Happy Holidays, Texas 12!
As we come to the end of a historic year, I want to reflect on what a privilege it is to represent so many kind, committed, and patriotic North Texans. This was a year filled with many obstacles and hardships, but it was also one filled with opportunities.
I’m grateful for each of you who took the time to make your voices heard by contacting me with your views. This year, my Fort Worth and Washington, D.C. offices responded to 2,240 calls, e-mails, and letters from Texas 12 residents. In times like these, I know that my work on your behalf is more important than ever, and your input is informative, inspiring, and helps me do better for you and your family.
I’m writing to highlight some of my work and accomplishments in Washington and here in Fort Worth that improve the lives of North Texans and Americans across the country.
Delivering Historic Relief for Small Businesses
As a former small business owner, I know firsthand the dedication, hard work and sweat that goes into operating a small business. That’s why it was so important to me, as the Lead Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, to work with my colleagues in Congress and President Trump to ensure that our response to the coronavirus also looked out for America’s Main Street. To date, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has saved over 51 million American jobs through its fully forgivable small business loans. In Tarrant County alone, at least 4,000 companies and nonprofits received PPP loans of $150,000 or more to keep the lights on and keep their employees on payroll. The Small Business Administration estimates that at least 204,350 Tarrant County jobs were saved thanks to the PPP.
Supporting our Frontline Healthcare Heroes
The ‘CARES Act’ and other coronavirus relief packages passed by Congress provided much-needed assistance to American families, businesses, healthcare workers, and much more to help us beat the pandemic.
I was inspired by some of Texas 12’s frontline healthcare heroes when I visited JPS Hospital this summer. In May, I partnered with the Navy to bring the Blue Angels to Fort Worth in a flyover paying tribute to our essential workers and first responders.
Supporting our National Security and Military Members
In February, I took my sixth trip to the Southern border, this time with the Deputy Secretary of Defense, where I observed border wall construction near McAllen, Texas, and the important role that Customs and Border Patrol agents and Texas Army National Guardsmen play in keeping us safe.
In September, I visited the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base (NAS JRB) Fort Worth to meet its new Commander and hear from some of the 11,000 outstanding reservists, Texas Guardsmen, and civilian employees of our city’s base. I’ve always believed that our men and women in uniform deserve the most effective, cutting-edge aircraft, and last month, my efforts to bring advanced Lockheed Martin C-130J aircraft to our base paid off. The NAS JRB Fort Worth was selected by the Air Force out of dozens of U.S. military bases as a main operating base for the aircraft. The newer, faster, more agile C 130J-models will replace the aging C-130H aircraft used by our base’s 136th Airlift Wing.
In December, for my decades-long support of the National Guard, I was honored to receive the National Guard Association’s Truman Award, its highest civilian honor.
This year, I never stopped fighting for funding for the North Texas defense industry and local jobs. This includes securing more F-35 fighter jets, which are built here in our District through a program employing almost 50,000 North Texans, and successfully stopping the decommissioning of our city’s ship, the U.S.S. Fort Worth.
Supporting our Veterans
Tarrant County is home to the fourth-highest number of veterans among all Texas counties, and our veteran population is growing rapidly. I made it a priority to ensure that we continue to invest in veterans’ mental health services, suicide prevention, homeless programs, and more. This year, I successfully petitioned the Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie to acquire the closed Baylor Scott & White Hospital in Garland to turn the hospital space into our region’s newest VA clinic, capable of serving as many as 200,000 North Texas veterans.
Winning the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) Democracy Award for Constituent Services
This year, the Congressional Management Foundation recognized my office as a national leader in constituent services when it named us a winner of the 2020 Democracy Awards. I am honored that the Congressional Management Foundation recognized my commitment to Texas 12 and the dedication of my Fort Worth team. Caseworkers in my Fort Worth office are always available to help you navigate the federal bureaucracy to get you the help you need, whether related to Social Security, Medicare, veterans’ benefits, immigration services, or any other federal agency.
A Few of My Op-Eds
Click here to read my op-eds published this year, including an op-ed series I wrote for The Hill about how America is countering China—in some cases, with the help of Texas.
Sincerely,
Kay Granger