On Monday, I took to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives with a certificate signed by Gov. Greg Abbott to extend my thanks to Lt. Jack Kielty (Ret.) of FDNY. Back in March, Lt. Kielty came to Franklin, Texas to present a mortgage-free personalized smart home to Sgt. Maj. Sid Hamid, USA (Ret.), through the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. At the event, Lt. Kielty shared the story of the founding of Tunnel to Towers by the siblings of firefighter Stephen Siller – a hero who gave his life rescuing others on 9/11.

“I’m proud to be able to serve on the House Appropriations Committee, which has one of the most important jobs in Congress – ensuring that your taxpayer dollars are used responsibly. Our taxpayer dollars do no good sitting in Washington for the federal government to burn, which is why I’ve remained focused on bringing funding home to South & West Texas for tangible projects that improve our communities,” said Cong. Tony Gonzales of the 15 Community Project Funding (CPF) programs he is working to push through Congress.

“Enough is enough. The tragic death of Jocelyn Nungaray was entirely preventable. The two illegal aliens suspected of assaulting & murdering her were released by the Biden White House – despite ICE detention beds being available," said Sen. Cruz. The "Justice for Jocelyn Act" would crack down on Joe Biden's “Alternative to Detention” practice in the Dept. of Homeland Security by requiring every ICE detention bed to be filled – and if filled, would require the Secretary of DHS to exhaust all reasonable efforts to keep an alien in custody. 

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has secured a major victory, blocking the Biden White House’s unlawful and indefinite ban on approving applications to export liquified natural gas (“LNG”) while the lawsuit continues. Texas is the nation’s leading producer of both crude oil and natural gas, meaning the Biden Administration’s ban stood to harm the Texas economy severely – as well as those who rely on Texas energy.

Governor Greg Abbott today delivered remarks at the U.S. Embassy in the Republic of Korea while in Seoul on the second day of a three-nation economic development mission to Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan. The special Texas evening reception was hosted by the U.S. Embassy at the Ambassador’s residence in Seoul and attended by invited dignitaries and business leaders from South Korea.

Acting Governor Dan Patrick issued this statement today following his press conference with TDEM Chief Nim Kidd: “As Hurricane Beryl passes through Texas, the state’s efforts have switched from preparedness to response, and in some areas are quickly moving into recovery. Texas has assets deployed throughout the Coastal Bend, the Houston area, and Deep East Texas, and they will work diligently to assist their fellow Texans.

The agency has launched State Tracking and Reporting (LoneSTAR), a project that further improves efficiencies at the agency to save time and resources for oil and gas operators as well as RRC staff. The first LoneSTAR release allows operators to make online filings for Form P-5, which are required to become, or renew as, an oil or gas operator or pipeline operator. P-5s are required in order to operate in Texas.

The House Appropriations Committee has included crucial funding for our beloved Southeast Texas in the fiscal year 2025 (FY25) Appropriations bills. While these projects have been approved by the full committee, we're still awaiting the final passage by the full House of Representatives. Here's a sneak peek at what’s in store for us.

Acting Governor Dan Patrick urged Texans to make final preparations and announced that he has added 81 counties to the state’s Hurricane Beryl Disaster Declaration as storm forecasts have shifted the expected landfall north and east of previous projections. This brings the total number of Texas counties included in the state’s disaster declaration to 121 counties. Upon updating the disaster declaration, Acting Governor Patrick issued the following statement

Governor Abbott and President Lai explored opportunities for Texas and Taiwan to work together to strengthen trade relations and investment in critical economic drivers like the semiconductor, energy, and electric vehicle manufacturing industries. The Governor also highlighted the countless economic opportunities Texas offers companies from across the globe, including a highly skilled workforce, low taxes, and the best business climate in the United States.

The use and production of natural gas has resulted in billions of dollars being available to fund schools, road and other basic needs, is the dominant reason for declining CO2 emissions in the power sector and is one of the most affordable energy sources available.  Every family has benefited from a robust natural gas sector and LNG exports play an ever-growing role in a stronger Texas and America."

In February 2023, the Department of Defense issued a memorandum prohibiting uniformed Service Members from participating in the unfurling of large flags at sporting events because those flags are often unfurled and displayed horizontally. The U.S. Flag Code prohibits carrying the American flag horizontally. Sen. Ted Cruz's "Updating National Flag Use to Reaffirm Liberty" (UNFURL) Act would amend the U.S. Flag Code and rescind the DOD's policy at sporting events & patriotic observances.

In recent testimony before the Senate Business and Commerce committee, ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas testified that Texas may need 150,000 megawatts of power to power our grid by 2030. That is only six years away. Currently, Texas typically has approximately 85,000 megawatts of power available counting wind, solar, coal, nuclear, and natural gas. If the new estimate is correct, the updated numbers provided by Mr. Vegas call for an immediate review of all policies concerning the grid.

Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) voted for the final passage of three Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Appropriations bills in the U.S. House of Representatives. Congressman Gonzales is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and helped craft H.R. 8774, the Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2025, H.R. 8752, the Homeland Security Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2025, and H.R. 8771, the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2025. 

American families are fed up with the Biden Administration’s consistent refusals to address the crisis at our southern border and the risks it poses to our national security. Thankfully, House Republicans are taking action. We passed legislation that counters President Biden’s border crisis by providing $600 million for the construction of the border wall, investing in border security technology, forcing Secretary Mayorkas to adhere to U.S. border laws, and supporting 22,000 Border Patrol agents.

At a rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, following his universally criticized debate performance, President Biden attempted to draw a distinction between himself and Donald Trump: " I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong." Knowing right from wrong presumes a standard that is universal, not personal. Try arguing with the supermarket cashier that the price for the pound of meat you are trying to buy is not what is written on the label but what you think it should be.

“The Supreme Court did the right thing in returning decision making to elected members of Congress – the way the Constitution envisioned it and ending a massive expansion of the regulatory state,” said Sen. Ted Cruz following the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of the so-called Chevron Case precedent set in 1984 that allowed unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats to wield power and interpret or set regulations that acted as law, shifting decision making from Congress to the permanent bureaucracy.

The President therefore may not be prosecuted for exercising his core constitutional powers, and he is entitled, at a minimum, to a presumptive immunity from prosecution for all his official acts. That immunity applies equally to all occupants of the Oval Office, regardless of politics, policy, or party," the opinion states. 

“Protecting our citizens, defending our freedom, and providing for the nation's common defense is the first and most important job of the federal government – but unfortunately, President Biden’s self-inflicted open-border crisis has brought our nation’s most imminent threat right to our doorstep,” said Lubbock Congressman & House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, as the U.S. House of Representatives passed three major Appropriations Bills to ensure our nation's troops have the resources & supplies needed.

If Texas were a country, it'd now be the 8th-Largest Economy in the world, ahead of Canada and Russia. “The saying ‘I wasn’t born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could’ is truer than you might think – especially when it comes to business and job creation,” said Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar, as he released the latest examination of 10 statistics illustrating how Texas' continuing trend of strong economic and population growth confirmed what we’ve always known. Only a decade ago, Texas was the world's 12th-largest economy.