Pfluger: “Texas is stepping up when President Biden and VP Harris refuse to step foot at the border.”
Tuesday, January 5th, U.S. Representative August Pfluger (TX-11) joined State Representative Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa), State Representative Andrew Murr (R-Kerrville), Ector County Sheriff Mike Griffis, and Kevin Sparks in Del Rio for an update on federal border security efforts and Operation Lone Star, which directs State resources and Texas law enforcement officers to the border to combat the smuggling of people and drugs into Texas.
“The Biden Administration has abandoned Texans, and the border crisis is even worse than anyone can imagine, said Congressman August Pfluger. “Thankfully, Texas is stepping up when President Biden and ‘Border Czar’ VP Harris refuse to step foot at the border. On this visit, we learned that the Del Rio sector saw more illegal migrant crossings in 2021 than in the past nine years combined. Without Texas’ border security resources, DPS officers, and law enforcement personnel—the chaos we are seeing along the border would be even worse. I applaud the efforts of the Texas Legislature— including Rep. Landgraf, Rep. Murr, Speaker Craddick, and others—as well as Ector County Sheriff Griffis and all of our law enforcement heroes in this district who are pitching in and working tirelessly to secure our border. It is past time for Democrats in Congress and the White House to quit playing politics with our safety. I will continue to put forward common-sense border solutions to protect the security of communities across TX-11 and the nation.”
“We are a country that is guided by the rule of law, and out of control illegal immigration makes a mockery of this principle,” said State Representative Brooks Landgraf. “That is why I have supported efforts to improve border security at every turn and why I will not stop fighting until the Texas border is secure. I proudly supported efforts this year to provide billions of dollars to secure the border. And while I’m proud Texas is stepping up where the Biden Administration failed, today I saw with my own eyes just how much more work needs to be done. I’m thankful to have a governor and congressman who understand that as well. I will not stop fighting until the Texas border is secure.”
“The absolute failure of the Biden Administration to secure our southern border is a crisis that directly affects not just my constituents in the Texas Hill Country, West Texas and South Texas areas, but all residents and families across the state. Addressing this failure and securing our border must be a priority.” remarked Representative Andrew Murr. “I was proud to support Operation Lone Star and work with my colleagues in the Texas House to provide nearly three billion dollars in additional funding to address security efforts at the border during recent legislative sessions this year and I’m grateful to work with state and federal leaders like Congressman August Pfluger to continue the fight to keep our state safe and secure.”
Pfluger to Supreme Court: “Follow the Constitution. Strike down vaccine mandates.”
U.S. Congressman August Pfluger joined over 130 of his U.S. House of Representatives colleagues and over 40 Senate Republicans in filing an amicus brief to the Supreme Court of the United States in the case considering the Biden Administration’s Occupation Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) requirement. This brief argues that Congress does not grant OSHA the authority to administer a top-down mandate requiring private employers to dictate obligatory COVID-19 vaccines or submission to weekly testing. SCOTUS began hearing oral arguments on January 7, 2022 on whether to issue an emergency stay of the ETS after several parties filed petitions for review.
In the brief, the Members write: “Congressional members have an interest in the powers they delegate to agencies not being abused—the legislative authority vested in the federal government belongs to Congress, not the Executive branch. In this case, the promulgation by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) of a sweeping, nationwide vaccine mandate on businesses intrudes into an area of legislative concern far beyond the authority of the agency. And it does so with a Mandate enacted through OSHA’s seldom-used ‘emergency temporary standard’ (ETS) provision that allows for bypass of notice and comment rulemaking under certain circumstances. That OSHA exceeded its authority in enacting the ETS Mandate is not a ‘particularly hard’ question.”
Rep. August Pfluger: “President Biden’s vaccine mandate is unconstitutional and the Supreme Court should strike it down immediately. Congress did not provide OSHA with the authority to force employers to mandate COVID-19 vaccines or testing. No worker should be forced to lose their job if they refuse to comply with President Biden’s tyrannical commands.”
Background:
- Rep. Pfluger has introduced a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to formally nullify President Biden’s previous OSHA mandates on vaccine impositions for businesses and workers.
- On December 17, 2021, the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit lifted the Fifth Circuit’s stay of the Biden Administration’s vaccine mandate for large employers. The Department of Labor has stated it will begin enforcing the ETS on January 10, 2022.