Dear East Texas,

Late last weekend, our East Texas community lost a hero, a son, and a friend in Officer Sam Lively of the Tyler Police Department. His legacy of service and sacrifice will endure—in the community he helped protect and in the lives he touched through his kindness, dedication, and courage.

I was honored to speak on the House floor to recognize his life and service to East Texas.

With his passing, we mourn the loss of a brave protector and a young man whose future held such promise. We grieve alongside his family, friends, and fellow officers who lost a brother.

May God bless Officer Sam Lively, his family, the Tyler Police Department, and all who continue to serve with integrity and honor. May East Texas never forget the selfless service he gave.

[Watch my full floor speech honoring Officer Sam Lively]

This week, I was proud to introduce legislation to deliver long-overdue tax relief to hardworking Americans who put in extra hours on the job. The No Tax on Overtime Act is designed to reward blue-collar workers and support the very people who keep our economy running—from manufacturing floors to emergency response teams and beyond.

For employers like Delek in Tyler, overtime is an essential tool to maintain operations, cover staffing gaps, and train employees. Workers who put in these extra hours—often sacrificing evenings and weekends—deserve a tax code that recognizes their commitment. This bill does exactly that by allowing workers to deduct overtime income earned from up to 300 hours of overtime worked each year—even if they don’t itemize on their tax return.

To ensure this tax relief benefits the working class, the deduction begins to phase out for individuals making over $100,000 or couples earning more than $200,000 annually. Under this bill, employers would also be required to report overtime earnings on W-2 forms, increasing transparency and ensuring eligibility for the deduction.

This tax policy has been named one of President Trump’s top priorities for the upcoming reconciliation package. It was built with the working class in mind—people who roll up their sleeves, do the hard work, and keep America moving forward.

TX-01 is full of these men and women—and this bill was crafted with them at the heart of it. I am proud to support our working-class men and women, and I look forward to keeping you updated as we work to pass this critical piece of legislation and get it to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law.

To read more about the No Tax on Overtime Act, click here.

On Thursday and Friday, we hosted two Principles & Priorities federal budget workshop events in Tyler and Longview—and East Texans showed up ready to work. Participants at each event came together to take on the challenge of balancing the federal budget through a hands-on, interactive exercise. Constituents worked in small groups to wrestle with the same difficult choices Congress faces every day—deciding by majority vote of the group what to fund, what to cut, and how to keep our nation on a sustainable fiscal path.  And, then keeping a running tally using their workbook.

At the heart of these events was a simple but powerful exercise: working together in those groups to balance the federal budget over ten years and reducing the national debt that now stands at more than $37 Trillion. Some groups found ways to reduce costs in healthcare and long-term entitlements, others proposed tax reforms or chose to cut defense spending in order to prioritize secondary educational opportunities and workforce development. Several groups scaled back space exploration and explored new revenue streams. The conversations were thoughtful, sometimes surprising, but always genuine.  Importantly, gave the constituents of the First District Texas ownership of the process and the decisions, which helped provide meaningful feedback for our office.  

One standout moment: 17-year-old Matthew Scheusner from Tyler Legacy High School was elected chairman of his group—and helped lead them to a proposal that saved over $5 trillion. It was inspiring to see young leaders like Matthew step up to the challenge with poise and insight.

Moran in the Media