Criminal Justice Reform

I practiced criminal defense for almost twenty years but had to give it up when I got to Congress (members of Congress can not be paid attorney’s fees while serving). Even as I took on civil rights and personal injury cases, I never stopped practicing criminal defense work. I started as a public defender in rural East Texas and defended clients of every background with the same rigor because that’s what representation means. It was my experience as a criminal defense attorney that fueled my run for public office. At 28 years old, I ran for District Attorney in Bowie County Texas, and while I fell short, I became the Bowie County Democratic Party Chair. A decade later, I ran for State Representative to rewrite our outdated criminal laws that I saw hurting so many people, including teenagers caught in an adult system. On the federal level this continues to be a policy area of focus for me and my constituents. I have used my experience and legal training to build consensus and make progress on policies focused on rehabilitation, reducing recidivism, fair sentencing, and protecting due process.

Senate Priorities

In the U.S. Senate, my priorities are clear:

Reform our outdated, expensive, and inefficient criminal system into one that actually delivers justice, rehabilitation, and curbs recidivism
Reviewing outdated sentencing standards and repealing mandatory minimums and allowing judges to issue fair sentencing considering the totality of the case
Prioritize and give preference to diversion and noncarceral options for first-time nonviolent offenders
Enforce uniform minimum standards for all federal, state, and county jails, prisons, and detention centers to include access to clean water, adequate medical care, nutrition, and safety standards to include air conditioning and heating.
Decriminalize cannabis federally and allow states to decide on legalization
Reform sentencing, probation, and parole to fit the crime and damages
Boost resources for counties to fund public defenders offices with adequate staff so that caseloads are manageable and justice is not overlooked for expediency
Increase transparency and accountability by improving data collection and requiring meaningful public reporting by the Department of Justice, so Texans can see clearly how our justice system is operating

My Work in the United States Congress

I co-sponsored the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act to end the criminalization of cannabis for adults by removing it from the controlled substances list and eliminating related criminal penalties.
I co-sponsored the Reentry Act to permit Medicaid coverage of medical services for an incarcerated individual during the 30-day period prior to the individual's release from incarceration.
I was the primary sponsor of the Democracy Restoration Act , which immediately restores voting rights once someone is done serving their sentence.
I introduced the STOP Fentanyl and Xylazine Act and the bipartisan Secure Testing Resources Instead of Prosecuting (STRIP) Act to decriminalize fentanyl testing equipment and address Texan deaths involving fentanyl overdose rising by nearly 400% in recent years.
It was imperative that I cosponsor the Community First Act to establish federal grants to reduce the number of individuals incarcerated in local jails, reduce the number of days individuals are incarcerated in local jails, and support community-led local justice reinvestment.
I called on President Biden to commute individuals serving longer sentences due to the crack cocaine versus powder cocaine sentencing disparities.
After I led a group of 20 lawmakers—from the House and the Senate—in sending a congressional letter to President Biden on this issue, the President commuted the sentences of over 2,500 non-violent drug offenders, including people serving longer sentences for crack cocaine expenses due to unjust sentencing disparities.
I co-led the Ensuring Quality Access to Legal (EQUAL) Defense Act to address the public defender shortage by increasing access to quality legal counsel, establishing workload limits, and achieving pay parity between public defenders and prosecutors.
I co-sponsored the TRUE Justice Act to expand funding for legal representation so people have access to an attorney as soon as they are arrested and enter the justice system.
I co-sponsored the Births in Custody Reporting Act of 2025 to require states to report when incarcerated individuals give birth, improving transparency, accountability, and care for pregnant people in custody.
I fought for and cosponsored the Due Process Continuity of Care Act to allow pretrial detainees to receive Medicaid benefits.