Good News for Texas Late Friday, Governor Greg Abbott announced that the federal government is set to reimburse Texas $7.5 billion for border security expenses incurred since launching Operation Lone Star in 2021. When the federal government failed to secure our southern border, Texas stepped up. We launched Operation Lone Star to defend our communities, […]
I want to commend our local and state jurisdictions for their response to the Ross Fire in Palo Pinto and Jack Counties. The tireless efforts of everyone on the front lines, working around the clock to fight the fire and protect our communities, are truly remarkable. I had the rare opportunity over the weekend to […]
I want to provide an update on the current status of the Ross Fire in Palo Pinto and Jack Counties. The fire is currently 12% contained and has burned approximately 80,000 acres. I have been in constant contact with state and local officials to ensure that all available resources have been deployed and are engaged […]
Here are some of the latest updates I think would be of interest to you. The Senate’s Newly-Formed Homeland and Border Security Committee Tackles the Drone Threat and Cartel Fuel Trafficking Last week, I had the opportunity as Chair to lead the Senate Select Committee on Homeland and Border Security through two important hearings […]
Your State Government in Action: Watch Our Upcoming Interim Committee Hearings This week, I will join the Senate Committee on Business & Commerce, the Senate Committee on Higher Education and the Senate Finance Committee for interim hearings on several critical issues impacting Texas. The Senate Finance Committee will meet on Monday, July 27th, to evaluate […]
Texas GOP Leadership Instructs State Agencies To Cut Their Budget By 3% Before a legislative session begins, state entities are required to submit a Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR) to the Legislature outlining their budgetary needs. This week, the Governor, Lt. Governor and Speaker of the House instructed all state agencies, appellate courts and institutions of higher […]
On Saturday, as we celebrate the 250th Anniversary of Independence Day, we celebrate an incredible milestone in the life of our country. I’d like to personally recommend that you considering watching “A Great Awakening,” a film which explores the unlikely friendship between English evangelist George Whitefield and Founding Father Benjamin Franklin. The film tells the […]
Dear Friends: Here is my latest update on matters of interest. Though the Legislature is not in session until January, important work in interim hearings is fully underway. Keeping Texas’ Skies Safe, Assessing the Use of Drones In March, I was appointed by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick to be Chairman of the Senate Select Committee […]
Monitoring the Screwworm Threat As we combat the screwworm threat I would encourage everyone to avoid fear and instead learn the facts. Texas has defeated the screwworm threat before, and we will prevail again. With that said, here is what we know. On June 3rd, New World screwworm was confirmed in a calf in Zavala County, […]
Last year, I was proud to author SB6 which established the nation’s first comprehensive legislation regarding data centers; my bill took meaningful steps to ensure grid reliability and protect consumer pricing. Today, Governor Abbott issued additional directives to manage growth and protect consumers. The directives also address noise, water and similar issues. The Governor says, […]
