Ten years ago on February 24, 2016, the LNG carrier Asia Vision departed Cheniere Energy’s Sabine Pass terminal carrying the first liquefied natural gas cargo ever exported from the continental United States. The fully loaded vessel was bound for Brazil.
The cargo was produced from Train 1 at Sabine Pass, which was in commissioning at the time. The shipment marked the first LNG export from a Lower 48 liquefaction facility and signaled the United States’ formal entry into the global LNG market.
Sabine Pass was the first large-scale LNG export facility constructed in the Lower 48 states. Its commissioning marked the beginning of modern U.S. LNG exports, made possible by expanded domestic natural gas production and liquefaction infrastructure development.
In the decade since that first cargo departed, the United States has become the largest LNG exporter in the world, with export capacity centered along the Gulf Coast. That growth is anchored here at home.
Texas’ 14th Congressional District sits at the core of America’s energy infrastructure. Our ports, pipelines, refineries, LNG facilities, and petrochemical operations support:
- 27% of the nation’s gasoline production
- 35% of the nation’s natural gas production
- 60% of the nation’s jet fuel production
- 80% of the nation’s military-grade fuel production
The impact extends far beyond a single facility or shipment. Over the last decade, LNG development has:
- Supported an annual average of 273,000 American jobs
- Contributed more than $400 billion in economic growth
- Generated over $54 billion in federal, state, and local tax revenues.
Those numbers reflect a national supply chain powered by American workers, American manufacturing, and American infrastructure. After a decade since Asia Vision left port, Texas’ 14th remains the epicenter of American energy dominance by powering our economy, strengthening our supply chains, and leading U.S. leadership in global energy markets. |
On Tuesday morning, I joined business and industry leaders at the Houston Business Forum Breakfast to discuss the continued growth of the Texas Gulf Coast. What was clear in that room is something I have long believed: the strength of Texas’ 14th Congressional District is built on partnership.
This region grows because businesses are willing to invest, ports continue to expand capacity, workers build and maintain complex systems, and communities support the workforce that keeps it all moving. That coordination creates stability not just for markets, but for families.
This year alone, nearly $40 million in federal funding has been directed back into the region to support that growth, including:
- More than $9 million to deepen the Sabine–Neches Waterway to 48 feet.
- $5 million advancing preconstruction engineering and design work for the Bolivar Roads Gate System under the Coastal Texas Project.
- $1.9 million for operation and maintenance dredging of the Galveston Ship Channel.
These investments strengthen supply chains and protect critical infrastructure, but they also do something closer to home. Energy and maritime activity in our region support approximately 12,000 local jobs and protect more than $1 billion in wages across Southeast Texas.
That income supports mortgages, small businesses on Main Street, local hospitals, school districts, and the ability for families to plan for the future with confidence. When industry leaders and our communities move forward together, the result is long-term growth that makes this region stronger for our children and future generations.
Texas’ 14th is growing in more ways than one, and I have had the privilege of calling this Gulf Coast home for 72 years. When this region is given a fair playing field, it thrives. And the best chapters are still ahead! |
As we head into this year’s State of the Union Address, many Americans still remember what happened last year.
During President Trump’s address, Rep. Al Green repeatedly interrupted the President, refused multiple warnings from the Speaker to take his seat, and was ultimately removed from the House Chamber by the Sergeant at Arms for disorderly conduct. The House later voted to censure him.
In the year since that address, the country has seen:
- Southwest border encounters declined from over 1.5 million in FY2024 to approximately 237,000 in FY2025, the lowest annual total in decades.
- U.S. crude oil production remained above 13 million barrels per day, near record highs.
- Congress enacted targeted spending reductions totaling tens of billions of dollars through rescissions and discretionary caps.
- Passage of the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, making the $2,200 per child Child Tax Credit permanent.
On Tuesday, February 24th, President Trump will address the nation again.
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Will you be tuning in to watch this year’s State of the Union Address?
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With the House in recess this week, I was back home on the Texas Gulf Coast meeting with constituents, industry leaders, and local stakeholders as we head into the spring.
District work periods are critical. They give us the opportunity to hear directly from the people who are building, operating, and investing in our region and to better understand what our communities need in the months ahead.
I spoke at the Houston Business Forum Breakfast about infrastructure investment, energy stability, and long-term economic growth. I also participated in a congressional panel at the BayTran 2026 Infrastructure Summit, where transportation capacity and regional competitiveness were front and center.
In addition, I met with stakeholders regarding the Pelican Island Bridge, an important project for safety and economic access, and Team Weber attended the Port Arthur Chamber’s “Salute to the Ports” Luncheon!
What I heard throughout the week was consistent: keep projects moving, strengthen the infrastructure, and let Texas’ 14th do what it does best. And when we do, this region continues to lead! |
- H.R.7442 - To eliminate the Carbon Reduction Program and PROTECT Program and dedicate the funding to a new bridge formula program that distributes funding based primarily on overall deck area, and for other purposes.
- H.R.7296 - SAVE America Act
- H.R.7185 - To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exclude from gross income certain retirement plan distributions used for a down payment or closing costs for a principal residence, and for other purposes.
- H.R.7184 - To amend the Controlled Substances Act to prevent the importation of illicit pill press machines with the intent to counterfeit substances, and for other purposes.
- H.R.7156 - To expand and clarify the grounds for civil denaturalization proceedings for individuals who have defrauded a governmental program, joined a terrorist organization, or committed certain criminal offenses.
- H.R.7111 - To require the Bureau of Prisons to submit to Congress an annual summary report of disaster damage, and for other purposes.
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Are you seeing the benefits of a stronger job market in Southeast Texas?
Yes: 42.5% No: 57.5% |
It is a privilege to represent our district in Congress. While we’ve faced many challenges in recent years, through strength and prayer, we have persevered. Please know that we are always a resource for you. Call or stop by any of the offices (YOUR offices, we work for you), whenever you need assistance or want to talk about an issue before Congress.
For assistance or more information, please call or go online to visit us at weber.house.gov.
God Bless you and God Bless Texas! |
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Sincerely,
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Randy K. Weber
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