The summer is almost over and it has been a busy August. I attended a number of meetings and community events in the past few weeks, and have met with many of you who requested meetings with me.

 

Dear Friend,

It is always a priority for me to be back in Fort Worth as much as possible. I recently calculated that I spend at least 60 percent of the year in the district.

When I am in the district, my goal is to hear from as many constituents as possible. My schedule is always filled weeks in advance with meetings and community events. If I am not available, my staff is always happy to meet with you.

In the past week, I attended a groundbreaking for the new Northside Community Health Center, a meet-and-greet in Weatherford, and a sit-down with church groups about the plight of refugees living in the Fort Worth area.

I also attended one of my favorite events this week. Each year, I host a meeting with community mayors from across our corner of North Texas. This nonpartisan gathering is exceptionally helpful because I get the chance to learn what issues are affecting our communities.

Many of these types of events do not attract coverage in the media, but the Wise County Messenger wrote about a meeting I had Monday with constituents in Decatur. If you have not read the article, I encourage you to do so here.

While the meeting was arranged by a Republican group, many Democrats attended and everyone had a chance to ask questions. Topics included healthcare reform, national security, and education.

Much has been written about the current state of our political system and our inability to have a civil debate. I thank everyone who turned out Monday for showing respect for their neighbors by allowing us to have a constructive conversation.

If we lose the ability to have a civil public discussion about the issues we most care about then we lose a key component of our democracy.

Sincerely,

Kay Granger

Member of Congress