Last week was an important week in Washington. My bill, HR 5125, the District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act, passed out of the House on Wednesday.
This significant legislation seeks to promote security and safety in D.C. by removing the bureaucratic and often too political D.C. Judicial Nomination Commission and placing the power to nominate judges in the executive branch, the process that stands in every other state.
As the son of a federal judge, I have great respect for the judiciary and understand the role they play in keeping our streets safe. In D.C., the Judicial Nomination Commission has too often prioritized politics over justice, creating delays and heavy caseloads.
By removing the commission and allowing the President to quickly nominate judges to fill vacancies, criminals will no longer be allowed to escape justice. The D.C. courts must be equipped to do their job: hold criminals accountable, protect victims, and maintain order in our nation’s capital.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, D.C. Attorney General Brain Schwalb, and Chairman of the D.C. City Council Phil Mendelson testified before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. We held a discussion about my bill to abolish the D.C. Judicial Nomination Committee.
Improving public safety in the District of Columbia is in the best interest of the entire nation. By filling court vacancies swiftly, we can ensure that criminals receive justice. The residents and visitors of our beautiful capital city deserve to feel safe.
I spoke on a panel at Politico’s AI & Tech Summit. It was great to share my insight from the legislative perspective, bringing in my involvement with the DOGE Caucus and longtime experience as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Oversight.
The panel included former GSA official Ann Lewis and industry insights from Appian Co-Founder Michael Beckley. We discussed how efforts like DOGE and advances in AI can streamline government efficiency for the benefit of Americans.
The Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty came to my office to discuss the food insecurity in Texas. These individuals are leaders from both Waco and Nacogdoches and are on the front lines of assisting impoverished members of our community.
It is important that we come together as a community to help individuals break out of poverty cycles. I am grateful for their efforts in fighting hunger in Texas.
It was an honor to welcome Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller to my Washington office last week. We discussed the importance of ensuring our farmers and ranchers can secure their livelihoods for generations to come.
TX-17 is home to some of the finest farms and ranches in the state, and I am proud to represent our hardworking members of the agricultural community.
On Wednesday, I spoke at the Taiwan Agricultural Trade Goodwill Mission Reception with Taiwan’s Representative Yui and Taiwan’s Minister of Agriculture Dr. Junne-Jih Chen.
Taiwan is the 8th largest market for American agricultural products and the 4th largest consumer overall. Specifically, Taiwan is one of the largest markets for American corn, wheat, and beef. The Representative and Minister of Agriculture will be visiting Texas and other states during this visit to explore continued business opportunities.
This is a mutually beneficial relationship, and I was honored to welcome the Minister of Agriculture to the United States.
Last weekend, my office proudly hosted the Central Texas Service Academy Forum. I enjoyed engaging with so many bright young people interested in pursuing a future at one of our nation’s distinguished Service Academies.
Thank you to the Academy representatives that attended! Good luck to all pursuing a nomination for an appointment.
The District of Columbia has treated adult criminals aged 18-25 as “juvenile offenders.” This soft-on-crime approach to justice has exacerbated the public safety crisis in our nation’s capital. I voted yes to this bill to use Congressional authority over the District to correct these sentencing policies and help keep criminals off the street.
Teenagers who commit violent crimes, like murder, sexual abuse, and armed robbery pose a threat to public safety and should be tried as adults to reflect the seriousness of the crimes they have committed. I voted yes.
Not only did I vote yes, but I introduced and led this legislation through passage of the House. This legislation is necessary to address the problem of court vacancies in D.C. that allow criminals to escape justice.
D.C. law prohibits vehicular pursuit of a suspect fleeing in a motor vehicle. I voted yes on this bill to amend D.C. law to allow police to do their jobs and pursue suspects in a motor vehicle if the officer deems it necessary.
Right now, oil, gas, and electricity projects that cross the U.S. border can be blocked swiftly under political motivation. I voted yes to shift the power to agencies with set deadlines, removing barriers to approving energy infrastructure.
This important legislation brings back a federal advisory council that gives the Department of Energy advice on coal policy. I was a yes to ensure that coal companies can keep a direct line to policymakers.
I voted yes to speed up approval for power plants to reliably deliver electricity on demand instead of intermittent to ensure the electric grid stays dependable.
Importantly, the House voted yes last week on a clean CR to fund the government through Nov. 21. Now, the Senate must pass this legislation to avoid a government shut down.
I voted yes to adopt this resolution condemning the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Despite support from both sides of the aisle, 58 Democrats chose to put partisanship over humanity by voting no. This completely undermines the democratic principles our great nation was founded on.
Until all of America stands united in rejecting violence against individuals for their beliefs, our freedom is at risk. I unequivocally condemn politically motivated violence on all sides and urge my colleagues to stand with me in doing the same.
Pet Sessions represents District 17, which includes Trinity County, in the U.S. House of Representatives.
