| Happy Easter |
As we gather together today with family and friends to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, I pray that God blesses you with a very Happy Easter.
On this Easter Sunday, may we never forget God’s eternal love and the undeserved sacrifice He bestowed upon us. Today, let us also remember those who are less fortunate and the men and women of our Armed Forces who are serving in faraway lands to keep us free and safe.
I hope you have a blessed and meaningful Easter surrounded by the ones you love most.
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| Enough is Enough |
Vice President Pence is exactly right. The Mueller Report certifies what the Administration has said and most Americans have thought all along: there was no collusion, coordination or conspiracy between the Trump Campaign and Russia.
Enough is enough. Far too much time and taxpayer money has been wasted chasing this hoax, and I am glad it is over.
Now the American people deserve to know how this false narrative and corrupt use of FBI resources and intelligence services got started. We must NEVER allow our justice system to be abused in order to promote a political agenda. |
| Twenty Years After Columbine: What Has Changed? |
“We do know we have to do more to recognize the early warning signs that are sent before children act violently.”
President Bill Clinton
April 20, 1999
Twenty years later and guess what – we are not. How is it possible that we still are not doing enough to identify those who are moving along the pathway toward committing an act of violence? I have a suspicion it is because, once again, politics has done far more to exacerbate this problem than it has to address it. Every single time one of these horrific attacks occurs (which we all agree is far too often), the political rhetoric stops substantive conversation in its place. On the left, there are those who want to abolish our Constitutionally-given right to bear arms. On the right, some want to arm teachers and harden schools. The problem is – neither truly address the crisis at hand.
To read more of my Op-Ed featured in The Hill, please click below.
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| Lyondell Bassell's Bayport Complex's 50 Year Anniversary |
It was great celebrating LyondellBasell’s Bayport Complex’s 50th Anniversary earlier this week! For decades, the Bayport Complex has remained deeply committed to positively impacting surrounding communities, and continues to play a key role in growing the region.
Texas is leading the nation in energy production, and that is thanks to facilities like the Bayport Complex and the many hard-working men and women it employs.
I am glad I was able to join Jeff Wagner, Mayor of Pasadena, Louis Rigby, Mayor of La Porte, and David Jennings, Mayor of Shoreacres-City as well as many of the LyondellBassell employees in celebrating this incredible milestone.
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| Recognizing Baytown Christian Athletes |
It was great attending the Baytown Christian Academy’s State Championship Banquet honoring the Bulldogs for winning both the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools’ (TAPPS) football and boys basketball state championships for the 2018-2019 school year. I had the opportunity to present a copy of the statement I entered into the Congressional Record, honoring both teams, to each of the athletes, trainers, and coaches in attendance.
The hard-work and dedication shown by Baytown Christian led to the great feat of being the only team in the entire State of Texas to win both the football and boys basketball championships this school year.
I thoroughly enjoyed meeting each of the athletes, coaches, trainers, and cheerleaders as well as their proud families and friends. This is a talented group of young people, and I wish each of them continued success in the classroom and in sports.
With this Congressional Record entry, there will always be a record of the Bulldog’s state championship victories in the Library of Congress as long as the United States stands.
To view the statement in full, please click here.
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| Babin Recognizes Participants of the 2019 Congressional Art Competition |
I would like to congratulate Julian Lopez of Crosby High School on winning the 2019 Congressional Art competition with his incredible artwork titled “Ocean Lurker,” which will now be displayed in the United States Capitol Building for an entire year.
Rep. Babin with the 36th Congressional District’s 2019 Congressional Art Competition Winner
(L to R: Tyra Baxter, Teacher; Rep. Babin; Julian Lopez, winner; and family). |
A big thanks also goes out to each of the talented students who participated in this year’s Art Competition, as well as the art teachers and families that supported them throughout this process.
We have so many great artists in TX-36, and I am extremely proud to show their work to visitors from both our district and different parts of the country when we pass by the national display in the US Capitol. |
| Ongoing Research at Fort Sam Houston |
Last weekend, I toured the US Army Institute of Surgical Research and the Naval Medical Research unit which are located at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas.
It was great meeting both civilian and military doctors as well as several other staffers to learn about the Dental and Craniofacial Trauma research they are conducting there.
I am especially proud to see so much enthusiasm along with the cutting edge medical research being conducted to help America's heroes.
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| Meeting with the Port of Houston Chairman |
On Tuesday, I spoke with the new Port of Houston Chairman Ric Campo (pictured below). He will do a great job ensuring the port is prepared to handle whatever tasks are laid before them in the coming future.
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| More Immigrants Heading Towards Southern Border |
Thousands more are rushing towards our southern border. How can anyone still argue that this is a manufactured crisis. WE MUST SECURE OUR NATION'S BORDERS NOW.
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| Armand Bayou Nature Center |
I enjoyed touring the Armand Bayou Nature Center with Center Executive Director Tim Pylate (pictured below) this week.
My staff and I were given a walking tour of the grounds along with a boat tour of Armand Bayou, an urban preserve located in Pasadena and southeast Houston between the Johnson Space Center and the Bayport Industrial District.
The 2,500-acre nature center is the largest urban wilderness preserve in the country.
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| A Tragic Loss |
I was saddened to learn of this tragic loss, and offer my condolences to the First Baptist Church of Warren and the surrounding community.
We pray for the family of Mr. James Craft and for the complete recovery of Robert Craig, Doug Sheffield, and the injured children. |
| DistributionNOW Site Visit |
On Monday, I had the opportunity to visit DistributionNOW or DNOW, an oil and gas supply distibution company in La Porte. From pipes and flanges to pumps and manifolds, the DNOW wearhouse looked like a supermarket for the oil and gas industry.
Their leadership team was kind enough to take me through the wearhouse and discuss their operations. The volume of goods that were on hand or being sent out to costumers was very impressive.
We also discussed tariffs and trade negotiations with the US, China, and Mexico.
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| Resupply Mission to ISS |
On Wednesday, members of my Washington, DC staff traveled to NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia to attend a rocket launch to resupply our astronauts on the international Space Station (ISS).
The Northrup Grumman Cygnus spacecraft, attached to an Antares rocket, carried 40 mice, two flying robots, several small satelities, and a variety of supplies for our astronaunts as it flawlessly launched on Wednesday afternoon.
Succesful missions such as these are vital in order to keep our astronaunts outfitted with food and other necessary items during their tenure on the ISS.
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| Update on the KMCO and ITC Plant Fires |
Earlier this week, I received a briefing from the lead investigator for the Chemical Saftey Board and the Deputy Regional Administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency.
The agencies outlined remaining cleanup efforts of both the KMCO and ITC fires that recently occurred. I also received an update on the ongoing investigations in search of the root causes behind each respective incident.
Both agencies plan to issue reports in the months to come. |
| Fighting for the Alabama-Coushatta's Naskila Gaming Facility |
This is a fairness issue – plain and simple. Out of the three Native American tribes located in Texas, the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo and Alabama-Coushatta are not allowed the same rights as the Kickapoo when it comes to Class II gaming, which only allows electronic bingo. The Kickapoo have had this right for more than 22 years.
Naskila Gaming is alcohol-free and developing the economy in Polk County and several other surrounding counties while supplying over 500 jobs to the local communities and infusing $140 million into our local economy each year.
The courts urged that there needed to be a change in the law on a federal level to solve this issue, and that is precisely what I am trying to do with my bill, the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo and Alabama-Coushatta Tribes of Texas Equal and Fair Opportunity Settlement Act (H.R. 759).
The bottom line is that shutting down this facility means putting more than 500 Texans out of a job. That is who I am fighting for, my constituents. |
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