Bill Flores Discusses the Latest from Washington

by Bill Flores on January 27, 2020 at 12:05 PM

I issued the following statements regarding naming Navy Aircraft Carrier CVN 81 after Waco, TX, hero Doris Miller; the new Phase One Trade Deal with China; the House vote to authorize impeachment managers and the transmission of Articles of Impeachment to the Senate; H.R. 1230, the Protecting Trial Lawyers’ Paychecks Act; and the recent anniversary of Roe vs. Wade.

Honoring Waco Native and American Hero Doris Miller

On Monday, I spoke at an event hosted by the United States Navy during which they announced the decision to name the newest aircraft carrier, CVN 81, in honor of Petty Officer Doris (Dorie) Miller. This is a meaningful recognition for a native son of Central Texas as Petty Officer Miller was from Waco, Texas, where he is a hometown hero and an inspiration to our community. It is fitting that we announced this decision at Pearl Harbor on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, because Dorie Miller, an African-American, distinguished himself as a hero during the attack that happened there on December 7, 1941. During the surprise attack by the Japanese, Petty Officer Miller left his post as a mess attendant on the USS West Virginia, went to the deck to man an anti-aircraft machine gun, and is credited with shooting down enemy aircraft. Dorie continued his service in the Navy during World War II until he was killed in action on November 24, 1943 when the USS Liscome Bay was sunk in the Pacific by a Japanese submarine.

This significant recognition of this African-American hero serves as an inspiration to all our Nation’s enlisted military men and women, who come from a diversity of backgrounds and origins to serve in our Armed Forces. This initiative is a capstone addition to the prior recognitions of our local Waco hero, and builds upon the Congressional action that I initiated in 2015 to rename the VA medical facility in Waco as the ‘Doris Miller Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.’ Today, I join all Central Texans to celebrate and promote Petty Officer Doris Miller’s legacy of service and sacrifice as a national hero, motivating current and future generations of American Sailors as they selflessly serve to defend our liberty and freedom.”

Signing a Landmark Phase One Trade Agreement with China

China has taken advantage of the United States for too long and the failures of prior administrations to address this issue have put American workers and job-creating innovators at a disadvantage in the global marketplace.

Last week, President Trump once again took a stand for hardworking Americans when he signed the historic and enforceable phase one trade deal with China that achieves progress on a number of critical issues. This includes removing barriers that have unfairly limited U.S. exports and have prevented U.S. companies from competing in China. China has also pledged to increase its imports of U.S. agricultural products, energy, and manufactured goods by at least $200 billion.

This successful phase one agreement marks an important step in rebalancing our trade relationship with China and it is a tremendous victory for the American economy – especially for our Texas farmers, manufacturers and innovators.

President Trump is continuing to secure important victories for hardworking Americans. At the same time, Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats, blinded by hatred of President Trump, continue to waste time by putting impeachment and hyper-partisan politics over progress.

House Vote to Authorize Impeachment Managers

Over four weeks ago, most House Democrats voted to impeach President Trump, while claiming that the nation was at risk if they did not rush the process. Then, Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats delayed the vote to authorize impeachment managers and to transmit the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate, who have commenced its trial to acquit President Trump.

Contrary to the warnings of our Founding Fathers, the Democrat’s hate-fueled crusade to impeach President Trump was always nothing more than an exercise in raw partisan politics. If it was not clear before, then it certainly should be now, the Democrats have never had any interest in learning the truth.

During this extended time, Nancy Pelosi sat on her partisan Articles of Impeachment in an unfounded attempt to gain leverage over the Senate. Americans now know that this delay was not about ensuring fairness. Rather, Pelosi’s tactics were strictly political. In reality, her charade only served to expose just how weak the Democrat’s case is and to expose their false assertion that impeachment was an urgent national security concern.

Now that the impeachment sham has shifted to the Senate, it is my hope that the people’s House can finally get back to finding bipartisan solutions to our pressing issues-- including addressing border security, reforming our broken immigration system, addressing our health care system and prescription drug prices, and rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure.

H.R. 1230 - Protecting Trial Lawyers’ Paychecks Act

I am committed to protecting older Americans from workplace discrimination. Yet, the Democrat’s partisan and misleadingly named Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act fails miserably in this regard. I voted against this bill because it effectively serves as a blatant give away to wealthy trial-lawyers by making it easier for them to sue small businesses for lawful employment terminations not based upon age. Forcing a vote on a partisan bill that has no chance of passing the Senate and that has received a veto threat from the White House further illustrates how Democrats have failed our experienced workers by putting politics over progress.

Marking the 47th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

Also last week, I joined my colleagues in the Pro-Life Caucus on the House floor to mark the 47th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s tragic decision in Roe v. Wade and celebrate the sanctity of life.

Click on the image above to view Congressman Flores’ remarks supporting the sanctity of life.

Honoring Texans on the Floor of the House
Also, I took time to honor the lives and legacies of the Following Texans:

Honoring the Life of William Wofford