Friends, 

Last week, I told you that I voted to impeach the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Alejandro Mayorkas. He was able to avoid impeachment last week, as the first vote to oust him failed by a vote of 216-214. However, on Tuesday of this week, the House of Representatives voted again, and this time impeached Secretary Mayorkas.

For nearly a year, the House Committee on Homeland Security — under the leadership of Chairman Mark Green (R-TN) — investigated the actions (or inaction) of Secretary Mayorkas. This lengthy investigation found that Secretary Mayorkas overstepped his authority and unlawfully suspended the laws of the land—leaving our borders open and our country vulnerable. Ultimately, the House found that he willfully and systemically refused to comply with the law and breached the public’s trust.

Click HERE to read my full statement on my vote to impeach Secretary Mayorkas.

Click HERE to read the articles of impeachment. 

Click HERE for more information about the impeachment of Secretary Mayorkas.

(Courtesy of the House Committee on Homeland Security)

Procedural Sidenote: For those watching the first impeachment vote last week, you probably noticed in real time that the vote to impeach Secretary Mayorkas was 215-215 once everyone had cast their ballots. Because this would have meant the vote was going to fail and because Republicans knew that Steve Scalise would be back this week, Congressman Blake Moore (UT-01) — who supports impeachment — changed his vote from “yes” to “no” in the final moments before the vote officially closed. This was a necessary procedural move that allowed Republicans to bring the vote up again this week (once we got Steve Scalise back and had the numeric advantage) through a Motion to Reconsider by Rep. Moore. The rules only allow a person voting on the “winning” side of any issue to bring a Motion to Reconsider, so kudos to Rep. Moore for taking one for the team.

The U.S. must have no part in supporting slavery, wherever found.  This week, my legislation, the No Dollars to Uyghur Forced Labor Act, was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.

As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I introduced No Dollars to Uyghur Forced Labor, to prohibit funds to the Department of State or the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) from being used to finance global projects in partnership with companies or organizations that import products mined, produced, or manufactured in the Xinjian Region of China. My bill will ensure that American taxpayers will not be complicit in China’s exploitation, enslavement, and genocide of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities.

As I write this, over 100,000 Uyghurs are being enslaved and used for forced labor, and more than 1 million have been forced into “re-education centers” as part of the Chinese Communist Party’s oppressive tactics.[1] China has implemented a forced work relocation program that subjects workers to constant surveillance and isolation.[2] They are subjected to harsh working conditions, little to no pay, long hours, restricted communication with family members, and ideological indoctrination. In more extreme situations, reports have surfaced of abductions, torture, forced sterilizations, and sexual abuse.[3] China is blatantly committing human rights violations to grow their economic engine and malign influence around the world.

My colleagues and I on the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed the No Dollars to Uyghur Forced Labor Act on June 21, 2023, during a markup, in a bipartisan vote, and this week, the legislation advanced by voice vote on the House floor. This is a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to address the grave human rights abuses perpetuated by China. The passage of my bill demonstrates our nation’s commitment to standing up for morality, goodness, and freedom.

The United States must send a clear message to the international community that we will not tolerate the exploitation of vulnerable individuals.

Click HERE to watch my remarks on the House floor.

To read the full bill text, click HERE.

Since President Biden’s first day in office, he has been fighting against American energy producers and our nation’s energy security. Biden’s export ban on Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) has caused energy prices to skyrocket and made the United States more reliant on foreign imports. Yesterday, the House passed Congressman August Pfluger’s (TX-11) bill, the Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2024, which removes restrictions on LNG that will allow the United States to export more, encourage domestic energy production, and reduce American energy supply vulnerabilities. The House of Representatives must continue to fight against Biden’s desperate attempts to appease extreme Democrats and reinforce the American energy industry.

On Monday, I had the opportunity to host two roundtables with leaders in the healthcare industry and physicians in the First District. I was joined by Congressman Michael Burgess, M.D. (TX-26) and we had informative discussions on how we can address the challenges facing our complex healthcare system, such as lowering costs, improving access to care, and increasing transparency in our healthcare system for all patients.

These hardworking healthcare professionals work tirelessly to provide quality care for all East Texans. Their expertise and perspectives are invaluable as we work towards improving healthcare outcomes and access to rural communities. I look forward to continuing to collaborate with local leaders to further understand the challenges facing our healthcare system.

At the first of these roundtables – we heard from a leader in our East Texas community, Dr. Kirk Calhoun, M.D.—the President of UT Tyler and Chairman of the Board for UT Health East Texas. Later this spring, Dr. Calhoun will begin a well-deserved retirement after a combined twenty-two years as President of UT Tyler and the UT Health Science Center at Tyler. Under his leadership, these institutions have seen incredible growth and success. To Dr. Calhoun and his wife, Dr. Jeanette Calhoun, I say thank you and congratulations on your hard-earned retirement!

I had the pleasure of meeting with Carthage ISD Superintendent Jarrod Bitter and some of his wonderful students this week. Superintendent Bitter and I talked about my Jenna Quinn Law of 2024, which authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to allow existing federal grants to be used to increase training for sexual abuse prevention education and reporting for teachers, school employees, students, and caregivers. We also discussed my School Security Enhancement Act that would allow local school districts to use Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) block grant funding for school safety infrastructure and technology. And, most importantly, the students and I enjoyed a candid conversation about finding and pursuing their call in this life. I was proud to meet and encourage each student to seek a life of excellence. As the only Texan on the Education and the Workforce Committee, these opportunities to collaborate with local educators and meet our students face-to-face are so important to me.

To read more about the Jenna Quinn Law of 2024, click HERE.

To read more about the School Security Enhancement Act, click HERE.

Thank you, Shelby County Chamber and Director Deborah Chadwick, for having me speak at your board meeting on Monday. It was an honor to address the members of the board and discuss important issues impacting our community. It is crucial as government officials that we take the time to meet with local business leaders to promote economic growth and prosperity.

I had a great visit with Deep East Texas Council of Governments (DETCOG) who stopped by my DC office this week! Your dedication to creating a more prosperous future for our East Texas community is commendable. I look forward to working with you to address our communities’ urgent needs, and thank you for the diligent work you do on our behalf each day. 

Congressman Nathaniel Moran introduces legislation to prevent child abuse (Marshall News Messenger)

U.S. House passes Rep. Moran’s No Dollars to Uyghur Forced Labor Act (KLTV)

Moran Votes To Impeach Mayorkas (Cass County Citizen’s Journal)

Taylor Swift AI fakes bolster House's bipartisan bill (Politico)

Over 40 lawmakers sign brief to support Texas in immigration fight with Biden administration (Fox News)

On February 15th, 1876, the citizens of Texas adopted the Constitution of 1876. This pivotal moment in our great state's history marked the ratification of the sixth Constitution that has governed Texas since its declaration of independence from Mexico.

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,

P.S.

Who was the first president of the Republic of Texas (who also has his likeness in the United States Capitol Building)?

Sam Houston

When not in the White House, where did the first lady, nicknamed “Lady Bird,” call home?

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