The Week in the Rearview Mirror

Sources told the Tribune that U.S. Reps. Bill Flores, R-Bryan, and Mike Conaway, R-Midland, are considering bids for the gavel after U.S. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy withdrew from the speaker’s race on Thursday.

Following in the footsteps of two Texas counties, the state announced Thursday it is suing Volkswagen in connection with the German automaker's admitted use of software that allowed its vehicles to circumvent emissions limits.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Thursday began to detail interim charges for the Texas Senate, signaling he would like members to revisit some unfinished business from the most recent legislative session.

A Washington-based interest group is setting up shop in Texas to try and persuade lawmakers — and the people who usher them into office — to change their tone on U.S.-Cuba relations

The Obama administration announced late Wednesday that it "strongly opposes" a repeal of the crude oil export ban, legislation that many Texans are trying to push through Congress.

With Vice President Joe Biden apparently closer than ever to a decision about running for president in 2016, some top Texas Democrats say he would have a hard time blunting Hillary Clinton's advantage in the state.

Some State Board of Education members are dismissing a backlash against a textbook that describes African slaves as immigrant “workers," with one Republican saying the ordeal would "make for a great Jerry Seinfeld episode: something out of nothing.”

The state's highest criminal court ruled Wednesday that a Texas law banning defacement of the U.S.and state flags is unconstitutional.

A decades-long ban on crude oil exports is up for repeal, legislation that is expected to glide through the U.S. House at the end of the week. While there is little doubt that the House will pass the repeal, it still faces serious obstacles before becoming law.

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on Wednesday granted requests by both Rick Perry and the Office of the State Prosecuting Attorney to determine whether the indictment against Perry should stand. The court set oral arguments for Nov. 4.

As cities worldwide struggle to balance the fast growth of vehicle-for-hire apps with traditional taxi services, three Texas markets are providing a test of the regulatory breaking points for Uber and Lyft. Fingerprinting drivers can be a deal-breaker.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal says GOP presidential opponent U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has "enabled" frontrunner Donald Trump by failing to call him out for his liberal positions.

It will get harder for Texas public school students to pass standardized tests this year, Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams announced Tuesday, but the state will ease into the tougher passing standards more slowly than originally planned.

The U.S. Supreme Court is back in session, and the upcoming term will feature at least two cases from Texas — if not more. The justices will look at voting rights, UT-Austin admissions and — maybe — the state's new abortion restrictions.

A furor involving a small-town Texas police department and national secular organization has reached the state attorney general's office, and may well wind up in court after that. At issue: Does slapping "In God We Trust" stickers on police patrol cars violate the U.S. constitution?

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Monday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reject a request from a coalition of abortion providers to take up their legal challenge to the state’s strict abortion restrictions.

Texas and four other Gulf Coast states have reached a final settlement with BP stemming from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill, the U.S. Department of Justice and states announced Monday.

Former Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst says he is finally paying off the nearly $1 million in debts owed to campaign consultants and vendors since his lopsided loss to Ted Cruz in the 2012 U.S. Senate race.

Disclosure: The University of Texas at Austin, BP, Lyft and Uber are corporate sponsors of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.