Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX 10) met with Tomball area citizens and community leaders Aug. 4 in a pair of meetings aimed at hearing his constituents’ most pressing concerns heading into the fall Congressional sessions.

As part of the “America Speaks Out” nationwide forum designed by House Republicans, McCaul first was the guest speaker at the Tomball Rotary Club and later addressed business leaders at a roundtable discussion at Amegy Bank in Tomball.

Pictured, Congressman Michael McCaul speaks during a roundtable discussion at Amegy Bank in Tomball.

Each gathering was similar in its tone, its message and its concerns from his audience as McCaul discussed what he expected to be major issues Congressional candidates will likely take on during the upcoming election.

Chiefly among those issues is the debate among party lines about the importance and the effect, of increased taxes on small businesses.

A number of those in attendance at the meetings who operate businesses in and around Tomball expressed their concern over rising taxes and their inability to retain and to hire workers.

McCaul said he would lead efforts to drive down the taxes on small businesses.

“At a time when we have a fragile economy, this is not a time for the government to be flexing its muscles,” he said.

“You can’t tax your way to prosperity,” he added.

As with nearly all of his meetings locally, McCaul heard continued frustration over the federal government’s handling of border security and the illegal immigration debate.

McCaul, who has long been a proponent of increased border security, explained that a recently-funded wall along the southwest border is nearing completion, but technology upgrades are needed.

A concern McCaul shared with his audience is not only the possibility of terrorists crossing into the U.S. via the southwest border, but also a rising concern of “homegrown terrorists,” or “radicalization within the U.S.”

McCaul cited growing concern over Al Qaeda infusions in Yemen and its country’s leaders sending viral videos out online that may lead to growing radicalization within the U.S.

“We’ve been lucky, we’ve been good and we’ve thwarted a lot of attempts,” McCaul said, but added that it’s possible the U.S. could see another terrorist strike in the next few years.

Meanwhile, McCaul was also on hand to promote the “America Speaking Out” project, which is aimed at “compiling policy ideas from across the district” and utilizing those plans for sessions in the fall.

McCaul, along with every other Congressional Republican, is turning to his constituents to hear their concerns and what they want to see accomplished in Washington. At each of his stops last week, everyone in attendance was given a form and asked to list their top five concerns and submit them to McCaul.

He said the idea of the project is to give the American people a voice in the government of the country.

“The past two years have defined the will of the American people,” he said.

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