Representative Nathaniel Moran

Friends,

This week, the House passed the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act (TRAFWA) – a bipartisan, bicameral tax package that restores key provisions of President Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TJCA) of 2017 that delivered pro-growth, pro-American results through the reformation of our tax code. The Trump-era tax reform reduced taxes on businesses, brought good-paying jobs back to the U.S., and lifted millions out of poverty. The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act will bring critical relief to small businesses – including nearly 700 manufacturers that employ over 42,600 workers in East Texas – and allows them to reinvest earnings back into workers’ paychecks and reduce dependence on our adversaries, like the Chinese Communist Party.[1] Based on a recent analysis by the Joint Committee on Taxation, if made permanent, these policies would add up to $600 billion in tax relief and incentives.[2] And, this will stimulate economic growth nationwide.

The TRAFWA will extend key, pro-business tax provisions such as the ability to fully expense more research and development investment by businesses, allow businesses to fully depreciate assets like equipment in the year when they were purchased (known as 100% bonus depreciation), and allow businesses to deduct more business interest expenses (which will increase expansion through traditional borrowing). The economic benefits of extending these tax provisions are estimated to incentivize businesses to invest at least $70 billion back into the U.S., boost wages by $58 billion, and pump $400 billion back into manufacturing equipment while rejuvenating job creation in the U.S. [3] This is a positive outcome.

The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act maintains the Trump-era protections in the 2017 TCJA that require all eligible children for the Child Tax Credit to have a Social Security Number (SSN), and it maintains a minimum work requirement for taxpayer eligibility. This is a pro-life, pro-work policy that incentivizes the parents to enter the labor force. The TRAFWA reforms the CTC to boost work incentives, eliminates penalties for larger families, and indexes credit to inflation to help offset many of the negative drawbacks of Bidenomics to support struggling families.[4] There is still work to be done to extend this social security number requirement to the parents of those eligible children, and to increase work requirements, but the offsetting benefits to business and the economy outweighed these deficits in the bill.

Click HERE to read Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith’s Op-Ed for the Daily Caller.

Click HERE to hear my Floor speech in favor of this bill.

[1] Provided by National Association of Manufacturers

[2] Chairman Smith Op-Ed: Here’s Why It’s So Important For Congress To Pass The Bipartisan Tax Deal - House Committee on Ways and Means

[3] Chairman Smith Op-Ed: Here’s Why It’s So Important For Congress To Pass The Bipartisan Tax Deal - House Committee on Ways and Means

[4] Correcting the Record: Tax Relief for American Families & Workers Act Maintains Child Tax Credit Safeguards Established in 2017 GOP Tax Law Against Improper Payments - House Committee on Ways and Means

Courtesy of the House Ways and Means Committee

Border Security: Standing Up for Texas and Our Nation

The Biden border crisis is jeopardizing our nation’s security and sovereignty. Not only has it put the safety of every American, not just those living in border states, at risk, but the border crisis has undermined the legitimacy of a state’s right to defend and protect itself.

On Friday, January 26th, the Biden Administration announced that 302,034 illegal immigrants were encountered on the southern border in December 2023, making it the highest single month of illegal encounters recorded in history.[1] Also in December, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) arrested 19 people on the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) terror watchlist, bringing the total to 50 arrests for FY24.[2] CBP has had to double the size of the chart it is uses to report illegal immigration encounters at the Southern border from 150,000 to 300,000 to keep up with the Biden border crisis.[3]

My fellow Republican colleagues in Congress and I held a press conference Monday night to stand with Governor Abbott in Texas’ fight to secure our border, and to demand accountability for Biden’s border crisis and denounce President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas for violating their oaths promising to protect and defend the U.S. Constitution. Secretary Mayorkas has time and time again refused to comply with federal immigration laws, and, therefore, repeatedly undermined the rule of the law.

As we reported last week, I joined much of the Texas Delegation in a letter led by Congressman Roger Williams (TX-25) to Attorney General Merrick Garland expressing concern and opposition to the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) lawsuit against the State of Texas regarding Senate Bill 4 (SB4), which passed the Texas legislature on November 21, 2023.

Last month, I led the passage of House Resolution (H.Res.) 957, which condemns the Biden Administration’s open borders policies and calls on President Biden to end these policies immediately. The resolution passed the House of Representatives by a 225-187 vote, with fourteen Democrats joining all Republicans in supporting its passage.

I have been focused on the issue of border security since day one of taking office. Last year, I was one of only eight original co-sponsors, and the only freshman original co-sponsor, to the toughest border security bill passed in decades — H.R. 2 the Secure the Border Act of 2023, which includes my Visa Overstays Penalties Act. Lastly, my first bill filed in Congress also addressed border security — H.R. 672 the Border Security Investment Act.

To watch my remarks on the passage of H. Res. 957, click HERE.

To read more about the letter, click HERE.

To watch my remarks at the press conference HERE.

To watch my latest interview with KSLA talking about border security, click HERE.

[1] CBP Releases December 2023 Monthly Update | U.S. Customs and Border Protection

[2] House Republicans Are Holding DHS Secretary Mayorkas Accountable | U.S. Representative (gop.gov)

[3] Southwest Border Migration YTD2021 | U.S. Customs and Border Protection (cbp.gov)

Texas Tech Student Government Leaders in Washington

On Tuesday, I met with student leaders from Texas Tech in town for the Big XII on the Hill Conference. Thanks for stopping by to discuss how we plan to lower the cost of college, support mental health initiatives for students, and create a national NIL framework for student athletes.

Congressman Moran with Texas Tech student leaders

Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center

We are fortunate to have the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center (FCIC) right here in Congressional District 1. The FCIC coordinates and assists in financial crimes investigations in Texas and across this nation. They also educate other law enforcement on best practices in financial crimes investigations and enforcement. We are grateful for the work that FCIC does right here in our backyard and look forward to seeing their footprint expand.

Congressman Moran visiting the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center

Terminal Radar Approach Control Team: Keeping Texas Airways on Track

While on my way to DC this week, the Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) Team at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport showed me around their facilities and gave me insight into the important work they do every day to keep Texas and our nation’s travelers safe.

Congressman Moran with the Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) Team at DFW Airport

This Week in American History

On January 30th, 1989, the American Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan closed due to security concerns. The closure came just before the Third Afghan Civil War broke out in February 1989 followed by the Fourth Afghan Civil War in 1992 and the Taliban taking over in 1996. As of August 2022, one year after the fall of Kabul, the embassy has been in a state of full lockdown and is not in use by the U.S. nor any entity acting on behalf of the U.S.

How can my office help you?

Dealing with federal agencies can be complicated, and my office is here to help.

If you need help with Social Security, the IRS, passport renewals, the VA, or other federal agencies – please do not hesitate to reach out to my office by calling (903) 561-6349 or visiting my website by clicking HERE.

It is an honor to be your voice in Congress.

With gratitude,

Nathaniel Moran
Member of Congress

P.S.

Answer to Last Week's Texas Trivia Question

How many different species of reptiles and amphibians live in Texas?

Over 500

This Week's Texas Trivia Question

What is the Texas state flower?

Check next week’s newsletter for the answer to this week’s Texas Trivia question.