As a lifelong resident of Southeast Texas, I understand the importance of agriculture to our great state. It is a $100 billion industry in Texas, and is absolutely vital to our national security, economy, and the health and well-being of our citizens.

In Congress, I am working to advance policies and solutions to ensure that farmers and ranchers thrive in the Lone Star State. Texas farmers, ranchers and timber growers know what is best for Texas agriculture, and I am doing my best to eliminate burdensome and unnecessary regulations that adversely impact farming and ranching. From farm dust and spilled milk to tractor tire ruts in a field, over-zealous regulators in previous Administrations have undermined the American family farm by imposing policies that were entirely too intrusive.

Quite frankly, we have had too many bureaucrats sitting down at these federal agencies trying to think of a new way to regulate somebody. I’m working with the Trump Administration to bring a little common-sense to government.

An example of the Obama Administration’s overreach is the “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule, part of the Clean Water act. What was started in the 1970’s as a way to protect the “navigable waters” of the U.S., it turned into a massive power grab by the EPA a few years ago when they decided that mud puddles and tractor tire ruts were now under their regulatory reach as navigable water! President Trump has already taken action with an Executive Order on February 28, 2017, that directs the EPA to take action and pave the way for the elimination of the WOTUS rule. This is exactly the kind of unnecessary and burdensome rules I want to see removed off the backs of our farmers and ranchers.

From the rice fields in Liberty and Chambers Counties to the timber lands in Tyler, Jasper and Newton, my constituents in the agriculture community can rest assured that I am working with like-minded Members of Congress every day to enact policies that have the best interest of the American farmer and rancher in mind.