A Difficult Week in America

Charlie was a man whose conviction and passion will leave a lasting mark on an entire generation.

Texas Insider Report WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week has been one of profound sorrow for our nation. We remember the attacks of September 11, 2001, and we also mourn the tragic murder of Charlie Kirk. Politically motivated violence has no place in America, and terrorism has no place in our world. Such actions can never be justified. I am deeply shocked and horrified by the violence in Utah as well as Colorado this week.

Charlie was a man whose conviction and passion will leave a lasting mark on an entire generation. His loss will be felt deeply across our nation. I unequivocally condemn any individual who believes that violence can ever be justified. Please join me in praying for the Kirk family and all those close to him during this time of immense loss. May God be with us all in these difficult times.

House Financial Services Committee
This week, the Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions held a hearing that provided an opportunity for Members to hear directly from the Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). Director Gacki gave an update on the new Beneficial Ownership reporting system and we reviewed the effectiveness of the Bank Secrecy Act. Hearings like this are important to assess how laws are working today and what additional steps may be needed to combat illicit finance and strengthen our financial system. You can watch my remarks here.

On Wednesday, we also held a full committee hearing on protecting long-term shareholder value and preventing abuse of the Rule 14a-8 shareholder proposal process. Members considered whether the shareholder proposal process, which was originally intended to give all investors a voice in oversight, has been co-opted by activist investors pursuing narrow political or social agendas rather than focusing on long-term shareholder value. Discussion included legislative solutions to refocus 14a-8 on material issues, curb misuse by special interests or disruptive filers, and increase transparency around conflicts at proxy advisors and among certain shareholder advocates. My comments are linked here.

Oversight and Government Reform Markup
HR 5125 - On Wednesday, my bill H.R. 5125, the District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act, was reported out of committee favorably. This critical bill amends the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to terminate the DC Judicial Nomination Commission. For decades, the Commission has prioritized politics over justice, creating delays and judicial backlogs. My bill aligns DC with the federal judgeship nomination process, giving the President the power to nominate judges, subject to Senate confirmation. As the son of a federal Judge, I respect the importance of this work, and that is why my bill does not remove any current judges, it simply brings the traditional process for filling vacancies moving forward to DC. The DC courts must be equipped to do their job: hold criminals accountable, protect victims, and restore order in our nation’s capital.

Legislation of the Week
H.R. 3838→ Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
I voted YES to pass our annual defense funding legislation to ensure our warfighters have what they need to protect our great country. This year’s bill included provisions to speed up procurement and cut red tape, so the Pentagon and increase effectiveness and field systems faster.
 
H.R. 3486→ Stop Illegal Entry Act
This bill strengthens border enforcement by removing mandatory minimums for entry and reentry, ensuring serious consequences for repeat and aggravated offenses. I was a proud YES on this legislation to secure our Southern Border.