Hearing with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin
Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, House Republicans passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, commonly known as the Farm Bill. This is one of the most consequential pieces of legislation that shapes food, agriculture, and rural life in the United States. While it is supposed to be renewed roughly every five years, Congress has not passed a Farm Bill since 2018, making this year's bill especially important.
For too long, Texas farmers and ranchers have been pushed to the brink, battling rising costs, workforce shortages, and relentless weather uncertainty. Now, we are one step closer to getting our farmers the certainty they need. This Farm Bill is a major victory for the West Texas agriculture community, which is the backbone of our nation's economy and a critical pillar of our national security.
It delivers tangible, agriculture-focused solutions and locks in several key provisions I was proud to fight for.
With fewer than 2% of Americans working to feed, clothe, and fuel the entire country, passing this legislation out of the House was essential. After nearly a decade of delay, House Republicans stepped up and took action this week.
- Read more about the 2026 Farm Bill and the provisions I secured for Texas-11 here.
There was also a high-profile Environment Subcommittee hearing with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin. During our conversation, I underscored the significance of the Supreme Court's Loper Bright decision in reining in the unelected administrative state.
It was extremely alarming to me that the Ranking Democrat Member of the House Appropriations Committee lacked knowledge of this landmark case, given its critical role in federal rulemaking.
During the hearing, I also highlighted the remarkable strides energy producers in the Permian Basin have made in reducing emissions while simultaneously growing energy output. Additionally, Administrator Zeldin provided a timely update on the OOOOb and OOOOc methane rules and the HFC Management Rule, two Biden-era regulations that have imposed significant compliance costs and uncertainty on American businesses.
- Watch my full line of questioning here.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. We know the need for more access to mental health care services is rising, yet for far too many Americans, high-quality, affordable care remains out of reach when they need it most. We cannot afford to ignore this growing crisis. That's why I introduced the bipartisan Ensuring Excellence in Mental Health Act to strengthen mental health resources in Texas and across the country.
The legislation permanently authorizes the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model and gives every state the option to implement this proven approach into its behavioral health care systems. It also establishes a durable payment structure for CCBHCs under Medicare and codifies the Medicaid payment system these clinics depend on to keep their doors open for people who need care.
- Read more about the Ensuring Excellence in Mental Health Act here.
Congressman August Pfluger represents Texas’ 11th Congressional District – which includes the cities of San Angelo, Llano, Brownwood, Granbury, Midland, Odessa, and much of the top Oil & Gas Producing Region in America, West Texas' Permian Basin. He also serves as Chairman of the House Republican Study Committee – the largest caucus of conservatives on Capitol Hill.
