Energy and Water Legislation: A Win for Texans

After four years of the Biden administration hamstringing American energy, stifling our economy, and ceding national security ground to our adversaries, House Republicans and the Trump administration are getting this country back on track. This week, I joined my Republican colleagues in voting to pass the 2026 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, legislation that will strengthen U.S. energy production, fuel job creation and economic growth, and reduce our reliance on other countries for critical minerals. I was proud to vote for this bill and secure a decisive victory not only for Texans, but for all Americans who want to see this nation prosper.

I supported this important bill because it would:

• Safeguard national security by prohibiting crude oil sales from our strategic petroleum reserves to the Chinese Communist Party;
• Invest in mining production technology and critical mineral extraction, which will reduce our dependency on foreign nations;
• Fully fund small modular and advanced reactor demonstrations, which are critical to restoring U.S. nuclear leadership;
• Maintain our nuclear edge by modernizing nuclear weapons stockpiles;
• Improve U.S. ports and waterways to facilitate efficient transport of goods and services; and
• Preserve cybersecurity funding to protect Americans' data and infrastructure.