Dan Patrick announces Senate committee assignments, making a few noticeable shifts
Two Democrats and 14 Republicans will chair the upper chamber's committees. Full Story
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![The Texas Senate during the 86th legislative session. Jan. 9, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune -
Just 5 of the 38 Texans in Congress voted to support Trump in weakening Russian sanctions
At issue was a December announcement that the U.S. Treasury Department would lift sanctions against companies tied to a Russian oligarch with strong ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Full Story
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![U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin shake hands after their joint news conference in the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland on July 16, 2018.]()
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U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee accused in lawsuit of retaliation against staffer
The Houston congresswoman is accused of firing an employee after the employee sued the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation over an alleged 2015 rape. Full Story
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![Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, speaks during the news conference at the Capitol with other members of the Heroin Task Force on combating heroin abuse on April 21, 2016.]()
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National left-wing group creates fund to oust Laredo Democrat Henry Cuellar from Congress
Justice Democrats, which helped elect New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, has made the seven-term Texas official its first target for the 2020 primaries. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 23, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Cornyn, Cruz doubt Trump would use Harvey funds for border wall; Cornyn says he'd oppose it
Reports surfaced that the Trump administration would divert funds meant for Hurricane Harvey relief to help build the president's long-sought border wall. Full Story
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![U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (left) and John Cornyn speak to media following the Texas Public Policy Foundation's annual policy orientation in Austin on January 11, 2019.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
At least 35,000 Texans with federal jobs aren’t being paid because of the shutdown
The partial federal shutdown could come to a head Friday, when tens of thousands of Texas federal workers will miss their paychecks. Meanwhile, officials also worry about small businesses who rely on federal contracts. Full Story
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![U.S. federal government employees, contract workers and other demonstrators march during a “Rally to End the Shutdown” in Washington, D.C. on January 10, 2019.]()
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Republican Congressman Mac Thornberry pushes back against idea of military building border wall
Thornberry, the former chair of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, said "it is not a responsibility of the Department of Defense" to build the wall. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Clarendon.]()
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TribCast: Here comes the Texas Lege
On this week’s TribCast, Emily talks to Evan, Ross and Patrick about the lead-up to the 2019 Texas legislative session, the state’s new arrivals to Congress and the latest presidential buzz out of Texas. Full Story
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![Comptroller Glenn Hegar discusses the Biennial Revenue Estimate for the 2020-21 biennium at the state Capitol on Jan. 7, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
After years of Trump’s dire warnings, a "crisis" has hit the border but generates little urgency
A political stalemate over the president’s border wall plan makes small-bore immigration fixes more remote. Full Story
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![Families from Guatemala and Honduras wait for their opportunity to apply for asylum. The said the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents on the American side of the bridge have not given them much information other than they need to wait here.]()
Credit: Reynaldo Leal for The Texas Tribune -
House Democrats take power amid Texas delegation shakeup
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took back the chamber gavel amid a gloomy partial government shutdown. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, is applauded after being elected House speaker at the start of the 116th Congress, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 3, 2019.]()
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Democratic states appeal ruling declaring Obamacare unconstitutional
A federal judge ruled last month that the sweeping health care law is unconstitutional in its entirety. Full Story
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![Obamacare sign in east Austin on Dec. 1, 2015.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles/ The Texas Tribune -
"You may all go to hell, I am going to Texas.” Nine Texas lawmakers bid goodbye to Congress
With nearly two centuries of Texas experience departing Congress this week, the lawmakers reflect on their tenures on Capitol Hill. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Ted Poe fondly recalls the time he was allowed to drive his Jeep directly onto the White House driveway while George W. Bush, a fellow Texan, was president. Photo courtesy of Congressman Ted Poe.]()
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Returning Texas Republicans in Congress preparing for a "whole different world" in 2019
As Congress prepares to begin a new term, most of the Texans returning to the U.S. House will by adjusting to a new reality – either as a member of the majority or the minority for the first time. Full Story
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![The U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.]()
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Amid standoff over border wall funding, federal government to partly shutter at midnight
Members from both chambers left the U.S. Capitol Friday evening, kicking the negotiations into the weekend. Dozens of agencies will be impacted by the shut down, potentially leaving border patrol agents to work without pay. Full Story
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![U.S. President Donald Trump listens to questions from reporters about an impending U.S. Government shutdown during a bill signing ceremony for the “First Step Act” and the “Juvenile Justice Reform Act” in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., December 21, 2018. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts]()
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Report: Feds investigating Southwest Key, migrant shelter operator for thousands of kids in Texas
The Austin-based non-profit has received $1.1 billion in federal funds since the start of 2016 and currently houses 3,644 migrant children at shelters across the state. Full Story
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![Southwest Key CEO Juan Sanchez talks to Tribune investigative reporter Jay Root at the Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 29, 2018.]()
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Criminal justice overhaul passes U.S. House, heads to Trump for signature
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, pushed the bill, which was inspired in part by reforms made in the Lone Star State. Full Story
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![President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address on Jan. 30. 2018.]()
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U.S. House Democrats call for congressional investigation into Guatemalan child's death
Lawmakers said they had more questions than answers after touring Border Patrol facilities in New Mexico where a 7-year-old Guatemalan girl was held before her death. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, and other current and incoming members of Congress toured the U.S. Customs and Border Protection station in Lordsburg, N.M. on Dec. 18, 2018 to learn more about the in-custody death of a 7-year-old immigrant girl.]()
Credit: Jesus Rosales for The Texas Tribune -
U.S. House passes farm bill to relief of Texas farmers, SNAP proponents
Republican Texans in Congress were disappointed the $867 billion package didn't include stricter work requirements for SNAP recipients. But they cheered passage because the bill provides financial certainty for the state's farmers. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway, R-Midland, speaks with farmers in San Angelo, Texas, on July 31, 2017.]()
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Texas border-area officials could get a funding boost to help ID human remains
The Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains Act of 2018 would allow border counties to apply for federal grants to help identify bodies of undocumented immigrants. Full Story
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![A memorial in the desert near Falfurrias on April 2, 2013. Brooks County officials and ranchers have discovered the bodies of hundreds of undocumented immigrants over the years.]()
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Analysis: These Texas candidates are about to find out what they’ve really won!
The campaigns were long and hard, and now we know the winners. Let's look at what they're in for once they take office in 2019. Full Story
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![Texas House members huddled near the dais on Aug. 15, 2017. The House adjourned sine die one day before the Legislature's special session would have been forced to conclude.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera