A Great Week For Texas

This was a great week for Texas. I was so proud that President-elect Trump nominated two Texans to his cabinet and I am especially pleased that my good friend, Rick Perry, will be heading the U.S. Department of Energy. This puts him in a position to move the entire country onto the path we have followed in Texas, with cutting edge energy policies that effectively utilize our energy resources while leading the way on renewable energy options. In Texas, we know this means business growth, innovation and, most importantly, jobs.

There were many reasons that I campaigned hard for Donald Trump in Texas. The Supreme Court and border security were critical, but energy was also near top of my list. I knew that having a Democrat in the White House for four more years would devastate our oil and gas industry. In conversations with President-elect Trump and his team, it is clear that he understands that too, which is why Rick Perry is the perfect choice. Rick will remove the shackles the Democrats have put on our energy sector and assure that America effectively reaches its energy potential.

When I am speaking around the state, I frequently say that “Texas is what the rest of America wants to be.” There is no better way to move the country forward than by putting Texas leaders in key positions. The appointments of Rick Perry to Energy and Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State are not just good for Texas, they are good for America.

Conservative Priorities in the Texas Legislature
Last week Senator Joan Huffman, R-Houston, filed one of my top legislative priorities SB 13 – the Union Dues bill. This legislation will ensure that taxpayer funds are not used to support the collection of union dues. Collecting dues is clearly not the role of government, and it certainly should not be done at taxpayer expense. This bill places government in its appropriate neutral position and lets unions collect their own membership dues. You can read my full statement here.

In 2016, Texas has had more law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty than any state When we lose one of these committed officers, we must help their families, who must move forward without them. Last week, Senator Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, and members of the San Antonio Senatorial delegation filed Joint Resolution 1 – First Responder Property Tax Relief, which, along with Senate Bill 15 by Senator Don Huffines, R-Dallas, and the Dallas Senatorial delegation, will eliminate property taxes for the surviving spouses of officers who are killed in the line of duty, as we do for our veterans. Dallas, of course, lost 5 police officers in the line of duty in July and a San Antonio officer was killed in the line of duty last month. This legislation is one way we can show our tremendous gratitude. Read my full statement on the filing of Senate Joint Resolution 1 here.

#BacktheBlue Christmas Ornament Giveaway
Thank you for showing your support for the Texas men and women in law enforcement last week by entering our #BacktheBlue Christmas Ornament Giveaway. The winner has been notified and will receive their “Back the Blue” Christmas ornament soon. I’d love to see how you are showing your support for Texas first responders this Christmas. Post your pictures on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #BacktheBlueChristmas.

Follow me on Instagram
You can follow my new Instagram account @DanPatrickTexas by clicking here. I look forward to sharing more with you there.

Thank you for joining me to support our Texas first responders.