 9th Congressional District.
2nd Amendment
Last month, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) finalized a rule to expand the definition of… Read more »
I recently Chaired a joint Energy & Commerce Oversight and Investigations and Health Subcommittee field hearing on the southern border in McAllen, Texas, to examine our crisis there and how it intersects with our country’s fentanyl crisis. I heard from expert witnesses during the hearing who described the dire situation at the southern border and saw U.S. Customs and Border Protection… Read more »
