Dear East Texas,

Representing the First District of Texas is one of the greatest honors of my life—surpassed only by being a husband, a father, and most importantly, a servant of Christ. Every day, my staff and I are hard at work on your behalf. Whether it’s helping folks navigate federal agencies—or meeting with business, community leaders, and constituents across East Texas to hear your thoughts on the issues that matter most—our mission is clear: to serve you. That’s why you elected me—to represent your values in Congress. One of the most important parts of this job is often done in our respective committees: crafting, supporting, and fighting for policies that increase liberty, strengthen the abundance of life, and honor our Constitution. That work doesn’t always make the headlines, but it’s where real change begins.

Keeping you informed is another key part of my job. Whether through tele-townhalls, other public forums, social media, or this very newsletter—the Moran Minute—I’m committed to sharing what’s happening in Washington and how we’re advancing the conservative, America First agenda that East Texans asked for. This week I’d like to share with you several key pieces of legislation I’ve introduced and co-lead so far during the 119th Congress. Each of these bills reflect the priorities and values of East Texans—whether it’s securing our southern border, defending intellectual property, standing up to China’s human rights abuses, or empowering our future workforce.

In Congress, a Member may introduce legislation they’ve personally authored or co-lead a bill introduced by a colleague that aligns with their values. Being a co-lead or original co-sponsor means working closely with the primary sponsor to shape and advance the bill. Once a bill is introduced, it’s referred to the appropriate House committee or committees, where it may receive hearings, amendments, and be potentially reported favorably out of the committee or committees.

Members on a committee have an important role as they have the ability to advocate for specific bills under the committee’s jurisdiction and the first opportunity to amend the bill. If the bill is reported favorably out of its respective committee or committees, it can move directly to the House floor for a full vote under “suspension of the rules.” This means debate is limited to 40 minutes, amendments cannot be offered by Members, and two-thirds of Members are required to vote for the legislation in order for it to pass.

If bills do not go to the House floor under suspension, they will first move through the Rules Committee where a procedural rule is attached. The Rules Committee creates a special rule that determines the text, limitations on debate, and limits on the amendments that can be brought to the floor. This rule must first be adopted by the majority of the House in order for a bill to proceed to the floor for debate, consideration of amendments, and ultimately final passage.

Once a bill passes the House floor, it then heads to the Senate. If the Senate does not agree to the House version of the legislation, the House and Senate go to a Conference Committee to resolve differences between their two positions. Once both chambers pass the final version of the bill, it goes to the President’s desk to be signed into law.

For those of you who haven't watched it in a while, the old Schoolhouse Rock video is a helpful reminder of how a bill becomes a law. You can watch it here.

As each of these bills moves through the legislative process, I’ll communicate with you every step of the way—from committee hearings to floor votes and finally being signed into law by the President. After all, these bills are about our East Texas values, future, and voice in Washington.

To read more about each of these bills, visit my website by clicking here, for a more in-depth look at what each of these bills seeks to accomplish.

This week, I had the chance to sit down with members of the Texas Workforce Group to hear about their legislative priorities and how we can partner to strengthen Texas businesses and support hardworking employees across our state.

On Monday night, I held my 16th tele-townhall, with 10,000 East Texans joining the call. Whether you listened through the livestream on my website, called in with a question, or simply tuned in by phone, I hope you found the conversation informative and useful.

And to top it off—I had a special guest by my side: my son, Lincoln, who spent his 8^th birthday week with me in Washington. It was truly a blessing to have him with me to share this special time.

He was able to hear his dad talk with folks back home and witness firsthand what a special community he’s a part of. While he may not fully grasp what tariffs are or what a budget resolution means just yet, he was excited to be involved—and to learn the value of civic engagement and listening to different perspectives.

I look forward to our next tele-townhall. Be sure to sign up on our website next time and check back here in our weekly newsletter for upcoming events! These telephone townhalls are in addition to the numerous in-person events we do regularly. Just since last August, we’ve done at least 20 in-person events, roundtables, and public forums in East Texas. Looking forward to seeing you at the next one!

Moran in the Media