Sen. Ted Cruz tour of Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas

President Trump approved Individual Assistance (IA) for 20 Texas counties impacted by severe weather

Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, I toured Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas. For decades, Dyess Air Force Base has played a critical role in America's long-range bomber operations. Now, with the groundbreaking for a $78 million B-21 mission planning facility, Dyess will continue to bolster our military readiness and capabilities. Texas and Texans will continue to lead in advancing the safety and security of Americans, and I look forward to working with our military bases across Texas to keep our country safe.

President Trump approved Individual Assistance (IA) for 20 Texas counties impacted by severe weather
Earlier this month, President Trump approved Individual Assistance (IA) for 20 Texas counties impacted by severe weather and flooding between July 12 and August 4, 2026. The decision follows an appeal submitted by the State of Texas to overturn the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) denial of the state’s request for additional assistance. The following 20 counties are now approved for FEMA IA: Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Crockett, Dimmit, Frio, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, La Salle, Maverick, Medina, Real, Schleicher, Sutton, Uvalde, Val Verde, and Zavala.

In July 2026, I sent a letter to President Trump supporting Governor Greg Abbott's request for a major disaster declaration for Texas counties affected by severe storms and flooding. In September 2026, President Trump approved a major disaster declaration authorizing Public Assistance for 23 Texas counties. Last week, Rep. Chip Roy and I sent a letter to President Trump supporting Texas's appeal of FEMA's decision and requesting approval of the appeal in its entirety.

Service Academy Nominations Board
I am honored to be able to celebrate the work of my Service Academy Nominations Board after it concluded its annual meeting. The Board recommended the most qualified Texas candidates for nomination to our nation’s distinguished military service academies.

The Board is composed of service academy alumni, members of the National Guard and Reserves, additional active duty and retired military leaders, former senior civilian U.S. Department of Defense officials, and other proud leaders and supporters of our military from across Texas. The Board assesses hundreds of military service academy applicants each year and I am thrilled to be able to recommend those that best represent Texas.

READ: Senator Ted Cruz joins groundbreaking for B-21 facility at Dyess Air Force Base

ICYMI: Sen. Cruz, Rep. Roy Applaud President Trump’s Approval of Federal Disaster Assistance for Texas Flood Victims