In the Lone Star State, we are blessed to have incredible police officers who serve our communities. Texas is home to approximately 140,000 police officers – the second highest number in the country. That averages out to about four police officers per 1,000 residents. Our brave law enforcement officers help ensure the safety of Texans day-in and day-out, and this week is a great opportunity to recognize their heroism.

Harmony Public Schools-Central Texas has been selected as a partner district in the Intel® AI-Ready Schools Initiative, a national effort designed to help schools prepare students and educators for success in an AI-enabled world. Intel® officially welcomed Harmony Public Schools-Central Texas into the initiative, which supports districts in implementing responsible, ethical and student-centered artificial intelligence practices in education.

For the past century, the agendas of the Democratic Party were predictable. They professed concern for working Americans and supported blue-collar unions. Unemployment insurance, a 40-hour work week, disability insurance, and Social Security were their trademarks -- often rapidly achieved by growing government bureaucracies and continually raising taxes. Still, many Democrats were socially conservative.

Governor Greg Abbott celebrated the opening of the Constellation Pin Oak peaking power plant, the first Texas Energy Fund loan-backed project to come online that will deliver more reliable, affordable power to the state’s grid. The Constellation Pin Oak peaking power plant is designed to quickly supply electricity when demand is at its highest, delivering reliable power for Texas homes and businesses when they need it most.

“West Texas is vital to economic growth and energy for Texans, and decisions about its land should belong to Texans, not Washington bureaucrats. This bill will protect our communities from federal overreach, prevent land grabs that threaten jobs, and limit energy and agricultural development," said Sen. Ted Cruz while introducing the No FED in West Texas Act to prevent future administrations from implementing plans that would expand federal control over land in Texas.

“The conflict in Iran is a clear reminder - when America and our Allies need stability, Texas Oil & Gas is answering the call. As prices rise at the pump, the path forward is clear: further unleash Texas Energy... Lower Taxes, Cut Regulations, and Eliminate Green Energy Subsidies, because this surge in Texas should remain the cornerstone of Global Energy Supply around the world,” says Texas Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian, praising reports about the state’s growing role in meeting global energy demand.

The Texas Veterans Land Board (VLB) offers a wide range of benefits unmatched across the country. From loans for Veterans’ families to purchase their first home to long-term care facilities when extra help is needed, the VLB serves those who pledged to serve our nation. One of the benefits I am most proud of is the VLB’s Texas State Veterans Cemeteries (TSVC).

This is the second year in a row Texas has been recognized by Site Selection with this “Triple Crown” win. In March, Governor Abbott accepted Site Selection magazine's  Governor's Cup recognizing Texas as the No. 1 state for attracting the most new and expanded business facility projects for an unprecedented 14th consecutive year. Last November, Site Selection recognized Texas for the third year in a row as the Top Business Climate in the U.S.

The largest gains in April came from the sectors driven primarily by consumer spending, with the retail trade and service sectors both increasing by double digits compared with April 2025. The growth in receipts from the service sector reflects a surge in spending on live entertainment. Within the retail trade sector, double-digit gains in receipts came from the general merchandise subsector — with strong results from big box retailers and warehouse clubs — as well as from electronic shopping.

U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) will be introducing the Barring American Citizenship by Keeping Out Foreign Fraudsters (BACK OFF) Act, which would put a stop to birth tourism, a long-abused system that America’s foreign adversaries like China and Russia have exploited to undermine our nation’s sovereignty and ensure their children are born on American soil to automatically gain U.S. citizenship.

Texas' agriculture community is one of the key backbones of our nation's economy, and a critical pillar of our national security. Last week, House Republicans passed the Farm, Food & National Security Act of 2026, commonly known as the Farm Bill. It's one of the most consequential pieces of legislation in the United States, and while it's supposed to be renewed every five years, Congress has not passed a Farm Bill since 2018, making this year's bill especially important.

Last week I was proud to help advance key priorities for East Texas families, farmers, and our Nation’s Security. I voted to pass the Farm, Food & National Security Act of 2026 – the first Farm Bill since 2018. This legislation is one of the most consequential tools we have to support American agriculture, shape our food supply, and strengthen rural communities. For too long, Texas farmers and ranchers have been pushed to the brink, facing rising costs, labor shortages, and unpredictable weather.

All we hear about from the Left these days are shouts of voter suppression. Don't believe a word of it! Voting among Hispanics, Blacks & Asians have all increased over the last two decades. Hispanic turnout alone rose to 37.9% in 2022, and 40.4% in 2018 from 31.2% in 2010. ​​​And since we think a picture is worth a 1,000 words, we prepared a chart showing the trend of minority voting in non-presidential election years – and yes, t​​​​​​​he numbers are up, not down for each minority group.

More than 6,000 Veterans die by suicide each year, and as lawmakers we have a responsibility to the men & women who wore the uniform – as well as to the families who stood beside them – to pursue every credible option to improve their post-war outcomes and save lives. President Trump signed an Executive Order last week that will advance Federal Research into the therapeutic potential of ibogaine, and it signals a shift toward prioritizing evidence, accountability, and results.

Texas added 46,800 nonfarm jobs in March to reach a total of 14,403,500. Over the year, the state added 117,200 jobs for an annual nonfarm growth rate of 0.8 percent, outpacing the national growth rate by 0.6 percentage points. Texas’ civilian labor force registered at 15,916,600 after decreasing by 25,200 over the month. Over the year, Texas’ civilian labor force has added 82,200 people.

I have been laser-focused on security preparations for these games. As transnational gangs and nation-state adversaries increasingly use unmanned aircraft systems — or drones — to carry out attacks around the world, we must do everything in our power to secure the airspace over our 11 U.S. host cities. That's why this week, I wrote to Secretary Hegseth, Acting Attorney General Blanche, and Secretary Mullin, urging the administration to empower the National Guard to counter drone-related threats.

The new report released this week by the Department of Justice’s Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias is a wake-up call. The task force, led by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, has produced one of the most, if not the most, substantive works of this administration. The report, entitled “Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias within the Federal Government,” lays bare what is at the heart of the Left’s disdain for religious freedom: it is a clash of “worldviews” over abortion, gender ideology, and sexual orientation.

The "10% Credit Card Interest Rate Cap Act" – sponsored by Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) – would impose a ceiling on credit card rates for five years. But because whatever government touches has catastrophic consequences, the results would be at least 64 million U.S. consumers having less access to Credit Cards or paying higher fees – and, millions of lower-income Americans with poor credit ratings would be at risk of losing their cards entirely.

Governor Greg Abbott today directed the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) Board of Trustees to implement the maximum feasible premium reductions that both preserve the long-term financial stability of the TRS-Care fund and reduce Medicare Advantage insurance costs for retired educators.  Last year, the Governor delivered the largest investment in public education in Texas history, including over $4 billion for teacher and staff pay raises.

From Edinburg, Texas, Cassy Garcia brings nearly two decades of experience in public service and government relations at the local, state, and federal levels. She began her career as a Regional Field Representative for the Texas Agriculture Commissioner, and later served as Sen. Cruz’s South Texas Regional Director and Deputy State Director. She most recently served as Senator Cruz’s Acting State Director.