Betting markets show Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) as the frontrunner to snag the 2028 Democratic nomination for president of the United States. But AOC refuses to pay back her student loans, despite earning $173,000 a year as a member of Congress. That's a red flag that she's fiscally irresponsible and holds taxpayers in utter disdain. Her supporters claim her college loans make her relatable. Sorry: relatable to the elite but not to everybody.

Governor Greg Abbott today announced more than $2 million in grants to nine Texas higher education institutions to support free, open educational resources for students in nursing and workforce training programs. These grants are awarded through the Open Educational Resource (OER) Grant Program, which helps institutions to create and adopt openly licensed textbooks and other course materials that students can access through the OERTX digital library.

Score another one for the Texas model of doing things. Just days after Meta and BlackRock finalized a landmark venture to build a $10 billion-plus, one-gigawatt data center campus in El Paso, Governor Abbott announced that Meta, along with several other major companies, will comply with his recently announced data center standards, proving once again that when leaders set clear rules and get government out of the way, private capital shows up ready to build, hire, and foot its own bills.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced $7.5 million in grant funding available through the Cold Chain Grants for Emergency Food Assistance Program (CCG). The Program will fund projects to support cold chain equipment investments that help food assistance entities temporarily store, effectively package, and distribute fresh, frozen, and minimally processed foods.

Last week, I concluded my third trip to Taiwan. During the Korean War in 1950, General Douglas MacArthur famously called Taiwan an "unsinkable aircraft carrier." That is still true today. Taiwan stands as an enduring pillar of freedom to check and to stop the spread of the Chinese Communist Party’s malign influence across Asia. During my speech at the Ketagalan Forum in Taipei, I assured the Taiwanese people that they will always have a steadfast partner in the United States of America. 

Last week, a mid-year crime report was released, pointing to what we already know: President Trump’s “tough on crime” agenda is working. Homicides in the nation’s largest cities are down 17.2% from the first half of last year. The National Guard has continued to show up, regardless of the conditions, to protect the American people, and lives are being saved as a result. Over the last two years, we’ve seen murders and other violent crimes drop to levels our nation hasn’t seen in more than a century.

The Supreme Court has ordered that illegally imposed Trump tariff/tax revenues collected by the federal government must be refunded to those who paid the bill. Some $100 billion has been cleared for refunds with as much $70 billion more on the way. The law requires that the companies that have receipts proving they paid the taxes receive the refunds. But consumers argue that the shoppers who bought the products bore some of the cost of the tariffs in higher prices.

Last week, I proudly introduced the Lindsey. O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 in the House, alongside a bipartisan group of 17 colleagues. Senator Graham was a national security giant, a statesman of unmatched conviction, and a personal friend and mentor. We shared a fundamental worldview: America is strongest at home when it projects strength abroad. That’s why he fought so hard for this bill, which I promised him months ago I would introduce in the House.

Last week I had a great tour of Toyota Texas in San Antonio with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Acting U.S. Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling. Toyota’s $3.6 billion expansion is another powerful vote of confidence in Texas workers and our pro-growth policies, bringing more than 2,000 new high-paying jobs to the Lone Star State. Texas leads the nation because we believe in free enterprise, low taxes, and fewer government barriers to job creators.

As children across Texas began to head back to school this week, Comptroller Don Huffines announced earlier today that the Lone Star State has reached a major and significant milestone in the ongoing effort to provide billions in funding to students participating in the Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) Program. Huffines said over 101,600 Texas Students have now received funding – a figure that is expected to increase as additional awards are made.

State Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) – author of 2021's Senate Bill 1365 that restored and strengthened Texas' A-F Public School Accountability System – joined Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath at 12:00 Noon today for the TEA's release of the 2026 A-F Accountability Ratings for every Independent School Dist. (ISD) across the state, as well as individual Campus Ratings for each school within the Lone Star State's 1,200 ISDs.

Mail-in and absentee ballots have expanded dramatically during Covid. Since then, some states have rolled back their use, but others are paying a steep price for not doing so. “Zombie” votes are ballots cast for candidates who drop out before Election Day. They’ve created a growing problem because more Americans who vote early or by mail are voting for a candidate who later drops out or is hit by a serious scandal.

Harmony Public Schools is celebrating strong student outcomes as a result of Friday’s release of the Texas Education Agency’s 2026 statewide accountability ratings, reaffirming the district’s commitment to academic excellence and continuous improvement across its PreK–12 campuses. Out of 65 schools across Texas, 32 earned an “A” rating, while 16 campuses earned a “B” rating.

Governor Greg Abbott presented a proclamation celebrating the Texas icon to Buc-ee’s Founder & President Arch “Beaver” Aplin, participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and joined Buc-ee’s employees in their “Brisket on the Board” tradition, slicing and serving brisket to Buc-ee’s customers. Since 1982, Buc-ee’s has been a beacon of Texas hospitality for travelers across the state. With the opening of its 74,000-square-foot San Marcos location, Buc-ee’s now operates nearly 60 stores nationwide.

Check out Steve Moore’s WSJ piece today. He shows that by moving from the highest tax state - California and New York - with income tax rates as high as 14% - to a no-income tax state like Florida, Tennessee or Texas, a family with $5 million or more in income can increase annual take-home pay by 30%. Just by moving out, They get that higher after-tax bonus year after year until they retire.

Texas Comptroller Don Huffines said many cities and counties can reduce property taxes due to increased sales tax revenue as local governments will receive $1.4 billion in sales tax allocations for August, 13.6% more than in August 2025.These allocations are based on sales made in June by businesses that report tax monthly and on sales made in April, May and June by quarterly filers. The increased sales tax revenue distributed to local governments is a strong sign the Texas economy continues to grow.

The public charter campus, which serves students in grades 6–12, has established a strong track record of academic achievement and community recognition in Central Texas. Demonstrating its commitment to postsecondary readiness, the school achieved a 100% college acceptance rate for its graduating seniors, alongside an 83% college enrollment rate for 2026—significantly outperforming both the statewide average of 48% and the regional average of 46%.

Governor Greg Abbott today announced Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) will establish a new pharmaceutical manufacturing campus in Houston, with a capital investment of approximately $2.3 billion that will create nearly 500 new jobs. A Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF) grant of $4.89 million has been extended to Bristol Myers Squibb. The expansion is also a qualified project under the Texas Jobs, Energy, Technology, and Innovation (JETI) program.

U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) introduced the Right to Worship Act. This legislation protects Americans' First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion by establishing a 100-foot protection zone that prohibits conduct disrupting scheduled religious services or impeding attendance.

While every American is familiar with the fireworks & BBQs of the 4th of July, many people are unaware of the day in July dedicated to recognizing the service and sacrifices of Korean War Veterans: National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day on July 27th. This remembrance marks the anniversary of the 1953 Armistice Agreement signed by the United States, North Korea, and the People’s Republic of China, which ended the short but violent conflict.