Rep. Matt Van Epps Updates From D.C.

Hello, friends!

This is Congressman Matt Van Epps, your representative for Tennessee’s Seventh Congressional District. It's been a busy week here in D.C. I've met with many groups of constituents, participated in an important Homeland Security hearing, and took some important votes on the House Floor, including voting to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Read more about what I did this week below!

Happy Birthday Cheatham County!

Happy 170th birthday Cheatham County! For 170 years, this great community has embodied the hardworking spirit, strong values, and neighborly pride that make Middle Tennessee such a special place to call home. Here’s to many more years of growth, tradition, and success.

DHS Shutdown

Despite growing conflict in the Middle East, Congressional Democrats voted against funding the Department of Homeland Security. This is putting our national security at risk.

As someone who fought against terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan, I know how important DHS' counterterrorism measures are. Under the Biden administration's policies, at least 99 illegal aliens on the terrorist watchlist were released into the United States, and 1,750 Iranians entered the country illegally between February 2021 and 2024. We also know that there are likely Iranian "sleeper cells" in the country that pose a risk to the safety of Americans.

Cybersecurity is also a concern. Iranian-affiliated cyberattacks jumped 133% in May and June of 2025 compared to March and April. Meanwhile the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is operating at ~38% staffing. This is putting our nation’s critical infrastructure at risk, especially considering Tehran’s history of retaliatory cyber attacks. Every Member of Congress has critical infrastructure in his or her district and should thus be cognizant of the risk from Iranian cyber actors.

As we approach the 25th anniversary of September 11th, we should recommit ourselves to building a homeland that is safer, stronger, and better prepared for the threats of tomorrow—to do that we must first fund DHS.

Peace Through Strength:

Restoring American Leadership on the World Stage

Since the Ayatollah seized power, the Iranian regime’s rule has been defined by repression at home and aggression abroad. It began with women stripped of their most basic rights almost overnight, followed by the silencing of political dissent, the imprisonment of opponents, and the consolidation of power through fear. Over time, that same regime has become the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, fueling instability across the Middle East, targeting American servicemembers, and enabling attacks such as Hamas’ October 7 assault against our ally Israel. For decades, Tehran has been allowed to threaten the United States and our partners with impunity. I support President Trump’s decision to take firm action in defense of American interests and regional stability. My prayers are with our servicemembers and their families, and I stand with the Iranian people in their pursuit of freedom, dignity, and a government that respects their fundamental rights.

Recent history has demonstrated the consequences of weakness in U.S. foreign policy. Under previous administrations, concessions to the Iranian regime failed to curb its aggression or halt its pursuit of nuclear weapons.

During the Obama administration, the United States transferred $1.7 billion to Iran in the hope that the regime would abandon its nuclear ambitions. Instead, Tehran continued advancing its nuclear program.

Under President Biden, the administration allowed Iran access to $6 billion in frozen assets and failed to fully enforce oil sanctions. As a result, the regime generated roughly $144 billion in petroleum revenue between 2021 and 2023. That financial windfall strengthened Iran’s network of terrorist proxies across the Middle East, including Hamas, which carried out the deadliest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust on October 7.

When Iranian-backed militias and terror groups began attacking U.S. installations and international shipping in the Red Sea, the Biden administration’s response was limited to warnings. Those warnings were ignored. Iranian proxies proceeded to attack U.S. Navy and commercial vessels more than 190 times.

Read more of my posts on Iran here, here, here, and here.

Happy Birthday U.S. Navy Reserve

Thank You YMCA

Great to meet the Tennessee State Alliance of YMCAs to talk about the incredible impact of the YMCA Center for Civic Engagement and its Youth In Government program. It was truly inspiring to see these students eager to lead, serve their communities, and take an active role in shaping the future of our country.

National Association of County and

City Health Officials

I had a productive meeting with the National Association of County and City Health Officials. There is so much great work being done to serve the needs of our local communities.

Thank You Heritage Foundation

Thank you to the Heritage Foundation for inviting me to your discussion on the 2026 Index of U.S. Military Strength and thank you for putting together this important resource!

Strengthening the defense industrial base and improving the procurement process must remain a priority. By expanding production capacity and modernizing acquisition, the United States can ensure it has the ability to build, repair, and replenish the capabilities necessary to deter conflict and sustain operations if deterrence fails.

Watch my remarks here and a clip here.

Homeland Hearing

Highway safety impacts Americans every day. States like California that refuse to enforce driver’s license standards are putting every driver and passenger on the road in danger. Watch my remarks at Committee on Homeland Security's Oversight hearing on the issuance of Non-Domiciled CDLs to illegal aliens here.

Read more about this from the House Homeland GOP and the Daily Wire here.

National Anthem Day

Our National Anthem has been a constant through every step of my life. From hearing it on the first base line before a game to standing in formation saluting proudly at West Point, the respect I carry for our National Anthem will never die.

Energy Dominance

The U.S. is the world’s largest LNG exporter, shipping roughly 15 billion cubic feet per day—enough natural gas to heat tens of millions of homes during the winter. At a time when Iran is causing instability in the Middle East, U.S. exports are helping stabilize global energy markets. American LNG has also enabled Europe to dramatically reduce its dependence on Russian gas following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. For the strength of our economy and our geopolitical leverage abroad, we should be protecting and expanding this industry.

Read the full article here.

Passport Fair!

This is a great opportunity for anyone in Middle Tennessee to come out and receive help with passport issues.

Our team will be on hand in Nashville to help you apply for a new passport, renew an existing one, and answer any questions you may have about the process.

Stop by, get your questions answered, and get travel-ready!