During the keynote address at the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s annual Texas Policy Summit in Austin, Gov. Greg Abbott shared the real facts about the School Choice bills moving through the Texas Legislature – including that public education will continue to be fully funded; every Texas family in every region, demographic, and socio-economic background will have access; per-student funding is at an all-time high of over $15,000; and parents who homeschool their children will have control over their curriculum.
U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) introduced the Border Airport Fairness Act, legislation that would designate user fee airports within 30 miles of a land border as a port of entry (POE) and eliminate duplicative government fees.
"Since the Senate first passed a version of this resolution in January 2021, there have been at least 162 homicide cases filed in Harris County (Houston) alone involving defendants who were released on one or more Criminal Case Bonds, and then committed a new murder offense. Repeat offenders should not be allowed to roam freely, continuing their crime sprees and causing chaos in Texas," said Lt. Gov. Patrick, as the Senate passed Sen. Joan Huffman's SJR 5 on a 29-2 vote.
“The NCAA’s sleight of hand is designed to intentionally deceive consumers into believing that biological men are no longer allowed to participate in women’s sports,” said Attorney General Ken Paxton. “Far from aligning with President Trump’s executive order or basic reality, the NCAA’s new policy treats sex as a changeable characteristic determined by a birth certificate instead of biology. The court must enjoin the NCAA from continuing these deceptive schemes and protect women.”
Three recent but completely unrelated events illustrate the deranged hatred of President Donald Trump and his supporters continuing now even into a second decade. And yet the venom only further marginalizes the left. In its too-long 50th anniversary spectacle, Saturday Night Live offered a skit in which marquee actor Tom Hanks did an impression of what the left thinks is a supposedly Neanderthal Trump supporter.
President Donald Trump must be reading the Committee to Unleash Prosperity HOTLINE, because he has adopted our line by telling Congress: Pass the Tax Bill – NOW. Yesterday, Mr. Trump wisely weighed in strongly in favor of the House Budget, which immediately extends the Trump tax cuts versus the flawed Senate strategy of doing a no-tax-cuts budget now, and a tax bill at some unknown date in the future. This "one beautiful bill" makes the most sense to us. Why wait?
Senate Bill 9, by Sen. Joan Huffman, shifts the authority to set initial bonds for specific high-risk defendants, including those on parole, repeat felony offenders, and those charged with violent crimes or detained under immigration holds, from hearing officers to a Presiding Judge that is accountable to voters. SB 9 expands the list of offenses ineligible for personal bond to include unlawful firearm possession, violation of family violence protective orders, terroristic threats, and murder related to fentanyl distribution.
The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) is now accepting applications for a new grant to strengthen the Texas healthcare workforce. The new dual credit healthcare grants will provide funding to programs that allow high school students to earn college credits for courses that lead to healthcare careers. Grant awards will support dual credit costs to prepare more Texans for the healthcare industry’s most in-demand occupations.
President Trump correctly points out that tariffs, at one time, served as the principal source of federal government revenue. From the nation's founding until the Civil War, tariffs generated 90% of federal revenue. From the Civil War until 1913, when the Constitution was amended to provide an income tax, tariffs produced 50%. In 1900, government at all three levels -- federal, state & local -- took less than 9% in taxes and fees from the American people. Today, it takes about 32%.
"With President Trump’s pro-growth, pro-business initiatives and his choice of Kelly Loeffler to lead the Small Business Administration (SBA,) businesses across our nation are filled with new hope and certainty. As a small business owner myself, I know the importance of a strong economy and support from Washington, DC. Joe Biden turned his back on Main Street, and crushed Small Business with inflation, regulations, and a dwindling economy," says Texas Cong. Roger Williams, Chairman of the House Small Business Committee.
In my years of working in and around politics, one thing is abundantly clear: we must strongly support law enforcement (#BackTheBlue) while also taking a firm stance against China – especially when it comes to safeguarding our Online Security. This is critical today because online data represents not only an invaluable asset, but also a significant vulnerability. Our nation cannot afford to jeopardize the privacy and security of its citizens, but unfortunately recent events show this is becoming a real risk.
"When I chaired the Foreign Affairs Committee last Congress, the Biden State Department notified me of many wasteful programs — both within USAID and the State Department. As chairman, I put 'holds' on those programs, which meant the administration should have stopped their efforts to fund these initiatives. But they were so committed to their woke causes, they blew through those holds and spent the money anyway — bucking longstanding protocol," said Cong. Michael McCaul.
"When President Biden’s policies left the U.S.-Mexico Border unprotected, Texas stepped up. Through Operation Lone Star, Governor Abbott and Texas' citizens led the charge to uphold immigration laws and protect our communities – investing over $11 BILLION to do what Joe Biden refused to. Now the Texas Congressional delegation in Congress is united in demanding that Washington, D.C. reimburse our state for the infrastructure and resources spent securing the Southern Border," says Cong. Babin
Governor Greg Abbott provided an update during a press conference on Texas' response to wildfire threats in West Texas, potential flash flooding in East Texas, and severe winter weather impacting large portions of the state following a briefing with state officials at the State Operations Center in Austin. Last Friday, Governor Abbott directed TDEM to activate state emergency response resources ahead of increased severe weather threats this weekend.
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) reintroduced the Chemical Tax Repeal Act today. The bill eliminates the Superfund excise tax imposed by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed in 2021. That law re-imposed taxes on 42 different chemicals, critical minerals, and metallic elements used in common household items such as plastics, rubber, concrete, soap, lightbulbs, and electronics.
New York is already getting sued by the Trump administration for prioritizing illegal aliens over the safety of Americans. Get ready for New York City to be slammed with similar suits. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul blusters that the legal action is a "worthless, publicity-driven lawsuit" that will "be a total failure." Hochul insists "New York is not backing not down." She's dead wrong about the merits of the lawsuit. It's a slam dunk.
Sen. Ted Cruz has reintroduced the "Officer John Barnes Act" to eliminate delays in the distribution of benefits officers and their families experience from the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program (PSOB) and require the Dept. of Justice to process-decide benefits claims within 270 days of submission. Cruz's bill is named in honor of Officer John Barnes, who demonstrated exceptional bravery during the Santa Fe, Texas shooting tragedy, suffering a disabling shotgun blast in the process.
As Chairman of the House Republican Study Committee, I was honored to host U.S. Energy Sect. Chris Wright at the RSC's latest lunch meeting to lay out an aggressive path forward for jump-starting America's Energy Production. Wright is a successful entrepreneur who's worked in the nuclear, solar, geothermal and oil & gas areas of the energy industry. He has a deep and firsthand understanding of what Energy Independence should look like for our nation's National Security & Economic Prosperity.
