Rep. Pfluger also underscored the indispensable role Texas had in securing our border when the previous administration failed to do so, highlighting the over $11 billion the state invested to protect our communities during the Biden-Harris border crisis. He then emphasized his work to secure the federal reimbursement for Operation Lone Star and asked Secretary Noem for a clear timeline on when those funds will finally be returned to Texas.
Secretary Rubio, Secretary Hegseth, and others did a good job of explaining the careful planning that went into these strikes and the legal justification, which is consistent…with other previous interventions by other administrations in the region. Cocaine, fentanyl, these are weapons of mass destruction being trafficked by designated terrorist organizations…I'm glad President Trump is doing what needs to be done in order to save American lives.
This bill would extend the term of the Civil Rights Cold Case Review Board by four years. The board is tasked with investigating criminal investigations from the Civil Rights Era, led by a panel of private citizens appointed by the President. In 2022, Sens. Cruz and Ossoff wrote and passed into law the Civil Rights Cold Case Investigations Support Act of 2022, which extended the board.
I led the call, along with Senators Cornyn and Cruz, and Rep. August Pfluger, for an independent IG investigation into the failures that allowed many service members and their family members to be victimized by Major McGraw. I expect this matter to be handled swiftly and with the utmost respect for the survivors, and I will closely monitor the findings to ensure decisive steps are taken to prevent this from happening again.
Reading and math scores are abysmal across the country, as national testing results keep documenting. Illiteracy rates are rising: The number of 16 to 24-year-olds reading at the lowest literacy levels increased from 16 percent in 2017 to 25 percent in 2023, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics. As an economist, I would submit that this is our greatest crisis. It puts the future of American prosperity in grave danger. Also, the learning gap widens income and wealth disparities.
As Chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, I’m also proud to say that the NDAA included provisions to accelerate space capabilities that counter Chinese and Russian nuclear arsenals, as well as space surveillance. We must continue to stay one step ahead of our adversaries, equipping the Space Force with everything it needs to advance American interests. Space is the next battleground, and we’re not ignoring it.
Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock today announced the launch of the Local Government Bond, Tax, and Project Transparency Database, an online tool that provides the public with transparent access to current and historical information on local government bonds, voter-approved tax rate elections and related projects statewide. The database also advances the intent of its enabling legislation, House Bill 103, to give Texans clearer insight into how local bond issuances and tax rates impact property tax burdens.
In addition to improving our servicemembers’ pay and quality of life, the bill delivers new capabilities to our warfighters at a faster pace, revitalizes our defense industrial base to improve readiness and boost our economy, and funds the president's Golden Dome, which will protect Americans from modern threats like hypersonic missiles for years to come. I was proud to vote for this bill and ensure our nation is prepared to face — and overcome — the challenges of the 21st century.
Commissioner Sid Miller and the TDA hosted agricultural and epidemiological leaders from Latin America to tackle the threat of the New World screwworm. The two-day visit in Austin, Texas, brought together experts from Mexico, Central America, and the United States to coordinate early detection efforts, strengthen cross-border surveillance, and develop unified livestock protection strategies.
Time Magazine, which, like so much in print journalism, has suffered from a loss of readers, has published its annual list called the "Most Influential People of 2025." The list includes "Artists, Innovators, Titans, Icons, Leaders, and Pioneers." Time's "Person of the Year" is Artificial Intelligence. That might also apply to Congress. Most of the people Time considers influential, I have never heard of, so they haven't influenced me. Maybe it's a generational thing.
This legislation will lower costs, expand consumer choice, and increase transparency for patients. By establishing Health Freedom Accounts and a Health Freedom Waiver Program, MACA will put health care decisions back where they belong: in the hands of American families, not Washington bureaucrats. This legislation will also provide small businesses with critical tax relief to encourage employer-sponsored coverage and will codify price transparency for patients.
Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) voted to pass the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in the U.S. House of Representatives. The FY26 NDAA is a must-pass, yearly policy package that outlines the funding provisions for our nation’s defense priorities and military quality of life initiatives. "As a 20-year Navy veteran, taking care of the men and women in our armed services is a top priority for me.”
Governor Greg Abbott, Southwest Airlines, and Austin Mayor Kirk Watson today announced at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) that Southwest will establish a new pilot and flight attendant crew base in Austin. Southwest’s expansion will lay the groundwork for future operational growth in the state and is expected to create 2,000 jobs in Austin by mid-2027. A (TEF) grant of $14 million has been extended to Southwest Airlines. In addition, the company has been offered a $375,000 Veteran Created Job Bonus.
Iowa Senator Joni Ernst chaired a hearing last week revealing that federal agencies shoveled out $162 billion in improper payments last year. That's billions with a B. Federal programs that loan out money to "socially and economically disadvantaged businesses" were a rich target for fraudsters, a particular magnet for fraudsters. Scamsters who claimed to be over 115 years old scored loans worth $333 million, including $36,000 to a 157-year-old.
Some Stay True, Some Don’t Justice Gorsuch has been fairly consistent. Justice Kavanaugh has usually held the line, relying upon the U.S. Constitution as his north star. More than occasionally, Amy Coney Barrett has been a liability to conservatives. It is speculated that she fears for members of her family if she does not yield to Leftist causes. She did, however, appropriately chastise the ranting of Ketanji Brown Jackson – a DEI selection who should have never become a Supreme Court Justice.
Governor Greg Abbott today celebrated Texas as America’s jobs leader with the largest 12-month jobs gain in the nation based on September employment data. The state also set new records for the number of Texans working, the size of the Texas labor force, and total Texas jobs. Texas reached a new high with the largest labor force ever in the state’s history at 15,879,000.
Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) requested an update from Department of Homeland Security Secretary (DHS), Kristi Noem, on current Coast Guard operations in Venezuela and showed his appreciation for DHS personnel across the agency during the House Committee on Homeland Security hearing on "Worldwide Threats to the Homeland." "I think it'd be important for the American people to get an update on the role Coast Guard played in the Venezuela oil tanker seizure."
Congress provided $50 billion for state grants, with half being distributed by CMS ‘equally among all states with approved application.’ “Under this directive, each state could receive the same amount from the pool regardless of the number of rural hospitals and providers or the size of its rural population. For example, Connecticut, which has three rural hospitals, could receive the same amount as Texas, which has 155 rural hospitals.
