Rep. Troy E. Nehls Meets with Folds of Honor Greetings! I wanted to take a moment to share with you a recap on what happened last week in Texas' 22nd District and the United States House of Representatives. This Week in Washington Rep. Nehls Votes 'YES' to Advance Commonsense Reforms at House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Markup The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee advanced multiple pieces of legislation to reform and restore permitting processes under the Clean Water Act, ensure rail transportation access for people with disabilities, and improve Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) consideration of wildfire mitigation projects. The Clean Water Act and clean water help support communities and industries across the United States, including farming, fishing, and manufacturing. Sadly, this law has been weaponized over the years to significantly delay permits and prevent important infrastructure and energy projects from advancing. The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure passed numerous bills to ensure the permitting processes are more consistent and transparent. Additionally, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved measures that would ensure access to Amtrak for all Americans and ensure wildfire mitigation efforts save lives and reduce costs in the case of a disaster. Rep. Troy E. Nehls Votes 'YES' and the House Passes the No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act This week, the United States House of Representatives passed H.R. 6679, the No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act. This bill would ensure any person who facilitated or participated in the barbaric October 7th attack on our nation’s greatest ally in the Middle East, Israel, are inadmissible to the United States, ensuring members and allies of Hamas and Islamic Jihad are unable to threaten the safety of the American homeland. Under current law, Hamas terrorists are not necessarily barred from receiving immigration relief. This legislation simplifies the process for determining whether an alien has engaged in terrorist activities for inadmissibility or removability purposes. This measure is long overdue. In light of Joe Biden’s open-border policies, over 8 million illegal aliens have flooded into communities nationwide. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 alone, there have been 50 individuals whose names appear on the terrorist watchlist who have been stopped trying to enter the U.S. illegally. This is unacceptable and severely jeopardizes our national security. I proudly voted ‘YES’ on this piece of legislation to prevent members of terrorist organizations from immigrating into our country and taking advantage of taxpayer funded benefits. Rep. Troy E. Nehls Votes 'YES' and the House Passes Legislation to Deport Illegal Aliens for Driving Drunk Every 45 minutes, someone in the United States loses their life at the hands of an alcohol impaired driver. This week, I voted ‘YES,' and the House of Representatives passed H.R. 6976, the Protect Our Communities from DUIs Act, which would deport illegal aliens for driving drunk. Specifically, this legislation: Closes a gaping loophole in the U.S. immigration law related to drunk driving. Conforms to other grounds of inadmissibility in existing law by not requiring a conviction. Streamlines the current burdensome and lengthy process for DUI offenses, ensuring that criminal aliens who victimize Americans can be swiftly removed. Sadly, 150 Democrats voted against this legislation. My House Republican colleagues and I remain committed to passing legislation that puts America first and combats Joe Biden’s reckless “border security” policies. Rep. Troy E. Nehls Meets with Folds of Honor I had the pleasure of meeting with the Folds of Honor in our nation's capital. Folds of Honor is a nonprofit organization that has provided over 51,000 scholarships to the spouses and children of our fallen and disabled military members and first responders. Thank you, Folds of Honor, for the honorable work you continue to do for our nation's heroes and their families. Rep. Troy E. Nehls Votes 'Yes' to Pass the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act In December 2022, Officer Raul Gonzalez lost his life while he was pursuing a group of illegal aliens in a high-speed chase at the Texas border. This week, the United States House of Representatives passed H.R. 5585, the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act, which provides federal criminal penalties for individuals who intentionally evade Border Patrol Agents and law enforcement officials assisting the Border Patrol, with increased penalties for those who injure or kill someone while fleeing. Over 150 Democrats voted against this bill, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies of New York. It is clear those on the other side of the aisle do not care about the safety of America’s law enforcement. Shame on them! The failures of the Biden Administration have led to complete chaos at our nation’s borders. From Texas to the border communities of California, to the Gulf Coast, the border is out of control. Border Patrol and our nation’s brave law enforcement officers should be equipped with the tools required to do their jobs effectively. As a former law enforcement officer, I proudly voted ‘YES’ to pass this legislation to honor Agent Gonzalez’s service and sacrifice, uphold the rule of law, and protect our law enforcement officers. This Week in TX-22 2024 Congressional Art Competition is Now Open My office is now accepting Congressional Art Competition submissions online only by Friday, April 26, 2024. The Congressional Art Competition began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. Since then, over 650,000 high school students have been involved with the nationwide competition. The Congressional Art Competition is sponsored by the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and is open to all high school students in the 22nd Congressional District of Texas. The winning artwork of our district's competition will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol, and receive two plane tickets to Washington, D.C. The rules, regulations, application, and checklist can be found on my website. Department of State: Update on Passport Processing Times The Department of State is reporting passport processing times can be up to 6 to 8 weeks for routine processing and 2 to 3 weeks for expedited processing. These times do not include mail delivery service estimates. My team would be happy to assist you with your passport issues. If you are planning on traveling internationally soon, please reach out to my district office, (346) 762-6600, at least two weeks in advance of your travel date to allow my casework team optimal time to communicate with Passport Agencies. LAST WEEK'S POLL QUESTION RESULTS Do you support President Biden's decision to pause liquid natural gas projects, all in the name of "climate change?  YES 11.7% NO 88.3% Follow Us ‌ ‌ ‌ We Want to Hear From You I always appreciate learning about the issues that are important to you. If you have a concern, please contact me HERE. Use this QR code to follow my Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts and join my Newsletter for updates. It's an honor to represent you and the great state of Texas in the United States House of Representatives. Should illegal aliens receive taxpayer funded benefits? Let me know below Yes Select No Select Sincerely, Troy E. Nehls Member of Congress ‌ By participating in the survey, you are opting into further communication from Rep. Nehls Rep. Nehls | 1104 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]