A blast of retirements and a grim political climate for the GOP could dramatically reshape the future of the Texas Republican delegation.
Congress
Read the latest Texas Tribune coverage of Congress, from the state’s lawmakers in Washington to key legislation and political debates shaping Texas and the nation.
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Congress
Lamar Smith retiring from Congress
U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, is retiring from Congress, two sources close to the congressman told The Texas Tribune on Thursday.
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Politics
All eyes on U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas as GOP unveils tax plan
For weeks, the Texan has tried to balance three objectives: lowering the corporate tax rates, finding ways to offset that lost revenue with other changes to the tax code, and holding together his caucus along the way.
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Congress
A Russian Facebook page organized a protest in Texas. A different Russian page launched the counterprotest.
Newly released Facebook ads revealed Wednesday show that two Russian-linked Facebook groups organized opposing protests last year at the same time outside an Islamic center in Houston.
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Congress
Texas delegation treads cautiously in reactions to former Trump campaign officials’ indictments
Members of Texas’ delegation reacted cautiously as they processed Monday’s developments in the investigation into whether Trump campaign officials colluded with Russian intelligence.
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Demographics
Castro joins call for release of girl detained by immigration agents after surgery
U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, along with immigrant rights and civil liberty groups, is calling for the federal government to release an undocumented 10-year-old girl who was placed in an immigration facility following surgery.
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Politics
Federal government rolls out eight border wall prototypes
U.S. Customs and Border Protection will test border wall prototypes over the next two months, the agency said Thursday. Completion of the prototypes signals the Trump administration is making progress on one of the president’s campaign promises.
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Congress
Congress approves another round of hurricane, wildfire funding
The measure drew some pushback from Texans in Congress, who wanted to see more money for communities upended by Hurricane Harvey.
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Health care
Texas could run out of CHIP money sooner than expected because of Hurricane Harvey
After Hurricane Harvey hit, the federal government waived co-pays and enrollment fees for CHIP recipients. That meant less money was coming into the program than expected.
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Criminal Justice
In Austin, Sessions touts Trump’s hardline stance on immigration
“The President is determined, first and finally, to build a wall at the border,” Sessions said during a 20-minute speech in downtown Austin in which he praised state Republicans who approved an anti-“sanctuary” law earlier this year.