DHS Shutdown Reaches 35th Day

Protecting Americans and Combating Deadly Nitazene

Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON, D.C. – It is incredibly disappointing that we are on day thirty-five of the Democrat shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. Amid spring break travel, heightened national security events, severe storms, and more, keeping the DHS shutdown puts Americans in harm's way. Over 100,000 DHS employees have yet to receive a paycheck since the shutdown, and some TSA Agents are reportedly sleeping in their vehicles and donating plasma to put food on their families' tables. This is simply unacceptable.

Americans across the country are feeling the impact. I joined 'John Bachman Now' on Newsmax this week to call out my Democrat colleagues for keeping the DHS shutdown as Americans suffer the consequences. I also discussed why Senator Markwayne Mullin is the right person to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Watch our full conversation here.

Protecting Americans and Combating Deadly Nitazene

This week, I introduced the House version of Senator Schmitt's DETECT Nitazenes Act to address the alarming rise in nitazenes, a new class of synthetic opioids that are stronger and deadlier than fentanyl. The bipartisan legislation would direct the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate to coordinate with the Drug Enforcement Administration to enhance technologies to detect illicit substances, particularly nitazenes, at extremely low concentrations.

Nitazenes are an emerging class of illicit drugs that pose a serious threat to Americans' health and safety. Yet, today, these deadly drugs have not received the level of attention necessary to combat them. The DETECT Nitazenes Act will close critical gaps in detection capabilities, support law enforcement efforts, and improve public safety outcomes by enabling faster and more accurate identification of these deadly substances. As the risk from synthetic drugs continues to evolve, this legislation ensures that we remain prepared to respond to the next generation of deadly narcotics and protect our communities.

Read more about the legislation in The Blaze here.

Pushing for Strong U.S. Leadership in Global Communications

During a House Energy and Commerce Communications and Technology Subcommittee hearing, I underscored the urgent need for the United States to lead in global telecommunications standards to counter the growing influence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). I also raised concerns about China's expanding role in international communications governance as it plans to host the 2027 World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC-27).

As China is actively working to undermine U.S. interests at every turn, allowing them to host this global telecommunications event without strong global cooperation and preparedness would be a national security disaster. We must ensure the United States remains competitive and protects its national security interests in these critical arenas.

Watch my full line of questioning here.