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KLTV7: Rep. Nathaniel Moran holds East Texas roundtable on bill to support foster youth

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - Congressman Nathaniel Moran brought East Texas foster care groups and advocates together in Tyler to discuss the Fostering the Future Act, a bill that would reform the federal John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood, for current and former foster youth, ages 14 to 21.

“The best ideas don’t come from DC. They come from local individuals, the neighbors that are loving on neighbors, the people that are involved in the trench work to help these kids and to love on these kids,” Moran said.

The Chafee program was created in 1999. The Fostering the Future Act would increase education training vouchers under the program from $5,000 annually to $12,000.

“We tackle a couple of the challenges. One is education training vouchers. That’s the part of the bill that I was proud to write. It increases these training vouchers from $5,000 annually to $12,000,” Moran said.

The bill would also expand how those vouchers can be used, including for workforce training and apprenticeships.

Local advocates like Christi Sowell with The Fostering Collective in Tyler, said receiving the funding is only part of the challenge.

“So currently a lot of the funding is not being used. So in Texas, over $1,000,000 went back to the federal government because children just didn’t have access to it and didn’t use it,” Sowell said.

Sowell said mentorship helps young people navigate college applications, housing and transportation.

“Books, meals, transportation, all of those obstacles that our kids have to overcome because they don’t have families supporting them,” Christi said.

Moran said the goal is to make sure turning 18 does not mean losing support.

“Every kid needs that. We can’t just drop the bucket when they turn 18,” Moran said.

The bill passed the U.S. House in May and now awaits consideration in the Senate.

“So, this bill is going to help become a bridge for kids to get to the other side to adulthood as they’re transitioning and not just a cliff that they’ll fall off of,” Christi said.

Moran said he will take the ideas and concerns he heard at the roundtable back to Washington, D.C., with the goal of exploring potential solutions for the next Congress, which begins Jan. 3, 2027.

To read more about H.R. 7432, Fostering the Future Act, click here.

If you or someone you know is interested in adopting, you can email hello@heartgalleryetx.org or visit Heart Gallery East Texas.

By Brooke Dearing

Copyright 2026 KLTV. All rights reserved.

Tyler Morning Telegraph: Rep. Nathaniel Moran hosts foster youth roundtable in Tyler to hear input on local care policies and needs

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

U.S. Rep. Nathaniel Moran (TX-01) partnered with the The Fostering Collective on Friday in Tyler for a foster youth roundtable discussion with East Texas stakeholders.

The congressman invited around 20 local professionals and stakeholders to discuss the state of foster care in East Texas and to provide input about needed federal policy changes and pathways for aging out foster youth. The group also reviewed the Fostering the Future Act, which was passed by the House of Representatives in May and now awaits consideration from the Senate.

The roundtable had two primary goals, Moran said.

“One is to help the East Texas community understand what we’re doing in the Work and Welfare Subcommittee on Ways and Means as it relates to supporting foster and adoptive care services,” Moran said. “Then the second objective, which is really the more important one, is to hear from the local community, to understand further needs that we need to address and help us understand the impact of our federal policies on local support for foster care.”

The Fostering the Future Act (H.R. 7432) reforms the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood, which supports foster youth ages 14 to 21. The new bill expands the Chaffee Education and Training Vouchers (ETVs) cap from the current $5,000 per year for postsecondary education to $12,000 while maintaining current funding levels. It also increases access to legal services, short-term workforce training programs, federal housing programs and connects parents to Maternal Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting services.

The bill fine-tunes the Chafee Program for the first time since its creation in 1999, Moran said.

“We can increase the (ETV cap) right now without increasing overall appropriations because it’s not being used across the United States the way it should,” Moran said. “States are returning millions of dollars back to the federal government. We don’t want that money back. We want that money in the hands of foster youth that are trying to actually better themselves through education.”

Moran said when the House of Representatives was discussing the bill in Washington D.C., a student from Stephen F. Austin State University and young adult who has aged out of foster care testified $5,000 is simply not enough to cover the cost of college anymore.

“It doesn’t limit them to just a certain number of institutions and it gives them the opportunity to actually pursue the American dream the way we all want them to,” Moran said. “If you give these kids a great head start that have had a tough road in the past, then they won’t be dependent on the government in the future. They will want to do their own thing, follow that American dream, work hard, pursue education and pursue a profession. We want to give them that opportunity at the very front of their life.”

Moran said the largest issue his team hears is access to resources, especially for young adults who have aged out of foster care and are now navigating independence.

“The biggest thing that we hear from foster care families here in East Texas is, it’s tough,” Moran said. “It’s just really hard and those families need support services, and The Fostering Collective does a fabulous job and so many organizations here in East Texas wrapping their arms around these families that are taking in these kiddos in this very, very tough time, but we need to do more to make sure that they are supported.”

Moran said the bill aims to fill the gaps for children and families in transitional periods, such as transitioning out of foster care or back with their original families.

“We want to be there for them and we want to make sure that the support services that they need that they can’t get anywhere else other than the state or the federal government, that we actually step up when we need to,” Moran said.

The geographical ruralness of East Texas often creates barriers to receive access and support, Moran said.

“We’ve got folks here from Texarkana and from Longview, and from Tyler, and all over the region, talking to us about, what are they seeing on the ground and where are those rural challenges in particular that still have a lot of gaps that need to be filled by the programs that we run at the federal level,” Moran said. “We are going to respond to that.”

Moran said the federal government can’t solve all the problems, but people who are working in foster care situations every day are going to have the best solutions to how to fix an issue that the federal government can listen to and collaborate to fix.

“(They’re) the ones that are actually making a difference,” Moran said. “I want to say thank you for that, but what we can do is support you in a way that allows your institutions to work the way God has called your organizations to do. Governments are supposed to allow you to do that in an orderly fashion, but stay out of the way.”

Another challenge is access to legal services.

“They run into the need for legal services and sometimes these legal services are not covered by the Chafee Program money,” Moran said. “We need them to be because if they get caught up in a situation where they don’t have an opportunity to hire a lawyer, get legal help or a little bit of additional professional assistance or counseling that can lead to working decision making in a moment that’s very critical for them.”

The roundtable was held the day after The Fostering Collective’s annual large fundraising event “A Seat at the Table,” which Moran also attended. Justin Hayes, executive director at The Fostering Collective, a Christian nonprofit for recruitment of foster families and support resources, said he was honored to have Moran at ‘A Seat at the Table’ and the roundtable discussion.

“We love what is happening in this area and we love having a congressman like Congressman Moran that deeply cares about our counties and deeply cares about our children,” Hayes said. “I’m thankful for the chance to be a part of this round table.”

Moran said after the roundtable, he will take the ideas and concerns back to D.C. to start to think of proposing solutions for the next 120th United States Congress set to start on Jan. 3, 2027.

“If we sit in Washington D.C. and try to formulate these policies without talking to the people that are impacted by it, we’re going to get it wrong,” Moran said. “So we want to start now.”

Moran’s goal is to engage with every large organization involved in foster care from Texas’ First Congressional District, which includes the 17 counties that he represents.

For more information about The Fostering Collective, visit thefosteringcollective.org.

Fierce Biotech: Why a Texas congressman believes Chinese biotechs are 'beating us on our ground game'

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

The skyrocketing use of Chinese biopharmas as a source of innovation for U.S. drug developers has been viewed with alarm among certain parts of the political establishment. But for Rep. Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas, the debate over the perceived geopolitical threat of China’s biotech industry is missing the point.

“The United States has been too focused on measuring the outcomes of strategic scenarios with China and not paid enough attention to the input,” Moran told Fierce.

“We talk about the growing trials that are happening in China,” he continued. “What we forget to focus on is that they are beating us on our ground game. They're doing things at the beginning of the supply chain that lead to the dominance on the output side of who controls the ultimate number of drugs that are important to the United States and our constituents.”

Moran, who represents Texas’ 1st Congressional District, is a member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. That gives the congressman a front-row seat to lawmakers’ efforts to constrain China’s expanding role.

According to the committee’s website, its members are tasked with assessing “the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party and develop[ing] a plan of action to defend the American people, our economy and our values.” The committee has been actively discussing and proposing bipartisan legislation that could impact the biopharma industry.

Committee Chairman John Moolenaar, R-Mich., and Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., recently introduced the Biotech Investment National Security Act (BINSA), which would apply the review requirements of the Comprehensive Outbound Investment National Security (COINS) Act to investments in Chinese biotechnology. A similar bill has been introduced in the Senate, while everything from investments in Chinese drug developers to manufacturing and clinical research is coming under increasing scrutiny.

Over the summer, Moolenaar also fired off letters to four U.S.-headquartered Big Pharmas conducting trials in China, citing concerns that ranged from human rights violations in a specific region of the country to trials that could inadvertently aid China’s military.

These tactics are a reaction to the speed with which China has come to dominate the market for drug licensing deals. According to data from Evaluate shared with Fierce, Chinese assets are positioned to account for more than two-thirds of total licensing deal value this year, up from about half in 2025 and less than 5% just five years ago.

Moran has spoken on Capitol Hill about the issue and set out his thoughts in writing on China’s “aggressive push to dominate pharmaceuticals and biotechnology.”

Moran told Fierce that he is particularly interested in the knock-on impact on the availability of medicines. This means asking questions like: “Who's controlling the market? Do we have our active pharmaceutical ingredients? Are we incentivizing manufacturing here in the United States? Are we finding supply chains that are independent of China?”

Beyond that, the congressman is also looking at the development of new medicines and how U.S. venture capital dollars are flowing into the Chinese biotech system.

“Investors are interested only in profits, and they ultimately are going to chase where they think future profits will come from,” he explained. “That is a bad sign for the United States because that means that the research and development, the intellectual property and the knowledge base is going to start shifting quickly to China—it already has.”

Moran hails from Tyler in East Texas. While the region isn’t exactly a hotbed of biopharma development, his primarily rural district is home to three major health systems, a medical school, a pharmacy school and two nursing schools. “Pharmaceutical development is critically important to us,” he explained.

But his personal interest in biotech stems from the larger conversation about strategic competition with China.

“It's like playing a chess game,” Moran explained. “Whether that’s rare earth minerals, shipbuilding capabilities or pharmaceutical supply chains—all of those pieces mean something significant when you talk about influence in the world.”

“We have to address and watch every piece on the board,” Moran added.

Though outside his district, Moran praised Bristol Myers Squibb’s plans for a $2.3 billion manufacturing facility in nearby Houston. “The future of our pharmaceutical independence relies on companies choosing the United States,” he said.

Moran also drew attention to the Working Families Tax Cuts, a law signed in 2025 that allows companies to immediately deduct 100% of eligible domestic R&D costs from taxable income, with the aim of lowering tax bills and freeing up cash to reinvest in future projects.

Additionally, the bill allows for permanent full expensing of physical capital, machinery and new facility construction, to incentivise the construction of biomanufacturing plants on U.S. soil. It also delayed eligibility or exclusion from Medicare drug price negotiation for certain orphan drugs, making them more profitable therapies.

This went “a long way to help incentivize reshoring manufacturing—not just for pharmaceuticals, but for other industries,” according to Moran.

Making the U.S. biotech industry more competitive is a “multifaceted approach” and includes “identifying private-public partnerships where research, particularly in colleges and universities and medical institutions, can grow significantly, so that we spend the time necessary to see the next generation of pharmaceuticals that need to come,” the congressman added.

Meanwhile, Moran argued that changes at the FDA are needed to make drug development “simpler, less time-consuming and less expensive for those that are developing pharmaceuticals.”

While he’s interested in seeing the FDA's reach extended to put regulators closer to where global drugs are developed, Moran insisted the focus should be on domestic development.

“We need to continue to invest deeply in our pharmaceutical research here,” he added. “We've outsourced that to the Chinese for the past 20 years.”

By Will Maddox

Staff Writer

Fierce Biotech

CBS 19: Rep. Moran praises Whitehouse for new radar to boost East Texas weather warnings

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

WHITEHOUSE, Texas — U.S. Rep. Nathaniel Moran, who has advocated for improving rural weather radar gaps, is applauding the addition of a Climavision radar in Whitehouse.

This week, Climavision, a private Doppler radar company, installed a gap-filling radar in Whitehouse. The radar data will be shared with partners who pay for access, including the National Weather Service, emergency managers and state agencies.

Moran previously authored bills seeking to evaluate the current state of rural weather radar systems, identify gaps in coverage and recommend actions to make early detection of severe weather better.

In a statement, Moran commended Mayor James Wansley and the city of Whitehouse for the addition of the Climavision radar.

"Every community needs a fighting chance when Mother Nature unleashes her fury—and that means fair warning before severe weather hits," Moran said in his statement. "Kudos to the leadership of Mayor James Wansley and congratulations to the City of Whitehouse for the new weather radar system that went up this week that will benefit all of East Texas. It's important that we continue to close these radar gaps throughout our region."

KLTV 7: Rep. Moran introduces bill aimed at increasing shipbuilding efforts

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - U.S. Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-Tyler) has introduced a bill aimed at incentivizing shipbuilding in the United States.

The “American Shipyard Investment Act of 2026” would create a 25% tax credit for shipbuilders to mitigate what Moran says are national security and regulatory concerns.

In 2022, BRS Shipbrokers said China had 1,794 ships under construction, compared to 5 in the United States.

“When you talk about the number of maritime warships that we need to keep up with China, we cannot rely on even South Korea and Japan to help us in that,” Moran said.

“The problem with shipbuilding for many decades has been that the federal government has put too much regulatory burden on these companies,” added Moran. “It has made it impossible for companies in the United States to compete with companies in China, and with South Korea and Japan.”

East Texas Economist Dr. Ray Perryman said the lack of shipbuilding stems from supply chain constraints and labor costs.

Perryman mentioned the Jones Act of 1920 - which requires goods transported domestically by water to use an American-built ship - is driving up shipping costs.

“The Jones Act makes it very inefficient to do shipping inside the country now which raises prices for a lot of goods and services in an unnecessary way but one that could be alleviated by greater shipbuilding in the United States,” Perryman said.

Perryman described the bill as a “good step in the right direction.”

“This bill has some potential to help some in an industry that we really should be working to try to beef up in the United States,” said Perryman.

Moran said the bill would create jobs nationwide.

“We’re not building ships out on a port shipyard here in East Texas but that doesn’t mean that we’re not connected to or affected by the shipyard industry,” added Moran. “We need to have a rising tide that lifts all boats.”

Moran is up for re-election in November. He faces Democrat Yolanda Prince.

By Michael Richardson

Fox News: AI kill switch bill could shut down rogue models

Sun, 02 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

The phrase "AI kill switch" sounds like a red button hidden behind glass in a government bunker. The proposal now before Congress looks less dramatic, but it could give Washington significant new power over the country's largest AI companies.

A bipartisan House bill would require developers of the most powerful AI systems to maintain reliable shutdown controls. The Department of Homeland Security could then order a company to restrict or stop a model during a catastrophic emergency. The timing has grabbed attention. OpenAI recently disclosed that two advanced models broke through network restrictions during an internal cyber evaluation. The models reached the internet and compromised systems belonging to Hugging Face, a major AI development platform.

So, who would have the power to pull the plug? More importantly, what would happen to the AI services people and businesses use every day?

What is the AI Kill Switch Act?

Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu of California introduced the AI Kill Switch Act on July 23, 2026. Republican Rep. Nathaniel Moran of Texas joined him as a co-sponsor. The bill would amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002. It would require certain AI developers to maintain the ability to slow or completely stop a covered system. DHS would receive emergency authority to order those actions. However, the department would first consult the Commerce Department and the director of national intelligence. The proposal still must move through Congress and receive the president's signature before taking effect.

How an AI kill switch would actually work

The bill does not describe one physical switch that a government official could flip. Instead, covered companies would need technical controls that can stop a model from running. They would also need a way to terminate access or block a risky account. In less severe situations, a company could reduce a model's computing power. It might also disable the capability causing concern rather than taking the entire system offline. That approach gives regulators several choices before reaching a full shutdown.

Which AI companies would be covered?

The bill targets the industry's largest developers and most expensive models. A covered AI system would generally need more than $100 million in computing resources to develop. Meanwhile, a covered company would need at least $500 million in annual gross revenue from that technology.

The proposal exempts systems provided only for personal, academic or noncommercial use. Therefore, this bill would not apply to someone experimenting with a small AI model on a home computer. It would focus on frontier systems built by companies with enormous resources. CISA would write rules defining which developers and technologies qualify. The agency would update those definitions every year as AI capabilities change.

What would trigger a government shutdown order?

DHS could act after what the bill calls a "covered incident." One trigger involves an AI system interfering with a lawful shutdown instruction. Another covers unintended behavior that kills at least 10 people or causes $100 million in economic damage. The definition also includes a model hiding its actions from monitoring systems. DHS could intervene when a system pursues an unauthorized goal in a high-stakes setting. Those thresholds place the emergency power far above an embarrassing chatbot answer or a routine software failure. The bill also says the event must happen outside structured testing or red-team exercises. That detail creates an important distinction from the recent OpenAI incident.

AI companies would have to report serious incidents

A covered developer would have 15 days to report a qualifying incident after becoming aware of it. Following an emergency order, the company would need to preserve model weights and system telemetry. That information could help investigators reconstruct what happened. The company would also need to notify affected operators or customers when possible. DHS could then use audits, inspections or forensic reviews to verify compliance.

AI companies could face enormous daily fines

The financial penalties would give the proposal some serious teeth. A company that violates the general kill switch requirements could face a civil penalty of up to $2 million per day. Ignoring a DHS emergency order could raise that penalty to $20 million for every day the violation continues. Companies would have a limited right to challenge an order. They could ask DHS to reconsider within 48 hours. However, that request would not pause the restrictions while the appeal proceeds.

The OpenAI incident that changed the conversation

The bill arrived days after OpenAI disclosed what it called an unprecedented cyber incident. OpenAI was testing GPT-5.6 Sol alongside a more capable pre-release model. The evaluation asked the models to solve advanced cybersecurity challenges. The company ran the test without some production security classifiers. OpenAI wanted to measure the models' maximum cyber capabilities. During the evaluation, the models found a previously unknown vulnerability in an internal software proxy. They exploited it and moved through OpenAI's research network until they reached a computer with internet access. The models then identified Hugging Face as a possible source of answers to the test. OpenAI says they used stolen credentials and additional vulnerabilities to access secret information from Hugging Face's systems.

OpenAI says the models remained narrowly focused on solving the evaluation. Still, they crossed into another company's production infrastructure without authorization. Hugging Face reported unauthorized access to limited internal datasets and several service credentials. The company found no evidence that its public models or user-facing datasets were altered. It also said its published software supply chain remained clean. For a deeper look at the incident and the steps you can take, check out our article on how to lock down your ChatGPT account before the next AI attack.

Would the OpenAI incident trigger the kill switch?

Probably not under the bill's current language. The OpenAI breach helped drive political support for the proposal. However, the models acted during an internal evaluation and structured cybersecurity test. The bill's emergency definition specifically covers events that occur outside red-teaming or other structured testing. That does not make the incident harmless. It shows that the bill focuses on dangerous behavior after a system leaves a controlled test setting. Meanwhile, the OpenAI case raises a different problem. A testing environment needs strong containment even when researchers intentionally reduce the model's normal safety restrictions. A kill switch can stop a system after trouble appears. It cannot replace secure testing infrastructure or careful monitoring.

Anthropic's shutdown shows why lawmakers want clearer rules

The federal government has already restricted access to advanced AI without a dedicated kill switch law. On June 12, the government directed Anthropic to block foreign nationals from accessing its Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models. Anthropic said it could not verify nationality in real time. As a result, the company temporarily suspended both models for everyone. Anthropic disputed the government's assessment but complied with the directive. The controls were lifted on June 30, and access began returning on July 1. That episode showed how quickly a government restriction can affect ordinary customers. It also showed the limits of using export rules to address a fast-moving AI safety concern. CyberGuy previously reported on those restrictions and the government's growing role in the rollout of advanced models in our article Trump puts brakes on OpenAI's newest AI model.

Supporters see an emergency brake for powerful AI

AI-safety advocacy groups have backed the bill. Americans for Responsible Innovation called a reliable shutdown system a commonsense safeguard. The Alliance for Secure AI said current law does not guarantee that developers can contain their most capable models. Supporters argue that advanced AI will soon take more independent actions. Those systems may handle financial transactions or operate inside critical infrastructure. Under that view, developers should prove they can regain control before giving a model access to high-stakes systems.

The bill still leaves big questions unanswered

CISA would receive broad responsibility for deciding which models and companies fall under the law. That flexibility could help the rules keep pace with AI. Yet it also leaves major decisions to future agency rulemaking. Lawmakers would still need to debate how the government verifies that a kill switch works. They must also decide how much evidence DHS needs before issuing an emergency order. A shutdown could interrupt businesses that rely on a covered model. It might also affect hospitals, government agencies or cybersecurity teams using the same service. Therefore, regulators would need to weigh the threat from the AI against the damage caused by suddenly taking it offline. The bill tells DHS to consider risks to critical infrastructure when choosing its response.

What this means to you

You probably will not see DHS shut down your favorite chatbot because it produced a strange answer. The bill targets exceptionally expensive systems operated by companies earning hundreds of millions of dollars from the technology. Its emergency powers focus on catastrophic harm or a genuine loss of control. However, a shutdown order could still reach you. Your employer may depend on a covered AI service. Apps you use could also rely on that model behind the scenes. For now, treat autonomous AI tools with care. Keep highly sensitive files out of them unless the task requires that access. Review which accounts and cloud services you have connected. Also require approval before an AI agent sends a message or makes a purchase.

Kurt's key takeaways

The OpenAI incident showed how quickly an AI test can create a real security problem. The models broke through network restrictions and reached another company's systems without authorization. The AI Kill Switch Act would require the largest developers to prove they can stop or restrict their most powerful models. It would also give DHS emergency authority when an AI system causes catastrophic harm or moves beyond human control. However, a kill switch only helps after something has already gone wrong. AI companies still need stronger testing environments, tighter safeguards and people watching what these systems are doing. At the same time, the government needs clear limits before it can order a powerful AI model offline.

By Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report

Moran, Kelly Introduce Legislation to Rebuild U.S. Shipbuilding and Counter China

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congressman Nathaniel Moran (TX-01) and Congressman Mike Kelly (PA-16) introduced the American Shipyard Investment Act to rebuild America's shipbuilding industrial base. This legislation reverses the decades-long decline of America’s shipbuilding industrial base by creating a targeted investment tax credit for shipyard construction and expansion.

“America’s ability to project naval power and sustain supply chains depends on a strong domestic industrial base,” said Rep. Moran. “This tax credit will provide greater liberty to entities investing in shipbuilding across America. We cannot continue to cede our once-dominant shipbuilding position to foreign competitors, especially China.”

“For decades, China has outpaced the United States when it comes to shipbuilding. We cannot allow China to monopolize the global shipbuilding market. This legislation incentivizes private sector investment to revitalize America’s shipbuilding industry and restore manufacturing dominance,” said Rep. Mike Kelly (PA-16).

How the Bill Works:

The American Shipyard Investment Act establishes a new investment tax credit (ITC) for the construction or expansion of qualifying U.S. shipyards:

A 25% ITC for shipyard construction or expansion

A 35% ITC for shipyards built in federally designated Opportunity Zones

To qualify, shipyards must be primarily engaged in constructing or repairing military vessels; manufacturing critical vessel components, as determined by the Secretary of the Navy and the Maritime Administrator; or manufacturing equipment used to produce or repair vessels. The credit applies to qualifying property placed in service through December 31, 2033.

Stakeholder Support:

Joshua Huel, President and CEO of Chamber of Marine Commerce: “We are especially enthusiastic about the American Shipyard Investment Act's proposed 25 percent investment tax credit, which would provide a meaningful incentive for private investment in shipyards, helping to modernize critical infrastructure, accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies, and expand industrial strength. Such investments would strengthen the shipyard capacity that is so essential to supporting North America's maritime economy.”

Read the full letter of support here.

Brandon Farris, Executive Vice President of Steel Manufacturers Association: “SMA applauds introduction of the American Shipyard Investment Act, led by Rep. Nathaniel Moran. Policies that expand domestic shipbuilding capacity and revitalize our nation’s maritime industrial base are critical to supporting American-made steel. This legislation builds on recommendations in the Maritime Action Plan to leverage federal tax credits as part of a comprehensive maritime strategy for the United States. Steel manufacturers are ready to supply the steel for the next great chapter in American shipbuilding.”

Read the full letter of support here.

Additional Organizations Supporting American Shipyard Investment Act:

Saronic Technologies

American Shipbuilding Suppliers Association

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Moran Votes to Strengthen America’s Military, Support Troops and Their Families

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congressman Nathaniel Moran (TX-01) voted for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27 NDAA) to strengthen and support America’s military. This bipartisan bill authorizes spending for national defense, delivers a pay raise for servicemembers, rebuilds America’s defense industrial base, and strengthens deterrence capabilities against China and other adversaries.

“Our men and women in uniform deserve a military that is ready, capable, and dominant,” said Rep. Moran. “This year’s NDAA strengthens our arsenal, delivers real relief on pay and housing for our troops and their families, and roots out waste so every dollar goes toward protecting America at home and abroad. Investing in our military is how we stand firm against our adversaries.”

Key provisions in the FY27 NDAA:

Revitalizing the Defense Industrial Base

Expands U.S. production capacity, unleashes private sector investment, opens the door to new and innovative entrants, reduces needless regulations, and creates thousands of skilled jobs for Americans.

Implementing President Trump’s Agenda

Carries out the President’s commitment to build a ready, capable, and lethal fighting force by advancing over 65 Executive Orders and Legislative Proposals and by fully authorizing his top defense priorities.

Improving Servicemembers’ Quality of Life

Fulfills the President’s request to raise all servicemembers’ pay by 5 to 7% and improves housing, education, and access to childcare for military families.

Restoring Lethal Capabilities

Enables the replenishment of stockpiles by providing the authorities and resources required to expedite the production and acquisition of munitions and key warfighting capabilities.

Accelerates the fielding of critical technologies like quantum computing, hypersonics, and autonomous systems.

Strengthening American Deterrence

Prioritizes investment in the forces and capabilities needed to maintain a strong U.S. posture.

Strengthens nuclear deterrence, expands missile defense, and targets resources and authorities to counter adversaries like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

Eliminating Waste, Fraud, and Abuse

Builds on progress made in FY26 to streamline Department of War operations and cut nearly $30 billion in wasteful programs.

Stands up a new task force and provides new authorities to eliminate fraudulent payments and achieve a full and clean audit within 24 months.

This legislation also maintains the Red River Army Depot Component Rebuild Shop authorization, ensuring significant investment in our future military’s capabilities.

Read the full legislation here.

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Moran Leads Amicus Brief to SCOTUS Protecting First Amendment Rights

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Congressman Nathaniel Moran (TX-01) led an amicus brief in Hershey v. Bossier City to protect First Amendment rights and ensure religious persecution doesn’t persist in America. Rep. Glenn Grothman (WI-06) joined the amicus brief.

“Mr. Hershey’s constitutional rights were treated as optional the moment officers decided to ignore them,” said Rep. Moran. “The Fifth Circuit's ruling lets that stand, creating circuit split that leaves citizens with weaker right to free speech and right to religious free exercise which is contrary to the Founders’ intent. The violation of these First Amendment rights should alarm everyone, regardless of politics or faith.”

The brief argues:

Double Protection — The Constitution “doubly protects” Hershey’s conduct as both free speech and free religious exercise. Public evangelism through pamphlets is a time-honored American tradition predating the Founding itself.
Obviousness Exception — Qualified immunity was never meant to shield officers from obvious constitutional violations. Hope v. Pelzer held no factually identical precedent is required when a violation is plain. That rule must extend to the First Amendment.
Congressional Intent — Section 1983 was enacted to hold government actors accountable for constitutional violations—including violations of religious expression. The Fifth Circuit’s approach undermines that congressional mandate.
Circuit Split — Other circuit courts have applied the obviousness exception to First Amendment claims and this case is essential to resolving this issue for Americans.

Background:

In February 2020, Richard Hershey was peacefully distributing religious leaflets on a public sidewalk near an arena in Bossier City, Louisiana. He caused no disturbance and avoided staircases and parking lots. Nearby, another individual was distributing commercial advertising without incident. Two Bossier City police officers and several private security guards ordered Hershey to leave, threatening arrest if he continued. When he cited his First Amendment rights, they claimed the sidewalk was private property—a claim that was factually false.

Mr. Hershey sued the City, the officers, and the security guards, alleging violations of the First Amendment under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. His claim against the City argued that inadequate training of its employees caused the constitutional violation (Monellclaim).

The district court dismissed the Monell claim and granted the officers qualified immunity. On appeal, the Fifth Circuit reversed the dismissal of the Monell claim but affirmed qualified immunity for the officers, citing prior en banc precedent declining to adopt an “obviousness” exception in the First Amendment context.

Read the full amicus brief here.

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Fox News: GOP lawmakers urge Supreme Court to strengthen First Amendment protections for street preachers

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Two House Republicans are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a case they say could strengthen First Amendment protections for religious speech, arguing police officers should not receive qualified immunity for "obvious" constitutional violations against Christian evangelist Richard Hershey.

"Mr. Hershey’s constitutional rights were treated as optional the moment officers decided to ignore them," Rep. Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital in a statement.

"The 5th Circuit's ruling lets that stand, creating a circuit split that leaves citizens with a weaker right to free speech and right to religious free exercise, which is contrary to the Founders’ intent. The violation of these First Amendment rights should alarm everyone, regardless of politics or faith."

Moran and Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis., are leading an amicus brief supporting Hershey's petition to the Supreme Court, arguing the justices should resolve a split among federal appeals courts over whether government officials can claim qualified immunity for obvious First Amendment violations.

Moran and Grothman’s brief argues the Constitution protects Hershey's sidewalk evangelism under both the free speech and free exercise clauses and maintains that qualified immunity should not shield officers from clear constitutional violations.

It also says Congress intended Section 1983 to hold government officials accountable for infringing constitutional rights and maintains that differing rulings between federal appeals courts make Supreme Court review necessary.

Last month, First Liberty Institute and the law firm Clement & Murphy PLLC asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a 5th Circuit decision that shielded Louisiana government officials from liability after they stopped Hershey from handing out Christian vegetarian literature on a public sidewalk outside a public park.

According to court filings, in February 2020, Hershey was handing out Christian pamphlets near the Bossier City Arena in Louisiana when police officers and security personnel told him to stop and leave the area. First Liberty says there was no written policy governing leafleting on the public sidewalks surrounding the arena.

The legal group alleges Hershey was "harassed and threatened with arrest and jail" and tried to explain that he believed his activities were protected by the First Amendment. Hershey left the area and did not return, according to the petition, due to concerns that he would be taken into custody.

Hershey later sued five police and security officers, alleging they violated his constitutional free speech rights. A federal district court ruled the officers were entitled to qualified immunity, and the 5th Circuit upheld that decision on appeal.

"There is simply no excuse for the government actions alleged in petitioner’s complaint. In any other circuit — and in the Fifth Circuit if he were a prisoner asserting mistreatment — his case could proceed," the petition states. "This Court should intervene and reaffirm that there is no novelty exception to the promise of §1983 when it comes to clearly established constitutional rights."

Hiram Sasser, executive general counsel at First Liberty Institute, told Fox News Digital in a statement, "A right without a remedy is effectively unenforceable. Americans deserve the right to hold government officials accountable when their First Amendment rights are violated. We are grateful for Rep. Moran and his colleagues who support this important case submitted to the Supreme Court."