by Avery Dalal and Vince Sims Reverend Peter Johnson, a civil rights activist and North Texan, thinks back over the life of Congressman John Lewis. A life Johnson said he was a part of since Johnson was a senior in high school in Louisiana. “I became friends with John Lewis in 1963," Johnson said. "Remained friends with him up until his death. Worked shoulder to shoulder with him throughout the South doing voter registration and political education.” “John Lewis and the late Julian Bond every year in the month of May would come to Dallas," Johnson said. "We would have a breakfast or luncheon a... Read More »
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment. August 26, 1920, is the day women gained the right to vote in this country. To reflect on this momentous occasion, I have decided to highlight our pioneers from the 26th District of Texas. The first for your consideration is Dr. Benjy Frances Brooks. Dr. Brooks became the first female pediatric surgeon in Texas. She was a mentor and I carry around the words she gave me at the beginning of my medical career - children are not just smaller versions of adults – treating them is more complex than scaling down the size of ... Read More »
July 17, 2020 Dear Friends, For the last two weeks of July, Congress will be in session to vote on various legislative initiatives. As I discussed today on Mornings with Maria, there is talk of a fourth coronavirus stimulus package developing during this period. At this point, a payroll tax cut, direct aid to families, and business liability insurance are all on the negotiating table. National Updates The Food and Drug Administration(FDA) will close its COVID-19 industry hotline today, and instead provide support for industry and lab questions through a directory. The FDA’s MedWatch Alert web... Read More »
by Ripon Advance News Service U.S. Reps. Susan Brooks (R-IN) and Fred Upton (R-MI) on July 15 introduced bipartisan legislation to ramp up and expand America’s Strategic National Stockpile. The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee the same day marked up and passed the measure, the Strengthening America’s Strategic National Stockpile Act of 2020, H.R. 7574, which is sponsored by U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and 18 original cosponsors, including Reps. Brooks, Upton, Buddy Carter (R-GA), Jackie Walorski (R-IN), and Michael Burgess (R-TX). The bill now heads to the House for consideration. ... Read More »
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), a member of the House Rules Committee and Republican Leader of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, released the following statement after the European Union Court of Justice ruled against the U.S. - EU Privacy Shield. “Striking down the U.S. – EU Privacy Shield puts in jeopardy over 5,000 American companies doing business in Europe," said Burgess. "The Privacy Shield allowed cross-border data flows based on privacy and data protection requirements. This is the second time this type of agreement has been challenge... Read More »
by Aaron Mehta A week before the Federal Communications Commission officially signed off on a plan for Ligado Networks to use L-Band spectrum, Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee, sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, warning the plan could harm the Global Positioning System. The April missive was the first sign some members of Congress were unhappy with the plan, but it would not be the last, as officials from the departments of defense, transportation and other government agencies raised alarms about how Liga... Read More »
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), a member of the House Rules Committee and Republican Leader of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, delivered the following remarks in today's as the Energy and Commerce Committee considered 30 pieces of legislation. As Prepared for Delivery: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Today’s markup includes some important pieces of legislation, some of which have moved through the Health Subcommittee. These bills span our health care jurisdiction from addressing mental health issues such as suicide to addressing sudden infant deat... Read More »
July 15, 2020 Dear Friends, Today the House Energy and Commerce Committee advanced 30 bills, several of which will help fight COVID-19 and bolster the health care system. There were several legislative victories today: Committee approval of my bill, H.R. 5534, which extends coverage for kidney transplant patients to receive immunosuppressive drugs. The committee also adopted my technical amendment to this bill. Passage of my amendment to H.R. 1646, which would secure funding for frontline health care workers to receive mental health services. Passage of H.R. 7574, authorization to strengthen ... Read More »
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), a member of the House Rules Committee and Republican Leader of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, urges fellow members of Congress to quickly pass H.R. 5534, The Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act of 2019, which passed unanimously out of the Energy and Commerce Committee today. “There is momentum to make a difference in the lives of kidney patients, and H.R. 5534 is a critical component of this effort,” said Burgess. “This bill will improve patients’ adherence to imm... Read More »
