Congressman Bill Flores Discusses This Week in Washington

by Bill Flores on March 11, 2019 at 12:36 PM

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1 and H. Res. 183. Additionally, I paid special tribute to six exceptional residents of our District 17 communities who recently passed away. I released the following statements regarding my votes on H.R. 1 and H. Res. 183, and the videos of my House floor speeches:

H.R. 1
“Today, I voted against Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s top priority – H.R. 1. I believe this bill is a deliberate attempt by the House Democratic Majority to suppress First Amendment rights, spend taxpayer dollars and empower Washington bureaucrats – all under the guise of election reform.

“In my close examination of this flawed bill, I found that it threatens the free speech of all Americans by transforming the Federal Election Commission into a partisan body that would limit how Americans can petition their government through vague and arbitrarily-enforced standards. Even the liberal American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) stated that it would harm public discourse by silencing voices that would otherwise speak out. Not only does this bill target your Constitutional First Amendment right to free speech, it takes direct aim at your wallet. H.R. 1 uses hard-earned taxpayer dollars, and corporate dollars, to subsidize candidates by matching small-donor campaign contributions at a 6-to-1 ratio. In other words, Texas taxpayers would be forced to subsidize candidates in other states like California and New York. Furthermore, this bill allows Washington bureaucrats to overturn state election laws. This takeover would affect Texas voter ID requirements, the state’s authority to determine registration and voter practices, and mandate that Texas allow convicted felons to vote.

“The right to vote is a cornerstone of American democracy. When one political party tries to place their thumb on the scale of our elections, every American is at risk. If Speaker Pelosi truly wishes to advance effective election reform, it should be done in an open, fair and bipartisan manner to protect states’ rights and free speech for the benefit of all Americans.”

H. Res 183
“Hate, in any form and against any community, should never be tolerated. As such, I once again voted this week to condemn all forms of hate. I am discouraged that, despite multiple specifically anti-Semitic statements from within their own caucus, House Democrats are unable to unite to unconditionally condemn anti-Semitism. This resolution was watered-down with last minute changes to take away from a powerful message condemning a direct attack against Americans who support Israel, our most important ally in the Middle East. I believe it fell short of what should have been a singular condemnation of anti-Semitism. It is important that we continue to stand with our Jewish American friends and neighbors by calling out the abhorrent behavior of some House members.”

Honoring Dr. Francis Graham
Dr. Francis Graham of Waco passed away on January 10, 2019. Frank’s life was defined by his service to his family, to our country and to our community. He will be forever remembered as a husband, a father, a grandfather, a veteran, a selfless servant and a great friend.

Click on the image above to watch Congressman Flores’ tribute honoring the life of Dr. Francis Graham.

Honoring Jack Restivo
Jack Restivo of Bryan passed away on March 1, 2019. Jack’s life was defined by his service to his family, to our country, to Texas A&M University and to our Central Texas community. He will be forever remembered as a husband, a father, a grandfather, a great-grandfather, a veteran, a mentor, a selfless servant and a great friend.

Click on the image above to watch Congressman Flores’ tribute honoring the life of Jack Restivo.

Honoring John Paul Fritz
John Paul Fritz of College Station passed away on January 8, 2019. John Paul’s life was defined by his service to his family and to our country. He will be forever remembered as a father, a sailor, a son, a brother and a great friend.

Click on the image above to watch Congressman Flores’ tribute honoring the life of John Paul Fritz.

Honoring Red Cashion
Red Cashion of College Station passed away on February 10, 2019. Red’s life was defined by his service to his family, to our country, to the Brazos Valley, and to Texas A&M University. He will be forever remembered as a husband, a grandfather, a great-grandfather, a veteran, a selfless servant, and a great friend.

Click on the image above to watch Congressman Flores’ tribute honoring the life of Red Cashion.

Honoring Dr. James Earle
Dr. James Earle of College Station passed away on February 4, 2019. Jim’s life was defined by his service to his family, to his students, to our country and to Texas A&M University. He will be forever remembered as a husband, a father, a grandfather, a veteran, an educator of many, a mentor, a selfless servant and a great friend.

Click on the image above to watch Congressman Flores’ tribute honoring the life of Dr. James Earle.

Honoring Ed Berry
Ed Berry of Bryan passed away on February 10, 2019. Ed’s life was defined by his service to his family, to Texas, to our country and to God. He will be forever remembered as a husband, a father, a grandfather, a leader, a selfless servant and a great friend.