Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sues Joe Biden over signing federal spending package
The attorney general argued the House unconstitutionally passed its federal spending bill because not enough members were physically present to vote. Both Republicans and Democrats voted by proxy throughout the pandemic.
All election results in Texas, San Antonio area for general midterm election on Nov. 8, 2022
Find all Texas races, including statewide offices like governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller, land commissioner, ag commissioner and railroad commission; as well state legislative seats in the Texas House and Texas Senate; Congress and local San Antonio-area races, including Bexar County Judge, District Attorney, judicial seats and more.
Alaska high court reverses ruling that roiled House election
The Alaska Supreme Court has reversed a lower court decision that barred state elections officials from certifying the results of Saturdayโs special U.S. House primary amid concerns about ballot accessibility for voters with visual impairments.
Congress moves to end forced arbitration for sex misconduct
The U.S. House has passed legislation barring contracts that force people to settle sexual assault or harassment cases through arbitration rather than in court, a process that often benefits employers and keeps misconduct allegations from becoming public.
In fast-growing Central Texas, redistricting sparks political reshuffling in upcoming statehouse and congressional races
The fast-growing region likely will see a considerable number of new state and federal lawmakers after the 2022 election. And in many cases, they will be representing districts whose boundaries have significantly shifted.
New Texas voting laws, political maps could once again require federal approval under U.S. House bill named after John Lewis
The federal bill seeks to reinstate sections of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that were written to protect people of color. Texas House Democrats see it as a way to prevent implementing provisions of a Texas voting restrictions bill moving through the state Legislature.
U.S. Sens. John Cornyn, Ted Cruz vote against infrastructure bill that could give Texas more than $30 billion
The Senate approved a $1 trillion, bipartisan bill that also earmarks money for broadband internet access. Itโs not yet known how much money set aside for the countryโs aging electricity infrastructure could go to Texasโ main power grid.
Bipartisan group of Texans in the U.S. House support ending presidentโs authority to use military force in Iraq
All Texas Democratic members backed the bill, along with five Republicans: U.S. Reps. Michael Burgess of Lewisville, Michael Cloud of Victoria, Lance Gooden of Terrell, Louie Gohmert of Tyler and Chip Roy of Austin.
Texas GOPโs bills targeting transgender children have exacted a mental health toll, even if they donโt become law
As the clock ticks on this year's legislative session, the House scheduled a Tuesday floor debate for a bill that would limit transgender children's sports team participation. Other GOP bills that would restrict or punish transition-related health care, like puberty blockers, missed a key Sunday deadline to advance.
DACA teacher voices support for Dream Act; Senate vote expected soon
Now that it has passed the U.S. House, the Senate is expected to vote soon on the latest version of the Dream Act, that would provide an eight-year path to permanent residency or citizenship, with certain conditions, to nearly 700,000 DACA recipients. AdDeferred Action for Childhood Arrivals has been for children who were brought illegally into the U.S. by their parents. Although polling has shown the majority of Americans support Dreamers like Carrillo, DACA has been likened to political football thatโs been tossed back and forth ever since President Obama signed the executive order creating the program. AdCarrillo said she wants bipartisan support for the new legislation, although the emergency on the Southwest border may serve as a โred flagโ to opponents. But unlike asylum seekers arriving at the border, she said, โThis is our home and weโre not escaping anything because this is our home.โMore on KSAT:Local teacher represents DACA recipients at State of the UnionDACA recipients now have powerful ally in new bipartisan coalition
Capitol Police chief appeals for National Guard to stay
Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON โ Worried about continuing threats, the acting chief of the U.S. Capitol Police appealed to congressional leaders Thursday to use their influence to keep National Guard troops at the Capitol, two months after the law enforcement breakdowns of the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection. Pittman said she needed the leaders' assistance with the three-member Capitol Police Board, which reports to them. Paul Irving, who served on the Capitol Police Board as House sergeant-at-arms, denied that Sund asked him to call the Guard. He ultimately called the commanding general of the D.C. National Guard just before 2 p.m., who in turn testified that the request for help was delayed by the Defense Department. โWe have the razor wire, we have the National Guard.
Rep. Herrera Beutler in middle of impeachment trial turmoil
(Al Drago/Pool via AP, File)VANCOUVER, Wash. โ Jaime Herrera Beutler has spent a decade in Congress as a low-key moderate Republican who largely avoided heated partisan battles. Herrera Beutler has worked to help other families facing long-term medical crises and has pushed legislation to make child care more affordable. Like other Republicans who broke with Trump, Herrera Beutler was condemned by her local and state party. Herrera Beutler said people should not be surprised by her recent statements surrounding impeachment and her conversation with McCarthy. ___This story has been corrected to reflect that Herrera Beutler represents Washington's 3rd Congressional District.
Texans factor heavily in Democrats' impeachment case against Donald Trump
And, surprisingly, Texans back home surfaced in video footage to unintentionally help House Democrats make their case. House Democrats are unlikely to see 67 senators side with them, but at the very least, Texas' senior senator offered them some praise. A former justice on the Texas Supreme Court and state attorney general, Cornyn said the House Democrats presented a strong case. In a recent Fox News op-ed, he vouched for the consitutionality of a post-presidential impeachment trial. โOn the merits, President Trumpโs conduct does not come close to meeting the legal standard for incitementโthe only charge brought against him,โ he wrote.
National Republicans say they'll target five U.S. House seats held by Texas Democrats in 2022
The National Republican Congressional Committee, the campaign arm of House Republicans, announced Wednesday that it's targeting five Texas Democrats in the U.S. House as they seek to regain their majority in 2022. The list of targets is three more than the GOP seriously targeted last year and includes three Democrats in South Texas where the party underperformed in November. Republicans are especially emboldened after the NRCC's Democratic counterpart, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, targeted 10 GOP-held seats in Texas last election cycle and won none. But Biden underperformed in all three South Texas districts, carrying Cuellar's and Vela's seats by 4 points and Gonzรกlez's by 2. And he has said South Texas is a priority as he begins his term as a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee.
Wyoming GOP censures Rep. Liz Cheney over impeachment vote
FILE - In this March 6, 2019, file photo, Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. โ The Wyoming Republican Party voted overwhelmingly Saturday to censure U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney for voting to impeach President Donald Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. In a statement after the state GOP vote, Cheney said she remained honored to represent Wyoming and will always fight for issues that matter most to the state. The censure vote was the latest blowback for Cheney for joining nine Republican representatives and all Democrats in the U.S. House in voting to impeach. On Jan. 28, Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, of Florida, led a rally against Cheney in front of the Wyoming Capitol.
Ted Cruz, John Cornyn come out against Donald Trumpโs second impeachment trial
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz called the impeachment trial โvindictive and punitiveโ when he spoke to reporters in Capitol Hill last week, adding that โCongressional Democrats seem obsessed with their hatred for Donald Trump.โAnd U.S. Sen. John Cornyn has expressed skepticism at the idea of a trial. Like Cruz, Cornyn also called the impeachment trial โvindictiveโ in a recent interview with KHOU-11. Every House Democrat along with 10 Republicans voted to impeach Trump โ the most bipartisan impeachment vote in American history, Politifact confirmed. Neither Cruz nor Cornyn have explicitly stated how theyโll vote in the impeachment trial. However, many GOP senators have pledged to carefully consider all of the evidence that will be presented during the impeachment trial.
Texas House requires masks for 2021 legislative session, declines to expand virtual testimony
Itโs 150 people, thatโs what the rules are.โThe coronavirus requirements were part of a broad resolution setting rules for the House during the Legislatureโs 2021 session. Members may also remove masks during a committee hearing if protected by a barrier and socially distanced from others. Every senator will be required to test negative for the virus before entering the upper chamber or attending a committee hearing. โThat is the people's House,โ said Hunter, one of the House members spearheading the rules proposal. โWould Rep. Stickland โ I mean Rep. Slaton โ yield to a question?โ Leach asked.