Under the Constitution, money cannot be withdrawn from the Treasury unless appropriated by Congress. With funding expiring on October 1, the House did our job by passing a Continuing Resolution (CR) to maintain current spending levels until all 12 appropriations bills can be passed. For this measure to become law, the Senate needed to pass the CR. Since 60 votes are required to get legislation through the Senate, bipartisan cooperation is required.

Governor Greg Abbott announced earlier today that Fund for Veterans’ Assistance (FVA) Grants totaling over $8.5 million were awarded to 35 organizations in Central Texas as part of the Texas Veterans Commission’s "Grants Across Texas" presentations. Administered by Texas Veterans Commission, the funding will provide services to more than 4,440 area veterans and their families across the 30 Counties listed herein.

As of October 1, 2025, the federal government has shut down, meaning funding has lapsed for many federal government operations. I understand there are questions about what is impacted during this time — and I’m here to answer them. Below is a list of federal agencies and how their services will be impacted by the shutdown. Please keep in mind the agencies responsible for administering them may see reduced workforces impacting operations.

Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock today unveiled a new interactive data dashboard designed to put the latest economic and demographic information directly into the hands of Texans. The announcement came during a regional event hosted by the Tyler Chamber of Commerce, where Hancock kicked off the Good for Texas Tour: TexStats Dashboard Edition. The new TexStats Regional Data Dashboard consolidates a wide range of state, county and regional data into a single, user-friendly site.

One party is forfeiting its own pay and standing up for Troops & Taxpayers alike. The other is hiding behind procedures, pointing fingers, and pretending the problem is someone else’s fault. ​​​​This isn’t about optics; it’s about integrity. Rejecting pay while government is frozen isn’t just symbolic — it forces everyone else to look bad for not doing it. These aren’t just gestures for show — they underscore a fundamental contrast.

Governor Greg Abbott today officially launched the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office (TREO), housed within the Office of the Governor, and opened the TREO website and Regulation Evaluation Portal. On the website, Texans can find the "Regulation Evaluation" Portal to submit feedback and make recommendations on potential government overregulation that TREO needs to investigate. 

Hoping to follow in the footsteps of State Senator Brandon Creighton, who resigned his position today to become Chancellor of Texas Tech University, Brett Ligon – the longest serving District Attorney in Montgomery County history – kicked off his campaign today for Senate Dist. 4. “Texas Tech is getting one of the brightest stars as their new Chancellor, and I'm proud to call Brandon my friend," Ligon said.

Whether it's ordering the dispatch of Federal Troops to protect Immigration Enforcement Personnel in "sanctuary" states, authorizing his Budget Director to use reorganization powers available after Senate Democrats shut down the government, announcing a peace plan for Israel & Hamas, or launching a Pediatric Cancer Initiative – President Donald Trump has what Alexander Hamilton once called "Energy in the Executive."

Democrats thought they had the leverage and could force President Trump to give them what they wanted. Instead they've foolishly given him what he could only have dreamt of – a Government Shutdown. They've given him what few presidents have had the opportunity or courage to attempt... the breathtaking chance to fundamentally reshape Washington, D.C., perhaps forever. ​​​​Democrat's shutdown stunt has backfired spectacularly.

"Today we are putting violent repeat offenders on notice. We are coming for you, we are going to target you, arrest you, and put you behind bars where you belong. This is a Texas-sized effort by the Texas Department of Public Safety & Local Law Enforcement Officials at every level to crack down on dangerous repeat offenders," said Gov. Abbott, announcing a new collaboration with the Houston Police Department & Federal Law Enforcement.

“To stop the New World screwworm quickly, we can’t just depend on sterile fly production. With the latest case popping up only 70 miles from our Texas border, we’re running out of time. It’s time to think outside the box. That’s why I’m excited to see the FDA give conditional approval to Zoetis’s Dectomax-CA1, the very first drug to both prevent and treat screwworm infestations in cattle."

So when Chuck Schumer & Hakeem Jeffries – those self-styled “defenders of democracy” known as "Muchacho" Schumer and "Congress-Hombre" Jeffries – shut down the Federal Government the other day, maybe they’re doing us a favor. Maybe the "Upside Hombres" have given America an accidental gift. When Washington, D.C. shutters its bloated bureaucracies for a few days, turns out there may even be some upsides.

When tracking President Trump’s "job approval" on a daily basis, people sometimes get so caught up in the day-to-day fluctuations that they miss the bigger picture. To look at the longer-term trends, Rasmussen Reports compiles numbers on a full-month basis, and despite reports to the contrary, the latest results show Trump's Month-by-Month Approval gained 1% in September, while even less disapprove.

At 12:00 AM on the morning of October 1st, 2025, a government shutdown took effect after funding authorization expired for the federal government. 12 days ago, House Republicans passed the bipartisan legislation necessary to ensure that the federal government remains open, operational, and fully-funded. Currently, this common-sense solution for America remains stuck in a deadlocked Senate as Senate Democrats request liberal policies are inserted into the bill.

Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) hosted a New World Screwworm (NWS) Working Group consisting of federal and state lawmakers, various agricultural, livestock, wild game associations, scientists, veterinarian experts, and Texas farmers and ranchers. The NWS Working Group shared ideas and collaboration between multiple sectors and all levels of government on the containment of the NWS.

The Trump Administration announced its commitment to revitalizing American coal production through the U.S. Department of Energy’s $625 million investment to expand and modernize America’s coal sector. Following the news, Texas Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian said the following: "President Trump and Energy Secretary Chris Wright continue to roll out sound policies – like the revitalization of American coal production – which will re-establish American energy dominance.”

The media is fixated on President Donald Trump’s attempts to exert more control over the Federal Reserve. While we’re all in on changing the Fed’s leadership, the president has another opportunity to make the nation’s central bank work for, not against, the American people. He can support our bill, the Fiscal Accountability for Interest on Reserves Act, to end a pricey Fed policy that sends billions of dollars each year to big banks and squeezes working-class Americans with higher interest rates.

Senator Cornyn condemned the tragic shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Dallas last week, and slammed Democrats for once again choosing division as the government barrels toward a shutdown because they refuse to negotiate in good faith with President Trump and Congressional Republicans. “The radical base of the Democrat party seems to be at war with the men and women who actually enforce our laws."