Houston lawmakers unveil 119th Congress priorities: Affordable Healthcare, Housing, and more

This year, the first of President Donald Trump’s second term in office brings us the 119^th Congressional Legislative Session. And if Trump’s first weeks in office and his barrage of controversial executive orders are any indication, Congress should be full of fireworks.

That said, the Defender has compiled the issue priorities and game plans for success from several federal elected officials from the Greater Houston area.

Congressman Sylvester Turner (D-TX-18)

“Certainly, working to make healthcare accessible, affordable to people who need it,” responded first-term U.S. Congressman Sylvester Turner, when asked to share his priorities for this session. “A lot of people in the 18 Congressional District don’t have it. Two, affordable housing. You know, people want to live in their homes or in an apartment, but the cost is going up. So affordable housing. Thirdly, economic business and job opportunities. You’ve got to put people in a position to be able to purchase healthcare or to purchase a home, but it starts with giving them economic, business, job opportunities.

“And then I’ll add a fourth: to push back on people who would fight against diversity, equity, and inclusion because that works to take us back from wence we have come. So, a part of my job is to stand up and fight for the people who sent me to DC.”

Congressman Al Green (D-TX-9)

Green’s legislative priorities speak directly to policies and executive orders coming out of the White House.

“The main thing that we all have to fight, all people of goodwill, is to hold back this rollback that President Trump is imposing upon us,” said Green. “And one of the things that I will do is to make sure that people understand that we cannot give up on the language. We are surrendering the language. ‘Woke’ still matters. It means that you’re socially conscious. Black lives still matter. Doesn’t mean that other lives don’t, but we’ve got to make sure that people understand Black Lives Matter, too, especially given that Black people were enslaved in this country for 246 years. That cannot be overlooked.”

To that point, part of Green’s agenda is to “continue to acquire the recognition and the respect for the Black ancestors who were the economic foundational mothers and fathers of the country.” To do that, Green seeks to grow Slavery Remembrance Day (August 20) to Slavery Remembrance Month.

Green is also championing an issue few other legislators discuss: loan equality.

“I have passed legislation in the house previously to make it a crime to steal a person’s loan. Unfortunately, in this country, when you walk into a bank, if you are a person of color and you apply for a loan, you are likely to get a loan that is going to cost you more, and you’ll get less money in the loan than a person who is less qualified. [If you’re a person of color] you can have a PhD and a person of a different hue can have a high school education and get a loan that has greater value than the one that you’ll acquire,” stated Green.

Additionally, Green is fighting for the “fourth branch of government.”

“We are going to do everything that we can to make sure that freedom of the press is maintained in this country. This president has gone after the press. He has made it very clear that if you are not Fox News, you are not the press. Well, we’ve got other press in this country that will take him on, but Congress has to take him on and make sure that freedom of the press, a part of the Constitution, is going to be something that we will continue to enjoy in this country.  

Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29)

Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia was recently reappointed to the powerful House Committee on Financial Services and will serve on the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance and the Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology, and Artificial Intelligence.   

“I am honored to continue serving on the House Financial Services Committee, where I’ll continue to work on critical issues like language access and financial health for all Americans,” said Garcia. “As we begin the 119th Congress, I look forward to working with Chairman French Hill, Ranking Member Waters, and colleagues on both sides of the aisle.

“We can all agree that housing costs are making the dream of homeownership more difficult, which is why I look forward to addressing the growing affordable housing crisis. And as digital assets and artificial intelligence become more commonplace in our financial ecosystem, I will fight to ensure that emerging financial services do not create yet another exclusionary financial system.”  

Garcia, who recently joined Turner and Green at a press conference announcing their stance against Trump’s recent executive orders, listed immigration reform as a top priority long before Trump’s recently ordered national ICE raids.

Garcia’s other legislative priorities include the economy and labor, education, energy and environment, healthcare, veterans, gun control, women’s and LGBTQ equality, and infrastructure and trade.

Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX-7)

Fletcher recently celebrated the completion of the Meyergrove Detention Basin with a ribbon cutting and walk-through of the basin. 

Completed in December 2024, the Meyergrove Detention Basin is a 7.5-acre stormwater detention basin that will support water overflow for more than 27 million gallons of stormwater during heavy rain events to prevent flooding of nearby residences, commercial buildings, and roadways.  The project results from a partnership between the City of Houston, Harris County, Harris County Flood Control District, and Congresswoman Fletcher.

“The Meyergrove Detention Basin project is a much-needed improvement in Texas’ Seventh Congressional District that will have a real impact on the people of this community, and I was so glad to join Councilmember Kamin, Commissioner Ellis, and Director Petersen today in celebrating its completion,” said Fletcher.

Fletcher’s website lists the economy and jobs, education, energy, healthcare, and immigration as her top issue priorities.

Congressman Wesley Hunt (R-TX-38)

Hunt’s website lists nine issues, all of which are in line with Republican Party talking points.

His website presents the top three issues as securing our southern border, cutting America’s national debt, and protecting the Second Amendment. 

“The Mexican cartels currently run and operate our southern border,” said Hunt in a statement on his website. “Enough Fentanyl has been smuggled into our country from Mexico to kill every American 6 times. Over 9 million illegal aliens have entered our country in the last 3 years. I have fought and will continue to fight to secure our border now.”

Hunt’s site also declares his support of law enforcement, pro-life stances, defending Israel, and election integrity.

“I flew 55 missions in Iraq to defend our right to free and fair elections.  I’ll support Voter ID and other measures to make sure all legal registered voters can have faith that their vote is counted,” said Hunt.

Learn more about these representatives

• Congressman Al Green: www.algreen.house.gov
• Congressman Sylvester Turner: www.sylvesterturner.house.gov
• Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia: www.sylviagarcia.house.gov
• Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher: www.fletcher.house.gov
• Congressman Wesley Hunt: www.wesleyfortexas.com

DN ONLINE: Learn of Green’s and Turner’s game plans for legislative success.