United Airlines update, 2022 elections, and more
United Airlines update, 2022 elections, and more
The U.S. Capitol, photographed during the 2018 Aggies on the Hill event
Howdy, Advocates!
It's been a busy end to the year here at The Association of Former Students, and we're packing of lot of updates for you in this newsletter!
Looking ahead to 2022, we will have a greater focus on federal issues impacting higher education and Texas A&M. We are excited to return to Capitol Hill for the 4th biennial Aggies on the Hill on March 9, 2022. This one-day event will be an opportunity to showcase the contributions of Texas A&M and Aggies, and encourage federal support for higher education. It will also be a chance for us to connect with Aggies serving in the halls of our government and thank them for their service!
We are thrilled that The Association's delegation for Aggies on the Hill will include our new student assistant, Ben DeLeon ’17, who joined our team in October! Ben brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from working for 4 years for a U.S. Senator before returning to Aggieland for graduate school. Read on to learn more about him!
In this newsletter, we're also giving you updates on Aggies answering calls to public service, a summary of the biggest issues being addressed in the U.S. Congress and an update on our most successful advocacy campaign to date.
As I reflect back on my first year at The Association of Former Students, I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity to work with such dedicated and informed former students and Advocates. This program would not exist without you! Thank you all for your feedback, encouragement and participation in our efforts to advocate for Texas A&M University and its interests this year.
Check out our 2021 Association Holiday Video, and on behalf of The Association of Former Students, I wish each of you a wonderful holiday season, a happy Christmas and a prosperous new year!
In the Aggie Spirit,
Miranda Henderson ’09
Howdy! My name is Ben DeLeon and I am a first-year graduate student at the Bush School of Government & Public Service pursuing a Master of Public Administration (MPA). As a third-generation Aggie from Fort Worth, it is great to be back in Aggieland serving former students; I received a BS in Community Health in 2017. During my undergraduate time, I served in the Student Government Association and completed internships with the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Texas Hospital Association. As a former U.S. Senate staffer, I enjoy supporting the efforts of the Texas A&M Advocacy Network to stay engaged with Aggies in the halls of government and the policy issues affecting Texas A&M. Gig ’em!

Aggies Seek Public Office in 2022


At close of business on Dec. 13, filing closed for Texans seeking public office in 2022 through the Democrat and Republican primaries. 
The Advocacy Network has compiled a list of statewide and legislative elections in Texas where at least 1 former student of Texas A&M University is known to be vying for the position. In full, these former students are seeking 5 statewide offices, 34 Texas House seats, 5 Texas Senate seats and 5 Texas Congressional seats.
You can find the full list of known candidates at this link.
For informational purposes, the full list of Democrat and Republican filed candidates are also provided for each of these races. The candidates listed are those whose applications have been accepted by the Texas Secretary of State as of Dec. 17. The candidates are listed in alphabetical order, by last name, within their categories.
If you are aware of any candidates that should be added to this list, please contact TAMUAdvocacy@AggieNetwork.com.
The Texas A&M Advocacy Network does not endorse candidates. This list of candidates is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as an endorsement for or against any candidate.

United Airlines CTA Update


On Nov. 11, the Texas A&M Advocacy Network sent a "Call to Action" to Advocates, requesting help with an issue of great impact to Texas A&M University and the Texas A&M University System. United Airlines had recently announced its plans to end all service to Easterwood Airport (CLL) in Bryan-College Station, effective Jan. 3, 2022. We requested Advocates like you use our advocacy platform to send an email to United Airlines requesting reconsideration of this decision.
Through our Call to Action, we hoped to demonstrate to United Airlines the importance of maintaining a relationship with Texas A&M and Bryan-College Station and the potential for long-term demand for this route from Easterwood Airport to Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).
We are incredibly appreciative of the 300 individuals who took the time to contact United Airlines! Many of you shared your personal impacts of the discontinued service from CLL to IAH, and your reliance on the route for personal/business travel, getting your students to/from Texas A&M for school and more.
As of this writing, there has been no change in the status of United Airlines' decision on this — but we are confident that our collective voice has and will continue to make a difference. We will continue to monitor this issue and update you with any news.
In the meantime, we also want to highlight the congressional efforts taken on this matter. Last week, U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (TX) and John Cornyn (TX) sent a letter to United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby, urging the airline to reconsider. Sen. Cruz's press release notes that in this letter:
"... the lawmakers urge the company to resume flights to the area due to the vital role the cities play in American national security and Department of Defense partnerships as well as the growing economies of the communities."
Joining this letter were U.S. Representatives Pete Sessions (TX-17), John Carter (TX-31), and Roger Williams (TX-25).
Read the full letter here, and please join us in sending our thanks to these legislators for their efforts!

Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Grants Key Designation


Texas A&M's recent designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institition (HSI) from the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) takes the College Station campus one step closer to accessing millions in potential federal funds.
HACU's designation puts Texas A&M on the track to gain status as a federally designated HSI, opening the door to a wealth of federal higher education grants. In 2021, the U.S. Department of Education awarded $315 million in federal awards to federaly-designated HSIs.
Read more at Texas A&M Today and the Dallas Morning News.

Congressional Update


The United States Congress is ending the calendar year with a number of important items, and will begin the new year with even more on its docket.
Funding for the federal government was extended with a Continuing Resolution (CR) this month. This CR will take us through Feb. 18, by which time Congress will need to either renew the CR or pass an appropriations bill to avoid a federal government shutdown. (Read more about CRs here.)
A raise of the debt ceiling was narrowly passed by both chambers and signed into law by President Biden on Dec. 16. This increase is expected to prevent fiscal default until 2023.
Build Back Better, President Biden's $1.7 trillion social spending package, was stalled in the Senate just before the Christmas recess after passing in the House earlier in the year. The Senate is expected to take up this bill again in the Second Session of the 117th Congress in early 2022. Read here for a summary of the provisions in the bill impacting higher education.

ICYMI at TAMU

A roundup of the headlines from Aggieland this month:
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