As a member of Congress, my title is representative, and I take that responsibility seriously. I represent big cities such as San Antonio (pop. 1.5 million) and small towns such as Mentone (pop. 19). Over the past three-and-a-half years, I have fought hard for every community in our district, and it would be an honor to continue representing you in Washington.
Feedback from my bosses, the 800,000 people in Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, is critical for me to effectively represent you. That is why I regularly crisscross all 29 counties of the district to meet as many folks as I can. I have held more than 100 town halls to listen to your concerns and get feedback about what is going on in Washington. My office has also helped thousands of constituents who have contacted us for assistance with federal agencies.
Here in San Antonio, I have worked with local officials to address important needs in our community. Since I have been in office, Bexar County has received $41.2 million in reimbursements for the Mission Reach project from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, allowing the County to work on other critical projects. Additionally, the Mitchell Lake project will receive additional resources from the Corps so more people can enjoy this unique natural sanctuary. We have also worked on local healthcare and small business issues. Many of my constituents rely on community health centers like CentroMed. With my office’s help, these critical care providers have been awarded $30 million in federal grants to expand their operations and care for more patients. I am proud to have earned the Distinguished Community Health Defender Award from the National Association of Community Health Centers for my work on local health care needs. We have also hosted free workshops for small businesses and entrepreneurs with representatives from Google and Facebook.
In Washington, I am an effective member of Congress. I have authored 12 pieces of bipartisan legislation that have been signed into law under both Republican and Democratic presidents, many of which directly help people in my district. From fixing pay issues for Border Patrol agents to modernizing government technology and incentivizing local law enforcement agencies to hire veterans, these laws help keep our communities safe and make our government more efficient. This district needs someone who works on a bipartisan basis and is willing to stand up to leaders in both parties when necessary. Our nation faces serious problems, and the only way we are going to solve them is by working together. I have a proven record of doing just that.
Going forward, one of my top priorities is ensuring everyone has the opportunity for a good paying job because every family deserves a chance at the American dream. I am proud to have voted for legislation that has cut taxes and rolled back job-killing regulations, accomplishments that are bringing more prosperity to families across my district. We also must secure the homeland. The threats to our nation are only increasing, and I have been able to use my experience as an undercover officer in the CIA to pass important national security legislation and make sure our military has the resources it needs to keep us safe. Border security is also important to my district, and we need to have full operational control of the border and stop drug traffickers and king-pin human smugglers. Finally, we must keep the promises our nation has made to veterans and seniors and ensure they get the health care and benefits they have earned.
I first ran for Congress because I was frequently disappointed by the quality of our elected officials while serving in the CIA. Now, I am running for re-election to continue delivering the gold standard of constituent services for our district and continue the hard work we have started. I represent everyone, whether you voted for me, did not vote for me, or did not vote, because I take my title of representative seriously. I am proud of my record in Congress, and I humbly ask my bosses, the people I represent in District 23, to allow me to keep working hard for them as their representative.
