Texas Leading the Charge in Fighting the CCP

Standing with Israel: Israel, like the United States, is not a member of the ICC and has shown that it can and does hold its own citizens accountable when necessary.

Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I have seen firsthand the dangers the Chinese Communist Party poses to the United States. This week, Governor Abbott issued two executive orders that demonstrate strong leadership and deterrence toward the CCP’s malign activities.

We cannot sit idly by while China attempts to infiltrate our country and harm U.S. national security. Thanks to these executive orders, criminal charges will be brought against anyone who harasses Texans on behalf of the Chinese government. Additionally, state agencies and higher education institutions will institute additional measures to protect critical infrastructure and personal information from being accessed by our adversaries who attempt to infiltrate Texas.
I’m extremely proud Texas is leading the charge in combating the CCP’s malign influence. Our message is clear: Don’t mess with Texas.

Read more here.

Standing with Israel
I am outraged by the International Criminal Court's (ICC) decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. This blatant anti-Israel witch hunt ignores the actual facts, including that Israel is fighting against an Iran-backed terrorist organization, Hamas.
 
Israel, like the United States, is not a member of the ICC and has shown that it can and does hold its own citizens accountable when necessary. The ICC's actions set a dangerous precedent with serious implications for the United States. 
 
Earlier this year, the House passed the bipartisan Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act to impose sanctions on ICC officials if the court pursues a case against an American or an allied country that is not a member of the ICC. I urge the Senate to pass our bill to protect American servicemembers, officials, and our allies.
 
I look forward to working alongside President Trump and his national security team to restore our ironclad commitment to Israel and end the anti-Israel bias within the United Nations.

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Combating Human Trafficking 
Human trafficking is an unspeakable and egregious violation of human rights, and it often preys on the most vulnerable among us: our children. The late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and I often worked together to combat human trafficking in Texas and beyond.

This week, I re-named a bill we worked on together in her honor and reintroduced it with her daughter, Congresswoman Erica Lee Carter, whom I know will carry on her mother’s commitment and dedication to ending human trafficking. This bill increases prison time for human trafficking offenses that occur in a school zone or within 1,000 feet of a school-sponsored activity.

Currently, over 80,000 minors are known to be victims of victims of trafficking in Texas alone, and this number continues to increase among school-aged children. By passing this bill, we will increase the penalties for those who commit this atrocious crime, make schools safer for our precious children, and help end this modern-day form of slavery.

Read more here.

Supporting America’s Veterans
In September, I released a report on the Biden-Harris administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, which included several legislative recommendations. One of those recommendations was to pass the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act – a bill to ensure veterans, like those who served in Afghanistan, receive the care, benefits, and support they are owed.
 
This week, the House delivered by passing this bipartisan bill, which delivers on the promise House Republicans made to put veterans and their families first.
 
As the son of a WWII B-17 bombardier, I was proud to sponsor and vote for this comprehensive bill. We are forever indebted to our current and future veterans. This bill brings us one step closer to giving them the assistance they deserve.