This week, I led a group of my fellow Texas Republicans in sending a letter to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Ur Jaddou, urging her to comply with Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson's request for help verifying that noncitizens are not being registered to vote. This follows Governor Greg Abbott’s action in August, when he purged 6,500 potential noncitizens from our voter rolls. We’re committed to ensuring the integrity of our elections and making sure only eligible Texans are casting ballots.

The Harris-Biden administration's refusal to provide Texas with crucial information is a clear dereliction of duty. They’re turning a blind eye to noncitizens influencing our elections, and they even killed the SAVE (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) Act, which would have barred noncitizens from voting. Federal law prohibits noncitizens from voting, so why won’t they hand over the voter rolls Texas needs to keep our elections clean?

My Texas Republican colleagues and I demand they release the information without delay.

Here is what the letter said: 

Director Jaddou:

We write to you today as Members of Congress, and as Texans, in support of Secretary of State Jane Nelson’s September 18, 2024 request to your agency to assist the State of Texas in verifying that non-citizens are not registered to vote in our great state of Texas. Governor Greg Abbott has already announced the removal of 6,500 potential noncitizens from Texas voter rolls; given this unsettling reality, the federal government has a duty to ensure that Texas can accurately verify the citizenship of its voters.

As you know, and as Secretary Nelson notes in her letter to you, both federal and Texas law prohibit non-citizens from registering to and casting a vote in the State of Texas.  Although the Biden-Harris administration refuses to take any action to protect states against the influx of illegal aliens at our southern border—1,254 miles of which borders Texas—you still retain a constitutional, statutory, and moral imperative to assist the state in doing what is right.

The request submitted by the state to obtain USCIS citizenship data regarding voter registration in Texas is not only legal, but urgent.  The election is around the corner, with the deadline for voter registration already passed on October 7th, and the deadline for absentee and mail-in ballots is October 25th.  It is paramount that the state’s county registrars can check and confirm the eligibility of each voter, and your agency is the only entity with the data to help.  The deadline provided by the state, October 2nd, left your agency with ample time to provide that information.  On the afternoon of October 2nd, Secretary of State Nelson informed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton that, “my office has not received any reply from the federal government.” 

This is an unacceptable dereliction of your duty.

Texas’s situation is not an isolated case.  The Biden-Harris administration has consistently dismissed the prospect of non-citizens voting, erroneously claiming, “current laws to prevent noncitizen voting are working.”  Yet the administration is preventing states from enforcing those laws, as evidenced by the failure to provide Texas with citizenship data, and its recent lawsuit against Alabama’s removal of non-citizens from its voter rolls.  In June 2012, the State of Florida was forced to sue DHS to gain access to the SAVE System to help verify the citizenship status of voters in Florida.

We reiterate our intent that you expeditiously provide the data requested by the state—data that you are required to provide under federal law.  To that end, please provide our offices copies of your correspondence with Secretary of State Nelson.  Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

This week marked one year since the savage and inhumane Hamas terror attack on our greatest ally, Israel. For the past year, Israel has been under constant assault, and now they are locked in a fight for survival against the vile regime of Iran.

October 7th stands as the darkest day for our friends, the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Brenda and I traveled to the Holy Land earlier this year and saw the bloodshed and barbarity firsthand. WE must NEVER allow this to happen again. Let me repeat: NEVER AGAIN!

Understand ”Never Again" isn’t just a slogan — it's a call to action. The terrorists responsible must be hunted down and eradicated from the face of the Earth, no mercy, no hesitation.

Please Join me in praying for Israel. May GOD stand with the apple of His eye, our most steadfast ally, until these enemies are completely wiped off the face of the earth so that they cannot emerge “NEVER AGAIN!”

There’s been a lot of talk in the news about FEMA lately—whether it's about the agency’s funding, resources being directed toward illegal immigrants, or disingenuous claims about votes against FEMA support. Let me set the record straight.

Here in Texas, we know firsthand the importance of FEMA in the aftermath of hurricanes, most recently in the wake of Hurricane Beryl. We’ve relied heavily on FEMA to help us rebuild, and Southeast Texas has benefited from supplemental disaster relief bills. FEMA’s primary mission is to coordinate federal disaster response when state and local resources are overwhelmed. That’s why it’s frustrating—and downright out of touch—when Secretary Mayorkas implies FEMA is broke. It’s the same kind of nonsense as when he says the border is secure. FEMA officials have confirmed that they have enough funding to meet immediate recovery needs, and the truth is that a supplemental disaster relief bill will be needed in the coming months, once the larger scale of devastation is fully understood. We had to fight for that relief in Texas, so we know how folks in North Carolina, Florida, and other impacted states feel.

Look, we’ve got a big national debt, no doubt about it. But our priorities are clear: National security and disaster recovery come first. And that’s something we’ll always take seriously.

Now, there’s been confusion about FEMA funding illegal aliens. Let me be clear—FEMA money isn’t being diverted from disaster response to illegal immigration. However, Congress has provided $1.7 billion since 2019 for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program-Humanitarian and the follow-on program created in 2023—the Shelter and Services Program. This grant program provides funding to Non-Governmental Organizations who provide services to illegal aliens released from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. I have voted against this funding multiple times.

Last year, House Republicans eliminated this spending in the appropriations process, only for the Democrat-controlled Senate and the White House to fight to add it back in. No surprise there—they’d rather fight for illegal aliens than the American people. I voted against that spending bill in March, and I stand by that vote.

Fast forward to this September, when Congress was forced to pass a continuing resolution on the same reckless spending I opposed in March. I voted against it again. Now, there are misleading claims that I voted against FEMA funding. That’s dishonest. I voted against reckless, unsustainable spending that lacked border security and budget controls. It’s called fiscal responsibility, and that’s what Texans deserve.

Yes, FEMA's disaster relief funding is separate, but here’s the real issue that rightfully frustrates Americans: FEMA is intended to help our citizenry during disasters—not to shelter and resettle illegal immigrants. But that’s exactly what the Biden Administration, under the auspices of Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary Mayorkas, are doing. When you see illegal immigrants at your local airport or bus station, being trafficked across the country, remember that every state is now a border state because of this administration.  They’ve opened the border on purpose, using NGOs to move these people around, and the federal government is picking up the tab.

The American people are fed up. Republicans in Congress are fed up. I am fed up.

That is why, this week, I cosponsored a bill to terminate  FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program and transfer any unobligated balances to be used for disaster relief.  The hard-earned treasure of the American people should not be wasted on these misguided border policies.

Team Weber had the distinct honor of presenting a Congressional Record to the City of Port Arthur, commemorating 125 years of rich history at the City Council meeting. Representing this community with such deep roots is a privilege, and celebrating this remarkable milestone was truly special. Here’s to many more years of growth and success for Port Arthur!

I also attended the Brazoria County Commissioners Court meeting, where I had the opportunity to hear about important issues facing our community. Additionally, I visited Hill & Lock Security Systems in Beaumont, a company dedicated to designing innovative products that safeguard homes, schools, and businesses against forced entry. A big thank you to them for showcasing the vital work they’re doing to protect families, students, and educators.

It was an honor to host Representative Tom Cole, Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, right here in Southeast Texas. We showcased the essential role our region plays in the energy industry, meeting with Sabine-Neches Waterways and even getting a bird's-eye view of the area. Our discussions focused on how we can further support Southeast Texas in Congress. I also participated in the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership's Southeast Texas Transportation Summit, alongside Reps. Brian Babin and Sylvia Garcia, where we engaged in important conversations about the challenges facing our region.

Lastly, I had the pleasure of visiting with Tony Hopkins, President of the Friendswood ISD Board of Trustees. We toured the Administration Building and explored a newly opened school facility in Friendswood ISD. It’s always inspiring to see the progress and dedication to our students’ success.

Do you believe Israel has the right to defend itself against ongoing threats?

Yes: 96%

No: 4%