STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES
Statement of Principles for Ethical Conduct
As a Member of Congress, I have an open door policy for any constituent of the 26th District of Texas to meet with me or my staff in my Texas office or my Washington, D.C. office. Other persons or groups representing communities, large or small businesses or themselves with concerns impacting the 26th District are welcome to request a meeting with me and my staff as well. I do my very best to try and schedule as many meetings and events as possible in a timely fashion.
Such meetings or event requests are based upon need and availability and no other outside influences are taken into consideration. I take my job as a representative to the people of the 26th District very seriously, and I believe that when I am called upon to make a decision, the only voices that I look to for input are those residing within the borders of the district I represent.
The people of the 26th District have entrusted me with the responsibility of this office and I am honored to have that trust. An important part of this role is transparency. As the steward of this congressional office, it is my fiduciary duty to ensure that I conduct my personal dealings and the business of this office both ethically and with dignity. Each year I provide my Financial Disclosure to the U.S. House of Representatives as required. Additionally, each quarter the U.S. House of Representatives produces a Statement of Disbursements which provide specific information concerning the expenses and disbursements for each office. I believe it is important to be accountable and provide transparency in the dealings of our elected officials and government offices.
Statement of Principles that Guide Legislative Decisions
I have a strong moral philosophy that guides my life and informs the manner in which I represent the State of Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives. Every vote I cast in Congress starts with you, the people of the 26th District of Texas. I was sent by the people of our district to Washington not to promote any personal agenda, but to bring your voice to our nation’s capital. Before each vote I ask myself, “is the measure before us necessary, good for our district and our state, is this something my neighbors want, and is it allowed under the Constitution?” I always review your phone calls, emails, and letters before a vote to ensure that I continue to be in touch with your thoughts on the issues before Congress.
Our federal government was meant to protect the unalienable rights articulated in the Declaration of Independence. Thus, I will only support legislation that protects your constitutional rights and liberties and is allowed under the powers given to Congress under the Constitution. I also oppose legislation that is redundant, unnecessarily expands government control over our freedom, or increases the role of the federal government in your life.
In addition, I am committed to protecting your pocketbook. I will not support legislation that hurts the economy, slows job growth, raises taxes, or burdens the taxpayers of today or tomorrow with greater debt. Taxpayers deserve a federal government that is more efficient, less costly, and always transparent.
I am fiscally and socially conservative, and I believe that the federal government must be responsible to the people – not the other way around. Whether through my support for a balanced budget that pays down our national debt, ensuring a strong national defense, or giving people more control over their lives and their money, I am committed to shrinking the size of government to only what is necessary to assure your freedom and protect your rights.
Statement of Constituent Principles
As your U.S. Representative I will serve as a liaison to communicate Constituent concerns before the various federal agencies. It is my commitment to assist the constituents of the 26th Congressional District of Texas to navigate the red tape of bureaucracy to provide the highest level of review and consideration within the rules and regulations of the law through the tools of agency education, presentation of case merits and when appropriate, mediation.
How May I Help? – When a federal agency has failed to respond in a timely manner to a request for assistance or has otherwise been unwilling to provide a level of relief that agency regulations appear to support, a Congressional Inquiry may be utilized to seek a response. While a favorable reply cannot always be promised, every review and consideration will be afforded based on the merits of the agency concern to seek either a resolution or an explanation of the limiting legal guidelines the agency must follow in relation to your concern.
Review – Together we will clarify the issue, identify your progress within the inquiry process, and develop a strategy to assist you in the most efficient pursuit of your goal. My office will serve as a mediator to ensure that your request is provided for full review and consideration by the appropriate officials.
Closure – We will pursue an answer to either provide a satisfactory resolution to your concern or a clear explanation of the limiting legal guidelines that prevent the agency from providing the desired answer.
Empower – We will seek to identify resources that may be helpful in further supporting and documenting your claim so you can maximize your appeal rights and other avenues that may be available for further assistance. Through this process I will seek to provide excellence in service of the constituent needs related to the agencies of the US Government.
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