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How often we called Lizzie Fletcher's passage votes correctly, from their stated positions on each bill's tagged topics. Excludes “unclear” calls and abstentions.
To prohibit the disclosure of records by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development of individuals for the purposes of immigration enforcement, and for other purposes.
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Crossing the aisle
Passage votes where Lizzie Fletcher broke ranks with ≥75% of Democrats. Threshold catches substantively partisan splits; unanimous-ish or close votes are excluded.
Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher’s Bill To Expand Texans’ Access to Emergency Alerts Signed Into Law
Position: The release states that the Mystic Alerts Act, H.R. 7022, which requires the FCC to encourage mobile providers to adopt satellite alerting capabilities for wireless emergency alerts, has been signed into law following the July 2025 Central Texas floods.
Legislation comes after July 4, 2025, Hill Country floods that killed more than 130 people
Today, the President signed a bill led by Congresswoman Fletcher with Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11), Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33), and Congressman Buddy Carter (GA-01), the Mystic Alerts Act, H.R. 7022. The Mystic Alerts Act improves Americans’ access to wireless emergency alerts by requiring the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to encourage mobile service providers to adopt satellite alerting capabilities—technology that allows more people to receive life-saving alerts even if they lack cellular service. The bipartisan effort follows the devastating floods in Central Texas last summer and seeks to address communication gaps to prepare communities.
“In Houston and across the state of Texas, we are still heartbroken and grieving the loss of beloved family members and the destruction of communities along the Guadalupe River in the summer of 2025, a disaster made worse by communication gaps and failures,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. “This new law is a small but important way to provide a meaningful response to the devastating floods and to learn from the tragedy so that communities across the country do not have to experience the same pain and loss that Texans did last year. Nothing can bring back those that we lost in the flood, but we owe it to their survivors and to everyone we represent to do all we can to try to prevent another tragedy like it. I am thankful for Congressman Pfluger, Congressman Veasey, and Congressman Carter’s partnership in this effort and am thrilled to see this bill become law.”
Congresswoman Fletcher joined Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11), Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33), and Congressman Buddy Carter (GA-01) in introducing this legislation. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.
To view the full text of the bill, click here.
Two Federal Courts Rule Trump Administration’s Elimination of Solar For All Program Unlawful, Advancing the Effort of Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Senator Bernie Sanders, and Senator Jeff Merkley To Save the Program
Position: The release states that federal courts ruled EPA unlawfully eliminated the Solar for All program and calls on EPA to comply and reinstate terminated grants. The sponsors support continued funding for the program.
Congress created the $7 billion renewable energy program to deliver solar projects to 900,000 households in disadvantaged communities, saving families $350 million every year on energy costs
Two federal courts have ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unlawfully eliminated the Inflation Reduction Act’s Solar for All Program. On September 22, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granted summary judgement to Harris County. Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) supported Harris County’s case in an amicus brief they filed earlier this year, joined by 81 Members of Congress. The court vacated EPA’s decision to eliminate the program and warned that it will consider further relief if EPA fails to comply.
On September 18, the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island also ruled against EPA in a separate case brought by the Rhode Island AFL-CIO.
Solar for All was designed to lower electricity bills for low-income families, create thousands of well-paying jobs, boost American manufacturing, and make the grid more reliable.
“Solar for All is one of the most important affordable energy programs in our country’s history,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. “Congress created it. Congress appropriated the funds for it. No president or political appointee can unilaterally eliminate a program Congress has created, and two federal courts have now said so. I have been glad to support Harris County in this case and this effort to hold the Trump administration accountable and deliver for Harris County residents. EPA should comply with these rulings now and reinstate the grants it terminated. I will keep working to make sure Harris County families benefit from this investment in our community and to hold the administration accountable to the Congress and to the people we represent.”
“I am pleased that multiple courts have affirmed our belief that the power of the purse belongs to people’s representatives, and that no administration has the unilateral power to defund programs authorized by Congress, including the Solar for All program enacted in 2022,” said Congressman Emanuel Cleaver. “While these decisions are a major victory for our communities, who will benefit from a $7 billion investment in renewable energy at a time when gas prices are skyrocketing, we must remain vigilant against an administration that continues to show contempt for the constitution and the separation of powers that our founders designed to protect against a would-be tyrant.”
“Trump’s EPA cancelled the wildly popular Solar for All program as part of its corrupt war on clean, affordable energy,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “Rhode Island’s federal District Court and the D.C. District Court agreed: EPA had no authority to cancel the program, so low-cost solar energy will soon be back on its way to the American people. I want to give a special thanks to Rhode Island AFL-CIO for their leadership in securing this victory,”
“Solar for All is critical to connecting families in Oregon and across the nation with the affordable, renewable energy of the future,” said Senator Jeff Merkley. “The Trump Administration is pushing to rip away this funding from our communities, which has already been approved by Congress and signed into law, but two federal courts have rejected the Administration’s senseless effort. Now, the EPA must swiftly follow suit and reinstate these federal funds.”
The Solar for All program is a $7 billion investment to help working families lower their electricity bills, strengthen local economies, and build a more resilient future. Harris County won one of the program’s largest awards: $250 million to deliver solar and battery storage to more than 28,000 low-income and working-class households throughout the community. Families were set to save an average of $468 per year in energy costs before the program’s termination in August 2025.
Last year, Congresswoman Fletcher and Congressman Cleaver led their Democratic colleagues in an effort urging the Trump administration to reinstate the Solar for All program. In February, Congresswoman Fletcher, Congressman Cleaver, Senator Whitehouse, Senator Sanders, and Senator Merkley led their colleagues in filing an amicus brief in support of Harris County’s separate lawsuit to restore Solar for All. In March, Congresswoman Fletcher, Congressman Cleaver, Senator Whitehouse, Senator Sanders, and Senator Merkley continued this effort by leading 46 members of Congress in filing an amicus brief in support of 23 states’ separate lawsuit against the Trump administration for terminating the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) Solar for All program (Arizona et al v. EPA), which remains pending on appeal.
As Trump Administration Imposes Immigration Hurdles on International Students and Researchers, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, Congressman Jamie Raskin, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, and Congressman Sam Liccardo Introduce Legislation To Clear Barriers
Position: The release opposes a DHS final rule that sets a fixed four-year limit on admission periods for international students, researchers, and journalists, and introduces a Congressional Review Act resolution to repeal it.
Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Ranking Member Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), and Congressman Sam Liccardo (CA-16) introduced a joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to repeal the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) final rule, which significantly reduces flexibility in the visa process for international students, researchers, and journalists and unnecessarily limits the amount of time that such individuals can remain in the United States. U.S. Senate Democratic Whip and Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Ranking Member Alex Padilla (D-CA), Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) also introduced this legislation in the U.S. Senate.
Last year, the Trump administration established a rule that sets an arbitrary four-year limit on admission periods, creating unnecessary barriers for international students, researchers, and journalists. This limitation ignores the reality that many degree programs, particularly in STEM fields, routinely take longer to complete. The rule also does nothing to address processing backlogs at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which are at historically high levels and would only grow worse under a system that requires more frequent renewals.
“Our international students, researchers, and journalists in our community and across our country make important contributions to our schools, our communities, and our economy,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. “Placing fixed time limits on their studies ignores how long some study programs actually take and adds red tape to an immigration system that is already overwhelmed. Visiting students should have a stable, welcoming environment to further their education and contribute to our communities—not obstacles that undermine their ability to do so. That is why I am glad to introduce legislation with Congressman Raskin, Congresswoman Jayapal, and Congressman Liccardo to repeal this rule and to help ensure the success of our universities and communities.”
“America has always benefited from attracting brilliant students, researchers, doctors and journalists from around the world,” said Congressman Jamie Raskin. “The Trump Administration wants to obstruct that path with bureaucratic hurdles and quicksand designed to make legal immigration harder. This senseless rule will drive away talented people who come here to study, practice medicine, do research and contribute to our communities. It harms the American economy and American innovation and makes all of us worse off.”
“International students make our institutions of higher learning better for all students and create pipelines to ensure the best and brightest lend their talents to strengthen our economy and American innovation,” said Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. “We should be welcoming students, not wrapping the processes to obtain visas in layers of red tape. This has nothing to do with national security and everything to do with Trump and Stephen Miller’s plan to prevent all forms of legal immigration. I first came to this country on a student visa and understand deeply just how important these visas are.”
“America wins when we can continue to attract the best and brightest students from around the world to drive American competitiveness, particularly in STEM fields,” said Congressman Sam Liccardo. “Eliminating the Duration of Status framework will push talented students and researchers toward our competitors, undermining our ability to win the global battle for talent, essential to our innovation economy.”
“This proposed rule is just another part of the Donald Trump-Stephen Miller mass deportation agenda,” said Senator Dick Durbin. “They want to make the immigration process so difficult, so cumbersome, and so onerous that legal immigrants decide to leave the U.S. or never come here at all—which will result in the loss of talented, bright individuals who make America better. Our nation is already confronting a serious health workforce shortage. Now is not the time to make it even more difficult for health care professionals to care for our most vulnerable communities. I appreciate my Democratic colleagues in joining me on this important measure and encourage members on both sides of the aisle to support it.”
“Rhode Island’s institutions of higher education help power the Ocean State’s economic competitiveness,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. “International students and medical residents drive innovation, contribute to cutting-edge research, and spend big not only on tuition, but also at local restaurants and businesses. This Trump administration rule punishes international students, young doctors, and foreign journalists as well as local small businesses and universities as part of their extreme anti-immigration agenda.”
“International students deserve fair opportunities to receive an education in the United States. Students, exchange visitors, and foreign members of the media should never have to live in fear of the Administration’s unprecedented attacks on legal immigration,” said Senator Alex Padilla. “Diversity is our country’s strength, and international students and exchange visitors support American innovation, job growth, higher education, and global competitiveness. We have a responsibility to protect these visa holders, including international students who contribute to the culture of American universities and eventually to our nation’s economy.”
The resolution is endorsed by the AAMC – Association of American Medical Colleges; AIRC: The Association of International Enrollment Management; Alliance for International Exchange; American Academy of Family Physicians; American Academy of Pediatrics; American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers; American College of Radiology; American Council on Education; American Gastroenterological Association; American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA); American Osteopathic Association; American Psychiatric Association; American Society of Neuroradiology; Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment; Association of American Universities; Association of Independent California Colleges & Universities; Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities; Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU); Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges; Cornell University; Council of Graduate Schools; Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities; Global Detroit; Illinois State University; Illinois Tech; International Educators of Illinois; Miles for Migraine; NAFSA: Association of International Educators; National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU); Northern Illinois University; Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration; Shorelight LLC; Third Way; UC Berkeley; UC Davis; UCLA; UC San Diego; UC Santa Cruz; UCSF; University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources; University of California System; University of Illinois System; and U.S. For Success Coalition.
Last year, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher joined 34 Members of Congress in a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) opposing this same proposed rule to significantly reduce the flexibility of the visa process for international students, researchers, and journalists. The full text of this letter can be found here.
Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher and Congressman Morgan Luttrell’s Effort To Expedite Buffalo Bayou Tributaries Resiliency Study Passes House
Position: The release supports including a provision in the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 directing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expedite a Chief's Report on a single large underground tunnel to reduce flood risk around the Addicks and Barker reservoirs and along Buffalo Bayou, rather than pursuing a modular-tunnel option.
Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2026. After years of delays, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) and Congressman Morgan Luttrell (TX-08) led an effort to include a provision in the bill that directs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to expedite a Chief’s Report evaluating a single large underground water conveyance tunnel to reduce flood risk around the Addicks and Barker reservoirs and along Buffalo Bayou. A Chief’s Report is a critical step toward moving forward on any USACE project. Once it is complete, Congress must then authorize the project and appropriate funding.
WRDA 2024 required USACE to complete a Chief’s Report on the Buffalo Bayou and Tributaries Resiliency Study (BBTRS). Instead, USACE produced a report of findings that presented three options: take no action, construct one large tunnel, or construct a series of smaller, modular tunnels. USACE then requested additional funding to study the difference between the large-tunnel and modular-tunnel options, rather than completing the legally required Chief’s Report.
Congresswoman Fletcher and Congressman Luttrell’s provision in WRDA 2026 specifically directs USACE to expedite the Chief’s Report on the single large tunnel option—the solution stakeholders in Houston and the broader region have identified and supported as the most effective way to protect Houston-area communities from flooding, whether from a single catastrophic storm or the cumulative impact of frequent, smaller flood events.
“Since my first term in Congress, protecting our community from flooding has been central to my work, and completing the Buffalo Bayou and Tributaries Resiliency Study is essential to that effort,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. “This project reflects an effort to think big about how to protect our entire community from the cumulative toll of more rain and more storms. I’m grateful to Congressman Luttrell for his partnership in this effort, and to community leaders across Texas’ Seventh Congressional District for their years of collaboration and advocacy. I’m glad WRDA 2026 will finally require USACE to deliver the Chief’s Report on the solution our community has identified and supported.”
"Flood mitigation in the Houston region has remained a top priority throughout my time in Congress, and today's House passage of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2026 represents meaningful progress toward that goal,” said Congressman Morgan Luttrell. “This provision ensures the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completes the Chief's Report on the large tunnel solution, as originally required. I appreciate Congresswoman Fletcher's continued partnership on this effort and look forward to its consideration by the Senate.”
In July, the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure passed WRDA 2026, which included this provision led by Congresswoman Fletcher and Congressman Luttrell.
Since her first term in Congress, Congresswoman Fletcher has advocated for the completion of BBTRS. Following her advocacy, Congress included language requiring USACE to complete BBTRS in the Water Redevelopment Act (WRDA) of 2024. In January of 2024, she testified before the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure and urged the Committee to include language to complete the BBTRS. In 2021, she wrote a letter to USACE supporting an exemption to allow USACE to complete the BBTRS.
In 2020, she successfully called on the USACE to extend the public comment period for the BBTRS Interim Report. She then submitted a public comment on the interim report urging the USACE to incorporate public feedback from residents of Texas’ Seventh Congressional District.
The bill now moves to the United States Senate, where it is one step closer to becoming law.
Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Votes Against New Trump Tariff Powers
Position: The congresswoman voted against the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, arguing it does not mandate tough sanctions on Russia and expands presidential tariff authorities. She states support for Ukraine and for stronger sanctions on Russia.
| U.S. Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher
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Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Votes Against New Trump Tariff Powers
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Washington,
September 16, 2026
Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) voted against the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, Senate Amendment to H.R. 5334, because, despite its name, it fails to mandate tough sanctions on and hands the President sweeping new tariff authorities.
“Despite its name, the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 fails to sanction Russia, dramatically expands presidential tariff authorities, and represents a threat to Ukraine, to our separation of powers, and to people across the country—which is why I voted against it.
“For years, the Ukrainian people have demonstrated remarkable courage and perseverance in their fight for democracy and the preservation of their sovereignty. I support Ukraine and stand with its people. I also support tough sanctions that hold Russia, Vladimir Putin, and the corporations and people funding Russia’s war accountable, like the ones proposed by this bill. But this bill does not actually impose these sanctions. It leaves these sanctions entirely up to President Trump’s discretion, making them optional without congressional oversight or court review. Since taking office, President Trump has imposed almost no new sanctions on Russia. The bill does not require President Trump to impose any additional sanctions on Russia, and he has given no reason to support the idea that he will. In fact, his actions have demonstrated the opposite.
“For the past 19 months, President Trump has already had the power to impose every sanction authorized by this bill on Russia but has chosen not to. These sanctions are sorely needed to support our Ukrainian allies—and Democrats proposed several amendments to improve this legislation, including to remove the bill’s new tariff authority, authorize military support for Ukraine, and tighten the language so President Trump would have to impose some of these sanctions—but Republicans failed to allow any of these amendments to be incorporated into the bill.
“Instead, this legislation grants the Trump administration new tariff authority to impose a 100 percent tariff on any country of its choosing—for as long as it wants, with virtually no guardrails and without congressional oversight. Since March 2025, Americans have paid more than $350 billion in tariffs the President has imposed solely at his discretion—a staggering cost that will only grow as a result of this bill. President Trump has already imposed tariffs on nearly every country in the world except for Russia. The Supreme Court ruled against President Trump’s tariffs, and Congress should not surrender its tariff authority to the executive branch.
“Make no mistake: Today’s vote is not simply about Russian sanctions—it’s about giving President Trump unnecessary tariff authority and unconstitutional power at the expense of American workers and families who will bear the cost. Congress must find a way to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s war of aggression and hold Russia accountable while protecting the American people from a new tariff authority that President Trump is bound to misuse.”
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Lizzie Fletcher, August Pfluger Seek to Modernize U.S. Oil Reserve
Position: Representatives Fletcher and Pfluger introduced bipartisan legislation requiring a public study by the National Petroleum Council on modernizing the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to better respond to global oil supply disruptions.
Representatives Lizzie Fletcher (D) and August Pfluger (R) introduced a bipartisan bill directing the Department of Energy to study ways to modernize the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) as U.S. oil inventories reach their lowest level in decades.
Bipartisan push to strengthen the SPR
Reps. Fletcher and Pfluger introduced the 21st Century Strategic Petroleum Reserve Act, legislation that would require a public report examining how the federal reserve could be modernized to better respond to future disruptions in global oil supplies.
"Energy security is essential to national security, and the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is one of the most important tools we have to ensure it," Rep. Fletcher said.
The SPR was created following the 1973 Arab oil embargo and stores crude oil in underground salt caverns in Texas and Lousisana.
The reserve faces increased strain
The SPR has undergone two major emergency drawdowns in recent years. The first followed Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, when 180 million barrels were released. The current war involving Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have created another major disruption to global oil markets.
The reserve is now below half of its total capacity and at its lowest since the early 1980s. A recent Government Accountability Office report also found that the federal government lacks a unified long-term strategy for the reserve, including its target size and infrastructure needs.
If enacted, the bill would direct the National Petroleum Council to produce a public report examining potential improvements, including:
Expanding storage capacity and geographic distribution.
Adding gasoline and diesel storage alongside crude oil.
Finding non-emergency mandated sales.
Improving infrastructure resilience and pipeline flow capacity.
Increasing the rate at which the SPR can be refilled.
Encouraging purchases when oil prices are low.
Fletcher and Pfluger say the study would provide Congress with recommendations for ensuring the SPR can continue protecting U.S. energy security as global supply disruptions become more challenging.
Read this article on Texas Politics.
As U.S. Oil Reserves Hit 44-Year-Low, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher and Congressman August Pfluger Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Study Strategic Petroleum Reserve Modernization, Strengthen U.S. Energy Security
Position: The release supports introducing legislation that directs the Department of Energy to produce a public report on modernizing the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to strengthen U.S. energy security. It argues the reserve is stretched thin after two emergency drawdowns and that the U.S. needs a long-term plan for it.
Bill introduction comes as SPR has undergone two major emergency drawdowns in four years—first during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and now during the war in Iran—and sits at its lowest level since the 1980s
Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) and Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) introduced the 21st Century Strategic Petroleum Reserve Act (21st Century SPR Act) to direct the U.S. Department of Energy to issue a public report on opportunities to modernize the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).
“Energy security is essential to national security, and the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is one of the most important tools we have to ensure it,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. “Having a reserve is critical to ensuring our energy independence and to helping protect American families when conflicts overseas disrupt global oil supply, as we have seen following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and now the war in Iran. We have relied on the SPR, and it has delivered for American families. But the reserve is stretched thinner than it has been in 40 years, and we cannot take that capability for granted. The 21st Century SPR Act is a common-sense first step toward making sure the SPR is capable of meeting our needs in the future in every way, and I’m glad to work with Congressman Pfluger on this important effort.”
Congress created the SPR after the 1973 Arab oil embargo to protect American consumers and the economy from sudden supply shocks. The reserve stores crude oil in underground salt caverns in Texas and Louisiana, giving the federal government a tool to stabilize prices when global oil supplies are disrupted. It has, however, faced real strain in recent years.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine triggered a 180-million-barrel emergency release in 2022, and the ongoing war in Iran—including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has disrupted roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supply—has driven a second major drawdown. The reserve now sits at its lowest level since the early 1980s, at under half of its total capacity. A recent U.S. Government Accountability Office report found that Congress and the Department of Energy still lack a unified long-term plan for the SPR, including a target size for the reserve and a clear strategy for maintaining its aging infrastructure.
Meanwhile, other countries have moved to build up their own reserves. China, which is not a member of the International Energy Agency and does not publicly disclose its inventory, holds an estimated 1.4 billion barrels of oil in strategic reserves—more than four times the current U.S. stockpile, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
If enacted, the 21st Century SPR Act would require the Secretary of Energy, within 90 days of enactment, to request that the National Petroleum Council—an advisory committee to the Secretary—deliver a public report within one year analyzing opportunities to improve and modernize the SPR's physical infrastructure and operations to respond to supply shocks like the 2026 closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
The bill also directs the National Petroleum Council to make recommendations to Congress and federal agencies on modernizing the SPR going forward.
To view the full text of the bill, click here.
Houston politicians react to minority business program being ruled unconstitutional by federal court
Position: The release characterizes a federal court ruling that struck down Houston's minority business contracting program as part of a broader effort to remove tools that level the playing field for minority-owned businesses, and cites testimony that such businesses continue to lose out on city contracts.
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Houston politicians react to minority business program being ruled unconstitutional by federal court
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Houston,
July 30, 2026
A federal judge has ruled Houston's minority business contracting program unconstitutional, declaring city officials will no longer be able to take race into consideration in the awarding of city contracts.
The Minority, Women and Small Business Enterprise program is designed to even the playing field for these businesses.
Houston since 1984 has set goals to give certain percentages of various types of city contracts to certified small businesses and those owned by women and minorities.
The ruling now leaves the future of the program in doubt. Here’s what Houston-area officials had to say about what it means for the city.
...
"This lawsuit is part of a broader effort from far-right activists to take away the tools our community uses to level the playing field for all, court, the city's own expert witness testified that minority-owned businesses continue to lose out on city contracts. In Harris County, a 2020 study found the same pattern; more than 90% of contracting dollars went to businesses owned by white men, even though these businesses only made up 72% of the market. Programs like Houston's MWBE exist because these disparities are real, and this lawsuit is part of a broader effort from far-right activists to take away the tools our community uses to level the playing field for all."
- Lizzie Fletcher, U.S. House of Representatives
View this article in Houston Chronicle.
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As Federal Courts Threaten Telehealth Access to Abortion Pill, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher and Congressman Pat Ryan Reintroduce Legislation To Protect It
Position: The release advocates for federal legislation to protect access to mifepristone (the abortion pill) by affirming FDA approval authority and preventing states from restricting or prohibiting the medication. The sponsors argue that mifepristone is safe and effective and that access to medication abortion should be protected from state-level restrictions.
Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) and Congressman Pat Ryan (NY-18) introduced the Protecting Reproductive Freedom Act to reaffirm that mifepristone, also known as the abortion pill, was appropriately approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and that this approval preempts any state law seeking to prohibit or restrict access to the abortion pill.
“More than 25 years ago, the FDA approved mifepristone as safe and effective,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. "That science has not changed. What has changed, however, is the relentless effort by anti-abortion activists to use the courts to do what they could not do legislatively: ban abortion across the country, one medication at a time.
“The Protecting Reproductive Freedom Act makes clear that the FDA’s authority is real and that no state can override it to deny women access to reproductive freedom,” continued Congresswoman Fletcher. “I am glad to introduce this important legislation with Congressman Pat Ryan, and I will continue fighting to protect reproductive freedom for women in Texas and across our country.”
“I risked my life in combat to protect fundamental American freedoms. That includes a woman’s right to choose. These deeply personal and private medical decisions should be made by women, their health care providers, and their families, not by extremist judges or politicians,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “Mifepristone is a safe and effective medication that has been prescribed by doctors for more than two decades. These efforts to undermine the safety of abortion medication have nothing to do with science or medicine and everything to do with radical groups whose only goal is a national abortion ban. This legislation ensures we not only protect abortion access for women in New York and across the country but also the doctors who use telemedicine to prescribe medication abortion.”
Mifepristone was approved as safe and effective by the FDA in 2000. Medication abortions account for more than 50 percent of the abortions performed in the United States.
The Protecting Reproductive Freedom Act has received endorsements from Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Reproductive Freedom For All.
Congresswoman Fletcher is Vice Chair and Whip of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus and has led several efforts to protect access to abortion. In the 117th Congress, her bill to protect the right to travel between states to obtain an abortion, the Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act, H.R. 8297, passed the House. She is also an original cosponsor of the Women’s Health Protection Act, which establishes a statutory federal right to abortion free from medically unnecessary restrictions.
To view the full text of the bill, click here.
Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Statement on Ending the DHS Shutdown Without Funding ICE and CBP
Position: Congresswoman Fletcher supports ending the DHS shutdown by funding most DHS agencies while withholding additional funding from ICE and CBP, and opposes expanded immigration enforcement activities by the Trump administration.
Today, the House of Representatives passed the Senate Amendment to H.R. 7147, Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026, a bill that funds the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through Fiscal Year 2026. This bill does not include funding for enforcement actions by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which collectively received an unprecedented $170 billion for immigration and border enforcement in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R.1).
“Passing this bill finally ends a record 75-day shutdown of DHS and provides hard-working federal employees—including those with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the U.S. Coast Guard—much-needed financial stability. House and Senate Democrats repeatedly proposed funding these agencies throughout this shutdown while negotiations on immigration enforcement activities continue, and I am glad House Republicans finally joined us in doing so,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher.
“While there is still work to do to curb this administration’s abuses, passing this legislation funds the agencies that Americans depend on while withholding additional funding from ICE and CBP,” Congresswoman Fletcher continued. “Now, Republicans must work to address Americans’ legitimate concerns and negotiate with Democrats on critical reforms to the Trump administration’s lawlessness in its immigration enforcement policies.”
Earlier this year, Congresswoman Fletcher introduced the Freeze ICE Act, H.R. 7392, to stop the rapid recruitment of unvetted individuals at ICE. And in March, Congresswoman Fletcher signed a discharge petition to force a vote on H.R. 7481, legislation to immediately fund all of DHS except for ICE and CBP.
The bill passed the House by voice vote and is now headed to President Trump’s desk, where he is expected to sign it into law.
Articles from a curated list of national outlets that mention Lizzie Fletcher.
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Source: GDELT 2.0 GKG, filtered to a curated list of national outlets. Inclusion is not endorsement; opinion pieces and reported news are mixed.
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Top PAC donors · 2026 cycle
Political action committees that gave the most to this rep's principal campaign committee this cycle. PAC giving is direct organizational support — industry, ideological, or leadership.
1.CONOCOPHILLIPS SPIRIT PAC2 contributions$10,000
2.SIEMENS ENERGY, INC. PAC2 contributions$10,000
3.EXXON MOBIL CORPORATION-MOBIL POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE2 contributions$10,000
4.BP CORPORATION NORTH AMERICA INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE2 contributions$10,000
5.UBS AMERICAS INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE2 contributions$10,000
6.ASIAN AMERICAN HOTEL OWNERS ASSOCIATION PAC (AAHOA PAC)Business2 contributionsHotel-industry trade association PAC — backs candidates supporting hospitality business interests, including labor flexibility, tax policy, and tourism promotion.AI$10,000
7.UNITED PARCEL SERVICE INC. PAC4 contributions$10,000
8.AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS PACFinance4 contributionsProfessional accounting association PAC — supports candidates and policies favoring tax simplification, accounting standards, and financial regulation aligned with CPA interests.AI$10,000
9.DELL TECHNOLOGIES, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE5 contributions$9,500
10.AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION PAC4 contributions$9,500
Source: OpenFEC (api.open.fec.gov) Schedule A receipts where contributor type is “committee.” Aggregated by contributing committee. Self-transfers from joint-fundraising / victory committees are excluded.
Top individual contributors · 2026 cycle
Itemized individual contributions over $200 to this rep's campaign committee, aggregated by donor employer. PAC giving is shown above; this section is people, not organizations.
1.AZA$23,500
2.BLANK ROME LLP$14,000
3.AZA LAW$10,500
4.BCM$9,000
5.PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE$8,500
6.RICE UNIVERSITY$8,250
7.GIBBS & BRUNS LLP$7,500
8.ASURION$7,000
9.VINMAR INTERNATIONAL$7,000
10.EAGLE GLOBAL ADVISORS$7,000
Source: OpenFEC Schedule A receipts where contributor type is “individual,” aggregated by the donor's self-reported employer. This is a geographic / industry correlation, not a corporate endorsement.
