As we gather with family and friends this Christmas season, I hope each of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. This time of year reminds us of the blessings we share and the importance of protecting the values that make Texas a place worth calling home. As we look ahead to Christmas, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of Texas and to continue fighting for our shared Montgomery County values: faith, family, freedom, and the sanctity of life.
One of the most consequential laws that went into effect this month is House Bill 7, the Woman and Child Protection Act, which became law on December 4. I was honored to be a Joint Author of this legislation, and I view it as one of the strongest pro-life victories of the 89th Legislature. Texas has both the duty and the sovereign authority to defend innocent life and protect women from the reckless mail-order abortion industry being pushed by radical activists and out-of-state groups. For too long, these abortion pills have been trafficked into Texas with no concern for the women harmed by them.
HB 7 ends that. This law makes it crystal clear that abortion-inducing drugs cannot be manufactured, smuggled, or distributed in Texas. Those who attempt to ship these pills into our communities will be met with the full force of Texas law. HB 7 protects women from coercion, trafficking, and abuse tied to these drugs, abuses that organizations in Washington and California would rather ignore than confront. It also ensures that Texas courts, not activist judges in New York or California, will have jurisdiction over cases involving these dangerous pills. We will not allow ideologically driven states to impose their politics on Texas families.
HB 7 gives our citizens strong legal tools to hold bad actors accountable, defend the unborn, and protect the women who are most vulnerable. Texas will always uphold the dignity of human life, defend the unborn, protect women’s health, and stand firm in our commitment to a pro-life future where mothers are supported and not exploited.
Texans are also seeing important developments in the courts related to our recently passed Congressional district map. Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court stepped in and halted a lower court’s attempt to block the new congressional map we passed this summer. This temporary administrative stay allows Texas to move forward while the legal challenge continues. Let me be very clear: this map was debated openly, passed by the Texas Legislature, and signed by Governor Abbott. It was crafted to reflect the will of the people, not the preferences of activist judges or outside interest groups. It ensures that Texans, not Washington bureaucrats, determine our own representation in Congress. I was proud to lead on the Redistricting Committee that produced this map and I was a coauthor of the legislation that implemented it. I stand behind this map. We worked diligently and in good faith to draw districts that represent communities, uphold constitutional standards, and protect the integrity of our values and elections. Texas is not giving an inch. We will defend this map, defend our election process, and defend the voices of the people of Texas every step of the way.
While we continue the fight to protect our rights and our values, we must also meet the challenges that threaten our economy, our wildlife, and the industries that define our way of life. As Chairman of the House Committee on Culture, Recreation and Tourism, I will convene a hearing soon to address a critical threat to Texas: the re-emergence of the New World Screwworm. This parasite is not a theoretical concern—it is a real danger to wildlife, livestock, domestic animals. Our committee, in conjunction with the House Committee on Agriculture and Livestock, will hear testimony from experts, agency leadership, and stakeholder groups as we evaluate our current defense strategies. We will review containment protocols, assess interagency responsibilities, and determine whether Texas has the tools it needs to respond swiftly should this threat escalate. Texans deserve to know we take this danger seriously. We stand ready to protect our wildlife, ranchers, and rural families.
As Texans stand together, we will continue to strengthen our communities, support our families, and protect the freedoms that generations of Texans have fought to preserve. I wish each of you a joyful and blessed Christmas season surrounded by those you love.
May God bless you, your families, and the great State of Texas.