Congressman August Pfluger, U.S. Representative for the 11th Congressional District of Texas

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Pfluger Opposes $1.9 Trillion in Phony “COVID” Spending

Early Saturday morning, February 27th, Congressman August Pfluger voted no on the Democrats’ $1.9 trillion spending package that will keep schools closed, bailout blue states, and pay people not to work.

Watch Congressman Pfluger speak on the House Floor in opposition to the bill, or read a transcript of his remarks below.

“I rise today in complete opposition to the Democrats’ blue state bailout bill.

“This bill will cost the American taxpayer nearly $2 trillion dollars. Let that sit for a second.

“$2 trillion when our nation is already $27 trillion in debt. And where does this money go? Surely it will be spent towards fighting the pandemic and COVID. Wrong. Only 9% of this money will go towards fighting COVID-19.

“The rest of the funding is going towards Democrat pet projects like a subway in Silicon Valley and a bridge in New York.

“Taxpayers in Texas should absolutely not be rewarding states who have kept their economies shuttered and prevented workers from earning a living.

“For these reasons and more, I urge my colleagues to vote no.”

Pfluger, Green, & Salazar Call on Biden to Recognize Cuban Communist Regime’s Threat to Democracy

This morning, February 26th, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) joined Congressman Mark Green, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, and fellow Subcommittee Member Congresswoman Maria Salazar (FL-27) in sending a letter to President Biden urging him to implement a Cuba policy that holds the regime accountable for its human rights abuses and support for authoritarian regimes in the region.

In their letter, the lawmakers express grave concern about the threat Cuba’s communist dictatorship poses to the national security of the United States and the stability of the Western Hemisphere. The letter urges President Biden to take the steps necessary to restrict the flow of U.S. dollars to the Cuban military, maintain designations that hold the regime accountable for its support for global terrorism, and continue support for democracy on the island.

“America is the beacon of freedom and democracy, and our foreign policy towards authoritarian regimes must hold them accountable for any and all human rights violations and oppressive actions,” Congressman Pfluger said. “President Biden must support democracy on the island and ensure no American dollars go towards propping up a communist regime responsible for atrocities and sowing discord in the region.”

Congressman Green said, “The list of human rights violations by Cuba’s communist regime is extensive and includes the suppression and torture of political dissidents without due process or adherence to the rule of law. Political dissidents are held in notoriously atrocious prison conditions, and the Cuban dictatorship has a history of exporting its oppressive system and undermining the region’s democracies. We are urging President Biden to maintain the previous administration’s policies and not revert to the failed appeasement policies of the Obama Administration.”

“I was born in Little Havana – the daughter of Cuban exiles. My community, of victims and survivors of tyranny, understands all too well the true despotic nature of the ruthless Castro dictatorship,” said Congresswoman Salazar. “It’s not the time for concessions to the very same regime that continues to jail, starve, murder and systematically oppress the people of Cuba. It’s time to support the brave men and women yearning for freedom within the island and it is my hope that this administration stands with the Cuban people and not the brutal tyranny that oppresses them.”

“I was born in Little Havana – the daughter of Cuban exiles. My community, of victims and survivors of tyranny, understands all too well the true despotic nature of the ruthless Castro dictatorship,” said Congresswoman Salazar. “It’s not the time for concessions to the very same regime that continues to jail, starve, murder and systematically oppress the people of Cuba. It’s time to support the brave men and women yearning for freedom within the island and it is my hope that this administration stands with the Cuban people and not the brutal tyranny that oppresses them.”

Pfluger, Texas Colleagues Urge USDA to Provide Swift Relief to Texas Farmers & Ranchers

Thursday, February 25th, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) joined a bi-partisan group of 33 Members of the Texas Congressional Delegation calling on the USDA to swiftly approve relief for Texas agriculture producers who suffered insurmountable damage from Winter Storm Uri. In a letter addressed to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, the lawmakers asked the agency to declare Secretarial Disaster Declaration for Texas counties, as well as resume the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP).

“This winter storm came at a time when Texas’ hardworking farm and ranch families were already struggling through COVID-19. They were also working to recover from other extreme weather events, such as hurricanes in South Texas and drought in other regions of the state. Additionally, commodity and livestock markets remain very volatile. When you combine all these factors together, it makes it extremely difficult for producers to continue feeding and clothing the world,” the Members wrote in the letter.