June 25, 2021

VP Harris is Months Late on Fixing the Border Crisis

Today, Vice President Harris makes her first trip to the southern border since being named the "Border Czar" for the Biden Administration - after months of pressure from those of us in Congress and Texans along the border.
 
I’m glad the Administration is finally heeding our calls, but the lack of transparency, communication, and overall compassion we’ve seen has been appalling. In the months that it took for the Vice President to finally make it to the border, crime rose and drugs flooded our communities, state, and country.
 
I hope she looks in the eyes of the border patrol agents, law enforcement officers, border families, and exploited migrants who have been abandoned by this Administration.
I remain hopeful, but not confident, that once the Vice President sees what we’ve known for months, she will finally employ the full might of the federal government and fix the crisis once and for all.
Midland Migrant Site to Close, but Border Crisis Rages On
 
The Midland HHS facility for unaccompanied minors is slated to close next week.
 
The Administration continuously failed to communicate with local leaders and law enforcement officers. Our local hospital system was burdened with unpaid claims, and most importantly, our residents were kept in the dark about what was happening in their city.
 
Though this facility may be closing in Midland, our district is still bearing the brunt of the Biden Border Crisis—with alarming increases in drug and human trafficking, dangerous high-speed chases, increased strain on local law enforcement, and damage to farmland and personal property.
 
I will continue putting pressure on the President and Vice President to face reality and secure our border.
We Need Answers for the Origins of COVID-19
 
I am calling for all intelligence into the origins of the COVID-19 virus to be declassified.
 
The U.S. should not rely on the WHO, the same organization that covered for the Chinese Communist Party in the early days of the pandemic, to deliver answers to the American public about the origins of a virus that wrecked our economy and tragically claimed hundreds of thousands of American lives.
 
Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats are stonewalling House Republicans' efforts to deliver answers, but we will not stop until the CCP is held accountable for the needless loss of life and decimation of the American economy.
 
I spoke on the House Floor calling for answers. You can watch my remarks here.
Recognizing Erik Perez

I’d like to recognize an outstanding leader in the 11th District, Erik Perez! Erik immigrated to the U.S. as a freshman in high school and enrolled in the De Leon ISD Migrant Program. His sophomore year in high school, Erik attended a migrant workshop geared toward college preparation at Region XIV Education Service Center.
 
Following the workshop, he volunteered to clear and clean schools every Wednesday afternoon. Erik’s leadership was revealed through his manners and determination, despite not being able to speak English yet. Jana Cullers of De Leon ISD was especially impressed by him, and describes him as extremely hardworking, polite, honest, and conscientious. He ran to open doors and insisted on carrying the load.
 
In high school, Erik won academic honors and was a fierce competitor in FFA events, all while learning English via a Second Language program. He graduated from De Leon High School in 2017 as a top student with honors.
 
This spring, Erik graduated from Tarleton State University and received the Outstanding Honor Graduate Award with a Bachelors of Science in Computer Information Systems. 

I am extremely proud and honored to have leaders like Erik Perez in TX-11 who make our district a better place. Thank you to the family, friends, teachers, and employees that mentored and helped mold an amazing young man.

Erik, you continue to demonstrate that kindness and determination go a long way!
Supporting Gov. Abbott's Efforts to Resist Biden's Gun-Grabbing Agenda
 
This week, President Biden signaled his intent to infringe on the constitutional rights of millions of law-abiding gun owners by enacting burdensome and unconstitutional gun regulations.
 
In response, my Texas GOP colleagues and I sent a letter to Governor Abbott encouraging him to continue resisting the Biden Administration's gun-grabbing agenda and protect the rights of Texas gun owners.
 
As a Texan, a life-long member of the NRA, and constitutional conservative, I oppose any measure that limits or guts the Second Amendment Rights of law-abiding gun owners throughout this country. I will always stand up for the right to bear arms.
 
You can read the letter here.

Opposing Democrats' Latest Move in their War on American Energy Independence
 
Today, Democrats passed a misguided resolution calling for onerous regulations from the Obama Administration to be re-imposed on the fossil fuel industry.
 
Just two years ago, the United States became the number one producer of oil and natural gas in the world, thanks to the previous administration’s deregulation that allowed private energy innovators and entrepreneurs to flourish.
 
Now we risk losing our competitive edge on the world stage, with needless regulations that will hurt small and independent producers and crush innovation. The same private innovation that has allowed the United States to lead the way in reducing methane emissions to 20-year-lows.
 
Our Nation relies on affordable, reliable energy—and global demand will only continue to rise. We cannot allow foreign adversaries like Russia to overtake the United States as the world leader in energy.
 
Watch my remarks speaking against these regulations here.
Supporting Meaningful Legislation
 
So far this Congress, I have sponsored 7 original pieces of legislation and co-sponsored nearly 80 important bills that I believe further the values of our district.
 
You can see a full-list of the legislation I am supporting at this link, but below are a few of the bills I have co-sponsored recently:
 
H.R. 3985, the Averting Loss of Life and Injury by Expediting SIVs (ALLIES) Act
Sponsored by Jason Crow (D-CO)
The Afghan SIV Program was created in 2009 to provide safety for Afghan interpreters, contractors, and security personnel who worked with the U.S. government in Afghanistan. The application process has been plagued by delays since the program was established and faces severe backlogs, with wait times routinely stretching for years. Our Afghan friends and allies are at greater risk than ever before. This bill would accelerate the Afghan SIV program in order to save as many of our Afghan partners ahead of the troop withdrawal this fall. 

Signing Important Letters
 
Letter to Governor Abbott Supporting Texas Becoming Second Amendment Sanctuary State and Resist Biden Run Regulations
Led by Chip Roy (R-TX)
We must defend Texans against the unconstitutional infringements of President Biden’s rogue federal bureaucrats. Attorney General Paxton has correctly pledged to litigate to stop the recent proposed pistol brace regulation. But we would also support any efforts you can take under Texas’s new Second Amendment Sanctuary to prohibit state funding from flowing to any Texas agency or political subdivision that attempts in any way to assist in enforcing President Biden’s offensive, tyrannical gun control agenda, including the above-mentioned proposed regulations. We urge you to work with Texas agencies, political subdivisions, law enforcement officers and employees thereof to prevent any enforcement scheme. We stand with you to ensure that regardless of any actions of the federal government, Texans’ right to keep and bear arms is not infringed.
 
Letter opposing Biden Budget's removal of Hyde and other Pro-life protections.
Led by Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Andy Harris (R-MD), and Rep. Fischbach (R-MN)
This letter to President Biden in response to his budget request for FY2022. The letter expresses concerns with his removal of longstanding bipartisan pro-life protections that prevent taxpayers from funding abortion, including the Hyde Amendment.
 
Letter to EPA Administrator Regan and Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army Pinkham on WOTUS
Led by Leader McCarthy & Ranking Members of Jurisdiction
This letter responds to the recent actions on WOTUS, notifying the administration Congress will be monitoring the process and new rulemaking closely. The Obama era WOTUS rule was disastrous for farmers, ranchers, businesses, and families. We must ensure that the positive changes that we are put into place during the Trump administration are maintained.
Thank you for reading. It is the honor of my lifetime to serve you in Congress. Please follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for daily updates.
Rep. August Pfluger
Member of Congress