Senator Ted Cruz, who chairs the Senate Judiciary's Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action & Federal Rights Subcommittee, delivered remarks as the Senate Judiciary Committee voted yesterday to pass the Officer John Barnes and Chief Michael Ansbro Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program Expansion Act of 2026. Sen. Cruz introduced and is leading the bipartisan legislation along with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).
Now THIS is a story of real philanthropy – and an initiative that really is "For the Children." Janine Yass and her husband had followed the Philadelphia's controversial closing process of 17 schools and felt compelled to create an education pathway for vulnerable families. “No child should be trapped in a school that's unsafe, underperforming, or unable to meet basic academic standards," says Yass. They are providing students from 17 city schools that are slated to close in the next few years are being offered scholarships to leave the Philadelphia School District for private schools – and the money is being put up by billionaires Jeff & Janine Yass. eff Yass, a Republican financial supporter and the richest person in Pennsylvania, has long supported the school-choice movement, including school vouchers. Janine Yass, a founder of Boys' Latin of Philadelphia Charter School, said she and her husband had followed the district's controversial closing process and felt compelled to create a pathway for strong educational options for vulnerable families.
Governor Greg Abbott announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved a request from the State of Texas for a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) for the Stinky Fire in Potter County, which has threatened homes, damaged property, impacted infrastructure, and prompted local evacuations in the Texas Panhandle.
Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock is reminding families and businesses that they can save on the purchase of certain products during the state’s Water-Efficient Products and ENERGY STAR® sales tax holidays. Created by the Texas Legislature, both holidays take place Saturday, May 23, through Monday, May 25. The Texas Comptroller's office estimates shoppers will save $15.7 million in state and local sales tax during these holidays.
The Spokane case goes to trial this week, May 18, 2026, and what happens in that courtroom matters well beyond eastern Washington. Nine defendants, the so-called Spokane 9, were originally charged with conspiracy to impede or injure federal officers after the June 11, 2025 protest outside ICE's Spokane facility, where a crowd blocked transport vehicles carrying two legal asylum seekers to a Tacoma detention center. Six of the nine have since pleaded guilty. Three — chose trial.
"America is envied by millions, perhaps billions of people around the world... but it’s also true many countries don't share our values. They impose authoritarian rules on their citizens. We can't shrink from the principles of liberty and freedom by allowing certain individuals to advocate or embrace Sharia Law, nor can we allow advocates for Sharia to actively work to undermine our Constitution,” said Sen. Cornyn, calling for a bar on aliens who support Sharia Law from entering or remaining in the U.S.
Governor Greg Abbott today directed the TDEM to activate state emergency response resources as storm activity is forecast to trigger severe thunderstorms across vast portions of Texas, starting later today and persisting through the middle of the week. The National Weather Service warns a cold front moving through state is expected to create potentially hazardous conditions across large areas of North, Central, West, Northwest, Northeast, and South-Central Texas as the system shifts.
I’m proud to write legislation that fully funds veterans’ healthcare and benefits while investing in military housing, childcare centers, and infrastructure improvements that support our servicemembers and their families. This bill also prioritizes critical mental health resources and programs aimed at addressing veteran homelessness because taking care of those who have served our country is one of our nation’s most important responsibilities.
I was pleased to welcome Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to this week's Republican Study Committee (RSC) member meeting. The Department of Justice's newly formed Fraud Division is critical to rooting out waste and recovering taxpayer dollars, while the DOJ's enforcement on immigration and narcotics trafficking is protecting American communities.
Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), aka AOC, the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, graduated from Boston University cum laude, and then returned to the Bronx and worked as a bartender and waitress to help her mother fight foreclosure of their home. Nothing wrong with that, but her life experience apparently has taught her little. In some recent comments, she claimed that the very wealthy became that way not from salaried work but from investments.
Trey’s Law prevents the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to silence survivors of child sexual abuse and trafficking. The bill makes any NDA provision unenforceable if it prohibits or restricts someone from disclosing the sexual abuse of a minor or facts related to that abuse. Importantly, this protection applies regardless of when the NDA was signed, whether before a dispute arose or as part of a civil settlement agreement.
Governor Greg Abbott today announced nine (JET) grants totaling $2,524,300 have been awarded to nine schools in East Texas by then (TWC). The JET grants will support (CTE) training programs by helping the schools purchase and install equipment to initially train 700 students for high-demand occupations such as automotive service technicians, registered nurses, HVAC mechanics and installers, and more.
National Police Week is a time to honor the brave men and women who put on the badge every day knowing the dangers that come with the job. Across Texas and throughout our nation, law enforcement officers run toward danger so American families can live in safety and peace. Last week, we also remembered the officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. Their courage and service will never be forgotten, and we continue to lift up their families and loved ones in prayer.
From foreign adversaries to cartels, bad actors around the world are increasingly using drones to target infrastructure and harm innocent civilians. As the U.S. prepares to host millions of visitors for the FIFA World Cup and America250 celebrations, we must be prepared to neutralize this evolving threat. That's why I introduced the Guard the Skies Act, which would enable the National Guard to conduct counter-drone operations.
On Saturday, incumbent U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) finished in a distant third place in the Louisiana Republican primary with only 24 percent of the vote. He missed the runoff, likely ending his political career. It was a stinging defeat for the longtime politician and two-term U.S. Senator. Of course, a motivating factor for Republicans was his vote to convict President Donald Trump of impeachment charges following the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol protests.
Governor Greg Abbott today announced that a Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund (TSIF) grant of $13 million has been extended to Texas A&M University for an expansion of their Cyclotron Institute in College Station, which has provided high-energy heavy-ion particle testing for more than 30 years. The project will establish new beam lines and develop a state-of-the-art spectrometer, enabling cutting-edge research in nuclear science and semiconductor testing.
The Founders were great believers in capitalism and the free market. They were not fighting "the billionaires of their time" over their wealth. Many of the Founders were themselves quite wealthy, including banker Robert Morris Jr., who was known as the "Financier of the Revolution." They fought against the taking or occupation of property by the government. At the very top of their stated purpose for the American Revolution was "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
The United States relies heavily on imports for critical minerals, with limited domestic mining and processing capacity, creating a strategic vulnerability. The Red River Army Depot – located on over 15,000 acres within the lithium rich Smackover Formation – presents an opportunity to strengthen domestic supply. Each of the U.S. Army’s organic Industrial Base Sites has the potential to become mineral hubs for the military. Let's get after it.
