“I served 20 years in the U.S. Navy – military leadership should be no further than a phone call away," said Texas Cong. Tony Gonzales, as it was discovered last week that Joe Biden's Sect. of Defense Lloyd Austin had been secretly admitted to an Intensive Care Unit for multiple days – and was unable to perform his duties – while Mr. Biden and his National Security Council were totally unaware of his whereabouts. "The President of the United States should've been in the loop from the beginning. The way this was handled was completely unacceptable."

U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar Ph.D. (TX-28) and the Department of Interior today announced nearly $80 million in federal funding for orphan well plugging and site mediation in Texas. This major investment will spur economic revitalization, create good-paying jobs, and help mitigate the environmental and health impacts of methane leaks from toxic abandoned oil and gas wells.

Gov. Greg Abbott announced that over 100,000 illegal immigrants entering the United States via the South Texas & Mexican Border have now been transported to so-called "Sanctuary Cities" across the nation as part of Texas’ migrant transportation strategy designed to relieve the state's overwhelmed border towns. The Texas Dept. of Public Safety and the Texas National Guard are continuing to secure the border, stop the smuggling of drugs, weapons and people, and prevent or interdict trans-national criminal activities.

Georgia was one of the few states that we and other education freedom advocates targeted for victory in 2023. But we fell short in the legislature. Fortunately, the prospects have vastly improved this year as the Governor, Lt. Governor, and the Legislature's House Leadership has in recent days made ringing endorsements for School Choice.

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced today he will send cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose districts $1.1 billion in local sales tax allocations for January, 3.3 percent more than in January 2023. These allocations are based on sales made in November by businesses that report tax monthly.

Produced water is a byproduct of what comes to the surface during oil and gas production, and the produced water recycling framework will provide a regulatory program for operators to assess the effectiveness and the suitability of applying treated produced water for beneficial purposes. 

Beginning in early December, Critical Infrastructure Division inspectors spread across the state to ensure natural gas facilities on the state’s electricity supply chain map are weatherized and in compliance with RRC’s weatherization rules. All of what are known as Tier One facilities have already been inspected, in addition to ongoing inspections of other facilities on the map.

“Texas is one of the top travel destinations for visitors from across the nation – and the world,” said Governor Abbott, adding that “Travelers to and within our Lone Star State contributed more than $187.5 billion in economic growth while supporting some 1.2 million jobs. Every region of Texas offers endless opportunities to experience the natural beauty, rich history, and true Texas hospitality that draws visitors from around the world,"

“The 15 major military installations in Texas – in addition to the headquarters of Army Futures Command – add over $114 billion to the Texas economy, and support more than 622,000 direct and indirect jobs. The men & women serving on these installations are integral members of their communities, and their missions are critical for national defense," said Gov. Greg Abbott earlier today, announcing $15.4 million in grant funding from the Texas Military Preparedness Commission for infrastructure projects in the state's military communities.

U.S. Senators Ted Cruz, Mike Braun , and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) introduced the Orphan Well Grant Flexibility Act to empower states to maximize their operational flexibility within the Energy Policy Act of 2005 as they close abandoned oil wells. Orphaned oil wells often go abandoned and unchecked for years and can pose serious environmental hazards. The legislation is endorsed by a coalition of organizations, including the Independent Petroleum Association of America, and National Ground Water Association.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has joined 26 other state's Attorney Generals in an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing against a legally unfounded decision by the Colorado Supreme Court to remove presidential candidate Donald Trump from the ballot in the upcoming presidential primary, saying "the Colorado court sought to usurp responsibility and authority that the Constitution assigns to Congress." Following the brief’s submission, Supreme Court agreed to review the case.

One of the most meaningful ways Texans and people across the nation express their gratitude & respect each year is through Wreath-Laying Ceremonies at National & State Veterans Cemeteries. The solemn act of laying a beautiful wreath at a military member’s headstone – and speaking their name aloud – is a powerful reminder of these warriors and their families’ sacrifices. All four of Texas' State Veteran Cemeteries participated, and honored the lives and service of Texas Veterans.

"By allowing impressionable K-12 students to be subjected to a one-sided activist-driven narrative downplaying the depravity of Hamas’s terrorism – and tacitly endorsing antisemitism – you are complicit in endangering lives,” said Sen. Ted Cruz to President Joe Biden's Sect. of Education and California's State Superintendent of Public Instruction after learning of a December 6th “teach-in” conducted by activists from the Oakland Education Association's Teacher Union.

"Texans in at-risk areas are encouraged to remain vigilant, monitor weather conditions, and heed the guidance of local officials and emergency management personnel,” said Gov. Greg Abbott earlier today, as he directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to increase the readiness level of the Texas State Operations Center to a Level II Escalated Response in preparation of multiple possible weather threats over the next several days.

"The 2024 Adopt-A-Beach Winter Cleanups in South Padre and the Coastal Bend are this year's first opportunity to give back to our Coastal Communities and support the wildlife that calls the Texas Coast home. In 2023 Texans and people from across the country made an enormous difference for the future of Texas beaches by removing multiple tons of trash from our coastline," said Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, announcing the February 2nd and 3rd cleanup events.

As a chairman on the Appropriations Committee, I secured over $73 million in the FY2024 House Appropriations bills for Texas' 31st Congressional District. From infrastructure improvements to supporting law enforcement and education, I'm devoted to bringing resources to our Congressional District that improve the lives of Central Texans. In response to the "defund the police" movement, Local Law Enforcement's recruitment has been damaged, putting us all at risk.

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) issued the following statement after President Biden signed into law a bill Cruz authored, requiring the State Department to produce a detailed report on efforts by the government of Venezuela to detain United States citizens, as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024. The Maduro regime has used a range of tactics to take Americans hostage.

Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) today encouraged Texans to educate themselves and their loved ones about the dangers of human trafficking and how to combat this heinous crime plaguing Texas and the nation. The Governor proclaimed January 2024 as Human Trafficking Prevention Month in Texas.

MyTXCareer app is a free resource designed to guide users to potential careers through three easy steps: browse occupations, explore pathways, and get support. While browsing occupations, users can view the average salary for the position, job demand, and position descriptions. 

“Right now the United States is far too dependent on foreign manufacturing – particularly in advanced semiconductors. That’s a vulnerability, and it's a vulnerability in particular to China that's intolerable," said Texas Senator Ted Cruz earlier today during a Texas A&M Health Science Center Roundtable & Press Conference, which focused on the accelerated construction of semiconductor manufacturing plants he pushed in the CHIPS Act. His efforts unanimously passed with bipartisan support at the end of December.