Newsletter: One Big Beautiful Win for South Texas!

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<p class="has-text-align-left">Congress has passed the&nbsp;One&nbsp;Big&nbsp;Beautiful&nbsp;Bill—and with President Trump signing it into law this past Friday, Texas and our nation are set to see the benefits of this historic legislation!</p>

<p>This bill preserves&nbsp;12,000 jobs, protects over $1&nbsp;billion in wages, and secures $2.5 billion in economic growth across Texas-27. These aren’t only numbers—these are livelihoods, paychecks, and the future of&nbsp;South&nbsp;Texas families.</p>

<p>This bill also delivers:</p>

<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Funding&nbsp;for&nbsp;securing the border.</li>

<li>Advancing our defense and military capability—including building a “Golden Dome” to protect our nation from ballistic, cruise, and hypersonic attacks.</li>

<li>Extending tax cuts&nbsp;for&nbsp;American families and adding new relief&nbsp;for&nbsp;tips, overtime, car loans, and boosting the standard deduction&nbsp;for&nbsp;seniors.</li>

<li>Repealing much of the Green New Scam while spurring investment in new, reliable energy production.</li>

<li>Prohibiting taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood.</li>

<li>Terminating the $200 tax on firearm suppressors.</li>

<li>Addressing waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid, including:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Work requirements&nbsp;for&nbsp;able-bodied adults&nbsp;18 to 65 without dependents;</li>

<li>Cuts back on the provider tax money laundering scheme;</li>

<li>And implements protections to keep illegal immigrants from receiving Medicaid.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

<p>This bill has the largest mandatory spending reforms in U.S. history—finally addressing the reckless spending that’s driven up costs and hurt working families.</p>

<p>We worked around the clock to get this right. From reviewing last-minute changes in the Senate to working directly with President Trump and his team, my decisions were made with our district in mind. We also secured a commitment to vote on a Balanced Budget Amendment by September 30th—a major step toward lasting fiscal reform.</p>

<p>There’s more work ahead, but this is a strong first move in delivering real results&nbsp;for&nbsp;the American people.</p>

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<p>This Independence Day, I had the privilege of celebrating in Victoria at the Veterans Appreciation Picnic—a powerful reminder that their spirit of service is the same&nbsp;one&nbsp;that shaped the very foundation of our nation.</p>

<p>Over 249 years ago on July 4th,&nbsp;1776, fifty-six patriots signed their names to a Declaration that said our rights come from God—not from kings, parliaments, or any government. Those men risked everything because they believed freedom was worth fighting&nbsp;for. And they were right.</p>

<p>Today, that same courage lives on in the farmers and ranchers who keep food on the table, in the energy workers who power this nation, in the military families and veterans who defend freedom every single day, and in every parent, teacher, and neighbor raising the next generation to cherish what makes this country great.</p>

<p>May God bless Texas, and may God continue to bless the United States of America.</p>

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<p class="has-text-align-left">This past month, the House passed the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3944" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">FY26 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act</a>&nbsp;—a bill to support our veterans, modernize military infrastructure, and invest in the families who serve our nation.</p>

<p>For&nbsp;years, families at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi have raised concerns about the Child Development Center (CDC NAS-CC). Electrical failures, maintenance issues, and poor conditions have made it difficult&nbsp;for&nbsp;military parents to find safe and reliable care&nbsp;for&nbsp;their children.</p>

<p>After hearing directly from those families, my team and I worked to make sure this bill includes language to address these harsh conditions. It sets aside $75 million to repair and improve child care centers on military bases across the country—and with this language included, the CDC NAS-CC is now in a strong position to receive a portion of those funds. In addition to working with the House Appropriations Committee, my office is also coordinating with the White House and the Navy to help further secure the funds to the Child Development Center that many of our military families depend on.</p>

<p>Other bill highlights:</p>

<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Allocates $453 billion in total funding—increased funds from FY25—showcasing priorities to those who serve our nation.</li>

<li>$75 million increase&nbsp;for&nbsp;Child Development Centers to improve care facilities&nbsp;for&nbsp;military families.</li>

<li>$970 million&nbsp;for&nbsp;the Bridging Rental Assistance&nbsp;for&nbsp;Veteran Empowerment (B.R.A.V.E) to reduce veteran homelessness.</li>

<li>Includes language to address deteriorating conditions at the Corpus Christi Naval Air Station Child Development Center.</li>

<li>Fully funding veterans’ medical care.</li>

<li>Prohibits taxpayer funded DEI, gender transition care, and abortion-related funding at the VA.</li>

<li>Prevents the VA from reporting veterans’ personal information to the federal government without approval.</li>

<li>Bans outsourcing by the VA from the People’s Republic of China.</li>
</ul>

<p>There’s still work to do, but this is a strong start. As the process moves&nbsp;forward, we will keep working to make sure&nbsp;South&nbsp;Texas values are reflected every step of the way—and that the people who serve our country are not&nbsp;forgotten.</p>

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<p class="has-text-align-left">This weekend marked a historic milestone&nbsp;for&nbsp;Corpus Christi and the entire Coastal Bend—the official opening of the new Harbor Bridge. After years in the making, this “Big&nbsp;Beautiful&nbsp;Bridge” strengthens the Port of Corpus Christi as a symbol of America’s energy dominance.</p>

<p>The project first broke ground in 2016 and was largely funded through the Texas Department of Transportation and the National Highway Performance Program, a federal infrastructure initiative designed to support national mobility and economic growth.</p>

<p>The new Harbor Bridge will now stand as the tallest point in&nbsp;South&nbsp;Texas and the longest cable-stayed bridge in the United States, allowing larger ships to safely access the Port of Corpus Christi—the&nbsp;<a href="https://portofcc.com/port-of-corpus-christi-completes-milestone-ship-channel-improvement-project-reinforcing-u-s-as-leader-in-energy-exports/#:~:text=The%20Port%20of%20Corpus%20Christi%20is%20recognized%20as%20the%20largest,exports%20and%20moves%20a%20wide" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">nation’s #1&nbsp;gateway</a>&nbsp;for&nbsp;crude oil exports and #2&nbsp;for&nbsp;liquefied natural gas.</p>

<p>Just weeks ago, we celebrated another major achievement: the Port’s Ship Channel Improvement Project, which deepened and widened the ship channel to allow&nbsp;for&nbsp;deeper-draft vessels. These two upgrades—the new bridge and the ship channel—go hand in hand.</p>

<p>Together, they will:</p>

<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Cement Corpus Christi’s role as the premier energy port of the United States;</li>

<li>Attract larger vessels;</li>

<li>Boost exports of American energy;</li>

<li>Create thousands of jobs;</li>

<li>And increase revenue&nbsp;for&nbsp;local businesses.</li>
</ul>

<p class="has-text-align-left">South&nbsp;Texas is ready&nbsp;for&nbsp;the next chapter. To everyone who worked to get this project across the finish line—thank you. Your efforts will leave a lasting legacy&nbsp;for&nbsp;generations to come.</p>

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<p>The Daily Caller: <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2025/06/11/opinion-its-time-to-get-serious-about-ending-washingtons-wasteful-spending-rep-michael-cloud/">REP MICHAEL CLOUD: It’s Time To Get Serious About Ending Washington’s Wasteful Spending</a></p>

<p>Fox Business: <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/video/6375046216112">&#8216;Put the pressure on&#8217;: Texas lawmaker calls for prosecution of Iran leakers, backs additional strikes</a></p>

<p>Texas Scorecard: <a href="https://texasscorecard.com/federal/one-big-beautiful-bill-includes-reimbursement-for-texas-operation-lone-star/">‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Includes Reimbursement for Texas’ Operation Lone Star</a></p>

<p>KRIS 6 Corpus Christi: <a href="https://www.kristv.com/new-harbor-bridge/congressman-michael-cloud-discusses-the-harbor-bridge">Congressman Michael Cloud discusses the Harbor Bridge</a></p>

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<p>God Bless,</p>

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<p>Michael Cloud<br />Member of Congress</p>

<p></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cloud.house.gov/posts/newsletter-one-big-beautiful-win-for-south-texas">Newsletter: One Big Beautiful Win for South Texas!</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cloud.house.gov">Cloud</a>.</p>