July 22, 2022
Today, I hosted Representative Ken Calvert, the Republican Leader of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and Rep. Jake Ellzey, a fellow fighter pilot and member of the MACH 1 Caucus, in San Angelo for a tour of Goodfellow Air Force Base.

We were briefed on the intelligence training mission of the base, housing constraints, joint service capabilities, and fire protection school.    
 
Goodfellow Air Force Base is irreplaceable. It is the single most important military base for the DoD intelligence apparatus and the United States intelligence community. The base has graduated hundreds of thousands of national security professionals who work around the world to keep Americans safe.

It was an honor to host the top Republican on the committee that allocates funding for our national defense at Goodfellow to showcase how critical our base is to national security.
 
Goodfellow has graduated over 360,000 trained professionals since its founding in 1950. Many of these service members have gone on to fill positions in principal intelligence organizations like the CIA, DIA, FBI, NSA, and Goodfellow graduates are deployed to every theatre around the world.

The award-winning military/community partnership between Goodfellow and San Angelo is remarkable and should inspire other communities to rally around our military.
 
My office created a flyer showcasing the importance of Goodfellow to national security. You can view that here.
Defending the Energy Industry

Despite record-high energy costs, producers in the Permian Basin are still enduring a barrage of attacks from the Biden Administration in rhetoric and policy.

The President himself has vowed to end the fossil fuel industry, and he has appointed radical climate activists like John Kerry—who claims oil & gas will be obsolete in ten years—to craft his policies.

I introduced amendments this week to strike harmful anti-energy and “green” policies in the annual spending bill. Unsurprisingly, Democrats voted them down.

My amendments would have:

  • Ended America's involvement in the worthless Paris Climate Agreement.
  • Prevented a crude oil export ban.
  • Barred the EPA from implementing harmful regulations on the Permian Basin through a non-attainment re-designation.
  • Stopped wasteful spending on green energy projects.
  • Blocked President Biden from implementing his Climate Crisis Executive Order.
  • Struck all funding for the Defense Production Act Domestic Clean Energy Accelerator.
  • Prohibited climate activists from using the Endangered Species Act to shut down Agriculture and Energy production.

I will always stand up for the Permian Basin and the industry that powers the world.
Success: DHS Caves to My Request

Last week, I discovered a new policy that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was using to protect details about terrorist attacks planned by non-citizens from being revealed.

After sounding the alarm bells, DHS caved on this policy and will now release the information!

This is a win for transparency and a further reminder of how vigilant we have to be to keep the Biden Administration in check. DHS responded, telling Homeland Security Republicans that they will back down from these requirements and set up the briefings for Committee members on the attempted terrorist plots by criminal non-citizens. 

I am grateful to Congressman John Katko and Congresswoman Mayra Flores for joining me in calling for the reversal of this ludicrous policy.

We will continue to use any oversight tool at our disposal to hold this reckless administration accountable and we will not tolerate any attempts from DHS to stonewall Congress from conducting its Constitutionally-mandated responsibilities.

Watch more of our efforts by clicking here or below:
ACES Act

This week, the American Legion stopped by to discuss the ACES Act, which just passed the House as part of the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act.

The ACES Act will help us better understand a possible link between aviation and cancer rates so we can better care for veterans and active duty Airmen.

Alongside our list of military support and sponsors, I look forward to seeing ACES signed into law soon.

Read more about ACES on our website by clicking here.
Breakfast with Air Force Cadets

Thursday morning I had the privilege to host breakfast for Air Force Academy Cadets spending their summer interning in the U.S. House of Representatives - including one in our own office, Susan.

Susan has brought a valuable perspective to our Washington D.C. office and has proven herself to be a hard worker. She is a valuable asset to have around as we work for our district.

All of these Cadets are incredibly smart and have huge aspirations that will take them far in their careers. As an Air Force Academy graduate myself and a fighter pilot for over 20 years, I know that you have an exciting road ahead of you.

Thank you for answering the call to serve our country!
Want to read our Newsletter in Spanish? Sign up below!

¿Quieres leer nuestro Boletín en español?
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