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August 10, 2020
-- Texas is spiraling out of control because of Trump and Abbott’s failed leadership. The state reported 293 new COVID-19 deaths on Friday, bringing the total number of Texans to have died from the disease to just under 8,100.
From Texas Democratic Party
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August 10, 2020
This weekend, in partnership with Vote Save America, the Texas Democratic Party broke our record for most voters contacted in one weekend, with an astounding 2,048,690 Texans contacted.
From Texas Democratic Party
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August 10, 2020
The Austin Public Library will receive a $49,975 federal grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. Senator John Cornyn announced.
From Senator John Cornyn
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August 10, 2020
State Rep. Todd Hunter of Corpus Christi, in conjunction with Del Mar College, will host an online symposium August 18 on the crime of human trafficking and its impact on the Coastal Bend.
From Todd Hunter Campaign
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August 10, 2020
Today, the Texas Democratic Party launched our general election Vote-by-Mail Fund to support the largest vote-by-mail program in our organization’s history.
From Texas Democratic Party
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August 10, 2020
Austin Community College will receive a $261,888 federal grant to provide first-generation and low-income college students with financial assistance and academic support services to complete their postsecondary educations, U.S. Senator John Cornyn announced.
From Senator John Cornyn
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August 10, 2020
Today, State Representative Jeff Leach announced he has been endorsed for re-election by six of seven Plano City Councilmembers: Councilmember Rick Grady, Councilmember Rick Smith, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Anthony Ricciardelli, Councilmember Maria Tu, Councilmember Lily Bao and Councilmember Shelby Williams.
From Jeff Leach Campaign
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August 10, 2020
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued this statement today following a helicopter crash in Brewster County, which killed three Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) employees and one contract pilot:
From Office of the Lieutenant Governor
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August 8, 2020
The Senate Finance Committee, chaired by State Senator Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, has filed its interim report, which analyzes and makes recommendations on several issues of key importance to the state.
From Senator Jane Nelson:
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August 8, 2020
The Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI) in Texas and Steinberg Institute in California today issued a report by MMHPI’s epidemiologists and economists analyzing the potential of the collaborative care model (CoCM) and medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for reducing deaths from suicide and overdose.
From Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute
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August 8, 2020
Today, the U.S Census Bureau announced that it will comply with President Trump’s Presidential Memorandum issued on July 21 to deliver apportionment data by December 31, 2020 and exclude undocumented individuals from the 2020 Census as it pertains to reapportionment.
From Mexican American Legislative Caucus
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August 8, 2020
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) today announced limited visitation rules for nursing facilities and long-term care facilities. HHSC is also issuing enhanced emergency rules requiring additional actions by nursing facilities to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
From Texas Health and Human Services Commission
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August 8, 2020
Today, on the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, State Representative Terry Meza announces her Electoral Reform Initiative. As a 40-year member of the League of Women Voters, Rep. Meza understands the importance of having unhindered access to the polls.
From Representative Terry Meza
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August 8, 2020
Police Associations from many of America’s largest cities have joined together to help launch the Protect and Serve PAC, a federal SuperPAC.
The mission of this PAC will be to engage in races where there is a clear distinction between candidates who embrace the disastrous policy of “defunding the police” and those who recognize the central role law enforcement plays in keeping our cities and neighborhoods safe.
From Protect and Serve PAC
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August 8, 2020
Several Central Texas cities and counties were awarded a total of $742,582 in another round of federal grants to help public housing authorities recover from the economic fallout of the novel coronavirus outbreak, U.S. Senator John Cornyn announced today. The funding, which was appropriated by Congress in March, comes through the Department of Housing and Urban Development as part of the CARES Act.
From Senator John Cornyn
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August 8, 2020
The Texas Access to Justice Foundation (TAJF), the leading funding source for civil legal services to the poor in Texas, today announced its executive director, Betty Balli Torres, has been appointed by the American Bar Association (ABA) to three new positions within the organization.
From Texas Access to Justice Foundation
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August 5, 2020
Former precinct chair, Democratic club president, and political consultant Katie Naranjo was overwhelmingly elected with 63 percent of the vote by the Travis County Democratic Party precinct chairs to serve as the next TCDP Chair, filling the vacancy following the resignation of former Chair Dyana Limon-Mercado.
From Katie Naranjo Campaign
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August 5, 2020
Today, Texas is number one in the country for daily new coronavirus cases and new deaths, while overall cases have surpassed New York’s. Texas is now third in the country for overall cases.
From Texas Democratic Party
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August 5, 2020
U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) today introduced a resolution calling for the immediate release of Trevor Reed, a veteran of the U.S. Marines and student at the University of North Texas, from Russian prison. The resolution calls for release of all political prisoners, condemns politically motivated imprisonment in the Russian Federation, demands that the Russian government respect Trevor Reed’s human rights, and expresses support for the Reed family.
From Senator John Cornyn
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August 5, 2020
Today, the Young Conservatives of Texas (YCT) is proud to endorse Aaron Harris in the 2020 Republican Convention election for Congressional District 4. Harris has the ability to go to Washington and instantly be a stalwart on issues of grave importance to the future of America.
From Young Conservatives of Texas
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August 5, 2020
Attorney General Ken Paxton joined ten other states in a friend-of-the-court brief requesting that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit stay a nationwide injunction suspending important health and safety requirements imposed by federal law for prescription of the abortifacient mifepristone.
From Office of the Attorney General
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August 5, 2020
On Tuesday, Representative Erin Zwiener requested greater flexibility for breweries, distilleries, and wineries from Governor Abbott and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC). In June, Governor Abbott shut down these craft alcohol establishments and bars to control the outbreak of COVID-19 with limited exceptions.
From Representative Erin Zwiener
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August 5, 2020
Leaders from cities across Texas gathered virtually this week to discuss legislative priorities for the 87th Texas Legislative Session. The Texas Municipal League (TML) Policy Summit met for two full days to discuss priorities for cities which included preserving the tools to meet the needs of Texas taxpayers, bridging the digital divide and increasing rural broadband connectivity, pay as you go financing options for critical infrastructure projects, and the importance of community advocacy before the legislature.
From Texas Municipal League
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August 5, 2020
U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX)’s Save Our Stages Act has earned praise across Texas for its provisions designed to make Small Business Administration grants available for independent live music venue operators affected by COVID-19 and provide six months of financial support to keep venues afloat and preserve a critical cultural and economic industry employing thousands of Texans.
From Senator John Cornyn
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August 4, 2020
Today, State Representative Jeff Leach announced he has been endorsed for re-election by Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner. Sheriff Skinner, a nearly 30 year law enforcement veteran, former prosecutor, police officer and military veteran, is one of the most respected names and effective voices not only in Texas, but in the nationwide law enforcement community.
From Jeff Leach Campaign
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August 4, 2020
State Representative Erin Zwiener’s (D-Driftwood) reelection campaign was endorsed today by Former President Barack Obama in his first wave of endorsements for the 2020 election. This endorsement speaks to Rep. Zwiener’s values as a Democratic lawmaker and her commitment to her constituents.
From Erin Zwiener Campaign
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August 4, 2020
Texas State Teachers Association President Ovidia Molina released the following statement:
“The governor says he is not responsible for making decisions about reopening schools, and it is the local school board that is responsible. We couldn’t disagree more.
From Texas State Teachers Association
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August 4, 2020
On the anniversary of the worst mass shooting of Hispanics in recent U.S. History, State Representative Terry Meza announced her Public Safety Initiative. As a Moms Demand Action Gun Sense candidate and Everytown for Gun Safety endorsed candidate, she supports common sense gun legislation.
From Representative Terry Meza
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August 4, 2020
Today, after refusing to host a press conference for nearly three months, failed Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott held another photo-op in front of a warehouse full of crucial PPE while completely ignoring his dirty data, the explosion of COVID-19 cases in the past three months, and the rising death total in Texas.
From Texas Democratic Party
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August 4, 2020
President Trump today signed the Great American Outdoors Act, which will permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) at $900 million annually and provide $9.5 billion over five years to fix maintenance problems plaguing America’s public lands.
From Environment Texas
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August 4, 2020
Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, Chair of Trump Texas Victory, issued the following statement today:
“More than 2.3 million guns were sold in June, a 145 percent increase from the prior year. The FBI reports they conducted 3.9 million background checks that same month. As violence across America erupts -- homicides are up 24 percent in the country’s fifty largest cities -- citizens are taking steps to protect themselves.
From Dan Patrick Campaign
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August 4, 2020
Today a new bombshell report came out that disgraced Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott has yet again been caught altering coronavirus data, this time refusing to count thousands of Texans that are getting rapid COVID-19 tests but aren’t counted in the state’s official numbers.
From Texas Democratic Party
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August 3, 2020
In July 2020, Texas Home School Coalition (THSC) saw 15 times the number of public school families withdraw from public school through THSC’s website to homeschool compared to the number of families who did so in July 2019.
THSC’s online withdrawal tool automatically generates a withdrawal letter that families can easily email to their schools to complete the withdrawal process and begin homeschooling.
From Texas Home School Coalition
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August 3, 2020
Today marks one year since tragedy hit El Paso, Texas with the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S history targeting the Latino community. On this day, we remember the twenty three lives that were brutally taken as a result of a hateful act of violence by a white supremasist who intentionally went to the binational, bicultural, and bilingual community of El Paso, Texas with the sole purpose of killing “Mexicans”and Spanish-speaking people at a local Walmart.
From Mexican American Legislative Caucus
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August 3, 2020
"It’s been one year today since our hearts broke as a racist domestic terrorist attacked El Paso, taking the lives of 23 innocent victims and injuring many others. In the face of this tragedy, El Paso showed the world the best of humanity as we found solace and strength in each other. A year later we are still healing as we remember and honor those we lost.
From Representative Cesar J. Blanco
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August 3, 2020
State Senator José Rodríguez has released the following statement on the first anniversary of the August 3rd El Paso mass shooting:
On August 3, 2019, a young man filled with hate drove to El Paso, with a rapid-fire rifle in the trunk, to commit mass murder. He took 23 lives, and changed countless others.
From Senator Jose Rodriguez
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August 3, 2020
Earlier this morning, former teacher and nonprofit leader, State Representative James Talarico was officially endorsed by President Barack Obama.
In his endorsement, President Obama stated “I’m proud to endorse this diverse and hopeful collection of thoughtful, empathetic, and highly qualified Democrats.”
From James Talarico Campaign
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August 3, 2020
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), today issued a statement marking one year since the shooting at the Cielo Vista Walmart in El Paso that killed 23 people and harmed many more:
“On August 3rd last year, a deranged white supremacist and domestic terrorist committed an act of unspeakable evil that shook El Paso and left the nation weeping.
From Senator Ted Cruz
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August 3, 2020
“One year ago today, tragedy struck our beloved El Paso community when a white supremacist terrorist armed with guns and ammunition stepped foot into a Wal-Mart and tragically ended 22 innocent lives.
From Texas Democratic Party
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August 3, 2020
– Today, San Antonio native and Iraq War veteran Gina Ortiz Jones, the Democratic nominee in Texas’ 23rd Congressional District issued the following statement commemorating the one-year anniversary of the mass shooting in El Paso:
From Gina Ortiz Jones Campaign
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July 31, 2020
The Texas Medical Board is aware of sometimes conflicting information being published regarding COVID-19. In the past week there was a widely published claim of a "cure" for COVID-19. As we are all aware the medical community is still learning, researching and gaining understanding of the virus. While there are drugs and therapies being used to treat COVID-19, there is no definitive cure at this time.
From Texas Medical Board
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July 31, 2020
Texas State Teachers Association President Ovidia Molina released the following statement:
“With a pandemic still raging across Texas, the Texas State Teachers Association demands that the state prohibit any school district from beginning classes, in-person or remotely, before Sept. 8.
From Texas State Teachers Association
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July 31, 2020
“Greg Abbott’s reckless decision today to force the opening of schools will lead to more outbreaks and more deaths. Greg Abbott has learned nothing: he is repeating the exact same mistakes he made opening up bars too early. This isn’t a plan, it’s a death sentence.
From Texas Democratic Party
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July 31, 2020
Progress Texas Institute is releasing an analysis of diversity in media sources over the course of the 2020 primary election season, specifically, in regards to the U.S. Senate race.
Texas is one of the most diverse states in America, and when it comes to our politics we often hear about the growing communities of Asian, Black, and Latinx voters.
From Progress Texas
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July 30, 2020
Congressman Roger Williams (R-TX-25) today issued the following statement after the Secretary of the Army announced the five civilian experts leading the independent review of Fort Hood:
“I support the Secretary of the Army’s announcement of an independent review of the climate and culture at Fort Hood.
From Representative Roger Williams
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July 30, 2020
– Attorney General Ken Paxton today issued guidance stating that local officials cannot postpone local elections that were scheduled to be held on May 2, 2020 beyond November 3, 2020. This letter was addressed to Round Rock Mayor Craig Morgan. After moving its May 2, 2020 local election to November 3, 2020, as permitted by the governor’s proclamation, the Round Rock City Council is attempting to postpone the election—again—to May 2021.
From Office of the Attorney General
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July 30, 2020
Late last week, children and families seeking asylum were seen through the windows of the Hampton Inn & Suites Hotel in McAllen, Texas calling out for help after being secretly and illegally detained without due process. The families were later moved to an unknown location according to news reports. This operation was enforced in coordination with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and contracted entities under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
From Mexican American Legislative Caucus
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July 30, 2020
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today issued the following statement on the passing of Herman Cain:
“Our hearts are heavy as we bid farewell to Herman Cain. I was blessed to call him a friend. In his 74 years on earth, he lived the American dream to the fullest.
From Senator Ted Cruz
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July 30, 2020
Today, State Representative Jeff Leach announced he has received the endorsement and support of the Plano Firefighters Association. Representative Leach, a Plano native, is seeking his fifth term as State Representative for House District 67, which encompasses portions of Plano, Allen, Richardson and Dallas in Collin County.
From Jeff Leach Campaign
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July 30, 2020
In another stinging setback for ExxonMobil Corporation in a long-running environmental enforcement case, the federal Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected nearly every argument Exxon raised in its appeal of the $19.95 million penalty imposed by a federal trial court judge to punish the company for committing 16,386 days of violation of the federal Clean Air Act at its Baytown, Texas, refinery and chemical plant.
From Environment Texas
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July 30, 2020
TexPIRG is calling on Governor Abbott to hit the reset button on the state’s response to containing the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as cases surge to concerning levels. More than 1,000 health professionals nationwide, including 43 from Texas, have now signed an open letter to America’s decision makers urging them to shut it down, start over, and do it right this time to contain COVID-19 and save lives.
From TexPIRG
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July 30, 2020
Yesterday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that they will ignore a ruling from the highest court of the United States. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program had been restored to its original implementation from 2012 following a federal court order and a United States Supreme Court ruling released earlier this summer, which found that the Department of Justice’s attempt to terminate DACA violated the Administrative Procedure Act.
From Mexican American Legislative Caucus
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July 30, 2020
The Railroad Commission continues to make positive strides with its Underground Injection Control program, ensuring the protection of underground sources of drinking water and the control of seismic activity, according to a recent report from the Environmental Protection Agency.
From Railroad Commission of Texas
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July 30, 2020
Yesterday, the Texas Education Agency announced that, consistent with a nonbinding letter recently released by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a blanket order from a local health department closing schools does not constitute a legally issued closure order. Therefore, schools closed by a local health authority and solely providing remote instruction after the allocated transition window would not qualify for funding.
From Texas House Democratic Caucus
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July 30, 2020
Today Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush announced the release of two state action plans detailing the distribution and eligible uses of more than $285 million in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to assist in long-term recovery efforts following severe flooding in 2018 and 2019 in South Texas and the Lower Rio Grande Valley and Tropical Storm Imelda in Southeast Texas.
From Texas General Land Office
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July 30, 2020
The League of Women Voters of Texas conducted its sixth survey of Texas county websites in July 2020. This review was narrow in scope, focusing the information counties are providing voters regarding the impact of COVID-19 on voting and elections. Thirty counties ranked "Outstanding" in this review. Reviews for each county are available here.
From League of Women Voters of Texas
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July 30, 2020
End Citizens United (ECU) and Let America Vote (LAV) announced today that Fight for Reform, their state level project, is endorsing Dr. Eliz Markowitz for Texas House District 28. This endorsement recognizes Dr. Markowitz’s leadership in the struggle to fix our broken political system.
From Eliz Markowitz Campaign
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July 30, 2020
Today, in response to the Texas Department of State Health Service’s COVID-19 pandemic data, Vance Ginn, of the Texas Public Policy Foundation released a racist statement.
State Senator José Menéndez, Chairman of The Texas Senate Hispanic Caucus issued the following statement:
From Senate Hispanic Caucus
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July 30, 2020
Lt. Governor Dan Patrick issued the following statement today in response to guidance issued by Attorney General Ken Paxton regarding the opening of both public and private schools across Texas:
From Dan Patrick Campaign
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July 28, 2020
Today, Representative Jeff Leach (House District 67) announced another significant endorsement in his campaign for re-election with the backing of the Richardson Police Officers Association.
From Jeff Leach Campaign
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July 28, 2020
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), chairman of the Subcommittee on The Constitution, today introduced the Safeguarding Americans from Coronavirus and Religious Exercise Discrimination (SACRED) Act, legislation that would block federal funding for COVID relief to state and local governments that discriminate against religious individuals or institutions, violating their First Amendment rights.
From Senator Ted Cruz
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July 28, 2020
Senator Bettencourt (R-Houston) lauded the decision by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R-Texas) to make clear that local health departments do not have the authority to preemptively shut down Texas schools. Currently roughly 3.2 million of the 5.5 million students in Texas live in seventeen counties where local health departments have ordered schools to be preemptively closed.
From Senator Paul Bettencourt
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July 28, 2020
Texas State Teachers Association President Ovidia Molina released the following statement:
Attorney General Ken Paxton has concluded that local health officials lack the authority to order school buildings closed as a precautionary safety measure to protect students, educators and local communities in the midst of a deadly pandemic that threatens to continue raging across Texas for weeks to come.
From Texas State Teachers Association
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July 28, 2020
Progress Texas Institute releases our latest media diversity report today focusing on coverage of the Texas U.S. Senate primary race.
From Progress Texas
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July 28, 2020
After hundreds of video conference calls, phone conversations, and socially-distanced meetings with Texans over the past few months, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following information about the new COVID-19 relief bill – the Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection, and Schools (HEALS) Act – announced by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
From Senator John Cornyn
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July 28, 2020
The Texas Faculty Association today urged Gov. Greg Abbott to instruct the governing boards of all state-supported universities to delay opening campuses to in-person instruction, labs and other student activities until at least Sept. 8. The association also called on community colleges and private universities in Texas to delay opening their campuses until the same date.
From Texas Faculty Association
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July 28, 2020
Progress Texas releases the following statement on the five year anniversary since Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s federal indictment on felony securities fraud charges on July 28, 2015.
From Progress Texas
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July 28, 2020
Gov. Greg Abbott has extended in-person early voting for this fall’s presidential election by one week, starting on Tuesday, October 13. During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, large public gatherings, like those often seen at polling places, create opportunities for the virus to spread.
From TexPIRG
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July 28, 2020
Governor Greg Abbott today announced that the grade promotion requirement related to the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test for students in grades 5 and 8 has been waived for the upcoming school year.
From Senator Peter P. Flores
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July 28, 2020
The Texas Public Power Association (TPPA) announced the election of new officers to lead the organization in the year ahead and presented public service and industry excellence awards at its Annual Business and Membership Meeting today. The state trade Association – the voice of public power across Texas – has a membership composed of municipally-owned electric utilities, electric cooperatives, river authorities and joint action agencies responsible for the generation and delivery of electricity to more than 5 million Texans.
From Texas Public Power Association
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July 27, 2020
Texas State Teachers Association President Ovidia released the following statement:
“We are glad the governor suspended the promotion requirements for fifth and eighth graders that are tied to STAAR scores for the upcoming school year, but he didn’t go far enough.
From Texas State Teachers Association
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July 27, 2020
The Texas Classroom Teachers Association appreciates Gov. Greg Abbott’s announcement today that the use of STAAR testing in grade promotion requirements will be suspended for the 2020-21 school year. It is clear that this unusual year will not provide results that can be compared to other years, and it is appropriate to remove the significant consequences associated with the tests.
From Texas Classroom Teachers Association
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July 27, 2020
The Tony Gonzales for Congress campaign announced today that the final canvass has been completed by all 29 counties in congressional district 23 and it confirmed that Tony Gonzales won the Republican primary runoff. The final margin is 46 votes (12,342 – 12,296) out of 24,638 cast.
From Tony Gonzales Campaign
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July 27, 2020
Beginning Monday, July 27, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) will electronically post to its website COVID-19 case counts and deaths by facility name for state supported living centers, state hospitals, and state-licensed nursing and assisted living facilities.
From Texas Health and Human Services Commission
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July 27, 2020
Governor Abbott released a proclamation today allowing for six additional days of early voting. After a runoff election with identical measures of expanding the number of days of early voting, Common Cause's election protection efforts still saw major issues that we anticipate in greater numbers for the fall.
From Common Cause Texas
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July 27, 2020
Today Commissioner George P. Bush announced the results of a survey conducted by the Texas General Land Office (GLO) to gather input from local officials, councils of government and river authorities for its Disaster Recovery Planning Studies Survey for Mitigation Funding.
From Texas General Land Office
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July 27, 2020
The Tony Gonzales for Congress campaign released a statement announcing support for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021:
"This district has large active duty and retired military populations and serving them is one of the most important responsibilities that this district’s member of Congress has.
From Tony Gonzales Campaign
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July 27, 2020
Texas AFL-CIO President Rick Levy issued the following statement on the conclusion of the Senate District 14 special election.
"The labor movement owes a debt of gratitude to Representative Eddie Rodriguez and Senator-elect Sarah Eckhardt for the ways in which they each elevated the voices of working families in the special election for Senate District 14.
From Texas AFL-CIO
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July 27, 2020
Travis County GOP chairman Matt Mackowiak released a statement today on the House District 47 primary runoff:
“On Thursday, the Travis County Republican Party completed the canvass for the Republican Primary runoff. We certified that Justin Berry defeated Jennifer Fleck 6,418-5,319, a margin of more than 1,000 votes out of fewer than 12,000 votes cast.
From Travis County Republican Party
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July 27, 2020
Today, the Texas Democratic Party, Powered By People, and the Texas Coalition of Black Democrats announced our joint Black Voter Outreach Program aimed to reach out and contact every Black voter in Texas by Mid-August.
From Texas Democratic Party
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July 27, 2020
U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement after his legislation to authorize the Smithsonian Institution to create a museum honoring American Latinos, the National Museum of the American Latino Act, passed the House:
“Close to 40 percent of all Texans identify as Hispanic, and their history is an integral part of Texas history that must be recognized and remembered,” said Sen. Cornyn.
From Senator John Cornyn
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July 27, 2020
From Texas Legislative Black Caucus
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July 27, 2020
?Attorney General?Ken?Paxton, in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern, Southern, Western, and Eastern Districts of Texas, today informed the public about several fraudulent schemes involving masks, personal protection equipment (PPE), and other COVID-19 related equipment.
From Office of the Attorney General
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July 27, 2020
A virtual Town Hall meeting set for July 30th at 7 p.m. will be led by State Representative Carl Sherman (District 109) on the topic of “last responders” during the COVID-19 pandemic. A last responder is the funeral home individual or entity who is charged with the handling of a person who has passed.
From Representative Carl Sherman
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July 27, 2020
State Representative Carl Sherman (District 109) wrote in a letter today to Texas Governor Greg Abbott of his concerns regarding refugee resettlement in the State of Texas.
Rep Sherman implored the governor to reconsider the decision he made earlier this year to cease the acceptance of new refugees to the state.
From Representative Carl Sherman
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July 27, 2020
U.S. Congressman Brian Babin (TX-36) released the following statement in support of the State Department’s decision to force China to close its Houston consulate.
“Donald Trump has taken more actions to hold China accountable than any other President in our history,” said Rep. Babin.
From Representative Brian Babin
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July 27, 2020
The Texas Tech University System Board of Regents announced today that Lieutenant General Ronnie D. Hawkins, Jr., (ret.) is the sole finalist for the presidency of Angelo State University (ASU).
"I would like to extend my congratulations to Lt. General Ronnie Hawkins on being named the sole finalist to serve as president of ASU by the Texas Tech System Board of Regents.
From Representative Drew Darby
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July 24, 2020
Annie’s List, the statewide political organization that works to elect pro-choice, progressive women to office in Texas, proudly announces nine Texas House endorsements in advance of the November 3 general election.
From Annie’s List
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July 24, 2020
State Representative Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin) released a video today encouraging Texans to participate in the ongoing United States Census. The Census, which is required by Article I, Section II of the United States Constitution has taken place once per decade for over 200 years.
From Trent Ashby Campaign
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July 23, 2020
Today, the Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021. You can read the legislation here, and below is a summary of its impact on Texas:
• Raises troops’ pay by 3%.
From Senator John Cornyn
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July 23, 2020
Today, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) approved a request from the City of Corpus Christi (City) for $222,475,000 in multi-year financing from the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for a desalination plant in the Port of Corpus Christi's Inner Harbor Ship Channel near Port Aransas.
From Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa
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July 23, 2020
The Harris County Commissioners Court has created an independent, non-partisan office to oversee elections for Harris County. State Representative Garnet F. Coleman has the following statement:
“I applaud the move from the Harris County Commissioners Court to create an independent, non-partisan Elections Administrator.
From Representative Garnet Coleman
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July 23, 2020
Today, state Representative Chris Turner, Vice Chair of the House Committee on Redistricting, wrote Attorney General Ken Paxton and urged him to take legal action against the Trump Administration to protect Texas’ interests with regard to the census and congressional apportionment.
From Representative Chris Turner
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July 23, 2020
Texas families still have an opportunity to apply for Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) food assistance benefits. Eligible families are able to receive a one-time payment of $285 in food assistance benefits per eligible child.
From Senator Jose Rodriguez
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July 23, 2020
Today, State Representative Jeff Leach (House District 67) announced that he has been endorsed for re-election by Allen Mayor Debbie Stout, Allen Mayor Pro Tem Gary Caplinger, and Allen City Councilmembers Kurt Kizer, Baine Brooks, Carl Clemencich and Chris Schulmeister.
From Jeff Leach Campaign
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July 23, 2020
More than 51 million unemployment claims have been filed since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Families are hurting. Now, more than ever, Congress should be focused on getting our economy back on its feet and helping the American people safely return to work.
From Senator Ted Cruz
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July 23, 2020
We are just less than a month away from the fall semester of school starting at Fort Bend ISD and other local districts. Online student instruction will begin on August 17, 2020. TEA is then requiring schools to have a phase in transition to full in-class student instruction.
From Ron Reynolds Campaign
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July 23, 2020
“In Texas, we've recognized Juneteenth as a state holiday for forty years -- forty years -- obviously because of the fact that this occurred as a result of the Emancipation Proclamation being announced in Galveston, Texas.”
From Senator John Cornyn
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July 22, 2020
In April, Governor Greg Abbott set up a “Strike Force to Open Texas.” In that “Strike Force” is a “Special Advisory Council” composed of “some of the most prominent and politically powerful business executives in the state” and devoid of the voices of local leaders.
From Texas Democratic Party
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July 22, 2020
Last week, Dr. Eliz Markowitz hosted a live town hall with the American Federation of Teachers with panelists Glenda Mcal, President of Fort Bend AFT, Oneida Gage, Roxanne Garcia & Xavier Herrera, Stafford School Board Trustee.
From Eliz Markowitz Campaign
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July 22, 2020
The Texas State Teachers Association today sued state Education Commissioner Mike Morath for adopting charter school partnership rules that illegally deprive public school teachers of contractual and other employment rights and allow corporate charter chains to operate in Texas without certified teachers.
From Texas State Teachers Association
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July 22, 2020
Amid uncontrolled spread of the novel coronavirus in Texas, TexPIRG and top health experts delivered a letter Wednesday to Governor Abbott, calling on him to shut back down, start over with new policies to thwart COVID-19 and do it right.
From TexPIRG
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July 22, 2020
Progress Texas joins calls for Texas Supreme Court Justice Paul Green to step down before Aug. 24th to ensure Texans have the opportunity to vote for their replacement with a special election. If he follows through with his plans to retire on Aug. 31st, Gov. Greg Abbott will choose his successor, who will serve until 2022.
From Progress Texas
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July 22, 2020
The Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) this week passed Railroad Commission Chairman Wayne Christian's (R - Texas) resolution urging the federal government to investigate excessive dumping of crude oil by Saudi Arabia and Russia and take appropriate action.
From Railroad Commission of Texas
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July 22, 2020
The Tony Gonzales for Congress campaign released a statement on the latest developments in the CD-23 Republican Primary Runoff:
"Tony's margin of victory has increased now that most counties, including all of the largest counties in the district, have updated their results to reflect all votes legally cast,” said Gonzales campaign spokesman Matt Mackowiak.
From Tony Gonzales Campaign
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July 21, 2020
Today, Representative César Blanco announced his intentions to refiling two pieces of legislation he previously filed to address sexual assaults in the Texas military forces. Rep. Blanco's previous bills, H.B. 3039 (85R) and H.B. 4256 (85R), which aimed to protect victims and witnesses of sexual assault in the Texas military from retaliation and punishment for reporting incidences of sexual assault, and ensure state courts retained jurisdiction over criminal sexual assaults committed in the Texas military.
From Representative Cesar Blanco
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July 21, 2020
– State Senator José Rodríguez released the following statement regarding President Trump’s executive order regarding the U.S. Census announced today:
The President is flailing about trying to distract attention from his disastrous lack of basic competence.
From Senator Jose Rodriguez
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July 21, 2020
Based on the results released last night by the Travis County Clerk’s Office,
Sarah Eckhardt, Democratic candidate for Senate District 14, increased her Election Day lead. In a six-way race, Eckhardt garnered 60,480 votes or 49.75% of the total votes cast. Her closest competitor, State Representative Eddie Rodriguez, was only able to garner 41,151votes or 33.85% of the votes cast. It is now up to Governor Greg Abbott to set the runoff for the Special Election.
From Sarah Eckhardt Campaign
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July 21, 2020
Today, President Donald Trump signed a memorandum to intentionally exclude members of our communities from being counted in the 2020 Census. This action counters the constitutional mandate that requires the “whole number of persons in each state” to be counted in the decennial census under the 14th Amendment.
From Mexican American Legislative Caucus
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July 21, 2020
Progress Texas releases polling results on policing today as cities across Texas begin taking up annual budgets, including Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, and San Antonio.
In the immediate aftermath of the George Floyd protests, the organization commissioned a poll to ask Texans how they felt about policing in our state. The results make one thing clear: voters are ready for their local leaders to enact change.
From Progress Texas
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July 21, 2020
Texas AFL-CIO President Rick Levy and Secretary-Treasurer Montserrat Garibay today issued this comment on President Trump's memo purporting to remove undocumented immigrants from the U.S. Census count:
"In a bald quest for political gain with the dwindling number of Americans who support him, a self-obsessed, thuggish, ignorant President of the United States has issued an invalid directive calling for the exclusion of undocumented persons from the U.S. Census.
From Texas AFL-CIO
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July 21, 2020
Senator Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) and Senator Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) are saying NO to a 2nd lockdown of the Texas economy based upon updated TMC hospitalization trends in the Houston area since July 1st. The Texas Medical Center 'Daily New COVID-19 Hospitalizations' graph data below on the right, and a Senate District 7 derivative chart of it on the left, clearly shows that new hospitalization rates in the Texas Medical Center peaked around July 5th, have come down, and have been at the same level for July 18th, 19th and 20th.
From Senator Paul Bettencourt
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July 21, 2020
State Representative Jeff Leach (HD67) announced today that he has received the endorsement and support of the Plano Police Association, representing over 75% of the Plano Police Department’s approximately 340 sworn officers and members.
From Jeff Leach Campaign
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July 20, 2020
Today, Comptroller Glenn Hegar released an updated Certification Revenue Estimate (CRE)
for the 2020-2021 biennium. The 2021 fiscal year ending balance is now projected to be at $110.19 billion,
down by $11.57 billion compared to the October 2019 CRE. The reduction is mitigated to $7.47 billion as a
result of $4.1 billion in lowered costs for the Foundation School Program, bringing the overall deficit for
the current biennium to $4.58 billion.
From Representative Donna Howard
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July 20, 2020
Today on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) discussed the importance of the feedback he received from Texans during the State Work Period as he returns to the Senate to push for the next coronavirus relief legislation.
From Senator John Cornyn
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July 20, 2020
Texas State Senator Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, today participated in a Legislative Budget Board meeting during which the Comptroller of Public Accounts provided an economic and revised revenue update indicating a $4.58 billion shortfall in the current 2020-21 biennium.
From Senator Jane Nelson
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July 20, 2020
Today, members of the House and Senate Committees on Administration, issued a joint letter to their respective Chairmen calling for the removal of Confederate monuments on the Capitol grounds. In addition, the members call for the renaming of the John H. Reagan State Office Building.
From Mexican American Legislative Caucus
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July 20, 2020
The Texas Faculty Association today called on Gov. Greg Abbott to keep his mandatory statewide mask order in effect for the fall semester and order all colleges and universities in Texas to enforce it for students, faculty, staff and visitors when campuses reopen.
From Texas Faculty Association
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July 20, 2020
This morning, members of the House Committee on Administration and the Senate
Committee on Administration issued a joint letter calling for the immediate removal of several
Confederate memorials located on the Capitol Grounds. In addition, the members call for the
renaming of the John H. Reagan State Office Building
From Representative Rafael Anchia
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July 20, 2020
Today, amidst one of the most poorly run conventions in American history, Texas Republicans elected right wing shock jock, former Florida Congressman Allen West as Texas Republican Party Chair, ousting incumbent Chair James Dickey.
From Texas Democratic Party
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July 20, 2020
Lt. Governor Dan Patrick delivered a video message to the 2020 Republican Party of Texas virtual State Convention today. You can watch it here.
From Dan Patrick Campaign
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July 20, 2020
Jeff Whitfield, the Democratic nominee for Texas State House District 92, raised over $200,000 since February 23, outraising his opponent more than 2-to-1 and maintaining a war chest of just over $187,000 -- nearly four times that of his opponent. Mary Alice Blackstock, Whitfield’s campaign manager, released the following statement regarding the recent campaign finance filing:
From Jeff Whitfield Campaign
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July 20, 2020
Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa, Vice Chair Carla Brailey, Finance Chair Chris Hollins, Treasurer Mike Floyd, and Secretary Lee Forbes issued the following statement:
“Yesterday, the world lost two of its greatest giants, John Lewis and CT Vivian. John Lewis was everything that is good about this country and everything that we, as Texas Democrats, strive to be.
From Texas Democratic Party
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July 20, 2020
Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) issued the following statement on the passing of Congressman John Lewis:
“Today, I join Americans across the country in mourning the death and celebrating the life of Congressman John Lewis, one of the most courageous and committed citizens our country has ever known.
From Representative Lizzie Fletcher
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July 20, 2020
U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) issued the following statement after the passing of U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-GA):
“John Lewis has left an indelible mark on the hearts of not only those in his home state of Georgia, but all over our nation and across the world.
From Senator John Cornyn
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July 20, 2020
“Heidi and I join men and women across the globe in grieving the loss of the great John Lewis. In my first year in the Senate, I had the privilege of traveling with John and much of the Congressional Black Caucus to Nelson Mandela’s funeral in Johannesburg.
From Senator Ted Cruz
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July 20, 2020
Today, San Antonio native and Iraq War veteran Gina Ortiz Jones, the Democratic nominee in Texas’ 23rd Congressional District issued the following statement on the passing of Rep. John Lewis:
“I am heartbroken by tonight’s news. Our country has lost a leader, a Civil Rights hero, and a relentless champion for justice who changed our nation for the better.
From Gina Ortiz Jones Campaign
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July 20, 2020
“After proving that they couldn’t handle a virtual convention, Texas Republicans are now willing to risk the lives of millions of Texans because they are too technologically inept to continue in a safe and distant manner.
From Texas Democratic Party
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July 20, 2020
The Texas Education Agency just released updated guidance for returning to schools in the fall. The new plan allows individual school systems to limit on-campus instruction for up to the first eight weeks of school. These changes override the TEA’s original guidelines that would require all schools to return to in-person instruction in order to receive funding.
From Texas House Democratic Caucus
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July 17, 2020
Vianovo, a leading strategy consultancy at the intersection of business, policy and politics, today announced that Reeves Strategy Group will join its ranks, bolstering the firm’s capabilities and presence in Texas and across the U.S. and Mexico.
From Vianova
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July 17, 2020
The Texas Classroom Teachers Association appreciates the enhanced flexibility provided in the new state guidance released today by the Texas Education Agency. The guidance allows districts additional time to offer remote-only instruction in certain circumstances. However, we have ongoing concerns that state mandates may not allow districts to take the actions they feel necessary to protect their students and employees throughout the school year.
From Texas Classroom Teachers Association
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July 17, 2020
Today, following the announcement by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to provide school districts with greater flexibility for reopening during the 2020-2021 school year, Representative Leach issued the following statement:
From Representative Jeff Leach
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July 17, 2020
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has made two additional arrests in connection with rioting, vandalism and an assault that occurred during protests near the Texas State Capitol back in May.
From Texas DPS
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July 17, 2020
Texas State Teachers Association President Ovidia Molina released the following statement on TEA’s new school opening guidelines:
“The state education commissioner has given school districts additional time to reopen school buildings without a financial penalty, but irrelevant deadlines are not what educators and students need.
From Texas State Teachers Association
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July 17, 2020
Today, San Antonio native and Iraq War veteran Gina Ortiz Jones, the Democratic nominee in Texas’ 23rd Congressional District issued the following statement on the development of a wind farm tied to the Chinese government near Laughlin Air Force Base in Val Verde County:
From Gina Ortiz Jones Campaign
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July 17, 2020
Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan is continuing his court battle to protect local residents from polluters, responding to Attorney General Ken Paxton’s legal effort seeking to prevent the County Attorney’s Office from suing companies that harm the environment.
From Harris County Attorney
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July 17, 2020
Today, after making their delegates wait 8 hours and not even getting through the credentialing process, the Texas Republican Party shut down their online convention after never really getting started due to “technical difficulties.”
From Texas Democratic Party
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July 16, 2020
Senator Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) is strongly pushing back on the continued claims from Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo (D-Harris County) that we need to enact another shutdown, via stay at home order, to fight the coronavirus in Texas.
From Senator Paul Bettencourt
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July 16, 2020
On Wednesday, San Antonio native and Iraq War veteran Gina Ortiz Jones hosted a virtual town hall on closing the digital divide, a challenge that is more important than ever due to COVID-19. 1 in 5 households in San Antonio and El Paso, and 1 and 3 households in rural Texas, lack the at-home Internet connection they need to attend online classes, work from home, access telehealth, and more.
From Gina Ortiz Jones Campaign
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July 16, 2020
Today, as the Texas Republican Convention continues with its technical mishaps and Republican infighting, Texas Democrats are announcing the endorsement of James Dickey for re-election as the Republican Party of Texas chair.
From Texas Democratic Party
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July 16, 2020
Working with a bipartisan coalition, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) secured authorization for the Houston Ship Channel Expansion Channel Improvement Project in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which passed the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee today.
From Representative Lizzie Fletcher
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July 16, 2020
Today, Sharon Hirsch reported a formidable $218,639 raised for the most recent reporting period, with $171,691 cash on hand. In her bid to unseat ultra-conservative, three-term incumbent Matt Shaheen in Texas House District 66, the campaign received support from over 1,080 individual contributors, reflecting the campaign's broad, grassroots support. The campaign has raised $291,897 for the 2020 cycle.
From Sharon Hirsch Campaign
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July 15, 2020
The campaign of Janet Dudding for Texas House District 14 announced today that it raised a record amount in the June 30th reporting period. The campaign raised $30,064.92 in political contributions, which is the most any Democratic candidate for HD-14 has ever raised in a single reporting period.
From Janet Dudding Campaign
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July 15, 2020
Lt. Governor Dan Patrick issued this statement today congratulating Senator Eddie Lucio on his Democrat Party Run-Off Victory last night:
“Senator Eddie Lucio has stood up for his faith and his principles during his entire career in public service. During his re-election campaign, many of his fellow Democrats repeatedly ridiculed him for his belief in God, his courageous stands to protect life and his commitment to the traditional values of his community.
From Dan Patrick Campaign
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July 15, 2020
The Tony Gonzales for Congress campaign has hired respected attorneys Chris Gober and J.D. Pauerstein to lead its team as the Republican Primary Runoff's final results are tallied. Currently, Tony Gonzales maintains a 7 vote margin over Raul Reyes with 100% of precincts reporting.
From Tony Gonzales Campaign
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July 15, 2020
Senator Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) is strongly pushing back on the continued claims from Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo (D-Harris County) that we need to enact another shutdown to fight the coronavirus in Texas. Senator Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) is also speaking out on this issue.
From Senator Paul Bettencourt
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July 15, 2020
Annie’s List, the statewide political organization that works to elect pro-choice, progressive women to office in Texas, releases the following statement by Royce Brooks, Executive Director, in response to the results of the July 14 runoffs and special election.
From Annie’s List
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July 15, 2020
Texas State Teachers Association President Ovidia Molina issued the following statement today:
“We are glad to hear that the state won’t overturn local health officials who have ordered school buildings to remain closed for several more weeks while the pandemic continues to rage across Texas.
From Texas State Teachers Association
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July 15, 2020
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC (TLRPAC) today endorsed Rep. John Raney for reelection in House District 14, which covers part of Brazos County.
“TLRPAC supports candidates who understand what it takes to keep Texas’ economy strong and the need for a fair and efficient legal system in our state,” TLRPAC Chairman Richard J. Trabulsi Jr. said.
From Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
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July 15, 2020
The Texas AFL-CIO today congratulated M.J. Hegar on winning the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat, calling on Texans to vote on Nov. 3 for a new national path on issues that matter to working families.
From Texas AFL-CIO
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July 15, 2020
In order to best represent our constituents and all Texans across the state, on July 7, 2020 we conducted a Google Survey created to gather data on the concerns that our educators and parents face amidst the reopening of schools. We received an overwhelming response of 15,380 Texans who completed the survey.
From Senator Jose Menendez
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July 15, 2020
The results of the state legislative runoffs are in and a clear picture has emerged: Republicans are running the most extreme slate of candidates Texas has ever seen. Despite GOP infighting over which radical conservatives to support in the primary, the winners are right-wing ideologues, some of whom have dismissed concerns about the coronavirus, voted against expanding health care, and pushed conspiracy theories about everything from vaccinations to cell phone technology.
From Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee
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July 15, 2020
Kathy Green, an accomplished leader with extensive public policy, nonprofit, and media experience in Texas, has been named the new Manager of Outreach & Advocacy for AARP Texas.
From AARP
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July 15, 2020
The Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee congratulates the winners of the primary runoff elections for State House. Democratic nominees were chosen in seven runoff races, including three Republican-held seats that Democrats are poised to flip in November.
From Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee
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July 15, 2020
Progress Texas releases the following statement congratulating U.S. Senate candidate MJ Hegar for winning the Democratic nomination, and urges progressive Texans to turn out to vote in November to defeat John Cornyn.
From Progress Texas
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July 15, 2020
Progress Texas releases the following statement on the strong Democratic turnout during the Texas primary runoff election.
“Texas progressives are building a movement, and are voting for a future where all people are able to thrive,” said Tara Pohlmeyer, communications director at Progress Texas.
From Progress Texas
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July 15, 2020
Yesterday, in the middle of a pandemic, Texas Democrats broke the record for highest turnout in a runoff election in Texas Democratic history with a staggering 955,735 number of votes cast with 100% of the precincts reporting.
From Texas Democratic Party
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July 15, 2020
– Progress Texas releases the following statement thanking trial lawyer and human rights advocate Sara Stapleton-Barrera for her competitive campaign for State Senate District 27.
“It’s no accident that this campaign against an almost 30-year incumbent and career politician was so close.
From Progress Texas
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July 15, 2020
State Representative Philip Cortez is requesting more transparency from the Texas
Department of Criminal Justice following a recent surge in positive cases of COVID-19 at the Dominguez
State Jail outside San Antonio.
From Representative Philip Cortez
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July 15, 2020
President Ovidia Molina and Vice President Linda Estrada took office today as the Texas State Teachers Association’s new top leaders, vowing to guide TSTA members safely through the biggest challenges of their educational careers – the COVID-19 pandemic and a reconfiguration of the public school system.
From Texas State Teachers Association
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July 15, 2020
Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) raised more than $1 million in the second quarter of 2020, bringing her re-election campaign committee account to more than $3.45 million cash on hand. She also raised more than $75,000 into the Lizzie Fletcher Victory Fund, a joint fundraising committee with the Texas Democratic Party, which has $300,000 cash on hand.
From Lizzie Pannill Fletcher Campaign
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July 15, 2020
The Tony Gonzales for Congress campaign released a statement from the candidate after the election results were released:
“With 100% reporting, the Secretary of State’s office is showing that we won the primary runoff by seven votes. We will be working to protect the integrity of every legal vote until the canvas is complete over the next week.
From Tony Gonzales Campaign
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July 15, 2020
Texas Freedom Network President Kathy Miller has the following statement on Lani Popp’s victory on Tuesday for the Republican nomination for Texas State Board of Education District 5:
“Let’s be honest that Lani Popp’s victory over her shockingly vulgar, sexist and bigoted opponent saved the state from even bigger embarrassment, but not by a lot.
From Texas Freedom Network
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July 15, 2020
Five Republican candidates won their primary runoff elections tonight and will be added to the general election ballot in Harris County on November 3, 2020, including Troy Nehls in Texas's 22nd Congressional District, Wendell Champion in Texas's 18th Congressional District, Terry Adams for 1st Court of Appeals, Place 5, Joe Danna for Harris County Sheriff, and Russ Ridgeway for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 5, Place 1.
From Harris County Republican Party
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July 15, 2020
The Tesla tax subsidy approved by Travis County Commissioners Court today included some baseline assurances that CTI called for such as $15/minimum wage for full time employees with benefits, and extended the $15/hr for contract food and custodial workers. It also added some incremental concessions around workers safety.
From Central Texas Interfaith
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July 15, 2020
Tonight, the Texas Nurse Practitioners Political Action Committee (PAC) applauded the election of Shelby Slawson for House District 59. The nonpartisan Texas Nurse Practitioners PAC is the political arm of Texas Nurse Practitioners, the largest state association of nurse practitioners in the United States.
From Texas Nurse Practitioners PAC
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July 15, 2020
Harris County Republican Party Chairman Paul Simpson released the following statement today regarding the results of the TX-10 Democratic Primary Runoff Election:
"Radical Mike Siegel is far too extreme for the voters of Texas’s 10th Congressional District," said Chairman Simpson.
From Harris County Republican Party
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July 15, 2020
Following the Travis County Commissioners Court passage of an incentive package to bring a Tesla manufacturing plant to the Austin area, a coalition of labor and environmental groups issued this statement:
“After hundreds of letters, phone calls and testimonies from the community, Travis County fell short of a deal that would guarantee good, safe jobs for thousands of workers.
From Austin Interfaith
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July 15, 2020
Progress Texas releases the following statement congratulating Texas Railroad Commission candidate Chrysta Castañeda on her Democratic primary runoff win.
“Virtually every notch on Castañeda’s belt has prepared her for this position. She’s an environmentalist, engineer, and energy attorney, who also has industry expertise,” said Ed Espinoza, executive director of Progress Texas.
From Progress Texas
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July 15, 2020
Polls will be closing soon in Texas for the primary runoff elections. As always, Common Cause Texas has been monitoring for problems, assisting voters and identifying systemic issues that need to be addressed by state leaders.
From Common Cause Texas
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July 14, 2020
– On July 9, 2020, the El Paso City-County Health Authority issued an order
postponing on campus or in-person instruction for pre-kindergarten through grade 12 until after
September 7, 2020 in response to the rapidly increasing rates of community spread and
hospitalizations in the region.
From Representative Mary E. Gonzalez
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July 14, 2020
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick will report raising $2,624,150 million on his July 15, 2020 Texas Ethics Commission (TEC) report. This brings his campaign war chest total to $15,458,849, once again breaking the record of any Lt. Governor in Texas history.
From Dan Patrick Campaign
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July 14, 2020
?Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a letter brief with the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit addressing the impact of a recent decision from the United States Supreme Court that held unconstitutional a Louisiana law requiring abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. The Fifth Circuit is currently considering a challenge to a Texas law requiring the humane treatment of fetal remains through interment or scattering of ashes. Abortion providers sued the State, seeking an injunction that permits them to treat the remains of unborn children as medical waste that is incinerated and placed in a landfill.
From Office of the Attorney General
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July 14, 2020
With its third Weekly Trends & Risk Assessment Report showing Texas is currently facing an uncontrollable spread of the novel coronavirus, TexPIRG is calling for an immediate shutdown of all nonessential businesses and a return to stay-at-home mandates.
From TexPIRG
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July 14, 2020
A new report from Families USA shows the devastating effects the pandemic has had on Texas’ already abysmal uninsured rate. State Representative and Chair of the Texas House Democratic Caucus Chris Turner released the following statement in response:
“This report, which shows a staggering 29% of Texans under 65 now lack health insurance, is a damning indictment of repeated failures by Republican leaders.
From Texas House Democratic Caucus
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July 14, 2020
Today, San Antonio native and Iraq War veteran Gina Ortiz Jones, the Democratic nominee in Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, issued the following statement on the record-breaking 5.4 million Americans – including nearly 700,000 Texans – who have lost their health care as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study from the nonpartisan group Families USA:
From Gina Ortiz Jones Campaign
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July 14, 2020
Today, the Texas Republican Party finally signalled they were moving their convention online, after threatening to expose Texans to coronavirus and losing a battle in court.
From Texas Democratic Party
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July 14, 2020
The Texas Classroom Teachers Association once again urges that public health considerations be first and foremost in any decisions made regarding the reopening of schools in the coming weeks.
From Texas Classroom Teachers Association
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July 14, 2020
On June 18, Governor Greg Abbott announced students will be returning to classes this fall. With that in mind, the Texas Nurses Association, the Texas School Nurses Organization and Representative Donna Howard would like to take this opportunity to remind local school districts of the importance of including school nurses in the planning that needs to take place between now and the beginning of the semester.
From Texas Nurses Association
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July 14, 2020
– In a show of remembrance, State Representative Carl Sherman (District 109) released a statement today that he supports the renaming of Lamar Street in Dallas to Botham Jean Blvd.
“After almost two years since the death of Botham Jean, the renaming of Lamar St. is still in progress,” Rep Sherman said.
From Representative Carl Sherman
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July 14, 2020
State Representative Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) submitted a letter to Texas Education Agency (TEA) Commissioner Mike Morath on Monday calling for a suspension of STAAR testing during the 2020-2021 school year.
From Representative Brooks Landgraf
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July 14, 2020
– Communities across the country are preparing to set out into new territory for the
presidential election in November. Not only has the COVID-19 crisis raised many questions about how voters can
(and can’t) cast their ballots; it has also brought into sharp focus many systemic problems that Americans are
planning to weigh in on with their vote
From REV UP Texas
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July 14, 2020
State Representative Carl Sherman (District 109) said today of the passing of Reginald Moore “He was a selfless man who campaigned for those who never had a voice in their lifetimes and could not speak for justice.”
From Representative Carl Sherman
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July 14, 2020
- State Representative Donna Howard (D - HD 48) expresses strong disagreement
with Governor Greg Abbott and his Republican-led working group’s joint decision to supplant
school districts’ state funding with federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief
Fund (ESSER) dollars.
From Representative Donna Howard
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July 14, 2020
For the sake of student and educator health, the Pflugerville Educators Association and the Del Valle Education Association today demanded that their school districts provide only remote instruction for the first nine weeks of the new school year and that the state not penalize the districts with funding cuts.
From Texas State Teachers Association
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July 14, 2020
Today, Senator Juan "Chuy" sent a letter to Governor Greg Abbott requesting an order for flags in the Rio Grande Valley to be flown at half-staff in honor of the life and public service of City of McAllen police officers Edelmiro Garza and Ismael Chavez, who were shot and killed in the line of duty on July 11, 2020.
From Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa
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July 14, 2020
?Attorney General Ken Paxton gave this statement on tonight’s tragic shooting in McAllen, Texas:
“The hearts of every Texan are broken tonight as two of our finest in the City of McAllen Police Department have paid the ultimate sacrifice. We are praying for our frontline heroes in McAllen and around the state. This office stands ready to assist however we can.”
From Office of the Attorney General
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July 10, 2020
U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), along with Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Congressmen Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15), Filemon Vela (TX-34), and Henry Cuellar (TX-28), today sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar requesting that the federal government provide additional federal resources, including a new field hospital, to help respond to the surge of coronavirus cases in the Rio Grande Valley.
From Senator John Cornyn
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July 10, 2020
The labor movement in Texas is saddened by the death of John Bland, whose history-making civil rights and labor activism helped integrate Houston and bring hard-working families into the middle class.
Bland was among 13 Texas Southern University students who led Houston's first civil rights sit-in against segregation.
From Texas AFL-CIO
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July 10, 2020
Tuesday is Election Day in Texas for primary runoff elections and a state senate special election.
In March, Texas held its primary elections before the pandemic had truly hit and even then there were a number of serious issues including multi-hour lines at poll sites all over the state.
From Common Cause Texas
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July 10, 2020
Rep. Gene Wu (D-Houston) and a majority of House Democrats this week sent a letter to Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht, asking for the courts to again order a temporary halt on evictions and foreclosures. This is the third time Rep. Wu has authored this request to the Court since COVID-19 crippled Texas' economy.
From Representative Gene Wu
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July 10, 2020
Representative Ed Thompson has formally nominated Kaitlyn Frazier for the Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program. This scholarship program benefits students who have been nominated by the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, a State Senator, or a State Representative and who intend to participate in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) programs while attending a Texas college.
From Representative Ed Thompson
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July 10, 2020
Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) has been awarded the Spirit of Enterprise Award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. This recognition honors the members of Congress who support “pro-business legislation, bipartisan leadership, and constructive governing.”
From Representative Lizzie Fletcher
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July 10, 2020
Ochiltree County Sheriff, Terry Bouchard, today joined a growing list of local Republicans who have endorsed Josh Winegarner.
Winegarner is seeking the 13th Congressional District seat currently held by Mac Thornberry, who will retire at the end of this term.
From Josh Winegarner Campaign
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 Copyright August 11, 2020, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved
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