Op-eds
Not too long ago while on a trip to visit our troops in Afghanistan, I met a group of civilians who were totally dedicated to the cause of democracy and freedom. They told me they could not go home for awhile because they had voted - and the enemy would either kill them or cut off their fingers if they had the audacity to vote in an election.
This month marks the 52nd anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Most people know the story of how close the world came to nuclear war. However, many people don't know that military personnel from the 23rd District of Texas played a major role in this great drama.
It is an understatement to say that water is critical. We need it to live. We use it for business purposes: to water crops, livestock and farms. We use it for personal use: to bathe, to wash dishes and clothes and to cook. We teach our kids to drink eight glasses of water a day.
In small towns across South and West Texas, we all know each other. We know each other's kids. We know each other's parents. And, when tragedy strikes, we all know it. We feel it. We share it.
Recently, tragedy struck in Marfa with the sudden loss of Andrew Madrid, a freshman at Marfa High School. The tragedy impacted me deeply.
September 16th – or 16 de septiembre – is Mexico’s Independence Day. Here at home, it is the official kickoff to Hispanic Heritage Month. Hispanics are an important and growing part of this multicultural mosaic known as the United States of America.
I've heard it said in Texas that “life, liberty and property are only safe when the Legislature is not in session.” I think many would argue that this is even more true of Congress. And, Congress officially returned to Washington from its August recess this past Monday.
In any organization, new leadership means change. Good leadership requires setting goals and prioritizing a specific mission. Each day, our Armed Services provide an excellent example of goal setting and prioritizing specific mission. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the U.S. House of Representatives.
August is special for many reasons. I spend the entire month meeting with constituents and traveling in the 23rd District of Texas. I visit my mom and family members in Alpine, Fort Stockton and El Paso. But, my biggest event of the month was seeing Nicolás Miguel go off to his first day of school in 4th grade.
As a young kid growing up in West Texas, I often heard the phrase, “It takes an act of Congress … ” used to describe something that is difficult or nearly impossible to get done. I always wondered what that really meant. Now, I know.
On Tuesday, I sent a letter to Speaker of the House John Boehner, a Republican, inviting him to come to Texas and visit the U.S.-Mexico border where he can meet local community leaders and law enforcement personnel and learn about the ongoing influx of Central American immigrants at our southern border.