The latest politics news from The Texas Tribune.
If lawmakers do not act to address the immigration crisis on Texas' southern border before their August break, smugglers will get the message that the government does not take the crisis seriously, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar says. Full Story
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Texas could add $180 million to its economy if it allowed same-sex couples to get married, according to a new study. But odds are that Texas lawmakers won't repeal the ban on gay marriage anytime soon. Full Story
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The Rick Perry Presidential Watch has revved up in a big way. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry said a plan to send National Guard troops to the state's border with Mexico was necessary because the federal government isn't doing enough there. The move could also address a political weak spot he discovered in his 2012 presidential run. Full Story
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Check out Falling Behind, our 10-part series on the flip side of state leaders' aggressive pursuit of the "Texas Miracle" — from water woes and backed up traffic to missed opportunities in public education and climate change. Full Story
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Story lines continue to spin out from Gov. Rick Perry's Monday announcement that he was activating up to 1,000 National Guard troops to back up existing DPS border operations. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry’s office said on Tuesday that because of the surge of illegal immigration on the southern border, a planned binational border governors conference will be scaled back to only a dinner with the elected officials. Full Story
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The future of federal subsidies for Texans who buy insurance under the Affordable Care Act is unclear after two courts on Tuesday issued opposite rulings about eligibility for assistance. Full Story
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Critics of Attorney General Greg Abbott say he has not fairly represented Texas homeowners who were charged too much by an insurance company whose employees' PAC has given generously to his campaign. Full Story
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The words of the day on Monday were "force multiplier," as in what Gov. Rick Perry said the activation of up to 1,000 National Guard troops would do for the border surge effort already underway by the Department of Public Safety. Full Story
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The Texas Ethics Commission has ordered Michael Quinn Sullivan, leader of the conservative advocacy group Empower Texans, to pay a $10,000 fine for failing to register as a lobbyist in 2010 and 2011. Full Story
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A handful of Texas communities have passed resolutions barring immigrants from being housed there on an emergency basis. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst will make a border security announcement at 2 p.m. at the state Capitol. The two are expected to announce the deployment of 1,000 National Guard troops to the Rio Grande Valley. Full Story
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As attention centers on the thousands of unaccompanied minors crossing the Texas-Mexico border, activists in the Rio Grande Valley are working hard to ensure that their ongoing campaigns continue to gain traction after the current crisis subsides. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst is on his way out in a few months, but on Thursday he moved to fill some key Senate leadership slots to help the chamber prepare for the coming legislative session in January. Full Story
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After appointing Sen. Jane Nelson to chair the Senate Finance Committee, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst has picked Sen. Charles Schwertner to replace her as the head of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. Full Story
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UPDATED: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz filed a bill Thursday that he says would immediately halt the flow of unaccompanied Central American children who are now crossing into the United States. Full Story
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As the recent surge of Central Americans entering the country illegally through Texas’ border with Mexico has drawn national attention, it has also become a major talking point for the 2014 candidates for lieutenant governor. Full Story
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With help from The Washington Post’s Truth Teller, we’re analyzing speeches Texas’ candidates for lieutenant governor gave at their respective state political party conventions. Here we focus on Democratic state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte. Full Story
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With help from The Washington Post’s Truth Teller, we’re analyzing the speeches that Texas’ candidates for lieutenant governor gave at their respective state political party conventions. Here we focus on Republican state Sen. Dan Patrick. Full Story
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