The Hill Report: Week of May 15 - 19, 2017

As we celebrate National Police Week I would like to extend a special thank you to the men and women in the law enforcement community who make endless sacrifices to protect our families and neighborhoods. Last July, in my home city of Dallas, the men and women of the Dallas Police Department were mercilessly targeted and killed as they defended North Texans from a lone shooter. Countless lives could have been lost if these officers did not stand strong in the face of terror and vigilantly protect the people of Dallas. It is because of their bravery and professionalism that no civilians were killed. The sacrifice that these fallen officers made will forever be honored and serve as a resounding reminder of our endless gratitude to the men and women of the police force.

Congressman Sessions with Richardson Police Officers last week at lunch and during his ride a long with the officers on Friday night

To show our support for the men and women in blue, the House passed two measures that will provide our local officers with greater protection from those who violently target them and ensure probation officers have the authority to make necessary arrests or restraints if they are in danger. Our police officers are the cornerstone of our communities and I will continue to protect them just as they protect us.

Congressman Sessions with two Dallas Police Officers

ALS Meeting 
This week I was honored to welcome a Texas family in my office to their experiences with receiving a diagnosis of ALS. I have worked closely with this community to improve both research and quality of life, so I was very pleased to hear of a new treatment just coming to market this month. I look forward to continuing this relationship with the community to bring more treatments  to market and to ensure individuals and families have the support they need to deal with this disease.

Congressman Sessions with ALS representatives from Texas

Eugene McDermott Scholars Program at University of Texas at Dallas 
I was pleased Tuesday to meet with the Eugene McDermott Scholars from the University of Texas at Dallas. We had a very fruitful discussion about Congress' current policy initiatives, particularly health care and education reform. They were very interested to learn about life on Capitol Hill andthe functions of a congressional office. I wish them all a very bright future after graduation and throughout their careers.
 
American Organization of Nurse Executives 
Nurse executives from the North Texas area stopped by my office Wednesday to discuss ongoing issues in nursing, especially the shortage our country is currently facing. Nursing students in Texas particularly rely on Nursing Workforce Development Programs. I am excited to be a member of theimportant Congressional Nursing Caucus and support  the many facets of our medical community.
 
Toyota 
Our neighboring city of Plano is the soon-to-be home to the Headquarters of Toyota. I was pleased to discuss this exciting news with members of this great company. I was pleased to learn that this brand new North American Headquarters is expected to bring 18,220 tons of steel and limestone, and over a thousand jobs. In fact, the new Headquarters is expected to have a $7.2 billion dollar impact on the neighboring areas. What an incredible opportunity for North Texas.

Congressman Sessions with Sandra Phillips Rogers the Group Vice President of  Toyota Motor North America Inc.

Laffer Associates 
Dr. Arthur Laffer is rightly known as “The Father of Supply-Side Economics.”  His distinguished service in the field of economics has guided Congressional deliberation and policy. I had theopportunity to speak to Dr. Laffer and a number of key conservatives about the pro-growth movement and the opportunity to overhaul our nation’s tax code in a way that reflects our economic principles. Economic prosperity and growth remains top in my mind, and in the House Republicans' legislative agenda. I'm looking forward to the opportunities we have ahead to make live better for Texas families and small businesses.

National Association of Realtors 
A highlight of my week was spending time with over a dozen North Texas realtors talking about issues of great importance to our community. Housing sustainability and preserving the mortgage interest deduction are two key policies that are critical to our North Texas home. Thank you to Mary Poss and all the other men and women who take such pride in helping us find the perfect homes for our families.