Focus at Four: Congressman Michael McCaul discusses legislative priorities

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - Congressman Michael McCaul represents the Brazos Valley in a newly redrawn District 10.

The Texas Congressional District includes Brazos, Burleson, Madison, Grimes, and Washington counties.

Rep. McCaul is also the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee. It considers legislation that impacts the diplomatic community, which includes the Department of State, the Agency for International Development (USAID), the Peace Corps, the United Nations, and the enforcement of the Arms Export Control Act.

McCaul joined First News at Four to discuss some of his top priorities as chairman of the committee. He said that he plans to investigate and address the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in 2021.

“Why were Americans left behind? Why were 100,000 Afghan partners left behind? Why did they put the Taliban in charge of the airport that led to the suicide bomber that killed 13 American servicemen and women,” said McCaul.

He addressed border security and said the Trump-era policy known as Title 42 should remain in place at the border. It allows officials to quickly expel migrants and asylum-seekers on public health grounds.

“I intend to look at policies that were working in the prior administration that I helped develop, particularly the Migrant Protection Protocol policies that were working at that time. I plan to go down to Mexico and Central America to look at these political asylum agreements and see if there’s a way we can get those back in place.”

McCaul also discussed his bipartisan Chips for America Act. The law boosts American research and manufacturing and grows America’s leadership in semiconductors.

“We need to make these semiconductor chips our most advanced national security asset right here in the United States and not in countries like Taiwan that are vulnerable to China,” said McCaul.

Rep. McCaul said some of his priorities when it comes to the Brazos Valley as well as Texas A&M University focus on expanding the research being done at the RELLIS Campus in Bryan.

“I want to get the space program at Rellis. It’s already very energized under the visionary leadership of Chancellor John Sharp, but I want to work closely with Sharp to really have a multiplier effect on that,” said McCaul.

McCaul also promised to work on the future of transportation in the Brazos Valley.

“We have to make sure we have the roads and the highways authorized and I’m looking forward to bringing federal dollars back to the Brazos Valley.”

You can watch our full interview with Rep. McCaul in the player above this article.

Copyright 2023 KBTX. All rights reserved.