Texas defense hawks urge Congress away from military funding cuts to raise the debt ceiling
Texas Republicans in the U.S. House are working with their divided party to eke out a path forward on raising the debt limit. Full Story
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![The U.S. Capitol on a cloudy evening in Washington D.C., on Jan. 22, 2023.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Cruz, Cornyn renew calls for release of Mark Swidan, Texan detained in China for 10 years
The two Texas Republicans are drumming up attention to the decade-old case as Secretary of State Antony Blinken is planning to meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang this week. Full Story
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![Mark Swidan.]()
Credit: Courtesy of Swidan Family Free Mark Campaign -
Potential 2024 GOP presidential hopefuls headed to Austin for retreat with donors
Gov. Greg Abbott and U.S. Sen. John Cornyn are helping host the event at the Omni Barton Creek Resort and Spa. Full Story
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![Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, and former Vice President Mike Pence.]()
Credit: Rebecca F. Miller and Jonathan Ernst via REUTERS; Leslie Boorhem-Stephenson for The Texas Tribune -
Ted Cruz, who’s running for a third term, again files bill to limit U.S. senators to two terms
Cruz announced in November that he is seeking a third term in the Senate in 2024. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz speaks at a press conference with organizers of the People’s Convoy near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 10, 2022.]()
Credit: Eric Lee for The Texas Tribune -
Texas progressives want Title 42 ended, highlighting wide ideological gulf on Congressional immigration deal
The spectrum of ideas on immigration could throw cold water on hope that there will be a breakthrough in Congress. Full Story
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![U.S. Congressman-elect Greg Casar, D-TX, speaks during a press conference with Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Chair Pramila Jayapal, D-WA, and other incoming CPC members at AFL-CIO Headquarters in Washington, DC, on Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022.]()
Credit: Shuran Huang for The Texas Tribune -
Homelessness among veterans has been cut in half since 2010, VA says
In Texas, the number of homeless veterans has dropped 65% between 2007 and 2020, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. Full Story
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![Tents at the state-run homeless encampment off of U.S. Highway 183 in Austin on Feb. 25, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
U.S. Rep. Chip Roy says he’ll use debt ceiling threat to push through his border security plan
The debt ceiling has long been a political tool to force partisan agenda items across. But Roy is facing some resistance within his own party on his border plan. Full Story
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![US Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin, speaks with Major Garrett, chief Washington Correspondent for CBS News, at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 23, 2022 in Austin, TX.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
A year after FBI raids Henry Cuellar’s home, no arrests and no answers
One year later, there have been no arrests or charges filed related to the case. Cuellar maintains that he was never the target of the investigation and will ultimately be cleared of wrongdoing. Full Story
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![Sandi Villarreal, deputy editor for digital at Texas Monthly, moderates a panel with US Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, and former speaker of the Texas House Joe Straus at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 24, 2022 in Austin, TX.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn eyes the seemingly impossible: a bipartisan deal on immigration
Riding the success of his historic congressional session last year where he helped pass the first gun safety bill signed into law in a generation, Cornyn is hopeful that his ability to strike deals across the aisle will help Congress achieve another elusive legislative goal: an immigration deal. Full Story
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![U.S. Sens. John Cornyn, center, and James Lankford, R-Okla., were shown items displayed by a Border Patrol agent after two Chinese nationals were detained upon entering the U.S. in Sunland Park, New Mexico on on Jan. 9, 2023. The senators were on a night tour of the border led by the National Border Patrol Council.]()
Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune -
As Donald Trump mounts his 2024 presidential bid, his support among Texas officials is waning
About two months into his comeback bid, few prominent Texas Republicans have endorsed Trump — and some are showing more willingness to cross him publicly. Full Story
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![Former President Donald Trump delivers a speech at the 2022 Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas on Aug. 6, 2022.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Republicans tapped to chair four committees in new GOP-led U.S. House
The Texans are poised to chair some of the most important committees, including the appropriations and budget panels. Full Story
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![From left: U.S. Reps. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, and Jodey Arrington, R-Lubbock.]()
Credit: Texas Tribune -
Texans help elect Kevin McCarthy speaker after dramatic late-night votes
Texas Republicans were key players in the intraparty fight over how its leaders would run the U.S. House of Representatives, with right-wing members ultimately securing major wins in the fight. Full Story
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![A member-elect of the House of Representatives grabs Mike Rogers, R-Alabama, by the face as Kevin McCarthy walks away. Rogers had approached Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, and members of the House Freedom Caucus after Gaetz voted "present" rather than voting for McCarthy in a late-night 14th round of voting for a new House Speaker on Jan. 6, 2023.]()
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Chip Roy and other Texas holdouts flip votes and now support Kevin McCarthy, who remains short in speaker bid
Roy, R-Austin, as well as U.S. Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Victoria, and Rep.-elect Keith Self, R-McKinney, switched their votes for McCarthy after voting against him 11 times. Full Story
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![From left: Leaders of the opposition to Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy becoming Speaker of the House, U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin; Rep. Scott Perry, R-PA; and Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-FL, talk as they gather on the floor of the House of Representatives for another expected round of voting for a new House speaker at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C., on Jan. 5, 2023.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst -
How Texans helped plot, foment and carry out the Jan. 6 insurrection
From those who planted the seeds of Trump’s strategy to try to challenge the election, to others who sowed doubt and anger by spreading baseless election-fraud conspiracy theories, Texans played major roles in the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol two years ago. Full Story
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Chip Roy, key McCarthy opponent, steps up as top negotiator in House speaker standoff
Roy has differentiated himself from peers like Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colorado, and Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, who are referred to as the “Never Kevins,” amid a historic House vote. Full Story
![From left: Leaders of the opposition to Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy becoming Speaker of the House, U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin; Rep. Scott Perry, R-PA; and Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-FL, talk as they gather on the floor of the House of Representatives for another expected round of voting for a new House speaker at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C., on Jan. 5, 2023.]()
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Texas Republicans urge Chip Roy and other McCarthy opponents to let Congress get to work
Texans poised to assume committee leadership are growing frustrated by Republicans blocking Kevin McCarthy’s election for speaker because Congress can’t get to work until a leader is in place. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-California, speaks to members of the media as he walks to the House chamber before a fourth ballot vote for Speaker of the House on the second day of the 118th Congress in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 4, 2023.]()
Credit: Craid Hudson/Sipa USA via REUTERS -
U.S. Rep. Chip Roy emerges as key GOP agitator in U.S. House speaker fight
Three Texas Republicans, including Roy, voted three times against U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s bid to be House speaker. They’re demanding rules changes that would give more power to rank-and-file members. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin, speaks with reporters as he departs the House floor after the House Representatives held their third vote for House speaker on the first day of the 118th Congress on Jan. 03, 2023, in Washington, D.C. No speaker was elected, and the House adjourned.]()
Credit: Michael McCoy for The Texas Tribune -
“It takes time to get stuff done”: New Texas congressman promises results, not rhetoric
Nathaniel Moran, the former Smith County judge, has promised to be a staunch conservative who will pass legislation. That worries some of his constituents. Full Story
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![U.S. Congressman-elect Nathaniel Moran, R-TX, is seen at Hyatt Regency Washington hotel in Washington, DC, on Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022.]()
Credit: Shuran Huang for The Texas Tribune -
House committee votes to release Trump tax returns over objections by U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady
Brady, the top Republican on the House tax-writing committee, urged the committee not to release the former president’s records just before it deliberated on what to do with them. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, in his office in Washington on Nov. 17, 2022.]()
Credit: Eric Lee for The Texas Tribune -
More Texans give away campaign donations from Sam Bankman-Fried and other FTX affiliates
In November, The Texas Tribune reported that Beto O’Rourke had given back a $1 million donation that Bankman-Fried had donated to his campaign. Full Story
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![U.S. Congressman-elect Greg Casar, D-TX, speaks to reporters after a press conference with other incoming CPC members at AFL-CIO Headquarters in Washington, DC, on Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022.]()
Credit: Shuran Huang for The Texas Tribune
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