Texas has set yet another record for total jobs in the state, after a gain of 43,400 jobs were filled during the month of June, outpacing the National Annual Growth Rate to reach a new high of 14,469,600 total jobs (nonfarm). And, Gov. Abbott celebrated as Saronic Technologies announced it will construct a Next-Generation Shipyard in Brownsville, which is slated to become the nation's largest shipyard. Called Port Alpha, the shipyard and advanced manufacturing facility will create 10,000 new jobs.

Last week, I traveled to Ukraine to meet with Ukrainian troops near the front lines, receive an award from President Zelensky, observe drone operations, and hold robust discussions with several other government officials and military leaders. As I was on the train from Kyiv to Warsaw, I received the devastating news that Senator Lindsey Graham had passed away. Senator Graham was a visionary, a courageous patriot, and a personal mentor and friend.

I proudly voted YES on both the House Rule attaching the legislation to the FY27 National Security, State Department, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill and on final passage, which cleared the House by a vote of 217-209. The SAVE America Act would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections, require photo identification to vote in federal elections, strengthen voter roll verification, and provide clear guidance to states for implementing these protections.

Democrats hate this country. And, they hate you if you don’t also hate this country. They will also do anything to avoid you continuing to live free in this country – up to and including murdering you – because that’s who they are. If Russia or China offered to help them seize power, they’d take the deal no matter what they asked for in return. After 250 years, one of our political parties has become infested with traitors the way an old dead tree becomes infested with termites.

Governor Greg Abbott today announced three Statewide Preceptorship Program (SPP) grants totaling $5.5 million to professional medical societies in Texas. The grants support hands-on training for Texas medical students in family medicine, general internal medicine, and pediatrics, including pediatric subspecialties. The grants help strengthen Texas’ primary care physician workforce, particularly in rural and medically underserved communities.

Both President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson have indicated in recent days that they support our Unleashing Prosperity idea of indexing capital gains tax for inflation for all assets, or at least for residential real estate. This would free up housing and capital and raise up to $100 billion in revenue by incentivizing sales of assets. It looks to be a key feature of any end of summer tax cut. A capital gains tax cut is more than a tax policy. It’s a growth Policy

The 14th Amendment was ratified after the Civil War to guarantee Citizenship for formerly enslaved Americans. It was never intended to reward illegal immigration or create a market where foreign nationals can purchase "birth packages" to secure American Citizenship for their children. The Constitution's requirement that individuals be "subject to the jurisdiction" of the United States has meaning, and Congress has a responsibility to restore its original intent.

On Saturday, I lost more than a friend. It feels as though I've lost a member of my family. I have known Lindsey Graham since I was in my 20s. I will never forget those early days when he first began campaigning for public office. I took him to South Carolina State University, where I had served as Student Government Association president. He sat in the president's box, met so many of the people who shaped my life, including my family and my brother, Kent, who would later become a South Carolina state senator.

Governor Greg Abbott today announced that a Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund (TSIF) grant of $33.6 million has been extended to Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) for expanded capacity and technology investments at their 300mm semiconductor wafer fab in Richardson (RFAB). The project is expected to total $700 million in capital investment. Texas Instruments, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Dallas, is the birthplace of the world’s first commercial silicon transistor in 1954, followed by Jack Kilby’s invention of the integrated circuit in 1958.

Last week marked the fifth anniversary of the (long overdue) lifting of most COVID restrictions in California. After years of delay, Newsom finally ordered 108,000 state workers back to their offices for four days a week starting July 1 of this year. What's even more humorous is the latest spin from the unions that having more state workers actually on the job and working will mean worse traffic congestion for private sector workers who DO show up for work. If you don't believe us, here's the billboard erected in Sacramento.  

“Upstream employment” in the oil and natural gas industry refers to jobs that focus on locating and extracting energy resources. Since February, oil and natural gas exploration and production jobs have increased each month. Upstream positions support an additional 232,000 indirect jobs within the supply chain and 421,000 induced jobs due to more income spent across the economy.

Texas Land Commissioner and Veterans Land Board (VLB) Chairwoman Dawn Buckingham, M.D., is calling on all Texans to donate to Texas State Veterans Homes (TSVH) and Texas State Veterans Cemeteries (TSVC). While monetary donations are accepted and can be made through the VLB's new online donations portal, there are multiple non‑monetary ways to give back to the men and women who served our great nation.

Governor Greg Abbott today directed the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to launch an immediate and thorough investigation of Mission Regional Medical Center. Reports show the hospital targets foreign nationals with “birth packages in South Texas” to profit from birth tourism that grants U.S. citizenship to children born in the United States. HHSC will also impose administrative sanctions and penalties on Mission Regional Medical Center.

U.S. Senators Ted Cruz, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action & Federal Rights, and Sen. James Lankford (R-OK,) were joined by six Senators and 35 Congressmen in filing an Amicus Brief urging the Supreme Court to protect the Constitutional Rights of faith-based schools participating in school choice programs.

Credit is one of those foundational conditions. Without it, the rest of the work is harder than it needs to be.  So, when I learned about proposed federal legislation to cap credit card interest rates, I started to worry about what it would mean for communities like Spearman and for every small town across rural Texas trying to keep its economy intact. Interest rates are a key part of how the system works.

Following last week’s SCOTUS decision on birthright citizenship, Texas State Rep. Brian Harrison wrote a letter this morning to the Texas Department of State Health Services asking that they use their existing authority to immediately stop issuing birth certificates to non-citizens.  "While I am calling for a special session to take legislative action, such as making birth tourism a felony, under current law, you have broad authority right now to determine who is “properly qualified” to receive a certified birth certificate."

“Texas is where the world builds bigger, and Toyota shows it once more with a $3.6 billion expansion in San Antonio that doubles their factory footprint and creates 2,000 new jobs," said Gov. Greg Abbott earlier today, announcing that Toyota Motor Manufacturing will expand its U.S. production capacity with a second vehicle assembly line in San Antonio – doubling their existing manufacturing footprint with a $3.6 billion investment, that will create 2,000 new jobs.

The takeover of the Democrat Party by "Socialists" (and worse,) has – and appears to be gaining – momentum. Following wins for D.C. Mayor and three New York City Congressional Primaries, a "Democrat Socialists of America" member named Melat Kiros also just won a primary over a 30 year Democrat incumbent in a district that includes Denver. Watch Kiros, a graduate student who's being dubbed the AOC of the West, and like AOC is a former barista as well.

This past week, President Trump showed his support for American farmers once again by suspending the countervailing duties (CVDs) on imports of phosphate fertilizer, which is critical for many of the vital crops such as corn, soybeans, cotton, wheat, etc., that we grow here in the U.S. These duties, which were put in place under the Biden Administration, have cost our farmers nearly $7 billion since 2021.

“The Mitigation Reallocation Program promotes long term resilience, giving communities the opportunity to pursue projects that reduce risks from future disasters,” said Texas General Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, noting that through the MRP, communities are able to apply for mitigation activities funding such as Flood & Drainage Improvements, Water System & Wastewater Improvements, Street Improvements, and Emergency Communications Equipment to reduce the impacts of future hurricanes, storms and flooding.