A proven conservative leader, Congressman Pete Sessions has combined hard work, innovative thinking, and common-sense principles to successfully serve Texas in Congress for 23-years.
Born and raised in Waco, Pete attended Waco public schools until the ninth grade, playing sports, becoming an Eagle Scout, and throwing newspapers for the Waco Tribune-Herald. Pete left Waco when his family moved to Washington D.C., where his father began his career at the Department of Justice.
As his father Bill Sessions (Baylor BA and JD) rose from the Department of Justice to U.S. Attorney, then Federal Judge and finally to Director of the FBI, he impressed upon Pete a sense of duty and integrity for all positions of public service—elected and unelected.
Democracy only works when the citizens that the government represents operates in an open, accountable, and transparent fashion. Further, taxpayers deserve transparency and accountability to see how their hard-earned dollars are being used. But, too often tax dollars are tainted with waste, fraud, and abuse perpetrated by backroom deals in Congress and incompetence in the federal government. The American people deserve better.
That is why I have made transparency and accountability central to my commitment to fiscal responsibility. A major part of my job as Chairman of the House Rules Committee is to ensure that our work here in the House of Representatives is always directly accountable to the American people who granted us the privilege of serving here. In the first week of the 115th Congress, the House passed what is commonly known as the Rules package which includes important reforms to help us achieve a fully transparent process in the House. Building on the work of House Republicans in the 113th and 114th Congresses, this Rules package will better enable us as an institution to perform our constitutional duties and obligations with integrity and transparency, while streamlining the way the House of Representatives operates.
These reforms will work to restore the American people’s trust in government by promoting transparency and openness. To shine the light on government operations and tax dollar use, the House approved reforms such as expanding the current nepotism rule to prohibit Members from employing their grandchildren, requiring budget resolutions to contain information about the historical and projected growth of means-tested and non-means-tested direct spending and bill reports must disclose any known relative, duplicate federal programs.
I also support the following:
HOUSE DOCUMENT REPOSITORY
In 2012, House Republicans launched a new site to give the public easier access to a wide spectrum of legislative information in an effort to increase transparency and spur citizen participation. This site includes easier access to bills, resolutions, amendments, conference reports and provides updates on floor proceedings and committee hearings.
EARMARK REFORM
Although some earmarks and other forms of congressionally-directed funding serve valuable purposes—such as vital infrastructure and research projects—the wasteful and irresponsible use of them over the years has unfortunately polluted the entire process. The abuse and misuse of the federal earmark process has made it very difficult to develop alternative methods for this type of federal funding that are not only appropriate, but also fair and responsible.
I continue to support the House Republican ban on all earmarks. I also look forward to working with my fellow colleagues in the House on comprehensive earmark reform. To view more regarding my thoughts on earmarks, please refer to the Budget and Federal Spending portion of my website by clicking here.
CONGRESSIONAL EXPENSES ONLINE
Congressional expenses are now available online to increase transparency and accountability. I welcome the new expense transparency rules in the House of Representatives and will work to ensure that congressional office expenses fully comply with all disclosure requirements.
To view the Statement of Disbursements (SOD), click here. Although the House of Representatives has been required by law to publish the SOD since 1964, having these reports now online allows the public much easier access to this information. The House of Representatives also highly recommends that viewers read the details, glossary and frequently asked questions sections prior to reading the SOD.
The power to appropriate funding is a legislative power. Our Constitution provides that, “No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law.”
While appropriating funding is a legislative power, the most fundamental duty of Congress is to efficiently appropriate federal funds to ensure maximum value out of every tax dollar. This is a responsibility that I take very seriously. Throughout my years in Congress, I have worked with my colleagues to fund necessary endeavors, provide support to our troops and, eliminate unnecessary or duplicative federal programs.
When President Obama took office in 2009, the federal government spent $1.2 trillion in discretionary spending. By 2010, that number peaked at nearly $1.5 trillion annually. Since 2011, when Republicans won back the House we put forward a budget that held spending levels flat. Now, in 2016, our discretionary spending levels have been pushed back all the way to 2008 levels. Consistent with the governing philosophy we shared with the American people when we won back the House in a historic victory in 2010, our spending victories have driven the annual deficit down from $1.412 trillion in 2009 to $544 billion in FY2016. And we’ve achieved this significant deficit reduction while at the same time enacting $620 billion in permanent tax cuts, including a five-year extension to bonus depreciation.
Our future must not be ignored. Our total debt, which stands at over $19 trillion, exceeds 100% of our annual GDP. By 2026, estimates say it will exceed $29 trillion – equaling 106% of the economy. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that we will spend nearly $5.8 trillion in interest payments alone over the next ten years financing that debt – approaching $1 trillion annually by the end of the decade. Interest on the debt will become the third largest federal spending program – more than we will be spending on defense, education, energy, and Medicaid. In FY2015 alone, 6% of the budget went solely to paying interest on our federal debt.
Simply put, we must decisively act to put our country’s fiscal house in order. Strategic actions require an in-depth understanding of how the government spends money and how to enact changes in order to shrink the federal government, balance the budget, and reduce our national debt. If Republicans master the budgetary process, we can work together to accomplish our shared conservative goals.
It is important to understand that the federal government spends money in two different categories – through mandatory spending and discretionary spending. Mandatory spending – also called direct spending – is generally spending outside of the regular general appropriations bills. It is often called entitlement spending because the law that authorizes the spending creates an “enforceable right”, or entitlement, to the benefit authorized by the statute. Congress does not generally appropriate these dollars year over year, which is why they are often considered “auto-pilot” programs.
Mandatory spending programs are not set by annual appropriations acts passed by Congress and signed by the president into law. Examples of these types of programs are Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid, ObamaCare, and some student loans and farm subsidies programs. In FY2015, $2.297 trillion – or 65% of the dollars spent by the federal government - went to mandatory spending programs. Without reforms, it is estimated that number will grow to $4.117 trillion, or 78% of government spending, by 2026.
In order to change the amount of funding spent on entitlement programs, the underlying law that created the enforceable right must be changed. This requires that both the House and the Senate pass identical bills that reform entitlement programs that the president then signs into law. In other words, in order to make the reforms necessary to get our fiscal house in order, the House, Senate, and the President must all agree on those changes and work through the constitutionally required process to enact a law.
The other way in which the government spends money is through discretionary spending. One of the core constitutional responsibilities of Congress is to pass legislation funding the daily operation and activities of the federal government. Article I, Section 9, Clause 7 of the U.S. Constitution reads: “No money shall be drawn from the Treasury but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law.” The power to appropriate belongs exclusively to the legislative branch.
The primary framework of the congressional budget process is set forth in the Budget Act and House and Senate rules. Under this framework, Congress undertakes to pass a budget and then, within the constraints set out by that budget, pass 12 appropriations bills that provide discretionary funding for the fiscal year, which begins October 1.
Commonly a committee will authorize the spending amounts first, and then the Committee on Appropriations will provide the specific spending in the appropriations bills. Examples of this type of spending include salaries and expenses for the FBI, the Department of Agriculture and other agencies, as well as salaries, expenses, and equipment for the military. In FY2015, the federal government spent $1.17 trillion in discretionary spending, which is just under 30% of the total budget. 54% of discretionary spending was dedicated to the military, which means that, in all, of the $3.92 trillion that the federal government is projected to spend in FY2016, $488 billion, or just under 12.5%, will go to non-defense, non-mandatory spending programs.
We cannot allow past patterns to continue. Responsibly managing our nation’s finances is one of the most important obligations of Congress. The future of American prosperity depends on a fiscally-responsible House Republican Budget that fulfills the commitments of yesterday and puts forward a bold, pro-growth agenda for tomorrow.
As Chairman of the House Rules Committee, a former member of the House Budget Committee, and a member of the fiscally conservative Republican Study Committee, I am very involved in the federal budget process. Throughout my tenure in the United States House of Representatives, I have continually advocated for pro-growth solutions that contribute to American economic expansion. This begins with a budget that limits government intrusion into the free market, eliminates wasteful government spending, reforms entitlements, and fixes our broken tax code.
Some in Congress tend to think raising taxes will solve our nation’s fiscal woes. These same people think that additional government spending will lead to economic growth. In reality, tax increases hit job creators and hard-working families and slow our economy further. Instead of wasting more of taxpayer dollars, what the federal government needs to do is stop spending too much.
The Congressional budget resolution establishes discretionary spending priorities by setting an overall spending limit for the government and dividing that spending among the 20 major functional categories of the federal budget. These allocations are referred to as 302(a) and represent the overall discretionary spending cap. In order for the FY2017 appropriations process to move forward, the 302(a) allocation in the budget resolution needs to be at the $1.070 trillion level established in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015.
Each subcommittee is allocated a certain amount of funding under the full Committee’s 302(a) allocation. The subcommittee allocations are referred to as 302(b) and they establish the cap on spending for each of the individual appropriations bills. It is important to note that the subcommittees themselves don’t determine the level of funding for each bill; they only determine how that money is spent among the agencies and programs under the subcommittee’s jurisdiction within the 302(b) spending cap.
The FY17 House Budget Resolution, introduced by Chairman Tom Price and written at $1.070 trillion is consistent with the 302(a) allocation set forth in Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. Revenue and spending estimates are provided CBO and the Joint Committee on Taxation. Under current practice, they provide estimates based on a 10-year period called the “budget window”. The purpose of the budget window is to help us understand both the short term and long term fiscal impacts of a proposal.
In the case of the FY17 House Budget Resolution, FY17 spending would be consistent with the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 spending caps. But for the following nine years, the remainder of the budget window, spending would be below the discretionary caps established in the Budget Control Act of 2011. Without a change in policy, the Federal Government will spend $50.6 trillion over the next 10 years. Under the FY17 House budget proposal, the federal government would be cut by $6.5 trillion cut over 10 years.
If our fiscal projections remain on the current path and without any changes in law, CBO projects real GDP growth to average only 2.1 percent over the next decade— well below the modern historical rate of 3.0 percent. To put this number in perspective, every 0.1 percentage point of slower-than-expected GDP growth over the budget window increases deficit levels by $327 billion.
The FY17 House Budget Resolution offers real solutions to fundamentally change this trend line and put us on a path to accelerated GDP growth. Our conservative budget embraces free-marketplace principles and:
Importantly, it achieves these priorities without raising taxes. If this FY17 House Budget Resolution were passed, House Republicans would also have the opportunity to advance a functioning appropriations process. Without a functioning appropriations process, the House cannot use its power of the purse to stop the Obama Administration from enacting some of its most invidious policies.
With a functioning appropriations process, we would be able to fight to enact new conservative policy riders, such as:
In 2010, I boldly proclaimed that our party would retire Nancy Pelosi as Speaker. Political pundits – and even members of our party – thought that was impossible, but we did it. Since that victory, Republicans have used the appropriations process to achieve significant policy victories. Here are some examples:
There’s a final reason why it is so important that the House and Senate pass a budget called budget reconciliation. Budget reconciliation is a tool embedded within the congressional budget resolution and the budget process that gives Congress the opportunity to ensure the spending levels are enforced.
Just as importantly, budget reconciliation allows the House to work with the Senate so that the Senate can pass legislation without the threat of a filibuster, which means that budget reconciliation represents the rare opportunity to pass a bill in the Senate with a simple majority of 51 votes instead of 60 votes.
Consistent with the commitment made to the American people when Republicans won the House majority, the FY17 House Budget Resolution also requires consideration of a balanced budget amendment this year and makes much-needed procedural reforms to the outdated 1974 Congressional Budget Act. Republicans have been fighting for years for a balanced budget amendment because it is a critical step toward permanently ending Congress’s addiction to deficit spending. Past attempts to impose fiscal discipline on Congress have failed because they are short-term. A constitutional amendment that requires Congress to balance its budget each year, subject only to limited and difficult-to-invoke exceptions is a permanent structural limit that would exist independent of future congressional budget resolutions.
In addition to the structural reforms made in the FY17 House Budget Resolution, I strongly support passage of legislation that would reassert Congress’ Article I responsibility to set policy priorities in spending measures. I am a proud cosponsor of Congressman Ken Buck’s legislation, H.R. 4371, the Article I Consolidated Appropriations Amendments, 2016 Act. H.R. 4371 includes many provisions that have already been vetted by House appropriations committees and included in underlying appropriations bills, as well as those that have passed the House of Representatives on the floor but were not signed into law.
A product of the private sector, I understand the need to fight unnecessary bureaucracy and to utilize market-driven solutions to effectively solve problems in our communities and in government. I know that America can and will again become prosperous beyond imagination and millions of new private-sector jobs will be created if we would just get back to our founding, free-marketplace principles and end big government and wasteful spending.
The world becomes an unstable place when America fails to provide global leadership. This President has shown a troubling lack of foreign policy knowledge and an inconsistent commitment to defeating our enemies. This President’s foreign policy failures have resulted in the rise of a civil war in Syria, a violent conflict in Ukraine, the fall of two concurrent regimes in Egypt, the rise of another vicious Sunni extremist group, and an increasingly dangerous proxy war being fought between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims in Yemen.
I strongly believe that President Obama's nuclear agreement with Iran is a bad deal or our nation and our world. It blindly ignores Iran’s sponsorship of terrorism, continued threats to Israel, and numerous human rights abuses. Iran's continued march toward nuclear weapons is one of the gravest threats facing the United States, Israel, and our allies and I am committed to holding this Administration accountable for its failure to act decisively and in the best interest of the American people.
Congress must continue to support a military that has the capability to engage any and all threats to the safety and security of our nation, including ensuring that the men and women of our Armed Forces have the best possible equipment, support, and training available so they can succeed whenever and wherever they are deployed. I’ve always worked alongside likeminded colleagues in Congress to ensure our intelligence gathering services have the tools necessary to keep our troops and homeland safe from attack. However, I recognize these tools can be abused and will continue to fight to protect the civil liberties of the American people, as enshrined in our Constitution.
I support legislative efforts to strengthen our national security by pursuing important objectives:
• Preventing regimes and terrorists that seek chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons from threatening the U.S. and the world.
• Preventing rogue regimes like Iran and North Korea and states that harbor terrorist organizations from acquiring nuclear weapons.
• Shutting down terrorist camps, disrupting terrorist plans, and bringing more terrorists to justice.
• Securing our nation’s borders and ports.
• Defending both military and civilian infrastructure from domestic and foreign cyber threats.
• Protecting critical infrastructure and key assets .
• Ensuring emergency preparedness and response.
Veterans
We can never repay the debt we owe to the men and women who have served this country. But we can remember and reflect upon the freedoms we enjoy due to the tremendous sacrifice of our active duty and veteran community. I will continue to fight to ensure that our veterans and active duty soldiers are properly compensated, receive the care that they deserve, and that their sacrifice is properly memorialized throughout my service in Congress. The Veterans Administration has failed to do right by our servicemen and women and I am actively working to hold them accountable for their gross mismanagement.
I am committed to protecting and serving our nation’s more than 20 million veterans and military retirees and their families. Every single budget proposal that President Obama has put forth since 2011, he has proposed military and military retiree compensation cuts, including cuts to the military healthcare program TRICARE, to spend the savings on other programs. House Republicans have successfully fought back against this President’s agenda on behalf of our men and women in uniform, but there is still work to be done. In this era of unprecedented threats, uncertainty, and technological change, I remain committed to ensuring that America's Armed Forces are agile, efficient, ready, and lethal. And that when they return home, they have access to the finest healthcare our nation can offer.
I believe that education is first, last and always about our children. Every child, regardless of family income, should have the opportunity to receive a quality education. However, education is at a crisis in our country. Years of little accountability within America’s public school system have left students largely unprepared to compete in today’s global economy.
It is a widely-shared sentiment that schools need to do a better job of preparing students for the workplace. I believe that the federal government should get out of the education business and give the power to parents and the state and local authorities, who best know the curriculum. We need to increase the role of parents in the day-to-day education of their children and decrease the role of Washington. Parents should have the tools available to them to provide the best possible education for their children.
Education is not an issue we can just throw money at. No matter how much money that local, state and the federal governments designate for education, many children in the United States are seemingly unable to improve their test scores on performance exams. The real problem lies in any opposition to reform and competition and entrenched special interests in the education sector.
For too long, states and school districts have been inundated with federal intervention and bureaucratic red tape that has done little to improve student performance. It is time to eliminate wasteful and duplicative federal programs and grant states and local school districts the freedom to direct federal resources to the programs that best serve their students.
High standards, accountability for results, local control, transparency and parental choice are essential to improving our education system. I support efforts to return educational decision-making to parents, teachers, and local school administrators. I also strongly support legislation to require that 95 percent of all federal education dollars be spent in the classroom—not on regulation and bureaucracy in Washington, D.C.
I also support continued diversity and choice in our higher education system in order to best prepare today’s students to join tomorrow’s workforce. Although in recent years, President Obama and Democrats acted to increase the federal role in higher education, I am committed to reevaluating and reducing the federal role in higher education. Federal intervention in higher education should increasingly be focused not solely on financial aid, but on policies that maximize innovation and ensure a robust menu of options from which students and their families are able to choose. We must continue to pursue sensible policies that encourage competition, enhance transparency and simplify regulatory burden that often contributes to cost increases on campus.
In the 114th Congress, I was proud to have supported the passage of important legislation that is the first step in reversing the failed policies of No Child Left Behind and gutting Common Core:
Public Law 114-095, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA): On December 2, 2015, I supported and the House passed ESSA by a vote of 359 to 64. It was soon thereafter signed into law by President Obama. ESSA includes reforms that will stop Washington from imposing Common Core or any other academic standards on states. Specifically, ESSA: (1) Unequivocally ends the federal government’s role in coercing state adoption and implementation of Common Core; (2) Prevents any future administration from using tools like Race to the Top or waivers of federal law to entice or coerce states into adopting Common Core or any specific education standards; (3) Ends top-down No Child Left Behind policies that judged our schools solely by students’ test results and restores to states the responsibility for determining how to use testing for accountability purposes; (4) Strengthens state and local control by prohibiting the federal government from determining or approving any state standards; (5) Ends the Secretary of Education’s waivers program and prohibits the Secretary from mandating additional requirements for states or school districts seeking waivers from federal law; (6) Strengthens charter schools by providing grants to state entities and charter management organizations to start new charter schools and to replicate or expand high-quality charter schools. I am excited to have restored state control to our education system, empowering our state and local leaders while simultaneously removing unworkable, one-size-fits-all federal standards.
I support a comprehensive "all-of-the-above" energy policy that leads us toward energy independence by expanding traditional American energy sources, developing market-based solutions for sustainable, alternative energy sources such as wind, solar, hydropower, nuclear, geothermal, and biomass, and supporting energy efficiency and conservation efforts. Energy prices have been too high for too long and America relies too heavily on foreign energy sources. An all-of-the-above, smart, and safe energy plan is necessary for our national security and for America to move toward energy independence. Throughout my career, I have supported polices and efforts to achieve this goal, and I will continue to do so.
Lifting the Crude Oil Export Ban
Removing the ban on the export of crude oil will help our allies by providing a safe supply of oil and is expected to support up to 964,00 additional U.S. jobs in 2018. It will also enhance our energy security and weaken OPEC and Russian power in the energy sphere. On December 18, 2015, the House passed a measure that would lift the export ban on crude oil. I am proud to have voted in favor of this legislation that will strengthen our national security, help energy consumers throughout the nation, and allow America to become a key energy supplier to the world.
Approving the Keystone XL Pipeline
The Keystone XL pipeline has become a symbol of the president’s failed energy policies. On November 6, 2015, six years after Trans-Canada submitted the first application to build the Keystone XL pipeline, the Obama government rejected the plan stating, "the Keystone XL pipeline does not serve the national interests of the United States.” By rejecting this project, the president is putting thousands of American jobs at risk and jeopardizing our access to a safe oil supply. If the U.S. does not move quickly to get Keystone XL built, we risk losing access to this important North American energy resource to other energy-hungry nations like China.
To overcome the president’s obstruction, the House has now voted a total of 11 times to allow for construction of the pipeline, which is estimated to create over 40,000 jobs and carry nearly a million additional barrels per day of secure supplies to U.S. refineries. Most recently, legislation approving the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline was passed by the Senate on January 29, 2015, and by the House on February 11, 2015. President Obama vetoed the bill on February 24, 2015, arguing that the decision of approval should rest with the Executive Branch. The Senate was unable to override the veto by a two-thirds majority, with a 62-37 vote.
Combatting Burdensome Regulations
Since 2009, the EPA has published over 3,900 final rules in the Federal Register. These rules apply broadly across the U.S. economy, including to the electricity, oil and gas, and manufacturing and industrial sectors. Among the rules issued are an expanding set of over 100 greenhouse gas related rules, including the agency’s “Clean Power Plan,” as well as other major rules affecting energy production and industrial activity. Significant questions and concerns have been raised by the states regarding the complexity, costs, legality, and feasibility of certain major agency rules, including rules affecting the electricity, oil, and gas sectors.
Over-regulation has increased costs and created unnecessary and burdensome challenges for our economy and American businesses. These challenges delay or halt new construction and deter investment. U.S. producers already face steep competition from foreign companies in countries such as China, India, Columbia, Korea and other developing countries that do not have comparable emission standards. As our economy recovers, Congress should focus on policies that relieve financial stress from American families and business, not burden them with higher costs.
In recent years, there have been many examples of EPA overextending their powers. As you may know, the Clean Water Act – legislation from 1972 – was intended to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation's waters through partnerships between states and the federal government, mostly through the administration of the EPA. However, since implementation of the Clean Water Act, the EPA has over extended their regulatory practices; going so far as to revising standards and withdrawing permits from states whose water quality standards had already been approved by the EPA.
In June 2015, the EPA in conjunction with President Obama proposed a rule for existing power plants, referred to by the agency as its "Clean Power Plan." In the rule, the EPA interprets a rarely invoked provision of the Clean Air Act to allow the agency to set mandatory carbon dioxide (CO2) "goals" for each state's electricity system. In the proposal, the EPA seeks to fundamentally change how electricity is generated, distributed, and consumed in the United States. Under EPA's unprecedented proposal, states are required to submit complex state plans to the EPA beginning in 2016, and must begin to meet interim goals by 2020. Texas especially would bear an enormous burden, requiring we reduce our power-sector emissions about 40 percent below 2013 levels by 2030, while other states do not need to reduce emissions whatsoever. For states that do not submit a satisfactory plan, the EPA would impose a Federal Plan.
As a father of two sons, I understand the need to conserve our natural resources and the environment for the generations to come. Together with the private sector, the Congress should carefully work to promote the development of alternative energy sources and the conservation of our natural resources. Together, Americans should make smart decisions that eliminate waste and reuse and recycle materials when possible to help save money, limit unnecessary energy use, and help our environment.
I am a staunch supporter of the For the Love of the Lake program, which is an enthusiastic and energetic group of volunteers dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of White Rock Lake Park as an urban oasis. As a Team Leader, I have worked with many volunteers to clean up sections of White Rock Lake. As an active Eagle Scout, I have learned the importance of protecting our country's natural beauty and conserving its natural resources, and I strive to promote these values in other Scouts and throughout my community.
Health Care & Disabilities
Since my election to Congress in 1996, healthcare has been an issue of great importance to me. Americans have some of the greatest healthcare in the world, and one of my priorities is that all Americans have access to that quality care. But America’s healthcare system is at a crossroads, faced with millions of uninsured citizens, rising costs, quality concerns and a lack of patient control – not to mention the continued consequences of ObamaCare’s failed policies.
Americans deserve better than a law that is harmful to our economy, harmful to job creation, and absolutely detrimental to our healthcare system. Since this disastrous law was implemented more than eight years ago, I have led the fight in the halls of Congress to stop it. I have voted more than 60 times to repeal, dismantle, and defund ObamaCare – a step towards victory for all Americans and job creators across the country.
North Texas families and businesses have been forced to face the damaging effects of Obamacare for far too long. Health insurance premiums are still skyrocketing and out of pocket costs are growing astronomically. As your Member of Congress, I am proud to say that I have worked hard over the past few years to advocate commonsense solutions to this crisis, particularly my legislation, H.R. 1275, the World’s Greatest Healthcare Plan. I am proud to acknowledge that this bill was developed and vetted by physicians across the country, including many from our congressional district. Under this bill, every American citizen is eligible to claim a $2,500 tax benefit as well as a $1,500 tax benefit per dependent minor. More specifically, this legislation would eliminate the ObamaCare individual and employer mandates and offer Americans an advanceable and refundable tax credit for health insurance premiums and Health Savings Accounts. For more information on my legislation, please visit this page on my website.
Ultimately, I believe all Americans deserve quality, affordable healthcare, and I can assure you that I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to advance constructive healthcare reform.
Disabilities
As the father of a young man with Down syndrome, I understand that each child has unique needs. I have worked tirelessly to ensure my son, Alex, has the ability to achieve a bigger, brighter future. That is why I have dedicated my life as a public servant to helping individuals like my son break through the glass ceiling and be the best that they can be.
As the Co-Chairman of the Congressional Down Syndrome Caucus, I am proud of the strides we have made to better the lives of disabled individuals, their families, and caregivers. One of the greatest honors in my career was The Dylan Lee James Family Opportunity Act, which was signed into law in 2006, to give states the option to create a Medicaid “buy in” for families of children with disabilities whose family income or resources are were up to 300% of federal poverty level. In addition, after six long years of working with my colleagues, organizations, and families across the country in December 2014 we also passed the ABLE Act. This nearly decade-long legislative effort has allowed families who have a child with a disability to save for their long-term care through 529-style savings accounts. These two landmark pieces of legislation are two major victories for the disability community and I am so proud that I was able to be a part of these efforts.
In addition to my work with disability issues on Capitol Hill, I also work to support the disability community back home in Texas. As a board member of Best Buddies International and an Advisor to the President for Special Olympics Texas, I continue to work for increased development and social participation for individuals with disabilities. I have also been deeply honored to receive a number of awards for my work with the disabled community. In 2007, I was delighted to be featured as the Honoree at the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) Gala. In 2011, I was honored with the Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award from the Global Down Syndrome Foundation. In March 2013, I was honored to receive the NDSS 2013 Champion of Change Award. In July 2013, I was recognized as a 2013 NDSS Capitol Hill Superhero for my work on behalf of people with Down syndrome and other disabilities.
In regard to research, there are so many things that we still need to learn about this disability especially the link between Down syndrome and the Alzheimer’s disease. In October 2017, I had the opportunity to testify before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies as a father, as a Member of Congress, and as a fierce advocate for the disability community to discuss why I believe research in this area is critical to helping the disability community. My son is an Eagle Scout, an avid athlete, and the newest member of the Home Depot team in Dallas. Alex is like so many other individuals with Down syndrome who are active in their communities and who want to live their lives to the fullest. Thanks to the efforts of the NIH and individuals such as my dear friend, Dr. Bill Mobley, we have made great strides in research and improved the quality of life of individuals with intellectual disabilities; and I will fight to ensure they have the resources they need so we can break through the glass ceiling for the disability community.
Working to make North Texas Healthier
Obesity is something that has a direct impact on our economy, our health care system, and the health and wellbeing of our communities. This epidemic is starting younger and younger making childhood obesity more and more prevalent. Texas ranks number six in the nation for having the largest amount of obese children. As a result of obesity, our state alone spends $1.37 billion annually on medical costs. In April 2018 I organized a conference with Dr. Kenneth Cooper, leaders in the medical community, and experts in their respective fields to take a holistic approach to understand the causes of this disease and put forth effective solutions. I deeply appreciated the physicians who participated including Dr. Cooper, Dr. John T. Gill, Dr. Karl Rathjen, Dr. Jonathan Leffert, Dr. Rick Snyder, Dr. Lee Ann Pearse, Dr. Sarah Barlow, Dr. Olga Gupta, and Dr. David Teuscher. Each of these medical leaders brought a different perspective to the issue. I look forward to continuing working with them to combat childhood obesity and ensure North Texas kids have the opportunity to lead healthy, active lifestyles.
One of America's greatest strengths is that we are a nation of immigrants. The immigrants that built this country did so by following the law, working hard to contribute to the economy, and by becoming productive members of American society. While our country is a nation of immigrants, our current immigration system has become broken and is in dire need of reform and repair. The inability of the federal government to succeed in both real immigration reform and in effectively enforcing our nation's current laws has come at a high cost to our security, our economy, and the livelihoods of American citizens. Our illegal immigration and border security problems are among the greatest challenges facing our country today. It is important that we work to secure the border and end illegal immigration while benefiting from controlled and reasonable legal immigration.
I strongly oppose illegal immigration and blanket amnesty or any other reward to those who have intentionally and knowingly broken our nation's immigration laws. Doing so simply encourages continued lawbreaking and greater illegal immigration in the future. Since the onset of President Obama's unilateral executive actions, I have worked with my Republican colleagues to craft a conservative and constitutional response that would roll back the administration's unlawful, unwise, and unconstitutional actions on immigration. The President's willingness to ignore the rule of law and neglect the requirements of our nation's constitutional system harms our country and must be stopped.
In this Congress, I remain committed to taking a step-by-step approach on immigration so that we carefully and methodically review each component of federal immigration policy, including securing our borders. History points to the need for this step-by-step approach. By now, we have learned what happens when Congress rushes legislation or the Executive Branch bypasses the American legislative process. We want to produce better solutions so that the result is a secure border and a workable immigration system for our country for years to come.
Specifically in response to the horrific and illegal policies of “sanctuary cities” and the corresponding rise of illegal aliens committing crimes, I joined my friend and colleague Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) in introducing the House companion to the Protecting American Lives Act. My legislation closes the most dangerous immigration enforcement loopholes and ensures state and local compliance with all Federal immigration detainers of aliens in custody. It requires state and local jurisdictions to notify the federal government when a criminal alien is in their custody; it withholds federal funds from any state or local jurisdiction that releases an alien after a federal detainer has been placed on them; and it establishes a 5-year minimum prison sentence for deported aliens who attempt to illegally re-enter the United States. Ultimately, if jurisdictions refuse to cooperate with law enforcement enforcing federal law, those jurisdictions should not be receiving federal funds. We cannot stand by and allow more innocent lives to be lost.
In the 114th Congress, I have also been proud to support several pieces of legislation that protect American workers, secure our borders, deport criminal aliens, and counters illegal immigration including:
As American families and small businesses continue to struggle in our current economy, I am committed to pro-growth solutions that will help get the American people back to work. I believe the best jobs program is economic growth. This Administration has given us 42 consecutive months of unemployment above 8 percent, the longest period of high unemployment since the Great Depression. I am committed to free-marketplace policies that will boost employment and create job growth and economic prosperity for all.
The tax system must be simplified. Government spending and regulation must be reined in. American companies must be more competitive in the world market, and we must be aggressive in promoting U.S. products abroad and securing open markets for them. A federal-State-private partnership must invest in the nation’s infrastructure: roads, bridges, airports, ports, and water systems, among others. Federal training programs have to be overhauled and made relevant for the workplace of the twenty-first century. Removing artificial government barriers and red tape will preserve and strengthen Americans’ ability to build, grow, and compete with anyone.
This Congress, House Republicans have put forward a number of innovative, pro-growth solutions to jumpstart the engine of our economy. Here are some of the key policies I support:
The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution states very plainly, "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." As your Representative, know that I am committed to upholding and protecting the Second Amendment. I am a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association (NRA), the Texas Rifle Association, and an unwavering defender of our God-given right to defend ourselves.
Although our gun rights are clearly spelled out in the Second Amendment, the role of firearms in our society continues to be a contentions point of debate in the media, our courtrooms, and the halls of government. Restricting the Constitutional rights of law abiding, gun owning citizens is not the solution to ending crime and gun violence. We should enforce the laws on the books and prosecuting those who choose to break them.
I strongly support allowing concealed firearms to be carried across state lines, preventing the reclassification of armor piercing ammunition, and prohibiting the Federal Government from requiring specific demographic information to be disclosed in connection with the transfer of a firearm. All law abiding Americans deserve to exercise their right to own guns, and we cannot let fear-mongering restrict that.
I am proud to have a career voting record score of A+ from the NRA, the highest possible rating for a Member of Congress. I took an oath of office to support and defend the United States Constitution, and I will continue to fight against all attempts – legislative or otherwise – to erode it. Please know that I will remain vigilant in protecting our Second Amendment rights.
One of my main focuses in Congress is protecting, preserving, and reforming Social Security. Social Security provides critical benefits to more than 58 million Americans, including widows and those with disabilities. It is a critical foundation of income for retired and disabled workers – nearly two-thirds of the elderly get at least half of their income from Social Security. One in five elderly Americans has no income other than Social Security. Social Security must be preserved and protected for current and near retirees. We must preserve the Social Security safety net and make sure it remains solvent for future generations.
Though long foreseen, a “perfect storm” has emerged over the years that threatens the solvency of not only the Social Security system, but the federal government in general. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), about 47 cents of every federal dollar spent went to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and interest on the federal debt. Absent action, Social Security – along with these other programs – will soon grow to consume every dollar of revenue that the government raises in taxes. At that point, we will be left with no good options.
Today, we are witnessing health care costs skyrocketing, people are living longer, and the “baby boomers” are beginning to retire. Bottom line is: the government is running out of money, and unless some reforms are made, Social Security will eventually go bankrupt. In order to preserve the program, we must enact responsible reforms sooner rather than later. I believe it is crucial for Congress to examine ways to provide long-term solutions for the problems that currently plague the system. Social Security needs to be reformed to address its deficits. I believe that seniors must receive the benefits they have been promised and have planned for during their working years. Congress should work to preserve the benefits that those at or near retirement have planned their lives around, while also guaranteeing that future generations have the ability to plan for their eventual retirements.
That said, you may be interested to know that I have co-sponsored the following pieces of legislation:
On December 22, 2017, the Republican comprehensive tax reform package, H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, was signed into law by President Donald Trump. As your Member of Congress, I was proud to support this bill.
For too many years, the American people were unnecessarily burdened with a complicated web of rules and regulations and mountains of paperwork. We set out to change that. According to the non-partisan Joint Committee on Taxation, Americans across every single tax bracket and income level will see their taxes fall as a result of H.R. 1. More money flowing to American families means more money flowing through our economy and more money for Americans to save.
Another unfortunate side effect of our former tax code was that it forced American jobs overseas and effectively gave companies and businesses incentives to keep their money, profits, and business in general in other countries. Up until H.R. 1 passed, our nominal corporate tax rate was one of the highest in the world. By lowering the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent, our tax code has once again become competitive when compared to other economically advanced nations. This will help American businesses stay competitive and create millions of new jobs.
In the past, companies simply kept profits in other countries to avoid the burdensome tax rate in the U.S. H.R. 1 incentivizes those companies to bring their profits back home, and will spur billions of dollars in investment back into the country. This corporate re-investment will bring a plethora of macro-economic benefits, and it will help employ thousands of Americans.
I’m proud that my efforts to reform our tax code have led me to be the recipient of the "Spirit of Enterprise” Award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the “Taxpayer Hero” award from Citizens Against Government Waste, but our work is far from over. I’m committed to continually improving our tax system, so that the government takes less of hard-working Americans’ money.
The above are just a few examples of how H.R. 1 will stimulate the US economy and create millions of new jobs. However, they are just a small snapshot of everyone who was positively affected by the bill. If you would like to share your story about how tax reform helped you, please use the following link. I look forward to hearing from you.
The communications and technology sector is among the most competitive and innovative of our economy. Small businesses across Texas thrive off a free and open Internet. From fiber optics to 4G wireless services, the smartphone to the tablet and the connected TV, the telecommunications industry has been making the impossible, possible, while at the same time creating high-quality jobs.
On December 14, 2017, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted 3-2 along party lines to repeal the Obama-era net neutrality regulations that prohibited large broadband and wireless internet service providers from selling faster delivery of certain data, slowed speeds for specific video streams and other content, and blocked or otherwise discriminated against any legal online material. Even though this vote occurred in December of 2017, internet providers will be required to disclose their online practices, with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) policing them for anti-competitive practices.
To be clear, Americans’ data is regulated under Section 222 of Title 47 of the U.S. Code; and in case you were not aware, the FTC has previous experience overseeing consumer online-privacy rights and has been able to enhance innovation and jobs in its prior competitive state. The FTC is the nation’s premier consumer protection agency, and until the FCC stripped it of jurisdiction over Internet service providers in 2015, the FTC was responsible for policing digital privacy and consumer protection across the entire online ecosystem. Repealing the net neutrality regulations simply returns oversight to the FTC.
In addition, I would like you to know that I am a co-sponsor of H.R. 4682, the Open Internet Preservation Act, which was introduced by Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). This legislation would prohibit blocking or impairment of lawful internet traffic and mandate that broadband service be considered an information service. As your Member of Congress, I believe that the internet should be regulated by Congress, and not by unelected bureaucrats, and this bill that I have co-sponsored will ensure that, while preserving a free and open internet for all.
Trade is one of the cornerstones of America’s relationship with other nations, and as the top exporting state in the nation for the 14th year in a row, Texas continues to be the American leader in international trade.
Throughout my tenure in the House of Representatives, I have been very active in trade and foreign relations matters. I believe that these critical issues will bolster Texas’ economic resurgence and will be vital in America’s economic recovery. I will continue to fight to open foreign markets to American goods and services and to ensure that American consumers enjoy the benefits of imports.
Trade agreements, when negotiated well, can generate opportunities and jobs for U.S. workers and businesses and provide access to affordable products for consumers. In all, 38 million American jobs are supported by trade. Additionally, US jobs supported by goods exports pay 13-18% more than the US national average, meaning that not only does a free trade agenda create jobs, but it also creates good paying jobs.
Our nation's transportation network, consisting of the highways, interstates, and freeways that connect America, has always been an integral component to sustaining a strong national economy. In Texas, we understand that an efficient and cohesive transportation network is vital to our state’s growth and prosperity. While I support a strong federal-state partnership when dealing with infrastructure funding, I also believe that any long-term federal transportation proposals must be fiscally responsible and fully paid for.
Fortunately, the United States continues to have the safest aviation system in the entire world, but in recent years, new technologies have been making their way into our airspace. Congress has a responsibility to ensure taxpayer dollars are used to invest in a fiscally sustainable transportation policy that reflects the needs of our local communities and provides certainty to the job creators that depend on a strong transportation infrastructure. As your Member of Congress, I support any and all efforts to ensure the United States remains at the forefront of aviation technology, and more importantly safety.
You may be interested to know that I am a co-sponsor of the following legislation:
We can never do enough to repay the sacrifices made by the brave patriots who served in our nation’s armed forces. American veterans deserve our deepest appreciation and respect. They represent our best and brightest, an all-volunteer force serving with honor and distinction under the most difficult of circumstances. They and their families make daily sacrifices that the rest of us cannot begin to comprehend, and all to the benefit of our way of life and our cherished freedom.
One of my top priorities is ensuring that our nation’s military service veterans receive the benefits and care that they need. Since I was first elected to Congress, I have sought to increase choice and expand access to private health care for veterans, increase veteran disability compensation and care, and improve veterans job access. As a matter of fact, I am proud to say that I recently introduced H.R. 6421, the Faster Treatments and Cures for Eye Diseases Act, on July 18, 2018 which would fund translational research and advance treatments and cures for blindness and other causes of severe vision impairment. The Department of Veterans Affairs estimated in 2016 that over 1 million U.S. veterans are blind or visually impaired. We need to do everything we can to help our veterans who are blind or visually impaired improve their level of functioning.
You may be interested to know that I am also a co-sponsor of the following legislation:
While I am proud of the great strides we have made to support our veterans during the 115th Congress, we will never fully repay these brave men and women for their sacrifice to our great nation. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to further build support for our nation’s veterans. For more information concerning work and views related to Veterans issues, please contact our office.