Tag Archives: hurd on the hill

From San Antonio to Del Rio, from Marfa to El Paso and many places in between, our communities have shown the outrage we feel about another black man dying in police custody.

I too felt the need to take action, and, while marching in solidarity with George Floyd’s family and sixty thousand others, I realized that not everything has to be a binary choice. The fact is, you can be outraged by a black man getting murdered in police custody, thankful that law enforcement put themselves in harm’s way to protect our First Amendment rights and angry that criminals are looting and rioting—actions at conflict with our American values. We can feel all these emotions at the same time.

During the march, I witnessed more than just the African American community is committed to dismantling a culture where a black man is twice as likely to die in police custody as a white man.

This culture is the same culture that has caused so many young black men to receive a talk from their father about what to do when pulled over by a police officer. I know this talk, and I remember receiving it from my dad when I was fifteen years old. My Dad told me if I was pulled over by the police, to turn on the light in the car, roll down my window and place my hands on the window seal so the police could see my hands. He further instructed me to not make any movement unless I tell the police officer and received consent.

It’s been almost 30 years since I was given this lessen by my dad, but this lesson is still being taught by fathers and mothers today who fear that the wrong move when pulled over could cost their child his or her life. No parent should have to teach this lesson, and no kid should have to receive it, but, until we change the culture, this lesson will be taught.

There is a role for both political parties, both chambers of congress and all branches of government to address this. We must work together. Three key things that could help would be: ensuring federal funding only goes to departments following best policing practices; strengthening a police chief’s power to fire bad officers from their force; and bolstering a civilian’s ability to hold law enforcement accountable in court when they step outside the law.

A wave of cries to defund the police have swept over the country in recent weeks, but this is not the answer. In fact, this would make our communities even less safe.

If we are going to solve the problems besetting our nation right now, we have to have a collective and level-headed conversation. In the coming weeks and months, I hope this is the case because now is the time for action. Our actions won’t bring back George Floyd or other lives that were tragically cut short, but they will provide our country with the tools to prevent another injustice. Whether your skin is black, or your uniform is blue, individuals should not feel targeted in this country.

Everyone should feel safe walking the streets of our communities.

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A former undercover CIA officer, entrepreneur and cybersecurity expert, Will Hurd is the U.S. Representative for the 23rd Congressional District of Texas. In Washington, he serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, where he is the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Intelligence Modernization and Readiness, and the House Committee on Appropriations, where he serves on the Subcommittees on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development.

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As the COVID-19 pandemic began to spread from outside our borders into the contiguous United States, there was a lot of uncertainty about the characteristics of the virus. After studying trends from other countries who were largely hit with the virus before we were, it was clear that, like many other viral diseases, COVID-19 disproportionately affects our senior citizens.

This was evident during the early weeks of the pandemic outbreak in the U.S., as one of the first epicenters of the pandemic developed in Kirkland, Washington at a nursing home. This would not be the only outbreak at one of these facilities, and as the pandemic progressed we discovered that nursing homes and long-term care facilities were ill-equipped to keep their residents safe from what’s been called the “silent enemy.” Unfortunately, this was even the case in our district.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), provide quality ratings for each of the nation’s approximately 16,000 Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing homes. Each facility is rated from a low of one star to a high of five stars based on three critical areas: health inspection results, quality measures and staffing levels. An overall rating is also provided after consideration of five areas: fire safety, health inspection, quality measures, staffing and penalties.

There are 99 nursing homes or long-term care facilities within 50 miles of San Antonio, and last year only 3 were given a 5-star rating by CMS. This reality is not just in Texas either. A report publicly released by the Government Accountability Office in June of last year showed a rise in abuse at nursing home facilities. From 2013 to 2017, abuse citations doubled.

Staggering statistics like these depict a significant deficiency in a sector of our health care system and are what led to the many COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care facilities. In several states, like Massachusetts, more than half of those who have died from the virus were residents in nursing or long-term care homes. In San Antonio, there have been COVID-19 outbreaks in at least 5 nursing homes that have infected residents and staff, including Southeast Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, where an outbreak killed 19 people.

These stories led Congress to take action, by appropriating $200 million in the CARES Act to specifically aid these facilities to get a handle on the outbreaks. It also led many state executives, including Texas’ governor, to order the testing of all nursing home residents and staff.

When families make the difficult decision to put their loved one into a long-term care facility, they should only worry about when they will be able visit them, not their level of care or whether they will be safe from a pandemic.

As we begin to climb out of this pandemic, we must think about advancement not just recovery. We have to come out of this better than before, not just get back to where we were. This includes doing an analysis on what went wrong at nursing homes and what needs to be done moving forward to prevent from this from happening again. It’s not a matter of if another pandemic will happen, but when. Our nursing and long-term care homes must be better prepared.

This Congress, I signed onto H.R. 647, the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act. This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to take actions to improve palliative and hospice care training of health professionals. While this is one thing to be done, it is not going to fix the whole problem. We have to do more and get serious about taking care of our elderly.

COVID-19 didn’t start in a nursing home, it was brought in. There need to be updates to standards of care such as cleanliness, because it is what prevents disease spread amongst an already incredibly at-risk population. Currently, surveys are conducted every year by state surveyors, but there are plans to decrease surveys to every 2 years. If the conditions we have now are based on yearly surveys, imagine what happens when the system changes to biannual. These are the things we have to address.

Our moms, dads and grandparents took care of us for most of our lives, and now it’s our turn to take care of them.

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A former undercover CIA officer, entrepreneur and cybersecurity expert, Will Hurd is the U.S. Representative for the 23rd Congressional District of Texas. In Washington, he serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, where he is the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Intelligence Modernization and Readiness, and the House Committee on Appropriations, where he serves on the Subcommittees on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development.

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The power of a library is immeasurable because it is not just a repository of books but an access point to new ideas and sources of inspiration.

While National Library Week was in April and it is now May, the incredible importance of libraries is something that extends beyond one commemorative week. We should appreciate and advocate for libraries each and every day.

Even in this time of social-distancing when we cannot physically go to a library, the resources available to us are still open because a library is more than a means to borrow books—it’s a well-rounded educational tool.

When I was young, I worked in a library. Like many kids, I learned the Dewey Decimal System: How to use it, read it and ultimately track down the books I wanted to borrow. I viewed the library as a resource to find fun books to read. But I also remember the librarians who taught me how to effectively search for information.

The ability to search for information effectively and ensure it is credible is something I still use today. This power, to identify credible information, is something that we must ensure every kid has because misinformation is not only harmful, it’s dangerous.

According to the Pew Research Center, the majority of Americans today get their news from social media. Consequently, increased reliance on online media makes us more susceptible to bad actors who spread disinformation. For many Americans, the 2016 election was their first real experience with the potential impacts of widespread disinformation campaigns, but it will not be their last.

Part of participating in a democracy is doing your best to stay informed. Yet, an important element of that practice is confirming we are being informed by accurate information. We need to be able to identify how the information we are absorbing may be biased or altogether incorrect. That is where libraries come in.

The American Library Association defines digital literacy as “the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create and communicate information.”

Today, libraries provide their patrons with a multitude of unique resources that spread awareness and train individuals to use online resources and identify disinformation, whether it be through a K-12 school, university or public library.

For example, the Public Library Association (PLA) provides digital literacy resources from self-directed tutorials through DigitalLearn.

Additionally, the PLA is expanding technology access in rural communities through DigitalLead. Librarians are also focused on teaching students how to use search tools like Google most effectively and how to identify trustworthy sources versus biased information from an early age.

This is simply not enough. There needs to be a broader cultural movement on digital literacy that starts in elementary school. We all know not to get in a car with a stranger (unless it’s an Uber or Lyft driver), but why would we share information from someone we know nothing about? A digitally literate population is the best defense against future disinformation campaigns from our adversaries around the world.

If you are looking for proof that these ideas matter, look no further than the coronavirus pandemic that has affected the lives of every world citizen.

The governments of China, Russia and Iran have sought to create harmful, coordinated disinformation campaigns. The reason they did so is likely to distract their own people from their failures to address the crisis, and, sadly, their campaign could make American families and kids fall victim to false or dangerous information. This is why it is so critical we learn and teach our kids how to assess information, where it came from and if it’s true.

I have been a firm advocate for libraries throughout my time in Congress and was proud to be part of leading the bipartisan effort in the House to pass the Museum and Library Services Act of 2018.

This bill, which was signed into law on December 31, 2018, reauthorized programs administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services for six years. It included annual library grants, which provided Texas public libraries with nearly $11 million in federal assistance annually.

Although the coronavirus pandemic prevents us from physically going to our local libraries, nothing can stop us from learning from them. Visit your local library’s website and take advantage of their incredible resources. This can help us fight the misinformation campaigns that are part of our world today and will be in the future.

Afterall, today, we are really fighting two pandemics: the coronavirus and the misinformation campaigns from bad actors. Both battles require collective responsibility and collaboration from all Americans. We can and will win both fights.

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A former undercover CIA officer, entrepreneur and cybersecurity expert, Will Hurd is the U.S. Representative for the 23rd Congressional District of Texas. In Washington, he serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, where he is the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Intelligence Modernization and Readiness, and the House Committee on Appropriations, where he serves on the Subcommittees on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development.

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Over a quarter century ago, NAFTA was signed in my hometown of San Antonio and one of the key provisions was establishing the North American Development Bank (NADBank).

NADBank’s mission was to push environmental policy in the U.S.—Mexico border region and enhance trade relations between our two countries.

It worked. More than 25 years later, NADBank has been an integral player in cross-border economics, helping to finance more than 250 job-creating projects and supporting billions in infrastructure investments on both sides of the border. These projects tackled everything from helping to clean up polluted waters to addressing public health challenges and promoting greater energy production.

NADBank has partnered with local governments, municipalities and private companies across South and West Texas on several multi-million-dollar projects to improve the lives of those who live and work in these communities.

By leveraging a combination of public and private funding the institution has been able to make a big difference. These types of public-private partnerships are good governance and the examples in our communities are many:

• Marathon Water Supply and Sewer Services was able to expand service to their residents and improve their outdated sewer system that was decades old with a $1.55 million grant.

• This partnership between local and federal agencies also aided Clint and Tornillo residents in receiving clean water through improved water systems.

• A grant to Maverick County benefited all 54,000 residents by providing additional landfill space to continue managing the proper disposal of solid waste.

All these projects made much needed infrastructure improvements and prevented serious public health risks. And NADBank remains a partner at the ready for the next community service need.

NADBank has also been a key driver of our bilateral relationship with Mexico. By financing projects on both sides of the border and having a team consisting of representatives from both nations, the NADBank has aided in strengthening the dialogue between the United States and Mexico.

Last year Representative Henry Cuellar (TX-28) and I introduced the bipartisan North American Development Bank Improvement Act of 2019 to provide an increase in capital for NADBank and it was ultimately included in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) just signed into law.

Now that the USMCA is across the finish line and NADBank’s mission is reauthorized the millions of people who live in and around the border region will experience the benefits of smart polices and cross-border cooperation.

Representative Cuellar and I have worked together on many things during my time in Congress and securing these provisions for NADBank is just another example of how big things can be accomplished when we work together across the aisle.  Thanks to the provisions in the new trade agreement and the additional capital provided to NADBank our border community projects will remain priorities.

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A former undercover CIA officer, entrepreneur and cybersecurity expert, Will Hurd is the U.S. Representative for the 23rd Congressional District of Texas. In Washington, he serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, where he is the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Intelligence Modernization and Readiness, and the House Committee on Appropriations, where he serves on the Subcommittees on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development.

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The month of October brings with it many recognizable trends: the early signs of fall, stores filled with Halloween décor, pumpkin patches and pink ribbons – the universal symbol for breast cancer awareness.

Each of us knows someone who has battled cancer. And specific types of the disease can be particularly devastating. One in every eight women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and although it is much rarer in men, one in 833 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer as well. We see these statistics come to life right here in the Lone Star State.

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, breast cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in Texas women, and nearly 18,000 Texas women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. As we observe Breast Cancer Awareness Month throughout October, all of our loved ones face these daunting statistics.

While the emotional cost of cancer is immeasurable, the financial burden continues to increase. In 2018, the cost of care for patients with breast cancer across the U.S. was an estimated $19,700,000, according to the National Cancer Institute. These costs can make a terrible diagnosis that much more of challenge for families. And the cycle of treatment, bills and fighting over costs and coverage results in a process that is simply unacceptable. This is why I have been fighting for my constituents since the day I came into office to ensure that those battling cancer not only get access to high quality care but that it comes with the most accurate information for care options so patients and families can make the best-informed decisions.

In my first year in Congress, I supported the 21st Century Cures Act which authorized $6.3 billion in funding to the National Institutes of Health Innovation Project (NIHIP). Through this bipartisan bill, the NIHIP has been able to complete groundbreaking research and add additional forms of therapy for all cancer patients. The 21^st Century Cures Act also streamlined the cycle of creation so new remedies and treatments aren’t bottled up in years of approvals and litigation.

Access to care matters. In many rural parts of TX-23 folks have to drive up to 2 hours to get to a hospital that can treat them. On top of that, the waiting period for Medicare or Social Security Disability Assistance (SSDI) assistance can take months if not over a year to come through. That’s why I support the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act to eliminate the 5-month waiting period for SSDI benefits and the 24-month period for Medicare eligibility for cancer patients under the age of 65 with metastatic breast cancer. These are common sense reforms where a change in law can make all the difference to patient care.

I am also proud to cosponsor the Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act and the Know the Lowest Price Act, which require pharmacists to let their patients know if it’s cheaper to pay for a prescription out of pocket or through their insurance. When I crisscross TX-23 I hear from constituents about the burdens they face to be able to afford the medicine they need. These two vital bills help patients across South and West Texas and the nation receive the most transparency from their pharmacist and better equip them to get the most affordable prescription needed.

Additionally, I am a cosponsor of the Cancer Drug Parity Act of 2019 which would ensure that all anticancer medications are treated equally in determining cost sharing with insurance companies. Currently patients often pay a large portion of the cost for oral or self-administered anticancer drugs than IV medication which prevents patients from pursuing the best treatment plan for their disease or facing steeps costs. The sense of urgency behind the race for the cure is because patients need solutions now, and I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress toward any step we can take in the name of care. One day I hope this research we have funded finds that groundbreaking solution that rids the world of this terrible disease.

As always, my team and I are here to serve you. If you are having issues with Medicare, Social Security or any federal agency please do not hesitate to contact my office at 210-921-3130.

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A former undercover CIA officer, entrepreneur and cybersecurity expert, Will Hurd is the U.S. Representative for the 23rd Congressional District of Texas. In Washington, he serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, where he is the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Intelligence Modernization and Readiness, and the House Committee on Appropriations, where he serves on the Subcommittees on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development.

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Sirens blaring loudly in the distance. Bright streaks of light in the sky. Deadly explosions seconds later. This is not a scene from a war movie. These are the sights and sounds in Israel today in 2019.

On the weekend of May 4^th, Hamas and other terrorist groups fired more than 600 rockets into Israel from the Gaza strip. Their aim is to kill innocent civilians and sow chaos. But the Israelis have remained strong, and I am proud to stand behind our greatest ally in the Middle East.

I have made multiple trips to Israel and seen firsthand the threats they face every day. One of the most interesting places I visited was an Iron Dome facility in Southern Israel. Iron Dome is a missile defense system developed by the Israelis that has shot down thousands of rockets that might otherwise have landed in urban areas.

The system is so effective that is has an almost 90% success rate at stopping incoming rockets. That’s why the U.S. has provided significant security assistance to Israel to deploy more Iron Dome batteries. In the last two years, I have voted for $162 million in funding for this critical system that is protecting innocent lives every day in Israel.

I also remain committed to containing the aggressive ambitions of the Iranian regime. Make no mistake – the current regime in Tehran represents an existential threat to the State of Israel.

As a state sponsor of terror for decades, Iran has provided Hamas, Hezbollah and other terrorist groups targeting Israel with weapons, rockets and financial support that has been used to attack innocent civilians and destabilize the region.

I strongly support the Administration’s decision to withdraw from President Obama’s flawed nuclear deal with Iran and reimpose tough sanctions on the regime. Until the Iranian government stops backing terrorist groups, we cannot waver in our resolve to support Israel and our allies in the region against this malign regime.

The threats facing Israel’s security, however, go beyond violence in the region. Israel also faces a coordinated campaign to exclude the its people from the economic and cultural life of the rest of the world.

The Global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement (BDS) seeks to delegitimize the State of Israel and isolate it from the community of nations by targeting both Israeli and foreign companies and institutions, solely because of their association with Israel.

The United States is a critical partner in a violent and turbulent region and must stand with Israel against this global movement, which is why I have joined my colleagues in supporting legislation that condemns the BDS movement and gives state and local governments new tools to fight back against these groups.

In the dangerous world facing the United States abroad, it is more important than ever that we support our friends and allies. Amid rocket attacks from terrorist groups, the threat posed by Iran and rising antisemitism around the world, the United States should continue to stand side-by-side with our brothers and sisters in Israel.

As your Representative, I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure we do just that.

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A former undercover CIA officer, entrepreneur and cybersecurity expert, Will Hurd is the U.S. Representative for the 23rd Congressional District of Texas. In Washington, he serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, where he is the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Intelligence Modernization and Readiness, and the House Committee on Appropriations, where he serves on the Subcommittees on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development.

There’s no better time to go outside than Springtime. Here in the 23^rd District of Texas, there’s also no better time to find your park, and you have eight incredible options to choose from across South and West Texas.

From the San Antonio Missions all the way to the Guadalupe Mountains out West, our national parks and historic sites offer immeasurable environmental, cultural and economic benefits across our communities.

As we celebrate the National Parks Conservation Association’s 100^th anniversary and National Park Week from April 20-28, it’s a reminder to each of us to join in the fight to preserve and maintain our natural treasures for future generations of park-goers to enjoy.

It is a distinct honor to represent eight national parks and historic sites, including Big Bend National Park, the San Antonio Missions, Amistad National Recreation Area, the Fort Davis National Historic Site, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River, El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail and El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail.

That is also why it is a top priority of mine to do all that I can in Congress to fight for our parks.

This Congress, my colleagues and I have come together in a bipartisan manner to support our parks and historic sites by passing the Natural Resources Management Act, which brought together over 100 different initiatives by Republicans and Democrats to care for our natural treasures and make them more accessible.

A few of these measures include providing 4^th graders with free access to national parks and other public lands through the Every Kid Outdoors Act, increasing access to federal lands for hunting and fishing and permanently reauthorizing the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which has been vital for preserving state and national parks.

Since LWCF was established, our local parks have received millions in funding, including over $3.4 million at Guadalupe Mountains National Park, $8.6 million at the San Antonio Missions, $750,000 at Fort Davis National Historic Site, $950,000 at the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River, $589,000 to Big Bend and nearly $20,000 to Amistad.

I also helped introduced a bipartisan bill to reduce the massive backlog of deferred maintenance project across the National Parks System.

This backlog includes over $12 billion in maintenance projects, including repairing roads, visitor facilities and other park structures, leaky plumbing and more. In fact, in 2017 alone, national parks in Texas faced over $167 million in these deferred projects.

Over $100 million of this backlog was at Big Bend alone, with another $7 million at Amistad, $6.4 million at Guadalupe Mountains National Park, $2.8 million at Fort Davis National Historic Site and $6.9 million at the San Antonio Missions.

The Restore our Parks and Public Lands Act helps fix our parks by distributing currently unassigned federal mineral revenues back into a restoration fund to address this backlog. The funds can be used for overdue repairs so that our parks can remain beautiful and accessible for future generations of park-goers to enjoy.

I take great pride in our National Parks and will continue to protect them in Congress. Our South and West Texas national parks and historic sites are treasures we must protect for years to come.

With National Park Week upon us, I encourage you to experience these remarkable destinations for yourself.

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A former undercover CIA officer, entrepreneur and cybersecurity expert, Will Hurd is the U.S. Representative for the 23rd Congressional District of Texas. In Washington, he serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, where he is the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Intelligence Modernization and Readiness, and the House Committee on Appropriations, where he serves on the Subcommittees on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development.

You may have heard that there’s a place in far West Texas where the night skies are dark as coal and rivers carve temple-like canyons in ancient limestone. This isn’t simply folklore and is actually located right here in the 23rd District of Texas.

I have the distinct honor of representing in Congress a total of eight national parks and historic sites, including Big Bend National Park described above, and our San Antonio Missions. It is a top priority of mine to make sure our parks remain beautiful and accessible for South and West Texas families to enjoy for generations to come.

Unfortunately, our parks are in dire need of repairs. In fact, last year in Texas alone, the National Park Service faced over $167 million in backlogged maintenance projects, including repairs to roads, visitor facilities, trails and other park structures.

In many of these cases, buildings are crumbling, roads are inaccessible, trails are overgrown and sewer systems are at risk of failing – dramatically impacting the natural environment and visitor experience. To make matters worse, nearly 75 percent of deferred maintenance projects in Texas are in our TX-23 parks and historic sites, at a whopping cost of:

• $100,421,335 at Big Bend National Park;
• $6,937,728 at San Antonio Missions National Historic Park;
• $7,031,046 at Amistad National Recreational Area in Del Rio;
• $2,810,717 at Fort Davis National Historic Site; and,
• $6,411,208 at Guadalupe Mountains National Park in the town Salt Flat in West Texas.

You don’t have to be a math major to realize that’s a lot of backlog and a big problem. I wholeheartedly believe that we have a responsibility to care for our national parks and historic sites so they are available for future generations of park goers to enjoy. That’s why I joined forces with my colleagues in the House and Senate on both sides of the political aisle to introduce the Restore Our Parks & Public Lands Act.

This bipartisan proposal represents the merging of several approaches, including my similar bill, the National Park Service Legacy Act, to reduce this backlog so we can fix our parks once and for all. This bill helps to jump start our overdue maintenance projects by directing existing federal funding to a newly established restoration fund, which will allow the National Park Service to invest in needed repairs.

The only way we can solve big problems in Congress is by working together, and this bill further exemplifies a team effort. I’ll continue to be a champion of our parks and work in a bipartisan manner to find solutions to the biggest problems facing our nation.

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A former undercover CIA officer, entrepreneur and cybersecurity expert, Will Hurd is the U.S. Representative for the 23rd Congressional District of Texas. In Washington, he serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, as Vice Chair of the Maritime and Border Security Subcommittee on the Committee for Homeland Security, and as the Chairman of the Information Technology Subcommittee on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

When I was in grade school, at least one teacher always had a sign in the classroom that said “reading is fundamental.” This is as true now as it was then. Learning how to read is a fundamental skill that can determine the course of one’s life. But you don’t have to take my word for it – the statistics speak for themselves.

According to the Children’s Literacy Foundation, students who don’t read proficiently by third grade are four times more likely than proficient readers to drop out of high school. As you might imagine, those at the lowest literacy levels have a higher rate of unemployment and earn lower wages than average. In addition, a staggering 75 percent of state prison inmates did not complete high school or can be classified as low literate.

Beyond the obvious social devastation, low literacy costs the U.S. at least $225 billion every single year in non-productivity in the workforce, crime and loss of tax revenue due to unemployment.

To make matters worse, the problem is cyclical. Children that have parents with low literacy skills have a 72 percent chance of being at the lowest reading levels themselves. Reading is fundamental for folks to earn an education, find a job and make a life for themselves.

Fortunately, if you are reading this, you’re likely not among the nearly 20% of adults in Texas who are at the lowest literacy level. However, you have an important role to play to ensure that our kids don’t slip into the summer slide, a nationwide trend showing that many students start the new academic year with lower reading skills than at the beginning of summer break.

In fact, a 2017 Brookings study found that on average, students’ achievement scores declined over summer vacation by one month’s worth of school-year learning. The decline varies between subjects and ages, but the extent of loss is far greater among lower income students.

Overall, the summer slide can perpetuate years of unnecessary hardship for the next generation of Americans.

Together, it’s our job to change this trend so that every student in South and West Texas has a chance for success. That’s why I’m challenging parents and teachers from San Antonio to El Paso to encourage students to take on the TX-23 Summer Reading Surge and read five books this summer before school starts back up in the fall.

There are plenty of ways to keep kids on track with their reading while enjoying a nice summer with your family. For example, our public libraries offer invaluable resources for learning at all ages. Especially in this summer heat, our kids can travel around the world, to space, and to any land they can imagine just by turning a page.

What are you and your family reading this summer? I want to know. I encourage you to post your summer reading list on social media with the hashtag #SummerReadingSurge and be sure to follow along on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube at @HurdontheHill.

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 A former undercover CIA officer, entrepreneur and cybersecurity expert, Will Hurd is the U.S. Representative for the 23rd Congressional District of Texas. In Washington, he serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, as Vice Chair of the Maritime and Border Security Subcommittee on the Committee for Homeland Security, and as the Chairman of the Information Technology Subcommittee on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

Folks in the 23rd District know well that West Texas energy fuels our economy. In fact, the Texas portion of the Permian Basin alone provides more than 444,000 jobs, contributes more than $60.2 billion to the Gross State Product of Texas and generates $113.6 billion in economic output for local communities.

What’s equally as important is that energy security is national security. Many folks don’t realize the hardworking Texans getting in their trucks each morning to work on nearby rigs or at refineries are doing much more than earning a paycheck – they are playing an important role protecting our nation from threats abroad. Here’s why:

Due to the discovery of significant reserves across the United States, including the Permian Basin, the nation has ramped up domestic oil production. In doing so, we have reduced our dependence on other oil producing nations while concurrently securing and improving our economy.

Countries across the globe are now looking to the United States to supply energy, ultimately diminishing the influence of other countries, such as Russia, on the industry. It is exciting that TX-23 is ground zero for North American energy dominance and so many hardworking Texans have a hand in our foreign policy by simply doing their jobs.

Recently, I spent a week in West Texas with employers, constituents and energy stakeholders to see their contributions firsthand in the Delaware Basin, a portion of the Permian Basin that spans across Culberson, Jeff Davis, Loving, Pecos, Reeves, Ward and Winkler Counties.  I started my trip in Orla where I visited a new natural gas processing plant. With more than $250 million invested to ensure the safe and responsible development of this facility, more jobs for the hardworking folks in TX-23 are on the way.

In addition to hosting an energy roundtable in Fort Stockton, a town hall in Monahans and visiting facilities in Balmorhea and Pecos, I toured the site of a new refinery outside of Fort Stockton.

This will be the first project of its kind built in the United States in 47 years. The refinery operator chose Fort Stockton because of the available land, access to natural resources and the South Orient-Texas Pacifico railroad that travels to Mexico through the border town of Presidio.

My office worked with Texas Department of Transportation to secure grant funding to begin fixing an ailing rail line and the Presidio rail bridge that previously burned in a fire.  It is particularly rewarding to see this private-sector investment in our community that will help grow jobs in the area and improve the economy.

The United States is a global powerhouse due to so many Texans who support the energy industry right here in our backyard. West Texas energy fuels our economy, fosters thousands of local jobs and allows us to bolster our national security by relying less on other oil-producing countries for natural resources. I’ll continue to work with my colleagues in our nation’s capital to create pro-growth policies to ensure South and West Texas continues to thrive.

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A former undercover CIA officer, entrepreneur and cybersecurity expert, Will Hurd is the U.S. Representative for the 23rd Congressional District of Texas. In Washington, he serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, as Vice Chair of the Maritime and Border Security Subcommittee on the Committee for Homeland Security, and as the Chairman of the Information Technology Subcommittee on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

No one wants to hear about another hack. As our society becomes more and more reliant on constantly emerging technologies from smart phones to smart cities, we have not been able to keep our digital information secure while harnessing these innovations.

Cybersecurity is no longer only about protecting your social security or bank numbers – it’s about keeping our electricity on and our economy functioning. Nearly every aspect of our lives nowadays depends on technology, which means they are also all vulnerable to hacks.

I came to Congress to find solutions and fix problems, which is why I’m excited to team up with private sector leaders to develop real solutions as a tri-chair of the Aspen Cyber Strategy Group. This group brings together experts and thought leaders across industry sectors to keep up to date on the latest malicious cyber threats and trends.

It can be hard to fully grasp the severity of our current situation. However, the reality is that although the concept of a cyberattack can seem distant and elusive, cyberattacks are very real and impact all of us, our businesses and our economy.

For example, this past year alone, companies lost over $1.2 billion from malware attacks. This is money that could’ve gone into investments like hiring or new equipment purchases.  Due to hacks, in 2017 alone, personal information was compromised for 198 million voters, three billion Yahoo account users and 145 million civilians due to the infamous Equifax breach, among others.  These hacks will continue to occur until we find and implement concrete, tangible solutions.

That’s why I’ve agreed to lead the initiative and the government cannot do it alone. The new group will facilitate robust conversation between 35 CEOs, lawmakers and academics on how to best address today’s cybersecurity challenges.

For us to truly find a fix to our systemic cybersecurity challenges, the public and private sectors need to work together, and more importantly, the public needs to know that without action their safety and personal information may be at risk. By utilizing experts from the public and private sectors, we will be able to develop tangible, implementable cybersecurity recommendations.

Emerging technology is an exciting thing. It allows us to travel faster, live longer, and communicate more efficiently. At the same time, innovation creates new threats, and we must do a better job protecting ourselves and our systems. This year I’m looking forward to working with policy makers, business owners and cyber experts to turn our security recommendations into action.

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A former undercover CIA officer, entrepreneur and cybersecurity expert, Will Hurd is the U.S. Representative for the 23rd Congressional District of Texas. In Washington, he serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, as Vice Chair of the Maritime and Border Security Subcommittee on the Committee for Homeland Security, and as the Chairman of the Information Technology Subcommittee on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

October marks Cybersecurity Awareness Month, an opportunity to recognize the increasing importance of digital security and to share best practices for keeping our digital information safe.

As we continue to become more dependent on computers, automation and digital data storage, every aspect of our lives – from personal banking information to private health records to our credit records – is vulnerable to hacks.

Government, private-sector and individuals have a long way to go to implement basic cyber hygiene, but the first step towards achieving this goal is having an awareness of the problem. While October is devoted to spreading cyber awareness, we have to protect our systems all year long.

One of the things that make major hacks so frustrating is that many could have been prevented with simple cyber hygiene basics like installing regular software updates and utilizing a complex login password (something other than ‘password’ or ‘12345678’).

For individuals, the easiest way to protect your digital information is by having different, strong passwords for each platform – using numbers, letters and special characters. It seems simple, but it is alarming how many folks have their personal information compromised due to failure to implement this easy step.

As a graduate of Texas A&M University in Computer Science, a former cybersecurity entrepreneur and current Chair of the House IT Subcommittee, one of my highest policy priorities in Congress is defending our digital infrastructure.

As a Chairman I’ve been able to explore ways to better protect our digital infrastructure and I continue to work with my colleagues across the aisle to advocate for policy solutions that drive innovation.  One of these solutions is our Smart Government bill called the Modernizing Government Technology (MGT) Act. This major IT Reform package is designed to strengthen information security by accelerating the federal government’s transition to modern technology like cloud computing.

The federal government spends $90 billion a year on purchasing technology and software and 75% of this money is spent on maintaining old, outdated systems. Our government needs to be able to introduce cutting-edge technology into their networks to improve operational efficiency and decrease cost. The MGT Act does just that, and I am proud that it has passed in both the House and the Senate, and is merely days away from becoming law.

My next initiative is championing the development of a Cyber National Guard. The premise behind this idea is relatively simple: If a student wants to pursue a college degree in computer science, the U.S. Government will pay for it, but they have to agree to work for the federal government for a number of years after they graduate.

Once they complete their term of service in the government and have moved onto the private-sector, they will still rotate back into the federal government for the proverbial two weeks per year in a capacity that would closely resemble that of a reservist.

A Cyber National Guard would ensure a pipeline of quality talent into the federal government and maintain our world leadership in the digital realm by ensuring a regular exchange of talent between the public and private sectors.

The security that Americans enjoy today will not last if we don’t continue to discover the latest ground-breaking technology, engineer the most advanced weaponry and protect our cyber infrastructure from attacks.

The United States must continue to invest in cutting-edge research, encourage private-sector technology development and educate future generations of scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians.  And the importance of cybersecurity cannot be overstated.

Since October is National Disability Awareness Month, it gives us the opportunity to celebrate the contributions made to the fabric of our society by our fellow Americans with disabilities.

It’s important to highlight people like my constituent and Helotes neighbor Stefanie Cowley who through persistence and dogged tenacity has made life better for so many people.

Stefanie’s life changed forever in 2007 when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease with unknown causes in which the immune system eats away at the protective covering of a person’s nerves. Over the next four years, she struggled to find medical treatment options in the United States and her condition worsened.

Relentlessly exploring all treatments, Stefanie eventually resorted to medical tourism and finally began to see progress with a stem cell treatment that was not yet available in Texas. Knowing it could help others just like her, Stefanie spent hours at the Texas State Legislature advocating for Charlie’s Law to allow stem cell therapy access for patients with certain chronic diseases and terminal illnesses, like MS. Thanks to Stefanie, the bill was signed into law in June this year, allowing thousands of suffering Texans to use their own stem cells as medicine.

As treatments and therapy improved her condition, Stefanie joined groups that fight for MS treatment and research, such as Team Wingman in Helotes, and Patients for Stem Cells, who fight for access to adult stem cell therapy. She not only became a voice for those with MS, but also an inspiration to her community.

For her tireless advocacy, Stefanie was recognized as the 2017 Advocate of the Year by San Antonio Independent Living Services.

Stefanie’s stem cell treatments became so successful that she could put her weight on her legs again and no longer needed a traditional wheelchair. The only problem was that she could not get a standing wheelchair approved by Medicare which would help her continue to build muscle in her legs and dramatically improve her quality of life.

Stefanie was familiar with my office and district staff because we had worked through some Medicare issues for her in the past, and she approached us for some help on this latest issue. We pinpointed why her previous Medicare applications for a standing wheelchair were getting denied by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services and made the fix. She got her standing wheelchair within a week, and in the process, made it easier for people in similar situations to be successful.

I first met Stefanie during a town hall meeting in 2016. She educated me on the issue of stem cell treatments and the peculiarities of the existing law on this topic. Witnessing what she has been able to accomplish on behalf of the MS community in such a short period of time is truly inspiring.

Stefanie’s story of perseverance is an example to us all on how to fight for what is right. It’s an honor to have worked alongside her and to be able to call her a friend.

If you know someone like Stefanie who is fighting the federal bureaucracy and needs some help, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 210-921-3130.

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Author – A former undercover CIA officer, entrepreneur and cybersecurity expert, Will Hurd is the U.S. Representative for the 23rd Congressional District of Texas. In Washington, he serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, as Vice Chair of the Maritime and Border Security Subcommittee on the Committee for Homeland Security, and as the Chairman of the Information Technology Subcommittee on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

When I was an undercover CIA officer, I served alongside real patriots. I got out of bed each day knowing that my colleagues and I were standing tall against those trying to harm America.

For almost a decade, I was the guy in the back alleys at four o’clock in the morning chasing terrorists in groups like al-Qaeda, and collecting intelligence on threats to our homeland. Unfortunately, that’s not the only job I’ve had where the life of my friends and colleagues were threatened.

On June 14, 2017, an individual attempted to assassinate several of my colleagues, including House Majority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA), during a practice for the annual Congressional Baseball Game when Members of Congress play against each other to raise money for charity. Despite the horrific shooting, people from across the political spectrum rebelled against fear and the game went on.

Thousands of people set their political views aside in solidarity for the victims, doubling the previous attendance record and raising over $1.5 million for charity.

The event reminded us that life is precious and that an attack on one of us is an attack on our institutions. My concern is that we will be unable to put aside our labels of Democrat or Republican and continue this spirit of cooperation the further we get from the incident. One of the founding principles of our great nation is free speech – or put alternatively, the ability to disagree. Through civil discourse and competition of ideas, we have created policies that have allowed Americans and America to prosper.

To put this into context, the same week that my friends were shot on the baseball field, the Chinese government was attempting to restrict their citizens from using social media platforms to express dissent. We cannot take our rights for granted. We need to use this right to free speech to show each other and the rest of the world that more unites us than divides us.

I’ve heard repeatedly while crisscrossing the 23^rd Congressional District of Texas that people are worried that our country is on the wrong track. I understand why you all feel this way – I often feel the same after seeing the pointless partisan bickering in Congress. If we change the way we behave in the political arena, we can change the outcomes of the political process and create innovative solutions that ensure American prosperity.

Bipartisanship is a real thing, and the only way to ensure that everyone is heard. We can disagree without being disagreeable, and more importantly, we must work together to solve our nation’s major problems. If we want our country to be better, each one of us needs to be better. For us to be better, we need to change how we talk to one another, because words matter.

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A former undercover CIA officer, entrepreneur and cybersecurity expert, Will Hurd is the U.S. Representative for the 23rd Congressional District of Texas. In Washington, he serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, as Vice Chair of the Maritime and Border Security Subcommittee on the Committee for Homeland Security, and as the Chairman of the Information Technology Subcommittee on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee.