U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) joined Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) in introducing the SAVE America Act, which would require individuals to present proof of citizenship when registering to vote as well as photo identification before voting in a federal election. The legislation would also ensure states appropriately maintain voter rolls by removing non-citizens from existing voter rolls.
Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock today said state sales tax revenue totaled $4.6 billion in January, 7.1 percent more than in January 2025. The majority of January sales tax revenue is based on sales made in December and remitted to the agency in January. Receipts from the sectors mainly affected by business spending showed the largest gains compared with a year ago, with the mining and construction sectors both exhibiting double digit growth.
Under the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, millions of Americans are expected to see significantly larger refunds. Economic analyses project average refunds rising by $1,000 or more, with some estimates showing increases of 15 to 30 percent. In total, taxpayers could receive up to $50 billion more in refunds this year. That means more money staying where it belongs, with families, workers, and seniors who earned it.
With nearly a century’s worth of documents digitized and available online, researchers will be able to access the 100,205,204 files from anywhere in the world rather than having to travel to the RRC headquarters in Austin. This includes a wide variety of documents, such as oil and gas well records, hearing files, permits and reports - all routinely used by researchers, landowners, energy companies and public information requesters.
As cities descend into repeated cycles of chaos and lives are lost in Minnesota, Americans are asking a simple question: how did we get here? Many Americans, understandably shocked, look at the protests, the violence, and the loss of life and point to immediate causes. Some cite fraud and corruption in federally funded social programs, apparently tolerated by state officials. Others point to aggressive enforcement of immigration law that sparked deadly confrontations. But these are symptoms, not the cause.
"As always, Texans can rest assured the Senate will hit the ground running on day one of the 90th Texas Legislature to ensure the priorities of the conservative majority of Texans are accomplished including, but not limited to, continued property tax relief via ‘Operation Double Nickel,’ eliminating fraud and abuse in state government, strengthening the power grid, and promoting a Texas-first agenda across the board.”
Governor Greg Abbott today announced that the Texas Health & Human Services Commission has received federal approval to extend the time Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients can apply for replacement benefits for food lost or destroyed as a result of the January winter storm. Texas SNAP recipients have until February 23rd to apply.
“West Texas produces 15% of the world’s energy resources, so our Global & National Security are directly tied to protecting Texas’ energy industry,” said Cong. Tony Gonzales. "When President Biden opened the floodgates at the border, criminal activity in the Permian Basin skyrocketed – this is an issue Congress needs to address, and my 'Protect the Permian Act' gives Law Enforcement the resources to do so."
Texas added 19,700 nonfarm jobs in December to reach a total of 14,341,000 positions. Over the year, the state added 132,500 jobs for an annual nonfarm growth rate of 0.9 percent, outpacing the national growth rate by half a percentage point. Texas’ civilian labor force registered at 15,964,000 after adding 25,000 people over the month. This marks a new record-high level for the series. Over the year, Texas’ civilian labor force has added 236,300 people.
Republicans have not held the governor's mansion in California since 2010. During the Tea Party Wave election, across the country Republicans swept into power, even in blue states--except for California. Meg Whitman, the former CEO of eBay, threw nearly $200 million at the governor's race, but she couldn't overcome the old retread Jerry Brown, who had remained in California politics decades after his prior gubernatorial term.
"Although the New World screwworm fly is not yet present in Texas or the U.S., its northward spread from Mexico toward the Southern Border poses a serious threat to Texas' livestock industry and wildlife. State law authorizes me to act to prevent a threat of infestation that could cause damage to Texas property, and I'll not wait for such harm to reach our livestock and wildlife."
Trump tapped Kevin Warsh to be the next Fed chairman. He’s a superb choice, and one we’ve been pushing for more than a year – Congrats, Mr. President, you hit the bullseye. Unlike Jerome Powell, Warsh is not political; he's not an inflationist, and he rejects the economic mysticism that printing money causes growth. It causes inflation!
At the midway point of National School Choice Week and with just a week remaining before applications open on Feb. 4, Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock is encouraging families to visit Education Freedom website to get ready for the launch of Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA). More than 1,400 private schools and education providers across Texas have already registered to participate, with the number growing daily.
On Wednesday at the Trump Accounts Summit, I witnessed something rare in modern politics: a bold policy vision that places the American family, not bureaucracy or Wall Street, at the center of our nation’s future prosperity. As I walked into the historic Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, famously named after a giant of American industry and our nation’s 49th U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, I saw not only high-powered business leaders and philanthropists, but I saw families.
"Under Texas law, ‘the Texas Attorney General is the only elected official charged with regulating’ non-profits that may be violating the law – including examining their records and stripping their Corporate Charters," said Gov. Greg Abbott earlier today, demanding that Ken Paxton and the Office of the Attorney General use its authority to strip the non-profit status of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and eliminate its ability to operate in Texas.
“Democrats are using this tragedy to try to force government funding changes that they know can't be done before the current Continuing Resolution expires,” said Sen. Cornyn today from the Senate Floor. "In order for President Trump to continue the work he's started, and to restore trust between Local & Federal Officials in Minnesota, the Department of Homeland Security – and yes, that includes ICE & Border Patrol – must be funded.
At first glance, capping credit card interest rates sounds like a simple solution to a real concern as households face rising costs and mounting consumer debt. Families are feeling stretched and policymakers are right to look for ways to provide relief, but good intentions do not always lead to good outcomes. And, over the past several decades the U.S. financial system has made meaningful progress in expanding access to credit across income levels and communities.
The framers of the Constitution understood political power with a level of sophistication unmatched in their era. In a matter of months, 55 delegates constructed a governing framework that has outlasted monarchies, empires, and ideological revolutions. Nearly 250 years later, the United States remains the most stable and influential republic in the world because the framers designed a system that restrains ambition, divides authority, and prevents any single institution from controlling public life.
