The public comment period on the proposed rules opened on August 16 and will continue through September 30. This week the RRC will also hold two hearings for public input on the proposed rules.  One hearing will be held in-person on Thursday in Austin, and the RRC will hold a virtual hearing on Friday. More information on both hearings, including how they can be viewed via webcast, can be found on the RRC website.

Three years ago, the last U.S. military flight left Afghanistan following President Biden’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan. During this evacuation, the Biden-Harris Administration stranded at least 1,000 Americans, abandoned our Afghan allies, and left behind $7 billion worth of U.S. Military Equipment. And, after 20 years of American blood, sweat and tears being poured into the country, Afghanistan has once again become a terrorist safe haven – where women are forced to live in the shadows under Taliban rule.

The grants support a wide range of services from emergency financial assistance to transportation, legal services to family support services, and home modification, rental and mortgage assistance. The Texas Veterans Commission’s TVC Grants Across Texas Awards includes in five categories: General Assistance, Housing for Texas Heroes, Veterans Mental Health Grants, Veterans Treatment Courts, and Veteran County Service Officers. Here's some details on each.

Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) awarded $1.4 million in grants for Youth Robotics programs that will enable more than 8,200 Texas high school students to participate in Youth Robotics competitions. This year, two applicants received grant awards — Robotics Education and Competition Foundation, Inc. and FIRST in Texas. Robotics competitions bring together the excitement of sports, science, and technology.

“Receipts from restaurants declined slightly from a year ago, the first decline for the sector since the pandemic," said Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar earlier today, while announcing that in November the Comptroller’s office will deposit $2.74 billion into both the Economic Stabilization Fund and the State Highway Fund for use in Fiscal Year 2025 – both receive funding from Oil & Natural Gas Severance Taxes. Oil Production Tax Revenue was up 6.3% from FY 2023, while Natural Gas Production Revenue dropped 36.3% compared to 2023.

Mark Zuckerberg admitted in a letter to the House Judiciary Committee recently – at the behest of the Biden White House – that Meta censored online discussion. Mark Zuckerberg’s letter outlining that the Biden-Harris administration pressured Meta to silence differing voices and opinions on COVID-19 pandemic, Hunter Biden's laptop, and the Biden family is damning. ​​​​​​​The purchase of X (formerly Twitter) by an industry outsider is the only thing that's returned a modicum of balance to the enforcement of online content laws.

Ted Cruz (R-Texas) hosted a roundtable featuring leaders from the advanced aviation industry regarding the effort to bring a new federal research and testing center to Texas. As one of the authors of the bipartisan FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, Sen. Cruz championed a provision authorizing the creation of a new federal research and testing center for emerging aviation technologies like drones, electric air taxis, and supersonic and hypersonic aircraft.

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) recognizes the state’s workforce for making Texas the best place to live and work. The Lone Star State enjoys a prestigious reputation due to the skill and dedication of its workforce and the vast opportunities for its businesses. In recognition of Labor Day, TWC spotlights these qualities by celebrating yet another year of record-breaking growth for the Texas labor force.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton won a nationwide stay that blocks the Biden Administration from forcing federally-funded healthcare providers to conduct “gender transition” surgeries. Previously, Texas won a stay of agency action that blocked the rule from enforcement in the plaintiff States, Texas and Montana. Applying the same logic, Texas then argued for nationwide relief, and the court has expanded the relief to the entire country.

​​​​​​​"This program will provide the experience and training for skills like cyber security, robotics, and pneumatics – and will help develop skills like communication, collaboration, and leadership,” said Gov. Greg Abbott earlier today during a press announcement at the Port of Corpus Christi, celebrating the new Texas A&M Coastal Bend Occupational Advanced Skills Training (COAST) Program that will continue to support the state’s long-standing efforts to bring high-quality training programs to Texas.

Under the Presidential Disaster Declaration (DR-4798-TX) dated July 9, 2024, workers and self-employed individuals in Austin, Bowie, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Orange, Polk,  San Jacinto, Shelby, Trinity, Walker, Waller, and Wharton Counties who have been unable to work due to damage sustained from Hurricane Beryl may be eligible for DUA benefits.

The investigation comes as multiple airports across the nation have been housing illegal aliens – and the Biden-Harris White House has been flying 435,000 unvetted aliens from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua & Venezuela directly into the U.S. One of those illegal immigrants was later arrested in Massachusetts for aggravated rape. In addition, the Dept. of Homeland Security recently revealed that an ISIS-affiliated group smuggled 400 illegal aliens into the country – at least 50 of whom are still missing.

Governor Greg Abbott today announced a record $148 billion in total investment for Texas’ transportation infrastructure. The investment includes the unanimous adoption of the more than $104 billion, 10-year transportation plan by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to improve safety, address congestion and connectivity, and preserve roadways for Texas drivers. It also includes over $43 billion for development and routine maintenance.

“Simply put, our state, which is generally well regarded for its low cost of living, is facing the pressures of a decline in housing affordability as our population and demand for housing continue to rise. Since 2008, Texas has been the No. 1 state for new building permits for privately owned housing units. However, the state’s population, particularly in the major metropolitan areas, is growing at a quicker pace than housing is being built.”

When asked about ten different aspects of Democrat Kamala Harris’s political record – on issues as varied as eliminating private health insurance, to Decriminalizing Illegal Immigration and abolishing the Immigration & Customs Enforcement Agency, to her backing of "the Green New Deal" – between 71% and 86% of “Registered Democrats" and "Independents" surveyed said they either had not heard of Harris’s positions, or were unsure. A full 70% of Democrat Voters said they have no clue what Harris’s political positions may be on the election's key issues.

“Governors, Residents & Citizens across America have seen every state become a border state. It’s not just in Texas or Arizona – it happens in Georgia, Pennsylvania & Wisconsin in regard to fentanyl, to people losing their lives because criminals have been allowed in by Kamala Harris,” said Gov. Abbott, announcing "Operation Lone Star" surpassed 46,000 Criminal Arrests and 40,000 Felony Charges.

Sen. Cruz has championed the creation of a new Federal Research & Testing Center for emerging aviation technologies like drones, electric air taxis, and supersonic and hypersonic aircraft. The center would partner with local industry, academia & others to unleash innovative technologies in Texas’ thriving aviation sector, driven by the Dallas Fort-Worth metroplex.

Lt. Governor Dan Patrick had some direct and harsh comments following Secretary of State Jane Nelson’s election audit report, revealing serious issues with Harris County elections in 2021-2022, and the Harris County Commissioners Court's attempt to bypass Sen. Paul Bettencourt's (R-Houston,) key election reforms (Senate Bills 1750 & 1933) in a meeting on Tuesday.   

The Texas Nuclear Alliance is excited to announce the slate of sponsors for the upcoming Texas Nuclear Summit 2024: Powering Texas Forward, which will be held on November 18, 2024 in Austin, TX. This inaugural event will bring together the most influential voices in energy, policy, and technology to address the future of nuclear energy in Texas. Don't miss your chance to be part of the conversation that will shape Texas' energy future.

Of the over 6,500 noncitizens removed from the voter rolls, approximately 1,930 have a voter history. The Secretary of State’s office is in the process of sending all 1,930 records to the Attorney General’s Office for investigation and potential legal action. To better crackdown on illegal voting, Governor Abbott signed House Bill 1243 into law last year, increasing the penalty for illegal voting, including voting by noncitizens, to a second-degree felony.