The Texas delegation in the U.S. House will hold a rare, bipartisan meeting to discuss Congress’ role in Hurricane Harvey’s aftermath. The National Flood Insurance Program is among several issues taking on new urgency since the storm.
Abby Livingston
Abby Livingston joined The Texas Tribune in 2014 as the publication's first Washington bureau chief, and departed August 2022. In this role, she covered members in the Texas congressional delegation and campaigns back in the home state. A seventh-generation Texan, Abby grew up in Fort Worth and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to the Tribune, Abby worked for NBC, CNN, National Journal and Roll Call. At the Tribune, she won the 2017 National Press Club Award for Washington regional reporting and the Society of Professional Journalists' 2018 Sigma Delta Chi Award for Washington correspondence. Abby is a contributing writer to the Almanac of American Politics and frequently appears on MSNBC, CNN and Sirius XM radio. She also had a role on an episode of "The Bold and The Beautiful." In keeping with the Trib’s great history of hiring softball stars, Abby is a three-time MVP (the most in game history) for The Bad News Babes, the women’s press softball team that takes on female members of Congress in the annual Congressional Women’s Softball breast cancer charity game.
Texans in Congress face daunting needs in Harvey aftermath
In the coming days, weeks, months — and even years — it will be up to the state’s 38-member congressional delegation to imagine and legislate what Southeast Texas’ “new normal” will look like after Hurricane Harvey.
Amid Harvey havoc, northeastern politicos sourly recall Texas “no” votes on Sandy aid
Several members of Congress from New York and New Jersey remain resentful over Texas Republicans that voted against a Hurricane Sandy aid package in 2013.
Federal official: Texas needs help finding “new normal” in hurricane aftermath
The director of the federal Hurricane Harvey relief efforts offered guidance to Texans affected by the storm and urged citizens to help.
U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway, steering Russia investigation, eyes intelligence chairmanship
U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway, who currently leads the House Intelligence Committee’s investigation into Russia election-meddling, told the Tribune he is interested in chairing that powerful committee in the future.
Former U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison confirmed as NATO ambassador
The U.S. Senate confirmed former Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison as the new ambassador to NATO.
U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway staking legacy on passing politically tricky farm bill
As he escorted fellow congressmen across West Texas this week, U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway was laying the groundwork for passing a massive piece of legislation next year that thousands of farmers in his district are counting on.
Report: Trump considering Perry for secretary of Homeland Security
A new report says Rick Perry is in consideration to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
Despite Texans’ support, effort to repeal health care law narrowly defeated in U.S. Senate
In an overnight vote, the U.S. Senate voted 51-49 against a proposal to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Three Republicans joined in opposition to the measure.
Border funding bill passes U.S. House; Texans vote along party lines
A legislative measure that will fund part of a border wall passed the U.S. House on Thursday, but its prospects in the U.S. Senate look grim.

