A Program of The Association of Former Students

Howdy, Advocates!

We're in between two of the signature events that represent the most sacred traditions of Texas A&M — Aggie Ring Day and Muster.

Last week, The Association of Former Students hosted Aggie Ring Day, and a number of Aggie Advocates volunteered their time to help make this event special for our Aggies. We join our Campus Programs team in sending a big "thank you" to these volunteers!

Two legislators also contributed to this day in special ways — read on to learn more about this!

The next few months will bring some important elections, particularly in Texas. In addition to a runoff election, some legislative districts will have special elections to fill unexpired terms. A few of you have reached out to ask for clarity on these special elections — read on for a primer on those and the dates of other upcoming elections.

This newsletter will also bring you a number of updates from Washington, D.C., including the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Bush School at its new teaching site, the confirmation of a Texas A&M faculty member to a key nuclear security post and an overview of the biggest congressional news items.

Later this week, Aggies all around the world will gather for the time-honored tradition of Muster. If you have not yet made your Muster plans, be sure to visit AggieNetwork.com/Muster to find your nearest registered Muster event, view the Roll Call for the Absent and more.

If there is not a registered Muster event convenient to you, don't let that stop you! Muster can take on many forms, from formal receptions to a backyard barbecue with your Aggie neighbor. If you have questions, or if The Association can be of any help to you in your Muster plans, please do not hesitate to reach out.

As always, thank you for taking the time to be an informed Advocate for Texas A&M! You play an essential role in helping us to Strengthen The Association of Former Students; Promote the Interests and Welfare of Texas A&M; Perpetuate the Ties of Affection and Esteem Formed During University or College Days; and Serve the Student Body.

In the Aggie Spirit,

Miranda Henderson ’09

Director of Advocacy and Legislative Affairs

Legislators Take Part In Aggie Ring Day

On April 7 and April 8, over 6,500 Aggies received their Aggie Rings in one of The Association's largest Ring Day events.

The Advocacy Network was excited to welcome State Representative Brian Harrison ’04, who volunteered to help distribute Aggie Rings. Representative Harrison, the newest member of the Aggie Caucus in the Texas Legislature, also took time during campus visit to meet with the Texas A&M Health Science Center, take a tour of Kyle Field, and more. Thanks and gig ’em, Rep. Harrison, for helping to make this day so special for our Aggies!

Volunteers at Aggie Ring Day (L-R) William A. "Sandy" Westbrook ’62, Representative Brian Harrison ’04, and William C. "Bill" Vasser Jr. ’64

We also extend a big thanks to Senator John Cornyn, who presented Aggie intern Isabella Golemi ’23 with her Aggie Ring! Isabella is interning with Sen. Cornyn's office in Washington, D.C., this semester, through the Texas A&M Agricultural and Natural Resources Policy (ANRP) Internship Program.

The ANRP program coordinated with the Texas A&M University and System Office of Government Relations to ensure she did not have to miss out on Aggie Ring Day while serving in our nation's capitol. We thank all of the individuals on these teams who worked on this effort!

Check out the ANRP's Facebook post pictured below for pictures of this exciting day.

Upcoming Elections

Texas has some important elections coming up. Be sure to mark your calendars for:

May 7 — Constitutional Amendment Special Election and Local Elections (in some cities). Read explanatory statements on the proposed constitutional amendments here.
May 7 — House District 147 Special Election. This seat became vacant upon the resignation of Representative Garnet Coleman.
May 24 — Texas primary runoff elections. Find a full list of statewide and legislative races with runoffs here.
June 14 — Congressional District TX-34 Special Election. This seat became vacant upon the resignation of Congressman Filemon Vela.

The special elections for House District 147 and Congressional District 34 are truly special this year! Redistricting and November elections create some additional complications for the vacant seats.

For the House District 147 special election, voters will select between Democrats Danielle Keys Bess and Jolanda Jones. The winner of the May 7 special election will represent the district for the remainder of 2022. These two candidates will also face off in the May 24 runoff election, for the same seat. The winner of that election will advance to the November general election to vye for the seat in 2023.

For the Congressional District TX-34 special election, four candidates (two Republicans and two Democrats) filed to represent the district for the remainder of 2022. One of the candidates, Republican Mayra Flores, has already advanced to the November general election to represent the district — which will take on a completely new shape thanks to redistricting — in 2023. She will face Democrat Congressman Vicente Gonzalez in November.

Congressman Gonzalez currently represents Congressional District TX-15 in the U.S. House. For 2023, he is switching to TX-34 because of redistricting. He is not a candidate in the June 14 special election, as he would have been required to vacate his TX-15 seat.

Notably absent from the special elections is House District 9. This seat became vacant upon the resignation of Representative Chris Paddie ’96. Representative Paddie declined to run for reelection, and redistricting virtually eliminated his current district. As of this writing, Governor Abbott has made no announcement regarding a special election to fill this vacancy.

U.S. Senate Confirms Texas A&M Professor To Key Post At Department Of Energy

On Wednesday, April 6, the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment of Dr. Marvin L. Adams as Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs at the U.S. Department of Energy. In this role, he will oversee federal programs to ensure the safety, security, and effectiveness of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile.

In taking this post, Adams will leave his position as a professor of nuclear engineering at Texas A&M, where he taught for 30 years. In addition to his teaching duties, Adams has served as a Regents Fellow and the director of National Laboratories Mission Support for the Texas A&M University System.

"I am grateful to Texas A&M for allowing me to pursue national service opportunities during my three decades here," Adams said.

"While we will miss his contributions as a faculty members, every Aggie should be proud of Adams' appointment and grateful for his service to this nation," said Chancellor John Sharp.

We could not agree more! Read more on Adams' appointment here.

Bush School Celebrates 25 Years At DC Teaching Site

On April 5, the Bush School of Government and Public Service marked its 25th anniversary with a celebration at Texas A&M's newest teaching site, the Bush School DC.

Among the distinguished guests joining the Texas A&M University and System officials were former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, and Congressman Michael McCaul.

In speaking at the event on the Bush School, Speaker Pelosi remarked, "For 25 years, this first-string institution has been been a beacon of education and inspiration to many students and former students, equipping them with deep knowledge, practical skills and strong ethics. All of you are preparing the next generation of leaders for a lifetime of public service – a noble calling."

Read more about the 25th anniversary event here, and watch a video from the event here.

In conjunction with the anniversary, the Bush School DC is currently on a "station takeover" of the GWU/Foggy Bottom Metro Station in Washington. Be sure to check it out if you are in the area!

Congressional Update

Congress has adjourned for the two-week Easter Recess after a long work-period filled with lots of activity including:

The Senate confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court;
Passage of a $1.5 trillion spending package to fund the federal government until October 1; and
Congressional response to war in Ukraine with the approval of aid and measures that sanction Russian trade and ban imports of its oil and gas.

The Senate will reconvene on April 25 and the House on April 26.

Looking ahead, Congress is set to deliberate a number of major issues that include:

Additional COVID-19 response funding;
A bipartisan innovation and competition bill;
Immigration reform; and
Appropriations for FY 2023, which starts Oct. 1.

These measure are on top of another push for a social and climate spending budget reconciliation bill that emerged from the breakdown of talks on President Biden’s Build Back Better bill.

The Texas A&M Advocacy Network is one of the many programs supported by donors to The Association of Former Students.
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The Association of Former Students
505 George Bush Drive
College Station, TX 77840 United States

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