"Let’s be clear: Republicans voted to keep government open, Democrats voted for a shutdown. The blame rests squarely on their shoulders. Their rabble-rousing is not in the name of good governance – it's about them choosing political theater over the American people, because they hate President Trump more than they care about you,” said Texas Cong. Brian Babin, as a midnight government shutdown seems eminent.

Governor Greg Abbott celebrated the strength of Texas’ robust economy as new data released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) shows the Texas economy growing at a faster rate than the nation as a whole. The state’s real gross domestic product (GDP) expanded in the second quarter of 2025 at an annual rate of 6.8.%, well ahead of the U.S. rate of 3.8%.  Data from BEA also shows personal incomes in Texas increased in the 2nd quarter at an annual rate of 6.4%, ahead of the national average of 5.5%.   

On Fox News’ The Story with Martha MacCallum, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) discussed the indictment of former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey by a federal grand jury. ‘Clearly Director Comey went off the rails because of his antipathy – his hatred, really – for Donald Trump and made a number of decisions, including leaking confidential, maybe classified information.’

Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a major nationwide legal victory to protect the integrity of states’ Medicaid programs for both hospitals and the millions of Americans who rely on Medicaid. This victory struck down a rule from the Biden Administration’s U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service (“CMS”) that sought to expand federal control of States’ Medicaid funding mechanisms.

Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock announced that Texas has once again earned the highest possible credit rating (AAA/Aaa) from the major municipal credit rating agencies: S&P Global Ratings, Fitch Ratings, Moody’s Investors Service and KBRA. The agencies cite Texas’ diversified economy, steady population growth, strong fiscal reserves and disciplined financial practices in reaffirming the state’s credit standing. All assign a stable outlook for the state going forward.

The loan agreement between the PUC and NRG is the third finalized under the TxEF’s In-ERCOT Generation Loan Program, which provides low-interest loans for projects that add new, dispatchable power to the ERCOT region. It is the second TxEF loan received by NRG. Under the loan agreement, total project costs are estimated to be $936 million. The PUC is providing a 20-year TxEF loan of $562 million, or 60% of the total project cost, at a 3% interest rate.

The Office of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and the U.S. Department of State today announced a special passport application event taking place in San Antonio to assist Texans applying for routine passport services. Appointment slots are limited. After your appointment request is received, you will be notified of next steps within 1–2 business days.

We’ve been demonstrating for years on these pages that the climate change industrial complex has been the greatest waste of $1 Trillion in world history and that the war against cheap and abundant fossil fuels is a war against economic progress.  Now we have a president who rightly lectures the European leaders and UN bureaucrats of the dangers of climate hysteria.

No politician is above the law, and any public official who breaks the law to enrich themselves deserves the harshest penalties. This is why I’ve introduced a new bill to ensure that public officials who commit fraud receive the consequences they deserve. While young working families around the country are struggling to buy their first homes in the face of high prices and high interest rates, some public officials have cheated and taken an easier route.

Governor Greg Abbott today issued a statement following the Dallas ICE facility shooting and Senator John Cornyn responded with statements on X to the Wednesday shooting at an immigration facility in Dallas. "We are a nation defined by our value for peaceful discourse, and our respect for law and order. In other parts of the world, political violence grips countries after every change in leadership, strangling their nation, and putting lives at risk every day."

Let me be clear: if a shutdown occurs, it will be because of the Democrats and their reckless spending demands. Their last-ditch proposal would have piled on an additional $1.4 trillion in wasteful spending and dismantled much of President Trump’s progress. While Republicans are working to fund the government responsibly, Democrats continue to push their progressive wish list that the American people have already rejected.

Under federal regulations finalized during the first Trump administration, legal hemp must be tested for total delta-9 THC, which includes both THC and its precursor, THCA. Texas law, however, remains unclear, and some argue only requires testing for delta-9 THC. This lack of clarity has created “loopholes” in state law which have allowed retail stores to sell marijuana masquerading as hemp that would be illegal to harvest in all 50 states per federal regulations. 

Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) Chairman Jim Wright was honored to accept the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission Chair’s Stewardship Award for Environmental Partnership on behalf of the agency during the IOGCC Annual Conference in Anchorage, Alaska. Wright: “This is the third time the Commission has won the Stewardship Award for Environmental Partnership."

For all the media spin about Donald Trump dragging down the GOP, at the moment CNN’s own data guru pretty clearly believes what Democrats fear the most: Voters don’t trust Democrats, and do trust Republicans on the issues that decide elections – and Republicans are stronger now than they were in 2022 when they took back the House. “Whatever Democrats are doing, it ain’t working. Republicans have the lead on all three issues.”

I made a big announcement on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday: While I'll continue to serve you to the best of my ability throughout the remainder of this Congress, I will not seek another term. This is not a decision I reached lightly – and I couldn't be more grateful to the people of Texas for entrusting me to represent them for more than two decades. It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve you in the United States Congress.

We're happy to hear about former West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin's act of contrition – oh but wait, that's right; the last of the now-extinct moderate Democrat breed in Congress is out trying to sell his new book... while lashing out at his former party. He says Democrats are in the grip of "ideological purity tests" and a lust for power. Manchin says it was "all in the name of advancing their agenda."

In July, Pope Leo XIV announced the appointment of Bishop Daniel E. Garcia as the sixth Bishop of the Diocese of Austin. We are happy to welcome you to his Installation on September 18th, 2025. Prior to this appointment, Bishop Garcia, a native Texan, was ordained a priest and served in various leadership roles here in Central Texas before being installed at as Bishop of Monterey, California in 2019. Today we celebrate his return!

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Speaker Dustin Burrows today announced the formation of Senate and House Select Committees on Civil Discourse & Freedom of Speech in Higher Education. These select committees will meet jointly to study and issue reports on bias, discourse, and freedom of speech across Texas college campuses. The State of Texas has a responsibility to ensure its publicly funded institutions foster open dialogue and do not discriminate against students, faculty, or staff based on their beliefs.

I was horrified and deeply saddened to learn about Charlie Kirk's assassination. This kind of sickening political violence has no place in our nation and must be fully condemned by leaders across the political spectrum. I'm extremely grateful the Trump administration worked around the clock to bring the suspect into custody, and I look forward to justice being served in his case. Charlie's death is a horrific loss.

Last week, we were confronted with images almost too horrific to bear. First came the haunting video of a young, defenseless woman’s murder at the hands of a savage career criminal. Then came the shocking murder of Charlie Kirk, gunned down in cold blood, execution style, on an American college campus, targeted for his sincerely held conservative, Christian beliefs.