U.S. Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) honored fallen Army Pvt. Isabella Gonzales before a packed crowd Wednesday at his Flower Mound district office, where constituents gathered for an open house and America 250 celebration.
An enemy attack at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan killed Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, on July 17, the Army said. The Army linked the deaths to Iranian aggression. Gonzales served with the 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment.
“We just this past week lost one of our own, Private Isabella Gonzales, who was killed in Jordan in an Iranian airstrike,” Gill told attendees.
“Absolutely horrific tragedy. Make sure we don’t forget because that’s the reason why we get to live in the greatest country in the world. We have an incredible military willing to sacrifice everything for us.”
Gill Highlights Legislative Record
Gill also highlighted work by the Republican-controlled Congress during his first 18 months in office, pointing to tax cuts, border-security spending and changes to mandatory federal programs.
“We’ve gotten a lot of work done over the past year and a half,” Gill said. “We passed the big tax bill last year. We cut taxes across the board, provided over $100 billion in border security funding, cut about half of the Green New Deal.”
He also called the law “the biggest mandatory spending reform ever in American history.” Gill serves on the House Budget, Judiciary, and Oversight and Government Reform committees.
District Office Connects Constituents
In an interview with The Dallas Express, Gill said the open house gave residents a chance to meet the staff and bring concerns directly to him.
“For me, it’s a good opportunity to bring anybody who wants to come to the district office, let them meet the staff—people who are doing a ton of work on behalf of Texas’ 26th Congressional District,” Gill said.
“It also gives me another opportunity to see constituents and hear directly from them what they’re focused on so I can take that back to D.C.”
Gill said staff members can help constituents navigate problems involving federal agencies, including Social Security, immigration, Medicare and Medicaid.
“That could be anything from a Social Security check that didn’t arrive, immigration issues, Medicare and Medicaid, or really anything that touches a government agency,” Gill told The Dallas Express.
SAVE America Act Push Continues
Gill also discussed the SAVE America Act, which would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote and photo identification before voting in federal elections.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Gill has criticized the Senate for failing to pass the measure. He called the Senate’s inaction “extremely disappointing.”
House Republicans have since moved versions of the bill through several legislative vehicles and approved instructions to include it in the budget reconciliation framework.
Democratic opponents argue that the documentation and identification rules could prevent eligible citizens from voting. Republican supporters say the measure provides alternative documentation and verification procedures.
“The House is doing everything we can to get this to the president’s desk,” Gill said.
“The biggest thing for the district is that our office is here to serve the people of Texas 26,” Gill told The Dallas Express. “So anytime anybody has issues or has feedback for me, we want to hear it.”
Provided by Dallas Express
