Representative Randy Weber

SIGNED: The Secure America Act

This week, I proudly voted to pass the Secure America Act, legislation that provides a historic $70 billion investment in border security and ensures our Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have the resources they need to carry out President Trump's agenda through the remainder of his term. More importantly, it ends the yearly political food fights that have too often left our frontline law enforcement officers caught in the middle.

Now, you may be wondering why this vote was such a big deal.

Every year Congress returns to the negotiating table for this funding, and every year Democrats have another opportunity to target the agencies responsible for enforcing our immigration laws. Instead of allowing ICE and CBP to focus on their mission, Democrats force them to wonder what resources they will have available from one budget cycle to the next.

My colleagues and I took a different approach.

Using the budget reconciliation process, we were able to provide long-term funding for immigration enforcement through the remainder of President Trump's term. In doing so, we removed one of the Democrats' favorite pressure points and gave our border security agencies the certainty they need to plan, hire, train, and carry out their mission.

The Secure America Act invests:

$38 billion for ICE;
$26 billion for CBP;
$5 billion for Department of Homeland Security contingency funding;
And $70 billion total for border security.

These resources will strengthen deportation operations, support additional personnel, and help stop the flow of illegal drugs, human trafficking, and cartel activity at our southern border.

I was proud to help get this legislation across the finish line because securing the border starts with giving the men and women on the front lines the tools they need to succeed. The American people voted for a secure border, and we are delivering.

Secretary Wright at House Space, Science, and Technology Committee

Click above to watch my questioning!

On Wednesday, the full House Science, Space, and Technology Committee convened a hearing led by the Energy Subcommittee with Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. As Chairman of the Energy Subcommittee, I was eager to discuss the future of American energy dominance and hear more about the Department of Energy's priorities for strengthening our nation's energy security.

As a proud Texan representing the Gulf Coast, I understand the critical role energy plays...after all, Texas' 14th Congressional District is home to some of the most important energy infrastructure in the world and sits just miles from NASA's Johnson Space Center! We have seen technological advancement usher in a new era, alongside a growing need for energy. America needs more reliable, abundant, and affordable energy to power the future of American innovation to keep this great nation on top and winning.

During my discussion with Secretary Wright, we focused on the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), nearly 60% of which is located right here in TX-14. Secretary Wright outlined the Department of Energy's (DOE) efforts to strengthen the reserve through strategic exchanges that are expected to return more oil than was initially released. The Secretary also mentioned that for every barrel exchanged, 1.28 barrels will be returned, which will rebuild our emergency reserve.

Our region plays a crucial role in supplying affordable energy across America. Due to recent actions taken by the Trump Administration and DOE, more refined products have reached further areas like New England and California, ensuring American made energy gets to the communities that need it most. As energy demands continue to rise due to advancements in technology, manufacturing, and artificial intelligence, the United States must continue to invest in modern infrastructure and scientific innovation to keep energy reliable.

America prospers because energy security is national security. I am committed to advancing policies that strengthen our energy independence, lower costs for families, and ensure the greatest nation remains the world's energy leader.

Tax Relief for First Responder Beneficiaries Act

Our public safety officers (PSO) willingly put their lives on the line every single day for people they may never meet. Most of us will never know what it is like to leave for work not knowing whether we will make it home. Yet that is the reality for thousands of law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other PSOs across America.

When one of these heroes makes the ultimate sacrifice, their surviving loved ones should not have to deal with burdensome tax rules.

That is why I introduced the Tax Relief for First Responder Beneficiaries Act, the House companion to legislation introduced by Senators Ted Cruz and Kirsten Gillibrand.

When a fallen PSO leaves benefits behind for a loved one, a technicality in the tax code can affect how those benefits are treated depending on whether the recipient falls under the federal definition of a "surviving dependent" or a "surviving beneficiary." Most families have never heard of that distinction, but for those affected by it, it can create an unnecessary burden during one of the most difficult times in their lives.

My legislation would:

Update federal tax law to recognize surviving beneficiaries, not just surviving dependents.
Help ensure death and survivor benefits can reach the individuals designated by a fallen first responder.
Remove outdated tax provisions that can create unnecessary burdens for beneficiaries.
Better ensure benefits are distributed according to the wishes of the fallen officer.

The loss of a loved one does not end when the funeral is over. Families carry that burden for years, and the last thing they should have to worry about is navigating a complicated tax code while trying to honor the memory of someone they lost.

This bill makes a straightforward fix to ensure benefits can reach the people our fallen PSOs intended to support. It is one small way we can honor the sacrifice these brave men and women made in service to their communities and stand with the loved ones they leave behind.

Protecting Texas Energy and Small Businesses

If there is one thing I have learned during my lifetime of calling Texas' 14th Congressional District home, it is that the Texas Gulf Coast is American Energy. That is exactly why I was proud to join my friend and fellow Texan, Congressman August Pfluger, in co-sponsoring the Protect Domestic Oil and Gas Small Business Act of 2026.

This legislation provides relief that hardworking Texans, not only on the Gulf Coast, but across our great nation, deserve. It exempts marginal wells from certain requirements under the Clean Air Act that have placed unnecessary burdens on small-scale oil and gas operations. This bill removes costly monitoring, reporting, recordkeeping, and compliance mandates that disproportionately impact independent producers and family-owned energy businesses.

The Texas Gulf Coast has been the energy capital of America and the world for generations, and I believe we should be empowering our producers, not making it harder for them to operate by regulating them out of existence. At a time when Americans are facing higher energy prices and uncertainty at the gas pump, the answer is not more federal bureaucracy; it's more American energy production.

Survey Question of the Week

Should Congress focus on expanding American energy production to strengthen energy independence and keep costs affordable for families?

Yes

No

Around the District

The longer days and extra daylight of summer mean more opportunities for Team Weber to get out across Texas' 14th District and keep working for you!

Down in Brazoria County, Team Weber attended the Brazoria County Chamber of Commerce Professionals Network event that was hosted by Brazosport College. At this event, the team was updated about the current state of the workforce in the area.

Health care is also continuing to grow in Texas' 14th District. In Webster, Team Weber joined Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) Houston Healthcare Clear Lake in celebrating the opening of its new Blood Cancer Treatment Center. This state-of-the-art facility will expand access to stem cell transplant services and advanced cancer care, ensuring patients and their families can receive high-quality treatment closer to home

Team Weber also joined the Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce meeting, which helped connect businesses across the community, as well as learn about the resources that could be utilized. The team also learned about the business environment and the impact of the economy on Pelican Island and the Galveston Channel.

It's a good thing the days are longer because Team Weber has plenty of work to do...YOUR office stays committed to keeping the Gulf Coast moving forward.