Update on Session April 20, 2015
This week in the Legislature…
Every week, I use my intro letter to highlight what I believe are the most important issue(s) of the week. While there were several important issues debated and voted on over the last 7 days, I wanted to discuss something a bit more personal.
I have had the opportunity over the last 3 years to meet every state representative, senator and statewide official in Texas. As a group, they are some of the most hard-working, self-sacrificing people that I have known. Many of them have been exceedingly successful in the private sector, and all of them have been at least modestly successful politically. On the other hand, some of them are amazingly arrogant (including myself sometimes), many believe things that I cannot understand and virtually all of them are amazingly stubborn.
That being said, all of them have something in common. They all need the prayers and support of other people for the wisdom to make the best decisions possible for the state and the nation.
Why do we, as legislators specifically, need prayers for wisdom? The subjects that we are dealing with are often complex and nuanced. The pressures are high, and outside opinions are loud, varied and frequently not based on facts. The speed of session at this time is breathtaking. We vote on 10-15 bills per day on issues that are often quite complex. We hear 10-20 more bills in committee hearings and listen to testimony from dozens of affected stakeholders. We do this in a legislative body filled with members from across a state of 26 million people, whose interests are often not aligned.
Why do we, as legislators specifically, need prayers for wisdom? The subjects that we are dealing with are often complex and nuanced. The pressures are high, and outside opinions are loud, varied and frequently not based on facts. The speed of session at this time is breathtaking. We vote on 10-15 bills per day on issues that are often quite complex. We hear 10-20 more bills in committee hearings and listen to testimony from dozens of affected stakeholders. We do this in a legislative body filled with members from across a state of 26 million people, whose interests are often not aligned.
Please don’t read this as if I am complaining. It is a high honor and a true blessing to be able to respresent District 69 in Austin. I know that I have many people (even those outside my family) who lift me up to the Father every day. I just know that at this time of session, every member of the body needs prayers for wisdom and strength more than ever.
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to serve in the Texas Legislature.May God bless you and your family,
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to serve in the Texas Legislature.May God bless you and your family,
… this is an excerpt from Representative James Frank’s Newsletter dated May 4, 2015