Hannah Crossman has been elevated to deputy chief of staff in Rep. Pat Fallon's (R-TX-4) office, a congressional staff change that comes after she spent roughly two years as operations director for the same Texas Republican.

Crossman's portfolio covers agriculture and food, animals, environmental protection, and public lands and natural resources. Her elevation is an internal promotion within Fallon's office, where she has worked in progressively senior roles since March 2023, first as scheduler, then as operations director starting in April 2024.

Before joining Fallon's team, Crossman served as operations director for Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX-23) from June 2022 to March 2023. That stretch coincided with one of the more turbulent periods of Gonzales's tenure, during which he voted for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and the Respect for Marriage Act, moves that ultimately led the Texas Republican Party to formally censure him in March 2023. Prior to that, Crossman was a scheduler for Rep. Chris Jacobs (R-NY-27) beginning in 2020. She holds a BA in political science and government from the College of St. Rose.

Rep. Fallon's Legislative Agenda

Fallon sits on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, the House Armed Services Committee, and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, along with several subcommittees spanning military personnel, tactical air and land forces, cyber and information technologies, and government efficiency.

On the legislation front, Fallon's most advanced bill is the MERICA Act of 2025 (H.R. 3872), which passed the House in December 2025 and was referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The bill would amend the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands to expand hardrock mineral leasing on federally acquired lands, covering base metals, precious metals, industrial minerals, and precious and semi-precious gemstones, while excluding coal, oil, gas, and several other materials. The Senate's Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining held a hearing on the bill in February 2026.

Fallon has framed the legislation around domestic supply chains and reducing dependence on foreign sources for critical minerals. In a statement around the bill's House passage, he said the measure "would open federal lands for mining, prioritizing domestic production, national security, and putting American workers first."

Two additional Fallon-sponsored bills have also cleared committee in the 119th Congress. The Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets Act (H.R. 5457) passed the House in December 2025 and was referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. The Special District Fairness and Accessibility Act (H.R. 2766) was ordered to be reported by committee in March 2026.

The Policy Landscape

Crossman's issue areas align with Fallon's most active legislative lane. Beyond the MERICA Act, Fallon has used his committee platforms to push for broader energy development on federal lands, including oil, gas, coal, and geothermal resources. He has also introduced the Rescinding Offshore Wind Tax Credit Act, which would disallow tax credits for offshore wind facilities, citing concerns about military radar interference and economic costs.

On agriculture, Fallon has argued that energy policy directly affects Texas farmers, contending that keeping power costs low is essential for agricultural producers. He has also pointed to rural health care provisions in broader budget legislation as a benefit for his constituents.

Fallon's committee assignments give him a wide reach on the issues Crossman will be supporting. His seat on the Oversight Committee's Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs Subcommittee has been a venue for energy and environmental oversight, including past hearings on EPA emissions standards and the Biden administration's pause on liquefied natural gas exports. His Armed Services assignments add a national security dimension to his energy and minerals work, a framing he has applied consistently in his public communications.

Crossman's promotion takes effect as Fallon's office heads into a period with the MERICA Act still pending in the Senate, making her portfolio immediately significant.

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