House Republicans stepped up last week to responsibly fund the Federal Government through mid-December with the passage of a clean Continuing Resolution (CR) – while working to finalize the remaining Appropriations Bills with conservative policies at the forefront. The Senate must act swiftly to get this to the President's Desk, and avoid another costly and disruptive Democrat-driven Government Shutdown. Also, four pieces of legislation I've championed advanced out of the Committee on Energy & Commerce.

The Improving America’s Literacy Act ensures Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) grants cannot be used on the three-cueing model, directing those funds instead to evidence-based reading instruction grounded in the five key pillars of Science of Reading. Additionally, this legislation strengthens accountability for improvement in literacy outcomes by ensuring that the Director conducts research to identify and evaluate the improvement in student literacy outcomes at the State and local levels.

Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched investigations into popular products to protect women’s health. The OAG is investigating a number of feminine care and cosmetic product brands, including lip balm, lipstick, and other product manufacturers. These industry-wide investigations will determine whether companies are deceiving consumers about the presence of toxic chemicals in their products. 

Last week I proudly voted for the annual National Defense Authorization Act, which is often referred to as the NDAA. Fully funding our military is a fundamental duty of Congress — and as America’s adversaries seek to undermine global stability, it's one that's never been more vital. This year's NDAA passed the House with several provisions I championed that will: Support our brave Servicemembers and their Families; Equip our Warfighters with the tools they need to win; and deter our adversaries’ aggression around the world.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal disaster assistance is available to the state of Texas to supplement State, Tribal & Local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from flooding beginning on July 12th. The President’s action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all federal disaster relief efforts to alleviate hardship and suffering caused by the emergency and provide assistance to save lives, protect property, public health – and to lessen or avert the threat of catastrophe.

Governor Greg Abbott today announced that Texas is extending the application period for the new federal Workforce Pell Grant program, giving more colleges and technical schools additional time to submit eligible short-term training programs. The extended window will expand access to affordable, short-term training that prepares Texans for good-paying, high-demand careers in construction, health care, information technology, advanced manufacturing, and other skilled trades that power the Texas economy.

Our nation is facing an epidemic – and it’s one the world has seen before, and knows well. Years ago we saw Communism sweep the world, and the United States of America drew a line in the sand. Now, not even half a century later, it’s coming in by invitation and has quietly and subtly taken root in our children's classrooms, is spilling over into our cities – and is in control of the Democrat Party. The choice between Common Sense and Crazy has never been clearer to the American people.

To think that the DSA leadership, or any Democratic Party leader, truly cares about the welfare of blacks is absolutely ridiculous. Blacks and “minorities” are nothing more than tools the DSA is using to get where it wants to be: on top, with totalitarian power and control over…everybody. And, as proven in every communist hellhole on earth in the past 100 years, they don’t care how many people they murder, torture, or impoverish to reach their goal.

"Teledentistry has expanded access to care for countless Americans, and when used appropriately, it can be a valuable tool – but convenience should never come at the expense of patient safety," said Congressman Brian Babin – Chairman of the House Science, Space & Technology Committee and a practicing dentist of more than 40 years – as he introduced the Oversight of Responsible Teledentistry for Healthy Outcomes (ORTHO) Act to establish common-sense patient safety standards for teledentistry.

Governor Greg Abbott today announced that the Texas Health & Human Services Commission (HHSC) has received federal approval to extend the time Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients can apply for replacement benefits for food lost or destroyed by recent flooding. SNAP recipients living in Bandera, Blanco, Frio, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, Medina, Uvalde & Val Verde counties have until August 3, 2026, to apply.

Do Democrats WANT Non-Citizens & Dead People to vote? It’s a serious question, because they do NOTHING to stop or prevent it – and then preposterously deny it’s happening. President Trump revealed in last Thursday Evening's Speech that the Dept. of Homeland Security has identified more than 250,000 non-citizens that are registered to vote in just New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California & Nevada. Meanwhile, the SAVE America Act - which requires proof of Citizenship for New Voters - is still stalled in the Senate because EVERY Democrat is against it.

Reentering the workforce presents significant challenges for formerly incarcerated individuals. At the same time, Texas employers face persistent labor shortages due to the state’s tremendous economic growth. Hosted by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), the Growth through Reentry to Advance Careers & Employment (GRACE) Conference is your opportunity to learn how second-chance hiring can strengthen your workforce while providing a fresh start for formerly incarcerated individuals. 

Governor Greg Abbott celebrated Texas as America’s jobs leader with today’s U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment release showing Texas led all states with a gain of 43,400 nonfarm jobs over the month of June. Texas also led for jobs gained over the last 12 months. The Texas labor force totaled 15,904,900 with a gain of 29,700 people over that period. Texas has gained more than 2.6 million jobs since January 2015 when Governor Abbott took office.

Wayne Christian voiced his support for the joint directive issued by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, and Speaker Dustin Burrows, which requires state agencies and institutions of higher education to review and reduce their base Legislative Appropriations Requests (LARs) by 3% for the 2028–29 biennium. The directive reflects a responsible approach to lowering government spending while maintaining the state’s commitment to delivering meaningful property tax relief for Texans.

We've had some major run-ins with Michael Bloomberg when he was New York City mayor, spreading climate change Gloom & Doom and taxing Big Gulps.  But his 12 years as mayor were a sanity-filled paradise compared to the "collectivism" agenda being promoted by Zohran Mamdani. Bloomberg is calling for Common Sense these days, ringing the alarm against government ownership of key business sectors.

Texas Land Commissioner and Veterans Land Board (VLB) Chairwoman Dawn Buckingham, M.D., encourages Veterans, Military Members, and their families to attend the Collin County Veterans Expo on Saturday, July 25, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Allen Senior Recreation Center hosted by the VLB, the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC), and Credit Union of Texas (CUTX).

“We are now transitioning into the process of cleanup and rebuilding. We've identified about 490 homes that sustained damage. If you want to donate to assist your fellow Texans who've been affected by these horrific floods, please go to rebuildtx.org,” offered Gov. Abbott, after surveying flood-damaged communities by helicopter and providing an update on Texas’ ongoing response to the severe floods of last week.  "The state is working with local officials to expedite debris removal and accelerate the rebuilding process," said Abbott.

Lindsey was a fearless patriot, a devoted public servant, and one of the fiercest advocates for America’s national security. He loved this country deeply, and he dedicated his life to defending it. For years, I had the privilege of serving alongside Lindsey in the Senate. We fought shoulder to shoulder for conservative judges, stood together with our allies, and never wavered in confronting America’s adversaries. Senator Graham was one of the most formidable foes America’s enemies faced in the United States Senate.

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.