Texas Border Business
Texas Border Business
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following a recent tour across Texas, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) returned to Washington with a strong message: the Trump-era Tax Cuts and Jobs Act continues to uplift small businesses and workers, while Texas’ energy industry remains a critical driver of American independence and global stability.
During remarks from the Senate floor, Cornyn reflected on conversations he held during the state work period, which included stops in Corpus Christi, Houston, Midland, Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin.
“From Corpus Christi, which is on the Gulf Coast of Texas, [and] Houston, also along the Gulf Coast, now the Gulf of America, to Midland to Dallas to San Antonio, Austin,” Cornyn said, “I had great conversations with folks that are praising the work that we’re doing here in Congress.”
A focal point of his trip was the Port of Corpus Christi, where he met with energy sector leaders to discuss the economic and strategic value of Texas oil and gas.
“We had a great discussion about the importance of the Port of Corpus Christi and the product that passes through that port that helps America’s energy independence and helps our friends and allies around the world,” Cornyn explained. “I went down to Corpus Christi and met with energy businesses located there.”
Cornyn also used the tour to engage with small business owners across the state on the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, legislation he has consistently supported and now champions for renewal.
“Another important opportunity I had during the state work period was to meet with my constituents to talk about the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and how it has helped their small businesses and their employees thrive,” he said.
In Houston, he visited Southland Hardware and met with the owners of Empire Tools, Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen, and Tejas Office Products. Cornyn said each shared stories of how the tax cuts made tangible improvements in their ability to grow and reward employees.
“I heard the same thing from business owners all across the state, including Austin, where I live,” he added. “We went to Wally’s Burger Express in Austin.”
Cornyn noted his return to Wally’s, where he first met the owner, Robert Mayfield, in 2018. “Seven years later, [Mayfield] reported that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act had been very, very helpful, allowing him to provide better benefits and bonuses to his employees,” Cornyn said.
In his Senate floor remarks, the Texas senator challenged critics of tax reform and urged them to look beyond political talking points.
“I would encourage the naysayers and our Democratic colleagues to talk to real people about what their experience has been,” he said. “I’m sure they would find that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act did not, contrary to our Democratic colleagues, just help a bunch of rich people.”
He reflected on how the legislation has created ripple effects beyond balance sheets.
“The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has, in fact, allowed people in communities from Austin to Houston and everywhere across the country to provide more of what they’ve earned to their families, provide employment opportunities to their neighbors, and contribute to their communities, which is just another way of saying helped them help contribute to the American dream.”
