Statement from the Office of Congressman Sylvester Turner on His Passing

Public Events This Upcoming Week to Celebrate the Life and Legacy of the Late Congressman, Former Houston Mayor, and Former Texas State Representative Sylvester Turner -To attend the funeral service: forms.gle/jY17KEaLRyCeqXrL7 -To watch the service online: tcww.org/media/watch-live/

My message to the current administration for tonight’s State of the Union: “Don’t mess with Medicaid.” I am proud to have Angela Hernandez here from our Congressional district as my guest. She is representing and advocating for her daughter Baislee Garcia who has a rare genetic disorder Chromosome 8p: Inversion/Duplication/Deletion. Let me be clear: any cuts to Medicaid are a direct attack on families like Angela’s. President Trump and Elon Musk’s push to gut Medicaid is nothing short of a betrayal of the most vulnerable among us. They are playing politics with children’s lives, and I will not stand for it.

I’m Angela Hernandez, and I’m honored to be Congressman Sylvester Turner’s guest for President Trump’s Joint Address to Congress. I am here to advocate for essential Medicaid services for my two-year-old daughter, Baislee, who is bravely facing a rare genetic disorder. Her future depends on the support we can secure for families like ours.

Meet Angela Hernandez, my guest tonight at the Joint Address to Congress. She’s from the 18th district in Houston, Texas, and came to advocate for Medicaid services that are vital for her two-year-old daughter, Baislee, who has a rare genetic disorder. Medicaid covered the $23,000 medical bed that the family could not afford. Medicaid provides over $16,000 per month in essential services and support to help Baislee develop and receive the care she needs. President Trump is already working to take these services away, directly attacking the health and well-being of children like Baislee. We will not stand by while he jeopardizes their lives. I will continue the fight for the Medicaid support that is crucial for families like Angela’s.

Pausing military aid to Ukraine is pure insanity. This move only empowers Putin, hurts our ally, and undermines our national security. Ukraine is literally fighting for its survival, and cutting off support now is a betrayal of their trust and a gift to Russia.

Tonight, I spoke with @TheRevAl about how President Trump has failed hardworking Americans by ignoring inflation and rising grocery prices. His administration has been hostile to federal workers, rolled back DEI initiatives, and prioritized tax breaks for the wealthy. We deserve better from our President and the Republicans. #PoliticsNation

I am live on @MSNBC’s @TheRevAl Sharpton show now. Tune in.

We could not have asked for better weather for this year’s @RODEOHOUSTON parade in @DowntownHouston. I was honored once again to ride along with my fellow Congressional colleagues @RepSylviaGarcia and @RepAlGreen. It’s rodeo season y’all. 🐎🤠

The sacrifices our veterans make in service to our country clearly do not matter to President Trump or billionaire Elon Musk. Firing nearly 6,000 veterans is unjustifiable.   Houston has the second-largest veteran population in the country, with over 300,000 veterans. In TX-18, there are 25,148 veterans. These men and women have given everything to defend our freedoms, and now they are being cast aside.

The meeting today between President Trump and President Zelenskyy in the Oval Office was unprecedented and embarrassing. America is the most powerful nation in the world. The world looks to us as a leader. The President and Vice President’s actions were not a good reflection of who we are as a country. What was said, and the tone in which it was delivered, did not advance America’s interests on the global stage. Today was not good diplomacy. It was shameful. President Trump is trying to force Ukraine to bow to Russia and Putin. Who would have thought we would be in this place?

Last week, I reintroduced the Due Process Continuity of Care Act, a bipartisan bill ensuring individuals in pretrial detention retain Medicaid access, addressing unjust gaps in healthcare coverage and reducing burdens on local governments.

I appreciate the EPA’s commitment to protecting the health and safety of our residents in Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens. The community meeting being held today, February 27, 2025, is an important opportunity to provide updates on the progress of the site cleanup, upcoming activities, and the results of soil sampling in schools, parks, and recreational areas.

On the floor this week, I spoke about a federal scientist fired by President Trump and Elon Musk. He said, “I have a PhD in biomedical engineering... Please protect these agencies.” In my district, the University of Houston faces frozen grants, creating uncertainty in cancer research. Firing cancer scientists is short-sighted and irresponsible.

I had a great meeting today with the University of Houston’s Student Government Association. It was inspiring to connect with these young leaders.