Newsletter: Meet my Guest for the State of the Union
State of the Union
Tonight, President Trump will deliver his 2026 State of the Union Address—a moment to celebrate our nation’s remarkable progress during his first year and to hear from President Trump on what lies ahead for our country.
No doubt there are plenty of significant wins for the President to highlight in his address. To name a few, we have seen a 93% reduction in border crossings with 2.5 million deportations, $195 billion in tariffs collected, national homicide rates reaching their lowest point in over a century, and much more.
I hope that President Trump’s speech will serve as a rallying call for Congress to prioritize legislation like the SAVE America Act, which codifies the America First agenda. This period cannot simply be treated as some sort of reprieve from the failures of the Biden presidency and must instead offer substantive, long-term reforms for the American people.
My Guest: Mark Swidan
I am honored to be joined by Texas resident Mark Swidan as my guest to the State of the Union. Mark was arrested by the People’s Republic of China in 2012 after being falsely accused of being a member of an international criminal drug organization. For years, his trial was delayed, and despite no evidence of drugs ever being found, the PRC’s unjust legal system sentenced him to death. During his captivity, Mark was held in a detention facility where his mother said he was going blind, had fractures in his leg, and had broken his hands five to seven times.
Central to Mark’s release effort was the unyielding determination of his mother, Katherine, who worked tirelessly to ensure her son’s story remained at the forefront of political negotiations and international media. Her advocacy led to Congress unanimously passing a resolution I introduced alongside Senator Cruz, H.Res. 90, demanding Swidan’s immediate release in the spring of 2023. Finally, in the fall of 2024, the United States arranged for the release of Swidan after 12 years in wrongful captivity.
During his captivity, he was repeatedly pressed to deny America. He refused to—even wearing a shirt emblazoned with an American flag to his CCP show trial. It is a tremendous honor to be joined by such a brave American for this occasion, and his story reminds us to never take the blessings of liberty for granted in this country
On the Road in TX-27
As part of last week’s District Work Period, I spent time meeting with local officials and community leaders across our district to listen and learn from those on the ground. In particular, I was thankful for the chance to sit down with leaders in the energy space at the Bluebonnet electric cooperative. Bluebonnet is one of the largest electric cooperatives in Texas and serves counties such as Bastrop, Caldwell, Gonzales, and many more.
At the forefront of our discussions was the ongoing need for permitting reform to speed up the process for transmission infrastructure to be built, especially when it involves federal lands. Sometimes one project can require the involvement of the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the Army Corps of Engineers at the same time—just to name the federal partners.
As our energy needs continue to grow and diversify, it is essential that we maintain a clear and common-sense regulatory environment that enables our co-ops like Bluebonnet to build necessary infrastructure and provide quick relief in times of emergency.
President Trump Set to Visit Corpus Christi
My Victoria and Corpus Christi offices will be closed this Friday, February 27, as President Trump is set to visit Corpus Christi. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my Washington, D.C. office at 202-225-7742 with any questions or concerns.
In the Media
Wake Up America: Rep. Cloud Discusses the SAVE America Act and Partial Government Shutdown
God Bless,
Michael Cloud
Member of Congress