Welcome back to the Pfluger Fly-By, a weekly roundup of the work I am doing to represent you and our communities in Congress.
It was a busy week representing you in Washington. I convened the first meeting of the year for the U.S. Air Force Academy Board of Visitors, delivered over $20 million in investments for TX-11 through the annual appropriations process, questioned witnesses on the reauthorization of FirstNet, conducted oversight on FERC, introduced legislation to strengthen U.S. networks, appeared on the RSC’s podcast with Budget Chairman Jodey Arrington, and much more.
Along with this weekly recap, I have included a comprehensive list of resources for those who were severely impacted or suffered agricultural losses from Winter Storm Fern. I am grateful to our first responders and local leaders who demonstrated outstanding leadership in preparing the communities across Texas-11 for the freezing temperatures.
As always, my team and I are here to serve you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need assistance.
Best,
U.S. Air Force Academy Board of Visitors Meeting in Washington
As Chairman of the U.S. Air Force Academy Board of Visitors, I convened the Board’s first meeting of 2026 this week in Washington, D.C., hosting United States Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink for an important discussion on the future of the Academy and its readiness to develop war-ready officers. I’m grateful to my fellow Board members for their continued commitment to ensuring the U.S. Air Force Academy has the support it needs to produce the warfighters and leaders our nation needs for future conflict.
As part of its statutory responsibilities, the Board prepared a report for Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s review. The Board’s role to fulfill this mission comes at a critical time, as recent military operations around the globe have underscored the importance of Airpower. From academics to athletics to military training, all Academy efforts must be focused on developing the officers needed to lead complex and multi-domain operations. The report we have compiled supports this mission, and I look forward to working with Secretary Hegseth and Secretary Meink on implementing its recommendations.
Oversight of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
I questioned FERC Chairman Laura Swett on how to prevent a repeat of several failures witnessed during Winter Storm Fern during a House Energy and Commerce Energy Subcommittee hearing on oversight of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). As families across the country are still digging out from Winter Storm Fern, the need for energy reliability is top of mind because when energy can’t move where it’s needed in unfavorable weather conditions, Americans pay the price.
During the height of Winter Storm Fern, states with access to reliable natural gas pipelines saw lower energy prices and fewer disruptions. Meanwhile, areas without this faced price spikes of up to 300%, forcing grid operators to burn oil and rely on imported energy just to keep the lights on. The reason for this was not a supply issue, but rather a lack of pipeline capacity. I will always advocate for a “Best of the Above” energy approach that strengthens reliability, affordability, and American energy security. Watch my full line of questioning here or by clicking the image below.
Securing U.S. Networks
Americans’ phone calls, texts, and data travel across networks that are facing a sharp rise in cyberattacks. Recent reporting revealed that millions of attacks were launched against U.S. telecommunications providers in a single year. This double‑digit percentage spike cost billions of dollars in losses worldwide and put Americans’ privacy and security at risk.
While artificial intelligence has unfortunately given our adversaries powerful new tools to launch mass cyberattacks against critical infrastructure, AI can, and should, also be used to harden and defend those same systems. That’s why I’m proud to lead the bipartisan, common-sense AI for Secure Networks Act to harness AI to strengthen real-time threat detection, boost resiliency and interoperability, and make our next‑generation networks more secure and efficient. The threat is real, and the United States must act now to secure our networks for the future. Read more about the legislation here or by clicking the image below.
Republicans Must Strike Now on a Second Reconciliation Bill
I joined my good friend House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington on the Republican Study Committee (RSC) podcast to make the case for a second reconciliation bill that focuses on affordability for hardworking Americans. The Biden-Harris agenda drove up costs across the board, and it’s up to Republicans to address it. Chairman Arrington and I also stressed that it would be political malpractice not to utilize the reconciliation process, so our conservative agenda is not stalled by Democrat obstruction. Listen to our full conversation on Spotify and Apple Podcasts or by clicking the image below.
Reauthorizing FirstNet
During a House Energy and Commerce Communications and Technology Subcommittee hearing, I pushed for transparency, efficiency, and oversight of the reauthorization of FirstNet. Created in response to serious communications failures during the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, FirstNet is used frequently by first responders and public safety officials during times of emergency.
I questioned witnesses about how FirstNet’s chain of command can be improved and how they plan to strengthen their network by partnering with the Midland-based company AST SpaceMobile to deliver space-based direct-to-direct capabilities for first responders. Watch my full line of questioning here or by clicking the image below.
Delivering for Texas-11
The U.S. House of Representatives completed its work to pass all annual funding bills. I secured over $20 million in Texas-11 investments that will go directly to communities across Central and West Texas. These projects will provide local law enforcement with more resources, support health care facilities, improve water and road infrastructure, and much more.
Texans in Washington
I enjoyed meeting with many constituents and Texans in our nation’s capital this week. Thank you for your collaboration in making Texas-11 the best place to live and raise a family!
KOXE Morning Show with Jeff Duncan
To wrap up the week, I joined the KOXE Morning Show hosted by Jeff Duncan to discuss how House Republicans have returned to regular order, the successful border policies of the Trump administration, and more. Listen to our full conversation here or by clicking on the image below.
ICYMI: Texas-11 is Going to Keep More in Their Pockets.
This week marked the start of the 2026 tax season. I firmly believe that Americans deserve lower taxes and less government in their lives. Thanks to House Republicanspassing the Working Families Tax Cuts (WFTC) last year, Americans are set to keep more of their hard-earned money.
The most impactful victory from the WFTC is the permanent extension of the 2017 Trump tax cuts. Without this, over 475,000 taxpayers in Texas’s 11th Congressional District would have faced a devastating 26% tax increase – the largest in American history. This legislation is a clear response to what the American people demanded, and House Republicans delivered on their promises.
What You Can Look Forward to this Tax Season:
No tax on overtime
No tax on tips
No tax on social security for 88% of all seniors who receive it
Expanded Child Tax Credit and Adoption Tax Credit
Enhanced Standard Deduction
Trump Savings Accounts for America’s children (Learn about enrolling your child here)
Enhanced death tax exemptions of $15 million per individual
Broadened small business tax breaks
Watch me walk through a few of the provisions we secured in the WFTC here or by clicking the image below.
ICYMI: Recovery Resources for Winter Storm Fern
This past month, Winter Storm Fern moved through many communities across Texas-11. I want to make sure you and your families are up to date with recovery resources if you were severely impacted.
You can access additional weather safety tips by visiting TexasReady.gov
Food Safety:
Winter storms can also cause power outages that can compromise stored food. For food safety questions, call the Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854 (Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. ET), or email MPHotline@usda.gov. Meat and poultry businesses may contact the FSIS Small Plant Help Desk online 24/7, call 1-877-FSIS-HELP (1-877-374-7435), or email InfoSource@usda.gov.
Resources for Agricultural Producers:
If you are an agricultural producer in Texas-11, please visit the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) at farmers.gov for additional resources. If you incur agricultural losses due to Winter Storm Fern, please visit the USDA’s Disaster Resource Center.
FSA also offers financial support to farmers and ranchers impacted by natural disasters, including:
Direct and guaranteed farm loans, including operating and emergency farm loans, to producers unable to secure commercial financing.
Low-interest emergency loans for producers in designated disaster areas to help recover from production and physical losses.
Loan servicing options for borrowers unable to make scheduled payments due to circumstances beyond their control.
Our office stands ready to assist and answer any of your questions. Please don’t hesitate to reach out.
REMINDER: If you are in need of assistance with a federal agency, my office is here to help. For more information, please visit our website HERE.
Thank you for reading. It is the honor of my lifetime to serve you in Congress. Please follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) for daily updates.
