Congressman Pfluger Assembles Care Packages for Troops
On May 18th, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) joined members of the For Country Caucus and military nonprofit Operation Gratitude in assembling 5,000 individually-addressed care packages for deployed troops during Military Appreciation Month. At the event, members called for the construction of a Global War on Terrorism Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
“The men and women who raise their hand to risk their lives in defense of our Nation are heroes,” said Congressman August Pfluger. “I am proud to partner with my colleagues in Congress and the good people at Operation Gratitude to assemble care packages for troops today and draw attention to the need for a Global War on Terrorism Memorial on the National Mall. Our country has a responsibility to take care of soldiers and veterans and honor those we have lost. A memorial is one small step we should take to say thank you to the military heroes and families of the 21st Century.”
The care packages will be delivered to service members aboard the USS Iwo Jima, USS San Antonio, USS Carter Hall, USS Laboon, USS Dwight D Eisenhower, and USS Sullivan. The packages contain personal care products, snacks, coffee, handmade items, and handwritten letters from grateful Americans across the country.
Congressman Pfluger and Farm Bureau Leader Highlight Western Drought
On May 19th, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) invited Coke-Sterling County Farm Bureau President Ross Copeland to testify during a House Natural Resources Republican Forum on the Western Drought. During the forum, Mr. Copeland highlighted impacts of the drought on agricultural producers, and Congressman Pfluger highlighted the needs of the 11th District of Texas as well as Republican solutions to water challenges nationwide.
“Ross Copeland represents the next generation of farmers and ranchers and it was an honor to have him testify on behalf of the 11th District today,” said Congressman August Pfluger. “In West Texas, no one suffers more from the ongoing conditions than the farmers and ranchers who work the land. Unfortunately, instead of acknowledging the grave impacts of the drought on our producers, President Biden is laser-focused on sabotaging our economic recovery with nearly $2 trillion in new taxes on the American people, including a new, second death tax that will devastate farm and ranch families in our district and beyond. Congress must immediately reauthorize the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildfire Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+) to cover disasters from 2020 and 2021. It is time to provide the needed relief so West Texas farmers can continue to supply the food and fiber our country depends on.”
“I want to thank Congressman Pfluger for inviting Texas Farm Bureau to participate in today’s U.S. House Natural Resources Committee forum on drought. It is an important topic impacting many Texas farmers and ranchers. My family and I understand firsthand the challenge of operating in drought conditions,” said Ross Copeland. “When disasters, like extreme drought, occur, we must ensure supplemental assistance is provided. Extension and strengthening of the USDA Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus is critically needed to cover extreme weather events, such as the current drought, for the 2020 and 2021 crop years. The longer Congress waits to act and pass an extension, the harder it will be for farm and ranch families across the country to continue operating.”
Ross Copeland is a fifthgeneration farmer and rancher from Sterling City, Texas. He and his family make their living by raising cattle and sheep and growing crops. They own and operate land in Coke, Sterling, Scurry and San Saba counties. Copeland currently serves as president of the Coke-Sterling County Farm Bureau. He testified today on behalf of Texas Farm Bureau, the largest general farm organization in the state, representing over 533,000 member families.