AUSTIN – El Paso lawmakers are poised to play a key role in the current legislative session after House Speaker Dustin Burrows appointed them Feb. 13 to leadership roles and influential committees.
El Paso is represented by Democrats at a time when the large Republican majority in the House has banned them from holding chairmanships, but the delegation still claimed seats in budget negotiations, energy policy, environmental regulation and economic development.
Burrows, a Lubbock Republican, selected state Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, as speaker pro tempore, a prestigious but largely ceremonial position.
State Rep. Mary González continues as vice chairwoman of the budget-writing Appropriations Committee, Rep. Eddie Morales Jr. remains vice chairman of Energy Resources, Rep. Claudia Ordaz was appointed vice chairwoman of Environmental Regulation and newly elected Rep. Vince Perez was tapped to sit on the Ways and Means Committee, which considers issues on taxation.
The El Paso delegation joined most Democrats in backing Burrows as speaker.
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As speaker pro tem, Moody returns to the role he held four years ago, which requires him to perform the duties of the speaker in his absence.
The last time he held the position, he was stripped of it by then-Speaker Dade Phelan after joining a contingent of Democrats who left the state to break a quorum on a bill that would have cut back voting hours, banned drive-through voting and tightened voting-by-mail rules.
Moody, who is serving his eighth term, also will sit on the House Administration, General Investigating, Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence and Criminal Jurisprudence committees.
He said he’s proud to lead and serve as speaker pro tem and on committees that will allow him to influence critical legislative decisions. He also praised the accomplishments of the El Paso delegation.
“Together, we’re working on all the issues most important to El Pasoans, and we’re positioned to make this a great session for our community,” Moody said in a news release.
State Rep. Mary González
González, who was first elected to the seat in 2012, said her role in appropriations places her at the forefront of budget negotiations.
“The budget is a blueprint and moral outline for caring for the people of Texas,” González said in a statement.
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State investments secured through the budget process for El Paso include funding for a new cancer center, planning for a psychiatric center and the continued rebuilding of the Wyler Aerial Tramway.
The Natural Resources Committee also addresses water and irrigation issues. González in her statement said it is important to protect agricultural prowess, to sustain existing resources, water service and conservation for El Paso.
State Rep. Claudia Ordaz
Ordaz, in addition to sitting on the Environmental Regulation Committee, will also serve on the Trade, Workforce and Economic Development Committee.
“We have immense opportunity this legislative session to promote environmental safety and health, especially as air quality issues are at the forefront for El Paso,” Ordaz said in a statement.
Ordaz, a former El Paso City Council member who was first elected to the state House in 2022, also said she is committed to economic growth.
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“From the millions of hard-working families that drive our strength at home to our trade relations across the globe, Texas’ economic impact is unparalleled,” she said.
Her legislative priorities include supporting public schools, expanding women’s access to reproductive health care, promoting workforce development, helping families access childcare and advocating for pet protection laws.
State Rep. Eddie Morales Jr.
Morales, in addition to his seat on the Energy Resources Committee, will also serve on the Transportation Committee. The Energy Resources committee is expected to continue work on the state’s energy infrastructure.
“Energy dominance and transportation drive Texas forward,” Morales said in a statement. He said the work of the committee will help, “equip Texas’ transportation infrastructure for future generations of Texans.”
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One of Morales’ key priorities is addressing traffic flow and public safety on Zaragoza Road. He said that without this project, El Paso is limited in its capacity to develop further east and fuel growth.
On working with GOP counterparts, Morales said bipartisanship and establishing connections with Republican colleagues is essential for the El Paso Delegation to achieve results for the community.
“El Paso has some of the best hard-working legislators that I have worked with – I have full confidence in our ability to get things done, regardless of party,” he said.
Morales lives in Eagle Pass and represents a border district that includes a small part of El Paso County.
State Rep. Vince Perez
Perez, a former El Paso County commissioner who was elected state representative in November, was appointed to the Ways and Means, Local and Consent Calendars, and Higher Education committees.
“The speaker’s appointments reflect that the El Paso delegation is highly regarded and here to work,” Perez said in a statement.
The post El Paso lawmakers secure key roles in Texas House appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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