focusing on what matters
Excellence in Education
restoring healthcare privacy
CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY
Elections have consequences and the numbers don’t lie. Crime and corruption have reached the highest point in 30 years in Harris County. Police officers are being ambushed and murdered during routine traffic stops, unlawful camping is still a major problem on Houston streets, and we still hold the title of “The worst City for Human trafficking.”
The rise in violent crime and homicide in Houston is a direct result of Democrat judges and politicians winning recent elections across Harris County, and as a result, repeat violent criminals are being set free back into our communities.
The families of District 134 expect more and deserve to have safe neighborhoods without fear of violence. That is why I support legislation that funds the police, is tough on violent criminals, and keeps the streets safe for children to play.
I have deep admiration and respect for our men and women in uniform. Our police officers, firefighters, and EMS personnel play a vital role in our society and they are under attack. They need our help and support more than ever. Without them, our society would devolve into chaos. When I was growing up, kids could go outside and play for hours around the neighborhood without adult supervision, but that freedom has been eroded by bad public policy and politicians that are more concerned about protecting criminals than providing a safe environment for our children.
Here are some recent headlines that illustrate the importance of law enforcement and why defunding the police is one of the most irresponsible movements of our generation:
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"Democrats regain all Harris County state district judicial seats" (Houston Chronicle)
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“467 total homicides in Houston so far in 2021 obliterates data from a year ago” (KPRC Houston)
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“Here’s how many capital murder suspects bond out of jail and get arrested again” (KHOU 11)
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"Over 150 Killed in Harris County by Suspects Out on Bond” (The Texan)
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“Man suspected of killing Texas deputy arrested in Mexico” (ABC News)
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“Texas number one for human trafficking” (Reform Austin)
EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION
As parents, our highest priorities will always be our children’s health and access to a quality education. As leaders, we are obligated to provide the next generation with the best environment to learn and develop into the leaders of tomorrow. Given our State's high-powered economy, best-in-class workforce, and diverse culture, we expect to be a global leader in education standards. We should lead from the front and expect nothing less than excellence from our educators and education system. It is imperative for our long-term sustainability in a global economy and I strongly believe in the transformative power of a quality education.
Below are several initiatives I plan to take on at the State level to improve our education standing in the world:
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Keep CRT and other political indoctrination theories out of classroom curriculums. These theories are divisive, regressive, and have no place in our institutions of learning.
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Champion two mandatory courses for high school Seniors:
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Personal Finance & Money Management
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Effective Communication
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Expand customizable education paths leveraging each student’s strengths and interests
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Reinforce critical thinking & problem solving skills
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Expand access to high quality Pre-K
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Encourage trade schools & vocational programs
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Expand community college 4-year degree offerings
INFRASTRUCTURE & ENERGY INDEPENDENCE
District 134 is no stranger to flooding. Our district is framed by White Oak Bayou to the North, Braes Bayou to the South, and Buffalo Bayou running right through the middle. The need for water management infrastructure is top of mind in our district. I support aggressive flood control infrastructure projects and upgrading our levy system to the west of town. We need to reinforce our bridges and bayous, and start building up. Our city has too much concrete and not enough permeable ground to absorb the water. Our future growth needs to start moving up, not out.
I also fully support Texas energy independence by all means necessary and strongly encourage others to join the club. The criticality of energy independence cannot be understated, and as State Representative, I promise to keep Texas energy independence as a top priority.
Wind, solar, nuclear, hydro, and yes, fossil fuels all play important roles in our long term sustainability, and it is wise to invest in diversified sources of energy to reduce the environmental impact of carbon. However, the timing is not right to go full-tilt on the Green New Deal. The supply of sustainable energy can not fulfill our society's demand at this time. We still need adequate capital investment in traditional petrochemical manufacturing to effectively and SAFELY compete in the global energy market. We have seen multiple gas leaks, explosions, and safety events in recent months across Houston due to a lack of investment in aging infrastructure and we need to fund smart capital projects that keep energy costs low, workers safe, and electricity abundant.
RESTORING PUBLIC TRUST IN OUR DEMOCRACY
I will support legislation to secure our elections from fraud and restore trust in our electoral process. I will fight Big Tech for the rights of all Texans to express themselves freely without fear of being cancelled or censored. Our democracy depends on fair and honest elections and protecting free speech.
As I have previously mentioned, elections have consequences and for our democracy to function properly, voters need to trust the results of elections. What ever you believe about what happened in 2020, it is very clear our elected representatives need to do more to restore public trust in our election process. It is not unreasonable at all to require a state issued ID to vote. Voter ID laws are very popular among reasonable people and independents. Those that claim it is morally wrong to present an ID to vote have an ulterior political motive. The Texas legislature did a great job passing election integrity reform this past legislative session, but there is still more work to do. We need to have absolute confidence in our electoral process, and it starts with a valid form of identification to vote.
Free speech is also a critically important ideal to protect. Big Tech is actively censoring free speech and controlling the narrative. Big tech is also moving into Austin at a record pace. I predict the Texas legislature will be at the center of protecting free speech across the globe in the coming years, and it is imperative we elect leaders that intend to protect free speech at all costs, regardless if the message is unpleasant. It is not healthy or sustainable for our society to censor opposing views. Our country did not become great by silencing ideas and censoring thought leaders. Cancel culture is out for blood against Joe Rogan for having conversations with people on the internet. But because his guests and conversations sometimes conflict with the mainstream narrative, they are actively trying to cancel him. That is not how you build a strong and sustainable Nation. Texas needs to lead with courage to protect free speech for all and stand up for the silent majority.
HOMELAND SECURITY
This should be an easy one to get behind after what we have witnessed since President Biden took office. The federal government clearly isn’t going to do their job, so it is time Texas steps up and secures our own border. Not because we are bad people or anti-immigration, but because it is a national security threat to have 80% of our border with Mexico completely wide open. The Texas-Mexico border is 1,254 miles long and roughly 1,000 miles of which has no physical barrier. In our personal lives at home, we have fences around our private property to guard against trespassing, we have locks on our doors and security cameras installed to help keep us safe. The same line of logic extends to our State and Nation. Currently, our government does not know how many people are entering our country illegally. We do not allow strangers to enter our home without our knowledge or permission. So why is there a debate over open borders?
Last year alone, law enforcement apprehended over 2.2 million people attempting to enter our country illegally and confiscated 36.2 million lethal doses of fentanyl. That is enough fentanyl to kill every person in Texas. The scale of that statistic should get everyone’s attention. An overwhelming majority of people attempting to enter the United States illegally are not bad people. Most come here to work and earn an income to send back to their families. But there are bad ones mixed in there as well, and our federal government has an obligation to the American people to account for everyone entering our country and provide security to the citizenry.
Open borders are also a major disservice to immigrants trying to become Americans the right way. Texas attracts the best and brightest from across the globe due to our pro-business economic environment and pro-liberty governing philosophy. We need to protect our culture and reward those immigrating to Texas the right way by accounting for those coming into our State outside of the system.
I will support legislation that sends State funding to completing a physical barrier along our border with Mexico, and work to reunite displaced families that have been victimized by human trafficking.
HEALTHCARE PRIVACY
Governor Abbott has signed several key Executive Orders to keep Texans from being subject to COVID mandates, now the Texas Legislature needs to make it law! I will champion legislation that protects Texans from Orwellian health mandates, restores healthcare privacy, and promotes pharmaceutical social responsibility.
I will lead efforts to keep mask mandates out of our public schools. Forcing children to wear masks all day in school will have profound long-term psychological effects on our kids if we allow it to happen. K-12 is a critical time for brain and psychological development and forcing kids to cover their faces during such a critical time is very dangerous for the future mental health of our society.
As a society, we have also become too loose with our private health information. Healthcare and health information is between the patient and their doctor or physician. We also need more transparency in health care cost estimates to put an end to surprise bills once and for all. Patients should have the ability to shop healthcare providers based on pricing and quality of treatment. Currently, our healthcare industry does not provide enough information for patients to choose a healthcare provider based on cost and quality of service or make informed decisions before a procedure. Applying a capitalistic and patient-first model to healthcare will improve transparency and drive down costs for the patient.